Jeremy Bates' novel is bound to leave many people dissatisfied, on account of its touching on so many different aspects of one and the same story, coming to it from several different directions, with jarring variations in characterization, pacing, genre, and premises. It's not hard to see, from very early on, how this might confuse those readers who prefer a simple, straightforward plot, without disorienting mashups or seemingly unmotivated conceptual intrusions of one genre into another: what to make of a book that starts as an escape room challenge, transforms into a labyrinthine and messy, supernatural adventure with the promise of romance, then turns into sci-fi territory (there's apparently a visit to the Jurassic, then a trip to the far future), changes into a slasher (with two cameos by Jason Vorhees), flirts with dark fantasy (with a cannibal witch living in a mushroom), and ends up, finally, in typical grimdark style, with people fighting monsters to the death with katanas? Why deny it; such a book will definitely not be for everyone.
Yet for those of us who love dense plots, story-driven supernatural suspense, psychologically accurate characterization, liminal settings, jaw-dropping visuals, wild feats of the imagination, and twisty endings, "The No-End House" is pure gold! I myself loved the book from start to finish, realizing from early on it'd be an unorthodox excursion into grief horror, through an original spin on the familiar "escape room/haunted house attraction" trope; but I'd be lying if I said that I knew beforehand how far Bates' unbridled imagination would go from Barcelona, where the story begins, to entirely unknown, whole countries of brilliantly imagined terror and suspense. There is such a quick progression through the storyline, it's easy to feel curious about everything, and before you know it, you're deep into "The No-End House" and finding the experience hugely enjoyable. Occassionally, the action slows for the briefest of moments; this allows both readers and characters to breathe - before getting swept away again.
And the characters! They feel real, they talk like common people do (they even use slurs under stress, when they shouldn't; yes, there ARE such people in real life, so why not in fiction!), they think like you and me; and that's what made the ending hit so hard - a perfect WTF moment served right when you hardly expect it.
I recommend the novel very highly. It'll grab your attention from the first chapter, and if you like action, mystery, liminal horror, and shocking endings, you’ll enjoy "The No-End House" for sure!