Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. This review is wholly my own.

Not my favorite Catriona Ward novel by a long shot. Little Eve was just "meh."

I know it is hard to resist a new novel by an author you normally like, but after Sundial, I have become a bit more apprehensive of Ward's stories.

You definitely get the dark & gothic atmospheric vibes. Very strange, Very Creepy & Very Culty (not a fan of cults).

This one missed the mark for me but others loved it, so definitely don't let my disappointment keep you from giving it a go.

LITTLE EVE is moody, dark, atmospheric, cultish, and rich with gothic elements. I really enjoyed the setting and the castle and Catriona Ward was able to make me feel all the weather and isolation with her descriptions. This one takes quite a few twists and turns and, like her other works I have read, did not leave much room for me to predict a single thing. And I just love that about Ward's mind and how she can weave together such a story from start to finish and captivate you the entire time.

I mean this in the most complimentary of ways: Little Eve is one of the most unsettling and disquieting books I have ever read. I liked but did not love the author’s novel The Last House on Needless Street; frankly, the reviews for Sundial kind of scared me off (not that they were bad - just that they seemed to describe a book almost impossibly dark), but this one was unforgettable. I found myself wanting to read it, unable to put it down, but at the same time feeling such a sense of dread around it. Loved the atmospheric stormy Scottish castle…the cult overtones…the nod to early 20th century spiritualism. I thought it was interesting that Amazon seems to categorize this book as a thriller - and it is - but it is also a slow burn historical horror. This is such a richly layered and evocative book, and I’m excited for its U.S. release. Many thanks to Tor for the advance copy. I really enjoyed this.

Briefly, the summary:

Little Eve takes place almost entirely on the fictional island of Altnaharra, off the remote coast of Scotland, around the time of the first world war first World War. As she did in Sundial and The Last House on Needless Street, Ward introduces us to a “family” who are more than they first appear to be. The main characters are two teenagers in the family: Eve and Dinah. The rest of the family is comprised of a man referred to only as Uncle (their patriarch), two adult women, and two other children.

Though I don’t think it is ever explicitly stated on page, the “family” is actually a cult, and the book details the daily lives of living within that environment, including their many complex beliefs, stories, and rituals.

The book opens with a brutal murder, and from there we travel back and forth in time (in the style of her other books, this is told in alternating timelines—a style which I personally enjoy) slowly unwraveling pieces of the story. What happened at Altnaharra? What’s up with that family, anyway? Through the perspectives of Eve and Dinah, the reader slowly picks up on pieces of the mystery, until we reach an absolutely crushing ending.

This was such a compelling story and I am thrilled to sa that it was just as dark, gothic, and twisty as her first two books. Am I obsessed? Yes.

Thoughts (no spoilers).

As stated 100 times already, I loved this one. It had a little bit of a slow start for me, but once things got going, I was sucked in.

One thing that I really appreciated about this book was the detail with which Ward described the rituals and daily life on Altnaharra, and how intricately Ward was able to weave in the classic signs/symptoms of a ‘cult’ without ever, on page, calling it a cult. (Charismatic leader, bizarre ideological belief system, extreme control over the members, punishment tactics for anyone who deviates or questions anything, isolation, apocalyptic thinking….etc etc). It was clear to me that Ward did a lot of research here to really build up a realistic cult-dynamic. I felt this way as well about Needless Street (re: her research into mental health) and even Sundial—she doesn’t half-ass it, she really goes deep to give the reader a a level of detail that feels authentic.

Interesting as well was that we have a bit of an unreliable narration (Ward is excellent at this) because the characters through which we are told the story do not recognize anything being odd about their lives or their cultish beliefs—at least not right away. Eve and Dinah don’t know anything different than the lives that they have, so when we are being told the story through their perspective, it is never explicitely stated that anything is amiss—the reader kind of comes to that realization on our own.

The book was…deeply unsettling. It is really dark, and creepy. Ward has this great ability to really build tension and I absolutely love it. I also feel like having read now three of her books, I can see plenty of threads that she likes to weave into her writing–themes of family, loyalty, and obsession come through in all of her stories, but I also think that each of these three books manages to be distinctly unique in their own right.

There is, of course, a twist. I will say that in this case, I did kind of guess the twist early in the book, but that’s okay! I think the “oof” moment is not really in the twist itself; it was having to rethink the whole story via the implications of the twist that is the gut punch.

I should mention as well that there are some pretty gruesome scenes in this one that really squigged me out. If body horror is not your jam…you might find yourself skimming a few sections.

It’s hard to say much more without revealing spoilers, so I’ll leave it there. I really, really liked this book and would definitely recommend to fans of her other two–or if you haven’t read those, for fans of murder mystery, horror, and gothic stories.

HOWEVER!!! I need to warn that this comes with big ol Trigger Warnings for like…all of the things (because, you know, cults).

Unfortunately I couldn't really get into this one and the writing style. I may try again with an audiobook in the future, as I've really enjoyed 2 other books I've read from Catriona Ward in the past.

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley.

I appreciate this advanced copy by Netgalley. Unfortunately I could not get into this book and was unable to finish. I may try again.

Little Eve…this book was not what I was expecting. Needless Street was sheer brilliance. This one, however, I can definitely tell that it was an earlier novel. This book is definitely good, but after seeing what Ward can do this was a little bit of a let down.

I read <i>The Last House on Needless Street</i> earlier this year and decided I needed to read everything Catriona Ward writes. The policy hasn't failed me yet. I scored an ARC of the US release of Ward's second novel, <i>Little Eve</i> and was once again blown away by Ward's brilliance.

It's 1921 and something terrible has happened on the secluded Isle of Altnaharra. Four people have been brutally murdered, Dinah is mutilated but alive, and the island's only other resident- the perpetrator Eve- seems to have vanished. Having firmly established a creepy, horrific setting, the book's subsequent chapters alternate between the years after the massacre as experienced by Dinah, and the years preceding it, as experienced by Eve. What unfolds is a tale of cult brainwashing, the quest for power, and an emotional roller coaster as we learn what was really happening on Altnaharra.

There's a reason this book won the Shirley Jackson Award when it was released. <i>Little Eve</i> is a unique, heartbreaking story that's equal parts disturbing and compelling. Highly recommended for fans of Gothic horror or stellar writing in general.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Nightfire for the advanced copy!

The premise of this book is so creepy and fascinating. I found it a little difficult to follow at times because the structure isn't perfectly linear, although I guess that's in vogue for suspense novels these days. I enjoyed this book and would definitely read more from Catriona Ward.

I very much enjoyed this book - the plot, the pacing, the fleshed-out characters, the suspense that was maintained throughout. Recommended to all who enjoy a page-turning entertaining read.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third Catriona Ward book I've read--The Last House on Needless Street and Sundial are her other two novels--and with it she has firmly established herself on my author-must-read list. Her books are always elegantly written and haunting in their subject matter. Little Eve is that and more.

In 1921, village butcher Jamie MacRaith is delivering meat to a small snake worshiping cult when he finds the sect and a local girl dead in what looked like a ritual death. But wait! One of them is alive! Dinah has survived and says they were all killed by her cult sister Eve. The story then unfolds by switching back and forth in time and switching perspectives mostly between Dinah and Eve. The reader is led down a winding path of emotions as life in the cult is exposed. We witness Eve's evolution from naive girl to accused killer and Dinah's life in and later survivor of the cult. Along the way Chief Inspector Christopher Black becomes obsessed with Eve and what transpired in the cult as he tried to figure out just what happened to Little Eve.

This is a dark and gritty gothic novel set in Scotland around World War I. It is rather formally written and takes a little while to get into the flow of the narrative but once there, the story captures and transports the reader. The sect characters are intriguing and it is easy to understand how authoritarian and charismatic "Uncle" controls the beliefs of the members. I found myself sympathetic to Little Eve and her trials. This is both a gothic horror novel and a murder mystery with twists associated with thrillers. It's hard to compartmentalize so I'll just say it's an excellent, compelling read. I highly recommend this and the other two books Ms. Ward has written.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge for an advance copy of the book. The publication date is October 11, 2022.

A creepy gothic tale of an isolated castle on an island, a cult of bizarre snake worshipers with their overbearing Patriarch, and the mystery of who killed them all. This story is perfect for spooky season told from two perspectives in two timelines we learn about the Bearings, a small “family” that is really a curated cult of women lead by one man (and an accidental boy) who believes in “The Bennison” which will be He who comes to take them back to the sea at worlds end. Everyone else in the world is impure.

The book starts as we find all of the cult dead save one survivor. We read her account of events after they have happened. We read Evelyn’s, or Eve’s, account in the years leading up.

I’m not usually a fan of changing perspectives or going back and forth in time but Ward expertly plays this as the two accounts we read aren’t lining up. Who is telling the truth? What really happened on Altnaharra? And what happened to Little Eve?

I already own several books from this author and I haven’t been disappointed. This is a well written gothic horror story. A suspenseful plot that runs at a smooth pace. As the reader thinks they have the story all figured out, the author throws in some twists and turns and gives a surprising ending.

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this review copy, I received this review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a gothic tale set in a creepy castle with some dark history on the coast of Scotland where Eve lives with Uncle and few others. It is some kind of cult based on religion who are preparing for the end of world. The whole world building is absolutely creative and you can constantly feel the eerie vibes coming off from every member of the cult. It starts off with present and then continues to move between the timelines. There is also a mystery about how everyone at this castle except for Eve ends up dead in some sort of bizarre ritual gone wrong.

I have always liked reading cult based plots and this one went one step further by including gothic elements. The writing could have been better as I felt initial part a bit slow paced. I enjoyed author’s recent books more than this one! I think just the premise of a haunted castle and isolated cult like family would get many readers intrigued!

Took a bit for me to get into this, but I did appreciate the eerie, gothic vibes. A great read for spooky season!

Catriona Ward’s novels are like a maze one must traverse blindfolded in the dark, and none more so than this one. Layer upon layer of intrigue, misdirection and suspense make this a truly thrilling read. If a little confusing at first, the novel unfolds as a memory would. This is the author’s true gift. I am looking forward to the next Catriona Ward book.

4.5 Stars

Little Eve was my first read by Catriona Ward but it most certainly will not be my last! This book truly swept me away. Not only did it have this chilling atmospheric element down pat, a banging plot and mystery that will keep you guessing till the end, but it was all told so experty. The writing was EXCELLENT. This tale drifted around the years to and fro, unraveling this twisted tale in bits and pieces with warring feelings and sometimes blurred realities that truly took this story to the next level. I'm in awe of that part especially. While I do get to give myself a little pat on the back for figuring out one twist fairly early, there was more to it around the corner that I didn't see coming and took me by surprise. So really kinda the best of both worlds there. It's no surprise Little Eve is an award-winner. I'm glad for it to have a timely US release date, it is a perfect haunting read to add to your must-read list for the Fall season.

I was so excited to get early access to this one! From the get go the eerie vibes are through the roof and I really enjoyed that. For most of the novel I really didn’t know what was happening but I enjoyed the ride. I’m very into cult like books lately so that made this one really enjoyable. I’m a big fan or Ward’s writing and can’t wait for more. If you pick this one up, prepare to be shocked!

Bleak. Dark. Gothic.

Listen I love Catriona Ward's mind. We are following two orphan girls as they live within a cult, led by "Uncle." There are a few other children and two women living in this cult as well. They are all in extremely poor living conditions and living in a house in the Isles of Altnaharra.

As "the end of the world" approaches, they practice rituals.

The beginning of the story starts with Jamie MacRaith, the butcher of Altnaharra , going to the haunted house to deliver their daily order, finding the gate unlocked. The gate is NEVER unlocked. He finds the entire family lying dead. Dinah (one of the orphan girls) is alive and fighting for her life. One of her eyes is scratched out and Eve (the other orphan) is no where to be found.

Then we move backward to find out the creepy dynamics, bizarre rituals of the family.

It loses a star as it's all taking place in the early 1900s and I personally struggle with enjoying historical fiction narratives.

There is a trigger warning, so feel free to DM me for that if you're interested.

This original book was released in 2018 but is now making another appearance in October! Thank you Tor and Catriona Ward for the advanced copy!

If you haven’t read this author I could not recommend her more. This book was quite the twisty and grisly tale. It’s not for the faint of heart and does involve children so keep that in mind. It’s a unique blend of horror and police procedural that she manages to pull off perfectly. Keep the lights on! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.