A History of Malpractice

Title: A History of Malpractice

Author: Clarice Montgomery

Rating: 4/5

Info: 280 pages, first published by Köehler Books 09/15/2026

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Mystery

Thank you to NetGalley and Köehler Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  

A History of Malpractice follows Abigail, who is less than thrilled when she and her boyfriend, Garrett, are forced to move from Chicago to hole-in-the-wall Harperfield, Illinois. From a comfy condo to an old abandoned office building, Abigail couldn’t think of a worse situation. She is so convinced they won't be there long that she doesn't even bother unpacking. A few days, maybe a few weeks. Two months, tops. Then, on their first night, Abigail learns the building has a ghost.

I can honestly say this might be the best-written new book I’ve read so far this year. Montgomery crafted a fun mystery that follows Abigail trying to figure out who the ghost is and why it’s there rather than settling into her new life. She ends up fitting in thanks to small-town hospitality, which apparently comes with a complimentary couch. The story is split between chapters following Abigail, Abigail’s childhood in the foster care system, and Dr. Carlson, the man who left Abigail the old downtown office building despite never having met her.

As Abigail digs into the mystery, we learn that her relationship with Garrett is pretty one-sided. He seems much more invested in her than she is in him. As more of Abigail’s past comes to light, her reactions to Garrett make more sense. I really enjoyed the brother and sister who became Abigail’s new friends. They, especially Kennedy, brought the funny, which added some levity to a story with so many heavy elements.

There isn’t much negative for me to say. I had a genuinely enjoyable reading experience. What really stood out to me was how well everything was constructed. Abigail’s choices make sense once we learn about her past. The mystery of Dr. Carlson makes sense. The haunting makes sense. Why he left Abigail the building ends up making sense. I do question why horror was one of the genres chosen for this book. General fiction and mystery, yes. Horror, no. The publisher might want to rethink that.

I also appreciated that Abigail is allowed to be imperfect. She isn’t very nice to most people in the story. At one point she’s straight-up a jerk to someone and gets called out on her behavior. She apologizes. The person accepts the apology but acknowledges Abigail was in the wrong. I’ve read too many books that have the main character do something wrong only for everyone to tell them they have nothing to feel bad about. It was refreshing to read a book where the main character can actually be wrong and not have the story bend over backward to justify her. 

I’d recommend this story to anyone looking for a mystery novel with some spooky ghost elements, but also a story about a lost little girl trying to find her place in the world.