Bentley Little is so creepy. I love his work.
Here’s the back cover synopsis for The Association. Isn’t its summary irresistible?
Congratulations, Barry and Maureen: You’ve been approved by the Association and are encouraged to move into your exclusive gated community as soon as possible. Please be aware that we reserve the right to approve your decor, your landscaping, your friends, and your job. All relationships with neighbors should be avoided. Any interference from the outside will not be tolerated. Any attempt to leave will be stopped. Any infraction of the rules could result in severe fines, physical punishment, or death. Please send all other inquiries to the house on the hill. Preferably before dark. P.S. You’re being watched.
Sincerely,
THE ASSOCIATION
In The Association, horror novelist Barry Welch and his wife Maureen purchase a lovely home in Bonita Vista, a beautiful gated community that overlooks the small town of Corban, Utah.
Their new neighborhood seems too good to be true. It’s quiet and peaceful enough for Barry to churn out horror novels, and the community’s residents are welcoming and friendly. But after the couple settles in and hosts a garage sale, the homeowner’s association (“The Association”) stops by to remind them that yard sales are prohibited in Bonita Vista, according to its rules and regulations. The Welches are let off with a warning, but little does the married couple know that this is only one of many commonplace acts prohibited in the neighborhood.
As time goes by, the Welches can’t go one day without hearing from The Association about how they’re violating community rules. For instance, Barry isn’t allowed to work from home, and Maureen isn’t allowed to grow produce in their own backyard. Nobody is allowed to have pets.
In defiance of The Association, Barry and Maureen continue going about their daily lives, but the rules continue to get weirder and more restrictive. They can’t have visitors with different ethnic backgrounds, and they aren’t allowed to have children.
The Association has cameras in everyone’s homes to watch them at all times, even when they’re using the bathroom and having sex. Residents who disobey the rules are found mutilated, or simply vanish and are never seen or heard from again.
Desperate to leave Bonita Vista and move to another community, Barry and Maureen meet with their realtor to put their home back on the market. Unfortunately, Barry and Maureen had unknowingly signed a document agreeing to all the terms enforced by The Association. Realizing they are trapped in Bonita Vista, Barry challenges the president of the HOA in a battle that ultimately ends in some massive bloodshed.
There’s a LOT going on in The Association. But all of it’s relevant and fits perfectly into the novel. Near the beginning, Barry goes for a walk on the neighborhood trail and runs into “Stumpy”—a man with no limbs or tongue who wears a dirty, bloodied diaper and flops around the forest moaning and wailing. Feeling disturbed and shocked, Barry races home only to learn from his neighbors that Stumpy is considered a normal fixture in the community. Apparently, Stumpy doesn’t bother anyone and nobody cares that he wiggles around in the forest in a bloody diaper. WHAT?! How’s that for a nightmare?
The Association is mainly about how Barry, Maureen, and other random community members are penalized by the HOA for violating absurd rules. Bentley Little takes common everyday woes and frustrations associated with living in a regulated community and exaggerates them by 10,000%. The result is one of the scariest horror novels you’ll ever read.
I love that Barry’s character is a horror novelist. He mentions having been mentored by Phillip Emmons, which is either Bentley Little’s real name or a pseudonym. I got a real kick out of that. I also love how Barry uses the fact he’s an author to justify his quirky personality and theories about what’s going on in Bonita Vista. I couldn’t help but love this book for that reason alone.
If you’ve ever lived in an apartment or condo, or paid dues to an HOA, you’ll probably appreciate The Association. It’s a fantastic read. Satiric horror at its finest.
Other books by Bentley Little include:
What did you think about this book?
Last Updated on November 20, 2025 by Sarah Ann
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