3.5 stars rounded up.

Inside these pages is a dark, uncomfortable, and weird story. It centers around women and the history of witchcraft, along with a small town that fully absorbs this belief.

What worked for me most was the sense of dread and creepy scenes. Often it was mysterious and confusing - confusing on purpose and I enjoyed that. I was left often thinking is this real? What’s happening? How is this meant to be the real deal?

There were twists and turns and horrific things happening.

The first half was absolutely dark and twisty and super tense. The last half dragged a bit and I was waiting for the loose ends to make sense. I understood the way the author took the story, but if that’s the way she was going to curve it, there needed to be an explanation for events happening.

The main character Mina was also lacking. She could t decide what she wanted to be and that left me feeling like I didn’t care about her.

Overall, this was a tense and enjoyable horror story. It is very reminiscent of older horror books and I think will be liked by many. Worth the read for sure, but won’t be an all time favorite.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ecopy.

It was the title and cover of this book that caught my attention. I wanted to read this book, but I was almost too scared to, I don't read many horror-type books, but this one instantly pulled me in. Mina has just graduated as a child psychologist and volunteers to help a young girl who is haunted by witches. The town of Banathel seems strange with hagstones hanging in doorways and witch hunters performing Riddances rituals to ward off evil. This book has an edge-of-your-seat suspense feeling and I found it hard to put down. Thanks to author Daisy Pearce, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Creepy and unnerving, this book was so unique! When I started it, I had NO IDEA Where it was going but honestly ended up being “pleasantly” surprised with how freaky it was!
I absolutely loved the perspective of a child psychologist to help with a child’s alleged witch haunting case.
It was a page turner for me!

Thank you and Minotaur Books, #partner for the advanced copy of Something in the Walls in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I’ve read by Daisy Pearce and if her other books are anything like this one, I will definitely be adding them to my tbr! This one was such an unsettling, addictive read that I finished it in one go!

This is such an incredibly atmospheric, haunting read that I read to in one sitting. It’s the type of book that just pulled me in more and more the deeper I got into the book. I’m always a fan of small-town settings and this one really gave off such unsettling vibes, with its hive mentality and how at the slightest provocation, it slips into mass hysteria. And on top of that, the author deftly sets the book during a heatwave, which only exacerbates the hysteria. ⁣
⁣
Witchcraft, superstition, folklore, supernatural vibes…this book has it all and I could not get enough of it!!!

This is the best horror novel I’ve read in ages. I absolutely loved the descriptive, lyrical language and the spooky vibe. Often books with elements of witchcraft are a bit cheesy, but this wasn’t. I really loved it!

I am not easily spooked while reading some horror novem but this one I had to put it down one time because I was too spooked!
It was super promising but the ending left me feeling like it wasn't really the right conclusion. I would have loved to know more about what's happening to Alice and a little bit more investigation about the creepy small town.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Mina agrees to accompany a journalist to investigate the strange behavior of Alice, a teenage girl whose community thinks she’s a witch. But this small town has a tradition of dealing with witches, and Mina may not be able to outrun the town’s past.

Mina is a recent graduate who studied child psychology (so, not quite qualified) and she and the journalist, Sam, share the painful experience of having lost someone close to them. Their motives are not entirely pure, as it’s thought that Alice can communicate with the dead. Their grief also colors their approach to Alice’s situation, and at times leads them into some dangerous situations. Mina would have been a much more believable journalist than she was as a child psychologist. I didn’t have all that much sympathy for her when she kept deliberately putting herself in harm’s way.

I loved the concept - witches, folklore, history, haunting, psychological suspense. I loved the vivid descriptions of the suffocating heat wave, lending a sense of urgency and helplessness to every charged interaction. I could feel the heavy, sticky air and the tension in the room.

Around 80% the story pivots - in one sense, it went in the direction I expected, but also, the reader is dragged into a somewhat inevitable yet unsatisfying ending. Things take a very weird turn and the whole town gets involved. The situation is farfetched but plausible. However, the most “haunting” elements of the story are more or less ignored in the end (someone please explain the shoe!), so I put down the book feeling unresolved. So much is left not only unexplained, but unaddressed. It was disappointing to have all this anticipation build up over the course of the book, then get an ending that’s slightly out of left field and explains very little of the mystery.

I also take issue with the title of the book - there’s something in the chimney , not the walls - and the cover doesn’t reflect the story accurately, which is a shame because it was an easy concept to do, if only you knew a tiny bit about the content of the book…

The best part of this book was how vividly I could feel the atmosphere. It was like being right there in the room - and the creepy happenings kept my heart rate up and the pages turning. The book hooked me and I finished it quickly - and other than the unsatisfying resolution, I was very entertained. Since the descriptive writing was so strong, I would definitely read another from this author.

I enjoyed the concept of this book, but it just didn't grab me as I'd hoped. It felt like there was an element of suspense missing that I normally attribute to paranormal stories. The climax didn't reach until the very tail end of the book, and I feel like it should've happened a little sooner, or maybe have more build up. It was a good twist, but it sort of fell flat.

"Something in the Walls" masterfully weaves together elements of horror, folklore, and suspense, crafting a thriller that will leave you sleeping with the lights on. I dove into this book blindly, and its eerie atmosphere had me hesitant to read it after dark. While the horror elements dissipate somewhat in the second half, the thriller aspect takes over, ratcheting up the tension. With its abundance of unnerving moments, this book had me utterly hooked. If you're a fan of creepy, witchy reads, I highly recommend adding "Something in the Walls" to your reading list.

this book was just ok. I honestly almost dnf'd it at one point. It was really slow paced and there wasn't a ton of tension. The ending did feel more intense and brought me back to the story. I wish the possession plot had been focused on a little more than it was in the end.

I read this psychological horror thriller in one sitting, it was so good! It took so many turns and had me thoroughly invested from start to finish. 4.5⭐️

Thank you, Daisy Pearce NetGalley, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!

My god, this book was definitely a wild ride. I had no idea what i was getting myself into, and I absolutely loved it. Though the ending does leave you wondering about one thing. One thing I'm not going to talk about. This definitely was up my alley as it dealt with witches, witchcraft, and lore of sorts. It definitely deals with lots of superstition and those that don't like change. There is mystery, atmosphere, suspense, and so much more put into this story. You really get attached to both Alice and Mina. At least, I did. You want only the best and want Alice to get better with Minas' help. There are a lot of suspicious things that happen through the book as well, but I'm not going to spoil it.

Mina has been asked to help a journalist in seeing if a child really is being haunted by a witch. Once arriving, things slowly go from bad to worse. Is there really a witch, or is there something more going on? Is it being influenced by the people there, or is it something else? Is it all lies, or are there truths? What's going to happen to Alice if Mina can't help her? Or if things get too much worse? Read and find out.

This actually was a really great read. All the reviews i read kept saying negative things, but I'm glad I ignored them. The ending did leave a question unanswered, but other than that, I truly enjoyed this from start to finish. It is a build-up that is worth your time.

This is a solid new horror release. It's the kind of novel that keeps me excited about the genre. This was suspenseful and unsettling. The writing was simple and yet effective. I felt the start was stronger than the end at creating tension but overall it was still enjoyable read.

I would recommend this one to anyone looking for a new horror novel. In my opinion, this is one of the front-runners in the 2025 horror releases.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This looming, creepy story started strong. I was curious, intrigued, nervous as the characters and their traits developed. But, suddenly, the book took a turn I was not expecting! Characters were no longer who I thought they were and things went awry! While still entertaining, I was more on board with the first storyline.

The audiobook is narrated by Ana Clements. She provides a voice to the main character that provides a fitting innocence. She is understood at slightly faster speeds, but not as fast as I normally listen.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St Martin’s Press, and author Daisy Pearce for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Daisy Pearce’s "The People in the Walls" is a psychological thriller that blends tension, folklore, and grief. The story follows Mina, a novice psychologist, as she navigates her first case with 13-year-old Alice Webber, who believes she is haunted by a witch.

Set in the eerie village of Banathel, known for its witchcraft history, the oppressive heat parallels Mina’s internal struggles. Her character is relatable yet flawed, caught between her insecurities and her desire to help. The skeptical journalist Sam Hunter adds tension to the narrative.

As Alice's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, readers are left questioning whether her affliction is supernatural or psychological. While the pacing may feel slow to some, the rich atmosphere and character dynamics compensate for it. The chilling revelations at the end provoke thought about reality and belief.

Overall, "The People in the Walls" is a compelling tale of grief and superstition, characterized by Pearce’s vivid storytelling. Perfect for those who enjoy dark, atmospheric narratives.

Two grieving people meet in a support group and bond over their loss. One is a newly graduated child psychologist (Mina) and the other is a journalist (Sam). Sam gets Mina to go to a remote Britain town, Banathel, to debunk the story of a possessed girl, Alice. The story starts off a little slow but had some promise to be super creepy and mysterious. There are tales of witches and the supernatural and huntings. Then the odd stuff starts to really happen, Alice seems possessed and seeing things that are not there; she also appears to be talking FOR the dead. You think the story is really going to take off and it kind of fell flat for me at this point. Then when you get to the final post twist (which I did predict) and it was a good ending to the story BUT by using this ending, it in turn made things in the book not seamlessly come together. The things that Alice was doing while "possessed" didn't make sense when you find out what really happened. This is why the book left me feeling a little annoyed. It had the great potential to be so much more if the story line matched up from the middle to the end. I also felt that the story line of Mina and her finance was lack luster and kind of pointless to the whole story.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I was very excited receive this arc after reading the synopsis, as the storyline seemed creepy. Mina, a new child psychologist with little experience, is struggling to get her feet wet while counting down to her marriage to a researcher named Oscar. When she attends a bereavement group to mourn her brother's death from years ago, she meets journalist Sam Hunter, who has a proposition for her. A girl named Alice Webber claims that a witch is haunting her and things are becoming increasingly more disturbing. Mina knows that taking this job will give her experience and much needed income, as well as giving Sam the scoop of a lifetime. Wanting to help Alice, they go only to find that instead of helping, her behavior becomes a lot more intense. The town has a deep history of superstition and witchcraft. They believe there is evil in the world. They believe there are ways dealing with it, and they don't expect outsiders to understand.

This book has a great plot that grabbed me from start. I thought it did a great job drawing me in and piquing my interest with the dread Mina felt in the possible demon possession. This story had so much potential! I was really anticipating more about the witch. But ultimately, it fell off for me and the story kind of took a turn and ended up with more questions than it answered. I love a spine-chilling book, and Daisy Pearce does a great job of setting the stage and introducing a sinister plot that will draw you in. Unfortunately, for me it felt as though it moved away from what drew me to the story to begin with.
Thank you netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Something in the Walls was a creepy, atmospheric read following Mina, a child psychologist who joins a journalist to assist with the case of a thirteen-year-old girl named Alice who claims to be haunted by a witch. It takes place in a remote town called Banathel that has a deep history of superstition and witchcraft. Upon their arrival, Alice’s symptoms begin to worsen so Mina needs to determine if there's really something paranormal going on or if it's all in Alice's head.

I’m a huge fan of horror set in small-towns so I really enjoyed that aspect, especially when you add the town’s history but I was a bit disappointed with the child psychologist aspect. Mina doesn’t actually spend much time working with Alice which was odd considering she needs the experience. I loved the witchy vibes surrounding Alice and would’ve liked to see more focus on what Alice was experiencing instead of Mina spending what felt like most of her time in town.

I loved the premise and the beginning had me hooked but by the end, it felt like two books in one which left me with more questions than answers. I don’t always mind endings that don’t resolve every plot point but in this case, I just felt unsatisfied.

I really liked the writing style, the building tension, and the atmosphere.

But the characters all irritated me. And the second half just didn’t work for me at all.

This is the kind of story that requires readers to not think too much. Once you start questioning the plot, it all falls apart. Certain things made no sense, like why the child psychologist brought in to assess the situation spent very little time actually speaking to the child in question. And why no one ever thought to, you know, call the cops. 🙄

So, bonus points in writing style, and a negative in plot execution.

*I received a free eARC from the publisher, via NetGalley.*

Thank you to St.Martins Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this title.
This was a very captivating, fast-paced read that had me enthralled from the very start, unfortunately I was a little let down by the ending but the thrills throughout made up for it.