THE HANTU HOUSE

SYNOPSIS: 

A real estate agent is lured into taking up a ghost vigil in a haunted house he is trying to sell. The house hides a dark secret and he finds he has been set up. Ghostly apparitions appear in the dead of night. He discovers he has ghost sense and finds himself caught up in a web of supernatural intrique as he searches for the truth behind a series of untimely deaths.

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Nominated for the Popular Readers’ Choice Awards 2025

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I have been awarded seed money in the form for a $10,000 SingLit Adaptations Grant from the National Arts Council to produce a screenplay of The Hantu House and a project bible with a filmmaker. I am now working with filmmakers Oak3 Films and Juo Studios to get them done. The target: a movie or TV series.

Read Chapter 7 – click on > to turn pages

HOW DID YOU GET THE STORY IDEA FOR YOUR NOVEL, THE HANTU HOUSE? Many people have asked me this question – and this is how it came about. I was working late one night at Mediacorp, Caldecott Hill. Some of my colleagues were talking about ghostly sightings in Caldecott. As I left the office around 9 pm I walked down the hill along Andrew Road and saw the big, dimly-lit bungalow houses at the side. They looked eerie and spooky to me with my mind still thinking of my colleagues’ ghostly stories. I then recalled the infamous Andrew Road Triple Murders case. Two intruders broke into the home of a wealthy businessman and killed him, his wife and his maid. I wondered if the house was haunted and who would be brave enough to buy a haunted house. The germ of an idea for The Hantu House was born there – and then grew and grew and eventually turned into this novel.

CAN WE SEE GHOSTS? Some people say they have seen ghosts. Do you believe humans can see ghosts? No? Read this excerpt from The Hantu House and you might change your mind.

[ “Look, we humans can see in some dimensions. Who knows there may be other dimensions—or other worlds—that most of us cannot see, but only a few can. I am sure you have heard of ultraviolet light as being invisible to the human eye. But some insects, like bumble bees, and birds and reptiles can see UV light.”

“Oh, really?”

“And some people can also see UV light—people with a condition called aphakia. Those with this condition are missing an eye lens and that allows them to see beyond the normal visible spectrum of light although it causes blurry vision and far-sightedness. I’m sure you have heard of how dogs can hear the sound of a whistle beyond the hearing range of humans. If you’ve been to the police K-9 dog unit you will know. So dogs hear things we don’t and bumble bees see light that we don’t. So, some people may see ghosts that we don’t. ]

Page 74/75 of The Hantu House
by Frederick Lim

By the way, the colour of ultraviolet light (UV) is purpler than purple – or more violet than violet as the name suggests. Most of us can’t see this colour.

 

BOOK REVIEW: THE HANTU HOUSE
Sharing a review of my novel, The Hantu House, on Goodreads from Aishwarya Shetty and this is an extract of what she says:
“The narrative is both gripping and deeply emotional. I truly loved Eric’s character—his resilience and emotional strength are incredibly inspiring . His journey is one that stays with you long after the last page.”
This is the link to the Goodreads page:
BOOK REVIEW: THE HANTU HOUSE
This another review of my novel, The Hantu House, by Maylah Myers on Goodreads and this is an extract of what she says:
“What struck me most was how seamlessly the book weaves suspense with poignancy, reminding us that the real hauntings often come not from the dead, but from secrets, guilt, and silence.”
This is the link to the Goodreads page:
ANOTHER BOOK REVIEW: THE UNDERLYING THEME IN THE HANTU HOUSE
Fellow writer, Khairun Atika, read my novel, The Hantu House, and in reviewing it in Goodreads began with a passage from the book about belief. Yes, it is clear she understood what the underlying theme in the book is about. And yes, the underlying theme of the The Hantu House is belief. Do you believe in ghosts? You may answer that you have to see to believe. But what if you have to believe to see? It’s always about belief, isn’t it? In fact everything we do revolves around what we believe. Belief shapes behaviour. It is the underlying force behind everything we do. And there are many passages in the book about belief including this:
“Life is about belief, isn’t it? he thought, muttering softly to himself. If you believe in something, the belief influences or even determines your behaviour. If you believe in healthy living, you will avoid fatty food and sugary drinks and eat more organic vegetables and yogurt. If you believe an accountancy or law degree will give you a better career than an arts degree you will go for those courses in university. If you are a sportsman and you believe you will go far, then you are more likely to do better than someone who doesn’t have that self-belief. If you believe in spirits you may avoid going out at night during the Hungry Ghost month. Or are fearful of the dark most of the time. And even in policework when an accused is brought to court whether he or she is convicted or not depends on what the judges believe. If the evidence on one side or the other is not irrefutable or conclusive then the judges have to exercise their own beliefs…” For more click on the link: