This author, Catherine Cavendish, is new to me, I have never read anything else by her before.

The blurb promised an interesting premise involving a mysterious death, a haunted monastic building and a weird cabal.

Initially it took me a while to get into this book, but by 25% in it really got interesting and I felt I couldn't put it down.
The 'time slip' element was interesting although at times it was a little confusing to the storyline and you need to pay attention in order to keep up with where in time Alli is.
While there revelations as the book goes on, it's pretty easy to guess what binds everything together but it's still a good enough story to keep you reading, although is ends rather aburptly.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this ARC.

Disclaimer: I received a gifted copy of this book via netgalley and in exchange I'm leaving an honest review.
Cults. Haunted house. 60s music and clothing. Time travel.
There's a lot going on in this book. There were a couple times I got confused and had to reread a chapter, just because there's so much going on in the book. But that doesn't necessarily take anything away from it. The cover is what made me request this book over anything else. When I hit 60% or so I couldn't put this book down. The cult thing preying on vulnerable parents that wanted children very much reminds me of rosemary's baby, which is a 1960s staple--so it works. I don't know if that's what Catherine had in mind when she wrote this book, but if it is she succeeded. Just makes it all the more creepy tbh--that book fr stressed me out and what happens to Alli with the hooded man was another thing that made me think of rosemary's baby.

The After-Death of Caroline Rand is full of so many twists and turns and you're going to love it. This book follows Allegra Sinclair, the daughter of two musicians, traveling to visit friends at their swanky new place. This new manor just so happens to be the home of Caroline Rand a famous musician from the 60s. What follows is a true mystery. Allegra starts to find herself back in time exploring more and more around the life of Caroline Rand.

I wasn't exactly sure where this novel was going to go. It blew me away though. I found myself turning page after page of this fast-paced thriller. Add a dash of a macabre cult and this plot was a whirlwind of twists. I wasn't sure how many horror elements I was going to discover, but I wasn't left wanting and I think readers will be creeped out.

Flame Tree Press continues to be some of my absolute favorite horror fiction and I think it's all amazing. Check them and this book out! You won't be disappointed!

3.5 🌟 I only request arcs when the summary says something that really catches my curiosity. This is what it said about this title: "A chilling, dark fantasy, in the slipstream of Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.'". Nice way to mislead readers! The only coincidence between this book and Quentin's movie is that one timeline is set in L.A. in 1969 circa the time of the Manson murders - which are mentioned only in conversations between characters! I hate when publishers appropriate the name of a popular film to sell us a story that doesn't have much in common with that film. This is a ghost story/haunting house, non-explained time travel trope, with a weird cult behind all that happens. My recommendation is for those who love cosy horror novels by Darcy Coates or/and the movie "Last Night In Soho". Trust me on this. The twist was farfetched but it was the resolution that felt flat for me. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion

"The After-Death of Caroline Rand" combined elements of a haunted house, time travel and gothic mystery stories, with some cult-like themes thrown in. It was absolutely fantastic! The plot was full of twists and turns, and there was constant action that kept me guessing and eager to find out what would happen next. Overall, it was a great read and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling and suspenseful book.

DNF @ 26%. Good so far but I just don’t have the familiarity with 1960s musicians that I think I would need to really appreciate this.

I will say I like the premise and the protagonist, Alli, a lot, and I thought having Alli instantly be honest with the other characters about the visions etc. she’s having was an interesting tack to take - there’s no “I must lie to them or they’ll say I’m crazy”, which I found very refreshing!

I’m going to give it four stars because that’s where I saw it heading - the DNFing due to the lack of 1960s knowledge is a me thing.

Feeling aimless after losing her job, Allie accepts an unexpected request from an old friend to visit her country house for a Sixties-themed housewarming party. But soon after she arrives it becomes clear that there's something unsettling about the converted monastery, which used to be the home of a famous 1960s singer, Caroline Rand.

This is the first Catherine Cavendish book I've read, and I was drawn in by the promise of a supernatural, time-slip novel themed around the Swinging Sixties. The action switches between the modern day and LA in 1968, where well-known figures such as Mama Cass and John Denver mingle with the book's characters. I admit, it did take me a while to fully settle into the novel, because there's a complex backstory that feels like a lot to take in in the early chapters, but the story is fun and action packed, and I zipped through it in a few hours. Cavendish has a real knack for horrifying descriptions and I liked how all the various plot threads came together at the end.

A very entertaining read, perfect for fans of Last Night in Soho, or anyone who wished Once Upon a Time in Hollywood came with a dose of supernatural horror.

At some point towards the end, Alli, the central character of the book, feels like she's on a fairground carousel. Well, if lights flickered on and off, showing something different every time, while the carousel goes on and on, you'd have the reading experience I had with this book. It's a thriller, a haunted house tale, a time-travel yarn, a detective story, and a tribute to the 1960s music scene all at once. How the author managed to combine all these into a beautiful, moving, coherent story, is beyond me. This is not your typical haunted house story, though; yes, there are cults, and cursed paintings, and seances, and summonings! but what's unexpected (at least to me) is how time travel in the author's hands is employed into a truly original way: Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' excepted, I've never seen before haunted time travels! There are ghosts travelling in time, recognizing the traveller, and pointing to travels ahead. And not always good ghosts, mind. I'm not sure everyone will appreciate the complexity, or the comings and goings, but I sure did! Thank you Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for giving me the chance to review this gem!

This was a surprising haunted house novel that involves time travel (of sorts), an evil cult, and characters whose true motives are a mystery.

Trapped in a haunted house during a 60s themed party, our protagonist soon finds out that her invitation to attend was far more nefarious than it appears. Featuring events that allow her to "transport" back to the 1960s and hang out with some of that decades most regarded musical figures, secrets begin to leak that will have real time impact on the present.

As escalating horrific events unfold, the guests must figure out what's happening before it's too late.

This book is filled with action and rarely does a chapter go by without some evil presence making itself known. And the reasons behind it are even more terrifying than the events themselves!

This is a great gothic haunted house story and I recommend it.

My full review of this title will appear in WMP Dark Fiction Magazine #1 (July 2023).

"The After-Death of Caroline Rand" is unlike anything I've previously read by Catherine Cavendish; it comes wholly unexpected as it evolves from a standard haunted mansion story on the surface to something far more expansive and genre-bending. Not only is it often surprising, it's also thoroughly entertaining throughout."

Read our interview with the author in WMP Dark Fiction Magazine #0 "Rise Above" (April 2023) and find more content at www.wintrymonsterspress.com.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read, review, and acquire this title. This is not my usual selection, but there was just something so interesting about the premise and the cover drew me right in, I loved how it mimics the once upon a time in Hollywood motif and I will be sharing a full review and thoughts upon completion.