Author Holly Knightley Talks New Horror Novel ‘Cadbury House’

Holly Knightley is a supernatural suspense author and a good friend of mine. She recently sent me a bunch of her books, including her latest novel, “Cadbury House.”

The story follows Finch Bannister, a young woman who suffered from a fever when she was younger. Finch believes she swallowed a birdcage, along with two birds in it back then. When Chet Cadbury moves in next door after the death of his grandmother, the two are forced to come to terms with the secrets kept by creepy dolls and confront the metaphorical and literal ghosts of their past. 

After reading “Cadbury House,” I had questions. Luckily, Holly took the time to answer them. 

R. Jacob Honeybrook: Congrats on the release of “Cadbury House!” There is a lot going on with this one: a girl who believes she swallowed a birdcage when she was young, creepy dolls, and ghosts. Where did you come up with all of this?

Holly Knightley: Thank you so much, and for all of your support, RJH! A lot of “Cadbury House” is pulled from real-life places. My grandmother kept broken dolls in a hope chest; I have an irrational fear of bathrooms (I use them in different ways in several of my books); the two birds my FMC [female main character] swallows were my childhood pets; and even my first car, a 1978 Monte Carlo, makes an appearance in “Cadbury House!”  Honestly, the list goes on and on. I like to take bits and pieces of my real life and twist them into one wild ride. It feels a little like rewriting history and that’s just plain fun!

RJH: This book is part of your collection of haunted house books, “Knight Time Houses.” What is the appeal of haunted houses to you, and how did that play into writing “Cadbury House?” 

HK: My love of haunted houses started very young with “Scooby-Doo.” I was obsessed with the show and the different adaptations, and I still am. Also, my father owned his own construction company. So, over the years I got to go into some pretty cool houses and got to see firsthand what makes a house tick. I have always loved old houses, something I share with my father. About a decade ago, I bought my own old house that just so happens to be haunted.  I feel like everything has come full circle and there is something nice about that.

RJH: It seems like in every chapter of “Cadbury House” we learn something new about these characters. What is your philosophy when it comes to withholding information from the audience and revealing it later, rather than necessarily relying on a big twist? 

HK: I like to put my readers in the characters’ shoes. You’re discovering things and collecting clues along with them. I believe this makes for a more immersive story.

RJH: I picked up on several themes running through this one. For example, trying to forget or escape the past is one that stuck out to me. Is there one that was most important to you? 

HK: Great question! Yeah, there is: If you can’t find happiness, you make it—in any way you can, because damaged people deserve their happily ever after, too.

RJH: One of the many things I love about your writing is that there is always an emotional core to the stories. They’re never horror for the sake of being horror. What drives you to explore the more emotional/psychological side of the genre? 

HK:  There is a time and place for blood and guts, but the kind of horror that I personally find long-lasting is psychological, and that doesn’t necessarily involve a murder or death. For me, exploring the more psychological side of horror, like trauma, helps me unpack some of my own baggage, and I hope it does the same for my readers.

RJH: What do you want readers to take away from “Cadbury House?” 

HK: I hope readers walk away with a new appreciation of the haunted house genre. Haunted house stories can be more than just an angry ghost wreaking havoc. 

Thank you to Holly for answering those questions.  “Cadbury House” is out now! You can pick up your copy here. Keep up with Holly by visiting her website.