Maggie MacKay travels to a remote village on the outer Hebrides. She has been there before and needs to return to put her mind at rest. As a child she expressed the memories of a man named Robert who had lived and died there. The childhood visit did not resolve her memories so now she is back to investigate. This is a dark, atmospheric thiller with lots of twists and turns.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing a review copy of this title.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for the chance to review this book.

The author of Mirrorland is back with a mystery that takes place on a rural Scottish fishing island towering over the sea.

Maggie Mackay is a lonely young woman who is mourning the recent loss of her mother. After her death, Maggie decides to get to the bottom of what happened in her childhood. When she was little, Maggie insisted that she was a man named Robert Reid. Her mother, who claimed psychic abilities, changed Maggie’s life forever when she decided to take her to Kilmeray, the town in which Maggie claimed was home to Robert. At the tender age of 5, Maggie claimed that she was Robert Reid reincarnated, and someone in the town had killed him. The problem is that the townsfolk said that Robert Reid was not murdered– he drowned in a big storm the same night as another little boy named Lorne. The residents of the island assumed that Robert had died while trying to save Lorne.

Now in her 20s, Maggie returns to Kilmeray in order to figure out why she feels a connection to Robert Reid. The residents of the island, however, are not as keen on a reunion as Maggie might hope. With nothing but time on her hands, Maggie rents Robert’s Blackhouse on Air BnB and tries to unravel the mystery of Robert Reid.

My first impression of this book was that the imagery was absolutely stunning. Carole Johnstone does an amazing job painting a picture of the powerful waves and the green farmland of Kilmeray. You felt like you could breathe in the lush sea air. Frankly, I want to vacation there. One afternoon in Tokyo makes you want to take a stack of books to a remote place like Kilmeray and bask in the isolation.

But, I unfortunately liked the idea of Kilmeray more than I liked the plot of The Blackhouse. The story moved rather slowly, and there was WAY too much build up to both Robert and Maggie’s backstories. The author kept including end-of-chapter cliffhangers, but she didn’t give the reader any morsels of information that would help them guess what’s next. It left me feeling frustrated and bored all at the same time. When the “big reveals” finally did come, they were a let-down. I think if more information had been fed to me earlier in the book, I would have felt more invested in the story. It wouldn’t have moved my rating to five stars, but it certainly would have helped.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

This was a very slow burn and it took a long time to really grab my attention. Once it did though, I really did want to read more to figure out exactly what happened. I’m a very visual person and I really like to visualize where a story takes place, it really helps me feel part of the story, and this one was really hard for me to picture. I even tried looking the location up on a map but wasn’t very successful!

Overall, this kept me interested, but the plot really dragged for me. The addition of paranormal forces in the mystery of the story was interesting but I wish the author had gone in to some more backstory. I do have to say that the revelations at the end really were surprising so kudos to the author for that! I’m rating this 3.5 stars (4 rounded up).

A big thank you to @netgalley and @scribnerbooks for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Good book, enjoyed with some difficulty with language differences. Hard to describe since I couldn’t really classify it as a thriller, mystery, ghost story or all of the above. Definitely gives life experiences as to mental illness, the dangers of secrets and lies as well as love of a community and friendship. Worth the read. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

This was a slow burn that is often a little too slow, but I did enjoy it overall. The story centers on Robert, who moves to a remote Scottish island to escape a secret he is keeping, and Maggie, who insisted she was the reincarnation of a murdered man when she was a child and comes back to the island 20 years later to delve in further to the history. The author intertwines these storylines fabulously, and the POV shifts between these 2 characters.

The mystery in both Robert's and Maggie's story is sound and I found myself surprised a couple times as new truths came out. I felt like I had to suspend my disbelief a bit at the end of of the story but did really feel for the decsiions the characters had to make. I thought it was amusing that Maggie seemed surprised every time she found out someone lied to her, because pretty much everyone lied to her repeatedlyl. She finally gets there, though. This is an atmospheric novel and the author beautifully describes the surroundings, but sometimes I felt that these thorough descriptions slowed down the book a bit. There were also a lot of characters to keep straight and sometimes I had to reorient myself with who was who and how they all fit together.

Overall, I enjoyed the book but it is definitely not a quick read. Those who enjoy a slow burn, atmospheric,, and psychological mystery with maybe a hint of the supernatural should give it a try. I felt almost the same way about this author's other book and think if you enjoyed that you will llike this one too. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Very well written and extremely atmospheric, this is a character-based ghost story about a Scottish town hiding secrets. Maggie was there when she was a child, telling stories about being the reincarnation of a murdered man. Now, an adult, she’s back, trying to find out where that tale came from. Was it a con instigated by her mother? As she finds out more about the town’s past, she gets to know the residents and discovers some of their secrets. Many readers will enjoy this delving into the characters, but I am more interested in action than psychology so, unfortunately, I couldn’t get into this novel. The plot is interesting, if slow. I liked the islanders, even when they act suspiciously, but there is too much detail for my taste. It’s not a bad book, I’m just not the right kind of reader for it.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Scribner!

Oo y’all.. this one was a creepy one! I definitely was unsure at first if I would be able to really get into the storyline but then by a couple of chapters in, I did! Excellent writing and a thriller novel you will want to read.

This is a well crafted, atmospheric, slow burn journey through the hauntingly beautiful Outer Hebrides in Scotland by an author who knows how to turn up the creepy atmosphere in her writing.

The story itself is told in alternating points of view between Maggie (who as a 5 year old claims she is the reincarnation of Andrew, a man who was murdered in the Outer Hebrides) and Robert (who in the 1990s relocated his family to this tight community. ) Maggie is now grown and wants nothing more than to figure out who Andrew was and why he chose her to share his visions with. Was he murdered? Was there even really an Andrew? Taking up temporary residence in The Blackhouse on the island, everyone seems to have something to hide.

The whole town seems to be engaged in a cat and mouse game with Maggie and no one is completely trustworthy. You will meet so many characters. Some you’ll like, others you’ll want to strangle. All rolled together in myth, reincarnation, creepy other worldliness and of course told through the creative imaginings of an author that retains the ability to have you seeing and becoming part of the story itself.

Don’t go into this one expecting a quick paced thrill, instead just enjoy the ride until you reach its satisfying conclusion. This one is definitely worth your time!

Thank you to #NetGalley, the publishers and author for extending me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

My full review will be posted to all my social media sites, blogs and retail sites on release day!

The stormy, windswept cliffs and beaches of a Scottish island were a perfect backdrop for this dual timeline story of a troubled woman who returns to a remote village in search of answers about her past and her lifelong belief she's the reincarnation of a local man who vanished during a storm but who she believes was murdered. Secrets and lies abound and the line between truth and deception is hard to find in this absorbing tale.

Blackhouse was a slow paced but complex and multi layered story where little was as it initially appeared. There was a large cast of characters, though only 2 points of view, so patience was required in the beginning to keep all the characters and their relationships straight.

One of the things I loved about both Blackhouse and the author's other book, Mirrorland, is that she didn't shy away from crafting a complex, at times confusing plot. I go into one of her works knowing I'm going to need to pay close attention or else end up lost, but the payoff is always so satisfying and complete that it's a trade for which I eagerly sign up. I enjoy the ride because I know the story is in the hands of an author who knows where things are headed and will both tie all the loose threads together in the end and leave me with a story that'll linger in my thoughts for a long time.

Superstition, reincarnation, an archeological dig, possibly unreliable narrators, a volatile, ancient setting, a slowly unfolding mystery spanning 25 years, and an unforgettable ending all added up to an absorbing, eerie reading experience. The atmosphere gave such a haunting, moody feel to the story that it was easy to believe strange things were possible and thin places actually existed.

This book is exactly the type of dark, slowly unfolding story I love losing myself in and I enjoyed every minute spent in the world of the Blackhouse.

A big thank you to Netgalley and Scribner for providing me a copy to read and review.

The Blackhouse by Carole Johnstone is set in a creepy and mystical area. Lots of characters in the town with their own version of events. Really couldn't put this book down. Of course the setting reminded me of Peter May's Trilogy series and that's part of the reason I liked this book too.

Murder mystery. Gothic ghost story. Island myth and legend. This book has it all and more. The writing was so vivid I could hear and see all in this story, and couldn’t put it down. While the characters are rich and bodied, the authors intention to make the land and sea the central character captured me as much as it did the people in the story. Truly the dark and stormy Hebrides come alive in this book and it’s easy to see how such a place holds peoples souls.
Well done to the author and many thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy.

I just couldn't connect with any of the characters, and there were a lot of them. Most of the men in the pub, I didn't pay attention to when introductions were being made, but they became important. I wasn't invested enough to go back and sort them out.

I thought that this was a great book. I got a little confused with some of the Norse terminology, but aside from that, it was a something different from the "normal" thriller, which I appreciate.

I really enjoyed this! It is a fascinating, original story, well-plotted and very well written. A couple of caveats: I think it is a little bloated. I understand that the atmosphere of this area of Scotland is essential to the story, but the author occasionally gets carried away with her descriptions and internal expositions to the detriment of pacing. Some readers will find the story advances a little too slowly. Also, personally, I thought the final twist low-hanging fruit and felt it undermined all that came before. But, a ripping good yarn.

The Blackhouse is a steadily paced story of the hazards of secrets and self-deception. The story is not simple. There were a few instances when I was impatient with the pace, only to be reminded within pages that this story is intricate - happily rewarded with a new insight so good my interest was again captured. I found Maggie's struggle with guilt and self-doubt was relatable and I was pleased with her mental and emotional growth. I enjoyed this book very much. It kept me guessing until the end.

Thank you to Carole Johnstone, Scribner, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of a digital advanced reviewer copy in exchange for an honest review!

DNF at 40 percent.

The cover caught my attention right away and instantly added this book to my TBR. I went in blind to reading this book and at the 40 percent mark, I was still trying to understand the storyline. I feel that I must clarify that the writing is pure finesse. The author does a wonderful job at placing you in the Scottish Isles and creating its picturesque landscaping in your mind. With that being said, I personally think that it took the author quite too long to develop the storyline. I wish the author used their great wiring to take me on quicker journey instead of focusing on supporting character development well into a quarter of the book. I started seeing the mystery aspect of the novel around the 30 percent mark and with how long this novel is, I need a cliffhanger or more pizazz to keep me turning pages to get through the book.

I chose this book on the strength of Johnson’s Mirrorland, though it didn’t quite live up to the standard.
The thing is it’s difficult to fault a book so well written, and Blackhouse is so very well written indeed. It has a stunning sense of place. The remote Scottish isles come alive in all their forbidding stormy beauty on these pages.
But outside of that, all you have is a small town (village, really) mystery that is drawn out and protracted much, much too much. It’s a good mystery, it has a nice twist, it deals with madness and guilt and secrets. It even has intriguing hints of supernatural. But it takes so long to get anywhere.
And it’s probably actually due to the fact that the author can write so well; it’s almost as if she gets lost in her descriptions and characters’ inner lives and pacing and dynamism of the narrative pay the toll. And no, I wasn’t expecting a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am sort of pacing of an action thriller, but still…This proved itself to be rather too slow, too maudlin, too overdone on the dramatics and introspective and all that.
At least, for this reader. You can draw your own conclusions.
The writing is strong, and the setting is done expertly. The rest…varies. Thanks Netgalley.

The Blackhouse had me right up until the end - it's atmospheric and creepy while also being an affecting story of generational trauma. The final twist is where the book lost me unfortunately. It didn't feel necessary and also feels a little icky in the context of what happened earlier in the book.

I was slowly pulled into this mesmerizing book. Once I started, I couldn't stop reading. The writing is wonderful. It's an interesting blend of paranormal, mystery and thriller that kept me guessing until the end.

An underlying theme is mental illness. The MC struggles with whether there is something paranormal or if she just suffers from a mental illness. Another character is seemingly unaware of the extent of his. I didn't find that the subject was treated lightly or callously. In fact. It highlighted how ill prepared we are to appropriately deal with the mentally ill.

The author earns a spot on my favorites list. Highly recommend this book.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC.

The premise of this book is fascinating, and the story holds up. It's Gothic, suspenseful, and tinged with a supernatural presence. I loved Maggie's narrative, but quickly lost interest in — and eventually skipped — Robert's perspective. I know some readers might strongly disagree, but for me, it distracted from the pacing of Maggie finding out the truth of her past. The end also felt a little bit drawn out, which ultimately lost some of the impact.