Incidents Around the House Summary, Characters and Themes

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman is a haunting and psychologically intense horror novel that delves into the life of a young girl named Bella. Living in a seemingly ordinary family, Bella’s world is upended by a sinister entity known as “Other Mommy,” who intrudes on her life with a chilling, repeated question: “Can I go inside your heart?” 

Told from Bella’s perspective, the story reveals the disturbing and dangerous escalation of this supernatural force, intertwined with Bella’s growing understanding of her parents’ troubled marriage. Malerman crafts a narrative that blends supernatural horror with deep emotional and psychological tension.

Summary

In Incidents Around the House, Josh Malerman presents a chilling tale of fear, family dysfunction, and the haunting grip of a malevolent entity. 

The story is told through the eyes of Bella, an eight-year-old girl, whose seemingly peaceful family life is shattered by the growing presence of a sinister force known only as “Other Mommy.” 

To Bella, her family is her world: her loving father, Daddo; her emotionally distant mother, Mommy D; and her grandmother, Ruth. 

But her family’s structure is soon fractured by the arrival of Other Mommy, an entity that repeatedly asks Bella, “Can I go inside your heart?”

As Bella navigates the complexities of childhood, she slowly realizes that the question is no mere curiosity—it’s an invitation to something much darker. Every day, Other Mommy’s presence grows more insistent and more dangerous. 

Initially appearing only in the closet, this malevolent being starts to invade other parts of the house. Its demands become more pressing, and Bella fears that her refusal will bring harm to her family. 

The entity’s strength grows as it becomes more impatient, signifying that the stakes are high: unless Bella answers, her family will be at risk.

However, the presence of Other Mommy is not the only tension in the house. Bella’s family is slowly falling apart. Her mother, troubled by unresolved emotional issues and an affair, grows increasingly detached from Bella and her father. 

The fractures in the parents’ marriage leave Bella feeling uncertain, scared, and alone. 

Her father, although kind and supportive, is unaware of the depth of his wife’s emotional struggles, and Bella’s growing awareness of her family’s dysfunction further fuels her fear. 

The presence of Other Mommy, in turn, becomes a manifestation of these unresolved issues.

The horrors within the house are not just supernatural; they are rooted in the very real anxieties and emotional turmoil that Bella feels as she witnesses her parents’ crumbling relationship. 

The haunting becomes symbolic of Bella’s internal struggles, as she is caught between the innocence of childhood and the crushing realization that her family is not perfect, and may never be.

As the haunting intensifies, the family tries to protect themselves in desperate ways, even considering an exorcism. 

But no measure seems to quell the power of Other Mommy. 

Bella is left to carry the burden of the decision: Should she allow the entity into her heart to save her family, or should she resist and risk losing them entirely?

Throughout the story, Bella’s terror is not only driven by the supernatural force but also by the emotional neglect and trauma inflicted by her parents’ personal flaws. 

The haunting is as much a psychological horror as it is a supernatural one, illustrating how fear, guilt, and unresolved pain can manifest in chilling ways. 

The book explores themes of emotional vulnerability, childhood trauma, and the collapse of familial bonds.

In the end, Incidents Around the House leaves readers with a haunting sense of uncertainty. The final moments of the book are emotionally charged, forcing readers to question Bella’s fate and the nature of the haunting itself. 

Is Other Mommy an external force, or a manifestation of the emotional decay within Bella’s own home? 

The novel blurs these lines, making the horror all the more unsettling.

Characters

Bela

Bela is the central character of Incidents Around the House and is portrayed through the lens of a young, impressionable eight-year-old. Her perspective offers a unique and unsettling look at the world, as she navigates both the supernatural threat of Other Mommy and the emotional turmoil of her family.

Throughout the novel, Bela is depicted as deeply innocent, yet her understanding of the world grows as she witnesses the unraveling of her family dynamics. She is profoundly affected by her family’s dysfunction, especially her mother’s emotional neglect and her father’s apparent inability to fix the situation.

This conflict within her family mirrors the terrifying presence of Other Mommy. Bela’s connection to the family is contrasted by the growing intrusion of Other Mommy, who forces her to confront her fears and the cracks in the relationships around her.

As she becomes more aware of the tension in her parents’ marriage, her fear deepens. Bela’s emotional journey is one of exposure to darker realities, where her desire to protect her family intersects with the terrifying idea of letting the malevolent entity into her heart.

Other Mommy

Other Mommy is a haunting, malevolent entity in Incidents Around the House and serves as the novel’s primary antagonist. Unlike traditional ghosts or monsters, Other Mommy is a deeply psychological presence that threatens to invade the heart of the family.

Her role in the story is both supernatural and metaphorical. The figure of Other Mommy asks Bela the same chilling question every night: “Can I go inside your heart?” This simple question takes on a sinister undertone as the story progresses.

Other Mommy is not just a haunting figure but represents a force that preys on Bela’s vulnerability, her anxieties about her family’s instability, and the deep, unspoken issues within the household. The entity’s presence escalates as it becomes more physical, intruding into various parts of the house and pushing Bela toward a final decision.

Its sinister nature is reflected in its growing impatience and aggression. Other Mommy’s malevolence embodies the real horrors of familial dysfunction, suggesting that the haunting might be as much a product of the family’s emotional turmoil as it is of any supernatural force.

Mommy (Bela’s Mother)

Mommy, whose full name is referred to as “Mommy D,” is one of the most complex characters in the novel. She is a deeply flawed individual whose emotional neglect and troubled relationship with her husband create a toxic atmosphere in the home.

Throughout the story, it becomes clear that Mommy struggles with her own unhappiness, which manifests in her inability to connect with Bela and provide the comfort and stability that a child needs. Her relationship with her husband is deteriorating, and her affair adds another layer of dysfunction to the already fragile family dynamic.

Bela senses her mother’s emotional detachment, and it contributes significantly to her growing anxiety and fear of Other Mommy. Mommy’s inability to understand or address the growing threats in the house reflects her deeper personal issues, which in turn have an impact on her daughter’s emotional state.

Her character represents the painful realities of adulthood, where personal struggles and failures can have a profound effect on children, and her interactions with Bela often seem distant and cold. Mommy’s character reveals the emotional complexities of motherhood and the ways in which neglect or emotional distance can create lasting trauma.

Daddo (Bela’s Father)

Daddo, Bela’s father, contrasts with Mommy in many ways. He is loving, supportive, and tries his best to create a sense of security for his daughter.

His relationship with Bela is depicted as nurturing, and he serves as a stabilizing force in the house, at least initially. Daddo’s character is a representation of care and attention, offering Bela the emotional support that her mother does not.

However, Daddo is also not immune to the strain in his marriage, and the tensions between him and Mommy affect his ability to protect his family from the growing threat of Other Mommy. While he is a source of comfort for Bela, his inability to resolve the deeper issues within the family leads to an unsettling sense of helplessness as the supernatural forces escalate.

Daddo represents the flawed but well-intentioned parent who, despite his best efforts, cannot prevent the emotional and supernatural collapse of his family. His character highlights the theme of parental imperfection and the difficulty of maintaining stability in the face of personal and external crises.

Grandma Ruth

Grandma Ruth serves a more passive role in the story, but her character contributes to the sense of family and generational connection. She is one of the stable adult figures in Bela’s life, and although she does not play as significant a role in the central conflict, her presence represents a link to the past and the family’s history.

Ruth is less involved in the emotional dynamics between Bela’s parents, but her role as a caregiver and an elder helps to ground the family in tradition and continuity. However, her character also serves to contrast the more dysfunctional elements of the family.

In her presence, Bela feels a sense of stability, though Ruth, like the others, is not immune to the effects of the growing threat posed by Other Mommy. Ruth’s interactions with Bela are warm, and she represents a maternal figure who at least offers a semblance of care and safety amidst the chaos.

Yet, her inability to intervene in the deeper issues of the family or the supernatural forces leaves her as a passive observer to the unfolding tragedy.

Themes

The Intersection of Innocence and Trauma: The Shattering Effects of Family Dysfunction

One of the central themes in Incidents Around the House is the loss of childhood innocence, particularly how it is influenced by a child’s awareness of family dysfunction. 

Through the eyes of eight-year-old Bella, we experience the trauma and emotional confusion that comes from witnessing her family’s unraveling.

As Bella becomes increasingly aware of the cracks in her parents’ relationship, her perception of her world shifts from one of safety and security to one marked by fear and uncertainty. Her father, who is presented as loving and supportive, offers her comfort, while her mother’s emotional detachment and her affair add layers of anxiety and emotional turmoil.

Bella’s inability to fully comprehend the nature of these adult struggles mirrors the chaos she faces with the haunting presence of “Other Mommy,” which further exacerbates her feelings of powerlessness and fear. 

The haunting, in a way, serves as a metaphor for the emotional turbulence Bella experiences, illustrating how childhood innocence is often shaped by the unspoken tensions and failings of the adults around her.

The Malignant Presence of Emotional Neglect and Unresolved Adult Trauma in Family Life

The figure of “Other Mommy” in Incidents Around the House represents not just a supernatural force, but a physical manifestation of emotional neglect, trauma, and unresolved adult issues. 

While initially seeming to be a malevolent entity with a sinister question for Bella—“Can I go inside your heart?”—the character can be interpreted as an embodiment of Bella’s mother’s emotional absence and the cracks in her marriage.

Throughout the novel, it becomes apparent that the family’s issues, particularly her mother’s affair and emotional withdrawal, are not merely personal but have a profound effect on Bella. 

The “Other Mommy” could be seen as a direct consequence of the mother’s inability to provide emotional stability for her daughter, as well as a reflection of the underlying psychological distress that festers within the family.

The more Bella’s family falls apart, the stronger Other Mommy becomes, symbolizing how neglect and trauma seep into the fabric of family life and have far-reaching effects on the psyche of the child. 

The more Bella refuses to accept the entity’s question, the greater the danger, suggesting that unresolved emotional trauma has the potential to destroy the very things it preys upon.

The Psychological Weight of Fear and How It Undermines the Foundations of Family Security

Fear is not just a physical threat in Josh Malerman’s novel; it operates on a psychological level, eating away at the very sense of security that a family is supposed to provide. Bella’s struggle to protect herself and her family from the escalating presence of Other Mommy is also a struggle to maintain the last semblance of familial unity and love.

As her parents’ marriage falters, the foundation of the home, once a safe place, becomes increasingly unstable. The terror Bella feels grows as she perceives that the world around her is no longer a safe and predictable environment.

The haunting of Other Mommy is directly tied to the weakening of family bonds, and the growing fear that unless she answers the entity’s question, her family will suffer the consequences. 

This fear, both real and supernatural, threatens to break down the safety net that Bella has always relied on, forcing her to confront the vulnerabilities of the people she loves.

The Struggle to Define Identity Amidst the Forces of Supernatural and Familial Pressure

Another complex theme in Incidents Around the House is the struggle for identity, particularly in the context of family dynamics and supernatural forces. 

Bella’s journey in the novel is not just about surviving the terrifying presence of Other Mommy; it is also about her evolving understanding of who she is, particularly in relation to her family.

As she grows older and becomes more aware of the dysfunction around her, Bella is forced to reconcile her love for her parents with the disturbing truths she uncovers about them. The “Other Mommy” can be seen as an externalization of Bella’s own internal fears and uncertainties about her family’s stability, but it also challenges her sense of self.

The recurring question from Other Mommy—“Can I go inside your heart?”—can be seen as a metaphor for the struggle for control over one’s emotional and psychological boundaries. 

As Bella navigates her fear and confusion, she is also grappling with the larger question of how to define herself in a world that seems increasingly unpredictable and dangerous.

The Psychological and Emotional Impact of Adult Mistakes on Children’s Development and Worldview

The novel also examines the impact of adult mistakes on children, particularly how the emotional and psychological consequences of those mistakes ripple through a child’s development. 

In Incidents Around the House, Bella’s relationship with her parents is deeply influenced by their imperfections, and the way these imperfections manifest in their interactions with each other.

The emotional neglect Bella experiences from her mother is compounded by her father’s inability to fully protect her from the shifting emotional terrain of their household. As a result, Bella is forced to face fears far beyond what an eight-year-old should, including the breakdown of her family and the terrifying presence of Other Mommy.

The horror in the novel, therefore, is not limited to the supernatural elements but extends to the psychological effects that occur when children are left to interpret and process the unresolved issues of the adults around them. 

The novel poses the question of how much children are shaped by the emotional failures of their parents and the irreversible impact it can have on their worldview and personal development.

The Uncertainty and Emotional Devastation of a World Where Adults Cannot Be Relied Upon for Protection

In Incidents Around the House, the loss of trust in parental protection is a key element of the emotional devastation Bella experiences. This theme centers on the idea that children, despite their dependency on adults for safety and guidance, can often find themselves in situations where their parents are incapable or unwilling to protect them.

The growing presence of Other Mommy serves as a symbol of this failure. As Bella’s parents’ relationship deteriorates, she realizes that her once safe home is no longer a sanctuary.

The fact that her parents are embroiled in their own emotional struggles—her father’s supportive nature clashing with her mother’s emotional neglect—leaves Bella vulnerable to both external threats (the supernatural entity) and internal threats (the emotional chaos within the family).

This breakdown of trust in the adults who are supposed to protect her creates a world of uncertainty for Bella, where safety and security are elusive, and the only protection comes from within. The haunting of Other Mommy is as much about the fragility of the adult world as it is about the terror Bella faces from the supernatural.