Many thanks to NetGalley, Daisy Pearce, and St. Martin’s Press for the ebook. This was a chilling and captivating read! The supernatural elements were seamlessly woven into the story, making it even more compelling. The gripping plot had me reading at all hours—it was as haunting as it was heartbreaking and utterly thrilling!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC read.

This book was an enjoyable read, but it had its ups and downs. The premise was intriguing, and there were moments of brilliance, but it didn’t fully deliver on its potential.

The writing style was engaging at times, but certain sections felt drawn out or repetitive. While the plot had interesting elements, it occasionally lacked momentum, making it difficult to stay fully invested. Some characters were well-developed and compelling, while others felt underdeveloped or one-dimensional.

Overall, this was a decent read with some enjoyable aspects, but it didn’t quite leave a lasting impact. I’d recommend it to readers who are interested in some spooky witchy vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary early release copy of Something In The Walls by Daisy Pearce.

It took me a while to get into Something In The Walls, the writing style and plot setting just came off as strange to read to me at first but around the midway point I had gotten use to it and I started to enjoy it more. The characters in here were enjoyable to read about, I liked our main protagonist Mina and I even liked the idea of the hinted romance that could have bloomed between Sam and Mina.

Something in the walls does have some good dark twist, and I was intrigued enough to finish it but something’s in here just didn’t do it for me. The witchy atmosphere was nice but I don’t think witchy thrillers are going to be for me, I expected some more supernatural like elements to be included but they were left out. I was hoping for the plot to go in a different direction, the ending felt decent however I still feel like I have some unanswered questions. Overall I give this 3.5 stars, it was a decent thriller but it just didn’t hit the mark for me. I’d definitely would give this author another try though!

Thanks NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and author Daisy Pearce for advanced copy for honest review.

There IS something in the walls. Mina has spent a couple of years at a loss of her brother. She thinks she keeps seeing him around. Maybe she is holding out hope or maybe it was the last thing he said to her that has stuck with her. She returns to therapy at the local church when a stranger comes into focus. They get to talking and realize with Mina's psychological background and Sam reporting, they can come together and help little Alice. Alice can hear things, sense things. Mina and Sam try with Alice but things are getting worse not better. Without any spoilers...This book will keep you holding out hope even with everything sinister happening all around.
Anticipated Release! Book clubs grab your popcorn! Recommend 4 stars

I have been struggling with how to review this book because the story is fine, it's readable and moves at a pretty decent pace. However, there is a shift from the initial premise about two thirds into the book that will either work for some readers or not at all for others. I would have preferred the story continue along with the 'haunting' premise that was introduced at the beginning. I was not a fan of the turn that it took near the close of the book and that left me struggling with this review. It is personal preference and I can understand how someone would appreciate how the story wraps up. Overall, I think that this is a relatively enjoyable read with some genuinely creepy scenes. I found the characters hard to like which may have also added to my overall lower rating. I think my rating is based on my own partiality and not a failing of the book. I would be interested to read more form Daisy Pearce, she has strong point of view and I appreciated the ideas that she was playing with regarding patriarchal rule and oppression of women. I think that if the premise interests you it's worth reading.

The first half of this book had me fully intrigued. It’s based in 1989 Britain during a horrid heatwave. Our main character, Mina, meets Sam at a bereavement group. She is still mourning the loss of her brother in childhood, he is mourning the loss of his young daughter. Sam is also a journalist, and when he learns Mina is a child psychologist, asks her to come with him to a small town to try and help a teen girl claiming to be possessed by a witch. Mina and Sam are both desperate and depressed, the small town is claustrophobic and almost manic, and the heatwave is so oppressive that it crawls off the page.
The true creepy factor is Alice. She is a true 80’s possessed kid, complete with a total change in appearance, different voice, knowledge about Mina and Sam it’s impossible for her to know, suspicious deaths of her enemies, and a penchant for having wasps surround her. And the 95% of the time she’s not possessed? Absolutely normal, sweet, shy 13-year old girl.
Unfortunately, the second half of this book disappointed me. It felt like Pearce took two different plot lines and just mashed them together without pausing to create any resolution. I was invested in the Webber family’s fraught dynamic, the ever-invasive townspeople, and Mina and Sam’s slow decline out of reality. I was not invested in the sharp left turn the plot took from hauntingly creepy to chillingly realistic.
Overall, this was definitely a horror thriller. The whole book had me on the edge of my seat, terrified of what was happening. The only issue was that my fear transitioned to “What’s going to happen next?” to “Why is this happening next?” If you’re looking for something that blends a few different horror tropes like possession and witch hunting, this may be a better fit for you than it was for me!
Thanks to Netgalley, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for the free advanced book and audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Something in the Walls has a little bit of everything. There's folklore, a touch of the paranormal, mystery and suspense, with some witchiness thrown in, and it all works so well together. This is a really strong debut, and, although I've seen it classified in some places as horror, it's more of a horror lite, perfect for those that like to dip their toes into scary but maybe not go all in. What honestly made this book for me though was the ending, which is certainly the darkest part of the book. It brought everything full circle, and I loved it. I also will not be poking around in anyone's dark basement for a while.

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce was high on my anticipated list! And y’all it did not disappoint!
This unputdownable folklore/horror story was chilling and binge-worthy!
I found myself pulled into this remarkable story with intriguing characters and unable to pull away.
Daisy Pearce delivers quite the impressive story here that was such a clever, intriguing, tension-filled and well-written read. This was a highly anticipated read for me and one that I absolutely loved!! I am so excited to say that this book quickly went it into my favorite reads shelf!

Alice Webber is a thirteen year old girl who claims she’s being haunted by a witch. Living with her family in their crowded home in the remote village of Banathel, Alice’s symptoms are increasingly disturbing, and money is tight. Taking this job will give Mina some experience; Sam will get the scoop of a lifetime; and Alice will get better, Mina is sure of it.

I know this book is getting a lot of hype. I did finish it, but, I can’t say that I enjoyed it much. I really found some of these decisions by the parents a little dumb. I just wanted to slap them silly. If the child is seeing something in the chimney when she sleeps…let her sleep in a different room. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️. Maybe it is just how my brain works. It just kind of drove me insane.

This did start out really strong and this is probably why I finished it. I kept expecting it to get better. But honestly, it just kept getting weirder and a bit disjointed.

Now, just because I thought this way does not mean you will. Read this for yourself and let me know your thoughts!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

It wasn't my favorite book I've read, but I didn't think it was that bad. I did enjoy some of the suspense but wish it would have been a bit creepier. I'll most likely give this author another chance just because I like the premise behind books like this.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review.

Happy Pub Week to Something In The Walls, a slow burn of a horror / psychological thriller that was mostly on the witchy side with a dash of child possession. It was atmospheric, dark, and disturbing, but very slow going throughout the book until the end, which was a doozy. I liked the story despite the pace, thought it was great via audio, and the ending was wild.

Something in the walls by Daisy Pearce- this is absolutely 5 stars and probably my favorite read of the year so far!
13 year old Alice says she's being haunted by a witch and Mina is a new child psychologist in need of experience so Mina agrees to help the family. Mina does her best to help but Alice seems to get worse rather than better and Mina isn't convinced there's an actual haunting.
This book was a wild journey. I was hooked right away. I was never really sure what to expect from this book at any given moment. I definitely recommend this book to fans of horror/thriller books.

[Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC with honesty.]

A very interesting premise going from just snippets of the synopsis that had me from the getgo. This is a bit of a horror story mixed with paranormal investigators and the movie ‘The Conjuring’ blended together. It starts with a simple mystery along with longing to find closure in grief to both characters of the story seeking from deceased loved ones.

Mina is a character that is searching for something outside of her ..engagement and soon to be husband's relationship. Something that proves she's capable as a brand new child psychologist.

Paired with a grief stricken reporter who wants to make contact with his deceased daughter, they decide to travel into a small town where there is talk of a witch that bespells young girls and haunts a young teenager named Alice. Alice is a strange quiet girl that says peculiar things.

Her family isn't much better. Mina decipher's there is something off with both parents and only honestly the rest of the town.

There are twists and turns and demon-like beings lurking in the shadows. Or so it is to believed.

Mina is a very interesting character. At times - a bit frustrating as she struggles to find her voice.

Still very creepy and eerie. It does contain some gore, so for those who have triggers, maybe look this up. I won't list here as they can be spoilery.

That said, I had a time with this one.

My Rating: 3.75 (rounded up)

Something in the Walls is an eerie, slow-burning psychological horror that thrives on atmosphere. Daisy Pearce does a great job of building tension, making even the quiet moments feel unsettling. The story leans more into paranoia and psychological unease than outright scares, which works well—though at times, the pacing can feel a bit drawn out. If you like horror that keeps you questioning reality and plays with isolation and dread, this is a solid read. However, if you prefer more action or traditional haunted house thrills, it might not fully satisfy.

Something in the walls by daisy pearce is like reading a movie like midsommar if it were a book. Mina is a new child psychologist who is looking to make a name for herself and finds the way to do it—a journalist Sam has an exclusive lead on a girl in a small town who claims she is haunted by a witch. Mina and Sam go to visit the town and the girls family, both looking to use this case to establish themselves in their fields. What they find is much creepier and complicated than they expected—the whole town believes that inward witchcraft and the occult and the signs are validating the theory that young Alice is in fact haunted by a witch.

What is the truth and where does the line between the supernatural and reality cross? Mina and Sam are about to find out as they look to crack the case.

This is a fun, supernatural horror novel that is reminiscent of the works of Paul trembley. Recommended for fans of the genre (either of the books or of movies)!

Thanks to the publisher for the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of this book. Book was fine, really good if you like the genre! I would read more from this author.

Something in the Walls made me feel like I was watching an episode of The Conjuring, and I loved it! Mina and Sam are trying to help a young woman named Alice who thinks that she is being haunted by a witch, Mina thinks it psychological and Sam thinks it could be something else.
There were so many amazingly creepy moments that had me itching to see what was going to happen next and how it was all going to play out.
I had a great time reading this late into the night, it had some great twists, and went in quite a different direction than I expected but in a great way.
This book had me in its grips and I can't wait to see what this author comes out with next.

After reading the synopsis of this one, I knew it was going to be something that I wanted to read. I was immediately intrigued with the child psychologist part because well you know kids are creepy so I knew this was going to be good. This was honestly a crazy ride. The atmosphere truly had me creeped out and I felt so claustrophobic as the story progressed. There were many times while reading this book I had to stop reading because it was too late and I wanted to read it in the safety of the sunlight lol. The ending was very pleasing even though there were some questions that were left unanswered, but I think that was the intention by letting the reader come to their own conclusions of what happened.

Overall, this was a great read and would recommend picking it up if you are in the mood to be scared and creeped out.

🧱Book Review🧱
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Thank you so much @netgalley , @minotaurbooks , and @daisypearce . This beauty came out yesterday and absolutely terrified me (but I loved every minute of it)! I devoured this one in just a few days and there were truly some scary moments in this. I really enjoyed Mina and Sam, I found myself super drawn to their characters and wanting to solve this mystery along with them. It gave me The Conjuring vibes but when those movies were actually good (IYKYK 🤣). All in all, a very well written and horrifying horror book! If you like scary books, definitely recommend checking this out !
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Summary- Newly-minted child psychologist Mina has little experience. In a field where the first people called are experts, she’s been unable to get her feet wet. Instead she aimlessly spends her days stuck in the stifling heat wave sweeping across Britain, and anxiously contemplating her upcoming marriage to careful, precise researcher Oscar. The only reprieve from her small, close world is attending the local bereavement group to mourn her brother’s death from years ago. That is, until she meets journalist Sam Hunter at the grief group one day. And he has a proposition for her.

Alice Webber is a thirteen year old girl who claims she’s being haunted by a witch. Living with her family in their crowded home in the remote village of Banathel, Alice’s symptoms are increasingly disturbing, and money is tight. Taking this job will give Mina some experience; Sam will get the scoop of a lifetime; and Alice will get better, Mina is sure of it.

But instead of improving, Alice’s behavior becomes increasingly inexplicable and intense. The town of Banathel has a deep history of superstition and witchcraft. They believe there is evil in the world. They believe there are ways of…dealing with it. And they don’t expect outsiders to understand.
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QOTD- do you read horror books or watch horror movies ?! What’s your favorite in recent memory? I really enjoyed the book- incidents around the house which released last year! Movie wise the last movie to freak me out was Longlegs or Nosferatu( Drop your best spooky recommendations in the comments 👻)
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I’ve devoured my fair share of horror novels, starting with a Stephen King obsession in my teen years. However, Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce is one book I could not read before bed, and I was secretly thankful there is nary a chimney in my home! It was so creepy, like I didn't WANT to know what would happen next, but I NEEDED to know! 🫣

When journalist Sam Hunter suggests he and Mina investigate the strange claims of 13-year-old Alice, who believes she’s being haunted by a witch, Mina is hesitant. As a child psychologist, she’s convinced there’s a rational explanation behind Alice's terrifying experiences. But what they uncover is a town immersed in superstition and dark secrets, each more chilling than the last.

I was captivated by the creepy, atmospheric Cornish village—every corner of it oozed unease. The townspeople themselves grew more suspect by the minute. And Alice's dad? He gave me serious chills. Honestly, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong with him, and I loved how that added to the sense of dread!

Read this if you like:
- Folklore horror
- hauntings
- creepy English villages
- spine-tingling secrets