Warning: Spoilers ahead for We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer.Marcus Kliewer’s We Used to Live Here is one of 2024’s best horror books, and it needs a sequel after its compelling but mind-boggling ending. There were plenty of great horror books that came out in 2024, but We Used to Live here stood out among the new releases. Not only did the book blend horror and sci-fi in a way that constantly kept viewers guessing, but it excelled as a debut novel — something that isn’t always the case for books by first-time authors.
Following a sapphic couple that flips homes for a living, We Used to Live here tells a story that jumps between time and space, leaving readers guessing even after they’ve closed the book. Its main character, Eve, can barely tell what’s real and what isn’t after a family shows up on her doorstep, asking to look at her and Charlie’s house. The father claims to have lived there growing up, but once his new family is inside, things begin changing drastically for Eve. We Used to Live Here‘s bonkers ending cements it as a fantastic book, but it also demands a follow-up.
We Used To Live Here’s Ending Cements It As One Of 2024’s Best Books
Eve’s & Charlie’s Final Moments Are Mind-Boggling & Fun To Speculate On
We Used to Live Here ends with the book’s main character locked away in a psychiatric hospital, not entirely sure of what’s real. A visit from the book’s villain, Thomas, seemingly confirms she’s jumped realities and isn’t actually who people claim. And Charlie’s epilogue supports this, suggesting Eve has been missing from her original universe for quite some time. This mind-blowing ending cements We Used to Live Here as one of the greatest horror releases of 2024, as the sheer scope of Kliewer’s novel is impressive and lends itself to more in-depth speculation.
This is why the horror novel needs a sequel: to unpack the many oddities that occur after Thomas and his family arrive at Eve’s and Charlie’s house.
After all, Eve experiences quite a few perplexing things as she progresses through the novel. She appears to pass through more than one alternate universe, even meeting different versions of Charlie as she does. Unfortunately, while We Used to Live Here confirms Thomas’ sinister intentions with his final gift to Eve, it doesn’t elaborate on some of the more intriguing aspects of Eve’s journey. This is why the horror novel needs a sequel: to unpack the many oddities that occur after Thomas and his family arrive at Eve’s and Charlie’s house.
We Used To Live Here Needs A Sequel To Answer All The Questions It Raises
There’s Too Much Left Open-Ended For Marcus Kliewer To Leave It Here
Although We Used to Live Here‘s ending has left readers talking, its open-ended plot points deserve to be addressed in a follow-up. Ambiguous endings work for some horror novels, but Kliewer’s may leave a little too much on the table to end the story here. It isn’t just the fact that Eve and Charlie don’t get happy or even satisfying endings. We Used to Live Here also doesn’t explain certain elements of its central mystery, from the man in the shack that Eve meets while searching for help to her neighbor’s involvement in the entire conspiracy.
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The old man in the shack suggests that Eve isn’t the only one to traverse realities because of the Faust family, which also demands further exploration. While it would be exciting to see more of Charlie’s quest to find Eve, it would be even more satisfying to learn about the Faust family and their mysterious home. The lore of We Used to Live Here is too complex and interesting to gloss over, and that’s an unfortunate effect of the horror book’s ambiguous ending. Luckily, a sequel can fix this problem and shed light on everything Eve experiences.