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

(4.5 rounded to 5)
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I don’t think I’ve met a gothic horror story that I didn’t like, and My Darling Dreadful Thing is no exception. I was immediately drawn in by the cover, the blurb is what sold me, and I was so surprised and excited when I found out my request was approved!!

My Darling Dreadful Thing is dark, unrelenting, mysterious, and heartbreaking. I absolutely loved van Veen’s prose and her characters. They are so tragic and deeply flawed, but I also wanted to sweep some of them up in a hug and give them some love, especially Roos, Ruth, and Agnes. I really enjoyed how the majority of the book was told in first person through Roos’s eyes, which is something I never thought I’d say. Roos’s internal monologue broke my heart and watching her learn and grow through her eyes as the story passed made it feel like I was an active participant in the story.

Stripped down to its core, My Darling Dreadful Thing is a love story and love (of all kinds!) is the throughline that connects all of the characters, for better or for worse.

There were some spots where the pacing could’ve been a bit tighter, but when there was action, it was page-turning and I couldn’t read fast enough! (There was a scene that reminded me a bit of the topiary animals scene in The Shining which made my heart RACE!!)

My Darling Dreadful Thing was a fantastic read and I can’t recommend it enough if you’re a fan of queer gothic horror!!

2.5 stars.

What I liked about this book was how unique the story was. Spirit companions who appear as partially decomposed/mummified corpses, making cracking noises as they absentmindedly move their broken jaws back and forth, able to possess their bound hosts, yet viewed as well loved bosom buddies? So perfectly horrible! The suspense leading up to learning why Roos is being evaluated by a physician to judge whether or not she is fit to stand trial was well done, too.

But there were so many places where the writing was just lacking. Most characters were extremely one dimensional (villains especially were evil through and through, with nary a redeeming quality among them). I was never sure exactly what time period the story was supposed to be taking place in (as soon as I thought I had it pegged, some anachronistic detail would show up and throw me off). And all that suspense ultimately built up to a climax that just kind of fizzled and fell flat, in my opinion.

Some very good ideas here, but unfortunately the execution did not work for me.

I love love love any book with a gothic setting and Im also a fan of horror so this seemed right up my alley. The beginning was fantastic but through the middle I was left a little bored. I'll admit I lost interest some but I did enjoy it. Thanks so much for offering me this review copy.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up!
Let me start out by saying I don't usually enjoy Gothic horror stories, as I normally find them a bit too slow paced for me (I feel like my need for fast-paced stories is higher than the average reader). So why did I want to read this VERY Gothic book? Because everything else about it sounded amazing! Wow am I glad I stepped out of my comfort zone for this one! I picked it up for the sapphic love story, the atmosphere, the ghosts, and because I love when an author just seems so into what they are writing. And Johanna van Veen clearly has a deep love for Gothic story telling, because this story was absolutely dripping with atmosphere and everything there is to love about the Gothic subgenre: vividly creepy ghosts, a dark and cold mansion with a graveyard and a mysterious past, and atmosphere that oozed off the pages! This reminded me of my two favorite Gothic stories (that absolutely DID work for me) combined, which are "Crimson Peak" (movie) and "the Haunting of Bly Manor" (an amazing TV show). "My Darling Dreadful Thing" even had nods to "the Turn of the Screw" which "the Haunting of Bly Manor" was based off of, so I loved it. The reason these shows and this book in particular worked for me (even though Gothic tends to not be my thing) is their endearing characters, unique love stories, atmosphere, and the way the dead are portrayed. I loved how Johanna describes the ghosts in this book! It was so unique and vivid and creepy while still somehow making me love them and fear what they may do all at once! It was the best part for me. I also loved the exploration of Sapphic love during a time when queer love was not accepted and seeing the main character grapple with trying to figure out her feelings. My other favorite thing about this book was the interview sections set in the present (while most of the book was set in the past, as if the main character is telling the story to you). These sections are what really kept the pace moving and kept me so engaged! And the reveal at the end of part 1 had my jaw on the floor! It was so dramatic and I swear I could here the violins ratcheting up as the character dropped the bomb of a reveal that changed how I read the remainder of the story. I don't even know if that makes since, but it was so good! All in all, I really loved reading this book and will definitely be buying it for my shelf on release day! It was scary and heartbreaking and really atmospheric! But most of all, you can feel the care and love that the author put into the story and I just cannot wait to see what she will do next! I know I'll be buying it, whatever it may be! :)

3.5 rounded up. I feel this book has potential to great, but some parts it just dragged on. I kept wondering when the point would be made and it just kept droning on. The attention to detail and the gothic elements were very well written. I didn’t really see it as a horror type book, but others may argue otherwise. Overall not a bad book, but also, not one I would read again! Thanks NetGally and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC

I honestly don't know how to recap this story. If you want to read a dark, gothic, queer story that includes spirits, then this is for you. This book is about love, but I would definitely not call it a romance. It has mystery, horror, mind-fuckery and good writing. It switches between Roos telling her story from her own perspective, and Doctor Montague interviewing her after everything, and this is how the story is slowly pieced together. It's pretty much up to the reader to determine whether the characters are telling the truth or if they are "mad", and it is very intriguing.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc!! What the heck did I just read?! The reason I gave it 3 stars is mainly because it isn’t my normal kind of read. However, it’s still very well written and while it is a weird story, it was decent. Parts of it seemed to drag along but again, it isn’t my type of read. But I know there will be many people that love it!!

My Darling Dreadful Thing is a very unique and wonderful Gothic story.

Set in an atmosphere of achromatic narration and moods the story is one of quiet unsureness but also shimmering dialogue and intrigue.

The story is told from the view of a woman who happens to have a spirit companion. She is compelled, shall we say, to perform seance and live s strict life until a turn of events lands her in another home, with a woman where attractions develop (romance is extremely light, left up to the reader really), and soon there is a murder, doctors and the need to know the truth.

I really loved the way the story flowed, the tensions, the revelations, the characters… everything really. This was a Gothic piece of fiction that felt like it had been written in the time in which it was set, not a contemporary piece and that is a difficult thing to accomplish! I loved it.

I received an ARC via Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press and I am leaving an honest review.

my darling dreadful thing was a very interesting, horror-filled slow-burn gothic romance of sorts. without giving away too much, we have roos, who has her spirit companion ruth. roos is constantly used by her mother to scam grieving customers into believing they're talking to their deceased loved ones through her possessed daughter, until agnes enters the picture, who is also battling demons of her own, and decides to take Roos with her to her home.

things take a downfall after this, and we are thrust into a world so dark and miserable for both women that it makes you wonder how love can grow in such circumstances, but it does, until once again, tragedy strikes.

the dynamic between roos and her spirit companion, ruth, as well as the investigation into roos' innocence and sanity, adds complexity to the narrative. I loved the interview elements at the end of certain chapters, which allow us to look into roos' mind from someone else's point of view and explore the tension between believing these horrors could be true or attributing them to the decaying mental health of an abuse survivor.

while the story moved quite well at times, at others, I felt like it dragged on, with unnecessary conversations or descriptions that bored me and made me eager to finish the chapter. I do believe that this was an amazing read and should get the recognition it deserves once it's published, though!

thank you netgalley and poisoned pen press for the arc in exchange of an honest review!

an explosive beginning with an inevitable, winding fall. how gothic!


general thoughts:

quite enjoyed the interviews interspersed throughout the story. this sort of format doesn't always work for me, but i was tickled by the consistent "doctor, you'll simply have to let me finish if you want to to learn how the body ended up in such a state..." *cut to next chapter*

loveddd ruth and roos's classic toxic codependent homoerotic girl friendship. sometimes your obsessive best friend is a several hundred year old bog body and that's ok!

looked the author up after finishing and was delighted to see that she's a shirley jackson fan. i recently finished jackson's hangsaman and definitely see the inspiration. shout out crazy women in literature, you guys are so real

additionally, this book had me thinking a lot about the early modern dutch art class i'm currently taking. can't put my finger on what it is exactly but a certain early modern sensibility in the imagery/general vibe definitely comes through! cool to see that the author is an early modernist, would love to see some horror and/or wlw romance set in the early dutch republic from her

in conclusion: what can i say, i love books about deranged young women in the midst of a breakdown

really excited to see what comes next from van veen! i shall be tuning in

I absolutely loved this book!!

It was a wonderful haunting, eerie gothic story that was told with such delicacy and love about strong themes of abuse, mental illness, lesbianism, and misogyny.

Roos, when she is a young girl is raised by "mama" who forces her to conduct tricks at her seances.
While under the floor where she hides to play those seances, she meets Ruth, a spirit that attaches to her. They go on like this for many years. And then Roos moves in with Agnes and someone is murdered

I highly recommend this book if you are a horror fan, especially of gothic horror.

I just finished reading, and I honestly loved this book! It's a unique and tragic story about a young woman and her spirit companion in the 1950s and their journey through a series of unfortunate events. I personally seek out books with dark content/horror/ghosts and this book was right up my alley. I couldn't put it down at night, I stayed up late reading because I had to see what happened next! Though a harrowing tale, this book is filled with love. I think that's what I liked most about it. The love Roos had in her heart for Ruth and Agnes and the lengths she would go for them. This one will stick with me I can already tell.
I have to mention the cover and title are perfect! I am so glad I came across this book. Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for letting me read it! I'll be getting a physical copy May 14th!

Wow!! I fell in love with the cover of this book and just had to read it! I usually read more suspense and thrillers but every now and then I like a good horror story. This was a fantastic, gothic story that made me sad in a lot of ways but was so, so entertaining. The writing really flows and I ended up loving Roos so much and felt like I totally understood the reasons for every single thing she did. I hope Roos and Agnes find each other again. (And I kind of think Wilemijn got what she deserved.)

First I would like to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an eARC of this novel.

I was very excited when I was approved for this title it check the boxes of a good gothic horror book braided with a love story. While I found the novel very creepy at times yes I will be honest there were parts of this novel that were for lack of a better term stale with the horror. Creepy yes, keep me up a night horror no. But that book cover is amazing! I do look forward to future titles from Johanna van Veen!