Alex is a mother to 14 year old Ollie and 8 month old Kara. She packs up her family and moves to an ecovillage to get away from her abusive ex. The land is beautiful, but there is a myth going around about a witch who brings creep gifts to your doorstep, and then a loved one disappears. Just like Gabriel disappeared six years ago. So, when Alex starts receiving creepy gifts on her doorstep, she vows to do everything she can to protect her kids. But is there anyone at the ecovillage that Alex can fully trust to help her?

Oh, boy. Where to start with this one.

The premise of this book is great. Unfortunately, I think there were too many different directions trying to be dominant in this story. It felt like horror, thriller, and romance were fighting for the prominent genre. For the horror aspect, I definitely found some parts pretty creepy. For thriller, it was lackluster, but I did have moments where I felt the story was getting more intense and I was waiting to see what would happen next. As for the romance... wellllll, that one left a lot to be desired. Although, not really, because I don't necessarily think the romance worked in this book.

Aside from too many genres fighting for attention, I thought this book took a long time to get to the point. I found Alex to be a rather annoying, obnoxious, push-over of a character. She had no control over Ollie and he was a rude little thing throughout most of the book. There were lots of times where the author would nod at what happened to Gabriel and then the chapter would end. Typically that would feel like a cliffhanger but there wasn't enough information to get me thinking about different theories until the truth was revealed.

I thought the reveal of what happened to Gabriel was going to be great. Around the 65% mark, I really started getting into the story. It became more intense, there seemed to be more information being revealed and at a faster pace, I was forming theories about the witch and what happened. I was ready for the big reveal. But it never came. I was so disappointed in the reveal of what happened to Gabriel and why that I almost didn't finish the last couple chapters. (Keep in mind I RARELY like the ending of a book.) But, I did finish it, and the epilogue brought a lot of things together in a neat little bow, and it was a nice overall ending.

I battled back and forth on how to review this book as fairly as possible. I give this one 3 stars. There were some elements that I liked and I thought worked well. I liked the writing style, the alternating chapters, and I did think that the slow burn and anticipation building worked for this book. But unfortunately, the big reveal just didn't quite do it for me.

Alex Ives is starting over. Again. After getting herself and her son into a bad situation in Sydney, she’s taking him and her infant daughter and moving away. She found a new opportunity, and she needs this fresh start, somewhere safe. Because she wasn’t safe in Sydney.

This new place is Pine Ridge, an ecovillage being built just a couple of hours away from the city. Set in a valley, picturesque like a European town built into a seaside, and filled with the calming presence of trees, Pine Ridge will be a place where she and her son Ollie and her daughter Kara can plant some roots.

But their first day there, before they’ve even gotten to the key, Alex finds a dead bird in a box left right outside their front door. Alex thought it creepy, but she threw it away before her kids saw it, so she’s willing to shrug it off as some sort of strange mistake. I mean, it wasn’t left there for them. No one knew they would be there. She was very careful about that.

And then her upstairs neighbor appears and welcomes them, and then the man who runs Pine Ridge shows up with her keys and a bottle of wine to welcome her, and Alex starts to relax a little. She gets her kids moved in, she and Ollie moving their things in from the car, and she tries to get settled in. But having a 14-year-old and an 8-month-old at the same time is a constant juggling act. She and Ollie used to be two peas in a pod, but now they just fight all the time. And with Kara’s feedings, Alex hasn’t had a full night’s sleep in ages. She’s trying to do what’s best for her family, but some days it’s so hard to know what that is.

Alex wants to like it there at Pine Ridge, and she usually does. But sometimes she gets that feeling that someone is watching her. She can hear voices in the trees. She sees a woman standing around sometimes, an older woman in a green raincoat, who stares back. Alex will look away for a second, and the woman will be gone. Or was she ever really there? Is it her exhausted brain playing tricks on her? And then there are the markings on the trees. It looks like a house with three figures inside it. But she can’t figure out what it is or what it’s supposed to mean.

But when she finds that same symbol on a piece of paper and left in her mailbox, she’s determined to find out. Alex stops a kid who is riding past on his bike and asks what it means. He says that the the first figure is bones. The second is a doll. And the third is blood. That’s the order they go in. They give you gifts, he explains. First, they bring you bones, like a dead animal or something. Then they bring you a doll that kind of looks like you. Then they cover a photo in blood, a photo of the person they’re coming for. And then they take that person. It’s like what happened to the boy who went missing from there.

And he points to the big farmhouse at the top of the ridge.

Alex had been told that that house had belonged to the family who used to live there, who ran their family flower farm. But their teenaged son went missing, and they ended up selling the farm to the developers of Pine Ridge. The boy had never been found.

Alex shook off the story, thinking it just a spooky story that kids tell each other, or that parents tell kids to keep them away from dangerous places. But then another box shows up. It looks identical to the box that had the dead bird. When Alex opens it, she sees a doll. It’s crudely made, but it’s definitely a doll. And Alex doesn’t know what to believe anymore.

All she knows is that she will do whatever it takes to keep her family safe. Even if that means putting herself in danger to get to the truth.

Anna Downes is back with The Shadow House, a creepy thriller that keeps you guessing at what is real and what is imagined. With a unique setting and diverse characters, this story sets a strong pace and keeps it going until the end.

I like that The Shadow House is set in an ecovillage, offering interesting background and characters to the action, and Alex’s search for the truth takes her on a journey through rumors, gossip, and guesses until she finally uncovers the answers. But at the heart of this novel is family, the idea that you will sacrifice anything for those you love most, and how to protect your children from any evil that comes their way, and that is a noble theme done really well. Highly recommended!

Egalleys for The Shadow House were provided by Minotaur Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Anna Downes knows how to keep me hooked! She has written a book that keeps you thoroughly entertained and engulfed in the story. With a great cast of characters, and suspense that keeps you on the edge, Shadow House is the book to read.

Alex is a newly single and harried mom of fourteen-year old Ollie and eight-month old baby Kara and they have just moved into their new rental in an ecco-village community development called Pine Ridge. Alex has just left her abusive husband and wants a fresh start for her children and herself so she is feeling many mixed emotions about this move and when she finds a box with a dead bird inside on her first day of arrival she feels very unsettled although the majority of new neighbors have been very friendly and welcoming. Soon after moving in Alex hears strange and spooky sounds, even footsteps late at night and sometimes they seem to be right inside her house but whenever she checks nothing is there and also the bloodcurdling screams and animalistic loud grunts and growls coming from the woods behind the village make Alex think she's made a big mistake especially when she receives another box with an unwanted and very creepy gift inside. Alex is already overtired and stressed out from her baby still not sleeping through the night and needing feedings every couple of hours plus Ollie has still been angry with her over the move and she's always worried that her husband will find out where they are so Alex really doesn't need any more reasons to lose sleep or put her nerves on edge when she was already doing a great job at being frazzled all by herself. Alex and her life are quickly spinning out of control as she fights exhaustion and mysterious secrets of some of the neighbors who seem to be avoiding her now while also spreading vicious rumors about her son. Something sinister is happening within the village and if Alex doesn't soon get a grip on her life and the evil intent of someone who seems to be following her every move she may soon find that her entire family will need her to fight for all of their lives.

This was a very enjoyable and entertaining mystery that kept my interest page after page. Alex was a complicated character who seemed to make many poor decisions throughout her life but she was a young and loving mother and wanted the best for her children while still trying to find her way through life. I loved the creepy tension and the series of eerie events that would constantly plague Alex while not knowing who was behind all the spooky happenings. It was a lot of fun to keep guessing throughout the book. The parts I didn't like were when a mother (Alex) is still breastfeeding a baby round the clock and also experiencing a complete lack of body healing sleep there is no way in this world that woman would have romantic (especially sexual) feelings for a new man. A woman's hormones are still all over the place plus if she did feel any excitement or arousal (lol) her milk would letdown all over and there wouldn't be any way to control it, that's just how mother nature works. Sigh! (Sorry, just a fact of nursing moms everywhere). So, it seems that would be quite embarrassing but amusing for Alex and her new love interest. I can't imagine this playing out in real life (Smile). Maybe if the baby had been two or three years of age then the romance would have seemed more approriate (imo). Alex seemed to be a helicopter mom yet she would have virtually strangers watch over her baby girl for periods of time and that didn't sit well with me. If you just take the entertainment value of the story and leave the realistic area behind then this just was a terrific domestic/thriller with a lot of humor and fun. I will look forward to reading more of Anna Downes books.

I want to thank the publisher "St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I recommend this story and have given a rating of 3 1/2 DELICIOUSLY SINISTER 🌟🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!

Alex Ives has arrived in Pine Ridge, an off-the grid eco village, hoping to hide out from her controlling husband and father of baby Kara. A few hours north of Sydney, the village is a peaceful place, built on an old flower farm and surrounded by woods. Predictably Alex’s teenage son Ollie is less than impressed with the isolated village, smack bang in the middle of nowhere, lacking all the places teenagers like to hang out. However, after Ollie left his last school in the shadow of a scandal, Alex is hoping this will be a fresh start for all of them where her children can be safe and she can rebuild her life in a close and supportive community.

Alex sets about getting used to her new home by trying to get to know people and becoming involved in the life and events of the village. The founder and community leader, Kit Vestey, is certainly very welcoming, as well as very good looking, although she notices many of the women are drawn to him. Everyone in the village seems friendly and welcoming, except for Maggie, one of the original settlers, who seems to have taken an instant dislike to Alex.

On the hill above the village Alex can see a dilapidated house, which Kit explains is the old farmhouse belonging to the farm the village is built on. The farmer and his wife sold up after their son Gabriel disappeared and was never seen again.

‘The bones come first. A gift, but nothing wanted. Next, a doll: a likeness, a promise. And the blood marks the choice. It finds a face and then you know.’

Right from this opening paragraph, this psychological thriller casts an unsettling atmosphere, telling us that all is not well and drawing us into an almost gothic tale of two mothers and their teenage sons. With an unhappy teen and a fractious, teething baby to cope with, Alex is already feeling on edge when disturbing events start to happen around her. First a dead bird in a box outside her house, followed by a strange doll and then a threatening letter. Who could be doing this and why? Is it Maggie or has Alex’s husband found her or is it just kids playing a cruel trick? Wanting to protect her children but determined not to keep on running, Alex’s search for answers takes her to the old farmhouse where she wonders if secrets in the past might be the key to what is happening to her today.

The plot builds slowly with the arrival of strange packages, odd noises in the night, spooky symbols carved into trees and rumours of a witch in the woods all helping to raise the tension and create the sense of foreboding. I found the growing romance between Kit and Alex an unnecessary distraction that tended to dampen the growing suspense, but the climactic scenes on the night of the summer solstice certainly turned it up again, as long held secrets emerged from the shadows. With it’s interesting setting, flawed characters and eerie atmosphere this is an engrossing and entertaining read.

3.5 stars


Two women, two timelines, what is their connection?

Alex has left an abusive relationship with two children in tow. They go to Pine Ridge, an eco-village to start over. It's in a rural area and Alex believes that she and her children will be happy and safe there. There is belief, then there is reality.

Renee is married to a farmer named Michael. They are having problems with their son...

These two women don't sound like they have anything in common, and yet....

This was a slow build, and I am not a slow build kinda gal, but this one grew on me. Initially I kept thinking when it this going to get going, is anything interesting going to happen? It does! Things begin to become creepy is this idyllic village. Slowly tension and dread begin to seep into the pages, and I had to keep going to see what the connection was and what was happening.

I had the privilege of being able to go back and forth between the e-book and audio book.

I found this to be creepy and captivating. Fans of Downes will not be disappointed. She is even one of the narrators of the audiobook.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars, rounded up
I listened to this audiobook, and loved that the narrators' Australian accents gave me a sense of place. Having the two narrators helps to differentiate between the two points of view--Renee and Alex.

Alex is a single mom of two who chooses to leave an abusive relationship and move to a remote eco-village with her teenage son Ollie and infant daughter Kara. As soon as they arrive there are creepy things that happen and Alex hears rumors about a "witch" that steals children. She does some investigating and finds out about Renee, who used to live in the now-empty farmhouse on the property, whose teen son Gabriel disappeared six years before. Is Ollie in danger? Are the rumors true?

I am happy to say that this book has a "real" solution to the mysteries, although it seems like there might be something supernatural involved, that is not the case. Since I'm not a fan of supernatural explanations for mysteries, this elevated the book for me. I didn't particularly care for Alex, I thought she made many stupid choices and the inclusion of a romantic thread for her was wholly unnecessary and made me grade the book down a half star, especially since it was insta-love and she was in no place to head into another relationship.

I liked how everything came together, how the past and present storylines merge and create a few surprises in the meantime. This isn't a perfect mystery, there are some clunky parts--like what was so "eco" about this village? It was commune-like, but definitely not off the grid as the kids go to a local school, there are electronics everywhere, etc. I had difficulty wrapping my brain around what this place was supposed to be. Yet overall it worked for me, it was an intriguing book that kept me listening in order to find out what would happen, and I got through it pretty quickly so that's a win.

Warning--there is a kitty killed in a gruesome way.

Hands down the best thriller Ive read this year, Anna Downes is quickly becoming my favorite thriller author. This story is completely unique, and so well engineered I didn't figure any of it out until I was supposed to and even when I knew something before it was explained I only knew part of it. Perfectly crafted. The setting and the characters were so alive. And she really nailed parenting.

OMG what a AWESOME read! It is creepy, a psychological thriller at it's best and do I recommend it? Oh you bet I do!

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a solid across the ocean thriller. Heavy on atmosphere in a Stepford like exlusive community with allusions to the gothic (although it's not.) Quite interesting up to a point and interesting character dynamics, up to a point. It may be that I read it too fast (one sitting) but towards the final chunk it started to putter out and rather than rushing through the pages out of excitement, but rather to get to the end to see if my mystery solving skills were on the mark. Beach read.

Did I stay up late to finish this book last night? Yes, yes I did.  Am I paying for it in the morning, absolutely.  But it was well worth it. 
The beginning of this book started out as a slow burn, it piqued my interest but didn't fully grasp my attention.  To be fair, I think it could also be that the immediate creepiness factor may have had me avoiding the book a little bit.  Up until last night I wouldn't let myself read the book before bed.  
Having read Anna Downes debut novel, The Safe Place, I was definitely interested in reading The Shadow House, her second release.  It did not disappoint.  I felt like Downes was able to capture the eerie, goosebumps on your skin, unsettled atmosphere very well.  Something I found to be present in both books though completely different stories.
In The Shadow House, main character Alex is running.  Running away from a man, running away from a scandal, running away from the trouble her son seems to be in.  And then she stops.  She has settled herself, her 14-year-old son, Ollie, and her newborn daughter, Kara in a remote ecovillage.  Some time away from the constant barrage of sceentime, advertising, and bad influences may do them all some good.
She's trying not to believe in bad omens but her first steps on the doorstep to her new house lead her right to a plain brown box with a dead bird inside.  What kind of sick welcome present is that?  Not one she wants to dwell on. 
But then she hears the rumors, about a witch and bones, dolls, and blood, and a missing boy.  Fear, vandalism, and sleep deprivation from a teething newborn all combine until Alex isn't sure which way is up and what is real and what is fake.  Her neighbors and new friends laugh off her believing in the children's legends but Alex can't shake the idea that something bad is coming for her son.
Downes laid out the plot so expertly with twists and turns I just could not predict.  After my initial unease with the urban legend feel of the book it picked up and like I said I stayed up far past my bedtime to finish it.

Anna Downes came in real hot with the prologue of her second novel. I’ve never been a person who devours gothic/paranormal stories so when I come across a book that manages to weave those dark, creepy aspects into an intricate plot that keeps me guessing, I’m here for it! This was a downright eerie thriller with well-developed characters and a stand-out dual timeline. ⁣
⁣
Trigger Warning:
𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘩-𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭- 𝘯𝘰’𝘴 ⁣


{My full review can be seen on my Bookstagram: @pourmeaplottwist}

Thank you to the publishers at St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this e-ARC of The Shadow House.

This was my first book by Anna Downes, but I can’t wait to check out what else she has written!

Alex Ives has just fled Sydney with her children, Ollie, 14, and baby Kara. Hoping to make a fresh start, they travel to an eco village, a place to live and work off the land in a small community. Alex hopes that this will be exactly what they need. Upon arrival though, she finds a box with a dead animal in it. Frightened, and a little put off, she discards it and forgets all about it. But as she and her children begin to settle in, strange things start happening. Alex can’t tell if it’s just her imagination getting the best of her or if something more sinister is happening in the nearby forest.

Told from two POVs, Alex and Renee, we get to learn more about the eco village and how exactly it came about in the first place. Because what Alex is experiencing isn’t the first time this kind of thing has happened on this land, and last time, it took another young man.

I really enjoyed this spooky story. I didn’t know if I could trust Alex or Renee, because even though they are both mothers who deeply love their children, we all know that sometimes children can drive you to the absolute edge. I loved the wild ride this one took me on! While I was somewhat disappointed by the “normal” ending, I think it fit in perfectly with the rest of the story.

The Shadow House is available now wherever books are sold! Grab your copy today.

The Shadow House follows Alex, single mother of two, as she moves to a new community that seems idyllic but holds dark secrets. Pine Ridge is a rural community and most everyone is friendly, but slowly Alex suspects that something is coming for her son, Oliver. Strange things are happening, events that mirror a tragedy that took place a few years ago, and Alex must discover the truth before her family is torn apart.

I was hooked by this story from the beginning! The seemingly pleasant village and neighbors, the mentions of a haunted house and a witch in the woods, all the creepy noises and packages. Plus, while the book follows Alex as she's discovering the secrets of Pine Ridge, it also follows the family who previously owned the land and who dealt with the same events leading up to their son going missing. The dual timelines and seeing how events were being repeated added to the tension.

This is definitely a bingeable book; I read it in a day because I was so into the story. But it also gets a little creepy and intense, especially if you're reading at night like I was. I didn't guess the reveal but the ending was so satisfying.

This book was so creepy! I loved the way it's set up as very idyllic but then it all goes unsettling. The way the characters were written, you really do a connect with a few of them.

Read this if…you liked “The Blair Witch Project.”

Alex is leaving behind an abusive relationship and moves to a secluded eco community with her teenage son and infant daughter. Living in the commune takes some adjusting for everyone, but Alex’s son is having a particularly hard time fitting in. Then, mysterious gifts start arriving that align with a local legend about a witch linked to the disappearance of a teen boy years ago. As similarities between the legend and real life become undeniable, Alex is forced to start digging into the legend and the residents inside the community in order to protect her son.

I was surprised by how creeped out I was while reading this one. The writing was great and the author did a wonderful job of creating a spooky atmosphere with the eco-community in the middle of nowhere. The talk of the witch in the woods and her ritual of bones, doll, and blood really added a fear factor to the plot that I don’t come across often outside of the horror genre. Overall, this was a good read with a few slow parts in the middle. I enjoyed it.

A big thanks to Netgalley, the author, and Minotaur Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My rating: 3.5//5

Alex needs a fresh start. She has found the ideal place for her family, Pine Ridge. Pine Ridge is a new development outside of Sydney. It is an ecovillage; a community that elevates nature and family values. Newcomers go through a probationary period before the residents vote to allow you to stay. Alex is eager to please.
Her first day though is not so welcoming. She finds a box with a dead bird inside in front of her house door. Who would leave something like this for her to find. She doesn’t know anybody from here. She thought she left their dark past behind.
As Alex settles in, she begins to see that maybe everything about Pine Ridge is not as perfect as she thought. She can’t seem to sleep; there are bumps in the night and footsteps sounding as if they are in her house. One the neighbor children tells her about the legend of the old witch who comes and takes your children. First the witch brings bones, then a doll, then blood, and then your child disappears. Alex wants to scoff at this but the first two things have happened. Should she leave, should she tell someone? She is desperate to keep her children safe, but who should she trust? Everybody seems to have secrets.

I enjoyed reading this book. I was looking for something eerie and puzzling. Anna Downes book is foremost about family. Alex, the protagonist will do anything to save her children. As a single mother she is juggling a colicky two year with a sullen, backtalking fourteen-year-old. I liked the story revolving around a local legend. Bringing that legend to life in very haunting and disturbing ways. Although the ending caught me completely by surprise I could see how it all made sense. Readers who like Camilla Sten will like this book.

Robyn Heil, Buyer for Brodart Co.

The Shadow House started off creepy but then dragged on. I feel the need, when I read something like this, to call my kids and thank them for not being horrible teenagers. Not that moms were much better. There were not a lot of characters to like in this one. Everyone was pretty bad. I guess the baby was OK. I can say that it was a quick read with dual timelines, neither of which was enthralling to make me feel connected to them. There is some needless animal mutilation in there, too.

This is the first I have read by this author but it will definitely not be the last . The author pulls you in and does not let you go until the end! I can’t wait to see what Ms. Downes brings us next.


I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is a dark, complex mystery with duel time periods and a plethora of atmospheric intrigue. Suspense and secrets abound and no one can be trusted, including the unreliable narrators. This will appeal to fans of Shari LaPena and David Bell.