4.5 Stars
This author has successfully done it again, written an entrancing and mystical gothic ghost story that's part historical fiction and part social commentary. The plot is chilling (and sad, especially the historical treatment of people with autism), the setting is a character unto itself (I still love you Scotland), and rife with familial trauma. The story gradually builds and intensifies exponentially for the last third of the novel. I'm extremely selective with reading choices for ghost stories/horror, but I'll keep this writer in my "must read" group. If you liked Her Little Flowers, you'll want to pick this one up as well.

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Do I want a haunted Scottish castle after reading this? Yes, absolutely. This is the second Shannon Morgan book I've read. I love her approach to houses, like they are characters in themselves. I live for descriptions of rooms and furnishings. I will be googling castles and taking virtual tours after this. I love how the characters treat the ghosts as well. Actually attempting conversation and understanding, instead of running away like most book characters. The mystery and twists, along with some of the messed up stuff people used to do, made the story super interesting. The dynamic of the main character and her teenage daughter was done really well. As a middle aged woman (also going through menopause) with a 17-year-old daughter, I felt seen.

In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan was a ghoulishly thrilling novel set in the highlands of Scotland. The novel dances between different time periods showcasing the unusual, tragic, and often secretive lives of the Maundrell family members. With Edie and Neve, we experience the loving bond between mother and daughter that at times can be contentious and awkward. We also experience the tense and emotional family dynamics between the ancestral Maundrells. Overall, this book was a winner and I would recommend to any lover of ghost stories, Scottish folklore, and gothic novels.

Thank you Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This multi-layered book blends historical fiction, Scottish folklore, a dysfunctional family saga with members who harbor many secrets, and thriller, horror, supernatural elements that describe the haunted Maundrell estate with its creaky halls, shadows lurking around corners, dusty walls, and labyrinthine rooms.

Alongside historical fiction and horror genres, it perfectly explores the dynamics of family drama with sensitive subjects such as mental health, parental cruelty and abuse, autism, and homosexuality.

We move back and forth between present time and 1965, where we’re introduced to the Maundrell clan including the uptight, cruel grandmother Bitsie, her daughter Alice who is becoming a minion of her mother, and little Dottie and Mungo, the grandchildren exploring the secret parts of the estate. Especially Mungo steals your heart as the most adorable and likable character of the book, suffering from autism and forced to undergo electroshock treatments.

In the present time, we meet Edwina Nunn in her late forties, recently widowed, raising her fifteen-year-old rebellious, eccentric daughter Neve who curses like a sailor and acts immaturely from the beginning, rubbing me the wrong way in several instances. They are informed that Edwina has inherited Maundrell Castle, located on a small Scottish island. Edwina thinks there must be a mistake because she was raised as an orphan by nuns and never thought she had her own family. Now she realizes she’s the last descendant of the Maundrells, a family she never heard of, and decides to check out the castle she inherited, which was abandoned after estate developers tried to turn it into a hotel and museum, but both plans failed for mysterious supernatural reasons. Now Edie and her daughter are alone in the place until unannounced visitors join them.

Overall, this book started a little slow, but instead of putting it down, I patiently continued, and it picked up the pace, combining different genres and timelines perfectly with Christie-style twists and a satisfying conclusion. Although I had a hard time connecting with the characters, I liked the storytelling execution, and the dark atmosphere of the Scottish setting makes you hyperventilate, gasping for air!

I’m rounding up my 3.5 stars to 4 ghostly, haunted castle stars and looking forward to reading more works by the author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for sharing this supernatural thriller's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I give this a 4.5 star. The first few chapters were slow and I wasn’t sure if I was going to get thru the book. But I stayed with it and I’m so glad I did.
If you like a good ghost story with some folk lore added in this is most definitely a book for you.
A story of a family so worried about stature that they are willing to do whatever it takes to portray a normal family!
You really get drawn into some of the characters. Especially the character of Mungo and autistic boy who is treated like a thing not a person for his disability.
But the story definitely draws you in. You won’t want to put it down.
A perfect Halloween story.

ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Edwina Nunn has never had much connection to her family lineage. So when she is contacted saying a long lost, relative has left her a castle she is beyond shocked. She never had any knowledge of her family or a castle and the small island it rests upon. Immediately, following the shocking news Edie and her teenage daughter, Neve, head to Maundrell castle to explore. However, what they find is anything but glittering halls and grandeur. Instead they are greeted by creaky halls, family secrets, lost cursed jewels, and ghosts.

In the Lonely Hours is a gothic haunted house tale filled with supernatural happenings and long held family secrets. I have to say the setting of this book was by far my favorite aspect. The scenery of this desolate island in Scotland enhanced the overall gothic haunting atmosphere. Add in the history of Maundrell castle and this story had all the ghostly vibes. The plot unfolds and is told through two timelines, one from present day and also the past in 1965. While this book does have hauntings and curses at the core it is a book about family dynamics, generational traumas, and mother and daughter relationships over the years. While I did enjoy the premise and setting of the plot the characters either were lack luster or completely terrible human beings which ultimately affected my enjoyment of the book. Overall I found this book to be spooky, heartbreaking, and thought provoking.

In the Lonely Hours comes out July 23rd, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The book has been narrated in dual timelines. The writing is compelling. I loved the bond of a mother and daughter. The secrets from the past were buried beneath the surface. Past is interconnected with the present. The mystery kept me on the edge. Love the atmospheric elements in it. I liked the setting of the remote island and centuries old castle.

Edwina was oblivion to her biological parents. But as she learns about Maundrell castle and the family. She is the last person left in the family to inherit it, she and her daughter Neve digs deep into the past and learn the ancient secrets and slowly the mystery unveils. Despite the warning and unthinkable/supernatural happenings, they get to the bottom of mystery of the cursed gem that caused family tragedies, was it really the reason or someone did it for any ulterior motive? As Samhain approach, fear grips them and dark secrets finds their way out of the attic, will they get tragically trapped in the castle like the rest of the family members or they will break the curse being causing tragedies in the family since so many years? I loved the twists and turns, they were so unpredictable.

Thank you Author, Publisher and Netgalley.

Edie Nunn has never known her family. Abandoned at a church as a baby, she was raised by nuns. When she inherits a castle on a remote island in Ireland from her long lost family, she goes on a journey with her daughter Neve to uncover who her parents were and what secrets the castle holds. With a castle full of ghosts, the legend of the famous lost Maudrell Red jewel is unfolded. Who took the jewel all those years ago and where is it now?

Full of Irish folklore and ghosts-a-plenty, this story bounces between present day with Edie, and October 1965 from the point of view of 15 year old Lottie, one of the family members living in the castle at the time of the jewel's disappearance. While there are spooky elements to this story, it's really about mother and child relationships across generations. There are aspects of the 1965 timeline that are absolutely heartbreaking, and you root for the downfall of the matriarchal grandmother Bitsie. She is a horrible character with severe contral issues that follow into the afterlife. If you enjoy hauntings, mysteries, and a little folklore, this book is right up your alley. I really enjoyed it and cannot recommend it enough.

I can't get enough of Shannon Morgan! I fell in love with her first novel and "In the Lonely Hours" did not disappoint. her horror is next level and not what you expect at all!

This uses the ghost story element perfectly and thought the story had that feel that you were looking for. It uses that element in a way that I wanted and glad the characters worked with this story overall. I thought it had a great feel to it and that it had a melancholy element to it. It left me wanting to read more from Shannon Morgan and enjoyed what was going on.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. You should read it!

I loved the setting of this book. A mysterious, massive castle in a remote part of Scotland? Perfect! When Edie and her teenage daughter, Neve, decide to get the castle ready to sell after inheriting it, they get much more than they bargained for.

My enjoyment of the book was slightly marred by Edie’s poor choice in letting strangers stay where they shouldn’t. I found it a bit hard to believe that anyone would allow that, but maybe people are more trusting in Scotland.

The history of the Maundrell family was interesting!

This book was pretty good, I would definitely recommend

~This was given by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A Gothic novel set in a haunted castle in Scotland? Yes, please! It's a slow burn and I'll admit that it took me some time to really get into it, but gradually the characters grew on me and I ended up reading the last third of the story in a single sitting. It's an unsettling and creepy tale that's full of ghosts and Scottish history and lore (probably mostly made up, but still), and I am now extra envious that I never realized my childhood dream of inheriting a castle somewhere in the British Isles. (Sadly, I really never realized any of my childhood dreams, seeing as how I am also not currently married to Captain Kirk* and am not a famous pop star.)

Be forewarned that this book has a whole lot of unlikeable characters. The main characters (Edie, Neve, Mungo, and Lottie) are decent, but several of the other members of the Maundrell family … well, let's just say that they have their issues. Lady Elizabeth and her plague doctor mask are the things of nightmares.

The mysteries at play (who are Edie's birth parents and what happened to the Maundrell Red?) are mostly suspenseful and well-written. I did see the answer to the first question coming from very early on, but the second was a complete surprise to me. There are no Agatha Christie-esque twists and turns in this one, but I still found myself anxious for the truth to be revealed.

The Nunns do seem to be rather unbothered by the ghostly inhabitants of their new home, however. I mean, sure, after a while you probably get used to ghosts running around and doing their thing, but on the very first night they were both just kind of “Oh, yeah, there are some ghostly ships floating around on the loch. Neato.” I am a fairly stoic person, but I'm pretty sure I would have been at least a little freaked out. And there are a lot of ghosts in this castle, lemme tell you. The plethora of spectres is partially explained toward the end of the novel, but it's almost comical how many ghosts there are and how unfazed Edie and Neve are by their presence.

My overall rating: 3.75 stars, rounded up. If you like unsettling Gothic tales with (many, many) ghosts and castles and curses and witches, this one might be right up your alley.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.


*This one is probably for the best. He would have been a terrible husband and probably would have broken our marriage vows at least as many times as he did the Prime Directive.

I found this novel to be a slow burn, gothic haunted house tale, with suspense and supernatural undertones. I love all things ghosts & the supernatural, however I found it hard to stay engaged in the story until about 3/4 in. That is where the pace picked up for me & I didn’t want to stop reading.

There are many different subjects touched upon throughout the novel:
Autism & ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy), mother - daughter relationships, homosexuality, family secrets, conflict & tragedy & of course the supernatural elements, including ghosts, legends & curses.

I found many characters unlikeable. My least favorites being Neve & Bitsie. My favorite being Mungo. What makes Mungo so amazing is the author based his character on her autistic son. She wrote him beautifully.

Favorite Line: “A curved line appeared, a snail trail in the vapor, shaping and sharpening into a leering plaque mask.”

Thank you NetGalley, Kensington Publishing Corp. & Shannon Morgan for an ARC in return for an honest review.

If you like a haunted house tale, then this is the book for you. There were all the makings for a great spooky, gothic tale - desolate setting, ancient castle, snowstorm, and ghosts - and all of those elements provided for a great read. Added to that was a family curse, truly evil family members and the horrific medical 'treatments' of times just not that long ago. Great descriptive writing provided for an immersive read.

A gothic novel set in Scotland; what's not to love! The reader meets Edie and her teenage daughter who have traveled to an eerie castle that Edie has inherited from a family she knows nothing about. Strange noises, ghosts and sinister characters all make for a great story. Add in the disappearance of a family jewel and you have a mystery that spans over several generations. I loved it and I have already requested the author's other book from my library.

I absolutely adored In the Lonely Hours and everything about this book. It was haunting and filled with family horrors and an atmospheric setting. I was swept up in the story from the beginning and loved that the story took place in both present and past. Edie and her daughter Neve were such a good present day duo with a strong relationship. I loved the spooky Scottish castle setting on Loch la Scathanna and the blood red waters in the loch below the island. The desolation of the castle and the island all all the surrounding area's lore definitely helped with the eerie vibes. I loved that it just wasn't modern ghosts but viking ghosts and witch's and the story was also steeped in so much folklore from the area. It was so creepy at times and the author did such a marvelous job setting the atmosphere for the readers! I also loved how complex this story was. It wasn't just a ghost story or one person's story it was a family history, an island of histories stories and it just all weaved together so well. It was mysterious and heartbreaking and absolutely perfect.

Thank you to this book for curing a very intense reading slump! From the first page I was grabbed by this story and stayed there - immediately there is such a strong sense of atmosphere and tension. There were a few different mysteries woven into each other and all with plenty of twists that I never saw coming. Readers who enjoyed Morgan’s debut will definitely love this one too!

Thank you so much to Kensington Publishing for this eARC!

When Edie learns that she has inherited a grand castle in Scotland, from a family she never knew existed, her teenage daughter Neve leaves her no choice but to go and investigate her new property. The castle is rumored to be incredibly haunted, plagued by a curse revolving around an eccentric family and a mysterious stolen diamond. Edie's skepticism is quickly challenged when they arrive at the castle, and with the help of her daughter, she begins to unearth the secrets of the castle and her family.

I truly cannot say enough good things about this book, I absolutely loved it. As always, Shannon Morgan provides a fantastic look into mental health and generational trauma. Her portrayal of autism and the tragic history of treatment that the condition has is heartbreaking, both in the character itself and the knowledge that the character's struggles were once the reality for many. She also captured the many facets of generational trauma and how it tends to affect each member of the family differently. This can be seen both in the relationship between Edie and Neve, and the relationship from Edie's various family members in the past.

Not only did I enjoy the underlying themes and take on mental health, but I absolutely adored the worldbuilding that Morgan gave this book. The legends surrounding the lake and the island were fascinating, and it really helped pull me into the story from the start. The imagery was so vivid! She also managed to include moments of humor that not only broke the tension and unease of the atmosphere for a moment, but also added to the history and lore. There were also some fantastic plot twists that I truly did not see coming. It was incredibly well written all around. I legitimately cannot find one aspect of the story that I didn't absolutely love.

I will be recommending this to anyone that will listen, and I cannot wait until I can add this to my bookshelf!