I need to pick up more books with gothic horror vibes because I forget how much I love them.

Children can be creepy and Wren and Thea are no exception. I couldn’t wait to see what they were going to do next. This was full of twists that I’m happy to say I did NOT see coming.

I enjoyed the relationship between Marin and Evie even though it felt a little insta-love for me. Good on Marin for not bailing out of that house and Evie cause if this creepy stuff was happening to me? I’d be gone haha.

It has Haunting of Bly Manor/House of Salt and Sorrows vibes. If you enjoyed either of these then this one is for you.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, Katherine Tegen Books for this advanced copy.

All the Dead Lie Down has all the plot elements of a classic horror novel that readers will devour. We begin with the lead character, Marin Blythe, who just lost her mother. Marin has no money and no where to go, but then she receives an invitation to a creepy mansion on the coast complete with strange groundskeeper, a family cemetery in the yard, a dark forest, and a plethora of secrets waiting to be revealed.

The owner of the house is Alice Lovelace, a renowned horror novelist herself, who was once best friends with Marin’s mother. She’s invited Marin to look after her young daughters, Wren and Thea, while Alice completes work on her next novel. Mysteries begin to unfold as the two strange girls play pranks on Marin, trying desperately to get her to leave.

Their oldest sister, Evie, soon returns from college to come to Marin’s rescue. There’s chemistry between Evie and Marin, but the history of the house demands their attention. How did Alice’s husband die? Why is Thea burying her dolls in the cemetery? What’s causing the strange wounds on the animals in the forest? Why does Alice disappear for days, locked in her office, only to appear dazed and suffering from headaches?

It’s a dark, fun mystery that will keep the reader guessing and keep the pages turning. It’s obvious McCauley draws her inspiration from such greats as Mary Shelley and Shirley Jackson. The book even begins with a quote from Emily Dickinson.

As Marin discovers a dark past that her mother and Alice shared, she helps Evie search for clues to her own sordid past. The haunted family and their haunted house is only the beginning of a fantastic novel that dives deep into family secrets and even the supernatural.

It’s beautiful and poetic at times as Marin and Evie explore matters of the heart. The suspense continues to build with each chapter, culminating to a satisfying climatic ending that will have readers wishing they could read this book again for the very first time. This will be one of the best horror books of the year!

All the Dead Lie Down will be released May 16th from Katherine Tegen Books.

Memento Mori - remember, you must die

Equal parts haunting and beautiful, All the Dead Lie Down is definitely a summer must read.

When Marin Blythe accepts the nanny position for a newly widowed horror writer who lives in a mansion by the sea, she soon realizes there is more to the job than she had originally thought.

I didn't do a lot of research on this book before I picked it up. The cover art was more than enough to have my interest peaked. I was instantly drawn in by the beautifully eerie atmosphere and story. I could see the inspiration being taken from Haunting of Bly Manor and was thrilled by it since Mike Flanagan always produces stories I love.

I would say it was kind of a slow build story, but I never found myself bored with the story. When the finale hit, it hit with a bang and more than made up for the rest of the story.

If you are a fan of timeless gothic horror, this will be a book for you.

If you like gothic horror, then this book is for you. The mansion has all sorts of dark niches, hidden places and secrets. If that interests you; then the author throws in necromancy. There is also the romantic tension between Marin and Evie. The rest of the family has some serious issues that a therapist would have a hard time dealing with. As you read through the pages, you become so engrossed with this family that you cannot help but feel as though you are there in the house, on the island and in the cemetery. The changes that happen from the beginning of the book to the end are both uplifting as well as depressing. This is definitely a 5⭐️ read.

Marin is reeling from the sudden loss of her mother when she receives an unexpected invitation from Alice Lovelace, famed horror writer and her mother's childhood friend. Alice offers Marin a nanny position at Lovelace House, her family's coastal estate in Maine, which Marin gratefully accepts. She soon finds herself caring for Alice's peculiar, precocious young daughters, who initiate her with a series of escalating pranks. And then Alice's oldest daughter, Evie, returns home unexpectedly from boarding school. Marin is drawn to her immediately, despite Evie's reserved nature. But even as she and Evie grow closer, Marin can't escape a feeling of deep disquiet. Like Evie, Lovelace House is full of secrets, and Marin must find a way to unravel them before it's too late.

All the Dead Lie Down is one of those "sprawling ancestral estate, generational curse, destructive secrets" sorts of books that just click all the boxes for me. Comparisons to The Haunting of Bly Manor are completely warranted, but All the Dead Lie Down doesn't feel derivative at all. Although this book explores similar themes in a similar setting, Kyrie McCauley's Gothic romantic horror novel is entirely its own thing, laced with an escalating feeling of dread and dark, disturbing imagery.

The characters are intricately-drawn, and McCauley knows how to write children well -- something not every author can do. Thea and Wren's antics brought a smile to my face several times. I also loved her descriptions of Marin's anxiety, which felt authentic and relatable. And there's excellent LGBTQ+ representation.

There are several scenes in this book that are viscerally frightening, relayed in prose that reads as lyrical and lovely even when it is describing the most grisly things. The pacing and plotting is perfect, with twists that caught me by surprise and reveals executed at just the right moment. Beyond its scares, this is also a book that deals effectively with serious themes like grieving (for both the living at the dead), mental health issues, generational trauma, and the complexities of family dynamics. It's just a really well done book and the kind of story with a world I wanted to inhabit, despite its horrors.

4.5 stars. Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity.

Final Rating: 4.5 stars

If you like creepy kids, a gothic house, undead animals, and twists, then this is definitely for you! I loved how creepy this was and the reveals we got about the Lovelace family were really well done. The pacing was great, I flew through this book in two days which is pretty fast for me! I wasn’t totally convinced by the romance between Evie and Marin, since it felt like this story took place over the course of a few weeks and them falling in love seemed a bit rushed to me. My only negative is that the younger girls didn’t feel like they were young enough to need a babysitter, the way they spoke and interpreted things was very mature and maybe kids these days are, but it didn’t seem super realistic. But obviously looking at my rating, that didn’t impact my enjoyment too much. Overall, this was a fun and deliciously creepy book and I definitely recommend it!

4⭐️

Following the death of her mother, Marin Blythe receives an invitation from Alice Lovelace to take on a nanny role for her two young daughters. Alice, a well known horror writer, was a childhood friend of Marin’s mother, so the invitation is bit bittersweet.

When Marin arrives at Lovelace House, things are odd. Thea regularly holds funerals for her dolls. Wren goes out of her way to prank Marin so she’ll leave. Dead birds keep appearing in Marin’s room and everyone seems to have a secret. Marin find herself drawn to Evie, the oldest, most withdrawn daughter who is also wrapped in her own grief. As more odd things happen, Marin must figure out the secrets of Lovelace House before she gets lost in the secrets.

I really liked this. If gave major Haunting of Bly Manor meets The Shinning vibes with maybe a bit of Pet Semetery and I loved all the twists and turns. Creepy kids? Check. Zombie deer? Check. Weird, gothic house? Check.

I loved how this book looked at grief and how it effects everyone differently. Marin’s anxiety intensified, Alice was filled with anger, and Evie was content not feeling anything at all. Sometimes you have to overcoming grief doesn’t mean forgetting it happened but accepting it and the characters displayed that beautifully.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperColins for providing this ARC to me!

I loved this book! At the beginning, it gave me Ruth Ware "The Turn of the Key" vibes, but ended up being so much more! Read this book if you love: creepy houses, paranormal/necromancy vibes, WLW relationships, and weird family history. Definitely recommend this one, especially around spooky season!

Unfortunately I was not able to make it through this book much. I really tried to connect to the characters and the situation but it was really hard to hold my interest.

Oh, Kyrie McCauley, you had me at gothic lesbian romance.

As with most gothic novels, the story starts with an impoverished orphan girl named Marin Blythe. Having recently lost her mother in a train crash, Marin is feeling lost and overcome by her anxiety. That’s when a distant friend of her mother’s, Alice Lovelace, reaches out and offers to give her a home in exchange for Marin nannying her two younger daughters, Wren and Thea.

Alice Lovelace is a reclusive horror author who lives in the middle of nowhere with her daughters in a stately manor home that's slowly sinking into the sea. The house holds many secrets, and even has its own cemetery where generations of Lovelaces have been buried and the youngest daughter, Thea, hold funerals for her dolls. All that’s missing from the desolate home is a forbidden wing (which Marin even cracks a joke about). Despite being set in the presentday, Lovelace house feels trapped in the past due to the lack of electronics and cell signal, making Marin feel all the more isolated. Worst still, Wren and Thea have a penchant for cruel pranks, like leaving the braided hair of their dead ancestors in Marin’s bed.

All the Dead Lie Down is a very pretty book and a love letter to classic Gothic romances. It’s as dark and delicate as the bird skeletons Alice Lovelace keeps around the house. But in some ways the book feels very paint-by-numbers, like McCauley was working off a gothic checklist. It definitely makes the novel atmospheric, but not particularly unique. However, since the book is aimed at young adults who may not yet be familiar with Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, The Turn of the Screw, etc. All the Dead Lie Down is an entertaining and accessible introduction to gothic fiction.

The romance between Marin and Alice’s eldest daughter, Evie, is lovely and sweet. Both girls are approach each other hesitantly, stealing secret kisses in the garden and passing secret notes tied up with ribbon. The plot takes a while to get to the exciting bits, but I didn’t mind the wait, as it gives the reader time to enjoy the suspense and become familiar with the characters and house (arguably a character itself), and to enjoy the gloomy atmosphere. Overall, a cozy and creepy read perfect for a rainy day with a hot cup of tea.

All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley is a contemporary YA gothic romance that reminded me of a mix between "The Haunting of Bly Manor" and "House of Salt and Sorrows".

The story follows Marin Blythe, a girl who is left alone in the world after a tragedy. She receives an invitation from Alice Lovelace, a childhood friend of her mother and a famous horror writer, to work as a nanny at Lovelace House, the family's coastal Maine estate. Once she arrives, Marin finds herself looking after Alice's peculiar daughters, Thea and Wren, who play creepy pranks on her and bury their dolls one by one. Marin also meets Alice's eldest daughter, Evie, who returns home unexpectedly and draws Marin in with her compelling behavior and ethereal grace.

As Marin settles into her new role, she begins to notice strange occurrences happening around the house. Dead birds appear in her room, and something dangerous lurks in the woods, leaving mutilated animals in its wake. Marin must unravel the secrets of Lovelace House before they consume her.

I particularly enjoyed the romance between Marin and Evie, which felt very authentic and touching. I appreciated how Evie developed throughout the story. The writing was well done, and the gothic setting was immersive, which made it easy for me to get lost in the story.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA gothic horror and romance, family curses, and lgbtqia+ love stories. However, be aware that the book does contain graphic body horror, death, and violence.

Thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books, Katherine Tegen Books and NetGalley for the advance review copy.

I really enjoyed this book! It was unsettling at times and created an atmosphere of suspense, perfect for the genre. I loved that seeing queer representation in a story like this!

I feel like this one is one of those books where the less you know going in the better! So I don't know how to talk about it without giving anything away! It wasn't what I was expecting but not in a bad way! It was a bit slow at first but once it picked up it, it made it very hard to put down! I loved the characters and the atmosphere. There were parts that genuinely creeper me out. I feel like there were some things that were glossed over that needed to be more fleshed out but other than that thoroughly enjoyed this!

This is a haunting and romantic tale that completely pulled me under with its darkness.

Marin recently lost her mother and winds up traveling to be a nanny at the Lovelace house. This house is known throughout town to be cursed, but even though Marin does not expect what lies ahead for her.

Marin and Evie are a great couple to watch grow together, especially through Marin's realizations. The children, Thea and Wren, are absolutely delightful to read about. I loved their twisted schemes.

I thought this book became a little slow at a later point in it. But overall, the idea and the emotions in this story kept me reading.


Out May 16, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

This book gave me the horror/ spooky vibes II hoped for! The house, the kids, and the creepy cemetery had the perfect atmosphere for a horror story. Weird things begin happening, but all things that could maybe be explained away, but once Evie arrives back home all the weird and unexplainable things really ramp up to a 10.

I loved Marin and Evie's relationship, I thought it was super cute, and it definitely felt like they belonged together, although if I were the one staying there I absolutely would have fled after some of the things that happened budding romance or not. While the story is a bit slower, especially in the beginning, I was still sucked in and wanted to keep reading to see what crazy things were going to happen next, and if we were going to see a reason for the way Alice is behaving... and boy did we! It was something I didn't see coming until it was revealed,

This book was serious, fun, and spooky. It had me sitting on the edge of my seat and gave me some weird dreams after I finished reading it. I will definitely be checking out this author's other work

The beginning was a little slow (and creepy children are kind of a miss for me in general - especially when there’s a creepy house RIGHT THERE but you rely on the kids instead) but once we bring Evie in, the story ramps up. Honestly, I think the book suffers for not having Evie there right from the start (it didn’t feel like her absence was necessary, and we could have cut a bunch of that slow beginning).

I was here for the queer! Though I couldn’t get exactly what it was about Evie that really drew Marin in apart from her looks; like, the whole character intro had Evie pegged as some mischievous pretty girl but then they were kissing and she “felt safe”? Not really sure.

Also, did Agatha ever bloom? I feel like that was a metaphor that was forgotten somewhere along the way.

Basically, if we cut the first 30% of the book, it would have been very good. Once Evie came in, the pacing was good, the creepy factor increased, we had some really nice spooky scenes, and girls kissing - what more can you ask for?

All the Dead Lie Down has been an anticipated read for me. I’m really loving thrillers at the moment and I knew this would be a great one. From the get go there is a constant feeling of foreboding. It’s definitely the type of thriller that ramps up the tension at such a slow pace you don’t realise just how creeped out you are until there’s a moment with unexplained blood leading up to a bedroom window where something has definitely just crawled either to or from.

I definitely felt the Bly Manor influence for this and I loved it. Although I don’t know why, but the house and its inhabitants would have seemed way creepier if they were British. There’s something about imagining a child with an American accent that doesn’t make them unsettling at all, but give them a posh British accent? Creepy to the max.

Although saying that, I really loved both Wren and Thea. I don’t want to give any of the story away, but Wren goes through quite the development during the story, that is only obvious to the reader as she actually isn’t quite what she seems on the surface. I found myself not liking her much to begin with but I definitely softened to her after a while.

Now, Marin, she was a bit of a strange one. If I suspected that weird, dark things were happening in that house I would have been out of there like a shot. I get that she has no one and nowhere to go, but to be honest they did offer to help her if she chose to leave. It’s the weirdest thing, she was utterly naive whilst also being completely stubborn.

I loved Evie’s character a lot. She was the perfect protective big sister and she really carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. At first, I thought she was going to be a cold character who wanted nothing to do with Marin, but oh no, quite the opposite.
This brings me to their relationship, which sorry is a slight spoiler, but yay sapphics! It seemed to spring out of nowhere and it was very serious very fast, but I suppose that’s what teens are like really. The way they acted made me completely forget that they were only 17 and also that the story was set in the modern day.

Which brings me to my next point. All the Dead Lie Down has this weird time paradox feeling to it where it doesn’t seem to belong to any particular point in time. I’m going to assume this is intentional because it’s pretty impressive. You feel so creeped out by what is happening because it feels like the characters have no way of getting help as they are isolated in an old house. But no, it doesn’t have a specific time period, but Marin talks about having a phone so it’s fairly recent.

The first half of the book moved a little too slowly for my liking, but the second half more than made up for it. There are so many twists, turns and heart-racing moments that you find yourself itching to turn the page quickly so you can find out what is going on. The reveal of these twists is done very well and I really liked how everything linked together.

Overall, All the Dead Lie Down is an excellent thriller that sets you on edge from the get-go. It has interesting relationship dynamics and the thriller/mystery element is nothing unique, but the way in which the author has used it is completely compelling. I’d highly recommend this book.

Ah, yes. What’s better than an atmospheric, trope-filled romance that’s also a horror novel? Not much! In this, Kyrie McCauley’s “All the Dead Lie Down” delivers, both with its macabre content and its happily-ever-after (don’t ever take that away from my romances!).

Marin has recently lost her mother and has few prospects. Is this a Regency or Victorian romance? Nope, set in the present day. When a horror novelist she admires hires her as the summer nanny for her two young daughters, Marin takes the position at forlorn and remote Lovelace House. The children’s father has also recently passed. From the beginning, Marin is tested by the mother, the children’s cruel pranks, and the strange nature of the house. When the eldest daughter returns unexpectedly from her summer studies, however, Marin finds it too difficult to leave the strange property. Even though, with Evie’s arrival, things get even stranger. Together, the two must protect the young wards, navigate Mother’s odd behaviors, and unravel a mystery a few generations in the making.

The blurb compares this book to both “Bly Manor” and “House of Salt and Sorrows.” “House of Salt and Sorrows” was my favorite book from last year’s reading, so I jumped on the chance to read this as well. It lacks the fantasy aspect but does deliver on the haunting and the atmosphere. It’s a rather timeless setting on the coast of Maine, and it would make a lovely summer read if you like something that is both gruesome and light-hearted at times. The development of Evie and Marin’s relationship is sweet, and the younger girls seemed realistically portrayed, which can be quite difficult. I was hooked from the beginning on trying to figure out why their mother was behaving the way she was, and the answer does not disappoint. I was thoroughly entertained from beginning to end and look forward to other works in this genre from Kyrie McCauley. I received this book from NetGalley.

While I enjoy good gothic horror stories (Poe, Radcliffe), I have a more tenuous relationship with more recent horror stories, many of which I find more amusing than scary or which I find incredibly “stupid” (this is especially true of horror movies). There is a point in this book where the story approaches the line between quality and vapid, and thankfully stays on the side of quality.

The story focuses on the home and family of Alice Lovelace, an acclaimed author of horror stories. Marin Blythe’s mother Cordelia recently died in a train derailment, leaving Marin an orphan, but Cordelia’s old friend Alice has offered her a place to stay and a job as the nanny for her young daughters, Rowena (Wren) and Theadora (Thea). Alice’s husband had died in an accident the prior summer and the family is still grieving the loss. The older sister, Evie Hallowell, is away at school, but will soon return due to the actions of Wren.

The secrets of Lovelace House, Evie Hallowell, and how Marin fits in the picture are much darker and creepier than expected. Those secrets are ones that readers will want to discover for themselves. The developing relationship between Marin and Evie, the oldest daughter, is quite enjoyable; especially, as Marin is a chronic worrier, anxious and fearing the worst-case scenarios, but the truth about Evie and the depth of feeling that Marin develops for her overcomes that innate fear/anxiety.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, Katherine Tegen Books, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

I was initially somewhat wary of it; though I know X meets Y, or Perfect for Fans of Z are ways to sell it, I had not been all too fond of Netflix's Bly Manor. All The Dead Lie Down was to me, the superior horror showing, with the hairs on my neck standing up.

Dani is in control, and can leave when she wants to. Marin has nothing else, and is reminded of this when she expresses doubt. Marin has no choice but to stay, and her only reprieve lies with her employer's older, fascinating, difficult daughter. Half-dead animals stutter their way through the grounds, and dead birds find themselves on Marin's floor. Her young charges are difficult; both grieving the recent loss of their father, they've been isolated and have differing opinions on Marin.

One tolerates her, and it turns to like. The other actively wants to push her away for the secrets they keep and out of dislike. Marin, newly orphaned by the loss of her mother, has no one but the woman who was once her mother's childhood best friend-- a woman her mother wanted nothing to do with, a woman who Marin must now rely on for any sense of stability, but never security. It's Evie, her daughter, who brings Marin comfort.

Like mother, like daughter, Marin is deeply twined in with the Lovelaces. Like mother like daughter, she'd be safer leaving.
But Marin can't, and her fears, anxieties, loyalty, and love are explored deeply enough that we feel her helplessness and fear, as well as her will.