This was a creepy, atmospheric, dark, claustrophobic modern day witch hunt. I was kept on the edge of my seat but found the ending a bit disappointing. I wish it had a bit less of a "Scooby-Doo" ending, which was predictable. 3.5 rounded up.

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 2/25/2025
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…. this book just was not it. This is not at all what I expected. There is so much that happens; there is talk about ghosts and seances and then it switches to ghosts and then there is a deeper malicious vibe.
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This story is told in a singular POV though Mina, a child psychologist. This story was supposed to be set in 1989 but the way that it was written I literally kept thinking that this book was set back in the 1600s. I honestly could not grasp my head around the time period and I think it was mainly the dialogue or maybe just the route the story took.
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The pacing was super slow in this one. I didn’t really connect with many of the characters and I pegged the sinister one right form the start. I am really not sure how all of the plot lines became one book, but it did, I just wish that one path was taken and stuck with to create a truly eerie story.
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I listened to this one via audiobook and Ana Clements did good for what its worth. I struggled to stick with this story. I can honestly say without the audiobook I would not have finished this one. Thankful for Ana Clements narration to at least help me finish this one.
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Overall, this was not for me but I am sure that there are going to be a bunch of people who vibe with this one. There are definitely some creepy parts to it! Give it a shot! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Daisy Peace, MacMillan Audio and St. Martins Press for the ALC and eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This one just didn't grab my attention. It was a real disappointment because I had my hopes set high for this, but I didn't find the characters realistic or the story gripping. The setting was nice, but that wasn't enough to redeem the story for me. It just let me down all around.

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce is a gripping thriller that seamlessly combines psychological suspense with the paranormal. The story follows Mina, a recently graduated child psychologist, who finds herself at the heart of an eerie and dangerous investigation. After being approached by Sam, a local journalist she met in a grief support group, Mina agrees to investigate the strange behavior of 13-year-old Alice, whose family has reported increasingly bizarre and unsettling occurrences. Together, Mina and Sam are drawn into a small town harboring a dark and terrible secret. What initially seems like a straightforward mission to help a young girl quickly spirals into a fight for Mina’s own sanity and survival as she uncovers a web of dark forces that threaten her existence. This was a good read, the audio was spot on.

Mina is an new, untested, child psychologist who has an interesting opportunity placed in front of her by a journalist ostensibly seeking a story- and gets pulled into a dark and terrifying world of ancient traditions and where witches are a real danger.

I didn’t know what to expect with this novel and was pleasantly surprised by how I was drawn into the oppressive atmosphere of the village. I like how Mina is a realistically conflicted person- she’s absolutely certain the young girl she’s sent to observe is just depressed/crying for attention/insert some other clinical explanation here BUT is also convinced she sees her late brother in recent photos. I think most people have this supernatural vs reason conflict, and it’s used very well here. If you like a creepy slow burn, this book could be one for you!

I received a free audiobook copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review

Something in the Walls was straight up spooky. This book gave me the willies and was written and narrated beautifully - but I was a bit lost at the end as to why all of this was happening. Maybe I missed it because I listened with two screaming kids, but it didn’t seem to be resolved at the end. Besides that, it was a brilliant read and listen.

Woah.
I’m not ashamed to say I picked this book up for the cover alone, but the title does not correctly convey how creepy, atmospheric and dark this book was (all of which were A+ attributes). Truly didn’t think anyone could make me scared of the idea of a witch until I read this book. As the darker themes and answers unfolded, there were some holes for me in the story, but honestly, I was so hooked it didn’t bother me. Great book. I definitely want to read more from this author.

I enjoyed this audiobook, but I do agree some of the plot was disjointed (esp the child psychologist who does not psychology...). I do think that this does remind me of Jackson's The Lottery a bit.

The narrator was ok. Voice was a little too soft--might be nice for sleep stories! And I sometimes had a hard time telling the difference between characters. Pleasant and easy to listen to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the ALC.

I loved this SO MUCH in the beginning. The story was so dark and atmospheric, and the characters felt so dark because they were having trouble dealing with personal losses. It got creepier and creepier ... and then it just seemed to drag on and on and on while the main character, Mina, talked on and on and on about her feelings. This was an interesting story, but it could have used some tightening up in the middle with less emphasis on Mina's weaknesses. The narration was great, though, and helped me power through to a dramatic ending. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook.

SOMETHING IN THE WALLS, in my opinion, starts out really strong, very atmospheric and promising.
Personally, I'm not a fan of witches and the whole witchcraft lore, but when a book about/with witches is well done, I kind of change my mind.
And this book has a very interesting and intriguing witchy plot. The main character is relatable and easy to empathise with (she still griefs her brother's death and has some traumas from the past) , and the whole mystery regarding what is really behind the walls and how witches are related to it (also, the narrow-minded townspeople and their folklore myths and legends) add some more unsettling vibes to the main plot.

Unfortunately, the author decides to veer directions during the second half of the book and it is no longer about witches and the minimal horror vibes this book was providing before ceases to exist. This is not a long book, but, to me, the second half felt so long and all the empathy I had growing for the main character turned out to boredom and indifference. I just couldn't care anymore for what was happening.
Even though this story has horror elements, I'd say this is much more of a suspenseful story.

I'd recommend this book to readers who usually enjoy witch stories, but be aware that this book is not entirely focused on that.
The audiobook narrator does a good job by voicing all the characters with different tones. I can easily recommend the audiobook.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for allowing me to listen to a free audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the author and publisher for this ALC! What an intriguing and gruesome horror story…
I enjoyed listening to this book, but found myself struggling to keep some of the characters straight. That being said, the author is incredibly talented in describing and painting disturbing scenes, and it is clearly shown in this book.
I suspect I would have enjoyed this one slightly more as an eyeball read, but that really might just me my personal preference!
You’ll not want to skip this creepy read that publishes next February!
3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I figured I would write this after finishing because I am so mad! The book was fabulous, but there were scenes that Daisy Pearse did an excellent job at making you hate a character. Essentially, Mina goes meets a man named Sam at a grief support group. She lost her brother when he was 14 and Sam lost his daughter. Ultimately the two end up going to see if they can get in contact with their loved ones. Sam, a journalist and Mina, a therapist, they go to a small town where a girl named Alice is said to be possessed by a witch. If you love small town horror with witchcraft at its core, this is the book for you. Like I said I am still extremely angry (no spoilers) which I think says the author accomplished her purpose.

Something in the Walls is a dark, creepy book. It was a solid read, but at points seemed just a little drawn out.

This is a great spooky read. The tension is high and it’s wonderfully atmospheric. The writing here is excellent and I love that cover! Ana Clements is outstanding as the narrator in the audiobook production.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the ALC.

I really wanted to love this book, and I felt like it had a lot of potential in the beginning. I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator did a nice job with the suspense and portraying the creepy parts as such. This book has a really slow pace, and I felt the character development was lacking. There were some decent twists, but other times I felt the events going on didn’t feel quite right. When I started the book, I was expecting one thing, and it turned into something completely different. If you like a slower suspense novel with a bit of horror, you may enjoy this book. Personally, I just wanted a bit more. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s a shame this doesn’t come out until February, because it’s a perfect spooky season read.

Mina is a child psychologist sent out to help a troubled girl who the town believes is being haunted by a witch. This book is creepy and kept me on my toes. Definitely one for fans of horror, however unfortunately some questions were left unanswered at the end and that bothered me.

Narrated by Ana Clements who did an incredible job.

3.5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley , Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for my ARC/ALC!

#MacAudio2024

Something in the Walls follows a child psychologist to a small town to speak with a girl who claims to be haunted by a witch. I loved the creepiness of the horror parts and my heart was pounding through thrilling moments. My main issue is that I found part of the ending to be open ended and that was the portion I cared about.

I highly enjoyed the narration performed by Ana Clements.

I received and ARC and ALC from St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story took a wild turn! Think exorcism meets witch trials! This book follows a woman who travels to another town to do a psychological assessment on a teenager that is said to be possessed. As her first case as a professional adolescent psychologist, Mina has set off to dispel and rumors of an actual possession, but may have anterior motives as well. This story has multiple subplots that branch off in a tangled mess that all comes full circle in the end. Overall, a dark and tense atmosphere with a storyline akin to a Law & Order SVU episode!

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this ALC!

This is so atmospheric and had me glued to the audio. Scary, nail- bitting and chilling. This would be a good one for Forensics or Criminal Justice courses on the psychology of the mind.

Based on the title, description, and cover, I certainly anticipated eerie vibes, and I was all in for it! However, that wasn't quite the experience I had with Something in the Walls. While there was suspense and mystery, it didn't fully captivate me, and at times, I felt a bit bored. Some sections seemed unnecessary to the plot, which affected the overall flow. I did appreciate a few surprising twists, and there were moments that were genuinely creepy, with solid detailing.