The description of this book really intrigued me! In the beginning I was truly hooked and was loving it. Some moments were great and the rest not so much. The writing wasn’t my favorite. The only reason why I’m giving this 3 stars is because some part had me creeped out and the it had a good start. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

While the story is unnerving and uncomfortable, there were many plot points that were implausible. I loved the horror/witchiness of the storyline, but the actual plot and characterizations didn’t work for me.

A Haunting Premise That Didn't Quite Resonate
I really, really wanted to love Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce. The premise had me completely hooked from the get-go – the idea of a lurking, unseen presence within the very fabric of a home is inherently terrifying and full of potential. I eagerly picked it up, ready for a chilling and immersive experience.

Unfortunately, the book didn't quite deliver for me. While the initial setup was promising, I found the pacing to be a little slow, and the narrative struggled to maintain a consistent level of tension. There were moments that hinted at the creeping dread I was hoping for, but they often felt interspersed with stretches where my attention waned.

Ultimately, it just wasn't captivating enough to fully draw me in. I finished the book, but I didn't feel that intense pull or sense of urgency that makes a really great horror or psychological thriller unforgettable. It was an okay read, but one that left me wishing for more of the unsettling atmosphere and deeper emotional investment that the premise promised.

I am sure that this book has its readers and I'm happy to see that it has quite a holds list at my library, but I decided to DNF at 28%. It just did not grab my attention the way I thought it would. Perhaps I'll try again in the future when I have more patience for a slow burn.

Okay so this was.... fine, I guess.

I really didn't love it. I didn't hate it, either, though. I went into it blind thinking it would be a standard thriller, but it turns out there's a lot of supernatural stuff in there and that is not my jam. I don't like exorcisms and possessions and things of that nature. It for sure had allllll the creepy stuff one could ask for in a good thriller/horror novel, but this is just not the genre for me. I think maybe someone with more of an affinity for this style of thriller could have probably enjoyed it more, but I also see that the overall rating on this book isn't great, so my low rating might not simply be caused by my own personal bias and because this actually was just an "alright" book.

3 ⭐️ Advanced Reader Review!

Mina is living a small life with her fiancé and new credentials as a child psychologist. The only reprieve she has is attending the local bereavement group to mourn the tragic death of her brother from many years ago. It is at this group where she meets journalist Sam Hunter, who comes to Mina with a proposition:

Thirteen year old Alice Webber claims she is being haunted by a witch. The more Mina learns of Alice’s case, the more disturbed she becomes. Together, Mina and Sam travel to the village of Banathel to work with Alice; Mina will get experience and more money, and Sam, the scoop of a lifetime. Mina is determined to help Alice, but the village is strange and Alice’s behavior becomes more dark and inexplicable. And it’s clear the town has their own way of dealing with this darkness…

My thoughts: This story had such amazing potential. The first 75% of the book had great pacing, great build up of the story. I was invested in the characters and their journeys. But after the first twist (the window scene), things started to go down hill for me.

From that point on, the story started to lean away from the paranormal horror aspects. It felt like the author abandoned that storyline completely and jumped to the main antagonist’s story. Because of that, there were a ton of loose ends left that were unsatisfying. We had invested so much time in these characters, and to have unresolved plot at the end felt wrong.

I liked the narrator, but I could feel a bit of tonal dissonance between her and the character. I didn’t feel like the narrator accurately embodied a 20-something year old well.

Overall, I was really enjoying this story, but the twists started coming, and it lost me. 3/5 stars

Something in the Walls is both unsettling and haunting but I also found it a bit frustrating and struggled to connect with both the story and the characters.

Thank you Daisy Pearce, Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Mina is a child psychologist in training who teams up with a journalist to investigate an apparent haunting of a young girl, Alice, in a small village. What she finds is an entire community that is convinced that Alice is a witch.

Well, now I know where the phrase "good riddance" comes from ... This horror/mystery novel is sure to raise the hairs on the back of your neck, if you can get through all the creepiness of the main characters and the unsettling vibe of the town. The last few chapters were horrifying and not what I expected, but I'm glad I stuck with this one.

The audio narrator did an excellent job of capturing vibes of evil and dread.

DNF - this one was very disappointing. I mean this cover is so good and gives a certain vibe that the atmosphere of the book just wasn't conveying. Really expected to love this one. Sadly, it wasn't for me.

Mina is a newly minted child psychologist with no clients, no street cred, and no clue what to do with her life—unless you count fidgeting in a heatwave while spiraling over her upcoming wedding to her overly meticulous fiancé Oscar. Her one escape? A local grief group where she mourns her long-lost brother and silently counts the ways her life has gone sideways.

Enter Sam, a journalist who smells both trauma and opportunity. He convinces Mina to visit a remote village where 13-year-old Alice Webber is reportedly being haunted by a witch. Mina, desperate for experience and cash, agrees. (Clearly she skipped the horror movie rulebook.)

Cue creepy child behavior, an isolated town dripping with superstition, and a community that thinks therapy is no match for good old-fashioned witch hunting. As Alice’s condition worsens, Mina finds herself in way over her head—with a town full of suspicious stares, a partner who might be hiding things, and a haunting that feels all too real.

Sounds like it should be edge-of-your-seat spooky, right? Well… sort of. The setup has all the ingredients for a chilling psychological thriller, but somewhere between the creepy woods and the therapy sessions, the pacing takes a nap. Mina, once full of promise, slowly disintegrates into a character you want to shake awake. Meanwhile, the other characters act like they’re under a collective fog—unrealistic reactions, questionable choices, and a general air of what is even happening here?

The twisty path toward the ending does take some unexpected detours, and while the final destination wasn’t what I predicted, I couldn’t help but feel like some storylines were left hanging in the haunted breeze. Not bad, not great—just…mildly spooky purgatory.

If you like your horror atmospheric and don’t mind a slower burn (with a few “wait, what?” moments), this might work for you. But if you need tight plotting and a main character who keeps her spark under pressure, this one might leave you feeling like Mina—confused, overheated, and in serious need of a new life plan.

Is it paranormal, or is it not? Something in the Walls is a psychological thriller that grabbed my attention initially but left me feeling disappointed.

The story follows child psychologist Mina, who receives an opportunity to gain experience and help treat 13-year-old Alice, who believes she is being possessed by witches.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book gave me the creepy, witchy vibes I was after. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me questioning whether Alice was actually possessed by a witch. The ending threw me off. I don't think it was a bad ending, but I felt let down and unsatisfied.

If you're looking for a psychological thriller with witchy vibes, this one might be for you.

psychological thriller • supernatural • witches

Following the viewpoint of a young child psychologist with no experience, as she investigates a teenage girl who claims to be possessed by darkness, a small town reveals its secrets little by little. The mood and vibe of this book had a slow build, with little bits of creepiness tossed around and just the right amount of doubt that anything sinister is going on. The characters had a lot of depth and complexity, and seemed very human. I did predict the ending earlier than I would like, but the reveal was still a great read that kept me riveted.

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce delivers an atmospheric, psychological mystery that blends elements of supernatural horror with a deep exploration of grief, superstition, and personal demons. The story follows Mina, a young child psychologist with little experience, who is struggling with both her career and her upcoming marriage to the methodical Oscar. Her life takes a dark turn when she meets journalist Sam Hunter at a local bereavement group, and the two decide to investigate the strange case of Alice Webber, a 13-year-old girl claiming to be haunted by a witch.

Alice’s disturbing symptoms, set against the backdrop of a tight-knit, superstitious village, thrusts Mina into a tense investigation where nothing is as it seems. As Mina delves deeper into Alice’s case, she begins to uncover unsettling truths about the village’s dark history and its eerie traditions. The further she digs, the more personal the mystery becomes, intertwining with Mina’s own past and forcing her to confront her own inner demons.

Daisy Pearce masterfully builds tension throughout the novel, using the oppressive heatwave and the sinister atmosphere of Banathel to enhance the sense of dread. The historical lore of witchcraft and the suspicion surrounding outsiders adds layers to the plot, creating an eerie, compelling narrative.

Narrated by Ana Clements, the audiobook captures the growing unease and the emotional depth of Mina’s journey. The pacing, however, is slower in places, as the focus leans more on the psychological and atmospheric tension than on fast-paced action. Despite this, the story offers a haunting, thought-provoking experience with unexpected twists that keep readers engaged.

Something in the Walls is a captivating read for those who enjoy psychological thrillers mixed with supernatural intrigue. It’s a gripping exploration of how past trauma can haunt and shape the present, though some may find the slower buildup a challenge.

This book was so F-ing CREEPY!!!! I was sucked right in and OMFGGGGGGG I was freaked out!!

When a girl starts to exhibit the supernatural abilities, a journalist and a psychologist goes to the small village to figure out what is going on....

It was cultish and supernatural and I was bloody horrific and I love scary stuff!!

it was a 4 star listen for me. The narration was BRILLIANT!

I need more books just like this!!!

When you’re starting a thriller or a horror book, do you read the blurb first? I personally love diving in eyes clothes and just seeing where the book takes me!

And that is exactly what I did with this one, Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce, and I was thoroughly surprised and mesmerized as this tale unwound!

It starts off as we are introduced to psychologist Mina, who is getting some experience in her field when an opportunity comes to travel out of town and investigate the occurrence of a haunted house that has been harassing a 13-year-old girl. Mean to believe there’s a psychological explanation and wants to help Alice while the journalist, Sam who brought the haunting to her attention who has come along with her to this small town is only looking for a scoop.

Obviously, the locals are not happy with either of them and is the story unravels and Alice’s behavior. It’s more erratic and threats of superstition in witchcraft. Develop the town, Mina and Sam find out they have more than just a haunted house to worry about!

This was a fun book that had a lot of twists and had me guessing until the end!

The narrator, Ana Clements does an excellent job creating individual representations of all the characters to help bring the story to life. Her accent work is perfect and fits the rural English town and contrast it to the London counterparts perfectly. Ana even manages to narrate the story in a way that helps illustrate the historic vibe.

This was a chilling and atmospheric listen that had me hooked from the very start. The narration was excellent - easy to listen to and well-paced, drawing me into the story with just the right amount of tension. The narrative moved quickly, keeping me on edge with its creepy, ominous tone that built steadily throughout.

It was definitely darker and more unsettling than what I usually go for - almost *too* creepy at times - but that’s also a testament to how effective the storytelling was. Daisy Pearce masterfully crafted a haunting experience that lingered with me long after I finished listening. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers with a supernatural edge, this is absolutely worth a listen.

Something in the Walls is a dark and ominous story of a young girl who is convinced she is being possessed by a witch. I initially enjoyed the story, but it took a turn that was a bit too unsettling for my taste.

I was hoping more for a thrill ride and less for a horror show, so this one ultimately didn't work for me. I think fans of supernatural thrillers will enjoy this one.

I love it when an author is willing to "go there" in her story. I appreciate the off the wall/unhinged plot that happens in this book, but that being said... I didn't love this. I wanted to love this book, but I just couldn't connect with the characters and I really didn't like how it ended.

SOMETHING IN THE WALLS
Daisy Pearce, Author
Ana Clements, Narrator
Mystery/Thriller

Follow Mina, fresh to the profession of child psychology, where she has no experience, and Sam a journalist with a mission. The mission is 13 year old named Alice who claims she is being haunted.

I really enjoyed this book. Psychological Thrillers are my favorite genre and this one did not disappoint. I would give this book a solid 5 out of 5 stars.

This was a really interesting premise, but I ended up not finishing it because I got bored with the story and felt like nothing was really happening. Might try to listen again at some point.