I read several chapters of this novel and could not get into it as hard as I tried. I put it in a folder that allows me to return to it to see if I change my mind. I was attracted to the description, but then could not connect with it as it unfolded. I was not into the Captain who has a dark back story, the search for one of his former friends, the wife who is into seances. The only character I sort of liked was the orphan girl who left the place she was being raised and trained up to accompany the wife. Just couldn't get into the visions and dreams and so forth. I do think there are readers out there for this novel but unlikely I will finish it.

Many thanks to Netgalley for this early preview. This was one of the best books I've read in awhile. Though it was a fictional tale, situations such as this did indeed happen during the expeditions of the arctic circle in the late 1800's. Victorian history is something I am profoundly interested in and the Polar expeditions were so exciting in that era. Ally Wilkes puts you right there in the freezing, freezing cold. You're trapped, starving, sick with scurvy and on the edge of sanity. Captain William Day is trying his best to keep not only himself alive but his dwindling crew as well.

Fast forward thirteen years and Day never thought he would be a reviled source of rumors.
His second in command Jesse Stevens has gone missing and Day is given the chance to go back to that horrid place with a caveat. Day must be accompanied by Steven's wife who just so happens to be a Medium who, along the way performs Seances. This adds to the gothic vibe perfectly.

I put this in my top 5 books of 2023.

⁉️: Do you like to travel and/or explore? Which country has been on your must travel list?

I absolutely love to travel, and tend to prefer warmer climates. With that said, I do want to see the Northern lights someday. Also, with the cold weather comes tales of explorers.

In Ally Wilkes’s novel, Where The Dead Wait, comes an eerie, atmospheric Polar Gothic novel which tells the story of a Victorian explorer in search of his lost shipmate and his own redemption.

William Day should have been an acclaimed Arctic explorer but fails expedition, and like the Donner family, his crew turns to cannibalism to survival. Thirteen years later, Jesse Steven - his second-in-command, has gone missing. And, this event becomes Day’s mission to recover him and face his past.

Abroad this ship, he encounters unwanted passengers: a report obsessed with the first expedition of his, Steven’s wife, who is a spirit-medium who uses seances to recover and find her husband.

At the heart of the novel is at the question about what makes us as “good” or “bad” human beings and how much our actions play a role in the way our life unfolds. The tension between Day and Steven is palpable is ultimately makes the story for what it is. If you enjoy horror, and are looking for winter reads about Arctic survival, then this one is for you.

Thank you @av_wilkes, @atriabooks and @simonandschuster for the gifted arc.

#WhereTheDeadWait #AllyWilkes #SimonandSchuster #Atriabooks #shnidhi

Similar vibe to Dan Simmons The Terror. Also like that one it is a bit too long and slow. Has great writing and an exciting climax, it just meanders for too many pages before getting there. It does a great job of setting the environment and the dire surroundings. I had some trouble connecting with the characters. We spend a ton of time in Captain Day’s head but his mental state is all over the place making it hard to follow him.

I am sorry to report that I had to dnf this book at 27%. Nothing horribly wrong with it, but I was just not having a good time, I found myself struggling to want to pick it back up and this was severely hindering my ability to actually enjoy any of it.

Some elements I believe to be factors in my overall view of this book and my decision to put it down:
- Dare I say it... I wanted more cannibalism? I feel like I went into this thinking it would be front and center but it was actually avoided being talked about (with good reason realistically, but I really had hoped for more earlier on). I never really got too much of the horror element because everything was so vague in the first quarter of the story.
- Having the story set in the late 1800s did not help me at all. I don't do well with historical piece, apparently.
- While I thought that the story sounded interesting from the description, in actuality it had a very slow pace and less-than-interesting characters.
- I do feel like this book could have worked well had it moved a little faster OR if the beginning of the book jumped right into the second return expedition because that is what I was interested in reading about anyway. There was too much foundation building of the who and why but not enough of the action.
- I did appreciate the subtle queer theme, I just wish I could stick around long enough to see it become anything more than just wistful daydreams/memories.

I have read a short story by this author previously, in a found footage horror anthology, and I really liked it so I was excited for this release. I didn't end up liking it that much, but in this instance I can absolutely see why people will enjoy this. The atmosphere was so well done, and that fear-of-the-unknown Arctic vibe was so spooky and well done. Where the story lost me was the formatting and actual plot--I found it a bit hard to parse through this story because I was having trouble keeping present day, flashbacks, hallucinations and other characters separated in my mind. I just couldn't get drawn into the story because I was spending a lot of mental energy trying to keep it all straight in my mind. I can absolutely see why people will enjoy this, though. It reminds me a lot of the part in Frankenstein (I think? Don't quote me on this) where Frankenstein flees to the Arctic/North Pole to escape his pursuer, and the sort of desolate and spooky vibes.
Overall, not a bad story just not for me, but if you like slow, spooky, exploration horror/gothic stories then you'll probably get a kick out of this!

Firstly, as always, a massive thank you to Altria/Emily Bestler Books, Ally Wilkes and Netgalley for the ARC edition of this book!

Freezing waters. Cannibalism. Mystery. and a Betrayal.

I mean, it's a great mix for this bone chilling (no pun intended?) gothic horror. I absolutely love all things Ally Wilkes, and Where The Dead Wait did not fall short of my expectations! Like all her other read, the storytelling, the atmosphere, and the dread are all there and immediately captivate you as a reader. The characters are compelling, the story is addicting, and you find yourself overwhelmed with the need to know what happens next!

I read this in a single day because I did not have a choice. The compelling nature of Wilkes' writing style makes it so that you become one with the story; you are "in" that world whether you want to be or not. The times I had to take breaks felt off kilter and weird because I felt disconnected to my real life while immersed in the story.

I don't want to give much of anything away, as this is a great one to just dive right into at-least partially blind. And be prepared to have a hard time walking away. I highly recommend this, especially now for my fellow north of the equator folks. Nothing like biting cold weather while you take a deep dive into this terror!

Yay, Ally Wilkes! Wilkes’ previous spooky novel of cold desolation, All the White Spaces, is an absolute favorite of mine, so I couldn’t wait to get my mitts on Where the Dead Wait.

William Day returns from a failed and horrifying Arctic expedition to accusations of cannibalism. Men will do unspeakable things to survive, and Day did just that. Over a decade later, Day returns to the scene of his undoing, in an attempt to find his missing former shipmate (and clandestine lover), Jesse Stevens. In all these years, Stevens has been Day’s the unwelcome voice in his head, a flicker in the corner of his vision. To make things extra awkward, Day is joined on the journey by Stevens’ wife, a renowned medium.

Where the Dead Wait is a cracking novel of creeping dread. Switching between timelines from an episode of complete desperation to Day’s current fraught mental state, the reader is constantly on-edge. As if the Polar atmosphere isn’t surreal enough, there are a few truly disturbing and uncanny moments that I won’t be forgetting in a hurry.

And poor William Day. I loved this character so much. Placed under an enormous amount of pressure at such a young age, and spending the rest of his life reeling from it, not to mention suppressing his sexuality, would be enough to push anyone over the edge.

I would have loved to see more from Mrs. Stevens; she seemed like a fascinating character. Her final interaction with Day was especially touching.

Wilkes belongs among the ranks of Michelle Paver as a master of “Polar Gothic”. This is a slow burn of a novel, which perfectly reflects the slow progress involved with such voyages. Perfect for winter nights in front of a fire.

I enjoyed this! It was spooky and atmospheric and definitely unique. As someone whose career aspirations include Arctic or Antarctic research trips I always enjoy reading about the area. The spooky vibes were top notch and it was a wild ride being inside of Day's head!

I really enjoyed the author’s previous book and have been really look forward to this one. Unfortunately it just did not draw me in. I found it a bit of a challenge to discern what was the current story versus a flashback versus an hallucination. The characters were very one dimensional and the pacing was a tad slow. Some may like this but it just wasn’t for me. Thank you NetGalley opportunity to read and review this book.

An intense story with a complicated and intriguing main character kept me interested in this too-long book. Wilkes’ ability to create atmosphere and drama that doesn’t feel hokey is a welcome addition to the thriller genre.

This story is told in third person with chapters labeled Then and Now as well as dates and locations. It follows the journey of an Arctic explorer, William Day, as he sets off on a rescue mission to bring back his second-in-command, Stevens, with whom he holds both fascinated and mixed feelings. Day is haunted by his previous Arctic explorations, especially concerning cannibalism, and is accompanied, somewhat uncomfortably, on this rescue mission by the wife of Stevens who is a psychic medium.

The writing is incredibly atmospheric giving the story a dark, dense feeling of cold and desolation both in setting and emotions. The desperation of the starving, stranded explorers who have lost all hope was unmistakable. However, despite the careful labelling of the chapters, I often got lost in time during Day’s narrative due to his hauntings and hallucinations. It was difficult to tell what was real and what was not, which led to an ambiguity for me that I found frustrating.

There were moments that were so atmospheric and spiritual that I was holding my breath with the tense suspense followed by cryptic questions or actions that left me scratching my head wondering what just happened and despite rereading entire sections, I was still left puzzled. At the same time, I enjoyed the real monster versus mythological being aspects of the story.

Recommended to those fascinated with Arctic exploration and the travails of those stranded in desolate conditions that can break the mind.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC of this chilling title.**

I got myself super hooked on the synopsis for this one, looking forward to an atmospheric polar gothic.

Unfortunately, the writing just wasn’t for me and I found myself slogging through the beginning and not looking forward to picking the book up.

For me, this story didn’t have enough reward to warrant the amount of effort I had to put into it. I know people love this author (and I wish I did too,) but Where The Dead Wait just didn’t deliver.

The scene was set very well - I could definitely FEEL how cold the characters were in the Arctic, and I found myself struggling along with the explorers. Wilkes does an incredible job of showing rather than telling, and that’s definitely the main positive I can give to this book.

Ultimately, I think readers that enjoy historical fiction and intense atmosphere will really appreciate this book. I think if more emphasis had been placed on the historical aspect of the story, I would have known ahead of time that this book wasn’t for me.

Rarely do I feel so totally immersed in the setting as I did with Where the Dead Wait. Ally Wilkes' latest is a little graphic, and should be read with that in mind, but for the true gothic/horror fan, this one shouldn't be missed. Thanks for the opportunity to review!

I really enjoyed Ally Wilkes previous books and her newest, WHERE THE DEAD WAIT, did not disappoint. This book is beautifully written, and a slow burn horror, that would be perfect for horror fans or historical fiction fans looking for a scary read.

It's been thirteen years since the disastrous end of William Day's Arctic Captaincy, and his right-hand man, Jesse Stevens, is now lost on his own Arctic exploration. Recruited by Stevens' spirit-medium wife to head a search and rescue for this missing expedition, Day must face his past failures,,,and feasts. No matter how many times he tries to convince himself they had to resort to chewing on their fallen comrades, Day knows that something dark still lurks within. This author does polar gothic horror so supremely well. The writing is so visceral and evocative that it makes you feel like you are also trapped on the boat(s) in the Arctic circle with the overwhelming feeling that something is hunting you. The pacing is a little slow at times, but it adds to the sense of dread and when we reach the various twists and turns there is a true shock and horror felt by the reader. It's a really good author that can still have me feeling uneasy and queasy even though I knew from the beginning that the first expedition party had to resort to cannibalism. I really enjoyed the side characters on the rescue Stevens trip, especially Qila, a smart, badass Native who is the companion to Mrs. Stevens. I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect thing to read when it was cold and raining, and will be an amazing read during the snowy winter.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this. I'm giving it two stars on netgalley because I thought the writing was good, the story itself was just not for me.

the cover art and the premise of the book sounded like I would like it... Gothic arctic expedition, cannibalism, that sounds like its right up my alley but unfortunately its not keeping my interest, its slow paced and nothing has happened that makes me want to keep reading. The issue might be the time period of the 1800s also.

I'm going to revisit reading this book in a few weeks and see if anything's changed but for now I don't think this book is for my personal taste.

Thanks to netgalley and Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books for sharing a digital copy for me to read, as always, opinions are my own 🤘🏻💀🤘🏻

This book actually made me feel like I was watching The Twilight Zone. Set in and on a polar expedition, two seperate journeys become so haunted and mixed together that I could SEE the horror written on the faces of the characters stuck reliving the worst times of their lives. I could hear Rod Serling telling them....welcome to the twilight zone.....as they set off to on a quest to find and rescue a crew member. And let's face it.....that cover gives me a shiver every time I see it. The book did exactly what Ally Wilkes intended, it gave me nightmares. This book is for those who appreciate good writing and a great story. Some chapters are pretty graphic....just warning you to be prepared. I'm pretty sure that we will see this one as a movie in the not too distant future.

Wilkes' first book was one of my favorite books from last year and really got me hooked on polar exploration, so I was thrilled to get a copy of this. They've done it again! As always, I appreciate how the author is clearly passionate and knowledgeable about polar exploration, and a true horror writer. This book is slow and visceral, with vibrant characters and chock full of creeping dread. Sometimes I worry about horror trending more toward gross-out, and while this was gruesome it wasn't gross just for cheap shock factor. Loved this to pieces. I'm going to think about it for weeks.

After reading and enjoying the author's debut, All the White Spaces, last year, I knew I had to pick up this book as well. This time, the reader finds themselves in the late 1800s in the middle of the British expedition fad to race to the Arctic Circle and see all there is to see in the cold landscape. Our main character, Day, has recently returned from an expedition, and the gruesome events quite literally haunt him the rest of the story. When Day is tasked to go rescue another member of his former expedition crew, the plot takes off into a paranormal and chilling horror. This gothic-style polar adventure tackles the horrors from the outside and horrors from within, creating an atmosphere that was incredibly gripping. Just like any other classic gothic horror, the pace is slow, the characters tortured and often unlikeable/unreliable, and the dread slowly creeps up like a shiver along the spine. Also, there's a lot of cannibalism. If body horror/gore isn't you're thing, please keep that in mind if you're considering this book.

A huge thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my thoughts, and to my friend Colleen for buddy reading this with me!