An enjoyable tale with engaging characters... nothing life-altering but definitely worth the read. Will watch for more from this author! Thanks to Netgally for this ARC.

This book was very slow to start. I don't think it started to pick up or even creep me out until over halfway - which isn't what you want in a thriller. Once it started to get creepy I started to enjoy it, but honestly I was a little bored for most of the lead up.

I liked the hints leading up to the twist, and I definitely knew it was coming - so it was incredibly satisfying to see it play out how I thought it would. At first I thought I could be wrong after picking up on what I thought what the twist would be - but again it was gratifying to know I was right. I liked how all of those tidbits culminated in the Big Reveal. Mostly within the last roughly third of the book was where I was finally hooked, waiting to see how everything would play out.

I enjoyed the ending, but I felt like it was a little incomplete. After Mina figured out what was haunting Alice, we don't see how her resolution plays out. I wish we got to see just a little more resolution with Alice, as I wasn't a fan of how open ended her storyline ended up being. I also wish we got a little bit more of a child psychologist's perspective - it feels more as if Mina is a normal person helping Sam unravel this mystery. She barely psychoanalyzes Alice - she does more lurking around and trying to figure out what is going on around town than she does with the child. It would've been really cool to see more of the tools Mina is supposed to have in her arsenal that would make her more suited to helping Alice than a regular person, and we just don't get that.

Thank you to NetGalley, Daisy Pearce, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC! All opinions are my own.

Interesting story, just felt slow moving and had moments added for shock value that didn’t do much. I didn’t love the ending— felt like it left a lot still open ended.

I enjoyed this novel but it did leave some questions unanswered. Was it all truly a trauma response? Was it all in their heads? It felt like it was trying to do a twist on Inception but once it was all over and out in the open, I had more questions than answers. I did enjoy the story overall. I think it was a great bit of suspense. I do feel the relationship bit was unnecessary and didn't really add anything to what was going on. It almost felt like word filler to meet a quota or something. The obsession with proper closure was done so wonderfully, I felt like I needed the closure myself. I felt like I was guilty myself. Wonderful writing. I definitely will be reading more from this author.

This book started with such a promising premise and had me hooked right from the beginning. I found myself completely engrossed and finished it within a day, it was that captivating. The pacing, the intrigue, and the way the story unfolded kept me turning the pages without pause. But then came the ending, and I have to admit, it was a letdown. Everything was moving along so perfectly, and I was eagerly anticipating a strong conclusion. Instead, the ending left me feeling disappointed.

This book follows the story of Alice Weber, a girl the town believes is possessed. When a journalist visits the town to uncover its strange happenings, he teams up with Mina Alice , a child psychologist, to figure out what’s really going on with Alice and the people around her. As they dig deeper, they discover something far more unsettling than they ever expected, and they make it their mission to save Alice and free her from the supposed possession.

The premise sounds compelling, doesn’t it? And honestly, it delivered on so many fronts. The horror elements, the disturbing details, the eerie mystery, and the writing were all exceptionally well done. I was hooked throughout, and the narration added so much to the experience. But unfortunately, the ending didn’t live up to the buildup. It felt underwhelming, and that disappointment overshadowed an otherwise gripping story.

I was hoping for some sort of explanation or even a theory about what was actually happening with Alice, but it felt like we were left with nothing. No clarity, no resolution, just a lot of unanswered questions. While I appreciate the journey and how gripping the story was initially, the lack of a satisfying conclusion made it feel incomplete. It’s unfortunate because this book had so much potential to be incredible.

Every moment of this book played out like a movie in my mind. I would love to see it on the big screen! From the haunting imagery to the portrayal of the characters and their motivations, this was the perfect horror. It will definitely be a book I will read more than once!

4.5* This was a really creepy slow burn with some unexpected twists and a very satisfying ending. It did feel slow at a few parts in the middle but ended really strong with some very effective body gore/horror and a highly satisfying conclusion!

This book had me hooked from start to finish and I think I read this in just a day because the eerie mix of folklore and mystery in the present day was such a great combination! We follow Mina, who is a brand-new child psychologist, and see her struggles as she tries to gain experience in her new field as she battles the intense heat wave shrouding Britain. At a grief group she attends, she meets Sam, who is a journalist chasing an intriguing story of a teenage girl who is supposedly thought to be haunted by a witch. Mina soon finds herself on the job trying to figure out what is really going on with this young girl in a village she soon finds out has strange connections with witches and superstitions. Just what is going on... and is evil lurking just behind the wall?

Very fast-paced and full of folklore and superstition, Something in the Walls is both eerie and haunting and the perfect read if you enjoy a bit of mystery!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the eARC for review consideration - all thoughts and opinions are my own!

I was pulled in by the blurb that is book was “studded with folklore and horror….”

But the tale of Mina, a freshly minted child psychologist and Alice, a 13 year old girl who has something seriously wrong, left me bored! I didn’t this story seemed all over the place and I didn’t really care about any of the characters.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Something in the Walls is a haunting psychological thriller that blends folklore, grief, and supernatural dread into a story that’s as emotionally resonant as it is terrifying. Daisy Pearce crafts a slow-burning narrative that builds tension with every page, and the payoff is worth the wait. At the heart of the novel is Mina, a newly minted child psychologist still reeling from the loss of her brother and unsure about her upcoming marriage. Her emotional fragility is palpable, and Pearce does a brilliant job of developing her character not just through her interactions with others, but through her internal unraveling. Mina’s descent into uncertainty and fear feels earned, layered, and deeply human. The plot kicks into gear when Mina is asked to help Alice Webber, a 13-year-old girl claiming to be haunted by a witch. What starts as a professional opportunity quickly morphs into a psychological and supernatural nightmare. The village of Banathel, steeped in superstition and secrecy, becomes a character in itself claustrophobic, eerie, and brimming with menace. And then there’s the twist. Without spoiling too much: it’s not just Alice who’s haunted. Pearce masterfully flips the narrative, revealing that Mina’s own past may be more entangled in the darkness than she ever imagined. The final chapters are a whirlwind of revelation and dread, and they reframe everything that came before. While the pacing occasionally slows in the middle, the emotional depth and atmospheric tension more than make up for it. If you love thrillers with rich character development, folklore-infused horror, and a twist that hits hard, Something in the Walls is a must-read.

This started off a bit slow for me (I did not care a single ounce about her relationship with Oscar), but ended up with me sprinting through the book to find out what happened. Spooky and eerie, with characters to care about. 3.5/5 stars

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce is a wonderfully creepy and atmospheric horror that kept me on edge the entire time. I loved how Pearce built tension through small, unsettling details that made the house itself feel alive. The characters felt real and relatable, which made the scares hit even harder. It’s a short, chilling read that left me thinking about it long after I finished.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable reading experience.

Dark, witchy, and utterly absorbing!

"Something in the Walls" is a slow-burning, atmospheric horror novel that seeps under your skin and stays there long after the final page. Set against the mist-drenched backdrop of rural Ireland, the book captures a sense of creeping dread that builds with every chapter.

The witchy elements are woven in with just the right touch of subtlety and menace, giving the whole story a dark, folkloric undercurrent.

If you’re drawn to gothic tales, witchcraft, and a slow-building dread that pays off with chilling reveals, this is one to put at the top of your list.

Something in the Walls follows newly-trained child psychologist Mina Ellis and journalist Sam Hunter as they try to uncover the truth behind the claims of Alice Webber, who believes her deteriorating condition is due to her being haunted by a witch. As Mina and Sam investigate, they learn more about the dark history of witchcraft and superstition in the small town of Banthanel, but it becomes clear that Alice isn’t the only one in danger.

This novel is very atmospheric and suspenseful, with a lot of witchy, folky elements and a creepy smalltown vibe. I was hooked immediately, and I finished it on a weekend day. I find it hard to classify genre-wise. I will say, I did have to suspend disbelief at a few points in terms of some characters' behaviors and certain plot points, but I let it slide for the sake of entertainment and because I was having fun. I would also encourage readers to check content warnings, though they may contain spoilers.

I would recommend this to readers of horror, thrillers, and psychological suspense who enjoy supernatural elements, especially witchy and folklore elements.

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!*

I was intrigued by the premise and enjoyed the eerie atmosphere, but the plot relied a little too heavily on familiar haunted house tropes without delivering deeper character development. While the suspense builds well in places, the resolution feels rushed and lacks the emotional impact it aims for. I do think it will hit well for classic horror readers, but others who like more fleshed-out character development and themes may want to skip this one. I did enjoy the scare it gave me! I would like to see a media adaptation as it would make for a great scary movie night!

Something in the Walls was an ok horror read. Kind of mid in terms of genuine horror, but just creepy enough to make the cut. It had all the elements that normally make for my favorite horror - atmospheric setting, cultish small town, social commentary, and a strong female lead. I enjoyed reading the book, but I felt it was lacking in the horror department.

There's some decent exploration of the connection between mental illness and witches, with a bit of psychological tension and rural superstition. It's not very visceral, but more of a slow burn, atmospheric story. I will say I think this would translate great to a screenplay. Hopefully media rights will be sold at some point.

The main character is a psychologist, newly minted, and looking to get her feet wet. When she gets the opportunity to work with a girl who claims to be being haunted by a witch, she jumps at the chance. But what she uncovers in the small town of Banathel is more than she could have ever anticipated. Going in highly skeptical, she learns that while this girl may not exactly be of sound mind, there aren't many minds in the town that are. They believe there are ways of...dealing with witchcraft and wild young girls. And they don’t expect outsiders to understand.

Highly recommend for a lighter horror read (due to pacing - not themes), but not the best I've ever read. There could definitely have been improvements, but I would 100% read more from this author in the future.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books for providing me with an advance digital copy of this novel for review.

A well-written, emotionally resonant domestic horror that excels at mood and tension. Recommended if you appreciate psychological ambiguity and slow-building dread.

The premise of this book is brilliant, a young psychologist in an isolated village full of superstition and old folklore had all the makings of a tense, gothic thriller. The oppressive heatwave and claustrophobic setting were well described, and there’s a constant sense that something is very wrong.

Unfortunately, the story never truly gripped me. The pacing dragged in places, and Mina’s passivity made it difficult to feel invested in the unfolding events. Alice’s increasingly strange behaviour was intriguing at first, but the mystery lost momentum, and the ending felt rushed.

A shame, as the atmosphere was spot-on, but the plot and characters didn’t live up to the promise.

Something in the Walls delivers a haunting ambiance and genuinely unsettling moments. Pearce’s strength lies in the creeping dread and psychological unease she cultivates. But the payoff stumbles just when the tension is at its peak. It’s a solid read for folk horror enthusiasts, though the conclusion may hold it back from achieving full dread‑fueled greatness.