Review: This Cursed House by Del Sandeen Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5/5)

Del Sandeen’s This Cursed House is a lush, unsettling Southern gothic debut that masterfully blends supernatural horror with razor-sharp social commentary. Set in 1962 New Orleans, the novel follows Jemma Barker, a young Black woman seeking escape from her haunted life in Chicago, only to find herself entangled in the strange and cursed Duchon family.

What I especially liked:
Sandeen’s prose is rich and immersive, steeped in the sensory weight of the Louisiana setting—the oppressive heat, the scent of magnolia, the claustrophobic creak of an old house steeped in secrets. The portrayal of colorism within the Duchon family adds layers of tension beyond the supernatural, making the human conflicts just as chilling as the curse itself. Jemma is a compelling protagonist—flawed, intuitive, and deeply human—and the way she slowly unravels the family’s history feels both authentic and haunting. The pacing mirrors the genre’s best traditions, starting slow but steadily tightening the noose until the final revelations land like thunder.

What could have been done better:
While the deliberate pacing suits the gothic atmosphere, some early chapters linger a bit too long on description and repetition of tension without adding new stakes. A few secondary characters, though memorable in appearance, could have benefited from deeper development to fully match the weight of their secrets. Additionally, the climax—while satisfying—wraps up certain mysteries a bit more neatly than the eerie buildup suggested, leaving me wishing for a final twist with sharper teeth.

Verdict:
Despite minor pacing issues, This Cursed House is a beautifully written, thematically rich debut that cements Del Sandeen as a writer to watch. It’s perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic and The Good House—a story where the past refuses to stay buried, and the ghosts, whether human or not, demand to be heard.

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