Wow! This gothic masterpiece is everything I ever wanted and more. Johanna van Veen knows how to write and she doesn't disappoint. I am not exaggerating when I say this is my best read yet for 2024. If you love crumbling mansions surrounded by decay and mystery, spirits, and murder, this is for you. It's dark, decadent, and delicious. It's everything that my horror-loving heart could ever ask for. This has made me into a huge fan and I'll be on the lookout for this writer's other works.

This was a very dark and possibly triggering story.
Roos is a young woman who becomes friends with a female ghost who appears to, and comforts her through all the awful moments in her life. Her mother is a cruel woman who hits her, and starves her, so that her persona is attractive to the strange sad creatures that visit her mother’s house, hoping for a glimpse, or to hear from their deceased relative. It’s all a scam… The front room is full of gimmicks to make these poor people think there is someone there with them.
Poor Roos is filled in on another scam to rake as much money as possible from a grieving young widow. This woman called Agnes has had a lot of problems in her young life and after seeing how the girl is treated, buys Roos to be her companion.. So the true story begins…..with murder on the cards!!
I really don’t know how I feel about this story. It’s a gothic tale, so of course it’s dark and sobering. The story is easy to read, but there are a few scenes that could upset the gentle reader, so beware!.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this arc copy for review consideration via Netgalley.
#Netgalley, #PoisonedPenPress, -#JohannaVanVeen1997.

Happy release day!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

4.25- I loved this debut!!! Haunting, atmospheric, and creepy in the best way possible. This hit all of the high points of the gothic genre for me. I loved the dual timelines and the interview portion, and the way this format allowed the story to unfold including the pacing and the amount of information. Overall, very engaging, fast paced, and satisfying. Would definitely recommend for people looking to get into gothic horror

🥳 HAPPY PUB DAY !!!! 🥳

This book is wild ! 🙃
There's alot going on for sure ... Alot of weird creepy things happening. Love that creep factor !! 💀
a slow burn gothic read .
I did want a faster pace but I still very much enjoyed this book .. more than I thought I would actually . It's just so weird I loved it 😂
Sure a few things annoyed me but for a debut novel this was killer 😜 & definitely unique . I don't think I'll be forgetting this one anytime soon & the cover art is gorgeous .

Thank you #NetGalley for another Arc
#mydarlingdreadfulthing

I absolutely loved this book! Sapphic Gothic Horror?! Say less! My Darling Dreadful Thing dug up the best of my favorite gothic horror: The Haunting of Bly Manor, Mexican Gothic, Crimson Peak, etc.

I loved the inclusion of the psychiatrist’s notes and interviews resembled the healthcare horror of The Exorcist.

Highly recommended for the classic, gothic horror lover - especially if they are LGBTQ+!

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

I just finished My Darling Dreadful thing by Johanna Van Veen and here are my thoughts.
Roos Beckman has a gift. Her mama uses her to make people believe they are being contacted by their deceased loved ones… In reality Roos has a spirit companion only she can see, the spirit she calls Ruth…. One that takes over her body during these seances to fool the people that come.


When Agnes Knoop, a beautiful young and wealthy widow attends one of the seances, she does something Roos never expected… She looks right at Ruth. No one has ever noticed Ruth before. When Agnes offers Roos mother a handsome sum of money to take Roo away with her, her mother agrees. The estate is falling apart and the real reason Agnes brings her to the place has become apparent. With Agne’s sister in law sick and ailing, the house smells like death but the relationship between Roo and Agnes grows closer.
Something happens at the estate that leaves someone dead and Roos is on trial for the murder. The story she has to tell not only sheds light on what happened that night but also on her sanity.
This was a really dark book. We get the story in 2 ways. The flashbacks to the past starting with Roos and being exploited and starved by her mother and then in the form of her interview with a specialist to see if she was crazy during her murder trial. I wasn’t a fan of the short hand in the interviews. Miss K, W -. It got confusing trying to decipher who they were talking about. Why didn't the author just write the name or short hand it to one type instead of Miss K sometimes and then W. Plus having a Mrs K and a Miss K… UGHHHHHHH.
That was probably my only real issue with the book. I didn’t want to have to think that hard ya know. The book really builds slowly but the whole time it is eerie and you can really feel the atmosphere building.. Gets the heart racing just a little bit at a time. ‘
There is a lot to unpack in this book. Mental health, abuse, family drama, incest, a lot of religious zealotism with the chapel and the statues… Enough to set my teeth on edge! Loved the classic creepy house gothic vibes and it was really well written. Has some Sapphic romance in there too which I actually quite enjoyed. You can see how these two young women with a lot in common could end up feeling a certain way about each other and it was tastefully done.
Definitely an unusual read but I enjoyed the heck out of it and for a debut… WOWWWWW
4.5 stars


Thank you @poisonpenpress and @netgalley for my gifted copy. Released yesterday so grab a copy now.

My Darling Dreadful Thing was truly a culmination of some of my absolute favorite things and it DELIVERED. Sapphic, Gothic af, paranormal, and just told so freaking well - I devoured this book! And that cover?! Stunning!

I was hooked from the first page!

This is definitely a gothic story, we have ghosts, a spooky old house, and two women who have a pretty dark and disturbing secret that just begs to be discovered by Roos and Ruth.
I loved meeting Roos and Ruth. While the backstory of how they came to be together is pretty tragic I loved their relationship and learning all about how Ruth came to be. I also really loved how the story was interspersed with medical notes from the doctor interviewing Roos in the present. Trying to prove whether Roos is sane or not. While a decent amount of things are happening between the characters this does have more of a slow build that really ramps up the tension as the story progresses.

The story was weird and unique and had me completely entranced from beginning to end and I can't wait to see what this author is going to come out with next.

This gothic debut was evocative and distinctive and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Roos lives a life of adversity and exploitation, having been mistreated by her mother and forced as a youngster to work in her séance business. When Roos forms an indestructible link with an old spirit named Ruth, she becomes the show's star. Agnes Knoop, a social undesirable turned society widow, joins them for a séance, and she and Roos are drawn to each other for more than one reason. Agnes takes Roos away to be her companion to the dilapidated manor house inhabited by her deceased husband's dying sister, and events unfold that will have devastating repercussions.

We learn about the scenario through interviews with Roos and a psychiatrist following the horrible events at Rozentuin, the Knoop family estate. The bond between Roos and Ruth is a major focus. Ruth is protective, possessive, spiteful, and completely loyal, but is she a true spirit companion or the result of a lonely and unhappy mind? I love an untrustworthy narrator, and this story delivered! The work also addresses issues of love, misogyny, racism, socioeconomic class, and mental health. All are handled with care, but there was a lot to fit into less than 400 pages, and a few things felt a little understated.

The gothic genre's tools are used effectively here. I loved the atmosphere, the characters, and this debut work has a great voice, and I will definitely read more by this author. I recommend this to fans of gothic horror, Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace, and twisting narrative tactics!

Oh my gosh y’all, this is absolutely one of my favorite books of 2024! 😍😍

The tender, delicate, sapphic romance was so well crafted and absolutely did not take away from the horrors of this book. Think rich family with a history of mental disease, unhinged religious statues of Saints that move on their own 👀😱, and spirit companions!! My Darling Dreadful Thing by @johannavanveen1997 was everything I didn’t know I wanted in a gothic ghost story, and so much more. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how deliciously unhinged it was!

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️



✨ gothic / dark
✨ horror
✨some sex scenes which is out of this world🤣‼️


✨very likeable character which is I love the most. But I didn’t realise that there is a moment that I’m creeped out. It give me chills at some point which is quite crazy.
✨ I must say this is very out of my zone reading book and it did not disappoint. A lot of it is very dark and gothic style . A warning was ahead in the blurb if you can’t take the heat.

✨ love story on this book is minimal and focusing on the character which has some disturbing themes .
✨ great for readers of dark horror/ gothic style.



✨ Thankyou netgalley/ # poisonpress for the arc copy of this book for a honest review.


🫶🏼shaye.reads

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC Copy!

We are introduced to our FMC where she is being interviewed by a doctor, switching between doctors notes, and meeting transcripts, to full chapters with Roos telling her story. This was such a unique and intriguing way to tell our characters story, and it had me hooked right from the start.

This story is full of trauma, heartbreak, psychological and body horror, told beautifully in a dark and gothic setting, completed with a creepy old house, and spirit companions, and a touch of Sapphic romance.

What a weird book! But good! There’s so much to unpack here and I’m honestly not sure where to start, so here is a non-exhaustive list of things this book has going on:

- first things first, this book is (pardon my French) fucked up. So many dark things happen, and the way the spirits are depicted is CREEPY. There is a trigger warning at the beginning, which I admittedly skimmed, and even so I was not prepared (probably because of the skimming). If you’re worried about things like that, definitely give it a closer read than I did (or, if you’re like me and prefer to be blindsided, don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

- a surprising amount of sexual tension, juxtaposed with some intensely religious themes. Very gothic!

- the structure between the MC recounting the story and the interviews with her later was really well done, and made the novel for me. It kept me wanting to know more the entire time

Like I said, this book is bizarre, but I really liked it. If you enjoy horror or the supernatural and want something a bit unusual, check it out!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this ARC. My Darling Dreadful Thing is out today!

“Spirits are drawn to salt, be it blood or tears.”

An absolutely gorgeous debut novel of sapphic, supernatural gothic horror by Johanna van Veen.

With an unreliable narrator, a profession of an often dubious nature, an eerie decaying estate, secrets galore, and a mysterious murder, van Veen takes readers on a deliciously dark and twisting journey.

I love how the novel intertwines first person and epistolary narratives. It’s done in a very effective manner and isn’t at all jarring, as is often the case, particularly when weaving together past and present narratives. The reader finds out early on that a terrible event has occurred, and subsequently we delve deeper and deeper into a darkly atmospheric mystery to unmask the truth amid a coterie of questionable characters.

With an interesting premise as the driving force, van Veen crafts a delectably dark and gothic ambience which pervades the story. Fleshed out characters who are well-written, even the ancillary ones, and gorgeous writing creates a well-crafted love letter of sorts to the gothic genre.

This is an absolutely stellar debut from Johanna van Veen and I look forward to reading more from them in the future.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, however my review is completely unbiased and entirely my own personal opinion.

From the very first page, the narrative grips you with its unique blend of first-person storytelling and epistolary narration. Through the eyes of our protagonist, Roos, and the probing inquiries of Dr. Montague, we are drawn into a web of intrigue and uncertainty, never quite sure what to believe. Van Veen's mastery of this narrative technique keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, eagerly devouring each twist and turn.

The atmospheric setting, described with exquisite detail, immerses you in a world of crumbling estates, eerie séances, and lingering spirits. The author's reverence for the gothic genre is evident in every page, evoking a sense of unease and fascination that is impossible to resist.

I was particularly impressed by the author's handling of sensitive topics, such as abuse and mental illness, which are portrayed with sensitivity and nuance. Despite the dark subject matter, there is a sense of hope and resilience that shines through, underscoring the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

But what truly sets this book apart is its characters. From the resilient and complex Roos to the enigmatic Agnes, each character is fleshed out with depth and nuance, grappling with their own traumas and desires. The relationships that develop between them are both tender and fraught with tension, adding layers of emotional complexity to an already richly woven narrative.

My Darling Dreadful Thing is a Sapphic horror story set in 1954 in The Netherlands. It is built around an interview between Doctor Montague, a psychiatrist and his patient Roos Beckman, a young woman who is to appear to court for the death of Agnes Knoop.
Through those interviews, we get to learn about Roos' background, the tough life she had since she was very little. She was living with Mama, a mean lady Roos considered like her mother after she lost her birth parents. To make a living, Mama was organizing fakes seances that were pretty successful. Roos has an imaginary friend, or a ghost friend more like, who helps make the seances look more real by possessing Roos's body. One day, a gorgeous young lady attends one of those seances. Hef name was Agnes. Roos was in admiration of her. One thing led to another, and Agnes one day, offers Mama a big fat check and purchases Roos as her companion. Agnes takes Roos to the house she lives in with her sister-in-law ever since the death of her husband Thomas. Something feels off about this house. Agnes and Roos become lovers, and Roos does something so out there, to make Agnes happy. Little does she know...

This book was scary!! The ghosts were omnipresent and the evilness of some of them made me really uncomfortable. Author Johanna Van Veen created a super dark, gothic world I really enjoyed living in for 3 days. She also successfully managed to make us question Roos' supernatural skills: is she gifted or is she mentally ill?

Sick, twisted, and delightful!

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
My Darling Dreadful Thing is an impressive debut that offers a bit of everything- horror, romance and historical fiction, and it hit all the right spots. It is written in a unique format, one that keeps the reader guessing until the end and makes it unputdownable.

Things I loved:
The prose is gorgeous and visceral. It makes the narrative come alive. The author doesn't shy away from gore, though, and it's best to avoid this if you're squeamish. I loved how atmospheric this was. MDDT has peak gothic vibes. This is the first time I've read a book set in the Netherlands and I loved the setting. All the character dynamics are well written. The concept of this book was pretty unique and its execution did not disappoint! I loved the relationship between Roos and Agnes. Although pretty strong in terms of horror, it is a love story at its heart, as the author says. MDDT kept me at the edge of my seat right until the end.

The that I didn't like:
Although the narrative is compelling, it does feel like a slog , especially before Roos moves in with Agnes. The pacing could've been worked on some more, but this is a debut, after all and I'm overlooking this fact in favour of how good most of it was.

Overall, this was a fabulous debut and I recommend it if crumbling gothic mansions and spirit companions sound good to you. Johanna van Veen is definitely an author I'll be keeping an eye on!

This book was too weird for my tastes. The uneven timeline did not help. I like horror but this was just gross

My Darling Dreadful Thing was such a dark and wild ride and I loved every second of it. I really enjoyed the dynamics between the characters as they navigate through this murder mystery. The blend of genres between gothic Victorian horror and LGBT literature was very well done.

4.5 Stars

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

I knew from the minute I saw this cover that this was a book for me. When I started reading it and it was gothic, supernatural and basically a hostage situation I was 110% sold. This book grabbed me and don’t let go until the end. It’s just vibes! And I didn’t remember it from when I requested this book but it has LGBTQ+ aspects and I loved it. I found the pacing fine, I finished this book quickly. It held my attention the whole time. I enjoyed that there were tape recordings of the doctors visits and also that the book went from part time present times during different chapters.
Onto characters. Now Mama… hate her. What a villain and we never found out her truth. She was very unreliable. Roos… love her. I loved that she is even more of an unreliable character but you also love her. My feeling changed from feeling bad for her, to sharing her happiness, then feeling like what happened was unfair and then me just wanting her to get her happy ending. Agnes, I also enjoyed has a bit roller coaster of feelings with her just not as powerful as with Roos. Like I don’t want a book two but I also need a book two haha. I need to know more about Ruth please and thanks!! Also more on Peter. Like I need backstories here hahaha.
For a debut book, I say bravo. I would recommend this to everyone whether they what to read it or not haha. I will absolutely be picking up more by this author if given the chance.