The MC in this book is a newly minted child psychologist who goes with a journalist, Sam, to find out what’s really happening to a teen girl, Alice. According to the townspeople, she’s got a witch in her. As you can imagine, this doesn’t go well in this small town filled with suspicions and deadly traditions.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

This book was so creepy! This book had me feeling paranoid and Erie while reading it. I didn’t really like the ending so glad to take away from the book for me. I like the way the author built in the suspense and evoked emotion while writing.


Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Something in the Walls” by Daisy Pearce is a dark, atmospheric journey into a modern-day witch hunt set in 1989. Pearce expertly combines elements of horror and psychological thriller with historical echoes, creating an unsettling yet captivating exploration of grief, fear, and superstition. This book explores the supernatural stories that often captivate entire small towns while also showing the problems with the superstitious small-town mentality.

The story follows Mina Ellis, a recently qualified child psychologist mourning her brother's death. She meets Sam, a journalist grieving his daughter, and through their shared experiences, Sam introduces her to an unusual case in the isolated village of Banathel. Thirteen-year-old Alice Webber is being accused of witchcraft by the locals, who believe a witch haunts the chimney of her family’s home. Mina, eager to gain experience, is pulled into a setting thick with dread, folklore, and a secret that shows that the real monsters are humans.

Pearce’s writing is richly detailed, and her depiction of the oppressive heat and creeping dread in Banathel is both tangible and evocative. The chilling atmosphere and suspenseful setup initially grip you, drawing you right into a plot that balances the supernatural and psychological with tantalizing ambiguity. As Mina tries to help Alice, questions arise: is Alice truly possessed by a witch, or is this all a manifestation of mass hysteria, fueled by the town's deep-seated folklore? The witch haunting felt really distinct and unique, separating it from standard ghost haunting, like with the chimney aspect.

The book deftly tackles themes of fear, mob mentality, and the human capacity for cruelty. In Banathel, tradition and suspicion blend dangerously, leading to actions that echo historical witch hunts. Mina’s quest for closure for her brother’s death and her self-discovery add depth to her character, making her a unique protagonist grappling with both internal and external demons. While “Something in the Walls” starts strong, maintaining a steady tension through most of its plot, the climax takes an unexpected turn as the story focuses more on the horror that is human nature.

Overall, “Something in the Walls” offers an unsettling blend of the supernatural and the all-too-human. This is an intriguing story that sheds light on the darkness lurking in human nature. Pearce’s writing is captivating, and this book is bound to be a favorite among fans of eerie, introspective horror.

Ok. This book was realllly good. It is unlike books I normally read, but I am so glad I gave it a chance. I will def give a longer review after a reread closer to release date, but kudos on this book!!

Mina is a newly graduated child psychologist who gets persuaded to go to a small town called Banathel to assess a thirteen year old girl named Alice that the town believes is possessed by witches. Superstitions run deep with the locals and Mina is racing against the clock to find out what is real before the town takes the matter into their own hands.

I had nightmares of witches in my vents for 2 nights straight. I woke up sweating with heart palpitations but I still couldn’t put it down. Honestly I don’t think I’m a fan of creepy stories but this one was well written and the ending (really the entire book) took me by surprise!

Thank you @stmartinspress for this advanced read. Visit my goodreads for the full review and be on the lookout for this one in February

Absolutely amazing! Although there were times where things dragged on more than they needed to which made me almost put the book down. But overall, the eeriness that stuck with you while you read was one off my favorite things about it.

This book had me on the edge of my seat immediately. The FMC is someone you’re rooting for the whole way through hoping she gets the answers she’s desperately seeking.

Whoa. I don't know what it is about folk horror, but I find it so disturbing. Something in the Walls is a must read. The plot is amazing. I loved the idea of a reporter and a child psychologist going to investigate a teenager supposedly haunted by a witch. The setting is fabulous too. The small town with their hagstones and their belief in witches was very unsettling. There are some genuinely creepy moments with Alice and the possible witch. I was thinking this was going to be a four-star read for me because, though I was enjoying it, I was disappointed that Mina wasn't using her psychologist skills more. But then we get to the climax. It was not what I was expecting at all. There was one scene I found so horrifying I actually put my hands in front of my eyes and was peeking through my fingers to read. Ridiculous, but true. I could hardly read it, I was so disturbed. The ending was perfection. The final two sentences actually gave me chills. Wow. I had hoped this book would be good, but it was so much better than I was expecting. Highly recommended! Particularly if you like folk horror. I will definitely be looking to see what Daisy Pearce comes up with next.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

This was pretty good! The suspense and tension was definitely there and the villain was suitably atrocious. It didn't really move past being a fun thriller though.

Something in the Walls is a haunting and suspenseful read that drew me in right from the start. Daisy Pearce skillfully combines eerie atmosphere with gripping storytelling, making it hard to put down. Perfect for anyone who loves a blend of psychological thriller and supernatural elements.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group, for the opportunity to read this ARC—it was a thrilling experience!”

It’s not easy to scare me with horror novels, but this was genuinely scary. Like, enough to make me uncomfortable lol. The Midsommar and Haunting of Hill House comparisons were what drew me in, plus a plot line about a young girl in a remote village with disturbing symptoms who claims to be haunted by a witch.

A humorous and heartwarming novel about family's imperfect bonds. Lila Kennedy navigates divorce, daughter drama, and a crumbling career, only to face her toughest challenges yet: a blended family and a long-lost father's return. Can love and forgiveness heal even the deepest fractures?

This was a good read.

Okay, I LOVED this book! I could not put it down and read it in just over 24 hours. It was so easy to read, written in a style that flowed well while also giving me visceral reactions to many scenes. I thoroughly enjoyed the elements of possession, witchcraft, small town dynamics, hysteria, SA and mental health, and generational trauma. There was a great blend of supernatural and psychological suspense. I also loved Mina as a character and felt so invested in her story! The only thing I wish was expanded on more was her relationship with Sam and more about what exactly was in the walls. while I like the mystery and eeriness of uncertainty, I also just had so many questions! I have never read Daisy Pearce before, but am adding all her books to my TBR now!

From the moment I laid eyes on Something in the Walls, I was captivated—This book is part supernatural, part historical fiction, delving deep into the psyche of a modern-day witch hunt, where folklore and horror blend seamlessly, leaving you questioning what is real and what is mere illusion.

Mina, a newly-minted child psychologist, is drawn into the disturbing world of Alice, a young girl haunted by an otherworldly presence. What starts as a professional inquiry quickly unravels into something far darker. Mina finds herself entangled in a broken home and a village steeped in superstition. The eerie tension escalates as I followed her journey, caught between the rational explanations she desperately clings to and the chilling possibility that something sinister lurks just beyond the veil.

The narrative kept me guessing—each twist and turn had me second-guessing my assumptions, and just when I thought I had the mystery figured out, Pearce pulled the rug out from under me. I was left on edge, my heart racing, as I pondered the true nature of the haunting. Is it a supernatural curse, or are the demons Mina faces rooted in the very fabric of human nature?

Despite the intensity of the characters’ struggles, I found none of them particularly likable. Yet, this only fueled my desire to see them prevail. Mina and Alice grapple with a lack of support from those around them, which amplifies the stakes of their journey. I championed for them, hoping they would find the strength to confront the darkness that surrounded them.

Pearce's writing evokes a visceral reaction, prompting reflections on grief and societal expectations. The haunting line, "Sometimes I wonder how our many-chambered hearts can stand the loss all these years," struck a chord, reminding me of the emotional baggage we carry. The historical echoes of women being sent away for their perceived failings—“You know that used to happen a lot? Women being sent away to institutions…”—make it clear that the ghosts of the past still haunt us today.

Ultimately, Something in the Walls left me with a sense of unease, as if I had been led down a rabbit hole where every shadow could hold a hidden truth. It’s a chilling exploration of female justice, supernatural questioning, and the peculiarities of small-town life. As I turned the final pages, I was left wanting more—more depth, more revelations, and perhaps even more ghosts to chase.

Daisy Pearce has crafted a haunting tale that is sure to resonate with witch girls, goth girls, and anyone drawn to the darker corners of storytelling. I am grateful to have received this as an ARC, and I can’t wait to add a physical copy to my collection. This book deserves to be displayed in all its glory, a reminder of the thin line between reality and the shadows lurking just out of sight.

Something in the Walls is not my normal genre of book. I decided to give myself something else to read for a change and boy did I get a change. Something in the Walls had me checking under my bed before jumping in at night. Witch hunts and witch hunters are something that I though had disappeared in the Middle Ages. But living in a very isolated area, could have other consequences and histories that never had the chance to be cleared up among the population. Poverty and lack of education seems to leave the residents particularly on edge. Ready to believe that something sinister is happening in their village.
While I'm not a horror book reader at the besst of times, I must admit that I could not put this book down. It will have your spine tingling as you read.

To me, this was a sexy little mashup of the wicker man and the conjuring. absolutely obsessed with the vibes of this one. folklore, witches, small town hysteria. it's got it all.

i LOVED mina. complex and soft. she was perfect. the side characters felt real and fleshed out. one of the few books to have actually scared me. i legitimately had to turn my light on at some point because it freaked me out. the slow burn of horror in certain scenes was so GOOD. i can't get over it.

I really liked this book, so much so that I found one of Daisy Pearce’s older books and read it right after this one! This had just the right amount of horror, mystery, and character work. I unfortunately figured out the mystery quite early on, but even so the author managed to wrongfoot me because I did not see the climatic events coming, which featured some genuinely unbearable moments of body horror. 4/5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for letting me read an ARC of this book.

Something in the Walls is the third book by novelist Daisy Pearce, a British author with a passion for mythology and true crime. Mina is a recently graduated child psychologist who is bored with her life and struggling to get over the death of her brother, Eddie. When her bookish fiancé pushes her to go back to grief group, she meets a reporter, Sam, who is hoping to investigate claims of a teenager possessed by a witch. His newspaper has asked him to investigate to see if this is a real deal haunting or something less sinister - a con or mental illness. When he asks Mina to try out her new psychological chops on this teenager, she agrees to go with Sam to live in the teenager's home to try and determine if this is a ~real~ haunting.

This was fun! It had excellent creepy October vibes and I had a great time reading it. A great combination of witches, ghosts, medieval witch hunt vibes, and true crime. My one complaint is that not everything was resolved at the end of the book - it was not ever totally clear what exactly had been going on. Definitely atmospheric and creepy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I really liked it!

✅ Horror
✅ Thriller
✅ Ghosts & witches
✅ Witch hunt
✅ True crime

📅 - Something in the Walls will be available February 25, 2025

🙏 Thank you so much to Daisy Pearce & St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC through NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!!

What a ride!! The heavy, paranoid atmosphere that just keeps building throughout the book. The hidden agendas and forces with sinister intentions. The twisted folklore infecting a small town. Poor Mina, caught up in it all!

I just loved this - it was everything I wanted out of a horror novel and more. Absolutely unnerving at times, I couldn't look away.

I have a lot of unanswered questions and I think that’s what’s bothering me the most. It was very obvious the story had a supernatural element and a bewitching but it was never solved. Alice and her family got up and left and what? The witch stayed behind in the burnt house? No closure for me on that end and that’s why it’s 3 stars