From the moment they met, Jonathan met Nadia Gale have shared a deep and intense attraction. Sometimes love at first sight works, and sometimes it even feels preordained. While they share many experiences and personal interests, it takes some time before Jonathan can tear himself away from his work to indulge his lover’s fascination for the Neolithic standing stones in Landane. However, better late than never …

Or so Jonathan believes until the couple arrives at the small community, sees the many mysterious relics from a bygone age, and witness the changes they make in his girlfriend. Her personality alters, hardening a bit, and her obsessions rise to the surface just a little more. She talks about strange hidden histories as though they were not whispered theories but realities.

The longer they remain, the more they see, and the more stories Jonathan hears from concerned but friendly local pub owner (and Nadia’s confidant), Ken, the more concerned he becomes. However, there is no escaping the lure of Landane and its ancient mysteries. Whether he wants to or not, Jonathan has become ensnared in a situation that reaches back long before he was born, connecting him to an archaeological dig from the beginning of the twentieth century as well as a music festival that came to the area in the late 1960s.

In each of those periods, someone with an uncanny resemblance to Jonathan got mixed up in the supernatural truths behind the region’s eerie folklore. Will Jonathan be the next victim of the supernatural forces’ agenda, or will he discover the truth and put a rest to the strange purpose behind the stones?

Catherine Cavendish is the reigning queen of gothic horror, and it’s always a pleasure to read her new releases. The Stones of Landane arrives on bookstore shelves and eReaders in little over a week, and it offers another enjoyable excursion into Cavendish’s quirky and unsettling fictional worlds. The book is a welcome return to strange country where time is not quite constant, evil lurks underneath the ground, and even trusted companions can harbor ancient secrets and schemes.

For this work, Cavendish employs characters across three different timelines, whose stories will ultimately converge. A majority of the book is concerned with a contemporary setting with first person narratives told either from Jonathan or Nadia Gale’s perspective. There is also a meaty section involving privileged Olivia Anstruther defying her parents’ wishes and pursuing archaeological interests by joining a dig around the Neolithic stones near Landane. There, she will discover romance with young academic Grant Ford and together they will discover an aspect of the mysteries unknown to their future analogs. As well, there is a sequence set in the region during the trippy 1960s, which follows normally reserved Shelly Sullivan and her bestie Vicki Donald to Landane for a music festival. There they will learn about the sinister side of local folklore.

The character names suggest a deliberateness and cleverness on the part of the author. Nadia in particular has a surname which recalls that of another fictional character who is blown from her humdrum normal world into a far stranger one. While Nadia’s path is not the same as Dorothy Gale of The Wizard of Oz, she is nevertheless due to participate in an otherworldly adventure involving great and powerful beings, a masculine one that seems benignly aligned with humanity’s fortunes and a feminine one that seems opposed to their best interests.

As in previous Cavendish works, characters are not necessarily trapped in their own timeline. The mystical power of Landane seems to thin the walls of space-time, allowing characters to move backwards through time and interact with residents of the past. However, these indulgences are not prolonged, and the information gleaned is not always reliable since the supernatural forces have been present in the region from its earliest days. However, this adds some science fictional touches to the gothic horror. As well, this offers a nod to the Dark Shadows program (namechecked in the text during the 1960s sequence), which featured a plot where one of the characters was send back in time for several episodes. It’s a subject that has fascinated the author previously, appearing in different ways in both The Haunting of Henderson Close and The After-Death of Caroline Rand, and here it offers the readers a more rounded picture of what is happening, giving us more details than the characters quite know how what to do with. However, it really does play up the gothic horror theme of eternal conflict between light and darkness, another subject the author explores throughout her novels.

Cavendish’s descriptions and plotting are often cinematic in nature. We see the situations and characters clearly enough that her stories unfold like a good film or television program in the mind’s eye theater. However, the author is not afraid to give us glimpses of her characters’ rich internal lives, allowing us to understand their dreams and dreads, their desires as well as their needs and the conflicts that arise when these things butt heads.

With the challenge of three periods to write in, Cavendish nevertheless gives each sequence a temporal sense of its own character. Olivia shares some interests and outlooks with both Shelly and Nadia, but the three characters nevertheless remain distinct. The times they come from are very different in terms of expectations, requirements, and allowances for women, and those differences have clearly shaped these characters. Of the periods, the 1960s is the one that feels most lived in and overflowing with telling, personal details that make the time come alive. The other sections are well wrought and given enough detail to remain distinct from one another, but there’s a special spark in the way Shelly and Vicki talk about rock bands, drugs, sex, and other parts of their worlds that has a little special magic to come alive. This may be due to the research Cavendish did for her earlier book The After-Death of Caroline Rand, which has great sequences set during that period, but the way the characters talk and behave suggests a more personal influence that simple research.

Readers looking for a gory good time should probably seek their thrills elsewhere. Cavendish’s work is closer in spirit to the 1970s era horror films coming out of the UK, where suggestion and the uncanny are far more prevalent than shock, where the blood that does get shed is of a notably different color or texture than found in real life. The threats to mind and soul are much more thoroughly explored in The Stones of Landane than physical violence and its results. This is moody, atmospheric, and builds to a conclusion that, while not as happy as what we might find in a Dean Koontz book, is nevertheless not a downer, hopeless experience.

Catherine Cavendish offers another glimpse into an uncanny world where supernatural powers use mankind as their pawns, and only rare individuals can deny and defy them. With The Stones of Landane, the author delivers a gift of a novel, exploring a gothic horror adventure as it unfolds across over a century, through three distinct timelines and central character pairings. The novel is an intriguing one, rife with big ideas and cinematic plotting, and well-drawn characters. Mixing the cosmic and folk horror elements along with the stuff of classic gothic horror, Cavendish offers a rich stew of fright fiction elements that is satisfying but will also leave readers ready for the next helping.

4 Stars!



Catherine Cavendish has become one of my favorite writers over the past few years. Her brand of horror that builds on a simmer and draw on atmosphere that weighs on the reader's mind has never failed to entertain and terrify. Her books are not light reading material but they are very well-written and rewarding to readers brave enough to take on her imagination. The Stones of Landane promised to be more of the same and I was eager to test these dark waters.

Nadia seemed to be the perfect girl for Jonathan. It was love at first site when the two first met at a friend's party and thing just got better from there. They fit seamlessly into each other's lives and everything seemed perfect. It was as if they were destined to be together. When Nadia finally got Jonathan to agree to accompany her to Landane to visit the Neolithic stone circle there, Jonathan quickly learned that there was a dark side to Nadia he had never witnessed. He also comes to learn that they may have been destined to be together, but that destiny can be a very dark thing.

Nadia begins to change almost immediately upon arrival in Landane. This, along with some mysterious occurrences, make Jonathan begin to suspect that there is more to the stones than just a simple fascination on his girlfriend's part. Little does he suspect the central role he plays in the stones' destiny. As the story unfolds across multiple times in history, Jonathan soon learns of the struggle between good and evil that takes place in Landane and just how important both he and Nadia are to the balancing of the opposing forces and possibly the fate of the planet.

Fans of Cavendish are sure to love this new book as it is another strong work in Cavendish's quiet, somewhat Gothic style. She builds the story at a slow simmer over the course of the novel and takes the reader on trips through time to fill in the history of the stones as well as to hint at their future. There are three main settings (in time, as all take place in Landane) that can be a bit confusing at times, but Cavendish pulls it all together at the end. A forbidden romance at the dawn of the 20th century, a music festival in the psychedelic 1960's, and the modern world may not seem related, especially when stone age religions creep in, but Cavendish holds it together and everything is explained at the end.

Cavendish gives the reader a tour through a mythos of her creation that is compelling and captivating. I would not really classify this novel as a horror novel as it feels more like a dark fantasy than true horror, so some readers may not enjoy it as much as I did. Thie story is smartly told and has an impending sense of doom hanging over it, as well as more than a touch of a Lovecraftian feel, that makes it horrific through the oppressive atmosphere that leaves the reader always waiting for the shoe to drop. The one negative of the story is that it seems to kind of rush toward the end so that it felt like a little bit of a letdown at the conclusion. I understand the ending and it makes sense with the rest of the story, but it just did not feel as fleshed out as the rest of the story. It almost seemed like the mythos building took place and everything was set up, then it was time to end. Not the best way to end, but still not enough to keep this from being a very good novel. Catherine Cavendish and Flame Tree Press never fail to deliver, and The Stones of Landane is another excellent entry from two of the best in the business right now.

I would like to thank Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for this review copy. The Stones of Landane was released yesterday.

An entertaining and gripping mix of genre, I would define it a dark fantasy with urban elements. I enjoyed the story, the creepy atmosphere, and the excelllent world building.
Well done, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Our fascination with the past is strong. Not simply nostalgia but looking at what our more ancient ancestors were capable of and knowing the limited tooled and materials available it is often amazing what we can be capable of. In the UK we have many places of ancient monuments that predate the romans and have dotted landscapes foR thousands of years and we forget have puzzled not just modern audiences but every generation this is used very well in Catherine Cavendish very engaging horror novel The Stones of Landane which mixes the occult, folk horror and even archeology to create a fascinating tale.

Nadia and Jonathan are a young couple very much in love. Starting to reach the stage when they know they want to be around each other forever. Nadia decided she wants to show Jonathan a place she has long been connected to the small town of Landane and in particular its ancient stones. While Landane is charming and welcoming Jonathan starts to get disturbed by Nadia’s altering personality and strange dreams that haunt him at night. The couple decide to investigate and find Lamdane’s ancient and more recent past has many unexpected connections to themselves. A very long battle ot magics is coming to an end and the world will turn on the outcome.

I love it when a story surprises me not in the sense of the unexpected twisty surprise but simply when my reader expectations get an unexpected jolt. This is the type of storytelling that keeps you on your toes but knows how to deliver a great tale to savour on top.

We start in modern day Britain and I really liked how Nadia and Jonathan come to life especially as Cavendish uses Jonathan to tell the story. He’s refreshingly warm and kind but feels a recognisable young man you feel for them so as things get weird it has a pull. Nadia changes and we start to wonder if this is psychological, magical or a trap. The eerie dreams start to bleed into reality and it’s an interesting mystery to start the story.

Without getting two spoilers we then have two more plot threads set in 1900 and also 1967 all based around Landane. Cavendish cleverly creates two more very different types of tale. We move from modern day psychological to first in 1900 a more classical style archeological horror tale. We meet a young member of the gentry Olive and her close friend Grant. The story starts as a forbidden love due to being of different classes gets merged with a local professor starting to explore the stones and their finds. This too seems to starts to in motion. Cavendish really makes the tone quite different and throws enough detail of local history and culture that it feels a different location even when we know it’s just 120 years ago. More ghostly events get thrown in and strange mysteries that seem slightly connected to the modern day.

A further curve ball arrives in 1967 where we meet teenager Shelley about to go to a local music festival. Again Cavendish excels at changing the tone firstly the full on clash of swinging 60s youth against the more conservative adults of the time feels really well done but once we get the festival more strangeness begins. Shelley is fascinated with a trendy hippie named Mick and while that relationship grows again strange things happen in particular a powerful section focuses on a tormented rock star named Petra. This section feels more a 20th century occult take as more of the legends around the stones are told and some more clues as to what is going on get created. All these characters feel real and complex rather than simple cannon fodder for bad things and also echo the complex period they’re living in. We pretty much forget the larger take until some weird events start. It’s only here where we see the connections between the three periods and how the secrets of each tale are coming together.

Neatly we return to the modern day in the final part of the book and it’s quite ingenious how we then get all these tales revealed to be one larger mystical and ancient story. I loved the sense of mystery and magic that Cavendish created which builds to a more abstract conclusion that is quite satisfying although it does suddenly suggest more stories may be to come. I’m not totally against that idea though!

The Stones of Landane is an intriguing mix of the historical horror and more occult focused tales which uses its time jumps in an innovative and well told which that keeps you on your guard throughout, hugely enjoyable and perfect for a winter chiller. Highly recommended!

Jonathan accompanies his girlfriend Nadia to Landane, and she's drawn to the ancient Neolithic stone circle there. The more time she spends there, however, the more she begins to change.

We start with Nadia and Jonathan, and both are affected by the stone circle there. Dreams seem only too real, they see ghostly figures and seem to move through the area as if they already know it, especially Nadia. Then we see other couples in two other timelines that are tied to the circle, and they have similar reactions to the stones. It's in one of these story threads that we learn about the forces of dark and light that predate druids and seem to be focused on the stone circle. Once we learn about that, the story takes on a more sinister cast, and the people are caught up in a primordial battle between light and dark that uses the spirits of people as pawns.

I found this story creepy but not quite as horror-filled as some of her other novels. Maybe there's less death and destruction or bloody sacrifice, but there is still the future of the world hanging in the balance. I needed to know how that balance fell at the end, and that kept me drawn into the story. The ending itself felt a bit rushed, especially in comparison to some of her other novels.

This is the first of Catherine Cavendish’s books I’ve read and I’ll be dipping into her back catalogue on the strength of this atmospheric tale. Set around a stone circle and Neolithic burial chamber, and covering a surprising number of time frames, there’s a lot to keep track of but Cavendish juggles the different elements and keeps a clear distinction despite the increasing overlaps. It’s a gentle horror, rather than full on, with a focus on tension and atmosphere.

First off, I loved the atmosphere. Everything seems shrouded in mist and mystery.

There was quite a bit of character shifting. We start out with Nadine and Jonathan in modern times, this shift to Olivia and Grant in early 1900’s, then Shelley and Mick in the 60’s. Several points of view and time lines.

My favorite timeline/pov was Jonathan. He seemed a so utterly confused with everything supernatural and was just there to make sure Nadine was ok, whether she was going crazy or not.

The Stones of Landane by Catherine Cavendish is a tale of romance and destiny, steeped in tension and uncertainty.

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts on The Stones of Landane by Catherine Cavendish –
When a couple, Nadia and Jonathan, take a trip to Landane, it seems like it’s going to be a quiet stay as Nadia shows Jonathan around. While Nadia says she’s been there before, it soon becomes known that she doesn’t keep visiting just for the cozy stay at the local inn. There’s a local attraction that she can’t stay away from.

The longer they stay, the weirder things get.

With time, the couple finds themselves desperate to leave. But are they sucked too deep into the current of terror already or will getting out of town remove them from danger?

Of my gosh! I so love stories that have character and time jumps! The characters that we got to meet here were all so interesting. I was so sad when we’d move from one character to another, only because of wanted more from the character I was just with! But that sadness was short-lived as I was excited to see what was to come with the next character.

The oddities begin pretty early on, which helps to set the tone, and the storyline progresses in such a fun slow burn. Overall, this story has such an unsettling feel to it. And of course, because it’s Catherine, you can feel the weight of every scene. Whether that’s the warmth of the bar at the in, the pot-thick air of the festival, or the musty and earthy caverns.

My Favorite Passages from The Stones of Landane –
A narrow, carpeted staircase took us to the upper floor, where uneven floors creaked when you so much as looked at them and protested when you put your foot down.

He left me to my thoughts and the remains of my beer. I made short work of the Bud. but my thoughts remained as tangled as a plate of spaghetti carbonara.

Vicki’s lips moved. The words came out a fraction after her mouth uttered them. The bizarre effect made Shelly’s flesh creep. The words themselves did nothing to dispel her feeling of dread.

The woman in front of me opened her mouth and let out a sound that reminded me of a murder of crows. Maybe it was her version of laughter. It sounded to me like the gates of hell had just been flung open.

Outside the summer sun blazed but the cathedral provided a cool, calm place of solace and reflection. The crypt was another case entirely. Here it was as if winter had suddenly descended. I almost expected to see icicles hanging off the gargoyles.

My Final Thoughts on The Stones of Landane –
I’m all in for anything Catherine writes! I had an amazing time with this one. The slow build of dread was perfectly paced and incredibly impactful.

Keep an eye out for this one! The Stones of Landane publishes from Flame Tree Press on January 14, 2025!