Big, old buildings are always the best places to set a scary story, so when I heard about Juliet Blackwell‘s new mystery, Asylum Hotel, I was intrigued. Aubrey Spencer likes to photograph abandoned buildings, and that leads her to the little-known Seabrink Hotel, closed for over 50 years and mired in murmurings of past murders and a curse. She meets another trespasser at the hotel, Dimitri. They enjoy a night together… then she wakes up to find that he’s fallen from a cliff to his death. Is it the curse? Was he murdered? And is she in danger, too?

What I Liked:
- The abandoned building vibes. So much of this book is centered on an old hotel that’s been taken over by nature. The descriptions are evocative and set the stage for an engrossing tale. It made me also want to go photograph creepy, abandoned buildings.
- Ghosts! A curse! Like Nikki, I’m a big fan of horror movies, and I especially love anything with a ghostly bent. This book offered plenty of that, but as far as the characters know, it’s all just local legend. But Dimitri’s death does seem like he’s only the latest victim of that curse…
- The history behind the hotel, the poor farm, and the Quiet Girl. My favorite aspect by far was learning about the complicated past of the Seabrink Hotel and the people who lived there. Learning about the Quiet Girl was rather heartbreaking, but I also enjoyed how she continued to play a role in the book.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Slow beginning. On the one hand, I liked how the book jumped straight into detailed descriptions of the abandoned hotel, frozen in time and reclaimed by nature. But on the other hand, the whole first chapter was like that, and it was hard to get invested in the story from that starting point. Introducing other characters was rather awkwardly done in those first few chapters, too.
- Detective Jenkins. He just jumps to conclusions immediately and doesn’t care about doing his job. He’s so incompetent! Fire him!
- Humor throughout the book. Maybe what I wanted from Asylum Hotel just wasn’t aligned with what the author intended, but for me, the characters’ frequent jokes and light humor took me out of the story. Scary and supernatural things are happening; why are they cracking jokes? I wanted the story to be spooky, not funny.

Final Thoughts
There’s a lot I enjoyed about Asylum Hotel, from the hotel’s sordid history to the hauntings that persist to this day. But the book was also uneven in many ways, and I found myself wanting it to unfold a bit differently. This is my first time reading Juliet Blackwell, and though I had mixed feelings on this one, I am curious to read some of her other books.

Aubrey Spencer delights in abandoned properties so the “keep out” and “no trespassing” signs at the decrepit The Hotel Seabrink don’t phase her. Her biggest surprise is meeting another explorer, Dimitri Petroff, also interested in the hotel which had hosted the rich and famous during the 1920s and is now a target for development. The hotel is said to be haunted and that anyone who sees a ghost in the attic window is cursed to die in 24 hours.

Aubrey and Dimitri have a genuine connection so Aubrey is shocked to learn that the next morning Dimitri is found dead at the bottom of a nearby cliff. The local police are quick to write it off as death by suicide but Aubrey is not so sure. Could Dimitri have been killed for something he knew about The Hotel Seabrink—or its curse in action?

With her best friend Nikki by her side and a quirky cast of local characters, Aubrey sets out to find the truth about what happened to Dimitri—and to the women who were said to die at the hotel—if only she can keep herself from falling victim.

The book takes place in a remote area of Northern California where weather and isolation can create additional hazards. I found it very atmospheric and the perfect setting for the story! Aubrey and Nikki have good chemistry and fun rapport which is something often missing in this genre. The history of the hotel was fascinating and I would have liked to know more.

Pick this up if you like gothic ghost stories with a slice of true crime sensibility!

Aubrey Spencer has an unusual hobby. She loves to go to abandoned buildings and take photos. As an architect, she knows how to tell if an area is safe or not, but mostly she is fascinated by the history of the place and wants to take photos that evoke its soul. She found the Hotel Seabrink by accident. It’s not on the internet. Only the locals know about it, so Aubrey didn’t expect to run into anyone there. But she did.

Dimitri Petroff is known for his YouTube channel Abandoned Guy, where he shows off abandoned buildings. He too is walking around the Hotel Seabrink, taking photos and making notes. He has a deal with Netflix to create a show based on his content, and he wants to feature the hotel before the renovation starts. They walk around together for a while, until the smell of smoke makes them wonder if the building is on fire. They leave to call the fire department, and end up spending the night together.

The next morning, Aubrey wakes up alone. But it’s when she learns what happened to Dimitri that she becomes concerned. Apparently, in the early hours, he had left her hotel room and ended up at the bottom of a cliff. The local authorities are quick to say it was self-inflicted, but Aubrey isn’t convinced. He had seen someone in the window at the Seabrink. and the local lore is that seeing the woman in the window meant that the person will be dead within 24 hours.

But Aubrey doesn’t believe in ghosts, and she learns that there are others in town who might be suspects. Another content producer, a man competitive with Dimitri, has also been seen in town as has her ex, who she has an order of protection against. But there are also many stories about the Hotel Seabrink, about other deaths there, and ghosts causing trouble.

Aubrey learns that the smoke they had smelled turned out to be a false alarm, and that it happened more often than she expected that the fire department was called out there to find nothing. The hotel had been bought by the wealthy salt miner T. Jefferson Goffin because the natural mineral water that is pumped throughout the hotel was said to have healing properties, and he was hoping it would heal his son. It didn’t, but early Hollywood stars came to take in the healing waters. But while it had once been the jewel of the coast, before that and since, the Hotel Seabrink had a lot of secrets. And Aubrey will need to find those secrets in order to figure out what happened to Dimitri, and to make sure she can get out alive.

Hotel Asylum is a fun thriller with secrets, history, and ghosts. There are a lot of those creepy moments I want from a good ghost story, and there are enough layers to the secrets that made it hard to figure out until the end. I loved these characters, and I couldn’t wait for them to put all the pieces together and find out what had happened at the Seabrink to leave it in its current condition. I thought the writing was beautiful, smooth and engrossing. This book reminded me of my all-time favorite ghost story, the Stephen King limited television series Rose Red, so I was all in from the beginning. I loved this ride, and couldn’t wait to race to the end.

Egalleys for Asylum Hotel were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.

I enjoyed this book!!! Just the right amount of spookiness for me- just scary enough!!!
Aubrey meets Dimitri at an abandoned hotel that may or may not have a curse on it. He dies the next day under mysterious circumstances. Aubrey is on a mission to figure out what REALLY happened to Dimitri. That was an engaging read. Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Berkley Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.

Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell
Length: 384 pages
Source: NetGalley eARC, Berkley Publishing Group
Publication date: July 29, 2025

3 ⭐

Summary
Aubrey Spencer is an architect who likes to shoot photos of abandoned buildings and properties in her spare time. She’s intrigued with the Hotel Seabrink, a long-shuttered property in Northern California. It was once the hangout of A-list celebrities and social darlings, and now it sits in ruins, strangely undisturbed other than by graffiti and time. Although there are a number of mysterious deaths—as well as ghosts, urban legends, and possible curses—associated with the hotel, there’s very little information about the place online, and posts, blogs, etc. about it are frequently and quickly scrubbed from sites. The property is now scheduled for a major renovation, and while Aubrey is there is take pictures before the work starts, she runs into YouTube celebrity Dimitri Petroff who seems to be there similarly to gather information about the property before construction begins.

A day later, Dimitri is found dead at the bottom of Dead Man’s Cliff, his death ruled a suicide by police who don’t seem to care much about investigating. Aubrey, who spent the afternoon and evening before getting to know Dimitri, is bothered by their lack of interest, and there are townspeople telling her murder might not be out of the question regarding his fall from the cliff. Soon, she’s looking into the property, the mysterious deaths, the urban legends, Dimitri’s life, and more, despite someone doing their best to scare her away.

My thoughts
I requested this one because I’m a big fan of Blackwell’s Witchcraft Mystery series, but I wasn’t sure what to expect with Asylum Hotel because the genres are so different (cozy, witchy mysteries vs adult mystery/thriller). The book starts off strong (so strong!) with the vivid, evocative descriptions of the property as Aubrey is exploring on her own. It’s incredibly atmospheric, and I felt like I was creeping around Hotel Seabrink with her: seeing the decay, smelling the rot, and imagining the ghostly sounds of people who hadn’t been there in decades. The book really hit the ground running for me.

Unfortunately, it didn’t maintain that pace. The middle of the book felt very slow; I kept checking the progress on my Kindle only to find I’d gone a percentage or two when it felt like 10%. Once that happens, it’s hard to keep my interest, even when I feel invested in the outcome of the book (and here I really did want to know what was going on with the hotel, the mysterious deaths on-site, the timelines of past and present, etc.). The detail I appreciated at the beginning of the book to set the scene started to feel sluggish, weighed down by side characters and secondary plots that kind of left me thinking, “OK, but how is this advancing the story?” One thing I absolutely enjoyed, though: Aubrey's friend, Nikki. They were great together, and she in particular felt very relatable: snarky and sarcastic but still supportive and present for Aubrey during the investigation.

Bottom line
If you like Juliet Blackwell, I think you’ll enjoy this one. Just be prepared that the pacing of the book might not feel consistent. The immersive descriptions of the hotel property, though, are top-notch.

Content warnings
Please be aware that there is a lot of talk about suicide.
— A

Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Juliet Blackwell for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Instagram, BlueSky, BookBub, and Goodreads.

Aubrey Spencer is attracted to the abandoned—hotels, houses, anything old. While trespassing at the Seabrink Hotel, she meets Dimitri Petroff. After a brief but strong emotional connection, Dimitri winds up dead, and Aubrey is left with nothing but doubt and questions.

While I was interested in the history of the hotel, the rest of the story fell flat to me. I was expecting horror and edge-of-my-seat suspense; however, this read more like a paranormal cozy mystery. The dynamic between Aubrey and Nikki seemed more like an amateur sleuth and sidekick relationship than anything else.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!


I post reviews on Goodreads, Fable, and Barnes & Noble.

This was an interesting read. I love an abandoned setting and especially one that used to be the go to spot for the rich, famous, and glamorous. I really enjoyed that Aubrey is a photographer and it made sense that she and Dimitri bonded over their love of old architecture.
To me, this didn't read like a thriller. The pacing is a bit slower and while there is a death/possible murder that happens early on as well as an unsettling encounter nothing really started happening until a bit later.
Blackwell does a fantastic job at setting the scene and at description. I had a sense of the old hotel from the very beginning and while there is no way I would go exploring in there I would enjoy seeing Aubrey's pictures of Dimitri's videos. The characters didn't quite shine as much as the setting and I never felt I had quite as much of a sense of who Aubrey was as I wanted.
This was an entertaining read though not the creepy thriller I was expecting it to be. I really enjoy this author's historical fiction and mysteries and this was a bit of both. I'm looking forward to reading more from her.

I loved that this book was so fast-paced.
Juliet Blackwell gave us quite a creepy setup. The atmosphere created here was so spooky.
An old abandoned hotel turned asylum awaits!
This book gave us all the things we would see in a classic mystery.
You will love this book if you enjoy:
-mysterious deaths
-ghosts
-curses
-missing treasure
-heirs
-the threat of bulldozing the hotel
Aubrey goes to photograph the eerie building and runs into Dimitri.
The next day, Dimitri is dead, and Aubrey can't help but think there is something dark and sinister amiss.
One thing that bothered me was all of the things happening around the actual plot. It felt like it detracted from the plot and distracted the reader from being able to focus. Not to mention, most of the side stories and leads didn't add anything significant to the plot.
The plot was not very well structured, which did make it feel a little disorganized, but it is paced well.
The characters were decently developed, but I did have a little trouble staying engaged with them in some areas of the book.
The conclusion was a little off to me - I just didn't feel like that was the conclusion for this book.
I did LOVE the descriptions of the hotel/asylum; it was done so well that I felt I was right there with the characters.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

A creepy abandoned hotel with a sinister past draws architect Aubrey Spencer and YouTuber Dimitri Petroff within its walls with deadly results.

I was drawn to this book because I’m fascinated with abandoned places, especially if there’s an associated ghost story. The author did a fantastic job creating the perfect spooky atmosphere around the Sebrink Hotel at the beginning. I just wanted more of that creep factor throughout the whole book.

While the mystery started off strong and was rather intriguing, the pacing was a bit slow, and the many subplots were distracting. I enjoyed the resolution of the historical mystery, but the present-day murder mystery didn’t make sense to me. The motivation of the culprit and others was lacking.

I think ASYLUM HOTEL falls more into the cozy mystery column rather than horror thriller. I enjoyed the fun banter between characters, but overall I was hoping for a darker, scarier tale.

Thank you to the publisher and Netagalley for a copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

Oh this book was so interesting, I am all for a mystery/supernatural read, Aubrey meeting Dimitri and him DYING after just a few hours together??? and can this death be linked to some town curse/haunted hotel-ish, SIGN ME UP!!!! But I felt like this book could've had a better twist, it felt short for me there was so MANY ways this book could've gone, there were so many great backstories that the ending could've been a little better. But I would say this, Aubrey's best friend Nikki, is hilarious, she made the creepy moments in this book, less lol.

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Nestled between Mendocino and Sonoma, the Hotel Seabrink was a little slice of Northern California heaven. At least, it was supposed to be.

Designed to be a getaway for Hollywood’s hottest starlets, the Seabrink should have been as luxurious as it was beautiful.

As Aubrey learns more of the hotel’s story, however, she begins to understand why it now stands abandoned and rather sinister. Strange things start to happen; lives are lost.

Aubrey works to unearth decades old secrets, before it’s too late. I liked this one (it was about as spooky as I like to get) and really enjoyed the role the beautiful coastal setting played in the story.

One thing I thought was so cool about this story was that the hotel where Aubrey stays where researching the Seabrink had record players in every room, and you could borrow records from the lobby to listen to in your room. How cool is that??

Do you enjoy visiting historical sites that are said to be haunted?

Wow! This book is marvelous. I am already a Juliet Blackwell fan but this book cemented her as a must-read author. From the very beginning I was pulled into the story and unable to put the book down. I love the setting of the abandoned building, Hotel Seabrink, and learning all the history that went along with that building. There is more history to this building than meets the eye. I was intrigued to see what else Aubrey would learn.

There is a lot happening in this book. Characters are murdered, ghosts are seen and heard, friendships are built. I enjoyed it all and will recommend this book to any of my thriller reading friends.

This might be a summer release, but it has all the vibes I look for in a fall read with a creepy (haunted?) old house, lots of local lore, great atmosphere, and a solid plot with intriguing characters.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley & the author for the arc!

A small California coastal town, an abandoned hotel/former asylum, a dark & creepy lore (or maybe curse?), a mysterious death and the search for truth! PLUS, add in a great cover and you have all the makings of a bingeable & eerily atmospheric gothic thriller!

I was really engaged with this one from the start to find out all the things! The first half really bursts out of the gate with a bang before settling into more of a slow burn page turner. There were plenty of twists to keep me guessing all the way through!

It’s a lightly spooky, mildly suspenseful haunted hotel thrill ride that was perfect for a mid-summer read!

Absolutely fantastic. The vivid imagery the author paints through this book makes you feel like you’re watching a movie. This is a paranormal/gothic mystery. This book had me in a chokehold. I could not stop reading it! If you like haunted hotels, murder, mystery, and close knit small town, run and grab this one!

A curse, a remote coastal location, and a spooky abandoned hotel? Count me in.

I knew from the synopsis that I would love Juliet Blackwell's Asylum Hotel, and I was riveted from the start. There's so much to love about it, from the location to the characters to the overall plot. It's spooky without being unrealistically spooky, and I could actually see myself standing on the stone stairway looking into the glass ball, giving everything a different perspective, or the smell of the mineral baths in the creepy basement. There's also an everyone-is-keeping-secrets vibe, and I could never quite tell who was trustworthy, which is another aspect I loved. Actually, what didn't I love? Nothing. It's just the book I needed to keep my #summerween "spirit" going.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars

I didn’t hate this book, but it definitely dragged in places. The premise and atmosphere were right up my alley creepy, abandoned places and rich, eerie descriptions that gave me exactly what I wanted in terms of setting. Juliet Blackwell did a fantastic job painting vivid imagery of the hotel and its hauntingly beautiful decay, which is exactly my type of read.

However, despite the strong start, I felt like I lost momentum as the story went on. The pacing slowed considerably in the middle, making it harder to stay engaged. I wanted more tension and urgency to keep me hooked. While I appreciated the detailed setting and loved the abandoned, haunted vibe, the narrative didn’t quite deliver the punch I was hoping for.

That being said, I still think this is a solid read for anyone who enjoys atmospheric thrillers with vivid, unsettling locations. It has the bones of what I love in a story like this I just wish it had been a bit tighter and more suspense driven.

Classic chills, crumbling secrets, & supernatural suspense!

Abandoned buildings have always fascinated me and this one? Total dream scenario. An eerie old hotel with a dark past, rumoured hauntings, and a tragic history tied to its asylum origins. I was in from the very first page. Throw in a murder, a curse, and just enough ghostly intrigue to give me goosebumps and you’ve got a winning combo that had me fully locked in.

Aubrey was such a compelling character to follow and I really enjoyed the dynamic between her and Nikki. I liked how grounded the friendship felt, even in the middle of all the supernatural chaos. The mystery surrounding the Seabrink Hotel felt haunting and emotionally charged and the suspense kept me turning the pages.

Some scenes do offer a spooky vibe, but overall the atmosphere stays on the lighter side. I found myself wishing the story had gone a little deeper into the eerie elements. With the asylum background and all the ghostly whispers surrounding the hotel, I think a darker or more unsettling tone could have made things even more compelling.

And okay, I have to mention the key fob detail. This is the second book I’ve read recently that used hotel key fob logs in a crime investigation and I had no idea that was a thing. Such a smart and chillingly real touch.

The writing style really worked for me: elegant, immersive, and just spooky enough to keep me peeking around corners. I especially appreciated the subtle classic vibes woven through. And that cover? Stunning. It absolutely pulled me in and captured the exact mood of the story.

While the ending left me feeling a bit underwhelmed, I still really enjoyed the story as a whole. If you’re into ghost stories with layered mysteries, strong female leads, and a setting that’s basically a character in itself, this one is worth checking into.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC. I recommend it!

Sadly this is a DNF at 18%
A man has just been found dead and Aubrey spends most of the next chapter arguing with the (extremely unserious) deputy about how everyone’s names should be spelled and pronounced?

It took me right out of the story and I couldn’t take it seriously after that

Thanks so much to Berkley and NetGalley for the chance to read this story.

This was alright... I really adore the cover but unfortunately the book disappointed me. The set up was good but the story kind of just fell apart towards the end.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy of this book!