as a new phycholigist Mina has no experience. As she is experiancing the heat in Britain, she anxiously contemplates her upcoming marriage to Oscar. Mina meets journalist Sam Hunter. They are both at a grief group. Sam has a proposition for Mina: A 13 -year-old girl, Alice Webber. Alice claims a witch is living in her fireplace. Alice also believes this witch is haunting her. Alice lives with her family in the small village of Banathel, Alice believes her symptoms are getting worse.

By taking this job Mina will get experience. Sam will get the story of a lifetime; and Alice will, hopefully get better. Alice’s behavior becomes more intense and harder to explain. In Banathel the people have a long history of superstition and witchcraft, which they have their own way of handling. thanks netgalley

This book was a solid 3 for me - not terrible, not great - just a solid read. "Something in the Walls" definitely had a creep factor and witchy vibes. I thought it was a bit more promising in the beginning and then it started to lose me toward the middle. The author has very detailed writing, which I enjoyed. I'll plan to check out some of their other works!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Something in the Walls is a fast paced, suspenseful, cold chill inducing novel that covers subjects such as the history of witchcraft, child psychology, and the ideology of what makes someone a 'bad' person. This book kept me up reading well into the night, which wasn't probably the smartest move on my part since Daisy Pearce writes horror with a fine-tuned pen.

In 'Something in the Walls' we meet Mina, fiancée of Oscar, newly graduated child psychologist, and a sister who is grieving the loss of her brother Eddie back when they were teenagers. It's this grief that sends her to a group meeting where we are introduced to Sam, journalist by trade and father of the late seven-year-old Maggie. While their grief initially brings them together, when Sam starts investigating a case out in the countryside of a fourteen-year-old girl who is supposedly being haunted or possessed by a witch, he reaches out to Mina for professional advice on the girl in question, Alice Webber. With colorful and descriptive prose, we find ourselves in the small village of Banathel, with its strange customs and inhabitants. With numerous twists, turns, and spooky happenings, this novel is a wild ride of superstition, witchcraft and its historical practices, and villains both real and imagined.

While main character Mina is well-written, a female with just enough backbone to make her interesting, the main male characters are all rather lackluster. Mina's fiancée Oscar is quickly revealed to be a man of low morales, and while Sam first seems to be an interesting character, he quickly loses all personality and becomes less interesting than a bag of beans. Whether this is by design to help Mina shine, or if it just happened this way, I found myself wishing to see less and less of him on the page as the novel progressed.

This novel really shines in its supernatural and horror elements. The plot was intriguing, there was a lot of historical information about witches given that was very interesting to me as a reader, and the horror elements were so expertly crafted that I had literal goosebumps while reading the novel. However, the ending left more than a little to be desired for me, with more questions left unanswered than I typically like. Whether this was by purposeful on the author's part to let our imaginations craft our own endings for the characters, I felt like some of the ending was less realistic than the idea of a witch inhabiting the chimney of a house (like how does a family with no means to their names, and no vehicle, successfully abscond without a trace in the middle of the night??). Some aspects of the story felt like they were overlooked at the ending, whether they were forgotten about or perhaps the author couldn't think of a way to satisfactorily tie off their threads, I'm not sure. However, for me it took away some of the enjoyment of an otherwise well executed horror novel. While I overall really enjoyed this book, I wish some of the male characters could have exhibited some character growth, and I wish more questions from the book had been given to us at its conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur books for providing me with an ARC copy of this novel.

“Something in the Walls” had me on edge but was so good, I couldn’t put it down. We meet Mina, a child psychologist who meets Sam, (a journalist) while attending a grief support group. Sam wants Mina to meet Alice, a young teen being haunted by a witch. Skeptical at first, Mina approaches Alice’s situation from a clinical perspective but feels the presence of something sinister. There were so many deep, unexpected twists and turns in this book, but they were well timed and delivered. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the eARC.

Something In The Walls by Daisy Pearce  is a horror novel about a child psychologist who tries to help a young girl who everyone thinks is possessed.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher St. Martin's Press, and 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)
The small town of Bathanel has a history of superstition based on witchcraft.

Mina, a child psychologist with no field experience, has been convinced to look into the case of Alice Webber, a young girl whose family is convinced she is being haunted by a witch.  Mina is intent on proving them wrong. 

Sam Hunter, who Mina met at a grief counselling group that she has been attending, is a journalist who thinks there may be something to Alice's story.

Both Mina and Sam have lost someone, and are still haunted by their own actions, and this case may help them both.  So Mina leaves her soon-to-be husband, and in the the midst of a stifling heatwave, enters the crowded home of the Webber family, where she soon discovers that not everything is as it seems.

Although Mina is sure that the surrounding family and friends are making matters a great deal worse for poor Alice, she is a little worried about some of the incidents.  As well,  the beliefs of the town seem to be overwhelming, but they don't expect her to truly understand the rather sinister traditions of the town.  Mina's own life will be put on the line.

 

My Opinions:
Well, I was pleasantly surprised by this one.  It really is horror.  The author created a suspenseful, haunting, and atmospheric tale filled with foreboding and vivid descriptions.  It was creepy, captivating and surprising.  I was really impressed by the writing.

There were very few characters that I truly liked, and many I hated.  None of them were perfect, and that includes Mina and Sam.  However, the plot was intriguing, with a couple of twists near the end that threw me.  The ending was abrupt, and that was perfect!

It is a dark tale.  I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Anyway, until next time....

“The Exorcist” meets “The Witch” in an 80s setting that I can’t call “fun”, but definitely captivating. Make no mistake, this is a slow-burn. Rather than going for edge-of-your-seat terror, this book builds a creeping sense of dread that I really enjoyed for about 3/4 of the book. The last quarter of the book or so was where I have to ding a star, because it felt like it did a 180 and went in a direction I never saw coming… and not necessarily in the best of ways. I was left with questions at the end of the book, some of which felt intentional (things that didn’t actually need to be clear). That said, the last few pages were unputdownable and the actual last scene left me satisfied if surprised that we ended up where we did.


I’d recommend if you’re looking for 80s nostalgia and are ok with a slow, steady ride. If you’re looking for horror that will spook you senseless, this won’t be it.

I loved the premise of this book: a newly graduated child psychologist goes to stay with a family whose teenage daughter may be possessed by a witch. Set in the 1980s, the small village they live in feels very isolated.

I thought there were a few genuinely creepy moments in this book, especially one scene involving a chimney. I also liked the folklore. I didn’t care much for the main character’s blundering around and continuously putting herself in potentially dangerous situations. I could only shake my head as she yet again forgot to do something, or said something she shouldn’t have. I also thought that one of the twists was very predictable, but maybe I’ve just read too many thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

This one unfortunately wasn’t for Me. I DNF around the 30%mark. Found it too slow and couldn’t connect to the story or characters.

A young psychologist joins a journalist investigating a possible possession in a small town. This book started out strong, nice creepy vibes and intriguing story. However, about halfway through the story stalled and didn’t pick up till the last 40 pages where it concluded in a completely different direction. So many unanswered questions! Some will really enjoy this book, but it just wasn’t for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book.

I had very high hopes for this read and if feel short for me. It hurts me to say that I did not like this book. I wanted more from this book! I felt like the Author was trying to very hard to make this book a Horror read.

Something in the Walls is a creepy and tense horror novel that captivated me from the start. I knew after reading the blurb that this would be a must read for me, and it did not disappoint. I flew through it! It also gave me such a cold sense of dread which is something I haven’t felt from a book in a while so that was a major win. And the twist? Didn’t see that coming! Now I can see why this is compared to Midsommer. If you haven’t seen that movie, you should BTW although there’s a few scenes that made my stomach churn!

Anyway, I really can’t say much because I don’t want to spoil it but this is a book about a reporter and psychologist who go to the home of a teen girl where strange things are happening. Is it a witch? Is it mental illness? Or something more sinister? You’ll have to read to find out! Just don’t be surprised if you read it in one sitting! I highly recommend it.

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭒
This definitely wasn’t what expected, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t enjoy it.

In a word, I would say this book was eerie. The feeling it evoked was one of discomfort but like, in a good way? It’s the kind of book that would make an excellent movie, because of the atmosphere it creates. The language the author used to describe how Mina was feeling, whether it was physically, mentally, or emotionally, was done creatively and effectively. So much so, that I collected a few to share: “There is a deep feeling of menace, sleek and slippery, uncoiling inside me”; “An insectile itch crawls up my spine and into my scalp. It burrows and slithers and makes me want to rip off my fucking skin”; “as if my skin were flayed and my nerves exposed, how her gaze had substance, the texture of sand in an open wound” - the efficacy of these quotes in evoking a feeling of familiarity and unease is impressive to me.

This would also be a great read for spooky season, but since it’ll be released next week on Feb 25th, I don’t know that you should wait that long.

~👩🏻‍🦰

So disturbing but in the best way. This book legitimately scared me a couple of times. I was hooked in the beginning, persevered through a slow middle, & was on the edge of my seat for the ending. Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy.

I mostly liked this. It was like a moody pg-13 horror movie. The kind you can rewatch all the time because it disturbs you just enough to entertain you while still being able to sleep after. I clocked most of the plot, (much like with the prev. mentioned pg-13 horror) It didn’t reinvent the wheel or anything but it’s still a decent ride.
The writing was more dense. It dragged a bit in the middle and I have some unanswered questions. I don’t think this is a story that holds up to logic scrutiny but that’s not really a dealbreaker for me. The ending was a strong point.
★ ★ ★

Something in the Walls
by Daisy Pearce
Pub Date: Feb 25 2025

"Something in the Walls" was a slow build for me. It has a creepy, chilling, full of dread witchy supernatural vibe to it. It is scary, so if you like reading scary books I definitely recommend this book!

Synopsis: Mina is a new child psychologist struggling to get her feet underneath her. She is grieving the loss of her brother and attending a support group where she meets Sam, a journalist. Sam invites Mina to join him in investigating a young girl named Alice, who claims she is being haunted by a witch.

Many thanks to #Netgalley #SomethingInTheWalls #StMartinsPress for providing me with an E-ARC of this book.

Just finished this book and feel as if I already forget it. Not my favorite book from NetGalley. If I had borrowed this from the library, I would have DNF'd it, but since it's for NetGalley, I kept going. It did pick up in the second half, but this just wasn't my style of book. I like more classic style thrillers and this was a bit mystery/horror/paranormal which just wasn't for me. I really appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion!

While this book wasn't my cup of tea, I don't at all think it was a badly written book. I think fans of Stephen King, Simone St. James, and Midsommar would enjoy this. It had moments of what am I reading and is this actually happening that keep you on your toes the whole time.

If you’re in the mood for a creepy, slow-burning psychological horror with a heavy dose of folklore and paranoia, Something in the Walls might be up your alley. The book follows Mina, a newly certified child psychologist who, despite her lack of experience, takes on a strange and unsettling case. A 13-year-old girl named Alice insists she’s being haunted by a witch, and her small village, steeped in superstition, is all too willing to believe her.

The atmosphere in this book is fantastic. Pearce does an incredible job setting the scene—the sweltering heatwave, the eerie isolation of the village, and the unsettling glimpses of something just out of sight all work together to create an oppressive, skin-crawling tension. There were moments that reminded me of Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt or A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay, particularly in the way the supernatural elements creep into the characters’ minds, making you question what’s real and what’s imagined.

That said, while the eerie vibes were strong, the story itself didn’t fully land for me. Mina often felt more like a detective than a psychologist, which made some of her decisions feel off. The plot had a lot of potential but lost steam in the middle, wandering a bit before taking a turn I personally found disappointing. Without spoiling anything, the resolution didn’t quite tie everything together in a satisfying way, and some character actions just didn’t feel believable.

Despite my issues with the story, I can still see this being a hit for readers who love folk horror, unsettling small-town secrets, and witchy themes. Even if the ending didn’t fully work for me, the book kept me hooked with its chilling imagery and oppressive atmosphere. If you’re looking for something eerie and different, it’s worth checking out—you might just love it more than I did.

SOMETHING IN THE WALLS
BY: DAISY PEARCE

I usually never read books about the malevolent witches or books that are horror, and I made an exception for this and it's OUTSTANDING! I'm usually very superstitious and stay away at all costs, but something impulsive had me choose this, and it was a totally gripping reading experience that has me wanting to seek out this Author's, Daisy Pearce's other novels if they are available here. I didn't really like the ending, but this was a total edge of your seat gripping reading experience. I wouldn't watch anything like this, but I really liked Mina Ellis's character who is a newly recent child psychologist that meets a newspaper man named Sam at a bereavement group. I think why this APPEALED to me is Mina's rationale that I could hold onto as a grounded, rational child psychologist that didn't think that the young girl that Sam proposes for Mina to help named Alice, was really seeing a witch through the cracks in her chimney of her bedroom.

I didn't think that this particular publisher offered something which I would have to say is more Horror genre than Thriller or Mystery category so I didn't expect it to be as intense as it was. I read it at night also with everyone sleeping straight through in one sitting. There were moments of spine tingling scary moments that really weren't explained other than the misogynistic ending which for me was more unbelievable than the unexplained moments of pure fright. I suppose since the ending struck me as incredulous I didn't end up having nightmares to most of the content.

Alice says that she keeps seeing a witch watching her and Mina's belief that there was an explanation helped me to deal with the frightening parts of the book. When they went to check out that neighborhood of abandoned buildings and the unexplained presence that was not explained were creepy. As long as Mina thought there was an explanation I felt safe. This is one that I'm glad that I read, although it isn't a topic that I want to read too much of, I do recommend it enough for those who want a creepy horror novel, this is one that I'd recommend because except for the over the top ending it is exceptionally one that is just over 300 pages, and I'm surprised there are less reviews. I thought most of it could be plausible if you're superstitious like me.

Mina lost her brother Eddie and Sam lost his daughter. I did like the very end and most of the novel up until the point where it comes to the point where It's nearing the end and it's not easily disclosed without ruining it. I am sorry that's not helpful, but I can remember this very vividly, and I moved this up in the queue since I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. I do recommend this as more horror than Thriller and will hope that Her first Kindle book is available here since I am aware that the Author is from the UK. I'm going to check if her first Kindle book is available in the U.S.
Seriously, I didn't know St. Martin's Press published something like the content presented in this novel, so that was part of the reason I was so brave about reading this, or Minotaur Books. I hope they will consider something similar in the future. I would highly recommend it, and hope that this author's other work is available. It was a Five Star Worthy novel.

Publication Date: February 25, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Daisy Pearce and, St. Martin's Press--Minotaur Books for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#SomethingintheWalls #DaisyPearce #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley

For me, this was a great mix of psychological thriller and horror! The small town during a heat wave creates the perfect claustrophobic setting, only adding to the creepiness. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book started out so captivating but as it went on it started to really lose me. There were also a lot of grammatical errors that were distracting.