3 stars

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me access to the ARC.

The summary of this sounded interesting and I've been on the lookout for new horror titles this year. We're following Emily and Josh, a married couple who've just moved from California to a farmhouse in middle of nowhere Nebraska. She starts to notice odd happenings about the house and the story goes from there.

I have to stay, the dynamic between the two was so frustrating. Every time Emily told Josh about something he was quick to blame outside sources or just not outright not believe her. It definitely made me suspicious of him. I will also say that the pacing of the book is pretty slow. Emily's basically on a mission to find out all she can about the barn and the town is less than forthcoming. But I maintained interested throughout (for the most part) because I have always enjoyed the whole unreliable narrator trope - never knowing if what's going on is real or some type of delusion. There was a creepy aspect about the barn I found unique and chilling.

My main grievance with the novel was the fact that I didn't really feel like it had a climax. We did get a pretty solid resolution about the plot but the build up to it felt ... lacking. Like it just sort of happened and then the end. I wanted more suspense out of it, maybe some type of bigger reveal. Overall I enjoyed Conradt's writing and I would be interested in her future work

After her mother's death, Emily Hauk moves from her city life in San Francisco to a rural farmhouse in Nebraska. A change that would hopefully help her grieve her loss as well as slow down from the hustle and bustle of life. After all, it was easy for her husband and herself to work from home. Here, they can plant a garden, go for long walks, and listen to the silence. As an avid runner, she could run for miles and miles without worrying about the obstacles of urban life.
The idyllic lifestyle Emily wishes to create for herself isn't quite as easy to create as she had hoped. Emily soon realizes that the farm isn't exactly as it seems; the barn appears to move independently, its distance from the house increasing and decreasing daily. Strange lights appear in the barn in the middle of the night when no one should be on the premises, and on top of it all, Emily starts hearing voices and, more disturbingly, finding human teeth on the property. Still, unfortunately, her husband doesn't take her seriously, and neither does the local sheriff. Eventually, Emily becomes aware of the farm's violent history, which explains the unsettling experiences she undergoes.
The Farm House is a ghost story, a psychological thriller, and a crime story rolled into one. It is a perfect addition to your summer reading list!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eh. I was underwhelmed. The first half of the book was incredibly slow and repetitive. I’m not sure how many times I needed to hear about the exact same feelings about her mother’s death she had on repeat. If they contained layers and nuance it would have helped but it just felt repetitive. The actual climax was underwhelming and didn’t contain any sort of payoff I felt justified the slow build. A lot of weird pieces felt like they built up and just died too (like the help from the librarian who just… stops being in the story randomly?). I also felt a bit cheated by the hints that the farm was dangerous/deadly to all women, I expected some interesting look at feminine existence in male spaces, but no it was just one mother/daughter with an “oh yeah and others” hinted at at the end.

Not for me.

I went into this with high hopes, and while it was very atmospheric and had some great, suspenseful moments towards the end, I found myself mildly disappointed with how this one turned out. The buildup was very slow. We got lots of our main character, Emily, running and noticing that the barn sometimes seems to be closer or farther away, or that weird things are happening there at night that her husband has never seen.

That takes up like a huge portion of the book, which, quite honestly, had me a bit bored waiting for something else to happen. I did find the disappearance of the girls interesting, and the ending did pick up and move the story along with some great twists and turns. It just took what seemed like a really long time to get to that point.

I think some of my issue with this is that I went in expecting something different, so since I did enjoy the atmosphere and the writing style, I will definitely give this author another chance in the future.

I was so looking forward to this book and truly wanted to love it. While I did find it to be suitably atmospheric and suspenseful, the pacing was very slow. I really struggled to get through this one, I’m sorry to say. I wish I had better feedback.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a fast-paced (albeit a bit forgettable) summer thriller, complete with a farmhouse and excess caffeine consumption. This was a good debut, there just didn't seem to be anything that really STOOD OUT as incredible or groundbreaking. Which is absolutely fine! This was a solid book!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press via Netgalley for the ARC.

Coffee, Blood, Teeth, and MORE COFFEE!

The Farmhouse by Chelsea Conradt is a debut like no other. It is full of mystery, intrigue, and suspense. Emily, our heroine, has picked up all of her belongings and moved to the middle of nowhere, Nebraska, with her husband to start over. Their setting is intended to support the locals on the farm, while they can enjoy a quieter life. However, the barn on the property is not quiet.

The mysteries within this story are intense. Readers aren't going to know what is going on. They won't know who to trust, and that is such a thrilling element to this story. However, Condradt doesn't pull any punches. She convinced me to believe in so many scenarios within the pages of this novel. Readers are going to devour this story, and as the twists come to light, the end is an explosive climax that I couldn't put down. Don't miss out on this story!

PS - I am somewhat concerned with Chelsea Conradt's coffee consumption if it is anything similar to that of Emily's.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a little slow in the beginning and I do wish it had a bigger “aha” twist than it did but I still really liked it. I did NOT like Josh and his whole “I don’t believe you” the ENTIRE book. the trope of the disbelieving spouse is one I do not like.

it was a great thriller and a creepy farmhouse is always a fun one to read!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press via Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Emily and Josh buy a farmhouse in Nebraska for a fresh start out of California. Three years before the family that lived there previously their teenage daughter goes missing and soon after her mother mysteriously dies. Emily digs into the farms past and starts to find her sanctuary slipping away as the family’s dark secrets start coming to light.

I really liked this book a-lot. It had an eerie creepiness to it that kept me engaged. Some portions were slow burning, but it wasn’t too much of a slow burn to not keep me wanting to read on and get bored. Emily was a great character I really resonated with her grief and how she felt. The ending had closure which some books like these just sort of end. Overall this is a really good book if you are into paranormal thrillers.

I had high hopes for this one. The storyline seemed intriguing, and it started out decently solid, but by chapter 4 I found myself checking how many chapters/how much I had left, which usually isn’t a good sign for me. The chapters felt repetitive, and it was quite slow paced, with the classic husband thinks wife is crazy trope. It just wasn’t clicking. I think if it was trimmed down and re-edited I might have liked it. If you’re someone who enjoys a slower thriller, this could possibly be for you! Based off reviews, there are people who have enjoyed it.

After the death of her mother, Emily and her husband Josh uproot their life and move from California to an isolated farmhouse in Nebraska. This is the fresh start that Emily has needed after grieving her loss, and she can't wait to throw herself all in to farm life. But soon Emily feels like there is something.. off about the property. The rundown barn especially. Hearing screams, seeing teeth on her porch and her mother's favorite songs coming from the barn, Emily starts to ask questions about the history of her new house. The previous owner's daughter went missing and then the girl's mother wrecked with grief died in a tragic accident. Failing to get her husband to believe her, Emily sets off to figure out just what secrets the farmhouse holds.

This is definitely one of those creeping sense of dread throughout types of stories! Definitely a slow burn, The Farmhouse is loaded with uneasiness and sinister vibes that will keep you at a low level of anxiety throughout. Not only is this book creepy and atmospheric but it also explores how women can easily be seen as hysterical and be made to believe that it's all in their heads. Josh can eff right off at some points and definitely had me giving him the side eye. I really liked the complicated relationship with Emily and her mother that we see the aftermath of. I too lost my mom so at times this was a bit emotional for me to read. Overall definitely a great and compelling psychological thriller and I can't wait to see what Chelsea Conradt does next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Chelsea Conradt, and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC! Publication date is June 17th 2025.

If you love your summer horror with a side of creeping dread and rural isolation, The Farm House is worth the read. Set in a remote Midwestern farmhouse, the story builds a slow, eerie tension that had me questioning what was real right up until the end.

The atmosphere is the real star here: quiet fields, a crumbling house, and the kind of silence that makes your skin crawl. The paranormal elements were just enough to keep me on edge without going over the top, and the golden girl chickens? Iconic.

My only gripe is the ending; it wrapped up too quickly for me. I wanted more time in the aftermath, more explanation, more fallout. Still, this one is perfect for readers who like their horror unsettling and a little strange, with a haunting setting that lingers after the last page.

This one’s a slow-burn thriller that pulls you in with its moody setting and emotional depth. The farmhouse itself feels like a character—quiet, looming, full of secrets. What I really enjoyed was how the story wasn’t just about what happened in the past… it was about how the past never really left.

If you love a gothic atmosphere, family trauma, and that creeping sense that something is watching from the shadows—you’ll be hooked. I flew through the pages, needing answers but also wanting to savor the haunting vibe.

Huge thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC! This one is perfect for a stormy night and a strong cup of coffee.

3.5 stars. When Emily and her husband move to a farmhouse in Nebraska, she expects a quiet, slow-paced life. Instead, she discovers a creepy barn, a missing girl, and a mysterious death. While the story moved a bit slowly at times, I really enjoyed the mystery and the spooky atmosphere. I wasn’t sure all of my questions were fully answered by the end, and the conclusion didn’t entirely satisfy me, but overall, it was a good read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader’s copy.

Thank you @poisonedpenpress for the free digital arc!

Emily and her husband Josh move from California to an isolated farmhouse in Nebraska after the death of her mother. At first the barn on their property just seems creepy, until she realizes something is very wrong…

I loved the premise of this book. The serene and picturesque setting slowly morphing into a nightmare. There were some repetitive scenes and I felt it dragged at some points, but the disturbing history of the house, creepy occurrences, and building unease kept my attention. The ending didn’t hold any surprises and felt a bit rushed.

Rating 3.5⭐️

The Farmhouse by Chelsea Contradt is a  psychological thriller about a couple who buy a farmhouse, and the woman starts seeing the ghost of a woman who died there.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
When Emily Hauk's mother dies, Emily and her husband Josh move to rural Nebraska for a fresh start.  Emily is still grieving.

The farmhouse and area is great.  However, Emily is having problems with the barn, which is still being used for storage by the farmer who is looking after the land.  She sees a light going on in the middle of the night.  Then she starts hearing the music her mom used to love, and then she hears screaming.  Josh sleeps through everything, but the farmer claims the screaming was just foxes.  She's not buying it.  When she sees a bloody hand in the bed of one of the farmhand's trucks, no one believes her.

She starts running to clear her head, and that barn seems to be moving.  A nightly visitor seems to be intent on showing her something.  Josh believes nothing she says, chalking it up to sleep deprivation, grief, and the fact she's not taking her pills.  Emily "almost" believes him.

 

My Opinions:
For a debut novel, this was quite good, if a little slow.

This book looked at grief, love, and marriage.  This was all seen through the eyes of a woman who is experiencing strange events that no one believes.

Character-wise, I loved Emily, and could have kicked Josh on a number of occasions.  I like how their relationship changed during the course of events.  I liked Courtney, who seemed to disappear from the pages after she got the flu.

Overall, it was a rather eerie, atmospheric ghost story.

The ending made me upgrade this to three stars, but up until 85% of the way in, this would be a two star read for me. It was sooooo slow and the bulk is just this girls cyclical internal thoughts.

Emily and her husband relocate in this psychological thriller after her mom's death. I gave the book the full 5 stars because I could not put it down! You will not regret reading this one!

After her mother’s death, Emily and her husband, Josh, leave San Francisco behind for a fresh start on a remote Nebraska farm. At first, it seems perfect: wide-open skies, peace, and distance from their grief. But something seems off.

Three years ago, a teenage girl vanished from the farm. Her mother died under strange circumstances not long after. Locals whisper about others before them—women tied to the farmhouse who all met violent or unexplained ends.

Now, Emily hears her mother’s favorite song echoing from the fields. As Emily trains for a marathon, meticulously logging times and steps, the barn appears to shift locations. Additionally, she sees blood in a farmhand’s truck and wakes to screams Josh insists are just animals. But something is watching. Something waiting.

As the line between grief and madness blurs, Emily must uncover the truth buried in the soil—before the farm claims her like all the women before. She is a woman who suffers from insomnia and a coffee addiction — no doubt connected to some degree. Her husband leaves for business trips and also encourages her to use anti-depressants. Could she simply be falling victim to the combination of everything?

The concept of this book had potential, but it could have used additional editing. It was a slow burn and really didn’t pick up until about 75% in. I looked to establish a pattern between the steps and pace to the barn, for example. It didn’t suggest anything out of the ordinary. While the men in the book were horrible and seemed to play a prominent role, the use of the few other female characters seemed underdeveloped. The waitress at the diner, the reference librarian, and even Emily’s friend in SF did not hold much weight. Nevertheless, the last 25% of the book improved.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press, NetGalley, and Chelsea Conradt for the Advanced Readers Copy. All opinions are my own.

This was definitely a creepy read as you got to know about the darkness of the house and its previous inhabitants.