I received a copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Judging from the other reviews, I am clearly in the minority in that I didn't quite enjoy reading this. There were a few things that were done well, however. I thought the main character, Brigit was really well written. They were distant and seemingly uncaring about anything, which made them unlikeable, but not in a bad way. Rather, it felt very purposeful and their actions made sense when looking at their past history. I also thought there were some very good descriptive scenes throughout. The author did a good job of describing Brigit's hallucinations so those scenes were easy to visualize and were rather eerie.

However, the rest of the book was not enjoyable for me. The plot too way too long to get going, for one. We open in a fake seance, which led me to believe that this would be a fast-paced book, but then nothing really happens until about 35% of the way into the book. There were a few hallucinations within those chapters, but a majority of it, both Ian and Brigit spend collecting information and exploring the town. I also didn't enjoy Ian's chapters nearly as much and felt like this book would have been better with just one POV.

The pacing is another thing I had issues with. Once things did start to pick up, they didn't stay that way. Something would happen, then there would be a big lull. Then the next thing, and another lull, and so on. This made the plot feel very jumbled and thrown together rather than well thought out. It also made me want to put the book down many times as I got bored. That's never a good thing, in my opinion. It also never hit that horror feel, and felt far more like a thriller to me. Overall, this book did have some strengths but they were overshadowed by the many things I didn't like about it.

This book was just not it for me. The writing style seemed to flip flop, it was "wth is going on" to the point where I didn't even want to read it. I love a good what's happening to intrigue me, but this was too much to the point of boredom. It was a tough read for me.

Frustrating as the ARC isn’t readable. Floor becomes f loor, words get their own paragraphs, dialogue is one big block of text. This sounds so good too.

[Blurb goes here]

Brigit's sister disappeared in the woods 16 years ago, and Brigit still has nightmares about it. When she grew up, she left her hometown, Ellis Creek. Now, with her friend Ian, they have a perfect con going on. Brigit pretends to be a psychic who talks to ghosts by channeling her dead sister, supposedly helping spirits stop haunting different places by going "into the light."

During one of their fake paranormal jobs, Brigit gets a surprising call. Alicia, Emma's ex-girlfriend, asks Brigit to return to Ellis Creek. Two teenagers are missing, and the circumstances are eerily familiar.

The story switches between Brigit and Ian's points of view, making it a bit confusing at times. Despite this, it allows readers to understand them better. Brigit, as the main character, can be both strong-willed and sometimes unfriendly, especially towards Ian. This aspect makes her less likable.

Jaq Evans provides detailed descriptions of characters, their feelings, and the settings that surround them, which is good, but it occasionally slows down the action or breaks the dialogue. However, these descriptions effectively build up the creepy atmosphere.

If you enjoy unsettling horror stories, I recommend giving this book a read.

Thank you for the advanced copy!

I am clearly in the minority but I found this book to be a slog to finish. It centers on Brigit, who along with a cameraman partner, explores paranormal activity all over the country. Brigit’s sister died many years ago and when they are asked to come back and dig into the disappearance of 2 other locals, it’s an opportunity to find out more about the creepy woods where Brigit’s sister Emma was found.

On the good side, there were some definitely creepy parts and the author did a good job at creating a clear picture of both the woods and the other happenings. I also felt the pain and grief that Brigit exhibited related to Emma’s death. On the other side, the author spent so much time delving into to the characters’ thoughts that it took me out of the action; but oddly, I still had a hard time discerning one voice from another when the chapters alternated POVs. Also, while the author described Brigit as being non-binary and denouncing pronouns, the pronouns used throughout were “she” and “her” and this confused me. Overall, I just didn’t find the story that interesting even though I felt the concept was. The end just confused me but maybe that is because I wasn’t fully invested.

All in all, this just wasn’t the book for me and I found it hard to finish. Seems like others really enjoyed it, though, so I don’t want to discourage anyone from reading it and I hope you have a better experience! Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After reading the book, I have mixed feelings about it. Overall, I enjoyed the storyline and found it to be quite compelling. However, if I were to offer a criticism, it would be that the author’s focus on the characters’ thoughts detracted from the real-time events taking place.

Throughout the book, the writer dedicates a significant amount of effort to delve into the inner thoughts of each character. While this allowed for a deeper understanding of their motivations and emotions, it sometimes overshadowed the urgency of the events unfolding in the present moment. There were instances where I found myself wanting the author to concentrate more on what was happening in real time, especially during intense or suspenseful scenes.

That being said, the book did have its merits. The storyline was engaging, and I appreciated the author’s ability to create diverse characters. However, I did notice that the book barely mentioned their gender identities, which could have been explored further to provide a more comprehensive representation of the characters.

One aspect of the book that stood out to me was the author’s descriptive writing style. The vivid descriptions allowed me to visualize the scenes as they unfolded, immersing me in the story and enhancing my reading experience.

In conclusion, while I enjoyed the book and found it to be an engaging read, I believe that the author could have struck a better balance between exploring the characters’ thoughts and focusing on real-time events. Despite this, the book’s storyline, diverse characters, and descriptive writing style made it a worthwhile read.

Jaq Evans's writing is darkly poetic, and it creeps up on you with a life of its own. With the chilling mystery of Brigit's sister's death as the center of the narrative, I found myself sinking into the horror as if the words on the page were rising up like quicksand around me. The body horror was so well done, I found myself reading and recoiling at the same time. Lovely and immersive with a wonderfully shivery ending.

Kind of a mixed bag for me. Some of it felt disjointed, including the characters and their decision-making which didn't always feel consistent to me. The premise really hooked me so I stuck with it, and there were portions of the book that were well-executed and truly grabbed me - particularly toward the end, when more is revealed about the woods and its inhabitant than our protagonist had let on until that point. I kind of wished there had been that same sense of creepiness, urgency, and suspense for more of the story, as certain plot points dragged more than others. I loved the diversity in the cast of characters which felt organically woven into the story - I'm always looking for more horror and thrillers with queer characters.

I don't know.... maybe it was me, but I had a hard time getting into this book. Sometimes it felt almost disjointed, and I struggled a bit with that. There was nothing I can point to as being inherently BAD or WRONG about this book, but perhaps it's best to just say this wasn't one for me.

This book has some of the same vibes at the works of Amelinda Bérubé, Erica Waters, and Krystal Sutherland, but it wasn’t as well-executed as I anticipated it to be. They were several passages in places with conflicting information that made me have to go back and reread, but I think the approach is what didn’t work for me. It’s a dual point of view from the third person, but as the reader you feel like information is being purposefully withheld from you, that would make more sense if this was from a first person perspective with an unreliable narrator. What is great about this book, however, is its depictions of grief and how you retain memory after trauma and some of the creepy descriptions.

You would like this book if you are more into vibes than plot because this is a slow burn.

I am by far in the minority here, but I just couldn't connect to this story. Despite a very intriguing blurb and a cool cover, the story just didn't draw me in. I found the writing and characterizations a little meandering for my tastes and I just never seemed to find my way into the world the author created. It felt oddly disjointed and I had a difficult time connecting to the characters or their motivations. To be fair, I've read a number of similar creepy "going back home" stories recently and it is possible that I am just done with it as a plot device. Regardless of why, this just wasn't a good fit for me.

What do you expect or want from a book before you start reading ?

I want to be kept on my toes in anticipation of what will happen next.

I want that can’t stop won’t stop feeling when I know I should really only read just “one more chapter”

And ultimately I want characters who feel real and relative .

Well…

Check ✔️
Check ✔️
Check ✔️

This book checks off every box on my list for what I believe is a soon to be bestseller .

I was consumed early on and didn’t want to put this book down for even a bathroom break.

Jaq Evans, has blown my mind with this debut stunner, What Grows in the Dark, due out March 5, 2024 ! You don’t want to miss this one!

Don’t believe me? Check out this teaser :

In this chilling contemporary horror novel, a phony spiritualist returns to her hometown to assist in an investigation that eerily mirrors her sister’s death, forcing her to confront the secrets she’s been running from.

Sixteen years ago, Brigit Weylan’s older sister, Emma, walked into the woods in their small hometown of Ellis Creek. She never walked out. People said she was troubled—in the months leading up to her death, she was convinced there was a monster in those trees. Marked by the tragedy, Brigit left town and never looked back.

Now Brigit travels around the country investigating paranormal activity (and faking the results) with her cameraman, Ian. But when she receives a call from Ellis Creek, she’s thrust into the middle of a search for two missing teenagers. As Brigit and Ian are drawn further into the case, the parallels to Emma’s death become undeniable. And worse, Brigit can’t explain what’s happening to her: trees appearing in her bedroom in the middle of the night, something with a very familiar laugh watching her out in the darkness, and Emma’s voice on her phone, reminding Brigit to finish what they started.

More and more, it looks like Emma was right: there is a monster in Ellis Creek, and it’s waited a long time for Brigit to come home.

Jaq Evans' "What Grows in the Dark" is an enthralling thriller centering around Brigit's quest to unravel the mystery of her sister's vanishing. The novel is excellently crafted, featuring a compelling narrative rhythm and captivating character development.

I enthusiastically endorse "What Grows in the Dark" for anyone who appreciates a well-executed thriller. Evans proves to be a noteworthy author in this genre, and I eagerly anticipate her future works.

My appreciation goes to HTP (Harlequin Trade Publishing) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide feedback on this engaging book.

Brigit lost her sister many years ago and has never gotten over the pain. She is a character of contradictions, as she works as a psychic, one who is a phony. She also uses her sister Emma as her guide to the other side. Is this her way of keeping Emma’s memory alive or is Brigit just someone who does whatever she needs to do to survive?
Ian is her cameramen and partner. As close as they are, friends only, there is still a huge wall between them.
Her sister’s old girlfriend, Alicia offers her money to return to her hometown of Ellis Creek to find two missing people using her psychic abilities.Brigit should’ve grabbed Ian and run in the opposite direction, but she is sucked in by thoughts of Emma. Things get scary very quickly, and once Ian is used as bait, well things get very real and not for any pleasant reasons. Something ancient lives in the woods, and it’s waited a long time for Brigit to return.
Oddly enough, I’m not sure how I felt about how this book ended, but it definitely was an enjoyable and creepy journey.

What Grows in the Dark by Jaq Evans is a horror novel coming out March 5th, 2024. I got an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review of the book.

Which, in short, is that it was amazing.

The book opens on youtuber duo Brigit, an emotionally unavailable but deeply charismatic scam psychic pretending to be guided by the ghost of her long-dead sister Emma, and Ian, a mostly-optimistic cameraman who came up with the idea for their youtube series. Together they travel the country (a transient lifestyle that particularly suits Brigit’s restlessness and emotional distance) pretending to help people who believe they are afflicted by ghosts or other problems for which one might decide they need a psychic. For a fee, of course.

Between gigs, Brigit gets a call from the small town she grew up in, the town she lived in when her older sister died. Alicia, an ex-girlfriend of Brigit’s sister, grown now and still living in town, wants Brigit’s psychic help solving the disappearance of two teens, and she’s prepared to pay Brigit and her cameraman much more than their standard rate if they’ll come, because the disappearances seem to be linked to Emma’s death all those years ago.

Because they don’t have anything else lined up, because Alicia is offering them a lot of money to make a simple trip, because their youtube channel is not exactly thriving and the pair’s dreams of network syndication have so far failed to come to fruition, and because Ian pushes for it a little as a chance to learn more about his perpetually-distant friend, Brigit agrees.

They arrive in Ellis Creek and Brigit finds herself in the center of a web of her own unhappy memories, deceptions such as Alicia revealing that she is actually the lead detective on the hunt for the missing kids, small town drama, and deeply unsettling experiences that Brigit can’t quite dismiss as mere hallucinations brought on by poor sleep and high stress. As Ian and Brigit investigate, meeting with more locals from Brigit’s past and making what connections they can, things in Ellis Creek only grow stranger, and more dangerous.

Aside from being an exciting, unnerving, and well-plotted book, aside from having characters who felt tangible and complex and real, I loved the writing in this book on a line level. Jaq Evans writes with a visceral clarity that several times had me copying out lines to go “Ooooh” about at my leisure.

Brigit was presented from the start as a complicated character, difficult to get close to, difficult to like. She closes herself off from people emotionally, pushes away at Ian’s attempts to deepen their friendship despite knowing him for some time and literally traveling the country with him, and makes her money by scamming people. Brigit also has an almost uncanny ability to read people, and a keen sense of and regret for her own shortcomings that does not feel performative but genuine. In the first chapter we are introduced to Brigit unequivocally faking a séance, but we also see her doing her best to offer any thread of legitimate help or support she thinks her young client needs. The whole comes together to create a complex woman who has experienced trauma at a young age and has reacted to it by closing herself off from the world—but who also does, on some level, want to help people. She’s not exactly likeable, but she’s understandable, and she’s easy to root for, too.

The POV switches between Brigit and Ian. At first I found Ian a slightly less compelling character than Brigit, but the more I read of him the more his own conflictions and complexities became clear. He’s a character of contradictions, first in the way he differs from Brigit; he wants to be close to Brigit, he wants to be likeable, he doesn’t have the almost uncanny ability to read people that Brigit has, he’s more optimistic. Both Brigit and Ian see themselves as more fundamentally flawed than they are—but it seems to me that Brigit feels more self-recrimination about this whereas Ian gives me the impression of having a little more distance from it, in part because the parts of Ian’s self that he doesn’t like all come back to his dad, a character who is never actively present in the book but who it is revealed first through implication and later through more concrete references to have been an abusive parent. And the narration sets up certain small expectations about Ian that it then turns around on the reader, for example when the two filmmakers have to get checked out at the hospital, Ian has no worry at all about the cost and considers paying for Brigit’s bills as well, only rejecting the idea because he knows she would not want that. From this, for a brief time, the reader might think that Ian comes from a place of privilege. It’s only over the course of the book that the narration reveals that Ian only has any money because of the death of his mother, and the cause of his mother’s death is one of the very few points in the book that I was not very clear on (and also, in the grand scheme of the book, not very vital to know, so in the end it didn’t bother me that I was not very clear on that piece of Ian’s history).

I loved the introduction to Ellis Creek coming from an Ian chapter. As a reader who has never been to this town in this world that Evans created, entering it the first time from the point of view of the character who did not grow up there, who was seeing it as an outsider, made that moment feel so vivid and real.

The scares in the book were uncanny and unsettling, from experiences that Brigit did not know whether to dismiss as hallucinations or fear as malicious visitations, to the fear of the unknown when the characters first delve into the woods at the heart of this story, to abrupt moments of shocking violence, and any time the entity in the woods interacted directly with the characters—whether from within in one of the most absorbing possession scenes I’ve ever read or face to face in the deep dark woods.

I loved the possession scene in this book. Brigit’s frightening visions before and after going into the Dell are uncanny and eerie and unsettling, just top-tier spooky vibes for Halloween-time when I was starting this book. But the possession scene is one of the moments in this book that outshines all the scares leading up to it and really gives the reader something to feel viscerally horrified about. It’s done from the perspective of Ian, who has been possessed by a birch-sapling-monster after spending a night in the Dell. Reading his experience of the possession, feeling his body and hearing his words, doing and saying things outside of his control, the violation of it and on a level he doesn’t want to acknowledge is a thread of something that is not really satisfaction—he doesn’t like or appreciate the way the creature is making him treat Brigit and the others, but it’s also saying a lot of things he has thought, wondered, or even wanted to say and decided better. And then, to realize that the act of possession he had endured was not even about him, that this violation of his body and voice and self was just in the service of hurting someone else, was such a profoundly upsetting moment.

Now I’d like to touch on how I enjoyed the queer representation in this novel. There’s Alicia, who is introduced as a former girlfriend of the late Emma, and who still lives in Ellis Creek working as a detective and trying to help the people in the town. There’s Brigit herself, who, though she uses she/her pronouns for the sake of convenience, is nonbinary and briefly mentions that there’s pain in knowing that Emma will never know that her younger sister also sometimes dates women and that the queer identity is something they could have shared. And there’s Sam, a former classmate of Brigit’s and a friend of one of the missing teens, who is a trans man. One of my favorite things about this queer representation is that it is allowed to be messy. I can’t speak to whether or not Evans felt the pressure many LGBTQ+ authors feel, to write queer characters who are paragons of virtue in an effort to shield the community from prejudice. I can say that if Evans did feel this pressure, the book does an excellent job of moving past that restrictive paradigm and gives the reader queer characters who are complex, messy, with faults and with less virtuous sides, and who are all the more relatable for it, and who are still trying to do their best just like everybody, and who the reader still roots for.

One potential pitfall of any supernatural horror with monsters in it is the moment the monster is revealed. It’s a make-or-break moment, and there are so many ways to stumble over it. The movie Mama, for example, falls into a couple of those traps—the monster is revealed too soon, and the monster is not scary enough to carry the rest of the movie after that moment. What Grows in the Dark avoids that pitfall. There is a scene in the woods that involves all of the characters except Brigit, when something horrifying happens just behind Ian, and that was a delightfully creepy-crawly moment.

The other place that I feel horror can struggle is with endings (there was a reason a running joke in 2019’s It Chapter Two was that Bill Denbrough’s endings suck). If the evil is defeated too tidily it feels a little trite. If everyone dies, it feels too grim. Without giving any spoilers, I think that the ending of What Grows in the Dark walks the line between those potential issues in a way that is very compelling, and in a way that leaves the reader thinking not only about the complexity of fighting evil forces, but the complexity in moving on with one’s life after a traumatic event.

The plot threads all came together beautifully, the scares ranged from eerie and unsettling to crawling-skin upsetting, the pacing kept me turning pages, and the character writing was complex and nuanced and compelling. Overall, I’m happy to give What Grows in the Dark by Jaq Evans five stars

"What Grows in the Dark: A Spine-Tingling Journey into the Heart of Horror"

Jaq Evans' "What Grows in the Dark" emerges as a chilling contemporary horror novel, weaving a spine-tingling and atmospheric tale that captivates readers from the first page. This gripping narrative combines elements of paranormal investigation, family tragedy, and eerie suspense to deliver an unforgettable reading experience.

The story revolves around Brigit Weylan, a phony spiritualist traveling the country with her cameraman, Ian, to investigate and debunk paranormal activity. Evans skillfully introduces us to Brigit's world, where the line between the supernatural and reality blurs, setting the stage for a narrative filled with mystery and dread.

Brigit's life takes a terrifying turn when a call from her hometown, Ellis Creek, pulls her into a case involving two missing teenagers. As she delves into the investigation, unsettling parallels to her older sister Emma's death emerge, creating a web of dark secrets that gradually unravel.

Evans excels in creating a haunting atmosphere, making Ellis Creek itself a character in the story. The eerie woods and sinister occurrences serve as an unsettling backdrop, immersing readers in a world where reality is questioned alongside the characters.

The author's writing is evocative, with vivid descriptions that bring the unsettling world of the narrative to life. The characters, especially Brigit, are well-developed and relatable, adding depth to the story. Brigit's complex mix of skepticism and vulnerability makes her a compelling protagonist, while Ian provides a balanced perspective as he grapples with the inexplicable events surrounding them.

Themes of loss, guilt, and the enduring power of the past to haunt the present are expertly explored in the novel. Additionally, the complexity of sibling relationships and the lingering effects of childhood trauma add layers of depth to the narrative.

"What Grows in the Dark" is not just a suspenseful horror novel; it's a psychological thriller that will leave readers questioning the boundaries of reality. Jaq Evans has crafted a story that lingers in the mind, creating a sense of unease that persists even after the final page. A must-read for fans of atmospheric and psychological thrillers, and a testament to Evans' skill in the genre.

Overall, this book is a gripping and well-written thriller that establishes Jaq Evans as a writer to watch. This book comes highly recommended for anyone who loves a captivating and chilling exploration into the heart of horror.

Many thanks to NetGalley and MIRA for sharing this gripping thriller's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

Brigit Weylan and Ian Perez are partners in a You Tube ghost hunting-type show where Brigit is a fake psychic and the two claim to cleanse houses of harmful haunting. Brigit is contacted by Alicia Nguyen, her sister Emma’s old girlfriend, requesting Brigit’s help in Brigit’s hometown of Ellis Creek, Virginia. Emma died sixteen years ago.

Now two kids, James Milroy and Gabrielle Markham have disappeared and Gabrielle had been having dreams about Emma before she vanished. Add to that, Brigit is seeing things, getting phantom phone calls from Emma and suffering from lapses in time. What is Ellis Creek’s problem with missing children? And what is this mysterious place called The Dell that fascinated James and was a large part of Brigit and Emma’s childhood? Can Brigit and Ian solve these mysteries or will they become victims like so many others?

This book was difficult. The prose was disjointed, the plot kind of meandered and the whole thing just seemed like a number of ideas thrown together with no real cohesion. I wanted to like it, but I’m sorry to say that I didn’t.

What Grows in the Dark by Jaq Evans is a gripping thriller that follows the story of Brigit, who is trying to uncover the truth about her sister’s disappearance. The book is well-written, with great pacing and intriguing characters.

Overall, I highly recommend What Grows in the Dark to anyone who loves a good thriller. Jaq Evans is a writer to watch, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

Thank you to HTP (Harlequin Trade Publishing) and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

In this chilling contemporary horror novel, a phony spiritualist returns to her hometown to assist in an investigation that eerily mirrors her sister’s death, forcing her to confront the secrets she’s been running from.

Very atmospheric, chilling, and well-written. I really enjoyed all the characters and the plot twists. I would definitely recommend this to my horror friends.

I was excited to be approved for What Grows in the Dark after hearing an interview with the author. I really liked the premise and thought it was well executed and spooky. It touched on themes of guilt and grief.