The Amityville house has been revisited so many times that it’s easy to forget there’s a real town around it. Robert P. Ottone grew up about 20 minutes away. In his new novel, "Amityville Awakens," he imagines the house being torn down and asks what happens next.
Robert joins Corey and Kendall to talk about his connection to the case, including the night his father announced news of the DeFeo murders on the radio. He explains why he returned to the original Amityville account for inspiration, what he thinks the movies have done to the story, and why he wanted his novel to include both Amityville and North Amityville.
There’s more on Robert’s mind than a haunted house. He talks about the changes he’s seen on Long Island, the migrant workers whose labor helps sustain it, and his experience teaching adults who came to English classes after long shifts. It’s a conversation about the people who live in a place most of us know only from horror movies.
We also talk about the films that made Robert a horror fan, trade opinions on newer releases, and get a Tubi recommendation. Robert had the title right: it’s "Match." And when we ask him to name a favorite final person, he takes the question in a direction we didn’t expect.
Amityville Awakens arrives October 6, 2026.
- Preorder a signed copy from CLASH Books
- Preorder the paperback through Bookshop.org
- Find the audiobook through Simon & Schuster
- Watch Match on Tubi
Is horror good for mental wellness? Of corpse it is.
Thank you for listening to Horror Heals.
Share the show with someone who loves horror and someone who needs a little healing.
If you want to support our guests, check the show notes for links to their work, conventions, and fundraising pages.
You can also listen to our sister podcast Family Twist, a show about DNA surprises, identity, and the families we find along the way.
Horror Heals is produced by Mosaic Multimedia LLC.
Is horror good for mental wellness? Of corpse it is.