Oh, I did not expect to be swept away like that by this book.

But dear god have mercy on my soul, Darcy Coates is a wonderful, wonderful writer and storyteller. I can't believe I just found out about this talent.

She is exactly what I was looking for in a horror writer and most importantly, she brings some freshness.

Mind you, this is obviously all my personal opinion and bias.

In the Haunting of Leigh Harker, you will sweat and freeze. You will catch yourself watching over your shoulder or holding the book a bit further from your face, because you knowing it's coming.

I loved the atmosphere of the book, the characters are wonderfully full fleshed characters that clearly had lives of their own before Darcy Coates decided to use them for a plot. And what dangerously fascinating plot.

Oh, If I may, If I can advise anyone that wants to see the ghost haunting trop being shaken. I think this one is a good way to start.

***
I was able to read this eArc thanks to @Netgalley and @PoisonedPenPress in exchange for an honest review. :)

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the chance to read The haunting of Leigh Harker by Darcy Coates. This is one of those books where it takes forever to get into. I put it down quite a few times and almost didn't finish it, but after checking a couple of other reviews who felt the same way, I kept reading, and ending up getting into the book. If you like creepy gothic ghost stories, you might like this one, but prepare to wade through the beginning. 31/2 stars

First of all, I think it’s best to know as little as possible going into this book. This novel jumps right in to a terrifying scene with no introduction. There are breadcrumbs dispersed throughout that provide insight into Leigh’s background and character. It took me a minute to get into it. I really wasn’t loving the main character until things picked up at about a quarter of the way in. Leigh Harker has lived in her home for around fifteen years until one night she's frozen with terror because there is an intruder slowly creeping inside. What follows is a house that is suddenly vibrating with bad energy, items go missing, other items appear from nowhere, there’s a creepy cupboard under the stairs, and this ghastly intruder that stalks Leigh. On her own, Leigh refuses to leave her sanctuary and decides to take a stand against these terrifying forces. I think it’s best to go into this one not knowing much more than that. Like I mentioned, this novel jumps right in to a terrifying scene with no introduction. There are breadcrumbs dispersed throughout that provide insight into Leigh’s background and character. Some parts of this were really really scary. I found myself holding my breath, waiting to see what would happen.

This is a lovely ghost story, but be warned that it begins rather slowly. Darcy isn't the easiest character to root for initially, and her first person narrative wasn't quite working for me at first . The only real truly interesting question at first was if she is truly being haunted or if this is more of a psychological "haunting." About a third of the way in, the plot shifted, and I was completely drawn in after that. Ultimately, it's actually a beautiful story, while still being filled with suspense. A definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC copy for review

So mad at how long I dragged this out, but I'm so happy I finally finished this book!!! It's probably more of a 4.5 or 4.75 stars, but overall I very much enjoyed this book.

First of all, I LOVED the direction the main character's perspective gave, and I wish there were more books like it! Trying not to give spoilers away, but I think it definitely made the book that much more interesting and was quite refreshing.

I will say I thought the book dragged a little bit and began feeling slightly repetitive, but it wasn't terrible. And of course once reaching the end and figuring out how everything fit together was a nice surprise too. The ending and big reveal seemed almost *too* unbelievable, but it kind of makes sense too, in a far-fetched, potential, not totally improbable way.

Either way that didn't deter me very much from genuinely enjoying this book, and I'm so incredibly happy I was able to read this ARC copy!

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Darcy Coates for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first horror/haunting novel in a long time and I was thrilled to get approved for this one. It starts off so intense and incredibly creepy and I was all in right away. I really didn't know where it was going to go after the first quarter of intense scariness, but the twists are amazing! I really didn't see any of it coming and the unique aspects really kept me reading at warp speed! I will definitely be reading more by this author and I highly recommend this novel if you enjoy creepy novels that keep you up at night!

“A scream tears from my throat. Howling, deep, sick with terror and anger. I clamp my hands over my ears, but it only grows louder. The walls are shaking. Photos shudder in their frames as the air turns to ice around me. My legs give out. The scream is unending.”

Leigh Harker’s home harbors dangerous secrets. Finding herself trapped within its walls she fears she may never be able to escape it, or the poisonous shadow seeping from the door beneath the stairs. Sometimes, the dead reach back.

I read The Haunting of Ashburn House last year and I loved it! It was properly creepy and so atmospheric and I can still picture that house! I just could not get lost in this one. The beginning of this book had me on the struggle bus and, unfortunately, I never got off. Maybe it was because it seemed like the first 1/4 of the book was just Leigh aimlessly wandering about her haunted house? Not sure. I could not connect with any of the characters and ended up skimming quite a bit of it. That cover though 🤩. Just gorgeous!

Thank you to Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This… is not your typical Darcy Coates ghost story. This is a very different view of a haunted house. Some fans might not like it because it is so different, but I really enjoyed it. Darcy is a master at making each haunted house/ ghost story so unique from one another. I honestly don’t know how she does it. Very cool.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot because, you know, spoilers and stuff…. BUT… this story is very creepy good. Lots of great icky descriptions and turn-on-the-lights moments to get sucked into. It was very interesting to see how things looked from Leigh’s point of view and how her over active imagination made things worse is something we can all relate to. This is a very unique ghost story. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it before.

The two main characters, Leigh and Sarah, have a great chemistry. Such an enjoyable duo. I really connected to Leigh. Her fear and anxiety and habits all felt so real. And Sarah, man…. I felt so bad for her but she was so chipper it just made you smile. I enjoyed watching their friendship grow.

The Haunting of Leigh Harker is a book that has all the feels. Laugh, cry, scream… It was one of the more emotionally charged books from this author. Extremely creepy and entertaining. A lot of anxiety and fear that made your heart race. A few sad moments and a bittersweet ending. This book was just a perfect late night roller-coaster ride.

I will say when I first started reading this book I didn’t think I would like it. The first Thirty percent or so had hardly any dialogue and it just felt weird. And then things got interesting. I can’t tell you why or how. But if you pick this book up and aren’t loving it keep reading.

I got to the point where I couldn’t wait to get back to it. I really enjoyed this read and would definitely read more by this author (I like slightly spooky books). There is a lot to warm the heart too and this book has a very satisfying ending.

If you like spooky reads then this might be a book you want to pick up. I am glad I did.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Like many of the other reviewers, I nearly gave up on "The Haunting of Leigh Harker."

The first several chapters of the book are indeed monotonous. Although viscerally graphic and at times truly frightening, the novelty soon wore off due to extensive repetition. And without any significant forward momentum in the narrative, I just couldn't see where the novel was going.

But that's half the beauty of this truly unpredictable read.

The twist that Darcy Coates introduces a quarter of the way into the text is entirely unexpected, and is sure to induce an audible gasp in readers, including me.

And when a second equally significant, but perhaps more expected, twist comes into play at the most climactic moment of the story, I officially added Darcy Coates to my list of favourite horror writers.

Darcy Coates is a master of harrowing with heart. And I'm here for it.

I will be honest, this was one of the harder books of Coates to get into. It takes about 60 pages for the story to get going, but once I got to the meat of it I couldn't put it down.

There's something inside Leigh Harker's house. An encroaching darkness leaking out of a locked door beneath her stairs. A door that Leigh doesn't have a key for. A door she hasn't thought about in the 15 years she's lived there.

But now all she can think about is the evil hidden within. An infection that's spreading through her house, and she's trapped inside with it.

I'm always impressed with how many ways Coates is able to write a haunted house story. This is one of my new favourites.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC of this one.

The Haunting of Leigh Harker is another fantastic chilling read by Darcy Coates. This book definitely threw in a twist early in the story that I didn’t see coming but it made it even more interesting. That ending absolutely blew my mind and made me throw up in my mouth a little bit as well. I can’t wait to see what this author does next

One night Leigh Harker awakens to the feeling of something being wrong. Was she having a bad dream and that woke her from her deep sleep or did she hear a noise outside? She lies very still waiting and listening to see if she can understand what woke her up because she has always felt safe in her comfortable and secure home for fifteen years and she has never been afraid of being alone or hearing strange sounds that go "bump in the night", since it is a very old house and that tends to happen. Tonight, however feels different, unsettling somehow and she snuggles deeper within her warm quilt when the hairs on the back of her neck and arms rise up along with goosebumps making her shiver. Slowly Leigh peers towards the opening in her doorway, she holds her breath as she hears footsteps in her hallway just outside of her bedroom, she now sees a large dark shadow stopping right at her door. She wants to reach for her phone but remembers she left it downstairs in the kitchen. Praying this is a nightmare and at any moment she will wake up, but then, suddenly she remembers, as the terror seeps into every bone, muscle and pore in her body, that she always keeps the door completely closed when she goes to bed so that can only mean someone or something is in her house and it's lurking and watching Leigh at this very moment and as her heart is pounding so hard in her chest she truly believes she may die of fright and prays that will happen, rather than come face to face with whatever is Now slowly coming through her bedroom door with what must only have malevolent intentions and Leigh's scream stays frozen her throat as she lays paralyzed with fear!me

Well, this story had such a creepy and spooky beginning that there wasn't any way I was putting this book down anytime soon. Darcy Coates writing has a wonderful way of inducing the feeling of chills and creepiness while I was reading her book. What fun it is when I felt some shivers with her deliciously, descriptive and imaginative style that made the story come to life. I just loved the characters especially Leigh who was so vulnerable and likeable. I wasn't sure what was going on for awhile and the story took some wicked twists where everything came together and made sense by the end of the book. All my questions were answered and then given some extras. Many times throughout the book it would take some really spooky turns and that made the book much more intriguing and mysterious since I really didn't understand what was happening at the time except it was really scary seeing Leigh suffer through a horrific haunting she had no control over. I thought there was some genius and creative moments showing what Leigh was experiencing and the eerie tension that was created was just brilliantly clever at times. This book was a delightful surprise and an unexpected emotional journey following Leigh Harker's Haunting! I have now become a real fan of Darcy Coates and hope to read many more of her books and I highly recommend this one to all readers who love spooky stories that are beautifully written.

I want to thank the publisher "Poisoned Pen Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this terrific story and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this ATMOSPHERIC book a rating of 4 1/2 FEAR INDUCING 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!

There is finally a hint of crispness in the air and a few leaves show the beginnings of a change in color here and I am deep into my spooky season reads. I love a good ghost story but they can be hard to find, but I can always count on Darcy Coates to deliver classic chills.

Her newest release, The Haunting of Leigh Harker revolves around a woman who after living in her home for many years inexplicably suddenly feels a supernatural presence. She hears scratching within her walls and shadows lurk over her in her bedroom. What is this malevolent force and how can she combat it?

This is a haunted house story that elicits chills from early on. Coates understands that the unseen and unknowable are the things that most haunt the human psyche. The idea of an unknown presence suddenly invading your home, your sacred and safe place is a scary concept. What is real and what isn’t and if you don’t know how can you deal with it? These questions are at the heart of this novel.

This book will keep you flipping pages even as it causes you to look over shoulder and turn on all of your lights. And the ending is one that you will not see coming and will think about for days afterwards. Coates has entered into the big league of horror and has proven she is here to stay. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @poisonedpenpress and @netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.
#poisonedpenpress #hauntingofleighharker #darcycoates

This book started out slow for me and I almost stopped reading, but I’m so glad I kept reading!

I think Coates did a great job weaving the story of what’s haunting Leigh Harker and her house. Leigh is a creature of habit so she knows someone-or something-is moving her things. Some entity is creeping around her house but she’s not giving her house up for anything.

The first twist was easy to guess but I didn’t see the last twist coming! There’s a happy-ish ending for everyone involved and the mystery of what’s haunting Leigh is solved. It’s the perfect read for horror lovers or anyone looking for something enticing for Halloween!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher fir an advanced copy!

I was really looking forward to reading this. This is not my favorite Darcy Coates book. It's almost as if it is two books, neither of which could hold my interest. The first part is Leigh and the intruder, which is meant to be anxiety filled but just annoyed me. The second part is even slower, with Leigh trying to understand what happened to her. It all just moves so slowly that I'm not even closely invested in this story.

This book starts out very intensely, with the 'monster' already making an appearance in main character Leigh's ostensibly normal house. Perversely, this was a slog to get through for me--it was somehow 'slow' despite its high horror content. The book did pick up after awhile, and the twists did explain some things that seemed a bit confusing, or at least hazy, before they happened. I will say the twists didn't grab me as much as they seemingly have other reviewers, so I was left a bit disappointed with this book. It's perfectly fun/entertaining horror fare, though.

It took me a while to get really into this. I was creeped out and all, but wasn’t caring about the main character Leigh until we really get into what’s going on. And it kind of seems like it avalanches once you hit 25% of the way in.

This one kept me on my toes and I kept trying to guess what happened or what was going on, but I was clearly grasping at straws. Those are really the best kind of books though. The ones that have you guessing until the last page.

I fell in love with the two main characters partway in and just had to see their story through to the end. Even if that meant one or both of them wouldn’t make it to the end. You’ll have to find out on your own because I refuse to ruin this thrill ride with spoilers!! But I will say when you really get into it, things get crazy and you will want to binge the rest of the book!

I recommend this to those who enjoy a good horror book, especially regarding ghosts and creepy specters. And obviously to those who love Darcy Coates’ books. But I sure hope you don’t have a tiny door underneath your stairs. That’s a forever no for me from now on!!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Darcy Coates for providing the opportunity for me to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Will be posted on my blog and Amazon shortly.

The story follows Leigh Harker who has been living a quiet life in her home for 15 years, when suddenly her world is turned upside down. Strange things begin happening that leads Leigh to believe her home is haunted. When everything is revealed, Leigh will have fo abandon everything she thought that she knew to uncover the truth.

If you’ve heard me talk about Darcy Coates before, you know that I absolutely adore her writing and her stories. Her characters, her plots, and the emotions that her stories invoke work extremely well for me. I’ve always felt overwhelmed with how much I enjoy her books.
When I was approved for this one on NetGalley, I was absolutely over the moon.

This story throws you straight in immediately. I was actually kind of shocked by how intense it is from the minute the story starts.
To me, this is definitely different than a usual Coates novel. I was thrown for a loop and I was excited by that.
When I started realizing what the story was about and the pieces started coming together, I was left with my jaw open.
I really didn’t know what to expect from this one and I was extremely pleased to see what was unfolding in front of me.
Darcy always does amazing characters, I’m always invested in them and who they are. I always feel a deep connection and emotionally tied to them, which is something I love and look forward to when reading her work.
I was addicted from beginning to end with this story. It was different and something I was really excited to read.
There is some great really creepy imagery throughout the story as well, the descriptions were genuinely spooky.
The emotion this book has is so hauntingly beautiful, it’s laced so deeply in these pages. I was absolutely sobbing at points.
I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of this story. The heartwarming parts were such a lovely contrast to the the really sad and heartbreaking parts.
It’s a bittersweet story that compelled me to keep uncovering the rest of the story.
Once again I am blown away by her storytelling and I can tell this one will linger with me for a long time. I need a physical copy of this immediately! Definitely recommend if you love Darcy Coates (like me), enjoy a good haunted house story, and like your spooks with some emotional bits.

The Haunting of Leigh Harker

This book is absolutely beautiful in the most tragic way. It is a classic take on a gothic horror novel, but moves at a fast pace. This book draws you in from the moment you start reading.

You feel Leigh’s emotions, her terror, her anger, and her sadness. Her struggles to make sense of what is happening to her will haunt you and break your heart. I’ve never cried reading a horror novel until this one. Leigh’s emotions are so raw and so real. The fear she feels when she’s trying to figure out what is happening seems so real. Her terror and sadness are so relatable. I don’t think I’ve ever read a horror novel where I felt more connected to the characters as I did with this book.

This book is so well written and captivating. I was not able to put this book down. I absolutely love this book, and it should be considered a new classic. Darcy Coates gets it right on all accounts and I applaud her for writing such a beautiful and haunting story.






I would like to thank Darcy Coates, Poised Pen Press. and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Publish date: September 07, 2021

#TheHauntingOfLeighHarker#NetGalley