I actually really enjoyed this paranormal suspense/horror once I realized what was going on! It’s tricky, because I wasn’t expecting it to be paranormal/supernatural at all, so I wasn’t sure what was going on. But revealing the twist obviously ruins the fun of a twist haha.

So overall I really enjoyed the writing style, I grew to love the characters (girl power), and I liked the ending. I feel like we didn’t get to fully explore one relationship (the romantic relationship), but he was important for some of the reveals.

dramatcally ominous and dark dracula-esque work inspired by Mina and Lucy from dracula and filled with gothicdarkness

This isn’t like any book I’ve read before! I’m not super versed in the horror genre and i definitely haven’t read any horror with these fantasy-esque plot lines but it was very enjoyable. Mina is trying to solve what is happening to her patients and her friend and why everything seems to be connected and covered up when it comes to the disappearance of a bunch of young women. The plot was interesting and good to follow and I really liked the development of characters, specifically Mina and Quincey. Thanks so much to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this eARC!

. London psychiatrist Mina Murray has a successful practice that helps her focus to avoid fully processing the terrifying secrets of her past. When she receives a message out of the blue from her estranged friend Lucy Westenra, begging for help with a mysterious medical condition, Mina travels home to Wales to confront the effect that her leaving years ago had on her loved ones and the event that caused her to disappear in the first place. As her investigation deepens, she uncovers a terrifying plot and must confront her past in order to protect both herself and the countless young girls who find themselves drawn into an ancient evil. Will Mina be successful helping Lucy?

Kurtagich expands on the source material with Welsh folklore, gothic romance, and feminist themes. The author’s use of Welsh folklore continues to be revealed and explained throughout the story. This novel shows Mina’s fear of a past tragedy and struggles with it throughout the entire book. I liked how she faces it and ends up so much better for it. I also liked how the small village is surrounded by historic castles which create an eerie, creepy atmosphere. There are strong females that draw their strength from past experiences they had. The supernatural elements that combined into an astounding reveal surprised me to my delight. It’s a fantastic, feminized retelling with teeth replica from “Dracula” the novel.

The Madness by Dawn Kurtagich  is a horror novel set in Wales.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Dr. Mina Murray has been living in London for the last twelve years.  She is a psychiatrist specializing in women who experience extreme trauma.  Mina has buried her own trauma deep in her memories.  She has recently been treating a rather delusional young woman who is anemic, talks about a master, eats bugs, and has a strange rash on her body. 

When Lucy Westenra (now Holmswood), sends her a message asking for help, Mina is stunned, but she doesn't hesitate.  She ran away from Wales when she was 18, and other than an occasional stilted conversation with her mother, she thought she would never return.  She left that life, and those friends behind.  But this is Lucy, and she can't deny the urge to return any longer.

When she arrives, Lucy doesn't seem to remember asking for Mina, but is delighted to see her.  Mina is worried about her friend, who seems to have similar symptoms to her patient back in London.  No one seem to know what is causing any of this.  Mina finds herself trying to find the connection between the two women, and when she finds the body of a girl in the woods with the same rash, things take a wicked turn.  Neither medical nor police departments are any help.

Mina is thwarted at every turn until she is contacted by a woman who has been tracking this very thing.  When her own memories open, Mina will fight this with everything she has, even if it means entering the monster's den.


My Opinions:
This book had me hooked from the start, and it compelled me on with each page.

I loved Mina, whose rituals to keep herself safe and in control were intriguing. She was a strong protagonist, whose empathy for her patients went above and beyond.  Yes, she had rather extreme OCD, but she still did her job.  As her story unfolded, it was evident that she needed whatever coping strategies she could find. I loved how her relationships with people from her past were healed.  I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Mina and Lucy.  I have a close friend who I rarely see, but when I do, we both act as the children we were (mid 60's or not).  The author brought that intimacy and lunacy back between Mina and Lucy.  It was perfect!

I really enjoyed the Welsh mythology which was incorporated into the story.  The legends of the fampir really came to life in this book.  It had all the wonders of Dracula and a modern day psychological horror story rolled into one.

Bottom line...I loved it!

A wonderful creepy read. In turns spooky, funny, Harrowing, and touching. A great horror mystery perfect for fall reading.

Definitely an interesting retelling of Dracula. The main character (Mina Murray) was well-rounded & the story’s twist was quite good. I loved the intertwining of Welsh folklore threaded throughout the story. This book would be a great addition to any library’s ’spooky season’ collection!

This just didn't work for me and honestly I dont think I was the target audience. This was the first book I read from this author and I don't think I would read future releases. The premise was really intriguing, but it fell flat for me.

This story is told in first person and follows Mina Murray who has a psychiatric practice in London and a patient named Renée with strange symptoms. She receives a letter from her estranged friend Lucy requesting her help. In a strange coincidence, Lucy’s symptoms are similar to Mina’s patient. This is a modern retelling of Dracula from the point of view of Mina. I switched between the e-book and audiobook, which was expertly narrated by Imogen Church.

The story finds Mina returning to her home in Wales where she runs into her ex Jonathan Harker after an awkward break up as well as the complications of her relationship with her mother. Mina’s investigation into the symptoms of her patient and her best friend, Lucy, lead her to a club where women are being detained and attacked by men who think have the right and all the power.

This story was not really for me. I love Dracula, which attracted me to this retelling but I found it repetitive at times and I’m not sure I bought into the idea that immortal vampires would be caught up in the sport of raping naïve young women for entertainment, seems like after centuries of living, they’d find something better to do.

Limited recommendations to readers who enjoy modern retellings and stories of female power and fighting the man.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for a copy provided for an honest review.

My fellow fans of dark, creepy reads will love this. I walked into this blind and am so grateful for that. It really amplified the sense of anticipation and discomfort about what’s really lurking in the shadows.

A number of things I loved about this book I can’t talk about because for a good portion of the book you don’t know what the threat is. Mina escaped her small town life in Wales to work as a psychiatrist in London. When she’s called in to treat a young girl who’s incoherent and has a strange rash, she has no idea what kind of path her need for answers will take her on.

I loved the Welsh setting and folklore so much in this one. I was experiencing such deep sense of discomfort and despair while reading even though the horror of the story was not steeped in gore. I think those rash descriptions really freaked me out 🫣 and my need to find out what happens next definitely made me lose quite a bit of sleep. But it was definitely worth it!

A huge thank you to Graydon House, HTP Books and NetGalley for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book! The mix of psychological suspense and supernatural elements had me hooked right away. Mina’s journey from her orderly life in London to the creepy, windswept shores of Wales was intense, and the eerie atmosphere just kept building. I really enjoyed how the story blended personal trauma with ancient secrets, and the twists kept me guessing the whole time.

The mystery surrounding the missing girls and that powerful, dark force at the heart of it all was so well done. And the way Mina, along with a group of strong women, comes together to face the evil was both empowering and terrifying. This was the perfect balance of creepy and captivating!

The Madness is a haunting dark and atmospheric retelling of Dracula. Mina is a psychologist escaping a personal trauma and living with OCD. When she receives a contact from her previous best friend, she returns home to help. Unfortunately, there is more than mental or physical illness at play.

Jumping back and forth between the past and presents, readers are able to unravel the truth of Mina’s trauma alongside the character. In the meantime, there is a slew of missing girls. What makes matters worse, their absence is wholly ignored by the police. Mina gathers the pieces of the truth with only the people she abandoned long ago to help her. She starts to discover patterns and a connection to a case she has encountered in her psychiatric practice.

I really enjoyed the book. I was quickly engrossed in the story. I fully appreciated having Mina’s past and the whole vampire element revealed as the story progressed. The fact that Mina is an unreliable narrator helped add to the mystery and overall dark atmosphere of the story. I loved how Mina found healing through connecting with her past and the themes of trauma and mental illness.

I think the story is very well written. I generally struggle with stories that are not necessarily chronologically written, but I followed along and even enjoyed the writing choice. It added more to the story

Overall, it was a great spooky season read. I definitely recommend.

"There is more to life than what is conventionally known."

Dr. Mina Murray does not believe in supernatural. It's one of the reasons she fled her small Welsh hometown and haven't kept in touch with her mother or best friend, Lucy. But when Lucy falls ill to a mysterious sickness that also plagues one of Mina's patients, Mina arrives in her hometown to investigate and save her best friend.

This book was such a fantastic spooky Fall read! Wonderful storytelling, atmospheric narrative, eerie setting - it was such a joy reading this novel. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good thriller with the elements of supernatural. This was the coolest vampire story even for someone like me who is not normally into that subgenre.

I went into the book blind, and was surprised by so many plot twists and discoveries. This is a must-read for the lovers of folklore, mystery and suspense. I doubled up on the audiobook because it was narrated by the amazing @imogenchurch. She makes every audiobook come to life!

I thought this book was really good. It was creepy and interesting. I would highly recommend reading this.

This just wasn’t for me. I really wanted to like it. I found it to be boring and slow moving. Also confusing.

its fall time ya’ll which means VAMPIRES!!! Who doesn’t love a great vampire book! Dawn Kurtagich's THE MADNESS has been a highly anticipated novel on my list since it was announced. This is a retelling of the classic Bram Stoker’s Dracula book. This book is located in Wales, The Madness is viciously, frightening, and at times extremely prone to rage-inducing emotions.. Where Bram Stoker's novel promotes a group of male heroes against the evil of Dracula in order to save the soul of the innocent woman in their midst, Kurtagich gives us the opposite effect and utilizes a group of women pitted against an ancient evil whose power relies on the cruelty of men and the murder of vulnerable young women. You will not be disappointed if you read this book if you like vampire books and a good classic

I loved And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich, so when I saw a new horror written by her that was loosely based off of Dracula I needed to read it!
Although the characters have the same names (except Renfield is Renee) they are not carbon copies of the original characters. In fact, they are so dissimilar that I’m not even sure why the names were used at all. The characters I loved in the original novel have quite the personality change…Mina Murray is no longer a practical, good natured school teacher but a psychiatrist with OCD. Dr John Seward is not a compassionate, intelligent man of science, he’s a misogynistic asshole.
So I treated this as a completely different story than the classic, with characters that just so happen to share the same names.
In that sense, I did enjoy the novel. I was expecting it to be a little more frightening, since And the Trees Crept In seriously gave me the heebiejeebies, but it wasn’t quite as terrifying (although it was chilling). Even though I didn’t like the characters as much as their classic counterparts, I did enjoy Mina’s development and how the plot unfolded.
I would not go into this book expecting a Dracula retelling. Treat it as a new and different story.

This book is a Dracula retelling. I was hesitant to start this one, but I am so glad I did. This book was really good. It was such a unique take on this traditional story. I loved the setting, it was so creepy and atmospheric. This book is a great blend of horror and thriller. The descriptions of certain scenes were unbelievably unsettling and hard to get through, but I do think that it added to the overall story.

I picked this book for its cover, but the story blew me away. The Madness, by Dawn Kurtagich will stay with me for a longtime. It's the kind of book you want to re-read every couple of years, like watching a good scary movie. I highly recommend this book! I hope it's made into a movie.

I highly recommend going into this book blind with no expectations. Thank you @htp_hive @htpbooks @graydonhousebooks and @netgalley for the ebook. This is my honest opinion.

The book started a little slow for me as we got to know Mina and her OCD. I have to admit I didn't know where this story was going. The story picks up as Mina returns to her hometown to investigate missing women and her friends illness. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The atmospheric Welsh town, folklore and gothic castle all add to the horror and creepy vibe. There is a second chance romance and reconnection with family and friends. There are two story lines that come together seamlessly at the end. There are twists with a suspenseful ending. I highly recommend reading this book with the lights on with a cup of Verbena tea.