A story rich with historic literary details, Beneath the Poet's House is extremely enjoyable as a fan of Edgar Allan Poe. A thriller, ghost, and romance novel in one, Saoirse moves to Providence to escape a traumatic past and the death of her husband.

Parts of the book were incredible but overall I felt the narrative didn't quite know what it wanted to be. Suspending disbelief on Saoirse's reaction when she first meets a new group of friends, I still wanted to shake her at multiple points in the novel for choices she made. That, however is in line with someone who has experienced trauma.

I simply felt there was something a bit lacklustre, and missing from the book. The final quarter is gripping, and a thrilling conclusion.

Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for an early eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love the premise of this book. I knew about Poe and Virginia Clemm but Sarah Helen Whitman was largely unfamiliar to me. While I chose Beneath the Poet's House for its gothic blurb, the novel feels much closer to a cozy mystery. There's a lot of tea and a black diabetic cat and some weirdly endearing friends and the plot lacks the same level of suspense you find in gothic fiction. Which works rather well, considering the main character is a blocked cozy mystery author. And I enjoyed it, especially Carmen's description of Providence--I am now determined to get a look at Whitman's and Lovecraft's houses, at least from the outside.

Up until about three quarters of the way in, this was a 5-star read for me. Sure, it was a bit slow but I was enthralled by the parallels between Saoirse's and Sarah's stories (not to mention the excerpts from Whitman's poetry). The ending was too over the top for my taste--as if Carmen did her damnedest to throw in allusions to every Poe story in existence--and it went on for too long. Still, the original idea and setting outweigh the flaws in the final chapters. It also made me reassess my fondness for cozy mysteries, in a good way, which no doubt would please Saoirse.

book review 💌 when I saw this book in NetGalley I immediately knew I had to sign up for the arc; and I am so happy I did because Christa Carmen’s novel injects new life into the gothic horror genre with a fresh and captivating take. I have always been mesmerized by gothic stories that toe the line between the abject and eldritch so to see how one is written so refreshing made it truly worthwhile—also because rather than attempting to surpass the classics, Carmen cleverly subverts traditional tropes to craft an almost hypnotic tale of two sisters and a peculiar town. The vivid and unsettling imagery she creates leads you through claustrophobic twists into a haunting underworld of dread and I loved it so much. This story is just one big mystery, rich with rain-soaked atmospheres and scandal-ridden secrets that reveal the dark heart of an uncanny island mansion. Would definitely recommend and I can’t wait for this story to be officially released!

4 Stars rounding down.
I rather enjoyed this book. It’s not quite your average thriller. It had may interesting elements in it, including references to Edgar Allen Poe and his works. Saoirse, the main character, had me wanting to 'shake some sense' into her the entirety of the novel. At times, she seemed incapable of looking after herself properly. I was thinking about her poor cat! I wanted her to catch on to the red flags when they waved them right in her face, and DANG she did not see them. However, I did feel drawn in to her flaws. All in all, it made my heart pound wanting to read what happened next and see how it was all going to end. It was a hard book to set down.

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

NetGalley, thank you for the ARC! If you love Poe, Lifetime movies, and thrillers you'd enjoy this book. It was interesting to learn more about Sarah Helen Whitman.

Are you a fan of Edgar Allan Poe? You'll love this novel. i didn't know much about him, but this novel is as much about him as it is a story in his style, dark and morbid.
But I think it is just a bit too long. And the references and quotes are sometimes a bit unnerving. Poe wrote some great short stories - perhaps this one should have been a short story too.

What truly attracted me to read this book was the title. I read the description, but going into reading the book. I forgot what it said other than Saoirse starting fresh.
I had predictions as I read it. I was happy when she found friends in a strange place, and pissed at Emmit with every word that came out of his mouth.
Mia, Roberto, and Lucretia. I LOVED them, I love I slowly got to know each of them.
Now Aiden I misjudged for sure, can you blame me? haha
Jonathan was truly disgusting, I feel like he got what he deserved. Actually no, he deserved worse. Same as Emmit.
I loved her mom, and obviously disliked her dad. The mom though has my heart, the way she tried her best to help and protect her daughter. How she immediately aided her when Saoirse needed it.
Now to the biggest shock while reading…how Saoirse is actually pronounced made me give her like 10 different names while reading.
I genuinely enjoyed reading this book, from start to finish.

Here are some things I wrote down while reading:

prologue:
the mom really didn’t have to say all that. and that fucker aiden. when I see you aiden ima beat you up, you inconsiderate fuck.

chapter 1:
she moves away from new jersey to this huge house
at first she thought it was the neighbors or people outside but she found a trap door 🫣
she found 3 people around a ouija board (now personally, I would run) but after talking to these people
(her name isn’t pronounced sao-irse, nuh uh IT’S SER-SHA. this makes the nickname Shers that her mother called her make more sense 💀)
and having tea with them she takes their numbers.

chapter 2:
The next day she checked if she had any food (shocker, she didn’t) and goes to the market but wait, this city reminds her of her dead husband. She can’t stop herself from going to the library and even with a tight budget she gets a membership. She goes into a reserved room and finds paintings and letters from edger to the poet that used to live in her house.
The woman that reserved the room comes in and questions why Saoirse is there.

chapter 3:
not much happened, after learning more about sarah and edger’s relationship she leaves the library. Oh while leaving she thought she saw jonathan but it was actually someone that looks like edger that was staring at her which was weird. like really fuckin creepy. you just got this membership and now you don’t wanna go back.

chapter 4:
she hears stuff in the house and texts lucretia to set up a coffee hangout. we learn more about this voice in her head and why she’s been unable to write. fuck jonathan fr.

chapter 5:
coffee date with lucretia. she talks about jonathans death. and shes getting a cat with the trio. while leaving she sees that creepy guy again while jonathan’s voice goes on in here head. like stfu bro.

chapter I don’t remember:
omfg I am hating emmit more and more every second. like his pushiness is so annoying and after learning of his past and the rumors that surround it doesn’t make me feel any better. now they’re on the ghost tour and not only is he an alcoholic but also popping pills? like girl you have a heart condition?? just say it and honestly I agree- can’t believe im saying this- with jonathan’s voice in her head this time. emmit does seem cynical.
WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK??? FIRST DRINKING NON STOP THEN PILLS, THE WHEN SERSHA SAYS SHE DOESNT REALLY WANT IT HE STARTS SLIDING HIS HAND UNDER HER SHIRT AND PUTTING THE PILL ON HER TONGUE??? like he’s horrible but girl you gotta stand on business tf??
okay what the actual fuck is wrong with emmit, he only cares about himself and his wants. ACTING like her cares about her but if you actually pay attention he only cares about himself and he’s also acting like a child.
please tell me they are NOT having sex in this abandoned house. what the-
also earlier he tried to get her to cancel on her friends last minute, for him. come on now. abusive much? already trying to isolate her?
ok the whole thing in the library, asking if roberto is gay as in thats the only way they can be friends creeps me out like wtf. him going from interrogation to asking for forgiveness when he sees he can’t push her anymore is so red flag. like the biggest red flag ever. switching like a- well, switch. and her letting it all wash over and trying to over explain his actions ugh
FUCK YEAH!!! SHE PUT HIM IN HIS PLACE! FUCK YOU, YOU EDGER ALLEN POE WANNABE. but seriously girl how long does it take you to remember to do something. like how you told emmit about the loose slab and low and behold when you finally go to check it out. it’s been broken and puttied into place? come on now lets use our brain for a second. IT WAS OBVIOUSLY EMMIT. now about jonathan, I think she killed him. but why is aiden so adament? thats my question.
ok so, what the fuck, what the actual fuck?! after she breaks up with him over his obsession, he kidnaps her to the catacombs, rapes her, and tells her he’s gonna keep her there till his career is like poe’s. what the genuine fuck! I hope she makes it out.
that was rollercoaster…wow
ok so she didn’t kill her ex..*technically*. she just left him to die. tbh he deserved it. and emmit you deserved worse. genuine sick fuck

My review on storygraph is exactly as it is here.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/5787716b-7514-448f-9c26-590839e232d4

There are different types of mystery styles. I think this writing is a lot like Stephen King in the way that there, in my opinion, is too much rambling and internal thoughts from the main Character. It starts out with her husband dying and his friend Aiden who is confronting her that he will find her. Then the book starts where she’s moved to a secluded town and meets friends that have this weird obsession of hold seances to communicate with the former lady that owns now, the main characters house. There is a parallel story about Edgar Allen Poe and Sarah Whitman and how Soarise resembles Sarah Whitman to an extent. Soarise was abused and neglected in her previous marriage and she’s immediately taking fancy to another man who is resembling EAP. So we’re getting to know new town, new characters, weird coincidences which kinda keeps you on edge, but after 10 chapters, i would’ve thought that Aiden would’ve reached out more in a daunting way, as Soarise took him for in the beginning. Aidens part in the story gets lost as the main story blooms. It all came together well in the end. Soarise’s guilt and secrets from her ex-husband to the sociopathic red flags missed from this new man when the mind is not healed. There’s a funny occurrence of who is worse? A killer killing an innocent for a self fantasy that seems real or the innocent kidnapped and beaten facing with the fight or flight of either you or me will die. This book could be triggering for some, but I think it lagged a little for my taste. Good read.

Not my favorite, but not bad either! I liked the reveal at the end and the main character as well. Wouldn’t necessarily recommend it.

“Beneath the Poet’s House” sucked me in quickly. I was invested in the main character’s story and journey immediately and rooted her on along the way. The vivid descriptions, constant thrills/mystery, and historically accurate references to Edgar Allen Poe and Sarah Helen Whitman made this such an enjoyable and entertaining read and I felt as if I were walking through Providence alongside them all.

This was such a creative book! I really liked the premise of the book and thought the plot was engaging and well developed. I would recommend this book!

Beneath the Poets House by Christa Carmen is about Saoirse, a grieving widow and struggling writer who moves into the historic house of Sarah Helen Whitman, a nineteenth century poet. When she arrives, she soon meets a group of people obsessed with Whitman and the house. This premise really stood out to me as something completely original.

While the first chapter didn’t hook me immediately, I was much more engaged once Saoirse moved house, and meeting the trio of friends really cemented that I was bound to enjoy this story. Great energy between the friends, who joked around and teased each other like any friend group would, but is often not so wonderful crafted. I was excited for any scene involving them and their lifelike dialogue had me smirking at times.

It is evident that Carmen did her research (and a lot of it!) by how she interweaved the past of famous poets into the present so beautifully. The connection and flow of the storyline was poetry in itself. I knew something was building, but the last quarter of this book was surprising in the best way.

The one slight annoyance I had was the main characters name, spelt ‘Saoirse’ yet pronounced ‘Sersha’ which caused my brain some irritation as it would flick between the two.

I really enjoyed this unique, gothic, psychological thriller. Thank you Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for my ARC.

A complex and detailed story, but very enjoyable to read! Maybe a little slow at parts in the middle, but the plot definitely ramped up towards the end. I loved all the references to Edgar Allan Poe and the many Gothic themes running through the novel. A horror-filled thriller that also doubles as historical fiction, checks all the boxes for me!

Thanks as always to Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer Publishing for allowing me to read and review the ARC of Beneath the Poet’s House. I love the opportunity to put my passion for reading to great use!

#Thomas&Mercer #NetGalley #BeneathThePoetsHouse

This book is about a novelist Saoirse who moved to a writer’s house after her husband suddenly died. She was welcomed by a few people and trying to get back to writing again. Saoirse meets Emmit who’s a writer and discovered romance. The house that Saoirse lives is also haunted and it has so many things about it.

When I read this book, I discovered that there’s so many things and some parts got me thinking all the way through.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book and do a review.

Beneath the Poet's House by Christa Carmen is a gothic story about a writer who moves into a famous poet's house only to be haunted by her ghost.

After the death of her husband, Saoirse White moves to Providence and takes up residence in the house of famous poet and spiritualist, Sarah Helen Whitman, who was also Edgar Allan Poe's lover and muse. Living in the historic home, Saoirse begins experiencing supernatural things, including meeting a trio of transcendentalists who have been holding seances in Saoirse's basement to contact the spirit of Sarah Whitman. Saoirse also meets a successful author named Emmit Powell whose own obsession with Whitman and Poe will both inspire and scare Saoirse into a dangerous game of soul searching.

The author did a great job at describing the architecture and moody vibe of the American Renaissance era of Providence. There were ghosts, underground tunnels, seances, and moonlight roses each conjuring a spooky atmosphere. I enjoyed learning about Sarah Whitman who I never heard of and Edgar Allan Poe and how their relationship was being mirrored by the characters. The main character Saoirse was suspicious and gave unreliable narrator vibes which I liked because it helped to deepen the mystery of the story.

If you like American Gothics, and 19th century poets, you should read this book.

My favourite kind of book - based on historical facts about real people then embellished with a fascinatingly really good fictional story. Without giving any of the early story line away, this had me reaching for a google search very soon into the book. When one past character I knew to be real prompted me to check whether the other main past one was too! I thought I’d look more into this once the book was completed, but Christa kindly does a fair bit of this for us at the end.

I loved Christa’s writing style, the way she weaves existing writings into her own and adds to them as part of her story. The characters are well described and I developed ‘care’ about them as the novel progressed. It unfolded at a good pace, with a sense of intrigue, it gripped me at times, I was reluctant to put it down to get on with other mundane tasks!

A thoroughly enjoyable, well researched book. It’s unusual for me to give 5 stars, this one is very deserving of them.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for this book! This was a great book and kept you wondering what would come next.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I think not being a huge Poe fan meant I wasn't able to sufficiently get into the work and fully appreciate the setting plus eventual parallels between MC and her love interest. I did find the storyline interesting though, so this is a case of me just not being the right audience for this book. Thank you for the ARC!

Christa Carmen’s “Beneath the Poet’s House,” with its lyrical but eminently reader-friendly prose (no mean feat!), together with its plot firmly rooted in the commercial but also clearly aspiring to the literary (references to James Joyce, Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes dot its pages), put me in mind of fellow domestic thriller writer Joy Fielding, whose prose also ascends to the literary but whose novels are firmly lodged in the commercial, where she has garnered a considerable audience with her depictions of endearingly afflicted women.
So endearing a portrait, indeed, did she paint of the afflicted heroine in what is to me her best novel, “See Jane Run,” that the book was billed as “the stuff of nightmares.” And just as in that novel, where Jane’s plight makes for instant reader engagement, so in Carmen’s novel a reader is hooked from the get-go by the circumstances of her blocked writer heroine, Saoirse White, as she relocates to help get over the death of her husband.
Providence, R.I., is where she has chosen to go to lick her psychic wounds, and not just the city, with its small-townish cultural appeal, but the actual onetime home of Edgar Allan Poe’s romantic interest, Sarah Whitman.
No sooner, though, does she turn the key in her new digs than she encounters a group of kindred literary spirits. And not just encounters them but finds that they’ve regularly been occupying a basement area of her new home, where they have been seeking to summon the spirit of Whitman.
Which initially discomforts her to where she’s ready to toss them out on the spot but in short order she becomes friendly enough with them that she joins them in their spiritualist endeavor and indeed is virtually adopted by them, with one of them so concerned about her welfare that she sounds a warning about the new man in Saoirse’s life, who on the surface seems almost too good to be true.
More than just a perfect match, indeed, he seems, with his fellow interest in writing, but with his initials being the same as Poe’s and Saoirse’s the same as Sarah’s, the match seems almost to be in the literary stars.
But in the way of commercial fiction, it isn't long before the warnings to Saoirse prove prescient, and the novel abruptly shifts (too abruptly shifts, to my mind) from the realm of psychological thriller to full-on Poe terrain, complete with a cat and a premature burial. Which, as I’ve indicated, lodges the novel distinctly in the commercial rather than in the literary realm, where, with my distinct preference for literary or realistic fiction, I’d have preferred to see it go, and indeed for a time thought it might be going.
Nevertheless, the novel as written makes for an engrossing read and, with the expectation that Carmen will go on to ever greater literary accomplishments, I’m more than happy to add my voice to the many reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads singing her praises.