My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen follows a young woman Roos who is forced to do seances for her Mamma as a living. Roos has a spirit companion, Ruth that enters her body during these seances. The patrons that come for the seances are wanting a connection with their departed family member. Roos thinks that she is the only one with a spirit companion until she meets Agnes, a widow who attends one of the seances. Both Roos and Ruth see Peter, who is Agnes spirit companion. Agnes soon takes Roos with her to her estate and then everything goes down hill from there. This is was a really good horror book that kept me on the edge of my seat. Read this with the lights on! I would like to thank both NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

First off, thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this e-arc! 
For me, it was a 4 stars (which is really good from my perspective I must add!)

What a darling dreadful book! I loved the way the story was told and the mystery unfold, through either Roos’s point of view or the Doctor’s pov. It was very clever and it keeps the reader in suspense. The prose was also beautifully morbid, everything I love in the gothic genre and I must say, horror isn’t my go to usually and I was very surprised to love it so damn much. Queer gothic horror might be a new favorite genre of mine just for this book (and it obviously made me curious about more books in that kind of vibe).
I got myself so quickly into the story, I just wanted to know everything that happened which is why I finished it just as quickly, I couldn’t put it down. And I do love a book that I can’t put down, it’s simply the best.
Now every reader must be aware of the triggers warning (those are specified at the begging by the author so, no worries) but it’s important to said. As much as I loved this book, there is some heavy subjects in it.
The ending does justice to the whole story and I would totally recommend this gem to the people already fan of the genre!

Thank you Johanna for your art!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5

I am a sucker for horror and gothic stories, so this book was right up my alley.

If I had to describe this book, I would call it a mix between Bly Manor and especially Crimson Peak(both pieces of media I adore).

The narration is very atmospheric and melancholic, perfect for a gothic. It is told from the perspective of Roos recounting the events that lead to a death to Dr. Montague interspaced with the Doctor's notes and conversations with Roos. Due to the style of narration, there isn't a lot of suspense about what is going to happen as the book makes it clear early on, but focuses on the build-up to the how. The doctor's notes also provide a secondary non-supernatural explanation of the events that leave the reader wondering what really took place(though towards the end, the more "rational" explanation ends up with a lot more holes).

All the significant characters are explored through the lens of how abuse and trauma irrevocably affect people. All of the characters are flawed. There are a lot of difficult topics dealt with in this book(it is worth taking a look at the content warnings), but I felt they were dealt with with the sensitivity and care required.

As with any good gothic fiction, loneliness and isolation play a big role. It is perhaps the core of Roos as a character and the core of the love story the book surrounds.

Overall, My Darling Dreadful Thing is a great piece of gothic fiction exploring the effects of abuse and combining very classic gothic elements with an interesting perspective of scepticism. If you are a fan of stories like Crimson Peak or Bly Manor, I highly recommend picking this up.

As a huge horror fan, I have to make a confession - I'm not a huge fan of gothic horror. It's one of my least favorite horror subgenres. Yet the description of 'My Darling Dreadful Thing' was intriguing enough that I decided to give it a chance. I'm thankful I did because what a wonderful book. The writing, the characters, the worldbuilding, everything was just perfect. It immediately drew me in and I couldn't put it down. Even if you're not a fan of gothic novels, please take a look at this one. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
I'll start by saying that the writing quality was really solid and vivid. I appreciated the attention to detail in some scenes and the unique take on ghosts as companions/familiars. The perspective of the psychiatrist also offered a more interesting and gripping subplot. However, a lot of this book was dampened for me because of the pacing. My goodness, it is slow. It took me forever to finish this story because I was nearly bored to tears. I think this book could've maybe been a novella or even just 30 pages shorter. A lot of time was spent on too much setup and not very much on action, but the high points were the clear writing and characterizations for me. 2.5/5 stars

I was a NetGalley ARC reader and this is my honest review.

I was so excited to get picked to read and review My Darling Dreadful Thing! Unfortunately, it was not for me.

Things I loved:
*The ghosts! Wish there was more time with them.
*The descriptions of the ghosts, the manor and the seance parlor were great. The author also does a great job with describing really gross and spooky features.
*The case studies being added in throughout

Things I didn’t love:
*The author certainly wanted an atmospheric and sad experience for her readers. It became WAY too much and I found myself actually taken out of the story by how many times she used the words wet, damp, water, watery… even tears and rain to create more of a “wet” atmosphere. Literally over 200 times in a 384 page book was something described as wet or crying. I didn’t realize this was a peeve of mine until this book.
*As much as I liked the case studies, it also basically gave away the ending right at the beginning.

If you are a fan of Bly Manor then I’d say this is for you! The author writes an easy to follow story and I wouldn’t want my review to dissuade you from reading. These are just things that made me not totally love it.

3.75 stars

As a reader who had a childhood best friend who was allegedly human but with white hair and pink eyes, I am already rooting for a pal only the m.c. can see who is...dead! This feels right on brand!

Roos, the m.c., has that special kind of mother who belongs in an eternity of torture for what she puts her kid through, and van Veen does an expert job of warning readers about some of those impending terrors in the author's note that initiates the book. Don't miss that, especially if you are the kind of reader who sometimes reviews a content warning and then makes the choice to not proceed. What readers also learn in that early note is that while some trauma and secrets are required per the genre, at its core, this is a queer love story, and that's more of why I stuck around for the duration.

I enjoyed this read, but in a case of true happenstance, I am just coming off of reading one of the most sinister modern gothic pieces I've read in a long time. While this book did a lot for me, I think my own reading has been deeply impacted by a poorly timed other book from this genre. It feels unfair to write this review - and to acknowledge my like but not love - without that transparency.

So, I'll not only be back to enthusiastically read more from this author. I'll also be back to read THIS book again after I've had some space from that other one. I'd like to give it a fairer shot.

Fans of gothic literature, trauma processing, and unconventional love tales will find a lot to like here (and be creeped out by simultaneously).

A fast-paced gothic novel, 'My Darling Dreadful Thing' follows the story of a girl named Roosje who conducts séances with her mother for a living in post-World War II Netherlands. Through notes from a doctor analyzing Roosje, the reader unravels a mysterious chain of events leading to a crime, gaining hints about the truth through the doctor's interviews at the end of each chapter.

With short chapters, the story unfolds as the main character encounters a ghost, aside from her ghoulish companion, Ruth, during a séance held for Mrs. Agnes Knoop, who seeks communication with her late husband's spirit. The book portrays uninhibited sapphic love, hints of trauma, occultism, mental illness, and gothic elements, all intertwined within a double timeline.

Overall, the storytelling is intriguing and captivating, thanks to a well-crafted plot that keeps the reader engaged throughout the book, specially at the end. As the narrative progresses, it delves into darker themes, becoming increasingly addictive. The portrayal of sapphic romance is well-executed, although there are a few instances involving Agnes that may appear rushed, resembling insta-love. However, the exploration of mental illness is depicted with exquisite detail.

A queer gothic novel with ghosts is the best description for this book. However, there is room for improvement in the level of detail provided in the characters' explanations of events and motives, as it sometimes feels excessive and less believable. Nonetheless, overall, the book is amazing, highly recommended to people looking for a gruesome story.

I’m grateful with NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity of letting me read this before its publication.

**3.5 Stars**

This was an interesting one, it was so out of the realm of my usual comfort zone but I think I did ultimately enjoy it. I don’t think I would reread it but it certainly kept me gripped the whole way through.

The complexities of all the relationships and the blend between the sensual and morbid was really masterfully done and made the story feel both grotesque and beautiful at the same time.

This is a MUST recommend for readers who like sapphic horror!

Thankyou to Netgally and Poisoned Pen Press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Some things are so horrible that the only sane response is a bit of madness.

Thank you poisoned pen Press and Netgalley for the wonderful ARC in exchange of an honest review.

From the page 1 till end, the story of Roos had me in its grip and I just couldn't stop reading. I was constantly on the edge for what happens next.

My darling dreadful thing starts with Roos assisting her mama perform fake seances. Roos has a spirit companion only she can see and talk to and that's what makes her different. Her mama doesn't treat her right. When Agnes enters in her life, there's a hope that her life would be better. Agnes is looking for a companionship after her husband's death.

Along with this story in the past, there's a story which goes on in the present where Doctor Montague is interviewing a patient for a possible crime she committed. The patient is of course Roos and someone has died under suspicious circumstances. Intermingling with Roos' past and present, it was very interesting to read and kept me glued to the book.

Happy. Such a funny little word, don't you think? Perhaps not so hard a state to achieve, but nearly impossible to maintain, and different for everyone.

There are many secrets and twists in the story. I loved how almost all main characters were women.

The book sets the gloomy and dark atmosphere and the whole experience feels chilling. Overall I loved it.

Finally - You must laugh or else go mad.

Set in Post WWII, this gothic tale hits all the marks, and then some. Roos is a young woman whose only friend is the spirit of a long-dead girl, until a mysterious young widow appears one rainy evening at a séance. Their relationship deepens as the plot gets more entangled and murder ensues...the characters are brooding, richly drawn and most surprisingly, convey sincere emotion. I found this book creepy and moving altogether. The crumbling Dutch manor that our cast of characters inhabit could be a character of it's own-van Veen's descriptions are evocative and never cliché.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'll be honest - the confusion was actually palpable for me throughout this story. I didn't really understand where the threads that tied the story together were. The creepiness of Ruth was intriguing enough for me to stick around. I found myself getting a little bored with some of the filler and it did feel quite slow burn for long portions of the book. The ending was fine, the story was fine. It wasn't my favorite.

what! a! title! 4 stars.

"Spirits like her are not drawn to the happy and carefree; they want salt, be it blood or be it tears." like are you kidddding me?

I haven't stopped thinking about this story since completing it - filled with ghost companions, gothic sapphic longing, & a bit of a confusing time period. Definitely check trigger warnings (homophopia, sexual assault, abuse, racism + more)

In a world where the dead can wake and walk among us, what is truly real?

Roos Beckman has a spirit companion only she can see. Ruth - strange, corpse-like, and dead for centuries - is the only good thing in Roo's life, which is filled with sordid backroom seances organized by her mama. That is, until wealthy young widow Agnes Knoop attends one of these seances and asks Roos to come live with her at the crumbling estate she inherited upon the death of her husband.

Dr. Montague (a psychologist tasked with finding out whether Roos can be considered mentally fit for trial) is interviewing Roo to then be thrusted back into the past gets rid of all of the suspense. Just like when Roo yells at the Doctor to stop interrupting her, I can't agree more because these interviews don't feel like enough for me to be okay with the interruption. As well as knowing who she is being accused of murdering before the story starts also takes away the mystery. At that point all we are there for is to learn how the spirits work and to learn more about the romance between Roo/Ruth and Roo/Agnes. Which is fine, but I feel like omitting certain aspect could've let other points hit harder. Ultimately paying off for more emotion in the end.

This concept is one of the most interesting I've read in some time where it only made me desire learning everything I could about the world. Whatever this author writes I'm sure to be in line for. I need to get my hands on a physical copy as soon as it's out.

How delightfully dark!

I absolutely loved this story. It was the perfect mix of dark and macabre, with a bit of mystery as we learn the details of all that has happened.
Once I started reading I was completely engrossed & couldn’t put it down!

I really like how it switches between Roosje’s POV and the case files.

All in all, My Darling Dreadful Thing was such an impressive debut novel, and I cannot wait to see what else she writes!

Once you meet Roos and her mother, who perform faux seances, you accompany Roos as she tells her doctor about how the course of her life has led her to the story’s main event. You’re drawn in and out of the timelines by her doctor’s notes assessing Roos mental state and conversations during their sessions versus Roos memories of the events. The way Roos takes you through her life, even though she is heavily set as an unreliable narrator from the start, fully pulls you into drinking what she’s been sipping. Then the logical breaks from her doctor come in and throw you right back to walking the line of doubt.

The writing flowed beautifully, and with almost all of the chapters leaving you hanging in suspense, I found myself flying through this book. I do think it has more of a hauntingly gothic element than it does horror, but it brought on a state of unease all the same. I looved this book. I thought it was original and engaging, and with a cover that gorgeous I can’t wait until it comes out to pick up a physical copy and re-read!

My Darling Dreadful Thing is a debut novel full of haunting horror. The main character, Roos, has a ghost protector who both possesses and protects her. When an opportunity arises to be free of her abusive mother, Roos happily moves into a crumbling estate with her new friend, Agnes. The two women have a special connection that goes deeper than the ability to see spirits. When a murder occurs, Roos’s background leads her to become the obvious suspect.

Told with alternating interview notes from Roos’s therapist, the doctor’s notes combined with Roos’s first person account provide a chilling description as the novel's unfolds. The unreliable narrator adds to the tension that builds as the reader doesn’t know what to believe. The author’s detailed descriptions of the eerie and spooky setting provide an ideal Gothic backdrop. The mystery and perfect pacing create an intriguing and spooky story sure to thrill readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.

3.5 ⭐️

This turned out to be a pretty good gothic tale with writing that reminding me of A Dowry of Blood, not that it’s written as a conglomeration of letters but the way the author puts words together was almost poetic and I enjoyed it.

An extremely short summary to this story is that it follows a girl who has a ghost friend who protects her or gets her to do bad things. Most chapters are formed with her talking about her past and then ending with her talking to her therapist who is trying to decide if she’s psychotic or just evil for her court trial. As the story goes on you start to wonder if there actually was a supernatural creature making her do things or is she just deranged herself.

I almost gave this 4 stars but for some reason it kind of dropped off for me towards the end and I don’t really know why, however I think it’s worth reading regardless.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen. This was a spooky gothic horror. It goes the like of what is real and what is not. I loved the sense of mystery and told between Roos point of view and interviews. Roos claims she see spirits and is “haunted” by Ruth. When she is invited to live with Agnes, a wealthy widow, they are haunted by more spirits. When Agnes turned up dead, Roos is the prime suspect, but claims it wasn’t her that did it.

First of all, thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for an eARC of My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen. I enjoyed reading this gothic novel so much. The characters were wonderful, especially Roos, Agnes, and the apparition Ruth. You come to sympathize with them and understand their plight as they try to navigate their lives and harrowing hardships. The novel is brisk to read, as the pacing is tight and the action continues to ramp up as it races towards the climax. My Darling Dreadful Thing is an easy recommendation for readers who love the gothic and ghostly.

I loved this weird, amazing, creepy book. I liked that it went back and forth between the present and past. I loved Roos and Agnes relationship and how they understood each other and their spirit companions