Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. The chaotic nature of “Something in the Walls” made it hard to follow. I found myself losing the plot several times and struggling to distinguish between what was actually happening and what wasn’t.

That said, there were some elements I did enjoy. Sam and Mina were standout characters, and their presence kept me engaged even when the story felt muddled. Additionally, the narrator of the audiobook did a fantastic job, which helped elevate the experience.

Ultimately, while this one didn’t quite work for me, I could see it appealing to readers who enjoy unpredictable, mind-bending thrillers.

Thank you to Daisy Pearce, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for sending me the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This was quite a twisted story for me overall . Mina ( a recent graduate of phycology degree )and Sam (a newspaper reporter) go to a small town where a girl named Alice is experiencing strange abilities (apparently able to talk with the dead of which Mina and Sam have both lost someone )and other phenomena which people in the town have linked to old stories of witches and witchcraft.
I felt that the story was a very slow burn and didn’t give me the thrill or suspenseful feeling I was expecting not until the last 30% of the novel, so you really have to stick it out to get to the good stuff. That last part was when everything suddenly got very twisted, creepy and unhinged .
I listened to the audiobook and I’m not sure why but I think I didn’t feel the suspense or foreboding that I should’ve cause the narrator seemed too calm in many of the situations throughout, situations in which I wouldn’t have had a clam intonation to my voice .I didn’t begin to hear or feel the suspense and panic until things got crazy in the last 30% , but the story in general kept me intrigued enough to want to know what was really happening in the town. The ending does make you sit back and ponder afterwards.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC . This is my honest review .

Mina is a newly minted child psychologist, has never fully recovered from the death of her brother. Neither has Sam been able to overcome his grief with the loss of his daughter years before. When Sam invites Mina to access Alice, who is believed to be haunted by ghosts, both Sam and Alice hold out hope that Alice will be able to help them come to terms with their grief. As Mina interviews Alice and those around her, she's sure something isn't right. Is Alice truly haunted or is something else in play in the small town.

I think I enjoyed the story but would have enjoyed reading it more than listening. There was something off about the audiobook, and I found that the narrator didn't fit the story. But that's my own personal preference. There also isn't a single likeable character in the story and while I wanted to root for Mina, she just made so many choices I didn't agree with that it made it hard to connect with her. Sam likewise made some weird choices which didn't flow well for me. I occasionally felt like I had missed something, which interrupted and gave the story a choppy feel.

I'm torn on my rating. On one hand, this is a well written, edge of your seat suspense read. It's light on the horror genre but does give off the 'creep' factor. It relies heavily on the small-town atmosphere. On the other, I'm not sure how much I like the turn this book had at the end and felt the pacing was uneven. Most of the story felt slow, except for the very end which wrapped up a bit to quickly for my liking. This one had tons of potential, but even as a lover of witchy reads, I'm not sure that it fully reached that potential.

Something in the Walls comes out February 25, 2025. Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for my advanced copy in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting Instagram @speakingof.books.
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Website: SPEAKINGOF.ORG

I dont know. I really wanted to loke the book, but i think it is just not my cup of tea. There are a lot of poeple that really loved the book and i am not saying it is not a good book. Just not for me. All the elements of the story are something that i really look in a book, but something didnt work when it was put all together.

Mina a new young child psychologist is still struggling with grief over her brother’s death five years ago.
Attending a support group she meets Sam who also is suffering loss. He convinces her to visit a young girl, Alice, who is believed to be involved in witchcraft. Mina wants to spend time learning about Alice and what is actually happening.

This is a creepy, frightening book that will hold your attention and interest. I enjoyed and was intrigued listening to this audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. February 2025 publication date

This is my kind of cover, it is absolutely stunning!!! I went into this book blind and I did a nice hybrid of Ebook and Audio. Ana Clements was the narrator and she was fantastic! Mina is a shiny new psychologist and has a big opportunity to take a BIG job trying to help young Alice, who claims to be haunted by a witch. Even though Mina has no experience she is certain she can help this young girl but she quickly seems to be in over her head. Alice’s family and this small town have their own ideas! This is a fast paced thriller that you won’t be able to put down!!! Such an exciting read!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested this audiobook, but I am so glad I did!

Something in the Walls centers on Mina, a young child psychologist who’s struggling to find her footing in her new career, and her unsettling involvement in the case of Alice Webber, a 13-year-old girl convinced she’s being haunted by a witch.

Pearce creates a tense atmosphere right from the start, with Mina’s personal life feeling just as suffocating as the oppressive heatwave hanging over Britain. Her engagement to Oscar, a man I could NOT stand, is on the brink of unraveling as she grows more entangled with Alice's mysterious condition. The setting of Banathel, a small, remote village steeped in history and superstition, is atmospheric and unsettling. Pearce does a fantastic job of creating tension, where the line between mental illness and something more supernatural becomes increasingly blurred. Alice’s behavior grows stranger and more violent, and the townspeople's deep-seated beliefs in witchcraft only heighten the sense that there’s something truly sinister at play.

I was on edge the entire time I listened to this audiobook, truly torn between thinking the witch was real and thinking it was a manifestation of Alice’s trauma and the dark history of the town. Pearce’s portrayal of Mina’s internal conflict adds an extra layer of intrigue, making the story not just about the supernatural, but about personal doubt, trust, and what it means to understand someone else’s pain.

If you’re a fan of atmospheric thrillers that mix psychological depth with a touch of the uncanny, Something in the Walls is a compelling read. It’s a tale of slow-burning dread, where every revelation feels like another step deeper into a mystery that’s both chilling and emotionally resonant. And the ending was truly shocking to me. I did not see it coming, but I loved it. The narrator was perfect for this story as well. Highly recommend this author and narrator.

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce is a gripping psychological thriller that masterfully blends suspense, mystery, and a chilling supernatural undertone. The story follows Mina, a newly minted child psychologist, who finds herself drawn into a haunting case involving a young girl, Alice, who believes she is being tormented by a witch. What starts as a seemingly straightforward job to gain experience quickly spirals into something far darker as Mina uncovers the unsettling history of the village and its deeply rooted superstitions. Pearce’s characters are well-developed, particularly Mina, whose personal struggles and past trauma add layers of complexity to the story. The pace is perfectly balanced, keeping you engaged while the eerie atmosphere of Banathel builds, leading to a tense and unexpected conclusion. I really enjoyed the way the story flowed and how the characters evolved, and it kept me hooked from beginning to end. If you're a fan of suspenseful thrillers with a supernatural twist, Something in the Walls is definitely worth reading!

This book is haunting in the best way.

There were some parts of this book towards the beginning that didn’t grab me right away. I felt it was a bit slow to really take off.

Though once the plot is established and the story begins to really unfold, the writing takes such a causally disturbing turn.

This is definitely a book that gives you the shivers, in a way that makes you feel haunted for having even read it. As a lover of horror and witchy elements, this left even me feeling thoroughly bothered.

This book was so incredibly creepy! The writing quality and atmosphere were great. The characters were really well written. For theses reasons I’m giving 4 stars even though there were some plot details that I don’t feel I got the closure I was looking for as a reader, but in the book our main character also experiences some unresolved questions so I feel like k can relate to her in that way.

This is definitely a book that horror/thriller fans will want to add to their TBR as well as readers who really love spooky books around Halloween. 👻

I received this as an audiobook and the narration (single narrator) was well done.

Something in the Walls is a chilling blend of psychological horror and folklore that had me hooked from the start. Following Mina, a novice child psychologist, and Sam, a journalist, as they delve into the eerie case of 13-year-old Alice in the secluded village of Banathel, the story masterfully intertwines personal trauma with supernatural elements. Pearce's vivid descriptions and the oppressive heatwave setting amplify the tension, making the unfolding mystery even more gripping. If you're into atmospheric thrillers that explore the dark intersections of superstition and reality, this novel is a must-read.

Ohhh what a disappointment! I wanted to love this, but sadly, I did not.

It feels like a story that is going to gain momentum and exciting things will happen, but neither of these are true. It feels very sluggish, we keep waiting to find out what's going on, but we never get any answers. The majority of the book feels different than maybe the first 20% and this left me confused and trying to understand if I missed something. What happened with the witch? That part of the plot was dropped and I just didn't get it.

I'm sorry, I had hoped for a creepy read, but was really let down with this one.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC.

The narration of the audiobook was done beautifully, bringing the story to life in an engaging way. This was my first witchy read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The characters were all incredibly likable, each adding depth and charm to the story. The author did an excellent job executing the plot, keeping me hooked from start to finish. I’m excited to read more from her in the future!

I had no idea what to believe during this whole story. I didn't know if the witchcraft was actually real and supernatural things were happening in the book or if it was all a mass delusion. For fans of Midsommar, this horror audiobook was very easy to listen to and disturbing.

Mina is a newly graduated child psychologist in need of experience. When an opportunity for a job to evaluate a thirteen-year-old who claims she is being haunted by a witch, Mina travels to the remote village of Banathel with Sam, a journalist who is writing a piece on Alice's condition. Mina must figure out what is causing Alice's behavior while dealing with the town's deep roots in witchcraft.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but the story lost momentum around the halfway mark. Some of the characters decisions didn't make sense to me and the plot felt a little confusing. I did enjoy the narration and was glad that I pushed through to the ending as the story ended on a high note. This is a book I might be tempted to reread in the future to see if I can catch more from the story.

Something in the Walls comes out February 25th.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to review Something in the Walls. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s the late 1980s in England. People are smoking indoors and using landline phones. Our narrator is Mina, a young child psychologist who lost her brother as a teen and is now driven to help other adolescents dealing with grief and trauma. When Mina temporarily moves in (?!) with a family to help their daughter, Alice, who seems to be either possessed or haunted by a witch in her chimney, she becomes entangled in a mess of secret history, insularity, and the supernatural, and it all becomes more personal than she ever intended.

Mina’s character development blossoms nicely throughout the book, and as we learn more about her personal history, flaws, and demons, she remains realistic and likeable. Every man in this book, however, sucks. Mina’s fiancé doesn’t love or respect her, and started dating her when she was 20 and he was 30. Alice’s dad is a suspicious weirdo who naysays everything to the point of hypocrisy. Sam, who is also staying with Alice’s family (?!), struts around telling them what to do in their own home, and they listen to him for some reason even though he’s just some guy. For a while I suspected there was going to be a twist that revealed Sam had a deep connection to the town and family, the way everyone just accepted him without question while simultaneously being so skeptical of Mina.

A couple elements of the setup didn’t make sense to me. Why does the family want a reporter staying in their house? A documentarian I could understand, if they want him to be able to capture events as they happen. But a print journalist? Is there no shabby-but-quaint bed and breakfast in town that could have served the same purpose? There was also an unrealistic amount of exposition near the end, where the villain monologues for a crazy length of time about the past 30 years or so. While this plot line is explained in detail and therefore wrapped up in a satisfying way, there are other phenomena that happen throughout the book that aren’t overtly explained or solved. Some readers may enjoy the experience of being left to decide for themselves how much was “real,” but I was left with lingering questions that I would have preferred to have been addressed more directly. Also, one quirk about the ARC audiobook specifically is that the narrated chapter numbers don’t match the titles.

Those details aside, overall, this is an enjoyable and spooky story that really is scary at parts. This book will make a good screen adaptation as a horror movie or Netflix limited series with a stylized 80s aesthetic sprinkled with jumpscares. I liked that it took place in an oppressive summertime heat wave, which felt original and lent the story a claustrophobic creepy atmosphere while also avoiding the cliché of a Halloween/October setting for a witchy haunting. The audiobook narrator, Ana Clements, also does a good job voicing all of the characters in an engaging way.

Something In The Walls will be appreciated by those interested in witch hunts, mass hysteria, and small town folklore. Trigger warning for implied CSA and elder abuse. Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan, and Daisy Pearce for the ARC.

Something in the Walls is a solid 4.5⭐️ The only reason it doesn’t hit 5 stars is because I probably won’t read/listen to it again. I really enjoyed it. It was a chill ride to get to the destination. I knew who the problem was as soon as we met them, but everything that was happening was super f*cked up, which made for a great journey through the story.
Definitely recommend reading! ❤️‍🔥

Title: Something in the Walls
Author: Daisy Pearce
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Ana Clements
Publisher: Macmillan Audio and Minotaur Books
Genre: Paranormal Mystery.
Pub Date: February 25, 2025
My Rating: 3 Stars!
Pages: 304

Mina recently got her degree in Clinical Child Psychology so has very little experience.
While attending a grief group to help her process the loss of her brother she meets Sam a journalist who has lost his daughter. He tells her about a case he is working on in a remote village where a thirteen year old girl named Alice Webber is accused of being a witch. He wonders if Mina as a child psychological might be willing to travel with him to speak with Alice.

Sam and Mina are trying to find out what is going on behind the scenes, what is causing these symptoms and how much is true or fake.

I am okay with ghost stories and this had me curious.


Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and Minotaur Books for granting me this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 25, 2025.

This book was just too hard for me to connect with I couldn’t quite get into it. I really wanted to and I do wish this author all the luck.

Thanks to MacMillan Audio & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I ... was not expecting to like this as much as I did! I'm pretty picky about suspense novels that dabble with the supernatural; it's not usually well done. But this was the real deal.

Mina, age 22, is engaged to Oscar, 10 years her senior and kind of a controlling dullard, if you want the truth. Mina has recently graduated university with a degree in child psychology but has no real world experience and is marking time, starting to plan her wedding to Oscar (to be overseen by his upper crust, snooty mother). Then she meets Sam at her grief support group (Mina's brother died of pneumonia 6 years previous, and a photo of her and Oscar from a Greek holiday seems to have him appearing in the background, and Mina is low-key obsessed). Sam gives her an opportunity to use her degree in the village of Banathel, where a teenager is thought to be a witch; Sam gets the opportunity of a scoop for the newspaper he writes for into the bargain. But is the girl, Alice, a witch? Or is she just a weird teenager?

This book is largely comprised an unsettling vibes, and while I was a little irritated at Mina not really interacting with Alice (how can she figure out what's going on if she doesn't talk with her?), this book was so creepily entertaining that I didn't mind. The tension builds and builds, and when it finally flares it's really something. The pivotal scenes where everything goes kerfluey are disturbing but incandescent - a fire you can't look at straight on but don't really want to witness. Lots of things that happen go unexplained (also irritating) but I'm definitely interested in what Pearce writes next. The voice acting is pretty great, too (although I'd've loved more Cornish accents to differentiate between female characters).