CR 006: Marcus Kliewer on His Terrifying Debut Novel, ‘We Used to Live Here’

The author of the riveting new thriller discusses his story’s journey from Reddit to novel.

Marcus Kliewer, photo by Brian Van Wyk

Imagine if a family showed up on your doorstep one day asking to take a peek inside your home. The father used to live in your house, and he’d really love to show his wife and kids where he grew up. You reluctantly let them in, and almost immediately, strange things begin to happen. You soon realize the family is not going to leave and the house you thought you knew isn’t what it seems.

This is the premise of We Used to Live Here, a disturbing new page-turner by Canadian author Marcus Kliewer. Called “a frighteningly good debut” by Kirkus, the novel, which is being adapted into a Netflix film starring Blake Lively, began as a serialized short story on Reddit—a site, Kliewer says, that is perfect for authors interested in honing their craft.

“Writing on Reddit is a great place to go for writers starting out,” he says. “Just having other people read your work [is helpful]. And anonymity is huge, especially if you’re writing about deeply personal thin…