This novel by Daisy Pearce delivers an eerie, atmospheric read with a sense of dread and menace as thick as the oppressive heat wave suffocating the village of Banathel. The witchy undertones and dark, unsettling tension kept me engaged for most of the book, making it a unique blend of psychological thriller and horror. However, while the atmosphere was the real star, the pacing and style were less than engaging at times, and I found the audiobook narration dragged the story down rather than enhancing it—this one might be better read than listened to. The first three-quarters had me gripped, but after all that suspense, the ending felt abrupt and took an unexpected turn that left the built-up tension fizzling out. Additionally, some plot points felt implausible, and the main character—a child psychologist who often acted more like a detective—created a disconnect that made it harder to fully immerse myself in the story. While I enjoyed the eerie elements and Pearce’s writing, I didn’t fully click with the characters or plot. That said, Pearce’s talent is undeniable, and I’d still be interested in picking up more of her work in the future. A solid 3/5 stars.

Here’s my review:

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce is an atmospheric slow-burn thriller that masterfully blends folklore with psychological horror. Fans of Weyward and The Book of Witching will appreciate its rich exploration of historical lore—riddance ceremonies, hag stones, and old-world superstitions—while those who love a creeping sense of dread will be hooked by its what is happening suspense.

The story follows a young psychologist on her first in-person evaluation, stepping into a case that seems like a routine observation—until the layers of folklore, fear, and something far more unsettling begin to unravel. The tension builds beautifully, creating a gripping mix of history and horror that lingers long after the last page. If you love slow-burning, folklore-infused thrillers with an eerie, immersive atmosphere, this is one to add to your list!

Read If You Like:
- Psychological thrillers with supernatural elements
- Atmospheric, slow-burn suspense
- Folklore and horror intertwined
- Complex female protagonists
- Unpredictable plot twists

Something in the Walls is a gripping psychological thriller that masterfully blends supernatural elements with deep emotional storytelling. The narrative follows Mina, a newly minted child psychologist, who is drawn into a case involving Alice, a 13-year-old girl in the remote village of Banathel. Alice claims to be haunted by a witch, and as Mina delves deeper into the case, she uncovers unsettling truths about the village's dark traditions and her own past.

The novel's pacing is deliberate, allowing tension to build gradually, which keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The atmospheric setting of Banathel, with its rich folklore and eerie ambiance, enhances the story's suspense and mystery. The complex character development, particularly of Mina, adds depth to the narrative, making her journey both compelling and relatable.

Something in the Walls is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers that offer more than just scares. With its intricate plot, well-developed characters, and a perfect blend of horror and psychological depth, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Thank you so much for my ALC and EARC!

Something In The walls was pretty creepy had me intrigued. Mina is invited to make an assessment on a young girl named Alice who has been said to be haunted by a wicth. Sine Mina doesn't have a lot of experience as a new child psychologist she jumps on this opportunity. When Mina arrives to the village of Banathel she finds the towns people are growing hysterical over the haunting of Alice.

As Mina Diggs deeper into her assessment of Alice she now questions can a person be haunted by a witch.

The pacing of this book was pretty steady. I would say this isn't my normal type of read but I did end up enjoying it.

Mina is a new child psychologist and is having a hard time finding work in her field. She’s engaged and spending her days planning her wedding and attending group therapy because she still struggles with the loss of her brother. That’s where she meets Sam, a journalist who has lost his daughter. One day he calls her and asks to meet up. He has a job offer for her. There’s a girl name Alice who needs her help. Strange things are happening to the girl and she is suspected to be a witch. Mina is unsure but ends up accepting the job offer, against her fiancés wishes. She thinks she can help Alice, and just maybe Alice can help her.

I listened to this in audiobook format. It is narrated by Ana Clements and she does a fantastic job. She really lent this story emotion and believability. Her voice worked so well in this spooky atmosphere. I highly recommend it in audio format.

I did find this to be a creepy read, unlike some other reviewers. I was completely hooked all the way through. I will definitely check out this authors other books as the writing was really phenomenal. Unfortunately, I have to agree the ending was a bit of a let down. It left some really loose ends.
Thank you to Macmillian Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this in exchange for an honest review.

I had really high hopes for this book. The synopsis was fantastic and I buckled in expecting a spooky read. I had seen the mixed reviews but I was hoping I would fall into the loved it category but I'm sad to say that it fell a little flat for me. While there were some good parts to the book, ultimately I needed more to get it over the line.

I experienced Someone in the Walls through audiobook, and I have to say—the narrator truly brought the story to life. The characters felt vivid and compelling, and the narrator’s delivery added layers to their personalities. I sometimes struggle when listening to books with accents—it can take me a bit to settle in—but here, the accent was easy to follow and never too thick. It actually helped immerse me even more in the eerie, isolated atmosphere of Banathel.

The audiobook hooked me right from the start. There’s a fireplace scene early on that haunted me long after I hit pause (it even crept into my dreams that night). The slow-building dread and unsettling moments kept me on edge, and I loved how the tension simmered as the story unfolded.

But about three-quarters in, things took a turn. The plot shifted to a dark, buried town secret—which was chilling on its own—but it felt like the original mystery around Alice, the possession fears, and the witch’s bottle were suddenly forgotten. I don’t mind open endings, but this felt like those plotlines just… dropped off. If Pearce had sprinkled in a few callbacks or hinted at a sequel, it would’ve felt more complete. Instead, it reminded me of those storytelling exercises where one person writes the first half and another writes the second—it didn’t quite connect.

That said, the terror was real, and those nightmare-worthy moments made the read worth it. Pearce knows how to craft fear. Also, heads-up—there’s mention of child abuse, which may be triggering for some listeners. Overall, a chilling listen with a fantastic narrator, even if some threads are left hanging.

Something In The Walls gives all of the eerie, unsettling vibes that we love from a paranormal horror, with a good supporting plot and storyline. The first half of the book was great. We have Mina, a child psychologist, examining a possessed teenage girl, Alice. During her examination period, strange things occur. There are hauntings, possessions, deaths- overall just terrifying. As the story progressed, however, I found myself losing interest. The pacing began to slow, and things became a little patchy and confusing. The ending didn't do the story any justice either. I don't feel it tied together nicely or worked well with the first half. I do like how the atmosphere was steady throughout the story, though. 3 stars.
Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Daisy Pearce for this ARC.

Wonderfully narrated by Ana Clements, this tense horror novel is a heartbreaking examination of grief, guilt, hope and greed. Mina is a just-graduated child psychologist, engaged to a man who is maybe not a good match for her. She is still mourning the death of her younger brother when she meets a journalist named Sam at a grief group. Sam is investigating a teenager who may be possessed by a witch and can see the dead. Sam and Mina decide to go to Banathel to learn if young Alice is truly possessed or needs a psychologist.

Author Daisy Pearce skillfully unfolds Mina and Sam's backstories and the disturbing history of the backward village of Banathel and its preoccupation with curing rebellious young women. I was deeply drawn into this story where the suspense builds to such a fever pitch that I was physically tense and visibly angry during the climactic scene at the end.

I feel that Ana Clements' tentative and tremulous narration perfectly captured how well Daisy Pearce described Mina, and I BELIEVED them both. I was in that claustrophobic and hot house, I was in that basement, I was in that town. The ending was completely satisfying!

If you enjoyed the mind-bending of Tremblay's Head Full of Ghosts and the modern gothic feel of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, with a little of Thomas Olde Heuvelt's Hex thrown in, you will enjoy this book.

Thank you so much to St Martin's Press for the earc, all opinions are my own.

I got to 45% and I just cannot get into this book. The pacing is weird, the story just seems to be missing some details. And maybe that is the point but it is not for me. We start with Mina having a pregnancy scare in a pharmacy bathroom then returns home to her finance who is too busy to be bothered by wedding planning. Mina decides to go off to some small village to see if she can help a young girl, Alice, suffering from some sort of ailment.

While I enjoyed the story for what it was, I couldn't help shake the image of what it could be.

I don't think i it registered with me the purpose of Mina taking on the case of Alice. I assumed she was also a reporter, as her actions seemed more on par with being a reporter. I would have loved more story unfolding with Alice and cases where her situation happened with other kids. I don't think we got enough interactions with Alice for Mina's presence to make much sense.

The ending was predictable, but also a little confusing in parts. Though, I enjoyed listening to it- the narrator did very well.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Macmillian Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion!

Mina is a child psychologist who still suffers from the lost of her brother when she was a child. She attends an emotional grief support group and connects with Sam, a journalist. Together they become interested in a case about a young girl Alice who claims she is possessed by a witch. They travel to Alice's town and immediately weird things start to happen. Mina and Sam can't tell what is real and what is fake, and honestly as a listener, I couldn't either the whole time. I truly had no idea where this was going the whole time, it was creepy and kept me on my toes. Paranormal thrillers can be hit or miss for me but I enjoyed this one! It's definitely more trippy horror movie vibes (so Midsommar was a great comparison) then the typical thrillers I read.

I found it slow to get into, and I think that was partly due to the narrator. I wasn't a huge fan of hers. But the story itself drew me in and by the end I found myself reading the e-book to see how it ends fast.

Mina is a recently graduated child psychologist. She also recently lost her brother and is attending a grief support group, where she meets Sam, a journalist who lost his daughter. They start to work on a case together about a thirteen year old girl being possessed by a witch. I enjoyed this book. There was just enough menace and darkness to keep me interested. Thank you to Net Galley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced copy of this book

Super suspenseful! Definitely scary and I couldn't tell what was real. Perfect for fans of Midsomer.
Mina is a brand new child psychologist who just needs to break into her own field. During her visit to her grief group, she meets Sam Hunter who tells her about a 13 year-old named Alice who believes she is possessed by a witch. They journey to Alice's superstitious small village in order to help her. Almost immediately, strange things start to happen. People start dying around Alice. Mina can't tell if Alice is faking it so her family can benefit from the attention, or if she is actually possessed by an evil witch.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this digital audio e-arc.*

"I know you had good intentions in coming here. Maybe you thought it would almost be fun—a little trip away, some spooky goings-on—’cos everyone loves a ghost story, don't they? Everyone loves to look into the darkness."

Thirteen-year-old Alice Webber insists she’s been possessed by a witch. Strangers gather outside her family’s crumbling home in the remote village of Banathel, desperate to hear her speak to their dead. Her story draws journalist Sam Hunter, who is searching for more than just headlines—he wants proof that the living can reach beyond the veil. To help him, he enlists child psychologist Mina Ellis, a woman haunted by her own ghosts, both literal and metaphorical.

Mina and Sam arrive to find a town suffocating under the weight of old superstitions and a girl whose eerie behavior defies explanation. As tensions in Banathel rise and the villagers turn against Alice, Mina races to understand what’s happening—to Alice, to the town, and to herself. But some horrors can’t be rationalized away, and in Banathel, belief is as powerful as reality.

I needed this book the moment I saw the cover and read the synopsis, and I’m thrilled to say it exceeded my expectations. Something in the Walls is an absolute masterclass in creeping dread—every page is steeped in decay, rot, and an oppressive heat that makes you feel like you’re suffocating alongside the characters. The atmosphere is rich and immersive, and Pearce knows exactly when to let the horror simmer and when to strike with something genuinely chilling.

While I had an inkling about one of the twists, the central mystery around Alice kept me completely hooked. The book’s pacing is relentless—I was flying through the pages, desperate for answers, and if life hadn’t rudely interrupted, I could have easily devoured it in one sitting.

This is exactly the kind of folk horror / ghost story I crave. Mina is a phenomenal lead—her push and pull between scientific skepticism and the longing to believe reminded me so much of Dana Scully. The scares are sharp and unsettling without tipping into excessive gore, and the tension builds to a perfectly unnerving crescendo.

I listened to parts of the audiobook and found the narration well-done—clear, steady, and immersive without being distracting. While it didn’t stand out as a performance-driven listen, it let the writing shine, which is exactly what a book like this needs.

I loved this book. If you’re a fan of slow-burning horror that lingers in your bones long after you’ve turned the last page, Something in the Walls is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing group for allowing me to listen to a copy of this book prior to its release date in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off so strong. I love a good paranormal thriller. Witchy vibes and a creepy town? Sign me up!

Then things got weird…..

The twists in this book were cringy. There were so many holes and more questions than answers. Still not sure of many plot points to this book. It left so much more to be desired.

I really wanted to like this book and I’m so sad that the ending just fell so flat for me.

Great title! There was a squirrel living in the walls of apartment I once lived in. Scared the mess out of me! Hearing something scratching inside a wall at night.... 0 Stars!!

So I was hooked right away! Turns out this book was not 100% about the wall horror. It is about witches, and ghosts, child psychology (but not really), and talismans, charlatans, and , and , and ....

I did read this rather quickly, so it was not that it lost my interest. There were just too many directions to look. That made for a muddled plot and some unbelievable (in a bad way) plot twists.
The main character just kept doing things that made me go ...REALLY?!? and I just did not buy into the side stories or characters.

I am not mad that I listened to it though. Bonus points for making me look up Witch Bottles.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing the ALC.

DNF'D @ 9%

Thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!

But I am so painfully bored.....

This is clearly a "horror" book written as a literary fiction novel about the most boring, unremarkable woman I've ever read. 5 chapters in and most of it is learning that she's still very hung up on the death of her brother when she was a child and instead of getting therapy and processing her grief, she thinks he's a ghost who shows up in photos of her. I'm sorry, I'm supposed to believe this woman is a child psychologist?! The math isn't mathing...

But the thing that made me rage quit was her absolute dumpster fire of a relationship. The very first thing happening in this book is her taking a pregnancy test and being grateful to learn she's not pregnant. Then we are told she's engaged to the stodgiest man on earth and is avoiding planning her wedding. Oh and he cheated on her, which she knows about and just didn't ever address with him, and she is still engaged to him and almost getting pregnant. Nope, I could care less about this stupid woman and her stupid life choices and no
potential horror is worth sitting through this crap.

Something in the Walls
by Daisy Pearce
3/5 ⭐

Something in the Walls is an atmospheric novel that masterfully blends suspense and horror. Pearce’s ability to build tension is remarkable, and the eerie, haunting vibe of the setting keeps you hooked. While the characters are engaging, some of their backstories lack depth. That said, I wasn't entirely satisfied with the ending—it took a rather unexpected turn into cultish territory, which felt a bit off for me. Still, the book is a fantastic read for fans of psychological thrillers and gothic suspense!

Thank you to @Macmillan.Audio and @netgalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. All my opinions are my own.
Publication Date: February 25, 2025

Glancing through other reviews of this novel, it seems that my feeling is a common one: a very promising premise loses steam and finally concludes in a way that is pretty unsatisfying. I wish I could say it worked better for me-- the beginning is exciting though!!