Creepy, gothic, and addicting. We Live Here Now is a slow burn thriller about Emily and Freddie moving to Larkin Lodge after a horrible accident that almost kills Emily.

Emily and Freddy are not ready to find things that happen in the middle of the night and floors that creak. There seems to be a eerie and spooky spirit in the home.... or according to Emily.

I really struggled with the slow burn in this one. I don't normally do well with slow burn thrillers. I also had an issue with how long this book is... I really felt that if it was shorter with more action it could have been better.

I'm pretty picky when it comes to my thrillers... as you all know haha. I can definitely see how many will love this one. It did have some fun twists but nothing that really left the "wow" feeling for me.

Unfortunately for me... it didn't have that punch to the wall in thrillers that I love to devour.

Overall, 3/5 stars

Sarah Pinborough is so good at creating a setting and story that keeps you on the edge of your seat and surprises you with a unique twist. I love a good haunted house story and this one felt different enough to any I’ve read.

I'm sure almost everyone who is a fan of this genre has read a book or watched a show or movie that has the couple that moves into the haunted house. The wife, being home all of the time, starts hearing and seeing things but the husband doesn't believe her and says it's her imagination. And sometimes it's even framed to make the reader/viewer wonder along with him if the wife is going crazy or if all this is really happening. The “is it real or is it in her head” trope was done well in this book which I am very happy to say.

This book has a major theme of the difficulties and struggles in long term relationships and how people (and relationships) change over time. Add a paranormal aspect to that and you get this book. I enjoyed most of the characters and the characters I didn't enjoy were by design. I'm trying to be a bit vague as I think going in as blind as possible gives the best reading experience. It does have some health/injury themes as well so I recommend checking trigger warnings.

At times I thought the story went a bit slow but, overall, the experience was fun and some parts had me on the edge of my seat. I recommend this book for those that love thrillers and haunted house stories.

I am not one who likes paranormal activity but I have to say Sarah Pinborough hit this one out of the park.

If you like twists and turns that you won’t see coming you need to read this story.

I absolutely loved it even though I didn’t think I would. Kept my interest the entire way through.

A must read by an author who will always be on my favorite shelf.

We Live Here Now
Pub Date: 5/20/25

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Emily and her husband move into a large old country home called Larkin House shortly after Emily was in an accident. After moving into the house weird things start happening. Is it really happening or is it post-sepsis syndrome?? Emily is keeping a secret. Her husband Freddie is also keeping a secret. This book had me absolutely hooked and freaked out at the same time! It was creepy, disturbing and so addictive! This spooky read had short chapters which we all love! It definitely lead to a fun discussion for book club!

Thank you @netgalley and @flatiron_books @pineandcedar_books for the advanced copies for our book club @ thrillersbythebookclub.mke

Sarah Pinborough's "We Live Here Now," is a book that has earned its place as a favorite of the year!

Following a near-fatal accident, Emily and her husband, Freddie, trade the familiar bustle of London for the striking beauty of Larkin Lodge, a country house nestled in Dartmoor. But what promises to be a fresh start quickly sours as Emily finds herself plagued by a terrible presence in the third-floor room, a feeling that something about the gorgeous house is deeply, unsettlingly wrong.

Sarah Pinborough masterfully crafts a narrative that blurs the lines between psychological thriller and gothic suspense. "We Live Here Now" is a chilling exploration of trauma, perception, and the secrets that can haunt both places and people. With an atmosphere thick with dread and a central mystery that will keep you questioning reality alongside Emily, this book is an unforgettable journey into the darkness that can reside within even the most beautiful homes.

This book has everything you're looking for in a horror/thriller/suspense story. It kept me guessing right to the very end and even though I thought I had it figured out, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn't. The characters are so unlikable, but I felt like that was on purpose to add to the story. I still had a few unanswered questions at the end, but I think if I went back and re-read, I'd discover what I was missing the first time around.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital copy!

Pinborough has done it again. She has a penchant for ramping up the feeling of unsettledness throughout her novels and then throws a haymaker of a twist you never see coming. If you enjoyed Behind Her Eyes, pick this one up immediately.

Also, HIGHLY recommend the audiobook as it provides (3) narrators to give you the best versions of the POVs in the story, especially Emily & Freddie as you become entangled in their intriguing marriage.

I needed more out of this story. I would have loved more focus on the house being “haunted” / evil and less on the domestic drama. I don’t know if I would call this a horror story as it never got creepy enough. Spooky bits were glossed over and the trope of “the house is doing this” was almost an afterthought.

It was an easy read and the premise was good but I found it lacking.

Reeling from an accident that put her in a coma, Emily and Freddie move to a giant home, Larkin Lodge in London. But shortly after Emily moves in from the hospital, she starts hearing creaking in the night, feeling rapid temperature changes, and stepping on a pesky nail that keeps appearing.

This is my second book by this author and to be honest I am not sure I will read any more. The book was SO SLOW. The first interesting thing did not even happen until 80%.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I still think of the ending of Behind Her Eyes and so when I saw the author had a new book out, I was excited to get an advanced copy!

This one was such a quick read! The chapters are often just a few pages and alternated POV so I felt motivated to read just a little more. I read most of it in one day!

You really have to suspend all disbelief to get into this one. It has a supernatural element that I really enjoyed. I felt totally creeped out for the majority of the story and the author did such a good job making the reader feel the atmosphere of the book.

I personally really enjoyed the ending! It was a very satisfying thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

The raw intensity of this book clawed its way under my skin. It’s a masterclass in dysfunctional relationships—tangled, messy, and yet rendered with razor-sharp prose that makes every fracture feel painfully authentic. There’s no sugarcoating here; the emotional turmoil is laid bare with brutal honesty, making the characters’ struggles impossible to ignore.

The dialogue between the main characters is electric. Their banter crackles with wit and venom, a perfect storm of verbal sparring that bruises as much as it fascinates. It’s this interplay that breathes life into their complicated connection, revealing layers of pain, defiance, and unexpected tenderness beneath the surface.

The gothic setting is more than just a backdrop—it’s a living, breathing force that wraps itself around the story like a chilling, beautiful shadow. The atmosphere seeps into every scene, amplifying the tension and underscoring the characters’ inner darkness. It’s haunting, immersive, and utterly unforgettable.

And then the ending. It hit me like a gut punch—so raw and shocking I had to reach out to friends just to see if anyone else felt the same overwhelming impact. This book is a beautifully chaotic, emotionally brutal journey that lingers long after the final page, refusing to let go.

I love this author, and I was thrilled to see this title! This is spooky, sexy, mind bending and walks the fine line between horror and thriller oh so well. I read it on the page and listened because I couldn’t get enough. Truly the perfect scary and fun vacation/beach read!

This was great - gothic and creepy and eerie. The Poe references were quite fun, and the story was fairly unpredictable. I enjoyed this a lot.

This reminded me of "We Used to Live Here" but was different enough that I enjoyed. I don't usually like supernatural thrillers but this was entertaining and had enough other things going on that I was eager to find out how it'd all wrap up. If you like supernatural mysteries/thrillers, I'd try this one.

Ah, nothing says “marital bliss” quite like moving into a gorgeous-but-ominous countryside manor where the floorboards whisper secrets and the books fly off the shelves, and not in the good way. We Live Here Now is a moody little gothic cocktail, shaken with one part haunted house, one part medical instability, and a generous splash of “What the hell is going on?”

Emily starts experiencing all kinds of spooky happenings—fireplaces that snuff out by themselves, phantom floor nails that keep popping up, and the kind of oppressive third-floor presence that screams “definitely haunted, please leave now.” Freddie, meanwhile, spends most of the novel going, “What third-floor presence?” like he’s never seen a horror movie before.

The atmosphere here is peak Gothic: misty moors, creepy house, secrets layered like a soggy trifle. The plot builds with a slow-burn intensity that made me want to yell “RUN” at Emily several times. The writing is moody, immersive, and tinged with that delicious flavor of dread that makes you question your own hallway noises at night.

Of course, there’s the issue of Emily maybe hallucinating due to lingering effects of sepsis, which makes for some delightful unreliability. Is she cracking under pressure or cracking open the secrets of a deeply cursed house? 

The tension ratchets up with increasing weirdness, secrets are slowly revealed (some of them juicy, some of them suspiciously withheld for dramatic effect), and by the end you’ll be side-eyeing your own bookshelf just in case it decides to attack.

The beauty of this book lies in how deliciously unreliable everyone is. You’ll be side-eyeing every character, every creaky stair, and every misplaced memory until the final pages. Pinborough keeps you guessing: is it supernatural? Psychological? Marital breakdown with a side of murder mystery? (Spoiler: yes.)

Occasionally the plot meanders like a confused ghost wandering the halls, and I spent a good portion of the book wanting to shake both Emily and Freddie and shout, “Burn that house down and then get yourselves to therapy.”

Still, this was a gripping, twisty, paranoia-fueled tale of secrets, lies, and possibly sentient architecture. Would recommend—just maybe don’t read it alone. In a creaky house. On the third floor.

Sarah Pinborough has done it again!!!

The queen of twisty, psychological thrillers is back with a fantastic haunted house story about a couple who buy a manor with some very dark secrets.

Will this book be adapted for the screen? I definitely hope so!!! It's screen worthy, with tricks that keep the reader turning the pages.

Highly recommended for lovers of the haunted house trope, suspense novels and novels dealing with dysfunctional marriages.

My review will be posted on my socials on pub day!

3.5⭐️ I 100% judged this book by its’ cover (which I love) when I saw it, and went in expecting a creepy and intriguing story. I’m happy to say that’s exactly what I got!

This was definitely a slower burn story to start, and it really eased into the creepiness. There were a few times where certain things felt repetitive, and I would’ve maybe liked the plot to move a bit faster in some spots. That said, these weren’t very big issues.

I love a big spooky house setting for mystery books, and it was done so well here. I loved the psychological aspect, and I was right there with Emily being unsure what was real and what wasn’t. The weird vibes in the house and the effect it had on characters was interesting, and I felt legitimately creeped out several times while reading. I did not see where this story was going at all, but I really enjoyed the twist it took.

If you like spooky/ghosty mysteries with short chapters, give this one a try.

Admittedly, WE LIVE HERE NOW isn’t in my usual wheelhouse. I tend to shy away from paranormal stories and often struggle to stay invested in them. That said, I was initially drawn in by the book’s eerie, atmospheric setting. The isolated house, the creeping unease… it all set the stage beautifully.

However, the middle portion started to feel repetitive, with one too many “things that go bump in the night” moments that lost their edge for me. Still, the final third completely surprised me. It was wildly creative, genuinely mind-bending, and left me thinking long after I finished. This is definitely one of those books that demands a discussion.

📚 READ THIS IF YOU:
🏚 Love isolated, possibly haunted old houses
📖 Prefer short, propulsive chapters
🌀 Enjoy mind-bending endings that leave you reeling

Manny thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an electronic ARC

Publishes May 20th and follows Emily and her husband Freddie who have moved into a countryside property called Larkin Lodge for a fresh start but when Emily begins sensing a presence, she begins to spiral and goes on a deep dive into the history of her new home.

This was a nice spin on a haunted house story. While the premise essentially sounds the same as every haunted house story, the exploration/discovery was in my opinion quite original.

While I didn’t find this story outwardly frightening or even very tense, I was entertained and invested in the story. Did it stick out and do I think it’s a must read? Not really, but it’s a solid read and I don’t have anything negative to say. 3.25

Nothing about this was what I was expecting and yet, I left feeling absolutely gutted and entertained.

Emily and Freddie move to the country as she recovers from a coma after an accidental fall off a cliff. Emily's recovery brings up old bad habits, causes them to keep secrets, and question one another after facing the closeness of death. The house they move into - Larkin Lodge - has it's own mysterious vibe and it's own mind. While Emily has experiences that lead her to believe it's haunted, Freddie desperately wants to believe that Emily is losing her mind in order to assuage his own guilt.

The tension between their true selves and the darkest parts that the house pulls out of them is so good, and it feels like a race against the clock of which spouse is going to be horrible first.

This is a book where everyone sucks (but they're entertaining) and in the end they all get what they deserve, while still somehow having a happy ending. The twist was unexpected and delightfully dark, and leaves you with a dropped jaw.

While writing that last sentence, a bird flew into my window and scared the crap out of me. If you read the book, you'll understand why that feels especially auspicious.