Disturbing and eerie, but all over the place. We got somewhat of an answer towards the end, but the whole premise of the book was left completely unanswered. We go into the story knowing that Alice, a 13 year old girl is thought to be possessed, but her story gets lost throughout the book and towards the end. It completely shifts gears and leaves the readers without closure. It felt a little incomplete, and as though everything that was happening through the book was supposed to add to the ending, but instead felt like patched up pieces that didn’t go together. Disappointing because the idea of this book had SO much potential. It definitely doesn’t have Haunting Of Hill House vibes, which I was excited for.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc! All opinions are my own

I've seen this compared quite a bit to Midsommar, but it really isn't anything like that. It does have a folk horror ritual aspect to it, but Midsommar isn't the only movie where that happens. It's maybe a little bit Wicker Man, but even that's a stretch. It's also kind of a spoiler comparison, because that part of the book doesn't happen until the end, so it's unfortunate that quite a few blurbs and reviews mention that. Other than that, it was ok. It isn't even a little bit scary. It's very Head Full of Ghosts, and seems pretty clear that there isn't anything supernatural actually happening pretty much immediately. Maybe I missed something, but I didn't even feel tense at any point. It's also pretty annoying that the possession story is just randomly dropped at the last quarter or so, and isn't really resolved at all. I didn't hate it, but I am pretty disappointed because the synopsis sounded amazing and it was supposed to be one of the top horror releases of 2025. I did like the narrator quite a bit. I thought she was great. Yeah, it was fine.

Something In The Walls by Daisy Pierce, I read the Kindle version and listen to the audio as well, and I must admit the audio version makes it so much creepier. The narrator, Ana Clement, gave the book such an eerie vibe not to mention her great performance. In the book we meet Amina it is the late 1990s. She’s about to get married to the very taciturn and clinical fiancé Oscar. Due to still mourning the loss of her brother Roger she attends a group for mourners and this is where she meets Sam. he is thereafter losing his young daughter and they get along immediately. So a few days later when he calls, and says he may have a job for her. She agrees to meet him, but he explains that it’s investigating a teenage girl who they believe is possessed at first, Amina doesn’t know how her psychology training or lack there of could benefit this girl, but she knows sometimes what you see isn’t what it actually is so she agrees to help Sam and the girl.. It isn’t until after she arrives and spends time in the home and with the family that she knows she may be in over her head and may not live to get out of it. The only thing I want to say about this book is, the whole book was awesome and although it didn’t end in the way, I thought it would I still got it, and I may have been a little letdown with the ending, but the whole book is so awesome. I really could let that go. This book had so many creepy moments in it IDK anyone who loves haunted house stories should definitely absolutely give this book a listen. for optimal creepiness get the audiobook the narrator as I said, does such a great job. #NetGalley, #McMillanAudio, #TheBlindReviewer, #DaisyPierce, #SomethingInTheWalls,

Has Alice been possessed by a witch? Sam and Mina, a journalist and psychologist, travel to investigate and help but not without their own agenda.

Many town folk balance between Alice being a witch or being a go between death and life. Her mother just wants her helped, her father wants to profit to save the family from poverty.

A cast of neighbors and friends are involved and play a part. Apart of the problem or the solution is the question.

I was really intrigued by the premise of Something in the Walls, but unfortunately, the story did not deliver for me. I struggled to stay invested due to the lack of plot and found myself very confused at the end. The ending felt rushed and a bit absurd.

Thank you to Macmillan audio for the ALC!

I'm normally not a fan of horror but I really enjoyed this. It was a little predictable but still very creepy and I liked the ending a lot.

This novel sets an eerie tone and creepy atmosphere, which drew me in. In the midst of it, it also touches on more serious topics! The story follows Mina, a recent graduate & child psychologist that is sought out to help a 13 year old girl that keeps having weird occurrences. Mina and her partner Sam, goes to the family home and eventually uncovers terrible secrets. Entertaining read overall, a slow burn psychological horror. Good narration in this audiobook.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.75 ⭐️

** I listened to the audiobook. **

I enjoyed this book until the ending. It was a little unrealistic that an entire town, in a post Salem Witch Trails era, would go along with the rituals without questioning any ulterior motives.

It was an easy listen and the narration was well done.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for access to the audiobook ARC of this book! I truly appreciate the opportunity!

Creepy, eerie, but……
The story is about a young girl named Alice who everyone, including herself, believes is possessed by a witch. Mina, a child psychologist, gets pulled into evaluating Alice by a journalist named Sam. While Mina and Sam were there investigating, they saw/discovered several disturbing events.
The story started out strong and YES there were creepy parts that made me squirm, but I just became confused on what the focus of the story was supposed to be as things just jumped around. Entertaining, yes. However, there were parts that just did not add up for me. Is this a story about connecting with spirits/ghosts OR is this a story about a witch possessing a child with a bit of folklore?
Special thanks to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced audio copy!

Brand new child psychologist, Mina Ellis meets Sam Hunter and they embark on a quest to help 13-year-old Alice, who believes a witch is haunting her. Mina is desperate to prove Alice is not possessed or being haunted by a witch. Unfortunately,  the townspeople have roots in witchcraft superstitions and think otherwise, especially when people are getting hurt and/or dying.

I was initially intrigued by the book cover. It just made the book seem like it would have some definite creep factors and it didn't disappoint. In the beginning, though, it was a slow start for me. I struggled with the first 40% or so but, I felt like it had to get better so I kept listening. Then, about 75% it finally did, but it was barely a 4 star. A couple of little twists near the end is what pushed it over the edge.  The narrator was just OK, but she was easy to understand. As audiobook readers know that's the most important thing.

Big thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio,  and Daisy Pearce for the opportunity to enjoy this audiobook before its release on February 25, 2025. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nina's life has had it's turbulence: the dead of her brother, her relationship with her fiance. But when she is given a chance to help a young girl who is seeing a witch in her walls, she jumps at the chance, to the dismay of her fiance. Going with a reporter, Sam, to talk to and examine Alice, Nina is determined to diagnose her with a psychological illness, debunking the theories and stories of witches in the walls and chimneys. But when Nina meets Alice and is able to befriend her neighbors and friends, she quickly realizes something else is going on in this small town.

A little bit of mystery, a smattering of unreliable narrator, this story is spooky and suspenseful. A little dull in places, I had a hard time keeping interest throughout the story. The pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place midway through the novel but the end still held some surprises for me. The narrator was great, her voice had tones and cadence that made it easy to listen to.

Overall an okay read for me, perhaps a bit more fun for a Fall month.

*Full review to be posted closer to publication!*

Something in the Walls ended up being a much creepier story than I anticipated, and I enjoyed every minute of it! We follow Mina, a child psychologist, who attempts to help a journalist figure out what is going on with a thirteen year old girl who has been the center of many mysterious events. The way this author unfolded the story was incredibly suspenseful and hit all the best notes for a paranormal/psychological horror story. It was great to get to know Mina over this journey and see how her own feelings and opinions about various things evolved as she discovered more and more about what was going on with the young girl--as well as with herself and her own relationship. I listened to the audiobook version and thought the narrator did a wonderful job capturing the intensity of the story and many creepy moments. I will certainly look out for more from Daisy Pearce!

Whoa. I love a little paranormal horror. This book was super creepy and suspenseful. Just enough to keep me guessing throughout but still surprised at the end. The character building was strong. The main character is decent. Mina, the main character becomes an adolescent psychologist and is called to care for a girl called Alice. Mina travels to her town to live in the home to fully study Alice. What Mina finds is darker than anyone could imagine!

I would read more from this author. I enjoyed the atmospheric setting and descriptive imagery of the witch in this story. I definitely had to look away a few times!

The audio of this title is amazing. It definitely heightened the suspense and make my heart race. The narrator did an excellent job being the characters to life. The pacing was a tad slow, I enjoyed it around 1.5x. The audio was smooth with easy transitions between chapters. If I had a choice of only one. I would choose the audio version of this title.

Thank you @netgalley for a copy of this title. All my reviews are my own.

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce is a chilling psychological horror that blends folklore, suspense, and deep-rooted superstition in a haunting narrative. Mina, a newly-qualified child psychologist, is drawn into an eerie case involving a young girl, Alice, who believes she’s being haunted by a witch. Living in a small, isolated village, Alice’s increasingly erratic behavior leads Mina on a dark investigation into the town’s disturbing history of witchcraft and sinister traditions.

The story is suffused with tension, with the stifling heat of the British summer mirroring the rising unease in both Mina's personal life and her professional challenges. Pearce expertly crafts a gripping atmosphere as Mina navigates the complexities of Alice's haunting while confronting her own troubled past. The mix of folklore and psychological horror is brilliantly executed, keeping the reader on edge as the village’s dark secrets unfold.

DNF- I did not like the audiobook narrator. I will try again reading a physical copy of it when it comes out.

I had an extremely hard time getting through this book. I felt a lack of connection to any of these characters and it just felt way too long and drug out. Personally this was not for me. The concept sounded great, and this was eerie and haunting at times. But I truly struggled to finish this one.

Unsettling, dark, mysterious, and sometimes infuriating.

A novice child psychologist named Mina is recruited by Sam, a journalist to help investigate a disturbed 13 year old girl, Alice , who some claim is a witch.
Both Sam and Mina bring with them emotional baggage of losing someone close to them.
Both in their own way enter into this investigation hoping to get answers of their own. Can Alice truly speak to the dead to bring closure to Sam or Mina, or is this simply a hoax?
As Mina gets to know Alice and the people of the town, she begins to uncover something more deviant going on. Can Mina help Alice before it’s too late?
Great character development and the narrator does an amazing job of pulling you into the story.
The internal debate between the characters and the readers themselves as you put pieces together to determine what is actually going on in this town.
My only critique is that the ending fell flat, with so many unanswered questions. There is so much that is uncovered . What becomes of the town and the people after learning the truth?

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio of the ARC

I did not enjoy the movie Midsommar and I also did not enjoy this book. If you've seen Midsommar and were also disturbed, then you will understand why.
The premise for this story is thrilling and interesting but the execution and disturbing story is not something I enjoyed.
I was not interested in any of the characters and their arcs and I was incredibly annoyed at Mina for knowing Oscar was up to no good and still doing nothing about it?

A gripping work of folk horror if I do declare.
This follows Mina a new child psychologist who met this man Sam at a grief group. Sam is a journalist comes across this story of this teen Alice who claims she is haunted by a witch. They travel to the village of Banathel, when they get there they find that the village is steeped in superstitions and they don’t like outsiders.

Great read as Halloween approaches. I was pretty edge of my seat quite a few times. Story has several think about it moments as well as a few twists.

Buy it, check your library, but read it, just to see if your fear factors are working. Enjoy.