Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for this book!

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce is an immersive journey into a world where nothing is as it seems. Alice’s experiences blur the line between possession and manipulation, leaving you questioning reality at every turn. The characters were deeply flawed, which made them feel raw and honest—I couldn’t help but love and hate them simultaneously. The foreshadowing gave away the twist early for me, but the gripping narrative kept me hooked. The mystery surrounding the insular community, superstitions, and eerie customs was fascinating and chilling. Even now, I find myself thinking about this story and questioning the motivations of its characters—what drove them to act as they did? This book has reignited my curiosity about stories of witches and small-town secrets.

A solid five stars for an unforgettable and haunting book!

Thank you to Macmillian Audio for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley Shelf. Reviews are my opinions alone.

Mina is a child psychologist with little experience. She attends a grief group to help her deal with her brother’s death. There she meets journalist Sam Hunter. Sam Hunter knows a girl named Alice who claims a witch is haunting her. Mina can gain some experience by working with Alice and Alice will hopefully get better. Unfortunately, instead of getting better Alice’s behavior becomes even more inexplicable and intense.

I really wish I had liked this book more. The author did a great job building the suspense and creating a chilling atmosphere at the beginning of the book. However, as the book continued the pace became uneven. It was also a bit confusing to follow at times and I did not enjoy the ending. I really expected more horror. Something more haunting and exciting. I did enjoy the narration. I give it 3/5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Mina is a recent graduate with a degree in Child Psychology when she gets asked to take on a new case. The case is a 13 year old girl named Alice who claims she is being haunted by a witch. Her home town has a history of witchcraft and the residents also believe she is a witch.. Mina still struggles from the death of her brother and her husband does not think this is a good idea for her to take on. Mina goes anyways as she wants to help Alice and her marriage isn't as perfect as everyone thinks it is. Enjoy!!!

I was immediately hooked into the storyline and characters and WOWZA - the ending of this one was crazy, insanely good! I was fortunate to be able to listen to the audiobook and I was listening with my jaw literally hanging open!

I quickly connected with Mina, the main female character, who lost her 14 year old brother six years earlier. Before he passed away, he told Mina he’d come back to let her know about the other side. Because of that statement, Mina is shocked, yet not completely surprised, when she sees the blur of a man in one of the pictures she had developed - a man she thinks looks just like her brother. Upon relaying this to her husband, he reminds her that her brother is gone and she would benefit from returning to the support group she attended after his death.

It’s at that support group where she meets Sam, a man who had lost his seven year old daughter and subsequently, his marriage. He, too, searches for signs from his daughter. Sam is a reporter and learns that Mina is a child psychologist. He asks Mina for her help in a story he’s working on; a small town with a strange and superstitious past. The story is about a teenage girl who has been exhibiting disturbing behaviors such as not eating yet throwing up highly unusual items. Learning some believe the girls is possessed or evil, Mina is more interested in having the young girl evaluated in order for the girl to get the help and support she needs. The two take off for the small town to meet and talk with the girl and her family.

From there, the book became sooo intriguing and I loved the deliciously eerie paranormal elements embedded within which isn’t normally something I lean toward. But this was thrilling, captivating, spooky, and quite unnerving at times. This is a definite FIVE STAR read and one I highly recommend to fellow thriller fans!

The Sisters’ Spellbinding Take on Something in the Walls

Hey there, witches, horror fiends, and supernatural seekers—gather ‘round, because we’ve got a book that’ll cast a spell on your shelves. Today, The Sisters are rambling about Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce, a chilling story that’s equally witchy, scary convincing, and utterly gripping.

Brenda’s Take: A Brew of Superstition and Suspense

Strange things are bubbling in the remote, shadow-drenched village of Banathel, and at the heart of it all is thirteen-year-old Alice. This town is steeped in witchcraft and superstition, a cauldron simmering with fear, secrets, and the ever-present threat of something sinister lurking just out of sight. Some villagers swear by the existence of evil forces, while others harbor agendas even more blistering than the heat wave surrounding them.

Enter Mina, a novice psychologist with her own haunted past, stepping into this web of tension and whispers. Tasked with untangling the mystery of behavior, her family, the watchful villagers, and those drawn to Alice for help, Mina quickly finds herself out of her depth.

Oh, and just when you think the situation can’t get any stranger? Mina starts to suspect something—or someone—in the walls is trying to get her attention.

And let’s not forget: Mina isn’t as innocent as she seems. Secrets trail her like shadows, and you can’t help but wonder if her hidden motives might just fuel the fire in Banathel’s cursed cauldron.

The tension in Something in the Walls builds like a spell gone awry—thick, bubbling, and on the verge of spilling over. It’s steeped in witchy vibes and layered mysteries, the kind that hooked me so completely I found myself peeking over my shoulder while reading.

Daisy Pearce’s writing? Pure potion perfection. Steeped in witchy vibes and eerie folklore, The themes are richly layered, unsettling, and brimming with a witchy depth that invites you to linger in their thought-provoking shadows. The tension crackles like static in the air, the atmosphere feels almost tangible, and the folklore is seamlessly woven into every chilling moment, casting a spell that keeps you entranced from start to finish.

The Sister’s Final Thoughts

Something in the Walls is one of those books that doesn’t just get under your skin—it burrows deep and stays there. If you love your horror tinged with folklore and dripping with witchy vibes, this one’s for you!

Trust us—you’ll be enchanted.

Just remember to listen for something in the walls!!

I received a digital and audiobook copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. While I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook and thought the narrator did an excellent job bringing the story to life, I found the experience even more intense when reading it. There was something about diving into the words on the page that brought out more of that creepy feeling I wanted while increasing the tension

I listened to the entire thing in a day — I could not wait to get through it.

A page turner of a modern witch hunt. I was at moments horrified and at others caught in the hopes and fascination of the village sure that teenaged Alice was possessed by the spirit of a witch. With hints of old witch trials coming head to head with the rationalism of psychiatry, I wasn’t sure until very near the end which direction the book was ultimately going.

Ａｕｄｉｏｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
3.5 ☆
Newly minted child psychologist Mina has little experience. Instead, she aimlessly spends her days stuck in the stifling heat wave sweeping across Britain, anxiously contemplating her upcoming marriage. The only reprieve from her small, closed world is attending the local bereavement group to mourn her brother's death from years ago. That is, until she meets journalist Sam Hunter at the grief group one day. He has a proposition for her. Alice Webber is a thirteen-year-old girl who claims she is being haunted by a witch.

Small town, witchy, with a dash of exorcist-spooky is the vibe I received from this story! I finished this book in a day and a half. I was hooked from the beginning and just wanted to know what was going on and why Alice thought she was being haunted or if she was delusional.

I enjoyed this book, but I'm also a mood reader. I wish I had received this book in October because it's great for that month.

The audiobook was good; the narrator did a good job. She was easy to listen to, and her voice changing for different characters was excellent. I liked how I was never confused about which character was which. Good job. I listened to this story at 2x speed.

Thank you, Netgellay, and MacmillanAudio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒐𝒏 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒎, 𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒌𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆 @𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒕𝒂_𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌’𝒔 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to this book in a little over a day - not something I normally do with audiobooks. I couldn't stop listening, it held my attention from the moment I pushed play. The narrator is absolutely brilliant! She totally immersed me in the story.

Something in the Walls hits all the markers for suspenseful, small town horror. That is to say, I could guess the plot points before they appeared - which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I would say it qualifies as "comfort horror." If you're familiar with the genre then you may be able to guess what's going on, but it doesn't detract from the story itself.

Overall, I give it a solid 3/5 stars. I'm curious to read Daisy Pearce's other works.

I enjoyed the idea of this book but I felt it's one of those stories that is very different from the synopsis. It's more thriller than horror. It has focuses on the main character but then on the main younger protagonist but takes too much time apart from the two. I know some people who would love this book. I just didn't love it.

This was kinda exorcist-y. It was definitely giving me creepy horror movie vibes. It's haunting and witchy and would be a great spooky season read/listen. I did enjoy it, but I'm a big mood reader and I wasn't necessarily in the mood for this one at the moment! I went in blind though so 🤷🏻‍♀️😬 I would definitely re-listen in the Fall.
Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the ALC and NetGalley for the ARC!

Unfortunately my mind is forced to compare this read to one of my favorite books of all time, “Head Full of Ghosts”by Paul Tremblay. While “Something in the Walls” does not come close to the terror of that book, I do think Daisy Pearce does a solid job of establishing a creepy atmosphere.

I will agree with some other reviewers in saying that this book can feel a bit like a slog to get through. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why, but I think for me it boils down to an overabundance of characters that I don’t end up caring about. The entry into the story, Mina, a newly minted child psychologist who is searching for meaning in death and proof of the afterlife, never connected with me in a meaningful way. I would not say the book is not worth reading (or listening to in my case). There’s some really creepy imagery and the additional aspect of the overzealous town is an interesting take.

I would recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of “The Year of Witching” by Alexis Henderson.

3.75 stars

What a sinister, creepy read!

Mina, the m.c., is a child psychologist who is light on experience but heavy on her own incoming childhood trauma and guilt and current conflicted feelings about her impending marriage. When she gets the opportunity to investigate a potential paranormal circumstance, a young girl, Alice, who has been infiltrated by a witch, she joins Sam, a journalist, in this effort.

No one expects a witch-related possession to be easily handled, but things really spiral for this entire crew, and this makes for an intriguing plot, for sure. Readers with any information at all about the way "witches" have been treated historically will come in with some accurate expectations about the patriarchy, and unfortunately, some of those features reveal, well, limited growth on the part of some men. This is a quirky, potentially supernatural circumstance, but it's grounded in the reality that some men will try to oppress all women at all costs.

This is my first novel by this author, and I really enjoyed the way the characters develop and plot unfolds, so I look forward to reading more (and recommend this to folks who are interested in the synopsis).

Oh god this book was awful, I had an incredibly hard time getting through this book it was like slugging through the mud waist high trying to finish this book.

I did like some elements of the book like the possible haunting, and the ending of the book semi interested me from about 75% of the book on but honestly I wish I had DNF’d this book as finishing it made me feel like I wasted my time .

Overall this book was not for me and I honestly don’t think I could recommend this book to anyone else either.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan audio

Despite some slowness, this story took me on a ride that had a good amount of tension and an interesting premise that I imagine happened similarly many times in history. It's funny how misogyny and witch hunts can feel timeless and relevant, despite so much knowledge and condemnation of the acts. It makes me think men will forever decry witch hunts until a woman does something they don't like. But that's just my take on humanity, not this book.

This was cleverly presented, compelling and highly readable. Mina was a complicated character and it was interesting how easily everyone turned on her with a little manipulation.

2 ⭐️ I really did not enjoy this book and I wanted to so bad! The cover is amazing, the premise sounded promising but honestly this was a slog to get through, I almost DNFed this multiple times. The first 50% was really slow and I wanted so much more to happen with the lore and witch aspect but then it’s like the book did a 180 and turned into something else and the witch story was just dropped into thin air. I am so confused about this story and what the heck happened, in the worst possible way. I listened to the audiobook which was another shortfall, as I did not love the narration. There wasn’t a single character I cared about and Mina was the most unlikable character. I also had a very hard time keeping track of the side characters but I think it was because I wasn’t invested in the story because this book frankly has no idea what kind of story it wanted to tell. It failed at the witch story and the creepy town story. It was pretty atmospheric but any positives in this story do not outweigh how much I disliked the plot as a whole. I like my horror books to be scary and this was anything but scary, it tried and failed to be Midsommar. Proceed with caution friends.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published February 25, 2025.

I loved this book. It was an interesting examination of grief, mob mentality, fear, and demonisation of teen girls. The characters were interesting and dimensional, the plot moved fairly quickly, and the twist was not in your face or out of left field.

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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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.