Are you after a stunning new read that is both gripping and eerie in equal measures? Then The Home by Sally-Anne Martyn is the one for you! Add it to your TBR now because you will not want to miss out!

This is the second book I've read by Martyn, having read The Clinic last year (also add to your TBR), and it was just fab! Samantha and her daughter Lily have recently moved to Hallow Croft, a care home where Samantha has taken the role of matron. A tragedy still hangs over the place and things seem off straight away. As time goes on, it's clear that there are dark forces at work. The question is, are Samantha and Lily truly safe at Hallow Croft?

Everything about this book just worked; the writing, the characters, the alternating timelines, the story! I can't wait to see what Martyn comes up with next!

* Please look up trigger warnings before reading*

This was definitely an intriguing and interesting story, but unfortunately it just didn't do it for me. I found myself uninterested.

I read this in one sitting in a morning, I just couldn't put it down. It was so compelling and engaging and i didn't guess the twist

This was a chilling mystery with all the elements of great story. Single mom with daughter takes job in a creepy old manor house that is now a nursing home and add winter weather and witchcraft to create a a fun thriller. The main character is such a likable heroine you are rooting for her and her daughter to escape the clutches of the real ( or imagined) curse on the family. I enjoyed how the author brought all the mysteries together in such a way that there were plot twists throughout right to the dramatic ending.

Sally-Anne Martyn delivers a chilling psychological thriller in "The Home," a tale filled with secrets, suspense, and an unexpected twist that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

The story centres around Samantha, a single mother seeking a fresh start for herself, her teenage daughter, and her best friend, Lily. Accepting a position as matron in the exclusive Hallow Croft residential home in the tranquil Peak District seems like the perfect opportunity for a new beginning. However, as Samantha delves into her role, she quickly discovers that the seemingly peaceful façade of Hallow Croft hides a dark and mysterious history.

Martyn skilfully builds an atmosphere of tension and unease as Samantha uncovers the disturbing secrets lurking within the home's walls. The decades-old unsolved murder, the mysterious resident kept in isolation, and the enigmatic disappearance of the previous matron create an intricate web of intrigue. The inclusion of a scuffed diary adds an additional layer of mystery, connecting the present to a past that refuses to stay buried.

The setting in the Peak District enhances the novel's eerie ambiance, providing a stark contrast between the picturesque surroundings and the ominous secrets concealed within Hallow Croft. The rumours of a local coven of witches and an alleged curse on the Shuttleworth family, who owns the home, contribute to the sense of foreboding, adding depth to the narrative.

One of the novel's strengths is its exploration of the complex relationships among the characters. Samantha's determination to protect her daughter from the potential dangers within Hallow Croft adds an emotional layer to the suspenseful plot. The fear of a curse and the shadow of the past create a sense of urgency that propels the story forward.

"The Home" is characterized by its well-paced narrative, with Martyn adeptly building tension and gradually revealing the layers of the mystery. The unexpected twist adds a satisfying element of surprise, leaving the reader reflecting on the intricacies of the plot.

While the novel successfully captivates with its suspenseful atmosphere and engaging plot, some readers may find the resolution to be somewhat predictable. However, Martyn compensates for this with her skilful storytelling and the overall impact of the twist.

In conclusion, Sally-Anne Martyn's "The Home" is a gripping psychological thriller that delivers on its promises of suspense, secrets, and a compelling twist. With a well-crafted plot and a haunting atmosphere, this novel is recommended for those who enjoy mysteries with a touch of the supernatural and a psychological edge. Martyn keeps the reader guessing until the final pages, making "The Home" a satisfying and thrilling read.

I really struggled to engage with this story

I gave up around 25% of the way in, so don’t know how well or otherwise it developed.

Sorry

Omg I absolutely loved this! It's so dark and creepy and just perfect for this time of year.... (winter) which is obviously why that's when it's been released. Anyways, it's written with a dual timeline and the multiple plot lines are just perfectly written to balance each other and eventually it all ties together without any plot holes and such. I found tbe characters really interesting and well written and I just loved how it had that touch of supernatural hanging over it since I love all things spooky! In saying that, it's definitely not a horror just a slightly spooky psychological thriller about family life

The story:
When Samantha, along with her 16-year-old daughter Lily, moves back to her childhood home of Nether Dale, she hopes the role of Matron at the isolated Hallow Croft Nursing Home is a chance for a fresh start.

But all is not as it seems at Hallow Croft… What happened to the previous matron, who left so suddenly? Who is Mrs Dawson, a mysterious resident the staff seem determined to keep away from Sam? And what connects the murder of a young girl more than 50 years ago to her and her daughter?

My thoughts:
"The Home", by Sally-Anne Martyn is an immediately gripping and spooky psychological thriller that I couldn't put down!

The scene is set on Sam and Lily's arrival in Nether Dale, and a creepy encounter with a woman in a local shop. They are to take up residence in Hallow Croft Nursing Home, with Sam taking the role of Matron to make a fresh start after a love affair gone wrong. On the face of it the home is meticulously run, with residents well cared for and the facilities spotless. But there is more to the home than meets the eye, with owner Jonathan Shuttleworth reluctant to discuss the previous matron's departure, and domineering care assistant Valerie keeping secrets from Sam about mysterious resident Mrs Dawson.

Told in duel timeline, we also start to learn the events of 50 years ago, starting with the murder of 16-year-old Emily in 1972 at the hands of Henry Shuttleworth, then-owner of Hallow Croft (and father of current owner and Sam’s boss, Jonathan). Picking up the story in 1975, we meet her mother Annie, still reeling from the death of her only daughter and determined to make the Shuttleworth family pay for what Henry has done. She attempts to do this with the help of her local coven, of which she is now a member, and the invocation of a terrible curse…

This story builds up the tension, and it's clear from early on that Valerie is not what she seems — but is she trying to help or hurt Sam's daughter Lily? The story comes to a head over Christmas, and despite my suspicions, the author still managed to throw in some surprises I didn't see coming. This is a great spooky tale, and a perfect read for this time of year!

This was a decent read. We have the 70s perspective with a grieving woman who wants to curse a family because she lost her daughter, and I can't blame her.
And you have the modern day perspective where a single mom has moved into the cursed home with her teen daughter in order to work as a matron.
It was interesting and I loved our protagonists.

Absolutely ADORED this book - eerie and haunting. So many wonderful characters and an epic storyline. Read this in a matter of hours - i wish it didn't end.

Loved Samantha - so down to earth and has no idea what she is in for.
Excellent twists and turns all the way and great ending.

Highly recommended.

The Home is a small town dark mystery and a brush with the supernatural. It is the perfect book to read in October and the spooky season. It is told in dual timeline, which I love. It was a good challenge for me to figure out how all the characters fit together. A great suspense story!

I thought this was an excellent book. It took me a minute to get into it. There are two storylines, one from the ‘70s and one in present day. In present day, Samantha is hired to be the new matron of Hollow Croft nursing home, after the mysterious resignation? Disappearance? Of the previous one. We’re not sure exactly what happened to her. In the ‘70s, we witness a (TW) rape and murder of a teenager and we follow her mother, Annie, as she deals with her grief and pain. Spoiler alert: she’s a witch and her coven is capable of casting powerful (and lasting) spells.

The pace at which we find out the pieces of the story felt very appropriate to me. I wasn’t hanging on til the very end to get all the gory details, but I still wanted to finish the story and find out what happened to these characters. Overall I thought it was a very good read, especially around Halloween/fall. The story is set late in the year, so this would be the perfect time for this atmospheric read.

It is a story written in two timelines, 1975 and present day and i just loved it i have been waiting for this book to be published and i wasn't disappointed.
This is a great story of a coven of witches in the past Annie’s daughter was killed by the towns most in important family and to get her own back she put a curse on the family and the future family's the first born girl would die on her 16th birthday.
Samantha in the present day goes back to the town to work when strange thing start to happen it all seems to revolve around her daughter.
I loved this book as much as i loved her first book called the Clinic.

3.5 stars rounded up.

After another disastrous relationship, single mum Samantha just wants a fresh start for her and her teenage daughter and best friend, Lily. Samantha accepts a post as Matron in an exclusive residential home on the outskirts of a quiet village in the Peak District, But nothing is as it seems at the Hollow Croft residential home. Forty years ago, a girl was killed in the grounds, One of the residents is kept locked away from the others - "for their own safety. " The previous Matron disappeared. The only trace of her now is a scuffed diary. People say the local coven of witch's cursed the home and the Shuttleworth family who own it. And now Samantha's daughter might be the curse's next victim.

This story has a dual timeline - Samantha's story is told in the present day, and the witch's story is told in the past, 1975. Annie's daughter was killed by the son of the people who owned the Hollow Croft. Annie put a curse on the home. Samantha has now taken the position of Matron in the nursing home where the murder was committed. This story feels more like a witch story than a psychological thriller. This is a well written story.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #SallyAnneMartyn for my ARC of #TheHome in exchange for an honest review.

I want to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and author Sally-Anne Martyn for allowing me to read and review this ARC. This book releases October 31, 2023.

It is a story written in two timelines, 1975 and present day, which was nice to read about because you got the backstory to how things started with the witches and they connected to each other.
This book follows Samantha who accepts a position as a matron in an exclusive residential home, she has a Daughter Lily who she brings along with her.

A local coven of witches cursed Hallow Croft and the Shuttleworth family who owns it, and Lily might just be the next victim to this curse. You follow the coven of witches in 1975 and how they came about the curse that was brought upon the Shuttleworth family and the home. The present day follows whats going on in Hallow Croft now with Samantha and Lily, finding out the murder that took place in 1975 and why it's cursed to begin with.

This psychological thriller is good but I felt more of a witch/coven book with a curse rather then a straight psychological thriller but none the less it was good. My first witch based book and I was surprised I enjoyed it so much. This is her second book she's written and now I want to read her first book since I've heard good things about her so far. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves witchcraft or people who want try reading about it, who also love mystery thrillers since you get both aspects.

This was an exceptional read. When you read voraciously in the psychological thriller genre as I do, things can start to feel all too familiar. Ms Martyn has really knocked it out with this one. Her writing style is captivating as was the story. I enjoyed the two timelines, and the unique witch storyline and the inclusion of a nursing home. There were all the secret sauce that made this one unputdownable!

Surprisingly immersive! When I first started reading this, I really didn’t have high expectations. A cursed old people’s home? Bizarre, right? But actually, it somehow works. The main characters really draw you in, and the plot is twisty but not absurd. All in all, a good Halloween read!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Home by Sally-Anne Martyn. This was a great story about a coven of witches. I don't generally read books about witches, so it was a change for me. It is a story written in two timelines, 1975 and present day. It was a mystery thriller which included witchcraft and curses. It had a few twists along the way. I did find the book to be entertaining. I would definitely recommend this book to others. I gave it a 4 star rating. #NetGalley #THE HOME #Joffe Books

WHOA! What a ride this book was. Sally-Anne Martyn does a great job of grabbing the reader's attention and not letting go of it. The Home was an awesome read and I couldn't put it down!

Wasnt really for me. Found it a bit all over the place. Couldnt really gel with the characters. Thanks for the chance to read it early!