What an under the radar gem! I have been recommending this to anyone who likes "vampire-lite" literature.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I’ve been struggling finding books with vamps, that aren’t…cheezy. This was eerie dashed with some horror, and rather satisfying. The ending did not let me down. Keep your mind open in regards to who the villain of the story is - I found my feelings shifting the deeper I got into the story.

Enjoying so far! Netgalley archived my copy despite the app saying I had 47 days left (?), so I will update once I've acquired a copy and finished the rest of the book

This book was incredibly unique and unsettling! It weaves together multiple stories told through a series of testimonials, with each person’s experience strange and horrifying in its own way. Alternating between 2022 and past encounters with the charismatic woman, I really enjoyed the connection between the characters as the story unfolded.

This is a slow burn, so don’t go in expecting a quick thriller, but that doesn’t make it any less frightening. Each interview offers new clues about the woman, and the mystery feels like a puzzle you’re piecing together. Although some of the interviews became repetitive after a while, the last few chapters were wild and completely unexpected!

If you’re looking for a mystery filled with supernatural elements, a malevolent force, and a mysterious woman on a quest for immortality, definitely consider reading this one!

Old Soul is about a woman's journey to basically live forever through a horrifying pact with an evil being while the people she leaves behind to devastating circumstances try to connect the dots to why these events are happening.

This is the kind of horror book that really gets under the skin in subtle ways. I loved the way this story unfolded and increasingly made me as a reader have a sense of discomfort until I was horrified at what was happening to the unsuspecting victims of evil in this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel!

I loved this book so much, but I don't even know how to put into words how it made me feel. The main story follows Jake, a teacher from London who misses a flight in Japan. Another passenger is also just a couple of minutes too late, so the two grab dinner while waiting for the next available plane. They seemingly have nothing in common, but discover one connection - they both lost loved ones who died in the same, horrific manner after meeting a mysterious woman. This launches Jake into an investigation spanning many different countries, as he tracks sightings of the woman throughout various decades and interviews others who lost friends and family just after meeting her. She never ages, and a darkness follows wherever she goes. The story is told through long chapters detailing different interviews. These chapters are also interspersed with shorter chapters following the woman in the present, as she goes on a hike with a new stranger. Old Soul is a literary horror novel, with clear inspiration from gothic fiction, westerns, and Japanese horror. It's a haunting read.

This is more of a slow burn horror novel, in which the dread quietly creeps up on you chapter by chapter. While there is body horror and gore, this is definitely not a bloody, action-packed read like some modern horror being published nowadays. It reminds me more of older horror, with a modern literary twist. It's so very bleak. I've read a lot of horror over the years, so I correctly assumed the ending pretty early on; at the same time, though, I wasn't sure if the author would actually go there. I read the law few pages with my jaw dropped and then stayed up way too late after finishing because I needed to sit and process it all. This isn't the type of story that left me crying or hiding under my covers - instead, I felt hollow, a bit like after I finished The Road or 'Salem's Lot. If that feeling is what you're looking for, then I cannot recommend this enough. If literary fiction and horror aren't for you, though, then you may want to skip this, because it's certainly not for everyone. After reading some other reviews, I'm not surprised to see that this is a divisive novel.

I loved Old Soul's atmosphere. There are no quotation marks, which I thought might bother me, but I got used to the style quickly. I can see why the author chose to omit them, because it felt like such a fever dream to read. I was immediately sucked into the woman's world, which got more nightmarish the further I delved. There's an overarching sense of foreboding throughout the novel, but each of Jake's chapters are tonally different. Every interview details a unique time period and city, each with its own rich culture. It reads like historical fiction at times. I got more invested in the book as I read. I wanted to not only learn more about the woman, but also see what new setting I would be visiting next. Before I knew it, I was thinking about the story whenever I put it down.

The writing is also beautiful. It's sharp, witty, and nuanced. I fully plan to buy a physical version of this someday, so I can mark it up. There are so many little details that connect to something later. Everything feels intentional, and the themes are strong. It touches on subjects like trauma, memory, love, the complexity of humanity, and how the desire to live can overcome everything else. This would make a great book club pick, because each interview has distinct themes and reveals a new attribute of the woman. I can't wait to reread it and make even more connections now that I have a full understanding of the plot.

The last thing that really stands out in this book is the characters. Characterization is super important to me, and wow, do the characters shine here! Even though many of the characters are only present for one chapter, they are far more memorable to me than some main characters I've read 400+ pages about in other novels. Susan Barker managed to make each character feel real and fleshed out in a very short amount of page time. I found myself constantly switching back and forth between rooting for someone, then disliking them, feeling sorry for them after that, and so on. Everyone is complicated, just like actual people. I would argue there are three main characters: Jake, the woman, and the Sculptor. Jake mostly serves to move the plot forward, but the woman and the Sculptor are very interesting. I know I'll be thinking about them - and some of the side characters - for a long time.

I don't have any major critiques. I would have liked to have learned more about Jake, but it's not all that necessary, because all the other characters are just as important as him. I also would have liked to have seen more chapters showing the woman just enjoying life, since her love of living was such a driving factor behind all of her decisions. Nonetheless, this book just works fabulously for me as it is. Like I said, though, I don't think it will be for everyone. It's got kind of a cold edge, and it takes a while to fully appreciate the story. I also don't think everyone will love how the interviews feel like individual short stories. There were so many subtle differences between them that they never seemed repetitive to me; however, if you're not a fan of short stories with similar plots, I could see the interviews getting tiring.

I adored this! I found myself reading way more slowly when I got down to the last 20%, because I wanted to savor each chapter I had left. I have too many other books on my "to-read" list to immediately pick this up again, but if I had more time, I would be rereading it right this moment. It's so good.

5 out of 5 stars!

Susan Barker’s “Old Soul” (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, $29) is a mesmerizing literary horror that blends supernatural mystery and psychological depth into a globe-trotting thriller. The novel follows Jake, a man grieving the inexplicable death of a loved one, as he discovers a chilling link to an ageless woman who preys on victims across decades. As he pieces together testimonies from others who have encountered this enigmatic figure, the novel unfolds as a slow-burn investigation into mortality, morality and the cost of survival.

Barker’s razor-sharp writing immerses readers in haunting settings that shift from Osaka, Japan, to New Mexico’s eerie Badlands. At the same time, the alternating narrative structure, weaving past accounts with present events, builds relentless anticipation, culminating in an unforgettable finale. “Old Soul” is dark, thought-provoking and wholly original — a must-read for gothic horror fans.

I don't usually like horror, but I loved this book. The pacing was really impressive - I didn't feel like twists came out of nowhere, but I also didn't feel like I was predicting too far ahead; all of the plot points and backstory just felt like it was revealing itself at just the right time, and I was there to witness it.

Viewing the story through the different diverse character testimonials was very interesting. I liked how the Japanese victim saw the monster as a Shinigami, while the Polish(? I can't remember) woman was more concerned by being taken away by the police and experimented on, and so forth. I loved this storytelling device so much that my only complaint is I wish we could have seen the story play out through more diverse cultures perspectives, as it seems disproportionately European for having spanned 300 years in my opinion.

There were a few characters I did care for, but even when I didn't care for the characters I cared a lot about their story, which is rare thing to do when reading but it was very engaging. Overall it was tense and haunting and mysterious and I loved it!

Old Soul: A Novel – Susan Barker – 2025-
This transfixing and terrifying novel of supernatural suspense, intrigue, and horror takes place over several decades. The bleak high desert Badlands of Taos, New Mexico was noted, as this spellbinding tale unfolded. Largely narrated by Jake, a gay male Londoner, and elementary school teacher, had taken time off to investigate several mysterious deaths, that included the loss of his best friend, Lena. Susan Barker is a British novelist educated at Leeds University and Manchester University, where she lecturers in Creative Writing. Old Soul is Ms. Barker’s fourth novel.

Jake was traveling when he encountered Mariko Takahara at the airport in Osaka, Japan. Mariko explained the circumstances surrounding the bewildering death of her estranged twin brother Hiroji, and the odd visit by a female stranger that occurred immediately after he died. Mariko, fearful, refused to answer the door. Mariko vanished before Jake could question her further, though she left contact information for Sigrid, Hiroji’s widow.
*Sigrid, (Berlin, Germany): confirmed the dreadful death of her husband and father of their only child. Hiroji had been photographed by a (30 something) aggressive stranger, named Damiris, who was later wanted by the police for questioning, before entirely disappearing. Before his sudden death, Hiroji seemed to be in a trance, his behavior was bizarre (as was Lena’s) the coroner’s report stated the cause death was due to a rare/odd left to right reversal of Hiroji’s internal organs.

Jake was stunned, that Lena had died from the same condition as Hiroji, though the coroner reported the cause as heart failure. Marion, a stranger, had photographed Lena and vanished without a trace after her death (2011). Jake was haunted by the circumstances surrounding Lena’s frightening alarming death, his inability to help and keep her safe, and determined bring justice for her.

*Bedwyr, (Moorlands): A recluse, living in a remote stone cottage, reported his disabled 14- year- old daughter Ceridwen, had been gone for 35 years. After Liesl had photographed his daughter, without permission, Bedwyn ordered the (30-ish) sinister stranger to leave immediately (1987). “Evil has its ways and means…” Bedwyr was charged with Ceridwen’s unexplained unnatural death and spent some time in prison before being released (2013).

*Jurgen, (Germany): A 75-year-old artist/painter, heavy drinker, reported that Romy, “masqueraded as a smoke and mirrors femme fatale”- Jurgen had seen a ghastly photograph, later confronted Romy, and was attacked by “sinister forces of evil”. Ursula Pohl, Jurgen’s close friend/muse had disappeared (1968), many thought she had defected to the West, Ursula was never seen or heard from again.

*The Badlands: (I-VI-2022) This continuing narrative was dispersed throughout the novel; all characters and events were superbly crafted. The vast “rural emptiness” and “vaporizing heat” off Highway 371 formed the desert edge of the Navajo Nation. The Native American people are highly respectful of “mother earth” and “father sky.” Individual photographs taken on the Reservation are discouraged; tribal legends include the Hoodoo where the spirts of ancient people were turned to stone by a Coyote God. In Taos, N.M., Aurora Rose, a hotel maid, psychic, tarot-card reader, influencer, wanted more traffic on her U-Tube Channel. A (30-ish) female stranger approached, and the videographer promised to make Aurora Rose famous. *With Thanks to Penguin Random House LLC via NetGalley for the DDC for the purpose of review.

I enjoyed the mystery and concept of this book. I thought the idea was original and not something I had read before. Because it was based off one woman who doesn't die and preys on people there were a lot of different characters along with one man trying to find the truth. What really steered me from not liking it more was within each chapter when characters were having conversations there were no quotations to really separate the talking from the rest of the sentence and I had to guess sometimes who was talking and if that was a conversation or just part of the story. If it had that within it, it would've been easier to follow and grabbed my interest more. It just made it hard for my brain to follow.

This story is told in dual or multiple timelines with various points of view. The current storyline chapters are interspersed with testimonial chapters recounting various characters and their interactions with a mysterious woman often followed by the loss of a loved one. Jake and Mariko meet in the Osaka airport when they both miss their flight. These early chapters immediately pulled me into the story as Jake and Mariko compared their experiences of the mysterious woman and their loved ones. I felt an immediate connection with these two, but this was one of many encounters that Jake has throughout the story as he compiles more information about the mysterious woman.

It read like a series of connected short stories in the testimonial chapters interspersed with the current timeline which was a bit confusing, and I struggled to connect with the overall narrative of the novel. My interest waxed and waned. I didn’t feel like it was plot driven but more about the characters, and yet the characters didn’t feel like they had enough depth for this to be character driven. At times it felt a little bit bogged down in the details, especially in the descriptions of artwork dimensions.

I also struggled with the choice of no quotation marks in the dialogue, and as much as I try not to let that cloud my opinion, at times the narrative switched to an interview format where it was clear who the speaker was then back to a more traditional format which led me to rereading entire sections because I lost track of who the speaker was or even if they were speaking or just thinking. This format obviously works for other readers, and maybe I should have switched to audio where a voice narrator could interpret for me.

It reminded me a bit of the 1992 horror movie Dust Devil and I expected that it would end in a similar way, so I was extremely disappointed in this ending, which fell flat for me. While I enjoyed the concept of the story, it ultimately just didn’t work for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and GP Putnam’s Sons for a copy provided for an honest review.

This was deeply unsettling, but also strangely poignant? It's one that I'll continue to think about.

4.5 ⭐️

This was really fucking good. This wasn’t a standard “horror” novel. There is something monstrous and supernatural occurring, but this book is about more than that. This was about what it means to live. There was an eeriness that kept me intrigued. I had to know who this woman was. So many POVs. So many characters. So many time periods. It felt like so many books in one. At the center of every storyline is one selfish bitch causing all the chaos and death.

Literary horror that was much better than I had expected.

a gem you must add to your reading list! It's raw, unique, compelling, and unsettling, with dark Japanese horror themes that guarantee nightmares

Old Soul is a haunting examination of a woman desperate to stay alive, the people she sacrifices for immortality, and those caught in her wake of devastation. Told in alternating chapters of testimonies from those that knew the woman’s victims and a present-day account of the woman charming her latest target in the Bisti Badlands, this story takes readers across multiple countries and decades of time to unravel the mystery of an ancient evil. Barker takes us on a journey of discovery, shepherded by our protagonist Jake, who is investigating how the loss of his friend Lena is connected to a string of other unexplainable deaths. As the two story frames converge, the lasting impact of each victims life is felt through the tales told by those left behind. Old Soul is made all the more interesting because of the deep complexity of the characters we meet. Characters are looked at honestly, presenting both virtues and flaws to provide a realistic portrayal of who they were. While the novel is more of a slow-burn in the way the mystery unfolds, it doesn’t pull its punches when it comes to delivering on the psychological, body, and cosmic horror promised by the concept. Dark and at times mean-spirited, this book will leave you thinking about it long after you read the final page.

Thank you Penguin Publishing Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

It’s rare for me to be bored by a vampire novel, but alas, here we are.

There’s no issue with Barker’s writing, which is lovely and thoughtful. But while I thought the concept of this had potential, the execution felt flat.

Most of the first half of this book is the characters gathering testimonials about a female vampire’s crimes, and it works well at first but quickly becomes repetitive. We either needed a lot less of this or a lot more variety in what we get. The same goes for the chapters that focus on the vampire herself, which start to feel redundant fairly quickly.

I don’t mind that the book is slow moving, but I struggled a lot with how flat it felt, and the fact that so much of the content is just, effectively, a list of examples of how the vampire operates. Her name changes, as do setting and of course the victims, but the action is the same. This one needed a really big climax to offset that, and we didn’t get it.

I like the way Barker writes and the tone felt appropriate to the material, but the story needed more—or perhaps in terms of quantity—less

Old Soul is best-described as a slow-burn horror story. The reader follows along as Jake investigates the malady that killed his childhood best friend, Lena, while, in a parallel story, some ~events~ are taking place in the desert. Jake’s investigation takes the form of vignettes as he tracks down more and more people who befell a similar fate to Lena. Pieces start to come together as Jake’s investigation begins to converge with the present day events.

This book really hooked me through the first quarter, but then I started to find the vignettes a little stale. I was really interested in the first tale or two, but I became less interested as we moved further back from the present day and encountered new characters that I felt less connected to. However, I did enjoy when the stories reached a converging point near the end.

Overall, I would really recommend this book for readers who are interested in horror and literary fiction; I found this book to be very unique in combining those genres.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

It’s clear that Susan Barker has a talent at crafting mesmerizing worlds and dynamic characters. That being said, “Old Soul” had all of that, but unfortunately felt a bit too drawn out. I completely understand wanting to establish this mysterious woman and give insight into those who crossed her path, but it felt a tad repetitive, especially once these characters were established. It’s a slow burn, taking its time to wave through the story, which many may enjoy, but just didn’t quite work for me in this one. I found the story to be captivating, but it took a lot of effort to get to the point where I was enjoying reading this. This honestly just may not have been the right time for me to experience this story, so it is certainly one that I will want to visit again in the future, and hopefully connect more.

Thank you for the Copy of Old Soul. I wasnt sure about what to expect with this book, going in blind. To say the least it was definitely intriguing and the whole story keeps you wondering whats going to happen. Two Strangers named Mariko and Jake both miss their flights and they start to talking and discover that they both had lost loved ones and somehow their paths cross with the same exact woman. What a coincidence. But where is this lady at? So Jake goes onto looking for answers and asking around to see if anyone has seen her. Then he comes across someone who just might have the answers and find out what happened.
This one is good if you like a thriller horror book and definitely a unique story you will read!

First off let me start by stating, Susan Barker’s writing is straight-up mesmerizing. I’ve read my fair share of creepy books, but this one? Next level and so different. It’s much deeper than your typical horror novel. It’s like she cast some kind of spell, and once you’re in, there’s no getting out.

So, we’ve got Jake, who’s trying to uncover the truth about this mysterious woman—except she’s not just a woman. She’s something else. And the way her victims are found? Yeah, their internal organs are reversed. Let that sink in. Absolutely unhinged.

The deeper Jake digs, the more he realizes he’s not the only one looking for answers. Others have crossed paths with this woman, and no one really understands what’s happening. It’s like one big, eerie puzzle that needs solving.

What really got me was how original this story is. The writing is razor-sharp, the characters have layers upon layers, and the plot? Unpredictable in the best way. It’s one of those books that makes you feel everything—the dread, the intrigue, the absolute need to know what happens next.

And on top of all the horror and suspense, Barker weaves in these heavy themes of grief and trauma, making it even more unsettling. You can tell she did her research, and it pays off in the most disturbing, thought-provoking way.

If you love horror, suspense, or just brilliant storytelling, you need to read this. But fair warning—this one is dark. Twisted. Chilling. And I absolutely devoured it.