Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Catriona McPherson weaves a spellbinding tale in her psychological thriller, "A Gingerbread House". Set against the haunting backdrop of the Scottish wilderness, this novel grips you immediately, and doesn't let go.

The characters are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle—each one hiding secrets, their motives shrouded in mist. Ivy, our protagonist, is both vulnerable and determined. Her longing for family and connection resonates deeply. Kate, the mysterious sister, exudes an eerie charm that keeps you guessing. And Tash, embarking on her own enigmatic journey, adds another layer of intrigue.

The gingerbread house is more than just a setting; it's a character in itself. McPherson's vivid descriptions transport you to its cozy yet unsettling interior. The scent of cinnamon, the creaking floorboards, and the flickering candlelight—all contribute to an atmosphere thick with foreboding.

Mhairi Morrison's narration is a treat for the ears. Her voice dances between innocence and menace, capturing the essence of each character. Whether it's Ivy's hesitancy or Kate's beguiling allure, Morrison brings them to life.

The pacing is deliberate, allowing tension to build steadily. As secrets unravel and the forest closes in, you'll find yourself turning pages late into the night. McPherson masterfully balances suspense with emotional depth, leaving you haunted by the choices made within those gingerbread walls.

"A Gingerbread House" is a dark fairy tale for grown-ups—a blend of folklore, family bonds, and chilling twists. If you're ready to lose yourself in a labyrinth of secrets, step inside. Just beware: not all fairy tales have happy endings.

🎧 Narration: Mhairi Morrison's performance adds an extra layer of magic to this already enchanting story. Her voice lures you deeper into the forest, where danger and wonder coexist.

Sinister and engaging. This is a recommended purchase in all formats for collections where thrillers are popular.

Four women are linked in a mystery. The first three, Ivy, Martine and Laura have all been tricked into a kidnapping and are imprisoned in a basement, slowly getting closer to death every day they are there. Ivy thought she was finding her long-lost sister while Martine hoped to meet her father who was never in the picture. Laura thought she was coming to a dance where she would meet a man who was looking for marriage. They were all tricked by the same middle-aged women who now keep them prisoners. They share the fact that there were all independent businesswomen who worked from home and who didn't have support systems ready to make their cases in the newspapers and media and push the police to keep investigating their disappearances.

Tash Dodd is a different story. She works at her family's business, a transport business. When she finds out that things are going on that aren't legal and that everyone in the family knows except her, she leaves while she works out what to do. While she is gone, she stumbles on the story of the missing women and starts to work out how they are all related.

This is my first Catriona McPherson novel, but it won't be my last. I listened to it and the Scottish accent of the narrator made it seem more settled in that location. It was a story most women can relate to, especially any woman living by herself. Do any of us have enough people to keep us safe from harm or to refuse to let a disappearance die from lack of attention? The true story of what was happening to these women is a nightmare although their strength of character and the friendship that grows between them is their strongest tool. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

A Gingerbread House is a mystery thriller based in Scotland. This book can be a little confusing at times but overall was well done.

Not a fan. Was super slow for me and I couldn’t get into it. Maybe I’ll try again but for now it’s a pass for me

Compelling, terrifying and disturbing describe much of The Gingerbread House. Madness becomes deadly, which leads to suffering and pain. This is a tragic story that kept me engaged and intrigued with the outcome. The narration added an extra layer of intrigue and emotion, bringing struggle and conflict to life. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my audiobook.

This book was a struggle for me at times to read. I found it quite long and drawn out and to be honest felt like giving up at times.

This is a slow moving thriller and when I say slow I mean snails pace Hah Hah Hah. I’m not sure I would’ve continued past the first quarter of the book if I hadn’t promised to review. While it does pick up in the second half the twist interns were fairly predictable and the characters on memorable. Maybe I’m just not the right target audience but for me it’s a two star.

I found this book to be ok. There were a lot of characters and at times I had trouble keeping track of them all. Overall, I found the plot to be interesting but it just didn't hold my attention.

I have to say this book is not what I was expecting - But in a good way. Wild ride, but a little hard to differentiate between the characters at times. Would definitely read from this author again.

Thank you to NetGalley who gave me an advanced readers copy in return for my review.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* well THAT was wild, might have to reread in the future bc that was just like different lol

I liked A Gingerbread House although I had to pay sharp attention to the change in chapters in the audiobook as there are so many characters. I liked the narrator's voice and emotive skills. She read with flair and enabled me to get hooked with interest to each character. McPherson shows how each of us is interconnected, by choice or design or fluke. We might live our entire lives never knowing how we are linked, or we may end up in similar dire circumstances, together, for differing reasons that stem from basic similarity: a desire to belong. Some readers have commented that the beginning is slow, but I was actually entranced by the details reflected in each person's life. What was shocking was how they were brought together! My interest grew and I found myself turning on the audiobook as I pottered about the house, wanting to know how each character's life was moving. McPherson is a talented writer. Sometimes 3, sometimes 4 stars.

CRAZY KATE ALERT!! Wow, this book was so disturbing but in the best way! I loved the creepiness of Kate's character. She was on a whole different level of psychopath, and it was thrilling until the very end! There are several characters that encounter crazy Kate, and I really enjoyed their sides of the story. In a way, their level of comradery and bravery tied up the whole book very nicely. I highly recommend this creepy thriller.

Disappointing.. Difficult to follow the plot. Too many characters being introduced. Couldn’t sort out who was who. The pacing was too slow. With so many characters, it kept reverting back to introductions and character development so not much happened in the story to move it along. Lost interest about half way through as I couldn’t understand what I was reading anymore. Gave an extra star because it had promise. The very beginning was delightfully eerie but went off the rails after that. The audio performance was average. I think if the plot had been better executed, the audio would also have been more engaging. I received an advanced audio copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Gingerbread House
Catriona McPherson
This is the tale of three missing women. Ivy is lonely, she has no family or friends and just wants to be loved. Martine is searching for information about her father. Laura wants a family of her own, a husband and children. Each of the women were lured to a house where they were held captive in a cellar for months.
Tash’s family owns a transportation business. When her father becomes ill, she fills in for him. She discovers the company, and her father was guilty of trafficking in humans. She hid the evidence in various places knowing that her father may have her killed once she confronted him. He denied her accusations. She was determined to take control of the business and make it legitimate.
I struggled with this tale. It was painfully slow moving. It was a struggle to finish it although I did. I found it difficult to connect with the characters and they lack depth. My favorite part of this tale was the setting and the Scottish dialect.

This was overall a good book. The complicated characters were interesting to listen to/read their stories but I felt there was something missing. I wanted more. I can’t think of anything that could have been cut to allow for more of others, but still wanted more about the characters in the story. Again overall great story I just felt like there wasn’t enough, maybe there will be a sequel or prequel to provide the more.

Thank you Netgalley!
I finished this book a week ago and am still trying to collect my thoughts on it. Overall I really enjoyed this book and the writing, but there were a few areas with the plot that I struggled with.
Cons:. I was very confused in the beginning as to if the women's stories related to the business. Or if maybe they were different timelines or something. I think I needed a bit more to tie these together earlier to keep my interest.
Also, the storyline of the business seemed to end without much of a build or climax.
Pros:. I loved the storyline of each of the women. The reader can really connect with them and their struggles through the writing.
I also felt the description of the room and experience gave the reader such a vivid visual of the surroundings and situation.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Severn House for the advanced audio copy in exchange for review.
I found this a bit slow to start, but once the plot really took off and I could see where things were going, it really hooked my interest. The narrator had a lovely voice which made for easy listening, although I did get a bit distracted a few times while listening and am sure I missed some key points.
Lonely middle-aged Ivy attends a meeting expecting to adopt a cat, and instead meets a woman claiming to be a long lost sister she never knew existed. Ivy goes to Kates home, a lovely little gingerbread cottage, to have a family reunion of sorts, and is not heard of again. As more women go missing, we start to discover what’s really happening although are not provided with the clearest explanation or motive yet. Suddenly another character, Tash, is thrown into the story and starts to investigate the disappearances of these lonely women with no family or many friends.
I found the story was very detailed in the beginning, and then less so towards the middle and end, and would have appreciated things moving a bit slower, and then not being wrapped up in quite the hurry. Overall, an enjoyable book, but I think reading a physical copy would make for an easier time keeping track of the characters and the plot.

A gingerbread House by Catriona McPherson
Narrator, Mhair Morrison
Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at 38%. This not the fault of the book but this genre is just not for me.

I was provided an audio copy of A Gingerbread House for an honest review. I was so uninterested in the book that I DNF it after more than 80%. The book is too slow for me.