Thank you to Daisy Pearce, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for his ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The beginning of the book was really good. The middle was good. The end wasn't so good. It was a letdown if I'm being honest,

Something in the Walls is an eerie, slow-burning psychological thriller that blends grief, folklore, and the unsettling power of belief. The premise is intriguing: a young psychologist, Mina, desperate for experience, takes on a disturbing case involving a 13-year-old girl who believes she is haunted by a witch. As Mina delves into Alice’s case, she uncovers chilling town secrets that make her question reality itself.

Daisy Pearce does a great job setting the atmosphere. The oppressive heat wave, the isolated village, and the undercurrent of superstition create a creeping sense of dread. The novel shines in its portrayal of grief—both Mina’s and Alice’s—as well as the blurred line between psychological trauma and supernatural horror.

However, the execution falls a bit short. The pacing is uneven, with stretches of slow introspection that make it hard to stay fully invested. While the premise suggests a tense, haunting thriller, the scares are few and far between, and some plot points feel underdeveloped. Mina, as a protagonist, is relatable in her self-doubt but frustratingly passive at times. The ending, while unsettling, leaves more questions than answers, which may not satisfy all readers.

If you enjoy atmospheric thrillers with a psychological edge, Something in the Walls is worth a read—but don’t expect the pulse-pounding horror the premise promises.

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce is a scary story that takes place in an English town where the big belief is witches! Mina and Alice become friends; Mina is a psychologist and Alice is a teenage girl, whom we are led to believe is possessed! This is a quite a story! I read the book in one day, not wanting to put it down. It's beautifully written and it is exactly what I needed this week to read. Quick, fun to read and truly scary!

A gripping edge of your seat psychological thriller! Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC! I love the witch and horror aspects of this book and was constantly trying to figure out what was next. Make sure you check the TWs before reading because some material may be sensitive. Overall a thriller that kept my attention! Can’t wait to get the physical copy for my shelves.

“Something in the Walls” was unsettling and creepy, with unexpected twists and turns. I enjoyed the investigation aspect of the novel and the inclusion of folklore that drove the narrative. An excellent suspenseful read.

Knock, Knock. Something in the Walls is one of those genre-bending books that makes you wonder what you just read. I went into it thinking I was going to read a paranormal horror, then I thought I was reading a thriller, then I decided it was a witchy feminist mystery, then I was back to scratching my head like whatever was scratching in the walls. Regardless of what you call it, Something in the Walls kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved that everyone had their secrets. I loved the clue drops. I loved the interweave of folklore and history of witchcraft, I also found it cool that it took place in the late 80s before Google and smartphones. The only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars is that there were some unresolved points. Maybe that was the intent, but I would have like a couple more tidy bows, explanations, or just acknowledgement that the how defies explanation.

4.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery full of strange happenings and even stranger characters. I went into this story thinking it was one genre and finding out it was another. This made me love it even more because it took me by suprise in that way. I stayed invested throughout the plot, as it kept digging deeper into the mystery of what was happening to a young girl in a small, rural town, distant from modern day. I thought the author developed the characters well and really used their personalties well to make the story move along. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, as I was gifted a copy and all opinions and review are my own.

See, the problem is, I do a lot of my reading right before bed. This book made it very hard to get any sleep.

I've been watching a lot of Cheap Irish Homes lately, so I had NO trouble imagining the dilapidated old house on Tanner's Row. It's crawling with damp, the fireplace is ashy and full of filth. There's this one line, right when things only begin to kick off where Mina tells herself Don't. Look. Up. and then there's this sound like something working itself loose -- pants, they've been scared off.

This has been compared to The Exorcist and Midsommar, and I agree. But it's not a blend. It's one story right after the other. At some point, the plot shifts gears from "fear the witch" to "burn the witch" without a lot of closure. Really scary on both counts. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for providing a sneak peek between the cracks in the bricks.

I'm not sure this books fits into the thriller genre. It was odd, different , and more of a witchy paranormal book that I wasn't expecting. It didn't really hit the mark for me unfortunately.

What in the actual F did I just read? Omg I loved it!! I read most of it in the daylight thank goodness. It was creepy and perfectly detailed. This books was absolutely fantastic!! It gave me Exorcist vibes mixed with The Conjuring! I really appreciated that a this book came out in February for all my Booksta friends who don’t like romance or romcom books.
The writing was addictive. I couldn’t put this book down! The characters were both interesting and the perfect level of f*cked up. 🤣Legit,Everything about this book was awesome!

It will be in my top reads for February definitely!!

This was very just, alright. There were a few eerie moments that actually gave me the creeps, but over all I was kind of bored. I think it should've leaned way harder into the creepy small town vibes and then this may have given off the the creepy horror feeling it seemed to be going for.

If we take Conjuring 2 and mix it with Paul Tremblay’s “A Head Full of Ghosts”, we get “Something in the Walls”. Or at least a version of it.
Add a witch and shake vigorously.
Honestly, I’m losing my patience with “haunted house” books, and “possession” stories. They usually start out pretty well, then fall flat toward the end of the book. I’m glad to say that this one did not have that problem.
Mina and Sam set out to investigate the possible possession of Alice. She sees things. Hears things. Speaks in tongues.
The villagers are split between her being able to talk to the dead, and just being a witch that needs to be held accountable for her odd behavior.
Everyone in this tale has a tragic backstory.
The village is poor and the townspeople are barely scraping by.
It sounds morose and depressing. And in a lot of ways, it is. But it is oddly compelling.
I figured out the “who” about halfway through the book, but the “why” eluded me until the end.
And the ending didn’t fall flat on this one.

There’s some body horror, suggestions of child abuse and substance abuse, but it isn’t overdone.
A solid 4 out of 5, and maybe a higher score if I went back for a reread.

This psychological thriller was so gripping, I read it in a day! With its captivating folklore, witches, creepy vibes, nightmare inducing horror, and unique plot lines, this book will make you want to keep turning the page to find out what happens next.

The cover. So pretty! The story itself was different than I expected. More of a paranormal, witchy, horror than suspense thriller in my opinion. It was strange and didn’t hold my attention like I was hoping. Overall it wasn’t for me.

Folk horror. Woah. I normally don't read this style, but this made me reconsider. It was eerie and compelling. The heat was palpable and it worked to a shocking conclusion. I like this brand of horror, and I hadn't considered reading horror since I was a teen. I wish she had more books so I could keep going. It's hard to find an author to trust fully with your next read, but I found one!

This one was just okay for me. I’m not sure exactly what left me feeling so-so about it. Perhaps I didn’t feel a connection to the characters.

Mina has just gotten her degree in child psychology, but she hasn't been able to find a job yet. She meets a man named Sam at a local bereavement group who offers her a job helping a 13-year old girl named Alice in a small village who claims that a witch is haunting her. It seems like a good deal, she'll get her first job and Sam will write about it for his paper. After meeting Alice, Mina thinks she can help her, but her behavior gets worse.

This book took forever to get going. The first half is about Mina, her relationship, Sam, his grief and most of the other characters who aren't Alice. There are a few minor creepy moments, but I expected more. The story also went in a completely different direction than I thought it would.

If you enjoy slow, sort of witchy, British horror, then this might be for you. I received a free copy of the book for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

⛓️ ARC REVIEW ⛓️

Thank you so much @kaiki3000 , @stmartinspress & @netgalley for my early copy of Something in the Walls!!

This was everything I needed!! I’ve been on a major romance kick lately so I am so happy to have gotten my paws on something spooky! Something in the Walls absolutely delivered! Demonic/witches? Yes please. The end was absolutely NOT at all what I expected. At no point did I know what the twist was going to. Loveddddd it.

Something in the Walls is now available and ready to be read by YOU!!

The book description was intriguing and I was interested to see how the story would go. Is there really a haunting by a witch or is Alice developing severe psychological problems? Mina is determined to use her newly minted psychology degree to ferret out the truth. Sam is hoping the case will give him the story of his journalism career. When Mina and Sam arrive in the tiny village of Banathel, they find a community steeped in a history of witchcraft, superstition and folklore. The extreme heatwave and rumors of witchcraft, possession, haunting or communicating with the dead, have the community on edge. This is an atmospheric, often creepy, story that keeps you guessing. Unfortunately there are several areas where you’ll still be guessing when the book is done. I was left feeling somewhat dissatisfied, wanting more answers and closure.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

Something in the Walls is an atmospheric and eerie thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. Daisy Pearce masterfully weaves a sense of creeping dread throughout the story, making even the smallest details feel unsettling. The slow-burn tension builds effectively, and the house itself feels like a character—haunting, mysterious, and full of secrets.

I really enjoyed the psychological depth of the protagonist and how the lines between reality and paranoia blurred. Pearce’s writing is immersive, making me feel the claustrophobia and unease of the setting. While the pacing was strong, I wished for a bit more development in certain areas, particularly in the resolution, which felt slightly rushed.

Overall, this is a gripping read for fans of gothic suspense and psychological thrillers. If you love a chilling, haunted-house mystery with a psychological twist, Something in the Walls is worth picking up!