Mina, a recently graduated psychologist, meets a reporter with an interesting pitch at her grief group. Both her and the reporter have suffered the loss of a close one and he brings Mina on to get experience on a job he’s currently writing. Alice, a teenager who’s experiencing odd seeings and hearing voices and claims to speak to the dead. Mina hopes to help Alice while getting some experience in the field, while maybe also being able to get some closure on her deceased brother. But things get increasingly disturbing as she and Sam stay with Alice and her family in her superstitious home town.
This was not what I expected, but in a good way! Kept me up, turning pages to see what will happen to Alice. Witchy and spooky and that ending! A great fall read!

LORD was this SOMETHIN!!
Creepy. Stressful. Witchy.
I felt like the resolution didn't wrap up as I'd hoped & I have a lot of questions.. BUT - this was a great read and I'd highly recommend. I was totally invested and wanted to finish it to get my heartrate down 🤣

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Pub date 02/25/2025

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Publishing for providing me with an ARC of Daisy Pearce's novel in exchange for an honest review.

Mina is a new adolescent psychologist haunted by the death of her brother, and is coasting through her muted life when she meets Sam at a grief group. Through him, she finds herself wrapped up in the investigation of a young girl whose family believes she is being possessed by a demon or malevolent witch. Mina is involved in order to discover whether there is a psychological/physical explanation to the paranormal happenings...but she soon discovers the entire situation to be more than she bargained for.

This was legitimately fantastic and a truly creepy read. While the story itself is gripping, its the atmosphere of the entire novel that works so well. Pearce sets the story during a summer heat wave and the physical discomfort lends itself to a truly unsettling atmosphere for the book. Everyone is physically uncomfortable already - tensions heightened by extreme heat - so the added psychological discomfort is sharpened.

The paranormal aspects are also handled really well. The novel begs the question of what is scarier: the supernatural or humanity itself. You might be left wondering what actually happened once you finish - was there a witch, or was this a case of local beliefs and traditions running rampant? Personally, I'm in the camp of both things happening. There are certain occurrences that don't get an easy, human explanation by the end of the story. For some readers, I can see this being a weakness, or someone crying "Plot hole!" But I actually loved the ambiguity.

The ending does wrap up the side plots a little too quickly/neatly in one scene, which felt a bit like a miss in terms of showing growth for Mina, but I understand that giving more time to side stuff once the main plot had resolved might have ended the book on a weaker note so I can live with it. I'll be looking to pick up more from Pearce after this!

This is the first book I read by this author and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed the book start to finish.

Wow this book. If you’re looking for a creepy, bone chilling thriller, THIS. IS. IT. A modern take on the witch hunts of our past, this book is full of folklore and horror and read like a movie.

Mina, a newly minted child psychologist is called to a small English town rife with superstitions & past scars to work with a troubled girl. 13-year-old Alice is hearing and seeing strange apparitions and claims she’s being haunted by a witch.

Spooky and ominous this book is filled with dark & gritty details. There’s also meditations on mass hysteria, herd mentality and small town proclivities.

With its short chapters & twisty plot, this was a page turner and I never knew exactly where we were headed. The ending surprised me but also left me hanging with a few too many unanswered questions. I’m still pondering it all.
I would definitely recommend this though; my witchy & supernatural friends will love it!

I wish this was being published sooner because it’s perfect for the spooky season but mark your calendars for February 25th!

A big thank you to St Martin's Press, Daisy Pearce and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

***3.5

I really enjoyed this book! It was a compelling story and the writing was actually quite beautiful in parts. Where it lost me a bit was the explanation was quite obvious (to me, I guess) and I had to suspend my disbelief a little too much due to how the character's were acting. The two main characters (Mina and Sam) could have been a bit more fully realized and instead they felt a little two-dimensional, but I still found the story itself to be compelling enough to carry you forward. I wouldn't characterize this book as horror but it does have some horror elements.

Quickie:
Haunting. Possession. Genuine uneasiness. Loss. Betrayal.
For fans of any sort of Exorcist movie in a town like Derry.

Summary (no spoilers):
Mina, a child psychologist, lost her brother, Eddie. In his final days he promised to return to her and give her a sign of an after life.
Sam, a reporter suffering from the death of his daughter, entices Mina out to investigate a girl living with a gift or a curse.
The two of them arrive in Banathel, a town riddled with superstition, where they meet Alice and her family.
Mina and Sam retrace Alice’s steps to get to the root of the mystery. Is Alice suffering from a psychotic break or did breaking the witch’s bottle actually unleash a dark force that is eating away at Alice?
The town believes the latter. Friends become enemies, and strangers, like Mina, are no longer welcomed in Banathel.

Personal thoughts:
Reading Something in the Walls is like looking into darkness. It is scary like “do not hang your foot off the bed” kind of scary.
I was left with many questions but must everything be explained?

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books / St. Martin’s Publishing group for such an amazing ARC opportunity!

I’m not quite sure how I feel after finishing Something In The Walls. I enjoyed the majority of the story, but the ending left me unsatisfied. Some parts (ex Engagement) seemed like it should be a more important storyline than to brush over in a few sentences towards the last page. I’m just left wondering, and not in the amazing “WHAT DID I JUST READ!?” Way.

Wow. Wow. Wow! Something In The Walls is so well written it should be listed as literary fiction alongside its genre category. Daisy Pearce has a gift for the written word. This reviewer savored both the storyline and writing style on every page. The plotline shook me to the core and gave me a sleepless night after finishing the book. Something In The Walls is horror at its best. I wouldn't be surprised if it's optioned for a movie. If so, the story deserves only the best director and A-list cast.

Pearce reminds us that evil can and will hide in the most innocuous places, and that women are most often the targets of this scourge. How we choose to identify and either submit to, or conquer, this evil as at the heart of the story. Our fears and personal demons become our Achilles heel to overcoming the challenges we face. If we're blind to tests of strength, evil will overwhelm us and win. The little town of Banathel, where our story takes place, is a tragic example of this timeless battle.

This reviewer could wax on and on about this exceptional novel. Instead, I suggest readers discover the book for themselves and keep an open mind while reading. Very little is what it seems inside the story. Something In The Walls is highly recommended. Don't miss this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing an advance copy of the book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews.com at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

This is a modern gothic horror with an astounding creep factor. The tension builds from the first chapter all the way to the final page - a final page that leaves me with more questions...I enjoyed reading about two outsiders coming into a town so full of superstition that the idea that a girl could be a witch is simply accepted.

Overall I thought that this a was great story. As with many stories of troubled teens acting out, there is some implied content that some readers may appreciate looking up a trigger warning prior to reading.

A propulsively horrific nightmare that combines the eldritch ritual of Rosemary's Baby and the dawning terror of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, this sweltering fever dream keeps the reader desperately guessing until the final pages. Something in the Walls is a masterpiece of relentless tension and interwoven motifs of folk horror wielded by the blunt instruments of gothic fiction. As mysteries are layered one on top of the other, the reader is both fully invested in and bewildered by the mounting hysteria and unexplainable phenomena. There are elements of the story reminiscent of Stephen King's best work, but Shirley Jackson's influence shines the brightest with nods both to Hill House and The Lottery. Characters are familiar and yet unique, creating compelling three-dimensional personalities. The mythology is wholly original, as well, and Pearce's capacity for imagining new realms of terror is unimpeachable. Casually poignant and effortlessly profound, her prose illuminates the story convincingly enough to make the reader wonder how much of it might be based on historical accounts. Blending the cultural anxiety of rural cults and witch hunts with the themes of female empowerment and social contagions, Pearce proves herself a pioneer of horror with this masterpiece. Is that someone, or something, watching from the shadows, or is it your own guilt stalking you from the dark corners?

Take a closer look, if you dare, at Something in the Walls.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce is a book with a compelling premise. The novel begins with a strong, engaging hook that immediately draws readers into its eerie and mysterious atmosphere. Pearce skillfully builds tension and sets up an intriguing premise that promises an exciting read.

However, the middle section of the book tends to drag. The pacing slows considerably, and the narrative loses some of its initial momentum. This part of the book felt a bit monotonous and less engaging.

Fortunately, Pearce redeems herself with a satisfying conclusion. The ending is well-crafted, wrapping up the story in a way that resonates and delivers the suspenseful payoff readers expect.

Overall, a 3.5/5 star rating from me.

When I first saw this book and read the description I knew it sounded pretty interesting. The cover of the book looked haunting as well..
This book definitely gave me the creeps from time to time, it was a fast paced read and kept me engaged for the whole thing. Definitely will be recommending this book to my friends

This is a type of story you’ve likely read before, but made a bit more interesting in that Mina and Sam both want to prove and disprove the haunting. They are realists, and it’s 1989, but at the same time it would be wonderful to be able to contact Eddie and Maggie in some way. There’s a nice sense of menace throughout this, and Banathel is a town with scars, both literal and figurative. I liked this.

Rumors of a young girl being possessed lead Mina to investigate to determine what's actually going on. The longer she's there though, the more she begins to think everything isn't what it seems. This title hooks you right away and you are constantly asking yourself what's real, and what isn't. Throughout the book, scenes depict creepy things happening and you are pulled along for a haunting ride!

This one was super creepy! The build-up and storyline was so tense! I freaked myself out reading at home.
I saw the twist for a certain character coming, but this didn't ruin the surprise totally because I could still feel the tension. The last chunk of the novel fell a bit flat and took away from the overall creepiness for me, but I would still highly recommend for a spooky season read!

Thank you NetGalley!

This was a really unique and interesting book that made me genuinely creeped out throughout!
I think the twists were really well done and the setting was really fun. I really enjoyed!

This book was an absolute thrill ride! The tension was unbearable in the best way possible, and the blend of folklore and horror really gave it an edge. Mina’s journey from a frustrated child psychologist to someone entangled in a chilling mystery in the village of Banathel was intense and gripping.

The way Alice’s haunting symptoms and the town’s dark superstitions intertwined kept me on the edge of my seat. The eerie atmosphere, combined with Mina’s struggle to understand the sinister traditions of the village and her own haunting past, made for a truly compelling read. The book's unexpected twists and haunting scenes are ones I won’t forget. If you enjoy a mix of psychological suspense and supernatural elements, this one’s definitely for you!

When I saw this book on NetGalley I was immediately drawn to it and wanted it before I even read the synopsis. The cover and title evoked all the feelings I have about my favourite story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and while the stories are completely different, it made for a unique experience going in.

Part supernatural and part historical fiction, Something in the Walls captures a unique look into a modern day witch hunt. Daisy Pearce uses horror aspects and psychological tools to throw us into a book where you’re not sure if the main character who claims to be haunted by a witch, is truly haunted. I never knew which direction the book was going to go and it kept me on my toes in a way that true horror geniuses are able to do.

It’s clear there was inspiration taken from experts in the field from Shirley Jackson to Mike Flanagan and I’m so glad I got to read this right in the midst of the so called “Spooky Season.” Sure, this book wasn’t The Yellow Wallpaper but it did hit on the same themes from female justice, supernatural questioning and small town proclivities.

Daisy Pearce did so much here and I’m so excited for all of my witch girls, goth girls, and cottage core babes to be able to delve into this. I’m still so pleased I got this as an ARC and will definitely be buying a physical copy when it comes out because this book deserves to be displayed in all its glory.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: February 25, 2025
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

You know that kind of horror that you don’t want to look away from or set down but you know you should but you just can’t haha…well, that was Something In The Walls for me. I knew I should set it down and just take a minute BUT I needed to eat this book up. This book gave me the chills. Not only did this book give me the chills, it had me thinking about it days after reading it. The dark vibes that floated through this book, the way this book was written, you could imagine the entire book as you read. I loved it! The way our author wove the dark eerie horror vibes with the thrilling and kept you biting your nails on the end of your seat was fantastic. I will be recommending this book to all of my book besties and shouting praises. Fantastic!