Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Books, Penguin Random House, and Putnam Books for this copy of "Old Soul."

This creepy, eerie book will leave you very wary of befriending anyone who wants to take your picture!

Jake meets Mariko when they're both late for their flight and unable to board. Over drinks, she shares the story of her twin brother Hiroji and his nonsensical ravings before his death. Uncannilly, Jake's childhood friend Lena had also said similar things before her death and it has haunted Jake.

Also both Hiroji and Lena had met a stranger with whom they'd formed a bond right before their deaths.

Why does Jake feel driven to find out more? Is there any chance of finding the stranger that Lena had met? Will he be able to get answers?

3.5 stars. Old Soul is quietly creepy and unsettling, a slow burn horror about a woman who keeps popping up around people who die strange and tragic deaths. Her name is never the same, but nothing else about her seems to change. The narrator, Jake, who lost a friend to this woman, is travelling around the world collecting testimonies from others whose loved ones have encountered her, as he gets closer to actually finding the mysterious woman.

The first testimony, from a Japanese woman named Mariko, whose twin brother was killed, was especially creepy and unnerving to me, but there is a bit of sameness to the stories as the book goes on, though you do eventually learn much more about her back story. Things do culminate in a gruesome climax, so if you're patient and like a slow burn, you may find this book very rewarding.

In Old Soul, Susan Barker does a masterful job of introducing each piece of the puzzle in the form of “testimonies” from characters spread across the globe and many years, building up to a very satisfying conclusion. Even now that I know “what is going on”, she has created such a rich world and populated it with distinct characters that I would read a whole series of the testimonies like the ones in Old Soul.

Wow! This book blew my mind! Incredible and can’t even pin down what genre it is. Like no other book I’ve ever read. Highly recommend it!

Well, that was unlike anything I’ve ever read before. This was a slower paced book but it was also one that I had a hard time putting down, finishing it in less than 24 hours after I started it. It’s very bleak, dark, tense and heartbreaking. I loved how the story was told over testimonies and how it all came together in the end.

Solid: well written and well told. The multiple "testimonies" work here, as the POV continues to rest, in the subtext, with main character, Jake. The pacing of multiple timelines also works here, and, more importantly, makes sense--a story told over centuries because it IS a story of centuries, as opposed to a plot device to mask a twist ending. Baker's new titles lean horror and she's killing it!

This is not the type of book I'd normally pick up. In fact, when I began read it, I couldn't remember what prompted me to request it in the first place! But I'm glad I did, and I'm grateful to the publisher, G.P. Putnam's & Sons, for providing me with an advance copy.

The structure of this novel is quite genius. The story begins in an airport in Osaka, Japan. Jake has misread his boarding pass and finds himself running to catch a flight that he thought took off two hours later. Unfortunately, the gate is closed when he arrives, and he's not allowed to board. One other passenger - a Japanese woman named Mariko who Jake has never met before - is right behind him and is also not allowed to board. Irritated, the two meet up in a bar and as they talk, they learn that, against all odds, they have both lost dear ones who encountered the same mysterious woman. Jake lost his best friend, Lena, and Mariko lost her twin brother. Mariko is a no-show for the rebooked flight the next day, but Jake finds a phone number for a woman in Berlin - Mariko's sister-in-law, Sigrid.

From there, Old Soul is told as Jake travels the world, starting with Sigrid in Berlin, collecting "testimonies" from grieving people who have encountered the mysterious woman. He learns she always looks the same, never ages, and has a pungent, rancid odor. Of these testimonies, my favorite is Bedwyr, a father in Angels Singing, Wales who lost his daughter, Ceridwen after they allowed "Liesel" to photograph Ceridwyn. Bedwyr's testimony is compelling, his and Ceridwen's characters so developed, and their story so unfortunate, that this testimony could be read as a wonderfully written short story.

Interspersed with the testimonies, which all involve Jake bearing witness as victims tell their stories, we find the mysterious woman with Rose, an aspiring influencer with a New Age schtick. The two travel to New Mexico's Bisti Badlands (or De-Na-Zin, as the Navajo call it), where the woman promises to help Rose produce some amazing new content.

Interwoven, these stories paint a picture of the woman, the dangerous, enigmatic titular "Old Soul." This book is all things at once - scary, sad, unbearably tense and propulsive. I haven't read Susan Barker's previous novel, The Incarnations, but I think I will. I can't recommend this book enough. For those who like to read spooky stories in autumn, this is perfect. If you can't wait that long (and I wouldn't), read it before this period of winter bleakness is over. You won't look at strangers in the same way afterwards.

What would you do to live for an indefinite amount of time? Is it worth it to lose every shred of your humanity to do so? No matter how you answer, if you have ever asked yourself these questions, this book is for you.
Old Soul follows multiple characters: a man (Jake) whose best friend has just died, the woman she (the best friend) interacted with before her death and various voices in the past. A chance encounter puts Jake on the road to a collision course with this woman. Eventually he interviews various people whose loved ones died in mysterious circumstances after encountering her.
Part thriller, part meditation on humanity, part Lovecraftian horror, this book has something for everyone and I find myself ruminating on it long after it was finished.

Old Soul is truly an experience I won't forget any time soon. Think 'Under the Skin' mixed with some Silence of the Lambs vibes, but with art?!

A chance airport encounter leads two strangers to realize they've each had a friend brutally die in the same bizarre fashion after meeting the same mysterious woman. Jake decides to try and trace the mystery woman who's been leaving horror in her wake for decades and eventually ends up in New Mexico at a rural artist studio. From then it's clear that this woman might not be fully human, but dying artist Theo just might know how to stop her from destroying more lives.

Super creepy and very unsettling and as a bonus it's also gay.
Literary horror at its best!

2.5 stars. I was hooked on this story from the beginning. Beautiful writing (though some quotation marks would have been helpful!) and rather creepy concept. But it just dragged on. And on and on to the point where I just didn’t care. The testimonies were very detailed and sad, troubling. This just wasn’t for me. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

This was a really cool, multi-cultural, literary, cosmic horror. The woman and the Tyrant are exceptional antagonists. This was a unique take on possession, and I feel like I learned about other cultures along the way - which is always a good time. I loved that each victim was affected differently, by the same woman, who serves a lovecraftian entity - throw in a little sapphic romance and I’m hooked. I think the end will be polarizing, but I really enjoyed it.

I received a digital advance copy of Old Soul by Susan Barker via NetGalley. Old Soul is scheduled for release on January 28, 2025.

Old Soul weaves together the story of a woman determined to stay alive for as long as she can (by any means necessary) with the stories of the people who encounter her and don’t live to tell the tale. Their stories are discovered by Jake, a man whose best friend died under odd circumstances after meeting a mesmerizing dark haired women. Jake sets out to find out who the woman is, and what she is doing to those who dare to get too close.

The primary character we get to know in this novel is “the woman,” who goes by different names in different places. While we do not get to know a lot about her past, we do get up close and personal with her deepest desire: survival. We also meet several people she has relationships with, both through her perspective and through Jake’s interviews of the loved ones they left behind. Despite the interviews each focusing on a new character and their world, Barker does an impressive job of making each of the featured characters come to life, essential pulling together several mini-stories to form the threads that make up this novel.

The woman travels around the globe, resulting in several different settings in this novel. The most important ends up being New Mexico, as the woman returns her several times, trying to reclaim the one relationship that ever felt real to her. Other settings are less well developed, but work for the portions of the story that take place there.

I was impressed by Barker’s ability to weave this story together. Each interview with Jake feels like a complete short story, while still clearly being connected to the main plot of the novel. In the last portion of the book, all of these pieces of the woman’s past come together in a climax that is a bit action, a bit horror, and absolutely devastating.

Overall, Old Soul is a horror novel that digs deep into one of life’s primal questions: how far are you willing to go to stay alive? While it does have horrific moments (some graphic), these are used to explore complex and heavy themes. I would recommend this for readers who enjoy both horror and literary fiction.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for this ARC.

This truly was a unique book, I've never quite read anything like it. I also don't know how to review it without giving anything away.

It's almost like a collection of short stories with an overarching story. Every switch of the story I groaned unsure if I would like the next one and every time I was sucked in.

This book was haunting, it was beautifully written, and I really enjoyed it. It takes you through time and across the world.

I only went with a 4/5 because I wanted to know the why a little more. However I'm not sure that would have been satisfying either.

If you are looking for something unique that will stick with you, this is it.

What first caught my attention with this book was the concept of a character trying to solve what turns out to be a decades-long mystery. I enjoyed the way the story was told through different time periods and different characters and getting to read along to see how it was all connected.

It was sufficiently creepy with a kick-you-in-the-gut ending that always makes for a satisfying horror read.

It was fast-moving and reminiscent of an X-Files-type Monster of the Week story, which I loved. In a strange way, it also reminded me a little bit of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - if Addie LaRue was a much darker and much more evil person.

I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, dark, and mysterious read with a creative premise. However, if you enjoy happy endings that are tied up neatly in a bow, this might not be the best book for you!

The best way to be immortal, the woman says, is not to die.

A solid 5-star read for me, until the ending. I wanted to throw the book against the wall and curse the Fates and the Tyrant and whoever else might be in control of the vast, black cosmos that we merely live our pathetic lives in.

"Old Soul" is the dark, cosmic horror I did not think I was missing in my life. It's told in a series of investigations, after a chance encounter in an airport in Osaka, Japan, leads a Brit on a desperate search for a mysterious woman who never seems to age, and leaves a trail of dead behind her. The stories are beautifully told, but there is a sense of dread that permeates the characters even prior to the arrival of the mysterious woman. The lives of the characters are already flawed, or broken or dark, and like a skilled predator the woman is drawn to easy prey. Or, perhaps, the Tyrant knows how to select the next offering.

This book was compelling and kept me reading non-stop over the course of two days. I so wished for a different ending, even though I know that anything different would have not been the same. And, I am amazed at the author's talents in this book. A great find! My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced reading copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of Old Soul in exchange for an honest review.

I had a tough time with this one, primarily because the author does not use quotation marks for dialogue, which drives me absolutely nuts. Since this is a NetGalley read, I tried to push through that, but ultimately, it impacted my reading experience and turned this into what felt like a run-on fever dream.

The opening was intriguing, albeit creepy. I felt like there could have been some demonic transference, as I had vivid, dark dreams when I first started reading this. The story is about a demonic-like presence that hops between bodies... I guess? Honestly, I had a hard time connecting the random stories in this.

I’m throwing in the towel in the long last chapter (showing an hour+ on my Kindle) since it’s getting more demonic, and seeing other reviews that say the ending is very violent. I do not feel like I want to deal with that or continue.

Overall, this was more of a unique read that teetered towards the literature fiction category with the writing, and since it was random and hard to follow, LOL.

If you want to try and give it a shot, Old Soul is scheduled to drop on 1/28/25, but I can’t say I recommend this.

This one started off so strong for me but unfortunately the story started going in a different direction and I couldn't recapture my interest.

I really enjoyed the idea and the cover is really cool. I think readers will find it captivating and pull them in.

I wish the book had been more in my style but someone else would probably like it more!

Thank you to NetGalley, Susan Barker, and Penguin Publishing Group for the opportunity to read Old Soul. I have written this review voluntarily and honestly!

Great horror is made when you care about the characters and become invested in their journey, even the Antagonist. And Old Soul by Susan Barker captures it so well. There we some real spooky tension building moments, which I love in the horror genre but can be so hard to capture in the written word and in this book I felt my heart race a time or two.

I enjoyed the literary device of blending testimonials and pov narration. As mentioned above you even become invested in the antagonist, not necessarily to root for them but just to see what is going to happen. Because of the character development, pacing and various backdrops of different timelines I felt this book to be very captivating and wanted to finish it as quickly as I could. I would highly recommend this book for those looking for some light elements of horror, good tension and deeper character development.

4 stars.

In Osaka, Japan, two strangers, Jake and Marino both miss a flight. They decide to have dinner together have find they have both lost loved ones after those people met with a woman who was never seen again. Jake is trying to follow the path of the woman and he tracks her throughout the world, managing to find others who have friends or relatives who have encountered her.

At the same time Theo, a sculptor who is dying in New Mexico may be the only one who can tell Jake who the woman really is.

This was interesting. A very different kind of vampire story. Plus I was reading two ARCs at one time and in both the villain popped out someone’s eye. Coincidence? This had quite a satisfying end. I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Old Soul.

Whenever a book is categorized as literary horror, I know its means two things:

1. It's going to be really well-written

2. The story is going to be really boring

And I was right with Old Soul.

This is more of a character driven story, revolving around Jake and Mariko's serendipitous meeting, which leads Jake on a dangerous pursuit of a mysterious person who has left a trail of broken bodies and shattered families behind.

The backstories are well-written but wordy and long. You get to meet many different kinds of people from all walks of life but you don't really bond or relate to anyone.

I'm all for exposition and world building, but the narrative sacrifices suspense and excitement as readers are pulled into each testimonial after another.

At the same time, this mysterious person is on the hunt for another soul and soon she and Jake will collide.

This is not horror, but it does have supernatural elements, which I love and wished the author spent more time incorporating into the narrative.

Some scenes are creepy and unsettling, but me being me, I wanted to know more about this mysterious person.

Where does she go when she's not hunting a soul? What does she do, how does she spend her time?

Is her life nothing more than hunting innocent people for their essence?

How has centuries of seeking prey warped her mind and 'soul?' And does she have one after all these decades?

Who or what is the Tyrant? Is it Satan? A demon? An entity of unknown and even older origins?

I didn't like or sympathize with Jake or anyone else; I actually felt Jake's characterization was off-putting, I can't quite put my finger on why.

Despite the well written but monotonous backstories, the globe trotting and diversity of characters, the narrative lacked substance and depth.