Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Bantam Books 1978
Description
Biography & Autobiography. Religion & Spirituality. Nonfiction. HTML: In December 1975, the Lutz family moved into their new home on suburban Long Island. George and Kathleen Lutz knew that, one year earlier, Ronald DeFeo had murdered his parents, brothers, and sisters in that house. But the propertycomplete with boathouse and swimming pooland the price were too good to pass up. Twenty-eight days later, the entire Lutz family fled in terror. This is the spellbinding, best-selling true story that gripped the nation, the story of a house possessed by evil spirits, haunted by psychic phenomena almost too terrible to describe..
User reviews
LibraryThing member KaineAndrews
I first read this book in my childhood, snatching it from my sister's shelves when I was seven or so; I remember finding it interesting, but not particularly moving. I came back to it again when I was sixteen, hoping that age and experience would prove illuminating to the parts I hadn't understood
How in the world did anyone find this scary, find it interesting or entertaining to read and - most importantly - believable?
Some people, knowing me, might find it odd that I find the account of this book laughable. As the Cowardly Lion once said "I do believe in spooks, I do believe in spooks!" I do. I believe in ghosts, spirits, witches and even - though with a rather different definition than most folks seem to use - demons. But I don't believe in this. Lorraine Warren and her friends can tell me all day that 112 Ocean Avenue is the den of sin itself, and I'd still gleefully laugh in their faces and volunteer to sit in the so-called "Red Room" all night.
The premise is simple enough, and likely one nearly every literate person above the age of twenty five or so knows; the Lutz family buys a beautiful house at bargain basement rates due to the previous inhabitants all being murdered there. 28 days later, they pack up and ship out for points west, leaving behind a ruined home, all their belongings and a pile of debt and ill will large enough to last the ages. The book recounts the supposedly "true" happenings that occurred during their time in the house.
Fair enough. I'll bite. The first problem, however, comes from the prose itself. It's terribly written. The author can't seem to decide on a tense or perspective, often flitting between past and present multiple times in a single sentence. Perspective shifts are also common, again often within the same sentence. I accept people's right to use third-person omniscient; I loathe it, but I accept some people will do it. But for God's sake, people... one should at least attempt to complete a thought from the head of one character before shifting to another, don't you think? Then there's the exclamation points. There isn't a magical rule that says there has to be at least three on every page; if there is, nobody bothered to tell me about it. Yet Anson tosses them about as though he gets paid extra for each one he sneaks in. "George walked to the garage. It was empty!" "Kathy felt a presence!" "The dog howled!"
And then, of course, are the continuity problems. These would be bad enough if the work was fiction; they show sloppiness and a lack of proper review and editing. But to be so lax in a work that is supposedly true is utterly unforgivable. For example: The first page of my edition (oh, did I not mention that it's been reprinted several times, each time being edited so the facts change again? Yeah. That's a sure sign they're being factual, right?) claims they moved in on December 23rd. Once the real story starts, they move in on the 18th. This is after a lengthy discussion of the legal mess regarding actual ownership and deeds of the house, which supposedly took forever... but the Lutzes supposedly put their down payment on the house in late November. Already the timeline is borked, and we're only 10 pages in.
Then there's the matter of the price of the house. Again, according to the first page, "The house must be within the $30,000 to $50,000 range." The real estate agent, upon showing them the house, informs them the cost is $90,000. No haggling is mentioned; George just says "We'll take it!" Then, during the legalese portion of the proceedings, the price is mentioned as being $80,000.
Or how about the IRS agent who's pestering George at his business - which he's been "borrowing" money from to finance the house, his brother-in-law's wedding, and pad his personal bank accounts, mind. The agent schedules an appointment to meet with George and his accountant on January 7th. Then shows up on the 5th, angry because George isn't there, so they reschedule again. I'm sorry, pretty sure the IRS can keep dates straight (mostly) even if the author can't.
For the final quibbles: Making things seem important and dramatic, sure signs of demon infestation... when they're really not. Even better is just inventing things to claim as part of the tale that are easily debunked. From the former category, it's mentioned several times how the family dog, Harry, "howls like a wolf" at something or other, thus setting everyone on edge. "He's never done THIS before!" they say. The dog is part Malamute. They have him tethered outside in a rural area. If any of you have ever owned a Malamute, Husky, Samoyed or other Arctic breed (or cross involving one), you know well that such behavior is just what they do. They're sometimes called "singing dogs" because of that behavior. Put them outside, that behavior is going to increase. It's not a sign of demonic possession... it means the dog is smelling something on the breeze, looking at the moon, or is just saying "Hey, it's cold and smelly out here, let me back in the house, dad!"
In the latter category is the weather - which is another one of those things that kept getting altered between reprints of the book - which has NEVER meshed with actual meteorological society reports of the weather in the area on the dates listed. My personal favorite, however, is the bar. Supposedly located a few blocks away from the house, according to the book the bar is called The Witches' Brew. Now, there is a bar near the house in question. But it's called Harry's Bar, and has been called Harry's Bar for just about forever. Further, anyone claiming George Lutz (who, in case you've not seen him or only have the image of Brolin or Reynolds from the film versions in your heads, is a short, stout, dark blondish man with a ruddy complexion) looks "just like" Ronnie DeFeo, Jr. (who at the time was a lanky, pale young man with black hair) should probably be scheduled for new glasses.
All in all, after my third trip to Ocean Avenue, I think I've had enough. I am still left wondering how this was considered important reading, or why anyone at all would believe a single word in this book... but I've satisfied myself that I will likely never know the answer. Save yourself the trouble.
Show More
previously... and was again disappointed. Now, at the positively decrepit age of thirty-three, I've come back a third time, partly as research and partly in an attempt to answer the question that's been with me for twenty-five years.How in the world did anyone find this scary, find it interesting or entertaining to read and - most importantly - believable?
Some people, knowing me, might find it odd that I find the account of this book laughable. As the Cowardly Lion once said "I do believe in spooks, I do believe in spooks!" I do. I believe in ghosts, spirits, witches and even - though with a rather different definition than most folks seem to use - demons. But I don't believe in this. Lorraine Warren and her friends can tell me all day that 112 Ocean Avenue is the den of sin itself, and I'd still gleefully laugh in their faces and volunteer to sit in the so-called "Red Room" all night.
The premise is simple enough, and likely one nearly every literate person above the age of twenty five or so knows; the Lutz family buys a beautiful house at bargain basement rates due to the previous inhabitants all being murdered there. 28 days later, they pack up and ship out for points west, leaving behind a ruined home, all their belongings and a pile of debt and ill will large enough to last the ages. The book recounts the supposedly "true" happenings that occurred during their time in the house.
Fair enough. I'll bite. The first problem, however, comes from the prose itself. It's terribly written. The author can't seem to decide on a tense or perspective, often flitting between past and present multiple times in a single sentence. Perspective shifts are also common, again often within the same sentence. I accept people's right to use third-person omniscient; I loathe it, but I accept some people will do it. But for God's sake, people... one should at least attempt to complete a thought from the head of one character before shifting to another, don't you think? Then there's the exclamation points. There isn't a magical rule that says there has to be at least three on every page; if there is, nobody bothered to tell me about it. Yet Anson tosses them about as though he gets paid extra for each one he sneaks in. "George walked to the garage. It was empty!" "Kathy felt a presence!" "The dog howled!"
And then, of course, are the continuity problems. These would be bad enough if the work was fiction; they show sloppiness and a lack of proper review and editing. But to be so lax in a work that is supposedly true is utterly unforgivable. For example: The first page of my edition (oh, did I not mention that it's been reprinted several times, each time being edited so the facts change again? Yeah. That's a sure sign they're being factual, right?) claims they moved in on December 23rd. Once the real story starts, they move in on the 18th. This is after a lengthy discussion of the legal mess regarding actual ownership and deeds of the house, which supposedly took forever... but the Lutzes supposedly put their down payment on the house in late November. Already the timeline is borked, and we're only 10 pages in.
Then there's the matter of the price of the house. Again, according to the first page, "The house must be within the $30,000 to $50,000 range." The real estate agent, upon showing them the house, informs them the cost is $90,000. No haggling is mentioned; George just says "We'll take it!" Then, during the legalese portion of the proceedings, the price is mentioned as being $80,000.
Or how about the IRS agent who's pestering George at his business - which he's been "borrowing" money from to finance the house, his brother-in-law's wedding, and pad his personal bank accounts, mind. The agent schedules an appointment to meet with George and his accountant on January 7th. Then shows up on the 5th, angry because George isn't there, so they reschedule again. I'm sorry, pretty sure the IRS can keep dates straight (mostly) even if the author can't.
For the final quibbles: Making things seem important and dramatic, sure signs of demon infestation... when they're really not. Even better is just inventing things to claim as part of the tale that are easily debunked. From the former category, it's mentioned several times how the family dog, Harry, "howls like a wolf" at something or other, thus setting everyone on edge. "He's never done THIS before!" they say. The dog is part Malamute. They have him tethered outside in a rural area. If any of you have ever owned a Malamute, Husky, Samoyed or other Arctic breed (or cross involving one), you know well that such behavior is just what they do. They're sometimes called "singing dogs" because of that behavior. Put them outside, that behavior is going to increase. It's not a sign of demonic possession... it means the dog is smelling something on the breeze, looking at the moon, or is just saying "Hey, it's cold and smelly out here, let me back in the house, dad!"
In the latter category is the weather - which is another one of those things that kept getting altered between reprints of the book - which has NEVER meshed with actual meteorological society reports of the weather in the area on the dates listed. My personal favorite, however, is the bar. Supposedly located a few blocks away from the house, according to the book the bar is called The Witches' Brew. Now, there is a bar near the house in question. But it's called Harry's Bar, and has been called Harry's Bar for just about forever. Further, anyone claiming George Lutz (who, in case you've not seen him or only have the image of Brolin or Reynolds from the film versions in your heads, is a short, stout, dark blondish man with a ruddy complexion) looks "just like" Ronnie DeFeo, Jr. (who at the time was a lanky, pale young man with black hair) should probably be scheduled for new glasses.
All in all, after my third trip to Ocean Avenue, I think I've had enough. I am still left wondering how this was considered important reading, or why anyone at all would believe a single word in this book... but I've satisfied myself that I will likely never know the answer. Save yourself the trouble.
Show Less
LibraryThing member JessicaReadsThings
Um, so for the first time in maybe ever, I don't know how I feel about a book. Was I scared? Yes, mainly because demons are my horror trigger, so even stupid demon stuff gets me. So, effective horror (novel?). I guess that's the bigger question. Is this truth or fiction? I suppose it doesn't really
Show More
matter. I prefer to think of this as fiction, and I believe all that has since come out about the story supports that conclusion. Although, if it IS fiction masquerading as truth, that kinda pisses me off and puts me off the book. You see my dilemma. I want it to be fiction, but if it is, I dislike it on principle. And, if I can just nitpick for a moment, if it is fiction, the writing is dreadful. What was with those exclamation points. So, I'm giving three stars, because I was more than a bit spooked and whether you believe or not, this book is kind of classic. Show Less
LibraryThing member andyray
Its's a marfvelous horror story, even better published as non-fiction. This is re-read number three and i still love to turn the page and see what comes nedxt. I wouldn't have waited 26 days to get out of there, i dont think. The pig image is rather scary, but then I am not Jewish. I suspect if one
Show More
doesn't eat pork, no threat could come from the pig image. Show Less
LibraryThing member schatzi
I knew that this book was going to be a struggle to read as soon as I saw that it was labeled as "non-fiction" on the spine.
Basically, Robert DeFeo Jr. killed his entire family (mother, father, and four siblings) in this house in Amityville. The Lutz family come along a few years later and buy
There you go; I just spared you from having to read this book. You're welcome.
This book is supposed to be scary; it isn't. Well, maybe it would be if I was around ten and easily impressionable. Instead, I found myself rolling my eyes for most of it. The author's style is very clunky and he believes in using a lot of exclamation points! And it gets really annoying! And I can't help but wonder why people believe this! (Sorry, I think Anson rubbed off on me there for a second.)
Basically, Robert DeFeo Jr. killed his entire family (mother, father, and four siblings) in this house in Amityville. The Lutz family come along a few years later and buy
Show More
that house because it's such a steal (for obvious reason) and move into it. They say strange things happen to them, including Josie the Demon Pig making appearances. What. Meanwhile, DeFeo's lawyer decides to hitch his wagon to this horse (or Demon Pig) and insinuate that the reason his client killed his family was because there was some serious bad ghost/demon/supernatural/whatever crap going on in this house. There you go; I just spared you from having to read this book. You're welcome.
This book is supposed to be scary; it isn't. Well, maybe it would be if I was around ten and easily impressionable. Instead, I found myself rolling my eyes for most of it. The author's style is very clunky and he believes in using a lot of exclamation points! And it gets really annoying! And I can't help but wonder why people believe this! (Sorry, I think Anson rubbed off on me there for a second.)
Show Less
LibraryThing member littleton_pace
I bought this book because the mythology of it and the movie based around the same subject mattered were quite chilling to me. This book, however, was utterly boring.
No scares, punctuating the end of sentences and chapters with a "!" does not make things scary. It makes the writing amateur and
Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.
No scares, punctuating the end of sentences and chapters with a "!" does not make things scary. It makes the writing amateur and
Show More
immediately had me laughing. I skimmed over the end I was so utterly bored by it. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.
Show Less
LibraryThing member NickKnight
I love haunted house stories. This is one of the best. It is supposed to be based on a true story (hell if i know, lol) that just makes it more creepy and scary and unnerving and just plain terrifing.
LibraryThing member theeclecticreview
I read this book in high school and it terrified me so much I couldn't look out the window for fear of seeing those read glowing eyes. I guess what terrified me the most was that it was based on a true account. A must read for those who love to be scared out of their minds!
LibraryThing member seldombites
The Amityville Horror is the purportedly true story (since disputed as fraud) of the terrifying haunting of a Long Island home. Many readers will have seen one of the various movies, but the book is quite different. Reading about the phenomena that terrorised the Lutz family without all the
Show More
Hollywood hype and exaggeration is certainly a far more chilling experience. Whether you believe the Lutz's story or subscribe to the theory fraud, this book is an interesting and absorbing read. It is worth noting here that, although 'haunted' houses and spiritual activity associated with a particular place or person is far more common than most people realise (or care to admit), this level of malignancy is decidedly rare. Show Less
LibraryThing member rogueheels
The scariest book I have ever read! Could only do it once - 1978!
LibraryThing member KLmesoftly
I'm amused and perplexed that this novel purports to be non-fiction - no real family would put up with what the Lutzes did for so long. In fact, around Chapter 22 (more than 75% through the book), the reader is reminded that the series of ongoing horrors has taken up only 25 days so far! It's
Show More
funny, I know, that in a novel this incredible the biggest stretch to believability is the time span. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rebecca.Jane
This book was better than I expected. It was a quick read, and very scary. I refused to read the book after dark. It wasn't particularly well written, and the excessive exclamation points drove me crazy. However, I don't think Ansen was trying to make this a great literary piece, just a story about
Show More
what happened to the Lutz's on 112 Ocean Avenue. If that's the case, he did his job well. Show Less
LibraryThing member briannad84
Grew up on the movie and read part of the book when I was younger. Learned a long time ago that none of it's real so it wasn't all that scary.Except for the crime itself which is true. Although the eyes in the window still scare me to this day! :)
LibraryThing member asails
I only read it because I had friend that lived near the house. I understood the owners wrote the book then departed the house. The book then came out. I remember seeing people in stupors hanging out in front of the house and sticking crusifixes in the ground. It was bizzare and at the same time
Show More
intersting. How many nuts you have walking around your neighborhood? Show Less
LibraryThing member LonelyReader
I have always been a fan of The Amityville Horror movie (the 1979 version, the 2005 version is only okay), so I was curious to read the book. I noticed in other people's comments the confusion of whether it is fiction or nonfiction; my library catalogs it as nonfiction. I really enjoyed the book,
Show More
but it isn't very suspenseful. There are not a lot of details or build-up to the big moments which is probably attributed to the fact that isn't not a fiction book. If you are interested in learning more about the family and the haunting beyond what is told in the movie I would recommend this book. It was a quick read. Show Less
LibraryThing member GretchenLynn
I found this among my books, although I don't remember buying/acquiring it. I remember enjoying the movie (I liked the original better than the remake, and apparently there are 'sequels' I haven't seen), so I figured I would read it. It was a quick read and I found it to be surprisingly tame, and
Show More
not very scary. I also wasn't impressed with the writing. Show Less
LibraryThing member JEB5
I read this book for the first time in high school and it scared me good. I wouldn't go into the basement for weeks! This is one of those books you read with all the lights on, during the day and with someone by your side. It's horrors will remain with you for days, weeks and maybe even years to
Show More
come. Show Less
LibraryThing member Daftboy1
I quite liked this horror book but I am not convinced its a true story.
If it was true why did the family not get out sooner. Also why is there no photographic evidence?
OK story overall.
If it was true why did the family not get out sooner. Also why is there no photographic evidence?
OK story overall.
LibraryThing member mavroprovato
The book that traumatized me as a kid and made me a horror fiction lover!
LibraryThing member whitewavedarling
Focused on what may be the most famous haunting episode in American history or culture, this book serves as the original definitive account of what happened to and in the Lutz home at 112 Ocean Avenue in Long Island in the mid-1970s.
Written as a journalistic account, the book is surprisingly
Readers familiar with tales of horror or haunting will still be chilled by this work--Anson's journalistic focus in documenting the events gives each page the feeling of documentary fact instead of narrative, and the details are impressive.
In the end, whether you're looking for fact or fiction of this nature, you'll find this work worth picking up. It's a fast and entertaining read...and a scary one, as well.
Recommended.
Written as a journalistic account, the book is surprisingly
Show More
creepy--more so, in fact, for this stylistic choice. Written objectively, the events and dialogues within the book are both frighteningly believable and horrific, carefully documenting the 28 days in which the Lutz family lived--or attempted to live--at 112 Ocean Avenue.Readers familiar with tales of horror or haunting will still be chilled by this work--Anson's journalistic focus in documenting the events gives each page the feeling of documentary fact instead of narrative, and the details are impressive.
In the end, whether you're looking for fact or fiction of this nature, you'll find this work worth picking up. It's a fast and entertaining read...and a scary one, as well.
Recommended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member lunule
Good for what it is.
LibraryThing member DeHa14
The Lutz’s definitely judged a book by its cover. The house looked warm and inviting, it had a nice backyard, in a good neighborhood. They knew about the house’s history, and the past residents’ experiences, but they weren’t superstitious. They didn’t know until it was too late. they
The main characters make up a family of five; George, Kathleen, Christopher, Daniel, and Melissa. There are main characters that aren’t living like Robert Defeo and Jodie. George and Kathleen were thirty at the time, and they didn’t believe in ghost stories. In the beginning of the story they were brave and collected. Near the end of the book the two adults are scared out of their wits, and they think irrationally. That just makes them human. The children are like everyone when they were of the ages seven, five, and nine. The boys were adventurous and daring, while Missy still believed in fairies and magical animals. She was girly and delicate. Robert and Jodie were spirits haunting the Lutzs’. They really didn’t have human qualities, but they were manipulating and frightening as spirits. They tricked the family by moving objects, noises, and shadows. The house that they were living in was a Dutch Colonial, with all the requirements that they were looking for; a pool big yard. The house was appealing in every way to them.it was a nice housein a nice neighborhood, but everyone in the area was afraid to get near the house based on what Robert did.
The family buys the house, and they spend a few weeks there before leaving without an explanation. Between that time, they had been experiencing what they thought were burglar visits in the night, but there would be no sign of anything human. They added locks to their door, and they next morning they locks would be completely intact on a table instead of a door. The children saw shadows and figures coming in their room at night. Missy made a new friend. she drew pictures of them together. Just Missy and her pig. When she told her father, he didn’t believe her. Then one night he saw a blurry figure in the shape of a pig in his backyard. The next morning they were pig foot prints leading away from the house. The house was always cold, even when they had multiple fires going with layers of clothes on. All of these strange encounters started the spark of their idea to leave the house. The problem throughout the whole story is the house and what it has been doing since they were living there.
In my opinion the book didn’t live up to my expectations. I thought it would be worse, and more thrilling. I was wrong. I didn’t like it at all. This book might be good for people who aren’t scared easily or they won’t wet their pants. This book doesn’t make you want to stay up all night afraid that a murderer will come in your sleep. You’d expect some creepy killings or worse in the book, but there wasn’t any. There might have been noises and shadows, but all houses have those. Jay Anson could’ve done a better job in the beginning to catch the reader's’ attention. He started off with facts that caused me to want to skip over them. As soon as I started the book I wished I never chose to read it. He lost my interest in the middle of the story. The way he described the characters made me want to stop reading it. Based on the way he wrote this book, there was nothing that I liked about it.
Show More
didn’t do anything until it affected everyone. The Amityville Horror written by Jay Anson tells of a true story when a family lives in a haunted house with demon spirits. It is an obvious example of a horror book. The main characters make up a family of five; George, Kathleen, Christopher, Daniel, and Melissa. There are main characters that aren’t living like Robert Defeo and Jodie. George and Kathleen were thirty at the time, and they didn’t believe in ghost stories. In the beginning of the story they were brave and collected. Near the end of the book the two adults are scared out of their wits, and they think irrationally. That just makes them human. The children are like everyone when they were of the ages seven, five, and nine. The boys were adventurous and daring, while Missy still believed in fairies and magical animals. She was girly and delicate. Robert and Jodie were spirits haunting the Lutzs’. They really didn’t have human qualities, but they were manipulating and frightening as spirits. They tricked the family by moving objects, noises, and shadows. The house that they were living in was a Dutch Colonial, with all the requirements that they were looking for; a pool big yard. The house was appealing in every way to them.it was a nice housein a nice neighborhood, but everyone in the area was afraid to get near the house based on what Robert did.
The family buys the house, and they spend a few weeks there before leaving without an explanation. Between that time, they had been experiencing what they thought were burglar visits in the night, but there would be no sign of anything human. They added locks to their door, and they next morning they locks would be completely intact on a table instead of a door. The children saw shadows and figures coming in their room at night. Missy made a new friend. she drew pictures of them together. Just Missy and her pig. When she told her father, he didn’t believe her. Then one night he saw a blurry figure in the shape of a pig in his backyard. The next morning they were pig foot prints leading away from the house. The house was always cold, even when they had multiple fires going with layers of clothes on. All of these strange encounters started the spark of their idea to leave the house. The problem throughout the whole story is the house and what it has been doing since they were living there.
In my opinion the book didn’t live up to my expectations. I thought it would be worse, and more thrilling. I was wrong. I didn’t like it at all. This book might be good for people who aren’t scared easily or they won’t wet their pants. This book doesn’t make you want to stay up all night afraid that a murderer will come in your sleep. You’d expect some creepy killings or worse in the book, but there wasn’t any. There might have been noises and shadows, but all houses have those. Jay Anson could’ve done a better job in the beginning to catch the reader's’ attention. He started off with facts that caused me to want to skip over them. As soon as I started the book I wished I never chose to read it. He lost my interest in the middle of the story. The way he described the characters made me want to stop reading it. Based on the way he wrote this book, there was nothing that I liked about it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member VincentDarlage
I read this when I was a pre-teen and re-read it a few times as a teenager - my rating is based on my memory of how much I liked it then. Somehow, I doubt I'll ever re-read it as an adult - I'd hate to tarnish the memory of a book I liked as a kid with a clearer picture of the novel and a better
Show More
understanding of character development, novel development, and so on. I remember the book scared me as a kid, so I read it a lot. I know the book is a fraud, but as a child, I didn't, so that added to the horror of it. Today, I'd be reading it as fiction, so I would be demanding a certain fictional structure to it that probably doesn't exist... Show Less
LibraryThing member StefanY
One of the worst books that I've actually read from start to finish. The only thing that kept me going was finding out what happened to the family. The author writes in a way that is very amateur and there were many times where I simply did not want to go on anymore. But I powered through and
Show More
finished it after many months of struggling to pick it back up. Watch the movie, even if it's not much better, it's at least blessedly less of a time commitment. Show Less
LibraryThing member bkwyrmy43
Is it real or isn't it.? I remember watching Merv Griffin years ago when Jay Anson was on the show, I ran out and got the book. Read it with the old flashlight under the covers, the pig was scary.
LibraryThing member JennysBookBag.com
This is one of those rare moments when the movie is better than the book.
Subjects
Awards
South Carolina Book Awards (Winner — Young Adult Book Award — 1980)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1977)
Language
Original publication date
1977
ISBN
0553116606 / 9780553116601