See, the problem is, I do a lot of my reading right before bed. This book made it very hard to get any sleep.

I've been watching a lot of Cheap Irish Homes lately, so I had NO trouble imagining the dilapidated old house on Tanner's Row. It's crawling with damp, the fireplace is ashy and full of filth. There's this one line, right when things only begin to kick off where Mina tells herself Don't. Look. Up. and then there's this sound like something working itself loose -- pants, they've been scared off.

This has been compared to The Exorcist and Midsommar, and I agree. But it's not a blend. It's one story right after the other. At some point, the plot shifts gears from "fear the witch" to "burn the witch" without a lot of closure. Really scary on both counts. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for providing a sneak peek between the cracks in the bricks.

I'm not sure this books fits into the thriller genre. It was odd, different , and more of a witchy paranormal book that I wasn't expecting. It didn't really hit the mark for me unfortunately.

What in the actual F did I just read? Omg I loved it!! I read most of it in the daylight thank goodness. It was creepy and perfectly detailed. This books was absolutely fantastic!! It gave me Exorcist vibes mixed with The Conjuring! I really appreciated that a this book came out in February for all my Booksta friends who don’t like romance or romcom books.
The writing was addictive. I couldn’t put this book down! The characters were both interesting and the perfect level of f*cked up. 🤣Legit,Everything about this book was awesome!

It will be in my top reads for February definitely!!

This was very just, alright. There were a few eerie moments that actually gave me the creeps, but over all I was kind of bored. I think it should've leaned way harder into the creepy small town vibes and then this may have given off the the creepy horror feeling it seemed to be going for.

If we take Conjuring 2 and mix it with Paul Tremblay’s “A Head Full of Ghosts”, we get “Something in the Walls”. Or at least a version of it.
Add a witch and shake vigorously.
Honestly, I’m losing my patience with “haunted house” books, and “possession” stories. They usually start out pretty well, then fall flat toward the end of the book. I’m glad to say that this one did not have that problem.
Mina and Sam set out to investigate the possible possession of Alice. She sees things. Hears things. Speaks in tongues.
The villagers are split between her being able to talk to the dead, and just being a witch that needs to be held accountable for her odd behavior.
Everyone in this tale has a tragic backstory.
The village is poor and the townspeople are barely scraping by.
It sounds morose and depressing. And in a lot of ways, it is. But it is oddly compelling.
I figured out the “who” about halfway through the book, but the “why” eluded me until the end.
And the ending didn’t fall flat on this one.

There’s some body horror, suggestions of child abuse and substance abuse, but it isn’t overdone.
A solid 4 out of 5, and maybe a higher score if I went back for a reread.

This psychological thriller was so gripping, I read it in a day! With its captivating folklore, witches, creepy vibes, nightmare inducing horror, and unique plot lines, this book will make you want to keep turning the page to find out what happens next.

The cover. So pretty! The story itself was different than I expected. More of a paranormal, witchy, horror than suspense thriller in my opinion. It was strange and didn’t hold my attention like I was hoping. Overall it wasn’t for me.

Folk horror. Woah. I normally don't read this style, but this made me reconsider. It was eerie and compelling. The heat was palpable and it worked to a shocking conclusion. I like this brand of horror, and I hadn't considered reading horror since I was a teen. I wish she had more books so I could keep going. It's hard to find an author to trust fully with your next read, but I found one!

This one was just okay for me. I’m not sure exactly what left me feeling so-so about it. Perhaps I didn’t feel a connection to the characters.

Mina has just gotten her degree in child psychology, but she hasn't been able to find a job yet. She meets a man named Sam at a local bereavement group who offers her a job helping a 13-year old girl named Alice in a small village who claims that a witch is haunting her. It seems like a good deal, she'll get her first job and Sam will write about it for his paper. After meeting Alice, Mina thinks she can help her, but her behavior gets worse.

This book took forever to get going. The first half is about Mina, her relationship, Sam, his grief and most of the other characters who aren't Alice. There are a few minor creepy moments, but I expected more. The story also went in a completely different direction than I thought it would.

If you enjoy slow, sort of witchy, British horror, then this might be for you. I received a free copy of the book for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

⛓️ ARC REVIEW ⛓️

Thank you so much @kaiki3000 , @stmartinspress & @netgalley for my early copy of Something in the Walls!!

This was everything I needed!! I’ve been on a major romance kick lately so I am so happy to have gotten my paws on something spooky! Something in the Walls absolutely delivered! Demonic/witches? Yes please. The end was absolutely NOT at all what I expected. At no point did I know what the twist was going to. Loveddddd it.

Something in the Walls is now available and ready to be read by YOU!!

The book description was intriguing and I was interested to see how the story would go. Is there really a haunting by a witch or is Alice developing severe psychological problems? Mina is determined to use her newly minted psychology degree to ferret out the truth. Sam is hoping the case will give him the story of his journalism career. When Mina and Sam arrive in the tiny village of Banathel, they find a community steeped in a history of witchcraft, superstition and folklore. The extreme heatwave and rumors of witchcraft, possession, haunting or communicating with the dead, have the community on edge. This is an atmospheric, often creepy, story that keeps you guessing. Unfortunately there are several areas where you’ll still be guessing when the book is done. I was left feeling somewhat dissatisfied, wanting more answers and closure.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

Something in the Walls is an atmospheric and eerie thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. Daisy Pearce masterfully weaves a sense of creeping dread throughout the story, making even the smallest details feel unsettling. The slow-burn tension builds effectively, and the house itself feels like a character—haunting, mysterious, and full of secrets.

I really enjoyed the psychological depth of the protagonist and how the lines between reality and paranoia blurred. Pearce’s writing is immersive, making me feel the claustrophobia and unease of the setting. While the pacing was strong, I wished for a bit more development in certain areas, particularly in the resolution, which felt slightly rushed.

Overall, this is a gripping read for fans of gothic suspense and psychological thrillers. If you love a chilling, haunted-house mystery with a psychological twist, Something in the Walls is worth picking up!

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me read and review Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce. This was my first book by this author and I truly enjoyed it. I love the creepy, eerie supernatural vibes it game. I would definitely recommend to any horror readers

Thank you to Minotaur Books for a copy of this ARC! I really enjoyed the mystery with this book. It was true OG horror style to me. Think of Amytiville Horror or Poltergeist in the way that the fear factor is based on these supernatural eerie monsters and a cult like factor of the small town the book is set in. I liked that I was truly scared reading this book. I was slightly disappointed in the ending because I felt like there were too many plot lines left unresolved. It still kept me on my toes and I didn’t really see the plot twist coming at the end.

I was hooked from the first chapter. I finished it quickly and can't recommend it enough. If you like psychological thrillers that involve folklore and supernatural beings, this book is for you. It's creepy, melancholy and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I did NOT expect that ending.

Have you ever gotten so far into a situation where you knew the best thing for you would be to leave but also knew you were too far into it not to see it through?

Mina’s in that spot in more than one way: in her engagement to a very staid, traditional man and then in the midst of an investigation into the weird happenings surrounding a teenage girl in a remote area in the south of Britain where she runs into traditions that counteract everything her psychology training prepared her for.

There are a lot of fantastic moments in this book, mostly of the creepy and tension-fueled sort; especially in the third act of the book. Sadly, those moments only serve to highlight the repetitiveness of scenes in the first and second acts of the book, the bumpy pacing, the inconsistent characters, and the let-down I felt at certain plot revelations. I also felt there were certain plot points that either felt too convenient or too abrupt and loose story threads that never got resolved.

If it weren’t for some fantastic imagery and the absolute balls-to-wall climax and finale to this book I would’ve rated it lower. As it is, I had to think it over before I decided on three stars. Do I recommend it? Not really? But I won’t say it’s not worth checking out from a library.

I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. All reviews rated three stars or under will not appear on my social media. Thank you.

A 13 year old being haunted by a witch! I was pulled quickly into this at the beginning, the elements of possession and horror. It was a unique blend between a psychological thriller and complete fear!

It did fall a little lackluster towards the end for me, but overall it was an interesting and atmospheric read!

I was skeptical going into this book because possession stories are usually not my thing well…this one surprised me. I had moments where I felt a bit creeped out and this held my interest!
Well done!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This book was captivating and held my attention the entire time! It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, it felt very much like a blast from the past, but I enjoyed it regardless. It was one of those books where you spend the majority of the time trying to figure out whether certain characters are being truthful or not. I kinda saw the direction it was headed, but still had lots of small surprises along the way. I would recommend if you like mystery, thrillers, and a touch or horror!