Rose/House

By: Arkady Martine

Narrated by: Raquel Beattie

Basit Deniau's houses were haunted to begin with.

A house embedded with an artificial intelligence is a common thing: a house that is an artificial intelligence, infused with a thinking creature that is not human? That is something else. But now Deniau's been dead a year, and Rose House is locked up tight, as commanded by the architect's will: all his possessions and files and sketches are confined in its archives, and their only keeper is Rose House itself. Rose House, and one other.

Dr. Selene Gisil, one of Deniau's former protege, is permitted to come into Rose House once a year. Until this week, Dr. Gisil was the only person whom Rose House spoke to.

But even an animate intelligence that haunts a house has some failsafes common to all AIs. For instance: all AIs must report the presence of a dead body to the nearest law enforcement agency.

There is a dead person in Rose House. Rose House, having completed its duty of care and informed Detective Maritza Smith of the China Lake police precinct that there is in fact a dead person inside it, dead of unnatural causes-has—shut up.

No one can get inside Rose House, except Dr. Gisil. And someone died there. And someone may be there still.

©2023 Arkady Martine (P)2024 Tantor

One of the Most Artistically Written Haunted House Stories

This book was written like poetry. There is a murder mystery. There is an investigation. But it is ultimately all happening in and around Rose/House. This story was always about Rose/House. The best haunted ai house and work of art and architecture in the world. A monument to its creator and perhaps successor to him. Or maybe something more than he ever could have been.

Futuristic murder mystery

I am related to the narrator so this might not get posted. Engaging story with unique characters including the titular AI one. Liked this short novel.

The Eeriness Lingers

Well written and ever better narrated tale. The voice actor deserves a Hugo. Unresolved as to motivess of the house master. Saw the end coming and didn't mind.

Still a prison even as it's Smart/ Intelligent

I liked the great characters, humans living & dead, but also Rose House the being... very intriguing story

Very disappointing novella

The story simply has too little to it. Although it contains elements of an homage to noir or hard boiled detective mysteries, this doesn’t excuse the lack of clear motivations or character growth. The extremely short list of characters totally undercuts the mystery of the perpetrator’s identity, and in general this book wouldn’t merit any attention at all were it not for the author’s other books and reputation. I look forward to Martinez’s next effort and hope it is more of a return to form.