This was the first book I've read by Catriona Ward, but it will absolutely not be the last. This story took off at lightning speed and kept me hooked until the very end. From a majorly dysfunctional family to weird scientific experiments to a child that just seems off, this book brought its A game. I couldn't get enough of it! Ward is good at making the story creepy without you realizing it IS creepy--until something insane happens. I really loved this book, and I cannot wait to read more by her!

I am thankful to have received an advanced copy of this book to review, but I would have never requested it knowing that dog abuse and experimentation would be such a large part of the plot. I think that the story had an interesting premise and it could have been handled completely differently. It made me very uncomfortable and was not entertaining or twisty enough to be worth it. I also didn’t care for the pieces of Rob’s stories dispersed throughout.

Sundial by Catriona Ward is a super creepy, twisty, unputdownable psychological horror novel!

Rob just wanted a normal life, but she constantly worries about the darkness she sees in her daughter, Callie, who collects tiny bones and whispers to imaginary friends. She takes Callie back to her childhood home, deep in the Mojave Desert, where she will be forced to confront her past and make a terrible choice.

This book was extremely dark, disturbing, and bizarre, but I loved it! I was completely captivated by this story that messed with my head and my emotions. It was a slow burn that took off running toward the end! I spent most of the book feeling utterly confused, but it was like a train wreck and I couldn’t stop reading until I found out what was going on. Definitely did not see that big twist coming from a mile away! Catriona Ward has quite the imagination and is a seriously talented author! I will gladly read anything she writes!

3.5 stars

After Rob makes some disturbing discoveries about her daughter Callie, they travel to Sundial to confront the dark secrets that run in their family.
This disturbing story is told between the alternating perspectives of Rob and her daughter Callie. It starts off with quite a bit of domestic abuse and that was a bit hard for me to read. HOWEVER. Once I got past all of that, the story got very interesting and I could not put it down! Full of twists and turns, unreliable narrators, and unique concepts, Sundial is a psychological family drama like no other!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!!

I mean, I'm sat here thinking...what the crap did I just read?!?

Sundial ticks all the right boxes for me; dark, twisted and horrific. What I expected was creepy but what I got was wildly strange, eccentric and borderline cult-ish. It still had the creepy vibe and that carried throughout the book and the characters.

Rob and Irving are seemingly normal parents with seemingly normal children, Callie and Annie. Only it's clear right away this family is dysfunctional. When things reach a tipping point Rob takes Callie to her childhood home, Sundial, to try and connect pieces of her present with parts of her past.

Sundial, a strange sort of scientific compound in the Mojave Desert, sits looming like a storm. As Rob and Callie begin to connect we get to relive Rob's past at Sundial, learn exactly what made her and why Callie may be the way she is. . . or isn't.

If you are a fan of the thriller/horror genre, you won't want to miss this one.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire, Catriona Ward and NetGalley for the gifted copy!

After recently reading and loving The Last House on Needless Street by the same author, I was so excited to get approved for an arc of Sundial! And I loved it so much!! It is so dark, chilling and twisted, but I absolutely could not put it down! I tried and tried to figure out what was going on, but Ward expertly throws in so many twists and turns that it will leave you guessing until the very end. I'll be honest, I don't read much horror, but after surprisingly loving both of these books, I'll be reading more, and Ward is definitely now an auto-buy author for me! I have found it is really hard to review her books without giving anything away 😆 So I will say, if you're a fan of dark thrillers/horror and twists that will leave you guessing, this book is one you won't want to miss! Add it to your TBR immediately!

"𝑴𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒏𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒌. 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆."


Thank you Tor Nightfire and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is due for publication 3/2/22 and j definitely recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan/Tor-Forge for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest horror/thriller by Catriona Ward - 5 stars! Did you read The Last House on Needless Street? You must! And this book is just as creepy, dark and disturbing - but you won't be able to put it down!

Rob and her husband, Irving, are trying to live the idyllic life in the suburbs, raising two daughters, Callie and Annie. But, of course, nothing is as it seems. Rob and Irving are always at odds, Irving and Callie are so close to the exception of Rob, and now Rob is fearful that Callie will hurt Annie. She decides that she and Callie will go for a weekend to Sundial, the remote ranch where Rob grew up. Rob needs to let Callie know the truth of their past. But will they both make it home?

Move over Stephen King (but I still love you!) - Catriona Ward is able to deliver gut-wrenching, creepy, horror novels in short novels. No more slugging through 900 pages to get to the end where everything happens! Ward's writing is so good - she gets right to the heart of toxic relationships, dark feelings, and creepy atmospheres. The different POVs from Rob and Callie, along with Rob's writings, let us see into their thoughts. Lots of triggers here but definitely a must read!

Rob Cussen lives in a beautiful California suburb with her handsome husband Irving and two beloved daughters Callie and Annie. But the cracks are beginning to show in her picture-perfect life. Irving cheats on her constantly, and while Annie, the youngest and her favorite, is the sweetest child, Rob worries about strange, friendless twelve year-old Callie. Still, she’s determined to give her girls the normal, All-American upbringing that was denied her, even if it means putting up with an increasingly awful Irving, whose disdain for her doesn’t emerge through cheating alone. The two engage in knock-down, drag-out fights that sometimes have Rob running for her life:

QUOTE
After a beat of surprise Irving came after me. I ran through the house, doorframes slipping in my grasp. As I went a terrible thing happened. My body remembered this–running, fear, danger panting close behind. It came up suddenly, memory, and took me by the throat. I have to believe that’s why I did what I did next. I opened the front door. The afternoon air was the breath of freedom. But I didn’t run. I waited until Irving came up behind, then I stepped out onto the porch and slammed the door behind me, right on his reaching hand. I actually heard the crunch, followed by his cry of pain. I turned away. I thought, <i>No one can make me do this anymore</i>.
END QUOTE

Yet she can’t find it in herself to leave him, not even when she knows his sneaking around has managed to give Annie chicken pox. She’s determined to grin and bear her awful marriage for the sake of giving her daughters a stable, two-parent family life, till an incident between her children forces her to finally confront the truth that she’s been trying to obscure behind this crumbling model of suburban propriety.

Shocked into action by the violence on display between her kids, Rob decides to take Callie, the instigator, back with her to her family’s place out in the Mojave desert. She tells Irving that she and Callie need some bonding time, but what she’s really trying to figure out is exactly how much of her family’s legacy she needs to initiate her eldest child into. Irving is reluctant to see them go, but is assured by the fact that Rob would never leave him without taking Annie as well. Being the abusive person that he is, however, he makes a point of pulling Callie aside while Rob is packing the car:

QUOTE
“Be careful out there, bud,” Dad said, warm in my ear. Dad and I are best buds. “If you get scared out there you call me.”

“Why would I get scared?”

“Your mom… she can be a little unstable.”

I felt a thrill of fear. I knew what he meant. The crying, the screaming late at night. Always yelling at Dad. She lies, too. I can always tell, even if she doesn’t know it herself. For example, Mom doesn’t like me, even though she swears she does.
END QUOTE

As Rob and Callie embark on their road trip, Rob considers how much to tell the girl about her own past and the truth behind Sundial, the estate where everything started and, if they’re lucky, where everything will end as well. More importantly, she has to decide what to do about the untenable situation that is turning Callie into a creepy adolescent, obsessed with bones and ghosts and murder. Could explaining her heritage to Callie help save her, or will it only make things immeasurably worse?

Told from both Rob and Callie’s perspectives, Sundial is an exquisitely frightening puzzle box of a novel that unfolds almost hypnotically as Rob vies for both supremacy and survival with any number of rivals, her eldest daughter included. Rob’s traumatic past has marked her irrevocably, but is it destined to do the same to Callie? Or is Rob merely giving in to the madness in her own blood with her paranoid plans for “saving” her daughter?

I was pleasantly surprised by how few of the plot twists I could foresee in this thrilling tale of complicated, awful families and the ghosts that haunt them. Catriona Ward sets Rob and Callie up as difficult characters to like, but by the end I was absolutely invested in them both as they raced through a series of epic showdowns. Ms Ward cleverly unravels their seemingly terrible decisions in wholly unexpected yet eminently realistic ways, making this one of the most startlingly good, convincing horror novels I’ve ever read.

This was my first book by Catriona Ward, and I was very excited to read it, because I'd heard such good things about The Last House on Needless Street. But this book was just not for me. I really tried, but by about half-way through I was having to force myself to pick it up and read it, and was just not engaged with the stories or with the characters. I don't know if it was because the storyline itself felt very disjointed, with what was happening in the present with Rob and Callie, what happened in the past in the desert commune/mad scientist lab, or the strange story that Rob was writing. Each of those felt like a completely different story with a completely different tone. But the reason might have also been because I found it hard to connect with the characters. Just when I thought I had Rob figured out she would go and do something completely bizarre. The same with Callie. And then just when I thought I had those two figured out we'd jump back in time to read more about unsettling experiments on dogs. Sometimes in books you can feel like you are not sure what will happen next, or how everything is connected, but the author is able to keep you interested enough that you don't mind and really want to keep reading so you can uncover all the mystery and unlock all the secrets. In this case everything was just too bizarre, jarring, and disjointed for me to find myself caring about what would happen next.
From what I have seen of other reviews, most people either love this book or hate it. I can tell you that I did not love it, and I would not recommend it (especially if you are a dog person).

After mostly liking THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET in spite of the kind of played out tropes it worked with, I knew that I wanted to read Catriona Ward's newest book SUNDIAL. Mostly because tropey or not, Ward has an ability to write muddled and surrealistic horror that confuses the reader without confounding them. And SUNDIAL was very much the same in that sense, but it worked a lot better for me. Ward knows that she has thrown you into a very confusing present premise: all we know is that Rob is a wife and mother, married to a jerk named Irving, and mother to daughters Callie and Annie. Annie is softspoken and sweet. Callie is morbid, aggressive, strange, and collects animal bones and talks to ghosts, maybe? But Ward takes her time slowly explaining everything that is happening, and as she carefully reveals all the secrets of Rob, and Callie, and Rob's former life at Sundial, we find a very twisted horror story that explores relationships between mothers and daughters, and relationships between sisters. I loved getting to know Rob and Callie, and how we start to see just what is wrong with Callie, and maybe Rob as well.

SUNDIAL is a very murky horror tale that got under my skin. Catriona Ward is a unique horror voice and I cannot wait to see what she brings to the table next.

I don't know how she does it, but Catriona Ward has done it again! She writes these incredible stories where I'm not totally sure what's going on but I am so sucked in. As with The Last House on Needless Street, the less that is said about the plot the better, so let's leave it at this: Sundial is another fantastic psychological horror that will leave you wondering where Ward comes up with this stuff!

"Everyone has one story that explains them completely. I thought I knew what mine was. I was wrong - I am in it, here and now."

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve heard good things about Catriona Ward’s prior books from other people, so I was eager to try something from her. Sundial, a creepy psychological thriller/horror, sounded right up my alley, and it was. This book has everything that makes a book eerie and haunting, from a dysfunctional family with perspectives you can’t entirely trust and secrets kept from each other to a setting with a house and environs that is truly creepy. It questions what/who is actually monstrous in a darkly poignant way.
The story is deeply complex and layered, and it’s definitely one I may have to revisit for that reason. However, I already find myself in awe of the twists and turns and how each one shakes up the dynamics and what you think you know about Rob, Callie, and everyone else.
This book is absolutely fabulous, and would recommend it to anyone who loves psychological horror/thriller.

Well this book sure was creepy and had me on the edge. I honestly didn’t want to put it down because I needed answers and Catriona Ward’s writing style is gravitating.

Rob is a married wife with two daughters, Callie and Annie. One who’s a daddy’s girl and one who is all hers. Her husband has been cheating with a neighbor and Callie has been acting strange. When she finds bones of dead animals in Callie’s room it sets her on edge. She must get her out before she does something, even worse if she harms her little sister. So Rob takes her to Sundial, where she grew up, the only place she believes can help the darkness within her child.

Told in dual perspective between Rob and Callie comes a horrifying story. Between a mother trying to save and protect her children the best way she can. Past secrets come out and sacrifices need to be made.

This story was gripping and imaginative and twisty. There is some upsetting content… if you’re a dog lover you’ll cringe. The dynamics between the characters make you feel like you’ve entered into a game of mind f**kery and make you happy to be normal, lol. It was unique and different and now I can’t wait to read more from this author.

When I finished this book, I looked at my husband and said “ what the f$&k did I just read?!” I was crying a little, and asked for a hug. Then I proceeded to tell him what I had just read. His response “ why do you read the most screwed up books?”
I am a fan of dark and disturbing horror. The darker the better. I don’t need the super gory blood bath horror, but I am ok with it. This book is everything I love about horror. It is a dark and f$&ked up tale that sticks it’s teeth into your brain, shakes it really hard and spits you out. I was left feeling dirty, confused, sad and slightly traumatized. I wanted a shower and a warm hug. This exact reaction is what is going to make Sundial a stand out book for 2022.
Catriona Ward had written the book of her career! Sundial runs circles around The Last House On Needless Street. This book is everything and just may be my favorite of 2022, I don’t even care about everything else that hasn’t come out yet! She smashed it with this book.
I can’t give away spoilers, but the synopsis doesn’t even touch the book. It’s mildly cultish, and a whole lot of crazy that I can’t talk about. Twisted isn’t the right word, it’s knotty. You can’t undo these knots that just keep popping up. The sisters, their parents, Sundials history… omg the daughters, the husband.. it’s all connected and wrong.
I devoured this book with both hands gripping tight. I was anxious and upset, disgusted and shocked. Read it and you will get it. Then come back and talk to me about it. I need some therapy.

First I want to start off with the cover of this book is stunning. Absolutely stunning. This book had me on the edge of my seat. It was worth every page turn.

🧐🤨😨😦😵‍💫🥴🤔😑 - these are just a few of the faces I made while reading this book. (swipe for synopsis)

maybe I should just stick to horror movies instead of books. I thought I was liking this, but in the end, I don’t think I did 😅 the farther I got into it, the harder it was to pick up.

the characters were well written, but infuriating. the scenes were graphic as hell. I swear I stopped breathing more than once. honestly, a pit grows in my stomach when I think about it.
⭐️⭐️.5

I recommend this ONLY if you’re into horror novels - if you’re not, stay away. I’ve heard so many great things about Ward’s latest novel, THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET, so I’m willing to give her another go! (mostly because it’s sitting on my bookshelf right now🤣)

thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanusa and @tornightfire for the eARC!

Unfortunately I have decided to DNF Sundial. While I really enjoyed the begining of this book, I just cannot get into the Arrowhrad chapters. I loved hearing from Rob and Callie. My favorite parts were hearing about the toxic relationship between Rob and her husband.l and the mystery of what is going on with Callie.
It is like I just lose complete interest when I got to the Arrowhead chapters. I just found myself skimming them and not getting much from it. I dont want to spoil the ending for myself and not give this novel a full chance because I loved the author's past work
I plan to try and pick this back up when the audiobook becomes available.

Just like The Last House on Needles Street, I had no clue what was happening until the last few pages. I am normally not great at guessing the endings and twists of books but with Ward, I’m hopeless. This can be a frustrating feeling, and at times I want to hurl the book across the room, but I always finish feeling satisfied.

With Sundial, I enjoyed watching Rob’s life unfold page by page. At first, reading Rob’s current and past lives, it felt like I was reading two very different disjointed stories about two very different Rob’s. With each page I felt closer to connecting them and solving the puzzle.

Not particularly scary but I was on edge the entire book, waiting for something horrific to happen. Especially with any mention of a dog, I could feel my whole body tense. Ward is good at walking this fine line. Adding horror elements without going into the outright disturbing.

What kept me from rating this higher was the overall pace. It took about halfway, or more, through the book to get to a storyline that I felt invested in, which was Rob’s life as a teenager and young adult. While simultaneously, Rob’s current life moved at a snail’s pace. It all paid off in the end but was a little slow to get through.

Last thing I will say is I appreciate how entirely different this book is from The Last House on Needless Street and I look forward to reading more from Ward!

As I sit here, pondering over Sundial, minutes after finishing the last page, I feel truly mixed on my stance with this novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed the twisted and mind-bending The Last House on Needless Street. After finishing that book, I knew Catriona Ward was going to need to be an author I read going forward.

I was incredibly excited to get the eARC of Sundial and could not wait to dive into whatever Ward threw at us next. So perhaps my expectations were set a little too high?

There were parts of this novel I really enjoyed and there were others that I struggled with. There were three POVs in this story, which didn't surprise me after Needless Street. One of the POVs was from the daughter's perspective and I struggled with some of the maturity and vocabulary it presented. I didn't feel like a 12-year-old was speaking. That thrown in with the spoken out emojis she used constantly jarred me throughout the novel. Some of the storyline also had me floundering. There were a few moments where I was really pulled out of the reader's dream.

But, there were some things I really enjoyed too. (Please don't think I disliked everything because that certainly was not the case) I enjoyed the slow opening of the plot and the situations that we were exposed to. It was fun to keep getting these puzzle pieces and constantly finding out that I was putting them in the wrong places. The twists were more subtle in this one but there were plenty of them. And I loved the ending.

All in all, I think a lot of readers will enjoy the next horror installment by Ward.

The description and the fact that the author's previous book was in my best of the year list for 2021 made me excited to read this book. My excitement began to dwindle within the first few chapters due to the slow pace and unlikable characters.

Rob is married to an abusive man with whom she shares two daughters. One of the daughters has strange mannerisms and frightening habits.

I understand there are a great many women who stay trapped in abusive relationships but Rob did not share any of the reasons a woman would usually stay. Rob has access to money and a car and a job and the ability to leave. Most abusers start out sweet as pie, but Rob's husband Irving was an obviously creepy person long before she married him and she knew it. By the time the reason for her marriage is disclosed the book is over.

Rob had a very unconventional upbringing but I will not go into detail because I don't think you are meant to know about it until the middle of the book, which was another problem for me. The pace is slow, and the book is made even longer by the fact that Rob likes to write stories, using the names of her family, which she will go back and change later. Rob is not a great writer so there was no enjoyment in being made to read her fantasy novel or whatever it is she is working on. At first I forced myself to pay attention to them in case there were important clues to why or how she got herself into this situation but after the third or fourth time these stories seemed to be an unnecessary interruption so I skimmed them. This book would probably have been better off without them since it would have been less long and drawn out and draggy.

You may enjoy it more than I did, but this one just wasn't for me.