Not your typical folk horror novel. Barnett gives us something fresh, chilling, and shocking. I wasn’t sure where the story would end up, and as someone who tends to guess plots pretty easily, it was so nice to have my jaw on the floor by the end. I would love to see this adapted into a film. I could vividly picture every scene, and I think that speaks to the talent of the author.

This is one of the best folk horrors I've read. It's a perfect mix-up of all the folk horror tropes I love - creepy town, rituals, townsfolk in animal masks (that part made me think of the Wicker Man!). The strange town in question here is Withering Hill, a place where Sophie goes and we find out why through a mix of past and present timelines.

At it's heart, this is a book about our connection to nature and the land; and how disconnected we are in our current time. It's also about being the best version of yourself, owning up to your mistakes and learning from them. If you don't, you might just get eaten by Owd Hob.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book.

An intriguing horror novel of multiple time lines. Sophie leads an empty life of endless Tinder dates and drunken nights out when she's recruited to work for a data entry firm who have a mysterious mission for her. In another timeline, Sophie arrives in Withered Hill a village cut off from the rest of England that clings to its ancient traditions. At first she tries to escape and later she comes to love the place. But how did she get there, and why is she told she has to leave sooner or later.

An interesting book with a complicated structure.

This was such a nostalgic read as I grew up in Lancashire so it was really fun to go back to my roots and see it from a fictional perspective!

The setting is very atmospheric and rich in folk lore and superstition.

There is a lot of timeline jumps which some have commented as disorientating, but I find when you settle into the book and get accustomed to the story line you begin to enjoy the flow.

The plot follows Sophie and how she found herself in a place called Withered Hill with no memory as to how she got there. There is a creepy unsettling presence to the town and supernatural elements.

I’d say go into this read blind and let the plot take you by surprise.

Thank you to David Barnett, Canelo and NetGalley for the EARC.

Publish date: September 26th

This was a well-written thriller based on Old English myth and lore, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Set in alternating timelines/perspectives, we get to see the Before and After of our MFC Sophie coming to Withered Hill simultaneously, which I feel was an excellent way of building the intrigue of the novel and keeping the reader hooked without moving the plot too quickly.

The mystery of the novel is maintained fairly well, I think, due to the flipping between Before and After, and the vagueness of the situation she finds herself in. I think the suspense itself was so intense precisely because of how low-key the scenes were - the other characters treated the events as normal, and it added to Sophie's fear of the unknown and really caused it to bleed from the page!

Fantastic read!

Phew. That was a great book. I'm still catching my breath. Thank you Netgalley. Despite the book being British, the folklore horror really resonated with me as someone from Appalachia.

Not going to lie, I was swayed by good reviews, particularly one that compared this storie to Midsommar, Evil Dead, and the Stepford Wives. Yes to the first and third, no to the second (aside from some questionable tree stuff that barely features, thankfully). Another review says it's like Black Mirror meets the Wickerman and that is also kind of true?

Barnett writes well and I found myself getting lost in the story multiple times, until there was another startling time jump. The story jumps back and forth and while, in the end, there was a reason for it that worked out, I still just don't like it. I find it takes me out of the story when we're suddenly in another time with another character, which is why I'm only rating this 4 instead of 5 stars.

Because the story is quite good. I had a sense of what the true mystery was by halfway through, just from reading so much - not just horror, but mythology and legends too. If you are the same, then you'll likely work out the ending far in advance too, but I'll say it's still a satisfying story to read through and finish.

It's also upsetting at times. Bad things happen, people aren't punished (kind of), and while it's not relentless, there's this permeating sense of eerie darkness throughout the whole story. Like everything is just a little off... and I liked that! I loved the entire atmosphere Barnett develops throughout the story, and it really builds up to the climax. I won't claim a satisfying ending (again, kind of) but I think most will enjoy it or find it fitting within the world of the story.

This is a book I'd love to discuss with a group, to hear their thoughts and opinions on Withered Hill's traditions lol

4/5 stars, very good aside from constant time jumps interrupting me. I love a good folk horror!

Engaging, immersive, and nicely spooky. A recommended purchase for collections where horror is popular.

Thanks to Canelo_Co and NetGalley for this copy of "Withered Hill."

"Sometimes very bad girls who continue to be bad....sometimes Owd Hob takes them for his wife."

This folk horror book was amazing. To build suspense and unfold the story, it's told in multiple timelines: before Sophie goes to Withered Hill and throughout her year there.

I couldn't put it down and the ending was just phenomenal. Author Barnett crafted an immersive "place" in Withered Hill that is isolated and where natural law works differently than "Outside."

Don't miss this one, especially near Halloween!

Sophie is in a dead-end job with all her friends getting married off, when things take a turn for the better - or so it seems. With a new job and a new man coming around, she can pretend she doesn't have a drinking problem and that certain things in her life didn't happen. But Sophie will awaken in a place called Withered Hill, naked and with no memory of how she got there. In this strange place, living according to their pagan customs, she must find a way to escape... if only the trees would let her...

I saw this title on a TikTok video and since I love folk horror, I added to my TBR - only to be thrilled to discover it was available on Netgalley. This was a fast read, moving between several timelines: one of Sophie's old life, one beginning her time in Withered Hill, and the third as she is readying to leave. It wasn't until the end that it made sense how these timelines would reveal all the secrets and converge. Sophie wasn't especially likeable but her confusion and avoidance of the past were relatable. I really enjoyed the pagan aspects of the story, with all the strange feast days that brought to mind movies like "Midsommar" and "The Wicker Man." This was a great read as the weather moves into autumn: some grisly moments and genuine creepiness.

David Barnett's Withered Hill moves between the ultra hectic world of London and a secluded Lancashire village with the end result being a deeply unsettling tale that will appeal to lovers of horror fiction; particularly folk horror.

With nods to one of the UK's infamous 'unholy trinity' of films, Withered Hill is still very much its own beast, using different timelines and perspectives to construct a dark, foreboding account of what can happen when your past catches up with you. Sophie Wickham finds herself caught up in a nightmare that stretches back to her childhood and it's an absolute joy to encounter new characters placed in her path and grapple with plot twists, morality, mood and motivations along the way. Just when I thought I knew where the story was heading, something new came up to shred my expectations, which, for me, is the hallmark of a very fine book.

The traditional folk horror theme of merging the ancient and the modern works beautifully in Withered Hill, suggesting that 'the 'old ways' still hold sway in various locales which is both uplifting and chilling here. The titular village is so very well drawn; a place far removed from the pressures of everyday life, and it's characters equally so. Underneath its calm exterior lies a locale steeped in lore and barbarous practices that chill the spine; even more so as Barnett's powers as a writer induce the feeling that somewhere out there is a place that mirrors this setting.

Withered Hill is published by Canelo, and due for release on 23rd September 2024. Good to learn that Canelo have David signed up to write another folk horoor based book; title to be announced. This is an easy 5 star rating and a real pleasure to encounter a book that succeeds so very well within its chosen genre

Withered Hill follows Sophie, a troubled woman haunted by her past. She's drawn into a mysterious, isolated town where strange rituals and dark forces lurk. As she navigates this unsettling world, she discovers secrets about herself and the town's sinister history. The ending is shocking, leaving readers questioning the true nature of reality and the boundaries between life and death. While not overtly terrifying, the story's unsettling atmosphere and eerie characters create a memorable reading experience.

This was a very interesting folk horror tale for most of the book which, for me, fell off a bit at the end. One year ago Sophie Wickham wandered into the isolated village of Withered Hill. She was naked, alone and had no idea who she was, at first. As she gradually comes to discover the town’s inhabitants are quite out of step with the rest of the world with their obsession with folklore…and she is not permitted to leave, but she doesn’t know why, only that they promise she can at some point.

In another time line Sophie leads a crazy life in London. Then she begins getting odd messages warning her that something is coming for her. Weird, scary things start to happen.

There was an online component to this book, a la “Blair Witch,” I guess. I tried to do it, but it was pouring rain and it required me to go outside, so, wasn’t happening. Like I said, I really enjoyed the sense of menace in the book, the dual timelines made everything very confusing (in a good way) and I’m still not sure I totally got all that happened; a lot of things are thrown at you at once. Parts of it reminded me of the movie “Midsommer,” which I loved. I just did not love the end, but overall it was an enjoyable experience. Recommended.

Folk horror is an underrated genre. Full of creepy traditions that can sometimes be real.

Withered Hill had me interested from the beginning. I think the way the story is told from different timelines is really cool. I think it made me more curious to know what would happen. Though at times it could be confusing.

The book is perfect for fans of The Wicker Man and Midsommar. Check it out if you want to read a unique horror book!

Thank you to NetGalley, David Barnett, and Canelo for the opportunity to read it. I have written this review voluntarily.

Folk horror is one of my favorite genres of books to read, so I went into this one with high hopes, and it really delivered.

This book's opening immediately pulled me in. A girl who comes to running through a seemingly haunted forest with no memories of who she is and how she got there? I'm in. Give me more. This book plays with timelines in a very unique way, giving the reader snippets from both right before she arrives at Withering Hill, and while she's inside. Despite you having information from all of these different moments in time, you have absolutely no idea what's going on.

While you're trying to figure out what in the world is happening, there's a very fun haunted and eerie vibe throughout the book. I really enjoyed this, and I thought the clues and small reveals were dropped in at perfect intervals. I was absolutely not prepared for when the large reveals started to roll in. Everything came together in such a fun way, one that I wouldn't have been able to guess in a million years.

My only complaint is that I could Tell that the women in this book were written by a man. There were a few things that just didn't make sense for the character. For example, our young and modern female protagonist wears Chanel No. 5, which is a choice no one familiar with women's perfume would make (for those unaware, it's a scent I can guarantee you've smelled before and associated with very old women), and there were a few things that skewed on the stereotypical side. It didn't overall affect my enjoyment of the book, however.

Overall, if you're a fan of creepy slow burn folk horror, and A24 movies, you're probably going to like this! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 out of 5 stars
Withered hill follows Sophia Wickham in a dual-timeframe - before (outside) Withered Hill and inside Withered Hill.
On the outside, Sophie is a selfish person. Her baby sister, Emily, died when Sophie was 9, lost her parents in a car accident when she was in college. When the police came to talk to Sophie about Emily's death, the police woman told her that Owd Hob comes to take bad firls who turn into bad women as his wife. She sees what she assumes is Owd Hob in a cematary, and he cuts some of her hair.
She has a tightknit group of friends, but one by one they get married or move away, until it is only Sophie left to figure out her life. She is offered a job by a creepy stranger, but it's easy - data entry - and she is relieved to be bringing in some money since she is behind on her bills. Her ex, Jamie, had been unhealthily obsessed with her, and their relationship ended badly.
Sophie inside Withered Hill is confused and scared. She has emerged from the woods dirty and naked, and the townsfolk wear bloody animal heads and point her toward town. She beings to understand that she cannot leave, but she is not sure if it is because of the people in Withered Hill or the things she senses in the woods surrounding the town. They keep telling her she can leave "when she's ready." They have dark festivals and rituals, including Faunalia. She befriends Catherine, a teacher in Withered Hill who is allowed to go Outside and over the course of the next year become quite close.
As the clock winds down on the outside and Sophie on the inside starts to learn about how outside Sophie lived her life and gets closer to being able to leave, we're left in a dizzing stunner of an ending.
I didn't think this was really scary, but I dreamt about Owd Hob, so it must have been creepier than I thought. The story kept me intrigued, despite a strange scene where Inside Sophie has....relations with the woods.
There were elements of the book that I felt were a call to old-fashioned social methods of oppressing women, but I understand that this is based on a legend from the old-world, so I took that with a grain of salt. One of the fascinating twists at the end was the story of the twins. I have to say, I didn't see it coming. I probably should have, but I didn't.
All in all, it was a nice little creepy tale to kick off spooky season.

This was SO GOOD. Very eerie!

The plot follows Sophie, who finds herself naked and scratched up, with no memory of who she is, nor how she came to be in the unusual town she finds herself in.

From the get-go, I had no clue what was going on and loved every second of it. The people of Withered Hill are completely nuts, but at the same time there's a sad logic to the way they behave and the choices they make. Even their bizarre rituals make their own kind of sense.

The grey morality of this book was my favourite aspect - questionable things are done that have a clear logic, making the reader question who is really in the wrong. At the same time, there is a real menace over the town, creating an atmosphere that will make your skin crawl.

The book alternates between 'Inside' and 'Outside', so we witness the days leading up to Sophie's entry to Withered Hill, which are equally menacing. I really enjoyed the contrast, and followed events in each section with rapt attention.

I did enjoy the ending, but it felt a little heavy-handed on the exposition. Honestly, the way it wrapped up was mostly perfect but I still want MORE.

This was easy to devour, and is the perfect book to snag for Halloween season. It's an extraordinary blend of horror, thriller and mystery, with a fast pace and some clever considerations.

Highly recommend for horror fans!

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

Ooh this gave such creepy A24 vibes!

Atmospheric and eerie, you’re intrigued and on edge from the start.
Each chapter gives you a different point in time so you’re left off kilter, wondering what is going on and where it will lead you.

Perfect if you enjoy folklore, secretive small village horror.
I will admit I did keep imagining it was set in the village from Hot Fuzz.

An excellent accompaniment to the arrival of the spooky autumnal season.

4 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

32 year old Sophie Wickham’s life is adrift—her friends are moving on with marriages, babies, and travel, and she is wasting her days in dead-end temp jobs and numbing her nights with alcohol. But everything changes when she wakes up naked and disoriented, emerging from the woods into the village of Withered Hill.

I devoured Withered Hill in just two days—it’s an excellent folk horror novel, brimming with suspense and an eerie atmosphere. I was particularly impressed by the author’s detailed research into the Pagan festivals that are seamlessly woven into the story. Barnett’s storytelling is masterful, skillfully shifting between different timelines to craft a rich, tense tale. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, the plot would twist in a completely unexpected direction. The vivid setting of Withered Hill feels so real that you can almost imagine yourself living there, an unwitting participant in its dark secrets. The flawed yet compelling protagonist adds to the story's depth, pulling you further into its intrigue.

The slow-burn pacing, combined with those surprising twists, kept me captivated until the very end. If you’re a fan of dark, atmospheric mysteries, this is an absolute must-read.

A huge thanks to the author, Canelo, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this story was promising and the execution totally delivered! I enjoyed how the story was broken up between the different timelines and I was constantly wondering what was going to happen. Withered Hill is such an interesting place and I enjoyed learning about the lore of it and its inhabitants. I wasn't expecting the ending at all which I loved. It definitely captures that feeling of unease and dread that I look for in a horror novel.