The Farmhouse by Chelsea Conradt has such an intriguing premise; the story follows a woman named Emily whose mother dies right before Emily moves to a farmhouse in Nebraska with her husband Josh. The move offers a fresh start for both Emily and Josh but they have unknowingly moved into a farmhouse that has a haunting history; every woman who has lived on the farm in the past died. Emily starts to dig into the farmhouse's past shortly after her and Josh move in and learns more about its history and the women who died there.

I typically love thriller books, especially those with a creepy setting like this one, but for some reason I could not really get into this book. The beginning was slow and I found myself feeling confused at times as to exactly what was happening in the book based on the main character's narration. I really thought I was going to love this book and was excited to read it but it did not live up to my expectations and was a let down for me. I did not connect to the main character (Emily) and found myself not really caring about what was going to happen in the story. I wish this book worked for me but unfortunately it didn't. It also felt too long and I think a lot of pages could have been cut from the end of the book because it made the story drag on for longer than it needed to.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Emily and Josh move to their dream farm in Nebraska to enjoy a fresh start in life. Things take a quick turn when Emily begins to see strange things happening at the barn. She soon finds out the daughter of the prior family disappeared from the farm three years prior to them moving in. She also learns that the mother died under mysterious circumstances. Josh doesn't seem bothered, until Emily finds physical proof. Emily is determined to solve what happened to both the girl and her mother.

I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The Farmhouse is a creepy haunted house tale. Books about haunted houses is something I’d love to read. So I started to read this blind. Emily and Josh Hawke moved from California to a farmhouse in Nebraska in order to get a fresh start. Even though they thought this will be a good idea, soon after moving in strange things start happening.

From the light coming on in the barn to the barn itself moving from one location to another was super creepy. Look at the jogging minutes of ever you gonna read the book. Sometimes you’ll feel like literally everything around you also is moving around.

I am obsessed with spooky houses. This one was SUPER SPOOKY. I stayed up all night to binge this. I can’t wait to get a physical copy for my library!!!

While I loved the premise of the book,
I feel like it got very repetitive and was waaaay too long.
It could have easily been cut back a hundred pages and would have still remained a cohesive story.

I do really enjoy the cover and the vibe of it, and like I said the synopsis sounded promising!
This just fell flat for me.

Wholly gripping, chilling, and compulsively addictive, The Farmhouse will have you flipping off your clock, brewing another pot, and reading until the wee hours of the morning. We follow the harrowing tale of a woman who, already mourning her larger-than-life late mother, must confront her new home’s dark past before it claims her, despite everyone–including her husband!–hellbent on proving her wrong.

Conradt masterfully crafts a fast-paced, eerie thriller juxtaposed with the simplistic tranquility of farm life where mother-daughter bonds transcend even death, homing in on the importance of trusting your intuition when it seems like the whole world is against you, and ultimately delivering a fantastically feminist, fantastically empowering ending that will lead to an air fist bump to the clever author, some sob-scream-cheering, immediately followed by a speed-dial to your mom.

I couldn’t get into this one—the tone felt off from the start. The “hysterical wife” trope is tired, and here it plays out in frustrating ways: the main character’s fears and instincts are constantly dismissed by her husband, which made the dynamic feel dated and tone-deaf. The tension never really landed for me, and instead of creeping dread, it often just felt overwrought. I kept waiting for a twist or depth that didn’t come.

After Emily's mom died, she and her husband decided to start a new chapter in life by moving to rural nebraska and living on a farm. At first Emily seems to enjoy the new farm-lifestyle but soon she feels like some things are off. For example whenever she tracks how many steps it takes her to get to the barn, the steps vary wildly and the barn seems to move. After Emily found out that several young woman apparently went missing on the farm she starts investigating and soon enough she's the one in danger but no one seems to believe her, not even her own husband...

It took me a while to get through this one but it was worth it in the end. I liked Emily as a character very much and I got so frustrated when no one seemed to believe her. The book build a certain eery surrounding and it made me shiver from time to time. It wasn't a brutally chilling horror novel but it certainly managed to catch me.

I was very excited for this ARC but unfortunately for me it fell flat. I stopped reading it around the 35% mark. I just could not get into and follow the pacing. This is not to say it was bad, it just wasn't for me.

📖 The Farmhouse - Chelsea Conradt ⭐️⭐️

The premise of this book had me hooked. A young couple moves to the middle of nowhere Nebraska for a fresh start. Soon things start seeming off for the wife, hearing music in the night, seeing ghosts, and unable to sleep because of it all. She begins to learn more about the history of the house and the family who lived there before.

Doesn’t that give you good horror vibes?? I was hoping for it but unfortunately was let down.

For a book with so much potential a lot of the writing fell flat for me. The inner monologue of the main character was a bit chaotic and I had a hard time following what exactly was going on at times.

While this book may not have been for me, it may be for you! If you’re looking for a thriller that’s not terribly scary this might work for you.

Thank you to @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the copy of the ebook in exchange for my own opinions.

I love a good creepy thriller and this one was just that. The ominous feel and the story. I enjoyed reading it. Chelsea Conradt did an amazing job keeping me intrigued throughout the story

I went into The Farmhouse expecting a creepy, atmospheric read, and in that sense, it definitely delivered. The setting was rich with eerie vibes—the isolated farmhouse and that slow-building sense that something just isn’t right. I love stories that make me feel unsettled, and this one had some genuinely chilling moments!

The main character’s voice was engaging, and I could relate to her mix of curiosity and fear as she uncovered the truth about the house and its history. There were a few suspenseful twists that caught me off guard. That said, the pacing felt uneven at times. Some sections moved too slowly for me, so I found myself wishing the plot would speed up a bit. I also wanted a bit more depth from the supporting characters.

Still, The Farmhouse had enough intrigue to keep me reading, and I think readers who enjoy a more atmospheric, slow-burn novel will find it worthwhile. For me, it was good—but it didn’t quite stick the landing. Thank you, NetGalley!

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Farmhouse releases June 17, 2025

3.75

Six months after the death of her mother, Emily and her husband embark on a new chapter in their lives, moving from the bustling city of San Francisco, to a farmhouse in rural Nebraska.

As Emily familiarizes herself with her surroundings and settles into a new routine, she becomes determined to learn more about the troubled history of those that lived on the property before her.

With a stellar setting and expert navigation of an unreliable narrator, Conradt captures the unshakeable nature of grief and the myriad of ways in which grief presents itself.

While the pacing could’ve been better at times, overall, this was a solid debut.
I loved the ending and how it solidified the importance of listening to and believing women.

My review: https://www.mwgerard.com/accent-the-farmhouse/

After Emily’s mother dies, she and her husband decide it is time to finally leave the city and make a true life change. They both have good jobs that allow them to work remotely and the pressures of life have really taken a toll recently. It’s time for something completely different-a farmhouse in rural Nebraska.

Neither of them have any farming knowledge, but they won’t need it. It’s only the house and immediate yard that are for sale. The barns and the farm ground will still be managed by the original family, and they are promised they will hardly see them except for an occasional tractor going by.

Emily starts running again, allowing the clear blue midwestern sky and endless horizon envelop her. She starts to learn the dusty roads, rural scenes, and countryside sounds. But then little things stop making sense. She begins using her run tracker to check the distance from the house to the barn, and every time it changes-significantly. At night, she hears music coming from the barn hayloft but when she investigates no one is there. Then she hears the farmers talking about a young woman who disappeared. Voices whisper in her ear, warning her to hide. Whether it’s real or imagined, she sees her chance for a peaceful life slipping away.

The barn was outside my window. not looming in the distance. The haggard wood walls, the peeling paint, they were pressed against the glass pane above my kitchen sink. There was no sky. There was no garden. No sunlight. Only the decrepit edifice. Silence squeezed my skull. ~Loc. 2769

This is a much better than average thriller, with strong storytelling that holds together from beginning to end. The mystery is solid, her unraveling of it is realistic, and if one chooses to believe in spirits, their assistance is unwavering. It’s a creepy and compelling novel that I highly recommend.

My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press (Sourcebooks) for the early review copy. Read via NetGalley.

Publisher: ‎Poisoned Pen Press (June 17, 2025)
Language: ‎English
Paperback: ‎432 pages
ISBN-10: ‎1464229163

I was excited for this one. Unfortunately, it just didn't work for me. I couldn't get into it like I hoped. I'm very appreciative for the opportunity to read this ARC.
I will not post a public review, because I don't feel that is fair since it was a DNF for me.

Thank you NetGalley and The Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!
I would have loved this book if it kept on the same pace it began. I'm not sure how I keep getting sucked into books about grieving daughters, but it hits so many chords. I guess I'm a sucker for grief stricken characters.
The Farmhouse started out strong. I felt it had begun to strengthen a solid foundation. But somehow it fell off and didn't pick back up until 3/4 of the way finished. By then, I had it all figured out and was left feeling unfinished at the end of the book.
Three stars because I loved:
-the setting
-the characters (mostly)
-the initial height of conflict of the MC's relationship
I didn't love the obsession for coffee and constant discussion of sleep patterns. I felt it took away from great potential, and seemed to be page fillers for a majority of several chapters. There's also a great deal of upset stomach, indigestion, and vomit.

The synopsis had me wanting to read it immediately.
However, i had to put this read down. I did not enjoy the writing style. i had to reread sentences multiple times before they made sense to me and by 30% i decided to DNF. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review The Farmhouse by Chelsea Conradt.

I enjoyed reading The Farmhouse. I thought it was well written and the pace kept me engaged. I was hooked from the beginning and wanted to know what secrets would be found on the farm.

The Farmhouse started extremely strong. The atmosphere was very eerie, the setting of the plot was incredibly interesting and Conradt’s writing really pulled me in. It was simple, yes, but it suited the tone of the story perfectly. Early on, everything felt like it was building toward something big. Unfortunately, that buildup never really paid off.

By the 30% mark, I was already losing interest. Not much had happened aside from the main character, Emily, sensing something was very off with her new property. I kept pushing through hoping things would pick up. While something finally did happen around the 80% mark, it wasn’t interesting enough to justify such a slow and repetitive lead-up.

The characters didn’t help much either. Emily was constantly relying on coffee and her internal conflict about her husband got old fast. Josh started out fine but quickly became frustrating, especially with how dismissive he was of Emily’s very valid concerns. Even with proof he kept brushing everything as part of her grief. The townspeople were very misogynistic and unwelcoming, particularly toward Emily. It felt like no one wanted to hear her which, in hindsight, was very much apart of the plot.

I didn’t end up DNFing this one because of the writing. The author clearly has a talent for setting a perfect eerie scene and creating tension and, even though The Farmhouse wasn’t for me, i’m curious to know about other projects she ends up writing in the future.

"Every woman who has lived on this farm has died. Emily just moved in.

When Emily Hauk's mother dies, it's time for her and her husband, Josh, to finally leave San Francisco. A farm in rural Nebraska is everything they want for a fresh start: clear skies, low costs, and distance from the grief back home.

They should have asked why the farm was for sale.

Three years ago, a teenage girl went missing from the farm. Soon after, the girl's mother mysteriously died. The deeper Emily digs, the more stories she finds of women with a connection to her new home who've met their own dark ends.

The farmhouse was meant to be Emily's fresh start, but with each passing day, her sanctuary slips further away. The barn seems to move throughout her property, as though chasing her. Her mother's favorite music drifts across the corn. She swears she saw blood in one of the farmhand's trucks. And the screams that wake her are not foxes, no matter how many times her husband says otherwise.

Despite Josh's skepticism, Emily feels the darkness that has seeped into the soil of her farm. And if she wants to claim this place as her own, she'll have to find the truth before whatever watches from the cornfield takes her too."

Oh, a barn on the move, like on Haven!