BOOK REVIEW: SOMETHING IN THE WALLS

Mina is beginning her career as a child psychologist and travels to a remote village to see if she can help Alice Webber, a thirteen year old girl who has been exhibiting some disturbing behavior and claiming it’s due to a witch haunting her. As Mina tries to determine whether there’s something supernatural going on, she realizes how much the village is wrapped up in superstitious beliefs.

So I went into this book one not knowing it was a horror book 🤣😅 but I thoroughly enjoyed it! SOMETHING IN THE WALLS was super eerie and made me feel uneasy and tense the whole time I was reading it. I really couldn’t figure out exactly which direction things were going in and I was along for the ride! I alternated between physical and audio and binged this one in two days. Loved the writing and the witchy vibes, it reminded me a bit of the Salem Witch Trials a bit which I find fascinating.

I will say this one is not for the faint of heart and was pretty disturbing, so consider yourself warned!

Daisy Pearce's 2025 horror novel immediately hooked me in with this gorgeous cover, but I also was super intrigued by the book's synopsis. SOMETHING IN THE WALLS is being called The Shining meets Midsommar, so I just knew that I needed to prioritize this one! I chose to read the book physically, but I also alternated via audiobook, and I think both options were a full five-star experience for me!

Mina, a newly established child psychologist with little experience, spends her days preparing for her marriage to researcher Oscar while attending a local bereavement group to mourn her late brother. Her routine shifts when she meets journalist Sam Hunter, who proposes she help investigate the case of Alice Webber, a thirteen-year-old girl in the remote village of Banathel claiming to be haunted by a witch. What starts as a promising opportunity turns darker as Alice’s behavior grows more disturbing, and the superstitious town reveals its unsettling beliefs about confronting evil.

SOMETHING IN THE WALLS is a witchy good time, with a town full of secrets! If you liked Camilla Sten's The Lost Village, Midsommar, or Silent Hill (video game or movie), then SOMETHING IN THE WALLS will be right up your alley. This book was incredibly spooky and creepy, which will entertain even the most stubborn thriller or horror reader. I really enjoyed my journey with this book and I think if you go into the book not expecting to be tricked, you'll have more fun with it. I noticed that I kept being sidetracked and having to continue reading this book because I just needed to know what happened! This book will be a staple in my favorite 2025 releases for sure!

Set in the late 1980s, Something in the Walls follows a recently minted child psychologist Mina Ellis who meets Sam Hunter, a journalist, in a bereavement group which she attends to cope with the sudden and tragic death of her brother, Eddie, a few years ago. As she and Sam get acquainted, he tells her about Banathel and a teenage girl called Alice Webber who has been experiencing some strange symptoms. He has a proposition for her; Sam wants Mina to asses Alice and Mina agrees to it and travels to the remote village. That's when her life unravels.

At first glance, this story is unlike any other with witches, possession and exorcism. When I was reading it, it was like watching one of those classic horror films I remember loving a lot in my childhood. It was creepy, intense, and emotional from time to time. But the twist in its last act? That made this book an instant favourite in my eyes. I was literally sobbing my eyes out in the last seven to five chapters.

At its heart, this book is an intimate exploration of grief and guilt. It exposes us to the darker side of superstition and how sensitised we become, sometimes because of constant conditioning by the society. The writing style was fabulous, something gritty and sometimes downright ethereal. As someone who doesn't like first-person narratives much, this book made me like even that. And Mina. Ah, what can I even say about the protagonist? She's so relatable and you can connect with her deeply. Not just her, but the secondary characters like Alice, Lisa Webber, Fern and others are just as impactful.

This book is perfect for somebody who is into witches, female rage, 'good for her' type of stories and stories which are both meaningful and thrilling. Since the book contains some heavy themes, check out the content and trigger warnings before picking it up. The audiobook is a treat unto its own; I loved the cadence of the narrator and the nuances that she used to make the story come alive. Her voice and the little sound effects elevated this audiobook to another level. Will definitely check out more from this narrator!

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio-ARC.

I wanted to like this book about Mina, a newly minted child psychologist, who still mourns her brother’s death from years ago, as she takes on a case of Alice, a teenage girl who claims a witch is haunting her. However, I found it confusing and unengaging. I would have placed it on my "wanted to like, but..." and "did not finish" shelves, but was compelled to read it through for purposes of reviewing this ARC.

This may be for some, but just didn't work for me.

Wow! This book has a slow start, leading you to believe it will be a slow burn to the end. Not true! Once you get 2/3 through the novel the pace rises to a “fever pitch” and doesn’t let off until the last sentence. Definitely a book not to miss.

This was definitely a creepier book than I’m typically used to. The writing was descriptive and creepy in a great way. I listened to the audio version and the narration was smooth and pleasant to listen to. The plot twists were somewhat predictable, but a great spooky read

This book had me gripped from the very first chapter. This is a story about Mina, who has recently graduated as a child psychologist, who is struggling to find work in her field due to her inexperience. Mina meets Sam, a journalist, who invites her to travel with him to a remote village to assess thirteen-year-old Alice, who claims that a witch is haunting her. Is it all in Alice's head, is she being coached by her father, or is Alice really being terrorized by a witch.

The way that this author describes the witch is TERRIFYING!!! I listened to the audiobook and had to pause it multiple times. This book is suspenceful, scary, and an all-around fun time! However, the reason that this book fell short of five stars for me, was that I didn't feel that the author did an excellent job at explaining the haunting. It felt like the story veered off to being about the neighbor and never resolved on the witch haunting. Other than that, I absolutely loved this story!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the eArc of Something in the Walls in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this gifted audio book, in exchange for an honest review! Something in the Walls is out Feb 25, 2025. The synopsis of this one sounded absolutely bonkers and I was ecstatic to receive a copy! Any book that has to do with witches always gives me the chills, this one was no different. This book reminded me a lot of A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay, because of the fact that you didn't know what to believe and some really creepy stuff was going on. This one would be the most perfect summer read. It was very atmospherically and setting was in the middle of a huge heat wave! Something In the Walls was pretty for slow for me most of the book, but very chilling! And the ending was nuts! I ended up rating it 3.25/5 stars.

This was a great read and gave me the vibes of the second Conjuring movie. I felt there was a great sense of eeriness and character development. I would have liked a bit more in terms of the character's relationship with her fiancé but that's a small snit.

I could see some being bothered by the ending of this book (it's a bit open-ended) but I thought it was done in a well-constructed way rather than feeling like there were egregious plot-holes.

This was just okay, the synopsis and plot were interesting but I just felt bored throughout. It just did not work for me or bring me any type of excitement, I never felt the rush to get back to this one.

This was ok. I thought the synopsis and plot of this book was awesome. I’ve heard a lot of comparison of this to the movie Midsommar. I get it, especially with the ending, but I thought the movie Midsommar was much better. I felt bored a lot of the way listening to this, and with so many characters mentioned I lost track of who was who. I still don’t really understand what was going on even after finishing it! Great concept and some creepy moments for sure but the execution could have been better and clearer. I will make a Bookstagram review post on this soon and will update this with the link soon.

The cover. So pretty! I listened to the audiobook of Something In The Walls provided by NetGalley. The narrator was ok. The story itself was different than I expected. More of a paranormal, witchy, horror than suspense thriller in my opinion. It was strange and didn’t hold my attention like I was hoping. Overall it wasn’t for me. 2 1/2 ⭐️ rounded to 3.

This book was tense all the way through, and I thought the narration did a really great job carrying that feeling.

Mina is new to the field of child psychology and decides to take a case helping a family with a troubled young girl. Does thirteen-year-old Alice need medical attention or an exorcism?

The book really held my attention with the constant indecision of whether I thought there was a natural or supernatural reason for everything going on.

The ending went just a tad too wild for me, but overall, it was an enjoyable read.

Something in the Walls is eerie and vivid. The atmosphere of dread is thick, and many of the scenes imprinted on my mind.

This one is great for fans of folk horror.

Pearce is a talented writer, and this story translates perfectly for audio. Ana Clements was a great choice to narrate.

I couldn't put this book down! It was such a fascinating mix of psychology/witchiness/folklore and dealing with trauma. I'll avoid spoilers, but any story related to these themes always comes back to speaking truth to men abusing power. You'll love this one!

Daisy Pearce’s *Something in the Walls* was an absolute standout for me! It delivered everything I hoped for from other psychological horror novels like *Head Full of Ghosts* or *Come Closer*. While I enjoyed those books too, *Something in the Walls* hit a deeper, more satisfying note.

The story centers on Mina, a deeply flawed but relatable protagonist. She’s grappling with her identity, fresh out of school, grieving the loss of a loved one, stuck in a loveless relationship, and searching for her place in the world. Mina’s inner struggles make her a compelling lens through which to experience this eerie, layered narrative.

The plot kicks into high gear when Mina crosses paths with Sam, Alice, and the residents of a superstitious and unsettlingly secretive community. From there, the story becomes a whirlwind of twists, dread, and discovery that keeps you hooked to the last page.

This book explores heavy themes like grief, the mysteries of life after death, witchy folklore, possession, small-town coverups, and societal expectations of women. Pearce weaves these elements together seamlessly, creating a story that is as thought-provoking as it is chilling.

If you love books that blur the lines between reality and illusion, this one is a must-read.

This one started off slow for me but I loved the ending. It was mysterious and I am still left wondering… but what happened to Alice?! Thanks so much for the chance to listen to this and review it!

Atmospheric, haunting, and unexpected. I’m not normally into the horror genre, but I found this to be an enjoyable read.

Mina’s backstory was interesting, but she was at times on the border of immature (particularly given her area of expertise). The story’s suspense built as it progressed, eventually taking a very different turn than I had initially expected. This novel left me thinking about the impact of community, folklore, and isolation. Overall an enjoyable read with a great audiobook narrator.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacMillonAudio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wild ride! I love thrillers that have you wondering whether the truth is paranormal or simply criminal, and that was the question with this case, almost right from the beginning!

The audio was well done. I will say, the end of each chapter felt a little jarring, as I always thought the last sentence was going to just be the beginning of a new paragraph. This did mean it was hard to put the book down after each chapter!

There were also a few discussions about how women and girls - especially those in difficult positions - were/are perceived by society, as well as the role of psychology.

The action really increases for the finale, with lots of twists and drama. It reminded me of the pacing and structure of Reckless Girls, so if you were a fan of that one, I’d definitely recommend Something in the Walls!

3 stars
Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley.

This one missed the mark for me. I found Mena to be immature and quite annoying. Definitely not someone who should be in charge of anyone's mental health let alone a child. Mena was struggling to move through her grief about losing her brother and it crippled her as an effective child psychologist. The book felt a little disjointed. Although eerie, it didn't give me the type of horror vibes that I enjoy. This was something different. The pacing was good but I struggled with the narrator. I didn't care for her tone and delivery of the story. I went into this expecting a unique story but thats not what I got. I did hope that I'd get more from the witch aspect. The ending was also a let down.

Although this missed the mark for me, I think if you are a fan of Camilla Sten you may enjoy this more.