Synopsis:
The house on Old Mill Road has stood in an open field for longer than Jesse Wells has been alive, its crooked windows and jutting turret tormenting the kids of Warsaw, Michigan the way only a haunted house knows how. Everyone imagines that something terrible lurks within the house’s abandoned rooms—especially Jesse and his two closest friends, Casey and Reed. But when Reed chooses the house as a backdrop for his own suicide, childhood ghost stories are transformed into a nightmare that sends Jesse into a downward spiral of grief. Nearly twenty years later, Jesse stands on the collapsing steps of the house that snatched away his best friend. Casey has asked him to revisit their old demons, if only to help them find closure that’s long overdue. But tragedy finds them once more, and Jesse is left forever changed. Now, left to cope with the disaster that had become his life, Jesse must unravel the mystery behind the house that has terrified him since he was a boy. To fail is to lose everything he has left. But success might come at an even a higher price.
Review:
Some authors are revered for their shocking plot twists. Some are famed for their stand-out prose. A few are known for their ability to make readers squirm. Ania Ahlborn excels in all of these categories- but is indisputably known for making her readers feel AWFUL. “If You See Her,” is a continuation of this, and delivers a gut punch to the stomach, promptly followed by a stab in the heart. Having absolutely NOT been okay by the time I’d finished “Brother,” “Seed,” “The Shuddering,” or “Within These Walls,” I was determined I would not let Ahlborn get the best of me yet again. She did. I don’t wanna talk about it.
Swiftly moving on…
In Warsaw, Michigan, twenty years ago, three teenagers (Jesse, Casey and Reed) entered into the infamous, derelict house on Old Mill Road. This escapade goes terribly wrong, and following an inexplicable but deadly fall- one of them leaves in a body bag. Now, teaching English at the very school he used to detest, the events of that night continue to haunt Jesse. These underlying feelings of misery and dread suddenly bubble up again when he receives an unexpected visit from his estranged friend Casey. The semi-successful Youtuber, proposes the pair revisit the house on Old Mill Road, and face their demons together. Jesse leaves the house, the sole survivor of another tragic incident. The malicious entity that lurks within is two down, and has one to go. That means Jesse is next…
Another thing (aside from nearly killing me off every damn time) that Ahlborn has mastered is building dread. Each little bump in the night and bad dream contributes to a building crescendo of utter terror, that comes to its climax at the devastating ending. There’s a slight lull in action in the middle of the novel, but the anticipation Ania builds means that it’s a compelling read from emotionally draining start to emotionally draining finish!
Jesse is an excellent character study, and provides commentary on suicide and trauma. He questions himself and others throughout, at one point even blaming himself completely for the loss of his two friends. His relationship with LouAnne particularly highlights how severely trauma can impact us, even decades later. Furthermore, as in “Within These Walls,” our protagonist is a writer, or at least an aspiring one. There’s lots of commentary on the creative process, particularly the low-lights. Personally, I love when authors write about authors, and think some of the best horror is created when the author puts themselves in the shoes of their characters. The novel is so emotionally charged at points, perhaps this is why.
I think the most effective type of horror (for me) is paranormal fiction done well. Throw all the blood and guts at me you like, it’s the ghosts that get this reviewer! In “If you see her,” the houses’ paranormal presence is unique in the fact that “If you see her,” you’re done for… so you’d better bloody hope you don’t. We learn pretty early on that Jesse is only 7 when he first “Sees her.” In a way, Ania creates what is a “Final Destination”-esque set up. We know that something is coming for Jesse, but that doesn’t make it any less horrifying when it does. It’s truly nail-biting.
If you like the rest of Ahlborn’s work- you’ll like this one too. It’s in keeping with the running theme of misery and hopelessness. If you’re looking to start reading this author, “Seed,” was my first, and I’ve never looked back. I would argue that fans of Michelle Paver and the unconventional but absolutely terrifying ghosts she writes about would also appreciate “If You See Her.”
Picking up an Ania Ahlborn book is like willingly signing away any glimmer of optimism or hope you may have for the following few days. “If You See Her,” delivers a barrage of gloom and heartache, and will leave you bruised. Ahlborn spins a chilling ghost story, inter-woven with raw emotion and haunting introspection. If you’re ready to face the ghosts lurking within, brace yourself for an utterly enthralling journey- just bear in mind that once you see her, there’s no turning back.
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