2.5 stars. A multi-layered narrative weaving together the lives of characters across continents, united by a mysterious force. The story opens with Mariko who has a chance encounter with Jake. Their meeting sets the stage for a series of interconnected events marked by eerie similarities and unsettling occurrences. Mariko's twin brother, plagued by a disturbing sensation of something moving inside him, after an encounter with a woman, warns her against letting "the women" in. This cryptic message resonates with Jake, whose friend Lena experienced the same phenomenon. In a seemingly separate testimonials, people encounter the same woman before their deaths. As these threads converge, a tyrant figure looms. Jake goes on a quest to find this woman and stop her from causing more harm.

Let me start by saying this was the first time I read a book by this author and their writing style was really something. The writing, the structure, and the character development, in my opinion, were really good and interesting.
I'd say this is a heavy character-driven story. So don't expect a fast-paced narrative or an action packed story. Susan Barker takes her time to construct her story with alternate characters and timelines, focused mainly on an English man named Jake, who misses his flight at the Osaka airport and then meets a total stranger woman who also missed her flight and while they chat they realise they have something more in common besides missing the same flight: they both had lost someone due to the same eerie circumstances. Soon Jake suspects that that woman is way more mysterious than he could have thought, and that's when Jake goes on mission to finding out who she really is and what is the meaning behind the horrific death of his partner.

I'll be honest: I was expecting a different kind of horror. To me, this book reads much more of a literary fiction with a touch of mystery than horror. Even though I liked somethings about this book (more about the author's writing skills other than the plot itself), I ended up not getting what I was hoping after reading the synopsis.
I'm sure other readers will appreciate this book more than I did.
I do recommend it to readers who like different stories, unique stories with a character-driven narrative.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel.

Thank you to Penguin Publishing Group and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

I was extremely excited to received an advanced copy of this book. The premise sounded so surreal and WEIRD that I couldn't resist, and in some ways Old Soul really delivered! I found myself, unfortunately, a little disappointed with the final picture, however.

Just to get it out of the way. There were a few strange editing choices, but I believe they're going to be changed or resolved later as this is not the final version of the text. There is no punctuation on any of the dialogue, but I think the conversations flow naturally enough that being confused was pretty rare. It might've been once or twice that I had to re-read a small section to see who was talking. There are also moments where the dialogue is formatted like a script. I think this would be interesting if the character telling their story had a relation to the film industry, but it happens across characters and feels a little unnatural.
I'm not using any of this to mark down the book's score. Just noting it.

The story itself is fascinating. It's less of a full and complete novel, and instead an anthology of the path of this very strange woman and the lives of those she's affected through her actions. There are a few characters and anthologies that connect across time and come together for the finale which I thought was extremely exciting. However, these anthology sections are quite short, so I didn't build much of an attachment to any of these characters. They also became quite repetitive because the woman operates in a similar way, a similar ritual, with each victim.

Our main character is Jake, and although we learn about him and his path through his memories of his friend who became a victim of this woman, he is ultimately a little unimportant in the end. Jake isn't even present for the climax of the book. I feel like there's a theme to be seen with each of the stories. In one, a father's overprotective love for his daughter. In another, love with the right person in the wrong time. There's something about the novel that makes me WANT to like it more than I do.

The most fascinating story is that of the woman and the Sculptor. I think there's an interesting theme between these two character's juxtaposed positions. The woman is willing to do whatever it takes to stay alive, to experience every part of life no matter who gets in her way, but the Sculptor is willing to give up her dreams for a different life. It's genuinely interesting.

I liked the woman as a character, and the lore of the "monster" that builds around her. The victims seem to be tormented by something invisible and supernatural, and when they die it's discovered that all of their organs have been reversed! So intriguing. We're introduced to the woman as she's literally falling apart, rotting from the inside from all sorts of diseases and bacteria. The descriptions of her falling apart are visceral and vibrant. I obviously loved them. She's guiding a seventeen year old girl to a location, waiting for Venus to rise to perform a ritual. It's a great hook, and I really wanted to know more. The pace at which the story delivers information is really good as well.

The ending was something I think I'll be thinking about for a while. The epilogue is extremely poetic, and epic in the Grecian sense, but the final chapters were so tense. It left me feeling really melancholic, and a little defeated, but in a way it was the perfect ending for the themes presented.

It's a good book, and I keep wavering between giving it three or four stars. I've changed my mind a hundred times, and I'll probably change it a hundred more. I think if there were one or two stories cut, and the rest were expanded upon it would make for a fuller, more cohesive narrative.

I would recommend this book if you like a surrealist horror, almost cosmic. If you like a little ambiguity and unique locations, this is the book for you.

Old Soul blends elements of horror, western, and thriller, crafting a fearlessly bold narrative about predation, morality, and free will. It chronicles one man's relentless quest to bring an end to a centuries-long chain of human devastation, challenging readers with its profound and unsettling questions about the human condition.

I couldn't put this down! Old Soul is very well written and grabs your attention immediately. I was easily able to imagine everything Susan Barker put in front of me.

Old Soul follows Jake, a British school teacher visiting Japan, as he tries to unravel the mystery and strange circumstances surrounding his best friend's sudden death after a chance meeting with a woman who lost her husband the exact same way. Jake's investigation leads him to many other with friends and family members that met the same fate. They all had one thing in common, meeting a mysterious woman and having their photo taken just days or weeks before they died.

But Jake doesn't realize that the woman will do anything to stay alive.

This book is part horror and thriller, and I didn't want it to end. I was a little perplexed by something that happened at the end but maybe I just need it to marinate now that the wild ride is over. I don't think you'll regret picking this one up.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Publishing Group for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

A chance meeting of two strangers traveling abroad reveal they both have experienced losing a loved one and the same seemingly medically impossible way. Realizing their stories all start and end with a mysterious woman Jake begins his journey of investigating who this woman is in hopes of discovering what really happened to his lifelong friend. Through testimonial accounts of those left in the wake of tragedy the encounters with the woman who defies the laws of natural life begin to emerge.

I found this to be a beautifully written story. The testimonials felt like real relationships between actual imperfect humans. Which we all are.

What a fantastic read!! Truly have not read anything like this. I was captivated by the lore of the Old Soul and left feeling so disturbed. The horror of this book was so subtle and unnerving, I legit had some serious heebie jeebies! I loved the way the story bounced around from present day to testimonies/stories of the people that suffered at the hands of the Old Soul/Tyrant. Knocked off a star because I could have done without maybe one or two of the testimonies, a couple began to feel repetitive, but I do see how they were necessary for setting up the end. They just were VERY lengthy. And I wish we got a bit more backstory on the Old Soul rather than the brief explanation towards the end, but overall, really liked this one!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

A haunting story which in the surface is a horror story but ultimately becomes a story of loneliness and finding your own power but realizing it comes at a cost. Thoroughly heart breaking not only hearing the stories of each life the “Woman” has destroyed but also the collateral damage left to the people around the events. The build up to the truth became kind of tedious to be honest which is why I gave it 4 stars not 5 but once more was revealed it seemed to escalate quickly. It reminded me a bit of an anthology where some stories are stronger than others which is the case here but they were all compelling just some more memorable than others. I feel like there was also an underlying message about female empowerment and the oppression of women by men that ultimately came to nothing because the one women who did take her power back ended up with a very unhappy story. I feel like that could have been explored better but the author was trying for a melancholic ending and leaned hard into that versus fleshing out the allusions that were given. Would still recommend though!

Gratitude and thanks to the Netgalley, the publisher, and Susan Baker for an ARC of this incredible work!

It all begins with Jake meeting Mariko at an Osaka airport, and the two recount their experiences losing loved ones in the eerie manners after a chance encounter with a mysterious woman. From this point, Jake then begins to interview and uncover details from friends and family of the supposed accidental deaths of those who have come in contact with this woman. As the novel weaves through the stories of 7 people throughout different generations and cultures, the reader is tasked to determine the effect meeting this woman has had on their lives. Will this be enough to end the deaths of countless more victims?

This novel was DEEPLY unsettling and I don't think I've been spooked this much reading a book in a while. Baker is so verbose and crafts her language in a way that reflects her skill. This novel checks off all the boxes for me in terms of: character development, plot, syntax, and style. The way she transcends genres shows her mastery of utilizing the aforementioned elements to bring forth a masterpiece. This book is for those who enjoy a slow burn that unravels all the pieces like a puzzle. I can't wait to read more of her works.

“Evil . . . has its ways and means.”
📚
When Jake and Mariko have a chance meeting at an Osaka airport, they realize they have more in common than a missed flight: they live under grief’s shadow, having lost loved ones under similarly strange and horrific circumstances. So begins the winding epic of a strange and enigmatic woman. Seemingly immortal, she’s a bringer of death who has many names. And as Jake embarks on a quest for truth, he must follow sinister breadcrumbs across the world and through time to solve the enigma. Who is this mysterious woman, what has she done, and why? And if Jake finally exposes her secrets, will he be able to stop her?

Unfolding via a series of interconnected stories, Old Soul is an eerie and captivating tale of life, death, and those left behind. Immersive from the first, it exudes tension and dread, pulling the reader into a slow-burning, onion-like narrative gradually unveiling terrifying layers, while the interconnected stories are compelling, forming a frightening, visceral, and twisty puzzle. The Historian (one of this reader’s all-time favorites) is an excellent comp, as Old Soul imparts the same depth and scale of story, history, mystery, evil, and darkness.

It’s a sumptuous and atmospheric tale of choice, manipulation, and lies; perception, morality, and predation; freedom, humanity, and something else entirely — something old, dark, inexplicable, and entirely insidious. A fantastic literary horror work where the truth is terrifying and no one is safe.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Publishing Group/G.P. Putnam's Sons for sending this forthcoming release (which is scheduled for publication in January 2025) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I received this book as an ARC from Putnam Books and NetGalley. A truly disturbing tale of a woman determined to live forever and the lives she touches and destroys while serving an otherworldly evil. Excellently written and a page turner to the last. I highly recommend this book!

Susan Barker’s “Old Soul” begins intriguingly enough, with two strangers who’ve missed a flight coming to find out, as they exchange histories while awaiting the next flight, that they both had personal acquaintances who died under mysterious circumstances including, bizarrely, their organs having been reversed. And in both cases, the deaths were preceded or perhaps brought about by the appearance in their lives of a mysterious woman who indeed even later showed up on the doorstep of one of the two delayed fliers as she huddled inside.
A doozy of a premise, in short, Barker’s novel, with a propulsive enough narrative drive to keep a reader reading, though to my mind it loses some of its force as the novel expands its focus to include enough other victims of the mysterious woman that it becomes difficult or even irritating for a reader to try to keep all the characters straight (there’s a reason for the call for unity of action in art).
Or at least that was my reaction to a novel which, to be fair, was not my cup of tea to begin with, with my strong preference for realistic or literary fiction, but its blurb so grabbed me that I couldn't resist. And, as I’ve indicated, even with my quibble with its expansive cast, it wasn’t without considerable appeal for me, especially with how it seemed to hold out promise of having greater literary or artistic ambitions. But in the end it turned out for me to be pretty firmly lodged in the horror genre, which is perfectly fine if that’s a reader’s thing, and indeed the novel is one of the better instances of a genre not usually known for the sort of narrative elaborateness that Barker brings to it.

Another amazing book by Baker. I really enjoyed her first book, but this one absolutely blew me a way. I hope this book ends up getting the deserved recognition it has earned. It's really a great , creepy read.

This was my first read by Susan Barker and I was very impressed. Impressed with the writing style, the storyline, characters and the genre is what drew me in. It seemed so unique and boy was it. I loved that this book felt dark and eerie with some thriller aspect and some secluded wild wild west tones as well…I was taken in by this book by the very first page.

The characters were very well developed and I enjoyed each of them. I loved that this book as written with multiple POV’s and the entirety was very easy to follow. The ending, honestly I could not have asked for a better ending. I will now be on the lookout for more by our author because I need more of her writing! Would highly recommend this to my bookish friends and family.

Pub Date: January 28, 2025

Thank you @netgalley , @penguinpublishing and author for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

“Old Soul” is a story told from several different perspectives, as a man who tragically lost a childhood best friend decades ago chases the woman who caused her demise across continents and centuries. The woman has many aliases, and a dark presence pervades her soul and demands routine sacrifices.

Beautifully and lyrically written, with a refreshingly original plot, rich characters with realistic human flaws, and a pervasive atmosphere of burgeoning dread, this book is unsettling in the best way. Epic, deep, and insightful, this book will linger in your mind long after you finish the last page.

I was completely blown away by this one. This was a phenomenal read. The opening is stunningly frightening, and the story progresses through alternating POVS of MC Jake and the testimonies of those he encounters in the journey to find out the truth of what happened to his best friend Lena. Each chapter is like an excellent meal with a very satisfying conclusion. I’m so happy to have gotten an ARC on NetGalley to review, but now I’m so eager to talk about this with anyone and everyone!

This book is a slowburn into true terror. I didn't want to stop reading==had to know how it was going to end! Very creepy, very scary, and totally thrilling.

There should be way more reviews for this book. This book is brilliant and deserves a wide readership. Though, of course, it won't be to everyone's taste.
For one thing, it's relentlessly, intensely dark. For another, perhaps more important one, it's way, way too smart for an average genre offering. It's even--beautifully!--unconventionally moralistic. Until the very ending, because it seems the moral police must have its pound of flesh.
Anyway, Old Soul is a story of a woman who refuses to die. And why wouldn't she? Who wouldn't want to live forever? Immortality has been largely rendered wrong by the puritanical attitudes equating it with evil, but what is immortality but extreme love of life? 300 years is a long time to be alive, especially when it comes at a terrible cost, but she can't seem to give it up. And now there's a real and present danger on her tail.
Told wonderfully through alternating perspectives, this is a tale of two quests--one man's journey to find and punish the woman responsible for the death of his best friend and one woman's journey to stay alive, no matter what.
Propulsive, magnificently written, literary in the best possible way, this book is a smart reader's dream. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

4.5 stars

This is a book you can really get lost in. It reads like a loved classic horror. I felt emotionally invested and did not want to put this book down, while at the same time wanting to savor it and make it last longer.

Holy crap! This book is spectacular. Spectacular in the way that Ghost Story, The Shining, and The Damnation Game are spectacular. I could go back and read this over and over. It’s a story of one man’s search for the ultimate evil. Sound simple? It’s not.