There's something irresistibly alluring about haunted house stories, isn't there? The eerie atmosphere, the whispers of the past, the mysteries woven into the very walls—it's a genre that calls out to me, inviting me to unravel the histories that made these places haunting grounds.

The Haunting of Moscow House is a captivating blend of horror and historical fiction, a combination that immediately piqued my interest. The novel transports us to 1921, amidst the tumultuous backdrop of the Russian Revolution, where we follow the gripping tale of sisters Irina and Lili. Once proud countesses, they find themselves stripped of their titles and properties, forced to navigate a world that has turned its back on them.

Irina and Lili's story is one of resilience and determination. As they struggle to support their impoverished family, they also encounter love in unexpected places. Yet, beneath the surface of their solidarity lies a web of family secrets that threatens to unravel the delicate bond between them—and perhaps, to finally release the restless spirits haunting their ancestral home.

The narrative is peppered with scenes that send shivers down your spine, evoking a haunting atmosphere that's both chilling and compelling. The author masterfully crafts an environment that feels alive with ghostly presence, making every shadow and creak of the house pulse with tension.
The Haunting of Moscow House is a perfect read for those seeking a spine-tingling journey during the spooky season. It's an enthralling tale for fans of historical fiction who crave a touch of horror and romance, where the past and the supernatural collide in an unforgettable story.

Thank you, Berkley and NetGalley, for my free books for review.

This historical horror/suspense I really enjoyed, I think I am liking these more and more. We go to the summer of 1921 in Russia, where we are taken into the lives of a family mainly sisters as they are dealing with the changes in their country, and their own homes, it’s so sad. I do enjoy the romance, the family secrets revealed, the HAUNTINGS, I did NOT read this book a night, creepy but so good.

- Historical Fiction
- Horror/Gothic
- Haunted House
-Post Revolutionary Russia

I'm gonna start off with the caveat that I normally don't read gothic ghost stories. This one reminded me why. I just am not a big fan. This isn't to take away from the author's work. It was wonderfully written and had all the gothic atmosphere vibes. So if you like the spooky then this one will work for you. I did enjoy the historical ficton part, and the characters were relatable and I liked their stories. If the focus of the book was on them and their work with the Americans helping in Post Revolutionary Russia, I think I would have been much more engaged. It was a slow paced book, and the house with its ghosts didn't do it for me.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read an early digital copy. All opinions are my own.

The Haunting of Moscow House by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore is a novel that intertwines history, folklore, and the supernatural, set against the backdrop of a mysterious and eerie house in Moscow. The premise is intriguing, especially for fans of historical fiction and ghost stories, but the execution leaves something to be desired.

The novel’s strongest asset is its atmospheric setting. Gilmore paints a vivid picture of Moscow, capturing the city’s rich history and the palpable sense of unease that permeates the house at the center of the story. The blending of Russian folklore with the supernatural elements adds a layer of depth, giving the story a unique flavor. The author’s writing style is descriptive and evocative, making it easy to imagine the cold, haunting corridors of the house.

However, the novel struggles with pacing. The story takes a long time to build momentum, with much of the first half spent on exposition and setting up the various plotlines. While this might appeal to readers who enjoy a slow-burn narrative, it can be frustrating for those expecting a more dynamic plot.

The characters, though well-developed, sometimes feel distant, making it difficult to form a strong emotional connection with them. The protagonist’s motivations are not always clear, which can lead to confusion about the direction of the story. Additionally, the supernatural elements, while intriguing, are not fully realized and leave some questions unanswered, which may disappoint readers looking for a more cohesive resolution.

The Haunting of Moscow House is a book with a lot of potential, offering a unique blend of history, folklore, and the supernatural. However, its slow pacing and occasionally underdeveloped characters and plot elements make it a somewhat uneven read. It’s a decent choice for readers who enjoy atmospheric settings and Russian history, but it may not fully satisfy those looking for a gripping ghost story.

"In this elegant gothic horror tale set in post-revolutionary Russia, two formerly aristocratic sisters race to uncover their family's long-buried secrets in a house haunted by a past dangerous - and deadly - to remember.

It is the summer of 1921, and a group of Bolsheviks have taken over Irina and Lili Goliteva's ancestral home in Moscow, a stately mansion falling into disrepair and decay. The remaining members of their family are ordered to move into the cramped attic, while the officials take over an entire wing of grand rooms downstairs. The sisters understand it is the way of things and know they must forget their noble upbringing to make their way in this new Soviet Russia. But the house begins to whisper of a traumatic past not as dead as they thought.

Eager to escape it and their unwelcome new landlords, Irina and Lili find jobs with the recently arrived American Relief Administration, meant to ease the post-revolutionary famine in Russia. For the sisters, the ARA provides much-needed food and employment, as well as a chance for sensible Irina to help those less fortunate and artistic Lili to express herself for a good cause. It might just lead them to love, too.

But at home, the spirits of their deceased family awaken, desperate to impart what really happened to them during the Revolution. Soon one of the officials living in the house is found dead. Was his death caused by something supernatural, or by someone all too human? And are Irina and Lili and their family next? Only unearthing the frightening secrets of Moscow House will reveal all. But this means the sisters must dig deep into a past no one in Russia except the dead are allowed to remember."

I love the combination of a not oft explored aspect of history with a Gothic vibe.

"Olesya Salnikova Gilmore's 'The Haunting of Moscow House' is a riveting novel that seamlessly blends historical depth with supernatural thrills. Gilmore's skillful writing and the vividly painted setting draw readers into a deeply haunting journey that holds them captive until the very end. The narrative's complexity and the ghostly atmosphere distinguish it within its genre, providing an enthralling and disquieting experience. The historical aspects of the narrative are particularly impressive; the meticulous attention to detail and integration into the storyline make the reader feel an integral part of the unfolding events. The novel also experiments with a mixed media approach through diary entries, adding a unique layer to the storytelling. Although these entries occasionally decelerate the narrative's pace, they are generally a delightful addition. The supernatural elements are, without a doubt, the highlight of the book, offering the most enjoyment and keeping readers eagerly engaged."

This was an interesting and creepy historical gothic novel about Russia. I found certain parts of the story rather intriguing. I listened to this one on audio, and it really drew me in. However, even on audio the story was rather slow, and felt like it was dragging. I understand that gothic stories are inherently slow, but I have listened and read a lot of them, and this was on the slower end of the spectrum. Because of the pace, it was hard to become fully engrossed as I felt my mind wandering and it prevented me from being truly engaged with the characters. The historical side of the book was fantastic. I loved all the details that were included and woven into the plot, this made me feel like I was part of the story (albeit a slow story). This book also had some fun mixed media format in the form of diary entries. While these were fun, I felt that they slowed down the already slow plot which was a bummer because normally I usually enjoy the inclusion of mixed media. I did enjoy the supernatural elements a lot, and they were probably my favorite part of the whole book and why I kept tuning in.

*Historical fiction
*Russian fairytales and folklore
*Gothic horror (on the lighter side)
*Supernatural
*Ambiance
*Wonderfully detailed and descriptive

The historical aspects of this story are excellent, the writing solid, and the descriptions topnotch. The Haunting of Moscow House was an enjoyable, slower paced mystery that held my attention throughout.



Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the DRC

The Haunting of Moscow House by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore is a chilling and atmospheric novel that masterfully combines historical intrigue with supernatural suspense. Gilmore’s evocative prose and richly detailed setting create a hauntingly immersive experience that grips readers from start to finish. The book’s intricate plot and eerie ambiance make it a standout in the genre, offering a captivating and unsettling read.

The Haunting of Moscow House by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore

I greatly enjoy historical fiction and over the last few years I've been learning more about this time and location so this book held great interest to me despite it also falling under the horror genre. The tags also mention gothic and the Moscow House oozes gothic. The house also literally oozes a lot of other things.

Irina and Lili Goliteva’s ancestral home, a once beautiful, regal mansion, has been taken over by a group of Bolsheviks. Felix, one of the high ranking men, would just as soon shoot Irina and Lili's family as to let them live and life has already been lost in this house. Now the remains of their family are packed into a tiny area of the attic while the Bolsheviks overwhelm and destroy the rest of the house. But something else is going on, too, something possibly supernatural. The walls are oozy, the place covered with massive swarms of insects, there are strange noises, there is an ever increasing stench.

The women know the "fairy tales", the long told legends of witches, stories of otherworldly beings and they are suspecting a family member might be dabbling in something evil. They are determined to not be run out of their house although they, and the children under their care, are in great danger staying in this mansion. It's their ancestral home and they have no where else to go...they can starve on the streets or they can starve with a roof over their heads. At least they have found paying jobs with the Americans and there is a small measure of protection from being associated with them.

I'd call this horror-lite based on the fact that it wasn't too much for me. The supernatural is there, it is a horror story, but the story is more hopeful and caring of the characters than I was expecting. I like several of the characters and hoped the best for them. No matter what happens in this story, the real life horror for the Russian people is far from over. The story is sad, it is depressing, but the author did a great job of instilling some hope and at least the tiniest light at the end of the tunnel, if only one could live to get to it.

Be sure to read the author's note at the end. The two main characters and the mansion have a basis in real people. Actually there are a lot of characters that have at least a passing connection to real life, even if just a name is used. At some point I may read some of the books the author mentions or read about the real life people that she mentions. I enjoyed the story and I know it helped that I had a small understanding of Russian history during this time. The people depended on strong women to hold things together and this book shows that happening during the worst of times.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC

For me the most interesting part of this book was the historical aspect since it’s the first time that I’ve read a book set in Russia after the revolution. And I enjoyed the Russian fairytales. But the pacing of the story felt slow to me and I never connected with the main characters.

Because their uncle decides that the Golitevs would wait out the revolution in the hope that things would return to normal, Irina and Lilya Goliteva are eking out a precarious existence in Moscow. Anyone who knows a bit about Russian history will know that there are several long decades of Soviet rule stretching out ahead of 1921. Irina and Lilya have no way of knowing this, of course, but they know that their only chance of a long life is to somehow get themselves out of Russia. It’s hard enough to get one person past the murderous Red Army and nascent Soviet government, let alone the remnant of their family (two children, an aunt, and a grandmother), let alone the remnant of an aristocratic family. Olesya Salnikova Gilmore’s atmospheric and gripping new novel, The Haunting of Moscow House, follows Irina and Lilya as they face battles that might finally end their illustrious family.

All that remains of the Golitev’s vast fortune is Moscow House. The estates are gone. Their palace in Petrograd (previously St. Petersburg, soon-to-be Leningrad) had to be abandoned as the revolution broke out. Worse, most of the family are dead. The Golitevs are now considered former people, which means that no one can employ them and anyone helping them will draw the gimlet eye of the NKVD. If it weren’t for Grandmère Goliteva’s friendship with the powerful politician Lev Kamenev, the rest of the Golitevs would’ve lost Moscow House and probably their lives during the worst of the revolution and subsequent civil war. Irina and Lilya are only able to keep the family fed by selling and bartering their remaining possessions at a street market where other former people are likewise liquidating their own dwindling riches.

Who knows how long the family would’ve carried on like this if two things hadn’t happened? First, the sisters meet two representatives of the American Relief Administration, a humanitarian project to feed the starving in Russia. Second, Moscow House has at last been requisitioned by the Soviet Government. The first event offers a rare ray of hope for the Golitevs. The Americans are perhaps the only people who can hire former people with impunity. Hard currency and food from the ARA means that the Golitevs are no longer flirting with hunger. The second event, however, is much more dire. Previously, the Golitevs kept a low profile. With a squad of soldiers and agents in Moscow House, it’s impossible to hide from the Soviets. But that’s when a third thing happens that turns everything on its head. Irina and Lilya discover that Moscow House is haunted. Not only is the house haunted, Moscow House does not like having Soviets in it.

Even though there is a fair amount of death and a lot of threats of death in The Haunting of Moscow House, I was completely hooked by this novel. Gilmore has a light hand with her research about the fates of aristocrats in Russia during and after the revolution, the American Relief Administration, and Russian folklore but this book is so rich with details that I was transported headlong into its pages. Gilmore also has a gift with plotting and pacing. Hints about what’s going on are doled out at just the right moments to deepen mysteries, reveal secrets, and twist the plot in a new direction. This book was an incredible read and I plan to badger a whole bunch of people into reading it.

If you want a gothic haunted house mystery with a healthy dose of history thrown in, this book will be right up your alley.

russian history can often be very difficult to follow, because a lot of things happened, and everyone sounds like they have the same name. Gilmore does a really great job at giving every character their own personalities, despite the similarities of their names.

i really enjoyed how the plight of the former ruling class was the anchor of this story. we know the fat of the tsar and his family. we know that russia became communist. but what about that upper class that had everything taken from them? what were their lives like in soviet russia? i dont think i've read a book that delves into their lives before and i found it, the juxtaposition of the past with the reality of the present, so compelling.

reconciling the past with the present was a huge theme in this book, and it was handled so well. irina and lili have so many reasons to long for the past. they lived a comfortable, more than comfortable, existence. and their family was whole, and alive. in the present, they have lost everything. and letting go of the past can often feel like like letting go of something important. Gilmore was able to navigate the family history with letting it go in order to move on, and to surivive.

The gothic house... amazing. this house was terrifying in every sense of the word. the house is haunted. the house might be killing people. the house is decaying. this is how i like my haunted houses and my ghosts, a little unhinged, maybe a little dangerous, a little sentient. Gilmore created the perfect atmosphere with her book and lovers of history and the unseen can both get behind it.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

A gothic mystery set in Russia that will send goose bumps down to your spine. It will keep you enthralled as you go on yor reading ride. It has elements of aa ghostly presence in what seem like a horror story. It did not quite catch my attention throughout.

This novel is both haunting and historical in nature. It was interesting, as an American, to see what life was like in 1920s Russia. Bolsheviks have taken over Irina and Lili's house, and the house may be haunted by the dead. I enjoyed reading this novel and learning about life in Russia during the 1920s. This novel also encompassed some romance and Russian folklore. I recommend this for anyone who likes a good historical Gothic novel!

Actual Rating 2.5

It is the summer of 1921, and Irina and Lili are living with what remains of their family in their decaying ancestral manor in Moscow. They soon have to share their home with a group of Bolsheviks who relegate the family to the attic. Irina and Lili both chafe against this intrusion, and soon find themselves offered job with the American Relief Administration operating out of the city. As the sisters decide how best to protect their family, strange noises and apparitions seem to appear throughout their home. Then someone dies – but was it an accident, murder, or something else entirely?

The historical aspects of this one were excellent. There was rich detail included and a lot of it was information I didn’t know about this time in Russia’s history. It was woven into the plot in a way that made the setting come to life and feel immersive. The atmosphere was also quite strong for the most part, though there were times when it got lost under the exposition. The characters were decently written, though I never felt strongly about them one way or the other. The author’s note was also extremely informative and well worth reading.

About 50% through the book, there were many diary entries that were included, and the characters began to reminisce and ponder things repetitively. This drastically slowed down an already relatively slow plot, leading to some major lag. It also made me lose interest in the book during this part and majorly detracted from the originally strong atmosphere. It took quite awhile for the plot to pick up again, but by that time it was a struggle to pick the book up for me.

If you’re interested in a slow historical fiction with supernatural elements, then you may enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Berkely Publishing for allowing me to read this work, which will be published September 3, 2024.

The Haunting of Moscow House is a deeply moving and suspenseful novel set in the early days of post-revolutionary Russia. I wasn't quite sure what to expect going into it – is it a ghost story or is it historical fiction? – but it turns out that it's both in just about equal measures. The ghostly aspects I'd consider more horror-adjacent than actual horror, but there are definitely some unsettling bits.

This book is written in the present tense, which is normally something that I really, really dislike. It kind of grew on me over time and actually worked well for this story overall, but I have to admit that it's the one thing that I liked least about it.

The rest of the novel, though? I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it. I mean, it's hard for me to say that I “enjoyed” something that's so bleak (although it's not totally devoid of hope or happiness), but after the first 25% or so I was hooked. I was fascinated by Imperial Russia as a kid (yeah, I have no idea why either) and read a ton about Russian nobility, so it was interesting to hear about what life was like for those same people after the 1917 revolution. And haunted houses are probably one of my favorite tropes in all of literature, so combining a haunted house story with post-revolutionary Russia? Yes, please!

Oh, and since this book deals largely with the plight of Russian nobility, be prepared for everyone to have approximately 47 names and titles each (perhaps a slight exaggeration, but not by as much as you'd think). In one paragraph a character is Princess So-and-So, and then in the next they're Countess So-and-So and in the next they're The-Same-Person-but-Using-Their-Diminutive. It's a little confusing at times, but I was kind of expecting it since I was a 10-year-old Tsar Nicholas Stan and all (not that the term “Stan” existed when I was 10, but I was certainly obsessed with the Romanovs).

If you like romance, there's plenty of that in this story – and some semi-gratuitous sex scenes, even. I'm personally not a big fan of romance in novels, but the relationships in this one at least seemed genuine and not particularly insta-love. The affection that Irina and Lili have for each other (and their other family members) is also rather endearing and sweet.

Russian folklore also plays a large part in this tale. The Moscow House Domovoy (house spirit) is an important character, especially during the climax. Even though he's the thing of nightmares, you can't help but feel a little for him. There's also talk of Baba Yaga and other Russian legends, and it's all tremendously interesting.

My overall rating: 4.35 stars, rounded down. If you enjoy historical Gothic novels mixed with folklore and romance, you should definitely consider giving this one a read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 3, 2024.

The Haunting of Moscow House is a gothic tale that draws upon a few historical families in Russia.

It is the 1920's and the Bolsheviks have invaded Moscow and forced Irina and Lili Goliteva into the attic of their mansion while they take over the large wings for official government business
Once they are moved to the attic however, Irina and Lili find uncover past history and hints of supernatural influences. It's a beautiful and unusual way to impart history and if you love family stories, historical fiction or just a Russian tale, this story if for you! #thehauntingofmoscowhouse #olesyasalnikovagilmore #berkley

Although based on historical facts, Russian "fairy tales" and hauntings, I found the writing to be pedestrian; in particular how COLD it always was, how repetitive some of the descriptive scenes were, how there was never anyone else in the streets. The actual story of these sisters and their involvement in the true to life ARA could have been a fascinating story in itself.

I absolutely adored this book. I am a sucker for the Russian Revolution, so the subject matter was perfect for me. I also thought that the characters and their relationships were outstanding and relatable.