There has been a quiet renaissance in the horror literary world when it comes to women writers. Granted, women have always ruled the horror writing world and have not been given the credit they deserve. Mary Shelley wrote what’s considered to be the first sci-fi horror novel ever made with Frankenstein, Shirley Jackson was a pioneer of the genre, influencing many horror writers and directors today, and Anne Rice’s work is still regularly adapted into media. Still, names like King, Lovecraft, and Koontz get all the flowers. Well, the season is changing, and I couldn’t be more stoked.
Over the last decade or so, there has been a resurgence of incredible women horror writers. Although many of them still don’t get the recognition or press they deserve, as a lifelong horror reader, I can say that it feels like the tides are finally starting to turn, and we have some truly talented future literary icons: Tananarive Due, Catriona Ward, CJ Leede, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Zoje Stage, and, of course, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Harrison. Harrison, who was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for her first novel, The Return, recently released her sixth book, Play Nice, and it’s already widely considered one of her best.
Play Nice follows Clio Barnes, a stylist and influencer who hasn’t had a lot of demanding hardships as an adult. As a child, though, Clio and her sisters lived through the dramatic divorce of their parents, and after moving in with their mother, all hell broke loose… literally. Clio’s mother started to claim that a demonic presence was attached to the house and was responsible for the abuse and trauma between her and her daughters, which eventually led to the loss of custody.
Years later, after her mother’s death, Clio and her sisters inherit their mother’s house, and Clio sees it as an opportunity to make engaging online content. Although her sisters want no part of the house that brings up so many traumatic memories, Clio dives in and quickly realizes that her mother’s insanity may not have all been in her head.
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Harrison has a fantastic hold on creating conversational characters that the reader can relate to throughout the story. Sure, Clio is a bit of a spoiled brat, and her obsession with creating content and prioritizing her influencer status over the emotions of her closest people is annoying… but it’s flawed, and it’s real. Harrison’s delve into how the same intense, traumatic family events can affect people differently because of their age is incredible.
Little kids don’t see trauma as it’s happening the way teens do, and even though they’re still affected in the long run, often, the results are completely individual. The exploration into the family, including Clio’s father and her mother, by way of a book she wrote about the demonic experiences, is excellent.
There’s a deep intensity on both sides of the wall in Play Nice. Clio must maneuver through the complicated feelings of her sisters as she brings a painful part of their past front and center again, while she also must adhere to what she believes is a festering evil presence in the house from her childhood. Clio is hard to love from the get-go, but as the story continues, you just want her to be safe. However, in Play Nice, you never feel safe, and that’s one of the book’s horrific strengths. It accurately depicts just how terrifying and isolating the “drama from trauma” cycle can be when there’s no communication and no one to pull you from the darkness. Add in a nasty touch of the supernatural, and you’ve got yourself an unsettling stew.
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Harrison’s pacing is great, too. Never did I find myself wishing the story would move along faster. I flowed along with Clio through each of her trials, rushed when she rushed, and stalled when she stalled. That’s the sign of creating a genuinely good character.
I think Harrison’s writing, and Play Nice in particular, is suitable for horror fans of all subgenres. I don’t think it ever goes too deep or dark at any point. There’s a certain lightweight feeling where it touches on all the horrific themes but stops short of going too far, much in the way Grady Hendrix writes his horror. She adds levity and fits in current social commentary and feminism that feels more modern and natural to today’s world, while still using classics like The Haunting of Hill House to inspire her story.
I fully recommend picking this one up. I couldn’t put it down and read it in three sittings. Play Nice is available at all major book retailers.
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