The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer book review

The Caretaker Review: Creepy Premise, Familiar Execution

The Caretaker Review: My Thoughts

I picked up The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer because the premise immediately sounded like the kind of horror I usually enjoy. An isolated house, a strange job, rules you’re expected to follow, and mysterious Visitors showing up at the door? There was a lot there that made me curious about where the story was going.

I especially liked the uncertainty surrounding the Visitors. I wanted to understand what they were, why the rules existed, and what was really happening inside that house. There was something unsettling about having all these strange pieces without knowing how they fit together, and I thought the supernatural elements had a lot of potential.

Unfortunately, the book didn’t quite live up to that potential for me. As the story went on, some of the caretaker’s routines and encounters started feeling repetitive, and the horror began to feel more familiar than genuinely surprising. I also kept thinking about We Used to Live Here, which made some of the similarities stand out even more.

There are definitely things I liked about The Caretaker, particularly the premise, the isolated setting, and the mysterious Visitors. I just wanted the story to do more with those elements, because I think there was a much creepier and more memorable book hiding inside this setup.

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What Worked For Me

In this The Caretaker review, I’m sharing my thoughts on Marcus Kliewer’s latest supernatural horror novel. After loving We Used to Live Here, I went into this one with pretty high expectations. The biggest challenge The Caretaker faced wasn’t its story—it was following such a strong debut.

I was hoping for another unsettling, page-turning horror novel that would keep me guessing from beginning to end. Instead, I found myself enjoying the premise more than the execution.

The Caretaker follows a woman who’s desperate for money and accepts a mysterious caretaking job with unusually strict rules. Complete a series of rituals exactly as instructed, answer the phone when it rings, and whatever you do, don’t let the Visitors in.

It’s a setup that immediately grabbed my attention. The isolated house, the strange rituals, and the constant countdowns created an eerie atmosphere that kept me curious. Marcus Kliewer knows how to build tension, and I appreciated that the supernatural elements—especially the Visitors—were never fully explained. That mystery added a layer of cosmic horror that I enjoyed.

Why It Didn’t Fully Click

Unfortunately, as the story progressed, I realized I’d seen variations of this concept before. The mysterious rules, the unseen threat, and the pattern of completing one task after another all felt familiar enough that I was rarely surprised by where the story was going.

I also found myself waiting for a bigger payoff. Much of the novel follows the same cycle of completing rituals, receiving new instructions, and trying to avoid the consequences. Instead of building toward one major “aha!” moment, it felt like the story kept repeating the same structure with higher stakes.

I couldn’t help comparing it to We Used to Live Here, and that probably worked against this book. That novel genuinely unsettled me because it played on a fear that felt personal—the idea of strangers showing up at your home claiming they belonged there. As an introvert, that premise immediately got under my skin. The Caretaker, on the other hand, relies more on mysterious rules and cosmic horror, which didn’t have quite the same impact on me.

Final Thoughts on The Caretaker

Overall, this wasn’t a bad book by any means. I still enjoyed the atmosphere, the unsettling premise, and the growing sense that something wasn’t quite right. It simply never reached the level of suspense or originality I was hoping for.

If you enjoy rule-based horror, eerie isolated settings, and stories that leave plenty of questions unanswered, I think you’ll probably have a better experience than I did. For me, it was a solid read, but one that never quite delivered the same excitement or lingering dread that made We Used to Live Here such a memorable experience.

Book Information

Title: The Caretaker
Author: Marcus Kliewer
Genre: Horror
Subgenre: Thriller, Mystery, Supernatural Horror, Cosmic Horror, Psychological Horror
Page Count: 295 pages
POV: Single
Narrative Style: First Person
Series Information: Standalone

Themes and Tropes

isolated house
mysterious job
rule-based horror
supernatural rituals
survival

Top 3 Highlights

A creepy premise that hooks you early. The mysterious caretaker job, strict rules, and constant sense of danger make for an intriguing setup.

Strong atmosphere throughout. The isolated house and growing supernatural tension create an unsettling mood from beginning to end.

An unexplained supernatural mystery. The Visitors remain largely mysterious, adding an element of cosmic horror and leaving plenty open to interpretation.

Gore Level: 2/5
Mostly suspense and supernatural horror with occasional violence rather than graphic gore.

Spice Level: n/a
No meaningful romantic or sexual content.

Profanity: Moderate.
Violence: Supernatural violence, suspense, psychological distress, and death.
Substances: Minimal.

Who Should Read The Caretaker?

Readers who enjoy rule-based horror, isolated settings, cosmic horror, and slow-building supernatural suspense will likely get more out of The Caretaker than I did. If you don’t mind unanswered questions and prefer atmosphere over constant twists, this may be right up your alley.

Skip this one if you’re looking for a fast-paced horror novel with lots of surprises or if you’re hoping for something as fresh and unsettling as We Used to Live Here. While the premise is intriguing, the story leans into familiar horror tropes and a repetitive structure that may not work for everyone.

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
An atmospheric supernatural horror novel with a compelling premise and eerie setting, but its familiar ideas and repetitive structure kept it from leaving the same lasting impression as We Used to Live Here

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