Review: The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

Review: The Caretaker
by Marcus Kliewer

Toronto: Atria/Emily Bestler Books/12:01 Books, 2026

I love a good horror novel, and Marcus Kliewer's sophomore effort didn't disappoint! His debut novel We Used to Live Here was one of my favourite books of 2024. I was happy to review The Caretaker for The BC Review. This article was originally published at The BC Review on April 24, 2026.

***

When I open a horror novel, I have a few expectations. I enjoy being unsettled, though I don’t scare easily. I love a plot that takes me somewhere unexpected or gives a fresh take on the genre. And bonus points for a book that goes that extra step in using the element of horror to comment on the human condition. I’m pleased to report that Vancouver-based Marcus Kliewer’s sophomore effort The Caretaker took a good stab at my horror asks. When I finished the last page and closed the book, I came away satisfied. And the ending? That, I really liked.

23-year-old Oregonian Macy Mullins can’t get a job no matter how hard she tries, and she’s out of money with the rent due and a younger sister to support. She never makes it past an interview and doesn’t like her odds; Macy is a pessimist with a strong tendency to misanthropy. She’s the first to admit to shortcomings: “I was never built for customer service. Despite all my best efforts to appear happy, likable, and highly employable, people always thought I was mad about something. It felt like I had a big sticker, permanently plastered to my forehead, Sharpied scrawl reading: ‘Fuck Off.’” So, who can blame would-be employers?

Author Marcus Kliewer

When she spies a Craigslist ad for a “caretaker for elderly husband urgently needed,” in a far-flung upper class neighbourhood home in the woods, she’s vaguely unsettled but sees it as her last chance to make rent. And the job is only for three days. As long as Macy follows the “Rites,” rules that will keep malevolent forces at bay, all will be well. What could possibly go wrong?

This is a supernatural, psychological horror largely without body horror elements. In many ways The Caretaker follows conventional tropes, and Kliewer writes them competently. For example, are you a fan of jump scares in books? They’re harder to do on the page than in movies, but this book has them aplenty and sometimes they’re quite effective.

How about a spooky VHS tape with rules to avert supernatural mayhem, complete with weird, interspersed images that cut in and out, poor quality but entirely ominous? Yep, The Caretaker has one of those near the beginning, and even though it wasn’t too scary on its own, it gave me that creeped out feeling.

Looking for a protagonist who takes the strange job at the isolated property, thinks the “Rites” are bogus and don’t need to be followed, and does go down into the basement despite her better judgement? All here. Also, there is a scary basement.

If you have a great time yelling at characters not to take the sketchy job that no one else will sign up for, not to disregard the rules to stay safe, and not to go into the basement, this book will be a very good match for you. Personally, I did find it fun on that level and it has all the beats of an engaging horror novel.


Marcus Kliewer


It’s challenging not to hold The Caretaker up to overly high standards because of the runaway success of Kliewer’s first book We Used to Live Here. That book was a 2024 favourite of mine because of Kliewer’s genuinely spooky and clever take on the creepy visitor/supernatural house narrative; it truly scared me and was an original spin on the genre. It was nominated for a 2024 Goodreads Choice Award in the horror category and came second only to a novel by Stephen King.

Perhaps The Caretaker lacks the depth and innovation of his first novel; some of the passages feel a bit thinly written, and it doesn’t feel as innovative. Taken as a whole and on its own, however, I had to ask myself if Kliewer was able to take the fun and competent horror novel just a bit further into better than average territory. What’s different, what hooked me?

First, Kliewer’s story is unrelentingly pessimistic and negative, as is his main character Macy, who seems incapable at times to rise to the gruesome occasion. Don’t let that turn you off! This is a feature that I appreciated rather than a flaw. In A Note From the Author that precedes the first chapter, Kliewer writes, “You will find no rosy platitudes here. Life can be rough—it’s often full of suffering. And it’s an awfully lonely thing to want to stop existing—even more lonely if one fears being shunned or locked up for discussing it. I believe talking about these things, rather than keeping them buried, does more good than harm.” The ideas of despair, grief, and suicide are frequent on the page, and play into the horror themes, manifested in the “Visitors” that appear and must be managed with the Rites.

Second—and perhaps I’m reading too much into the story—I like the way Kliewer plays with the idea that controlling a situation can stave off harm. If Macy can just “Follow the Rites, follow the Rites, follow the Rites…,” then all will be well. But the Rites are hard and a cynic would note that the supplicant is set up to fail. Macy couldn’t keep loved ones safe in the past, and she can’t keep things safe now either. Here’s my human condition connection: the myth of perfection as protection. Like Macy, none of us can stave off life’s misfortunes by exercising perfect control.

And finally, the ending could have gone in one of many directions, and Kliewer nails it. I will say nothing further about it so as to avoid spoilers, but indeed, there are “no rosy platitudes” to be had. This book feels like a standalone novel, and it probably is, but I wonder if there may be another in this ‘Rites’ universe at some point. That’s pure speculation on my part.

Taken as an easy to read and fun supernatural horror novel, The Caretaker performs admirably. Did it travel further into truly great territory? I think there are some aspects where it does. For instance, I felt genuinely unsettled at times; I liked the plot elements—including the ending—that took an unexpected turn; and the story got me thinking about themes around the illusion of control and safety in our unpredictable lives. I’d recommend The Caretaker to dedicated horror readers, and, well, to any folks who relish a good scare.