
Member Reviews

A chilling descent into the darkest corners of the human psyche, where the line between reality and nightmare blurs beyond recognition. The unsettling atmosphere and creeping dread linger long after the final page, leaving you questioning what truly lurks in the shadows of your own mind.

Book Review Something In The Walls by Daisy Pearce
“It’s not the dead we should be afraid of, it’s the living.”
Mina, a new child psychologist, meets Sam at a grief group she attends, still trying to deal with the loss of her brother in her childhood. A journalist, Sam entices her to accompany him to investigate a teenage girl, Alice, who claims she is being haunted by a witch. What they experience makes them change their minds about what they believe.
The book is suspenseful with a sense of dread and anticipation that something is going on in the village. The village history of witches, superstitions and the ceremonial riddances adds to the complexity and intrigue. I loved the overlap between witches, possession and connections to spirits. There are plenty of unexpected twists and turns both real and supernatural that will keep you guessing. There are eerie, scary and disturbing parts that will have you clutching your blanket and staying up for fear of nightmares.
The story does not wrap up into a nice bow and you are left with unresolved issues. I loved this. What supernatural experiences can be fully explained. However some readers may find this unsatisfying.
This is a quick exciting read if you like books about witches and hauntings and trying to figure out what’s real and what’s unexplainable.

I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did! I was really hooked on this one. This had a great creepy atmosphere, reading this at night was spooky! I loved the characters in this book and the overall plot. Mina, our female protagonist, has just finished her schooling to become a Psychologist. She gets assigned to her first case, a young teenage girl named Alice. Alice is displaying some strange behaviors and the town is convinced she is possessed by a witch. Mina and a local news reporter named Sam head to Alice’s house to investigate and draw some conclusions on what is happening to Alice. Many things happen and Mina’s life ends up in danger. Is Alice really possessed or is it all in her head?
This was a great atmospheric thriller/ horror novel. I will definitely pick up more books from this author!
Thank you St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

A small town rooted in witchcraft and superstition, a thirteen year old who believes she’s being haunted by a witch, a child psychologist and a journalist who want to help but will they be able to determine fact or fiction from the symptoms.
This is a sinister read with major creepy vibes! There is such an atmospheric setting to this book that is dripping with spine chilling folklore. It was a slower read than what I was hoping for but I was glad for such an interesting premise.
Thank you to the author, Daisy Pearce, publisher Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I received an epub and am leaving my review voluntarily.

That was a tense read! Witches, folk horror, possession and a whole lot more trauma. The writing style hooked me right away and I couldn’t put this down. Will totally pick up something from this author again in the future.

While this is not something I would typically pick up and read, it wasn't a bad read.
The build up of the plot was gripping for sure and the pace of the book kept me wanting to continue on. Alice Weber is a girl in town who is believed to be possessed. An undercover journalist teams up with Mina to try to figure out what is really going on. As they continue to investigate they find some odd happenings and want to do whatever they can to save Alice.
Which this sounds interesting, I am more of a light thriller reader. This may have been a little too much for me. The plot and journey through this book were very interesting, but it was a little tough for me to read. The twists in this are unexpected and it is a ride for sure.

The town of Banathel has a history with witches and the people that live there will do whatever it takes to remain safe. Enter Mina, a new psychologist who is approached by Sam, an investigative journalist who is looking to get to the bottom of the haunting of teenage Alice. Sam meets Mina at a grief group, it seems that both of them have their own ghosts to contend with. Mina agrees to assess Alice so the two head out to Banathel, Mina hoping to find out if there are underlying mental or physical health issues and Sam looking to prove that it may all be a hoax. What they find there is chilling. Is something sinister going on in the small village?
This book hooked me immediately, and continued to hold my attention with its creepy, supernatural plot. Daisy Pearce does a wonderful job with the dialogue, her lilting prose transporting the reader to the small, superstitious town and unearthing creepy discovery after discovery. Banathel comes to life immediately, inhabited by quirky characters that live with weight of the town’s history and the current “haunting”. 4.5 stars for a sharp, immersive, delicious thriller.
I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

Oh boy, this was a tough one to get through… I wanted to DNF at around 30% in because it was very slow and hard to follow — also super creepy! However, I persisted, and I’m glad I did because the thriller and plot twist element of things in the last 10% really made this worthwhile for me. Incredibly creepy and disturbing, so definitely check out trigger warnings. I thought Mina’s relationship with Oscar was bizarre, and the entire backstory with her and Eddie was too vague for too much of the book. The ending was so deserving in my opinion, but as a whole this book didn’t impress me.

This was a great book! It starts off a little slow, but it really picks up & keeps you wanting to figure out what’s going to happen next. It had such a creepy element to it, too - the sweltering heat, the cramped house, the dad working on a kill floor, the history of the witches. Everything together makes it so haunted. Loved this book! Thank you so much for the ARC. I would definitely recommend this.

personally i did not finish this book, i just don’t think the story was vibing well with me and over all i just didn’t really feel all that interested in the plotlines

Something In the Walls Is Dangerously Addictive!
Daisy Pearce delivers a psychological thrill ride straight into the darkest corners of small-town life with Something in the Walls. Following Mina, a child psychologist investigating a supposedly possessed teenager, this story is a feverish, heart-pounding race to the finish—perfect for fans of Paul Tremblay’s A Head Full of Ghosts or Laurel Hightower’s The Day of the Door. Buckle up, because once you start, you won’t be able to stop.
Pearce masterfully builds tension, keeping readers teetering on the edge of doubt and fear. The characters evolve in ways I never saw coming—classic mystery archetypes twisted into something unsettling and unpredictable. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the story veered into even darker, more mind-bending territory. Trust no one. Believe nothing. And prepare to question everything.
Beneath the chilling horror, Something in the Walls also explores themes of grief and healing with incredible depth. So many thrillers linger in despair, but Pearce finds a way to thread hope into the darkness, making the journey all the more powerful. This isn’t just a book you read—it’s one that lingers, haunts, and stays with you long after you’ve turned the final page.
If you’re looking for a gripping, late-night read that will keep you up questioning every shadow in your house, Something in the Walls is the one.

Child Psychologist Mina, still grieving the loss of her brother, meets Journalist Sam at a grief group. Sam offers Mina a job - come with him to a remote village to see Alice, a young girl claiming to be haunted by a witch. Mina sees this as a way to make a name for herself and make some money. After arriving they soon discover a town built on superstitions and doesn't take kindly to outsiders. Instead of helping Alice, her behaviors only get worse, and they are running out of time.
I had a great time with this one. It started a bit slow, but once it got going i was hooked! The remote village, townspeople, and superstitions really gave a creep factor to this book. I'm not sure i want to stand near a chimney after reading this! I wish I could have connected to the characters a bit more, but it didn't take away from the story. Lots of gaslighting though which was driving me crazy.
4 stars
Thank you to Netgalley, Daisy Pearce and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Sam is a journalist who enlists Mina, a newly graduated child psychiatrist, to help him with a story about a possible haunting. Alice is a teenager and has been showing signs of what looks like a mental health crisis, but many people in her small town are convinced she's been possessed by a witch. Alice has been pulled from school due to unusual and disturbing behavior, and Mina is trying to determine what's actually going on with her. As soon as Mina and Sam arrive at Alice's, chaos ensues. There are many terrifying instances that would certainly appear supernatural in nature, coupled with the remote town's long history of witchcraft superstition.
I totally burned through the first 70% of this book. Unfortunately, the last 30% was confusing and almost seemed like the ending for a different book altogether. I'm not sure how to explain most of it without spoilers, but it seems like 70% of the story was going in one direction with Alice, but then totally changed direction, focusing on Mina and Bert, with all of their baggage. There were so many terrifying scenes in the book with regard to Alice's possession, but we got zero explanation for the cause of any of those. There wasn't a whole lot of character development, and the few things we learned left a lot of questions, too. I really thought it was going to be a 4 or 5⭐️ star book up until that disjointed ending.
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Daisy Pearce for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Something in the Walls out February 25, 2025.

This was just okay for me. I’m not really a fan of witch horror. I did enjoy the writing though and would pick up another book by this author.

Thanks so much @netgalley !
This is my kind of cover, it is absolutely stunning!!! I went into this book blind and I did a nice hybrid of Ebook and Audio. Ana Clements was the narrator and she was fantastic! Mina is a shiny new psychologist and has a big opportunity to take a BIG job trying to help young Alice, who claims to be haunted by a witch. Even though Mina has no experience she is certain she can help this young girl but she quickly seems to be in over her head. Alice's family and this small town have their own ideas! This is a fast paced thriller that you won't be able to put down!!! Such an exciting read!

This unsettling small-town with generations of superstition leaves you feeling haunted.
Mina is an inexperienced child psychologists who is struggling in her career as well as her upcoming wedding. She meets a journalist Sam at a bereavement group who proposes they work together on a supernatural case of a young teen named Alice who claims she is being possessed by a witch. Against her fiancé's advice Mina travels to the small village of Banathel. There she starts to have internal struggles of grief from her brother's passing as well as questions about Witchcraft lore that seeps into the town's history.
The overall vibe of this book has you hooked from the very beginning. The details and descriptions really makes the story come to life and creates a visual how truly disturbing the book can be. Hidden details from Mina's past as well as other characters like Sam, Bert and Fern slowly start to come into play about what is really going on helps keep you captivated.
While reading this I kept visualizing films like Midsommar, Get Out and The Skeleton Key. So if you like these vibes I definitely recommend grabbing a copy of Something In the Walls. Pre order is available and out everywhere February 25th!

Whoa. I love a little paranormal horror. This book was super creepy and suspenseful. Just enough to keep me guessing throughout but still surprised at the end. The character building was strong. The main character is decent. Mina, the main character becomes an adolescent psychologist and is called to care for a girl called Alice. Mina travels to her town to live in the home to fully study Alice. What Mina finds is darker than anyone could imagine!
I would read more from this author. I enjoyed the atmospheric setting and descriptive imagery of the witch in this story. I definitely had to look away a few times! Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a copy of this title. All my reviews are my own.

This was a quick read for me because I was eager to get to the bottom of what was happening. The story was suspenseful and spooky. I do wish there was a bit more of an explanation for some of the things that happened throughout the story, but this was a good blend of horror and thriller.

Wow! This book was scary! Do not read it in the dark especially alone if you get scared easily! The premise of this book was great. It had a paranormal feel to it. The whole time you definitely think that something isn’t right with these people but in the end you find out how crazy it all is. I was not completely shocked by the ending but still enjoyed it.
Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC copy!

It is 1989, and parts of England are experiencing a heatwave right out of Hell. There are water bans and curfews instituted to deal with some of the worst effects of the scorching heat. Mina lives with Oscar, her fiance, and she is planning their wedding, even though she isn’t quite sure of their relationship. As a child psychologist, she is eagerly looking forward to begin her career. At a bereavement support group, she is approached by Sam, a journalist. He is on his way to Banathel to look into stories of a teen named Alice who is thought to be a witch. The town has a lengthy and violent history with witchcraft; superstitions still fuel cruel acts on young women. Sam invites Mina to join him to finding out the truth about Alice. Is she ill, suffering a psychosis, faking it, or is her family using her to garner attention and money? Unsure of her own, personal and professional circumstances, Mina joins Sam to look into the story and possibly help Alice.
Mina and Sam share a common bond of grief and guilt: they have each lost someone that they hope to contact. For Mina, it is her brother, Eddie who died while they were teens. Sam is mourning the death of his daughter, Maggie. Can Alice Webber be their conduit to communicating with their dearly departed?
What follows is a story that explores grief, family, isolation, bullying, and fanaticism. Within her community, Alice’s new-found ability to communicate with spirits makes her both a demon to avoid and destroy, and a savior to those who are looking for messages from beyond the pale. The adults that surround her are not beyond suspicion. Bert Roscow is the neighbor taking care of his enfeebled wife, Mary. He is the town bigwig who has a history of taking in young girls who have lost their way. They all seem to have nothing bad to say about him; they remain eternally grateful for his help. Her parents Lisa and Paul, are broke, and overwhelmed.
Is she a witch, and can she help Sam and Mina communicate with their dead loved ones? Is Alice--and Mina--in danger due to her troubled mind? Will hag stones, sacred symbols, talismans, and archaic rituals help her? Or does she need health and mental care? And what’s with the scratching sounds in the chimney?
If you are looking for a quick and easy read this book may be just what you are looking for.
I would like to thank Minotaur Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.