something in the walls was an excellent read. The writing was propulsive and the character development was rich. I would read more from this author.

This was not a win for me. Daisy Pearce’s *Something in the Walls* starts with a compelling premise but struggles in execution. While the eerie atmosphere and village superstition add intrigue, the pacing drags, the protagonist’s choices feel unrealistic, and the plot relies too much on coincidences. The ambiguous ending may leave readers unsatisfied rather than spooked. It's a promising concept that doesn’t quite deliver for me.

Something in the Walls is one of those creepy tension filled stories that has you hooked from the first chapter! I could not get enough of the impending dread I felt the whole time I was listening to this book while questioning what was real and what wasn't.

How was the pace?

Slow burn

What to expect:

Tension
Impending dread
Atmosphere
Hints of horror

Thank you to @macmillanaudio for the gifted copy!
This was absolutely enthralling right from the start. I couldn't put this down - the mystery deepened and at times I got midsommar vibes. Parts of this were SO creepy! I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found this novel engaging, spooky, and ultimately satisfying.
This has some dark themes and some potentially triggering implied events (off-page). Take care when reading and be sure to check trigger warnings.

This book began with such a promising premise that it immediately drew me in. I was hooked from the start and found myself completely intrigued. The pacing, the aura, and the way the story unfolded kept me kept me invested. But when I reached the ending, I have to say, it was a letdown. Everything was progressing so well, and I was eagerly expecting a satisfying conclusion. Unfortunately, the ending left me feeling disappointed. A little unsettling - borderline ick.

Rating: 3.75 stars? 4 stars?

Ill start with "dang." This book had so much potential. The horror elements had me afraid to go into dark rooms alone. The witch's bottle, the long snakey fingers in the fireplace, the death. If the first 70% of the book carried its vibes all the way to the end, the book would have easily been a 5 star for me. The ending felt like every other "horror book" ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio/St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thirteen year old Alice Webber claims to be haunted by a witch. MIna is a child psychologist with very little experience, so her friend Sam invites her to check out Alice's story. Against her fiancé Sam's wishes of course Mina accepts. There is a lot more going on here beyond Alice's claims and while it was spooky and dark in places, it left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. I did listen to the audio, so I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it. I may try the print edition though! I also look very forward to reading more by this author

Spoooky and I wasn't anticipating the horror trope the book ended up heading towards. I thought this was a fun new horror book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this audiobook.

While I did enjoy this audiobook and thought the narrator did a good job, it really felt like nothing much happened until the very end. The description made me think the main character, Mina, would be spending a lot more time with the girl who was thought to be possessed by the witch, but really she wanders around talking to random people in the village while nothing is actually solved. There is some excitement/gruesomness at the end, but it kind of felt out of nowhere and like it had nothing to do with what the plot promised. I also do NOT think this book warrants a comparison to Midsommar, it is not weird or wild enough.

Definitely one of those books where the setup is cool but it doesn't quite deliver. I also am not sure why they chose this title.

Unfortunately, this book is not memorable for me. I had high hopes, but the story fell a bit flat. The characters didn't grab my attention and it ended just as quickly as it started. There were witchy things, but I was hoping for more from the book. Great idea/premise, loved parts of it, but the connections weren't there for me.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book moved at a somewhat slower pace than I expected, but it wasn’t too slow to detract from the story. It actually helped to build the suspense. I liked the characters for the most part. I did figure out some of the story ahead of time, but I still liked it.

3.5

Overall: 3.5/5 Narration: 4.5/5
I actually won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and had the audiobook via NetGalley—shoutout to Macmillan Audio for that. The premise really intrigued me; I love a good possession-horror thriller, and I was curious to see how the witchy elements would play into the storytelling. After reading it, I can understand why this book has such mixed reviews, especially the lower ones. I ended up giving it 3.5 stars because while I enjoyed the beginning and the end, so much of the middle felt predictable. Like other reviewers have mentioned, there were a lot of interactions that seemed unnecessary—more so meant to move the book toward its expected ending rather than truly add to the story.

What I can say is that the audio narration was fantastic. The narrator really brought the different characters to life, even capturing the eerie whispering demon voice and alterations in the end. Her performance made it much easier to get through some of the slower parts as you could hear the dedication to portraying each character. Honestly, I’m glad I had both the book and the audiobook because if I had just one, I might have DNF’d.

The story follows Mina, a new-to-the-field child psychologist with no real experience yet—though she carries her own personal traumas that led her into this profession. When a reporter named Sam approaches her about a case involving a supposedly possessed young girl in a small town, Mina sees it as an opportunity to prove herself. Meanwhile, outside of work, she’s supposed to be planning her wedding but feels undervalued by her fiancé, who she suspects of cheating. So, when the chance to dive into something meaningful presents itself, she takes it.

From the moment Mina and Sam enter the town, there’s an undeniable eeriness. It has that folklore-laced, small-village horror vibe where you immediately sense something isn’t right. But as the story progresses, the horror shifts—it moves away from being a demon-possession narrative and turns into a witch hunt. Fear becomes a tool for control, and we see how people fall victim to those who wield misinformation as a weapon. It’s clear early on that the town is protecting something, and by the midpoint, the villain is fairly obvious. That’s part of why the middle dragged for me—once the suspense of what’s really going on is gone, the book loses momentum until it picks back up at the end.

That said, when the ending does hit, it hits—there’s fire, bloodshed, and all the secrets come spilling out. Mina’s in real danger, and you feel it. I just wish the author had leaned more into these aspects rather than the predictable possession elements. If this had been a novella, I might’ve rated it higher. I also understand the blurb comparison to Midsommar and The Haunting of Hill House. Like Hill House, it explores the idea of where true evil resides and how our pasts haunt us. Midsommar parallels are in the unsettling, cult-like group mentality and the protagonist being an outsider stepping into something she doesn’t fully understand. But making those comparisons also sets high expectations, and this book doesn’t quite meet them—which is why I settled on my 3.5-star rating.

Still, it’s a book I’ll remember, and I’ll keep an eye out for more from this author. I actually think she’d excel at writing novellas because if this story had been more condensed, it could have been excellent.

Something is the Walls is a breakout novel for Daisy Pearce. It’s suspenseful, dark and harrowing. Readers will enter in to the stifling hot, small British town of Banathel in the 1980s won’t be able to turn away.
Mina is a new child psychologist trying to gain experience in a developing field, she takes the unique opportunity to travel to Banathel to meet Alice, a thirteen year old girl whose become very ill supposedly haunted by a witch.
What we learn is that all the characters have their own ghosts, their own demons. Do witch hauntings happen regularly in this small town or is there a more sinister villain to blame? Something in the Walls is delightfully disturbing with words, scenes and images that will continue to haunt readers long after they finish the novel.

Quick Synopsis: Mina, newly engaged and a recent psychology graduate, is still deeply affected by the tragic loss of her brother. To cope, she attends a support group, where she meets Sam, a journalist for a local newspaper. Sam enlists Mina’s help to assess Alice, a teenager in a small village rumored to be possessed by a witch. Skeptical of the claims, Sam wants Mina’s professional opinion, and she agrees, boarding the next train to the isolated village of Banathel—a place steeped in superstition, where everyone knows everyone.

This book truly delivers on the creep factor, with the oppressive heat and enforced curfew heightening the eerie atmosphere. The tension is palpable, not only from the stifling air but also from the unsettling question of whether Alice is genuinely haunted. I particularly enjoyed Mina and Sam’s investigation into the town’s history and the legend of the witch—I actually wanted even more of this! The village’s reliance on rituals, such as hanging special stones on their doors to ward off evil spirits, was fascinating, and I found myself craving more background on these traditions.

As for the ending, it was well-executed, though not quite what I had hoped for—but that’s just a personal preference. Overall, this was a fantastic read, and I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author!

I struggled with this one. I couldn't connect to the characters, the plot became a little convoluted, and it just didn't creep me out the way I was hoping. I wasn't captivated by anything until around 70%. I wish we could have had more backstory for some of the characters and relationships.

I will bump up the ranking for the audio because the narrator of the audiobook really did a great job giving me chills a couple of times with the way she could change her voice. Very talented!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC audiobook of Something In the Walls.

“Everyone loves a ghost story don’t they? Everyone loves to look into the darkness”

This is not your normal ghost story. Alice Webber is a young teen who thinks she’s being possessed/haunted by a witch. That can horrifyingly watch her through the cracks of her room. The story is told in first person through our main character Mina. I personally adored her character and her growth throughout the book. Mina is a child psychologist and believes there’s more secrets behind Alice’s haunting than witches. I enjoyed the look into the village of Banathel, it felt like I was investigating alongside Mina as the chapters went by.

The book was narrated by Ana Clements. I’ve never listened to their narrations before, but she does a great job of bringing the characters to life. I was able to discern the characters from each other while listening with ease.

It’s a chilling story, creepy, and thrilling! I loved it and recommend it to anyone who enjoys eerie suspenseful novels, feminine rage, and great storytelling. This was my first Daisy Pearce novel and it won’t be my last.

This story is told by Mina in first person. Mina studied child psychology but hasn’t been successful in getting experience to secure a position in her field. Her fiancé Oscar prompts her to start attending her grief group again after she thinks she sees her dead brother in a photo. She meets a grieving father in the group who works as a journalist and is following the story of a girl in a remote village in Cornwall that claims to be haunted by a witch. Despite her fiancé’s disapproval, Mina accompanies Sam to visit the girl, named Alice, and help her through what she believes is a psychological crisis.

I started with the audiobook, which was narrated by Ana Clements. This was my first audiobook listen by this narrator. I found the narrator’s voice for the characters to be pleasant and distinctive, and though I found the story to be atmospheric in this format, I made the decision to switch to the ebook due to distraction, which I felt was minimizing both the story and atmosphere for me. It worked much better for me in this format, whether that is because of my mood, I’m not sure.

This story is just as much about the village as it is about Alice and her affliction, or however you want to view her haunting/psychological trauma. I have an affinity for stories where there is a question about paranormal or realistic cause and effect. The characters in this village can be described as personable, remote, cold, and secretive often all wrapped up in one. I loved the atmosphere of the setting in the remote village and especially the descriptions of the dilapidated cottages with ominous chimneys, which made for a few suspenseful moments.

I was a bit frustrated with the story at times since it seemed like Mina spent more time navigating the people surrounding Alice than she did with her patient. Not to mention the time she and Sam spent with their own ulterior motives in investigating the paranormal due to their personal shared grief. While the climax made me scream at Mina a few times there’s also an intrinsic horror here in how realistic the outcome could be as the story brings the reader full circle into the resolution.

Recommended to readers that enjoy a witchy story and the psychology surrounding witch trials.

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

The only thing I would say was spooky about this book is that about ¾ of the way through I noticed the eye behind the wall on the cover but that's about it lol

This was a sucession of eye rolls and scoffs. Sprinkle in some bad plot pivots (not good enough to be called twists), 2D characters, and predictability. As a ~vibe reader~ even I saw that ending coming!

One thing I enjoyed about this ARC is that I got it as an audiobook so I could x2 my way through faster. Something that maybe added to my dislike of the book is the narrator apparently not knowing what accent they're doing. Are we Irish? Cornish? Welsh?? Who knows (I certianly don't!!!)

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

Thank you to the publisher and MacMillan Audio for an early audiobook copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There were moments that captured my attention, but the pace felt a bit slow, and at some points felt a bit predictable. I think the plot started strong but unfortunately had a bit of a lack luster finish.

I enjoyed the narration of this book. After reading the description I decided to check it out as it’s not normally my first pick of genres but it sounded interesting. The further I got into the book the more interested I found myself. The book was chilling and definitely kept me guessing at what was really going on. If you enjoy horror, mystery, witches, and paranormal this book is definitely for you!

Description: Mina just graduated college and is a child psychologist with limited experience. She meets Sam at a support group for family members who have passed. Sam a journalist ask Mina to help investigate what is going on with Alice a 13 year old that everyone believes in being haunted by a witch. In hopes of finding the truth between fact and fiction Sam and Mina are hoping that Alice will be able to connect them with their family members who have moved on. As Mina continues to think there is more going on to the story; Sam gets caught up in wanting to be able to talk to his daughter through Alice and things turn creepy..leaving Mina to figure out what she needs to do.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.