A spine-chilling, heart-pounding suburban horror novel at the heart of the genre, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Cassandra Khaw, and Catriona Ward. In 1998, desperate loneliness pushes preteen Amber to ignore the misgivings of her family, particularly her younger sister, when she befriends the troubled new kid in the neighborhood―a boy with dead eyes, a fascination with fire, and no remorse. Their turbulent relationship is brief but creates lasting consequences. Twenty-two years later, in 2020, he resurfaces to kill Amber’s parents, and is in turn betrayed by his accomplice and killed in Amber's childhood home. After the deaths, Amber inherits the house and, in an effort to save money, moves in with her husband and two children, hoping to reclaim some sense of stability in the grief and chaos surrounding her. Instead, she finds that the familiar walls are haunted by more than just bitter memories and lockdown stress. She shifts in and out of dreamlike trances, her reflection won’t meet her gaze, and a menacing voice whispers to her from the gathering shadows. Although she tried to brush off the strange happenings as stress-fueled hallucinations, Amber is soon forced to admit that something much more real―and more dangerous―haunts her family. But Amber has deadly secrets of her own, and she must resolve these long-buried truths or lose the life she’s contrived for herself. " These Familiar Walls is further burning testament that the past won't only just haunt you, it'll come crashing like a blazing boomerang. C. J. Dotson sets her ghosts on fire and this haunting novel is an absolute incendiary sensation. You'll burn through this book or it'll burn right through you." ―Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Wake Up and Open Your Eyes "With an atmosphere that's by turns domestic and delirious, Dotson's ability to find menace in the mundane is again unparalleled. The dual timeline is at once lingering and propulsive, the figurative claustrophobia of a suburban childhood mirrored perfectly in the pandemic lockdown of the book's present day setting. Tightly plotted, and twisted in the best possible way, These Familiar Walls with linger with you long after you've turned its final page." ―MK Hardy, author of The Needfire "A dissociative fever dream, These Familiar Walls burns fast and fierce, gripping and tense with dread. CJ Dotson effortlessly gives new life to haunted house horror with a truly vicious suburban nightmare that will have you checking your locks and covering your eyes." ―Saratoga Schaefer, author of Serial Killer Support Group and Trad Wife "Claustrophobic and terrifying. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!" ―S.A. Barnes, USA Today bestselling author of Cold Eternity “C. J. Dotson captures the anxiety and isolation of lockdown and uses it to propel an explosive plot with secrets in the walls. Haunting, gripping, and captivating, These Familiar Walls needs to be on your shelf now.” ― Chelsea Conradt, USA Today bestselling author of The Farmhouse “A twisted new take on a haunted house story. Propulsive and surprising, Dotson keeps readers on their toes with every turn. A dark and genuinely terrifying novel.” ―Erin E. Adams, author of Jackal and One of You Praise for The Cut: "Dotson does praiseworthy work crafting a unique horror protagonist." ― Publishers Weekly "Dotson gets readers invested in Sadie immediately, even as the plot-driven story burns slowly, and by the last third of the book, that investment pays off as revelations, danger, and monsters burst the story open. Not for the faint of heart." ― Booklist " The Cut is a deliciously creepy tale filled with pitch-perfect suspense, horrifying monstrosities, and written with genuine heart. I simply could not put it down." ―Nicholas Binge, author of Ascension “ The Cut is a chilling, paranoia-inducing thrill-ride of a horror tale! Bizarre twists, great characters, and an ending that will leave you breathless!” ―Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Cave 13 "A compelling page-turner full of slithery secrets and scares." ―Rachel Harrison, national bestselling author of Black Sheep “A creepy tale, guaranteed to keep you reading well past midnight. Fantastically paced, filled with wonderfully crafted characters―the twists and turns don’t let up until the very end. Dotson’s debut is a highlight of the year.” ―Erin E. Adams, author of Jackal "An exquisite slow burn horror story that combines the terror of escaping from an abusive relationship with evil that’s reminiscent of Lovecraft. Absolutely devoured this book and can’t wait to read more by Dotson!" ―Amina Akhtar, bestselling author of Almost Surely Dead "Creeping with twisting tight tension. The Cut by C. J. Dotson is heart hammering, breath shuddering, and full of visions of monsters along our periphery. The terrors here will leave you speechless." ―Cynthia Pelayo, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Forgot