Josh Malerman
Author of Bird Box
About the Author
Josh Malerman is an author from Britain who was short listed for the James Herbert Award for Horror writing for his title Bird Box. This title has also made the bestseller list in 2019. (Bowker Author Biography)
Image credit: Photo of author and musician Josh Malerman.
Series
Works by Josh Malerman
Pictures of You: A Novel 4 copies
L'altra mamma 3 copies
Carpenter's Farm: A Serialized Novel 3 copies
Carpenter’s Farm 2 copies
RSVP: E.S.P. 1 copy
Къщата на езерното дъно 1 copy
Hay algo malo en casa 1 copy
On This, the Day of the Pig 1 copy
Bird Box: free sampler (chapter 1): The bestselling psychological thriller, now a major film (English Edition) (2014) 1 copy
Unnerving Magazine Issue #6 1 copy
The Art of Horrible People 1 copy
Associated Works
When Things Get Dark: Stories Inspired by Shirley Jackson (2021) — Contributor — 255 copies, 12 reviews
Christmas and Other Horrors: A Winter Solstice Anthology (2023) — Contributor — 214 copies, 9 reviews
Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles (2020) — Contributor — 69 copies, 2 reviews
Shadows Over Main Street: An Anthology of Small-Town Lovecraftian Terror (2015) — Contributor — 51 copies
Qualia Nous: Vol. 2 — Contributor — 2 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1975-07-24
- Gender
- male
- Occupations
- musician
- Agent
- Kristin Nelson (Nelson Literary)
- Short biography
- Josh Malerman is an American author and also one of two singer/songwriters for the rock band The High Strung, whose song "The Luck You Got" can be heard as the theme song to the Showtime show "Shameless." His book Bird Box is also currently being filmed as a feature film starring Sandra Bullock, John Malkovich, and Sarah Paulson. Bird Box was also nominated for the Stoker Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the James Herbert Award. His books Black Mad Wheel and Goblin have also been nominated for Stoker Awards.
- Nationality
- USA
- Places of residence
- Michigan, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- Michigan, USA
Members
Reviews
Josh Malerman is back at it again, folks. The man who gave us Bird Box (and single-handedly made blindfolds trendy…?) now delivers Incidents Around the House. If you were hoping for a cozy haunted house story that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy, then I’m sorry to disappoint—but also, what the hell were you expecting? This is Josh Malerman we’re talking about, the guy who treats horror like an art form and nightmares like a second language. With Incidents Around the House, Malerman show more serves up a piping hot plate of dread, spiced with existential terror and garnished with family dysfunction. Bon appétit, you sickos.
Let’s start with the basics. The story revolves around eight-year-old Bela, her parents Ursula and Russ (aka Mommy and Daddo), and a malevolent closet-dwelling entity known as Other Mommy. What starts as Bela’s innocent imaginary friend—or so her parents hope—quickly escalates into a supernatural shitstorm. Other Mommy doesn’t just hang out in the closet making spooky noises. Oh no, this twisted bastard wants to “go into Bela’s heart,” which, is not as wholesome as it sounds.
Other Mommy’s persistence is unmatched. She shows up at bedtime, in the park, and probably in the background of your next family photo if you look hard enough. As Bela’s family scrambles to understand what the hell is happening, their own secrets and dysfunctions bubble to the surface, adding a delicious layer of human messiness to the supernatural horror.
Here’s the thing about Malerman: he doesn’t just want to scare you—he wants to mess with your head and make you think about your crappy childhood. Beneath the spooky stuff, Incidents Around the House dives headfirst into themes of innocence, trust, and the ways we fail the people we love. Bela’s perspective—the whole story is told through her eyes—is the perfect lens for exploring these themes. She’s a kid caught in the crossfire of her parents’ unraveling marriage and the literal demon in her closet. It’s heartbreaking and terrifying all at once. And let’s not forget Other Mommy, who’s more than just a creepy entity. She’s a manifestation of everything Bela fears and doesn’t understand: her parents’ fights, her own loneliness, and the instability of a world that should feel safe but doesn’t.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate Malerman’s twisted genius. The guy writes like he’s trying to crawl inside your brain and rearrange the furniture. His prose is deceptively simple—especially here, where the narrative mirrors an eight-year-old’s thoughts—but don’t let that fool you. Every word is meticulously placed to ratchet up the tension. By the time Other Mommy makes her first truly horrifying move, you’re already too deep in the story to look away.
Malerman’s decision to write from Bela’s perspective is a risky move, but damn, does it pay off. I dare say most writers fall into the trap of infantilizing children characters, forgetting what it’s like to truly be that age. But Malerman mostly nails the voice of a child without making it feel cloying or inauthentic. Bela’s innocence amplifies the horror, because you’re seeing everything through the eyes of someone who can’t fully comprehend what’s happening. It’s like watching a kid wander into traffic while you’re stuck on the sidewalk, screaming at them to stop.
Why does this book slap?:
The Atmosphere: This book is dripping with dread. From the first page, you’re sucked into Bela’s world, where every shadow hides a threat and every silence feels deafening. Malerman doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares; he builds tension slowly, making you feel like you’re walking on a tightrope over a pit of alligators.
The Characters: Bela is a standout, but let’s not forget Mommy and Daddo. They’re flawed as hell—Ursula’s having an affair, Russ is perpetually clueless—but their love for Bela is palpable. Their desperation to protect her, even as their own lives fall apart, adds an emotional depth that’s often missing in horror.
The Writing: Malerman’s prose is as sharp as a knife in a slasher. He balances Bela’s childlike narration with moments of gut-punching insight, creating a story that’s as thought-provoking as it is terrifying.
The Horror: Other Mommy is the stuff of nightmares. Malerman doesn’t over-describe her, which makes her even scarier. You’re left to fill in the gaps with your own worst fears, and trust me, your imagination is a sadistic jerk.
Alright, let’s nitpick. The ending might be divisive for some readers. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say it’s open to interpretation. Some people are going to love the ambiguity; others might throw the book across the room. Personally, I’m in the “What the hell just happened?” camp, but in a good way. Still, if you like your endings tied up in a neat bow, you’ve been warned. Another minor gripe is the pacing. As someone with quite a bit of patience, the slow build works for me for the most part, but there are a few spots where the tension dips.
Read this book you cowards. Despite the haunted house story being pretty fucking tired in my book, Incidents Around the House is a psychological gut-punch that feels quite fresh. Malerman proves once again that he’s one of the best in the game, delivering a book that’s as emotionally resonant as it is terrifying.
So go on, grab a copy. And when you’re lying awake at 3 AM, too scared to close your eyes, just remember: Other Mommy is watching. Sweet dreams. show less
Let’s start with the basics. The story revolves around eight-year-old Bela, her parents Ursula and Russ (aka Mommy and Daddo), and a malevolent closet-dwelling entity known as Other Mommy. What starts as Bela’s innocent imaginary friend—or so her parents hope—quickly escalates into a supernatural shitstorm. Other Mommy doesn’t just hang out in the closet making spooky noises. Oh no, this twisted bastard wants to “go into Bela’s heart,” which, is not as wholesome as it sounds.
Other Mommy’s persistence is unmatched. She shows up at bedtime, in the park, and probably in the background of your next family photo if you look hard enough. As Bela’s family scrambles to understand what the hell is happening, their own secrets and dysfunctions bubble to the surface, adding a delicious layer of human messiness to the supernatural horror.
Here’s the thing about Malerman: he doesn’t just want to scare you—he wants to mess with your head and make you think about your crappy childhood. Beneath the spooky stuff, Incidents Around the House dives headfirst into themes of innocence, trust, and the ways we fail the people we love. Bela’s perspective—the whole story is told through her eyes—is the perfect lens for exploring these themes. She’s a kid caught in the crossfire of her parents’ unraveling marriage and the literal demon in her closet. It’s heartbreaking and terrifying all at once. And let’s not forget Other Mommy, who’s more than just a creepy entity. She’s a manifestation of everything Bela fears and doesn’t understand: her parents’ fights, her own loneliness, and the instability of a world that should feel safe but doesn’t.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate Malerman’s twisted genius. The guy writes like he’s trying to crawl inside your brain and rearrange the furniture. His prose is deceptively simple—especially here, where the narrative mirrors an eight-year-old’s thoughts—but don’t let that fool you. Every word is meticulously placed to ratchet up the tension. By the time Other Mommy makes her first truly horrifying move, you’re already too deep in the story to look away.
Malerman’s decision to write from Bela’s perspective is a risky move, but damn, does it pay off. I dare say most writers fall into the trap of infantilizing children characters, forgetting what it’s like to truly be that age. But Malerman mostly nails the voice of a child without making it feel cloying or inauthentic. Bela’s innocence amplifies the horror, because you’re seeing everything through the eyes of someone who can’t fully comprehend what’s happening. It’s like watching a kid wander into traffic while you’re stuck on the sidewalk, screaming at them to stop.
Why does this book slap?:
The Atmosphere: This book is dripping with dread. From the first page, you’re sucked into Bela’s world, where every shadow hides a threat and every silence feels deafening. Malerman doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares; he builds tension slowly, making you feel like you’re walking on a tightrope over a pit of alligators.
The Characters: Bela is a standout, but let’s not forget Mommy and Daddo. They’re flawed as hell—Ursula’s having an affair, Russ is perpetually clueless—but their love for Bela is palpable. Their desperation to protect her, even as their own lives fall apart, adds an emotional depth that’s often missing in horror.
The Writing: Malerman’s prose is as sharp as a knife in a slasher. He balances Bela’s childlike narration with moments of gut-punching insight, creating a story that’s as thought-provoking as it is terrifying.
The Horror: Other Mommy is the stuff of nightmares. Malerman doesn’t over-describe her, which makes her even scarier. You’re left to fill in the gaps with your own worst fears, and trust me, your imagination is a sadistic jerk.
Alright, let’s nitpick. The ending might be divisive for some readers. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say it’s open to interpretation. Some people are going to love the ambiguity; others might throw the book across the room. Personally, I’m in the “What the hell just happened?” camp, but in a good way. Still, if you like your endings tied up in a neat bow, you’ve been warned. Another minor gripe is the pacing. As someone with quite a bit of patience, the slow build works for me for the most part, but there are a few spots where the tension dips.
Read this book you cowards. Despite the haunted house story being pretty fucking tired in my book, Incidents Around the House is a psychological gut-punch that feels quite fresh. Malerman proves once again that he’s one of the best in the game, delivering a book that’s as emotionally resonant as it is terrifying.
So go on, grab a copy. And when you’re lying awake at 3 AM, too scared to close your eyes, just remember: Other Mommy is watching. Sweet dreams. show less
It's better to face madness with a plan than to sit still and let it take you in pieces.
The line between life and death, sanity and madness, depends on what you can and cannot see. In the beginning the incidents were isolated and sporadic. Then it was everywhere. The reports came in fast and furious and the horrors piled one on top of the other. Malorie and the group of survivors she seeks out must adapt to this new world with their eyes closed. Something is out there and they must keep it show more out. Don't. Open. Your. Eyes.
This is probably one of the creepiest books I've read in the long time. Still my mind is churning with all the possibilities of what happened, how it happened, and more importantly, why? Malerman does not give us all the answers, but rather each reader will probably finish the book with their own theories and explanations of what unfolded. A part of me thinks that is one heck of a brilliant ploy and the other part is just frustrated because one way or another, I want the answers to the questions raised. Regardless, Bird Box definitely is an attention grabber of a book and will keep you turning the pages. Like a good horror movie, you want cover your eyes, and yet you can't help but peek through the spaces between your fingers because you want to know what happens next, even though you're pretty darn sure you're one good scare away from crapping in your pants. Recommended if suspenseful and ominous books pushes your buttons. show less
The line between life and death, sanity and madness, depends on what you can and cannot see. In the beginning the incidents were isolated and sporadic. Then it was everywhere. The reports came in fast and furious and the horrors piled one on top of the other. Malorie and the group of survivors she seeks out must adapt to this new world with their eyes closed. Something is out there and they must keep it show more out. Don't. Open. Your. Eyes.
This is probably one of the creepiest books I've read in the long time. Still my mind is churning with all the possibilities of what happened, how it happened, and more importantly, why? Malerman does not give us all the answers, but rather each reader will probably finish the book with their own theories and explanations of what unfolded. A part of me thinks that is one heck of a brilliant ploy and the other part is just frustrated because one way or another, I want the answers to the questions raised. Regardless, Bird Box definitely is an attention grabber of a book and will keep you turning the pages. Like a good horror movie, you want cover your eyes, and yet you can't help but peek through the spaces between your fingers because you want to know what happens next, even though you're pretty darn sure you're one good scare away from crapping in your pants. Recommended if suspenseful and ominous books pushes your buttons. show less
I read this sumbitch in 2 days, so there's no way I can claim to have not enjoyed it. But see here ...
I started the novel when the sun was already down. By the time I'd gotten close to bedtime, I was almost sorry I had done so ... because it was GENUINELY creeping my old a** out!
Before I proceed I have to emphasize how rare this is for me. I consider myself a bit of a buff re: horror literature. I've read a bunch. I am very, VERY hard to creep out. But Malerman's novel -- at least the first show more half -- did it.
I finished it the next day, and experienced a bit of a letdown in 'scare factor.' Reading other reviews gives me the feeling this is a common reaction to _Incidents Around the House_, but ... I kept thinking about the night before. Thing is, it's really a flawed experiment because to make it, well, accurate, I'd've read the SECOND half after dark, too.
Nevertheless, I have managed to think of a few reasons the fear faded. Unlike many horror authors, Malerman very very wisely chooses to not describe "Other Mommy," at least not explicitly, and not at first. The details were left out, allowing the reader to fill them in. For me this peaked at the momentreal Mommy sees Other Mommy sitting on Bela's bed, and for a while after this. Following this encounter we start getting more details ... and the detail of Other Mommy's giant mouth growing and hitting the floor is so very much like a ton of horror movies I've seen that it fell comparatively flat.
In the end, I was fairly impressed with this novel and will seek out other Malerman books. I really appreciated the late-night scare of the first half! show less
I started the novel when the sun was already down. By the time I'd gotten close to bedtime, I was almost sorry I had done so ... because it was GENUINELY creeping my old a** out!
Before I proceed I have to emphasize how rare this is for me. I consider myself a bit of a buff re: horror literature. I've read a bunch. I am very, VERY hard to creep out. But Malerman's novel -- at least the first show more half -- did it.
I finished it the next day, and experienced a bit of a letdown in 'scare factor.' Reading other reviews gives me the feeling this is a common reaction to _Incidents Around the House_, but ... I kept thinking about the night before. Thing is, it's really a flawed experiment because to make it, well, accurate, I'd've read the SECOND half after dark, too.
Nevertheless, I have managed to think of a few reasons the fear faded. Unlike many horror authors, Malerman very very wisely chooses to not describe "Other Mommy," at least not explicitly, and not at first. The details were left out, allowing the reader to fill them in. For me this peaked at the moment
In the end, I was fairly impressed with this novel and will seek out other Malerman books. I really appreciated the late-night scare of the first half! show less
An apocalyptic horror novel about the inexplicable arrival of creatures, that when viewed by humans, cause madness and almost instant suicidality. The only way to survive is to remain indoors and cover all windows. If going outside is unavoidable, blindfolds must be worn. Mallory, this book's protagonist, quarantines with her sister until her sister catches a glimpse of the creatures through a parted curtain. Alone, and as luck would have it, pregnant, Mallory decides to answer an ad that show more promises a safe house.
There she meets Tom, a man she falls in love with. She also meets Olympia, another young pregnant woman who finds refuge in the house. Eventually, the house is betrayed by a newcomer. He's seen the creatures, and is among the rare few to survive. However, he is still mad, and now is trying to get everyone to see the creatures. He springs a trap while the women are in labor and as a result, Mallory and the two newborns are the only survivors.
She raises them by herself for four years before setting out a harrowing journey down a river blindfolded to another settlement where she hopes she will have a better life with her children.
Wow, this book hits different after 2020. The tight quarters, the isolation, the unhinged people hell-bent on exposing themselves to danger as if it's some sort of religious rite. This book honestly disturbed me but not in an enjoyable way.
Also, the scene where Mallory is in labor is just frankly excruciatingly boring. It's supposed to be the climax of the book, but it goes on way too long and most of it is just Mallory whining and begging in an extremely repetitive way. Also, I don't believe a woman could hang herself to death by her umbilical cord. There's just no way. show less
There she meets Tom, a man she falls in love with. She also meets Olympia, another young pregnant woman who finds refuge in the house. Eventually, the house is betrayed by a newcomer. He's seen the creatures, and is among the rare few to survive. However, he is still mad, and now is trying to get everyone to see the creatures. He springs a trap while the women are in labor and as a result, Mallory and the two newborns are the only survivors.
She raises them by herself for four years before setting out a harrowing journey down a river blindfolded to another settlement where she hopes she will have a better life with her children.
Wow, this book hits different after 2020. The tight quarters, the isolation, the unhinged people hell-bent on exposing themselves to danger as if it's some sort of religious rite. This book honestly disturbed me but not in an enjoyable way.
Also, the scene where Mallory is in labor is just frankly excruciatingly boring. It's supposed to be the climax of the book, but it goes on way too long and most of it is just Mallory whining and begging in an extremely repetitive way. Also, I don't believe a woman could hang herself to death by her umbilical cord. There's just no way. show less
Lists
ScaredyKIT 2018 (1)
Strange Towns (1)
Strange Westerns (1)
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 42
- Also by
- 36
- Members
- 8,684
- Popularity
- #2,761
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 516
- ISBNs
- 203
- Languages
- 18
- Favorited
- 7
