Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have read *checks notes* FIFTEEN Kelley Armstrong novels. This was my second foray into her supernatural writing and I want to preface this by saying I would normally steer away from supernatural themes but the synopsis had me hooked so I decided to apply for the eARC and here we are!

This story was super engaging. I was not able to guess any of the twists! I was excited for every chance I had to sit down and delve back into the Payne family. I would definitely recommend this book to other fans of Armstrong's work. I would categorize it as a supernatural thriller. I wouldn't have wanted to read it if I was alone in my house, haha!

And maybe it was just me ... but I could see the story working even without the supernatural elements? A solid 4/5 stars.

Kelley Armstrong delivers a chilling and atmospheric ghost story in The Haunting of Paynes Hollow, blending mystery, romance, and the supernatural in a satisfyingly eerie small-town setting. The story follows a woman returning to her ancestral home only to uncover buried secrets and restless spirits that refuse to be forgotten.

Armstrong excels at building suspense, and her deft pacing keeps the reader engaged as past and present intertwine. The ghostly elements are unsettling without being overdone, and the emotional undercurrent—rooted in family, memory, and identity—adds depth to the spectral thrills. Fans of gothic fiction and slow-burn suspense will find Paynes Hollow a hauntingly good read.

A perfect pick for a rainy night.

This book, without a shadow of a doubt, is the best book I've read recently. It was incredibly well-written, deeply atmospheric, and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I really had a deep admiration and appreciation for the cast of strong, smart females in this novel- who were smart and strong despite some intense trauma in their pasts. I was sad that we lost two of those females along the way (not going to ruin it by saying who!), but their demise felt fitting with their storyline. This book was sort of based the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, complete with a headless horseman (who is controlled by characters on the story). Between the horseman and the "drowned dead", this book had several genuinely creepy moments where it is possible I covered my head as I read way too late into the night. I loved that Samantha was allowed to grow and evolve as a person, and was shocked when she discovered the truth about her past- including the truth about her parents and how that truth changed so much about Samantha's life and perceptions. Overall, I cannot think of a negative thing to say about this book, and I'd love to read more books similar to this one. This is the first book I've read by Kelley Armstrong, but I hope it won't be the last! She knocked it out of the park with this one, and I cannot wait for others to read it, ESPECIALLY come this fall! 10/10, will recommend.

The Haunting of Payne’s Hollow by Kelley Armstrong is an atmospheric gothic novel that blends European folklore, psychological tension, and family dysfunction into a chilling tale.

When Sam returns to the small town of Payne’s Hollow for the reading of her grandfather’s will, she expects paperwork. In a cruel twist, the wealthy patriarch has laid out strict conditions: Sam must spend 30 consecutive days at the family’s lakeside cabin or forfeit her inheritance entirely. The money is the only way she can afford memory care for her ailing mother so Sam is stuck.

What begins as a reluctant retreat quickly turns into a psychological nightmare. The longer Sam stays, the more the eerie setting impacts her-- unexplained noises, disturbing dreams, and dead animals left at her doorstep. Is it grief? Is it trauma? Or is something or someone determined to drive her out?

Armstrong’s prose evokes the classic elements of gothic horror: an isolated setting, buried family secrets, and the slow unraveling of a fragile mind. The lake, in particular, becomes its own character. It is still, watchful, and hiding something ancient beneath the surface.

#TheHauntingOfPaynesHollow #KelleyArmstrong #StMartinsPress #GothicFiction #FolkloreAndFear #InheritanceHorror #LakeHouseThriller

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow was way better than I expected. From the very first chapter, I was hooked. The mix of ghost stories, small-town secrets, and creepy vibes made it hard to put down. I loved how the mystery slowly unfolded, with just enough clues to keep me guessing but not so much that it gave everything away too soon.
One of my favorite things was how this book worked as an origin story for the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow. I’ve always liked that legend, and seeing how the author reimagined it in such a fresh and spooky way was awesome. It made the whole story feel bigger and more meaningful, like you were reading the hidden truth behind a famous myth.
The main character felt real and easy to relate to. They weren’t some perfect hero; they had doubts, fears, and made mistakes, which made the story feel more believable. The only reason I didn’t give it a full 5 stars is that the pacing in the middle got a little slow, but it picked up again fast. If you’re into spooky stories with deep roots in legend, creepy twists, and a mystery that actually surprises you, The Haunting of Paynes Hollow is totally worth it.

I'm a relatively new fan of Kelley Armstrongs - this is only the second book I've read by her but I'm already loving the way she writes. Her books are easy to get through but not lacking in complexity, with potential supernatural elements and characters you'd love to be friends with (and villians you'd love to kill). It reminds me a lot of Darcy Coates who is another favorite author mine. Definite 5 stars from me!

I read an ARC of The Haunting of Payne's Hollow by Kelley Armstrong. This book was an interesting read. The characters were well constructed, the plot kept me interested, and the writing was clear without being overly wordy. While not being a fan of the zombie genre, having the ties to various folklore kept me reading. My only complaint is the number of manipulative characters revealed at the end of the book.

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow is an excellent thriller with a deeply rooted supernatural twist. At first it all seems suspect of a deeply twisted grandfather wanting to give his granddaughter one last mind bender by torturing her with her most traumatic childhood memories. Spend a month at the childhood estate in your family bungalow for a month where your dad killed a child and you witnessed the crime so you can remember what really happened… Gee thanks cramps but for 10 million um yes sir I can do that. But almost immediately things start to get sketchy wild hoof beats in the night that are very much sleepy hollow-esk with its own headless horsemen. Having a creepy house that can’t be changed that is identical to the day you left, right down to the exact same bedding. Absolutely everything reenacted from her childhood. Murdered and arranged macabre dead animals left on the front porch. Creepy lake monsters you name it it’s there. Then within days her aunt disappeared without a trace. But with an ankle monitor tracker her every move that won’t allow even a minute more than an hour away from the property what can our MC do? And as things get creepier still long forgotten rituals are found and it seems everything she once knew about her childhood is not what it once appeared to be. Is anyone safe is she safe? All she knows is 30 days is definitely too long if she wants to remain mentally sound if she even still is because she finds herself questioning everything she has seen and done since she arrived. Who is taunting her? Is this a game to cheat her of her inheritance or something far worse. And this twisted game who would even have anything to gain. Definitely one of the best reads of the summer I highly recommend it! Definitely had me on my toes till the very last pages and no I never saw that ending coming!!!!

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Haunting of Paynes Hollow
Author: Kelley Armstrong

Yes, I know I’m on a huge Kelley binge and I was so honored to receive another arc! I love how she is able to literally write all the genres. Romcom, paranormal, fantasy, horror.. she’s a genius. This was my first spooky book by her. Our main character Sam is struggling to make ends meet. She's paying for her moms medical care, and she’s falling behind on all her bills. Her grandfather passes away and she finds out that she is set to inherit her family’s lakefront cottage under the condition that she must stay there for a month. Haunted by her childhood, and the murder her father allegedly committed on the property, she reluctantly returns to confront the past. As she settles in, strange things start happening, visions begin to surface, animals show up dismembered and dead, and people start going missing. This spooky read with a touch of folklore, had me shaking at the gym alone in the morning. 😆 I really enjoyed it, and it’s set to release in October which will make it the perfect spooky read! Also loved getting in another buddy read with my dear friend Leanne.

The Haunting of Payne's Hollow is a mystery/suspense story in the gothic tradition. The things that go bump in the night are real so you should be afraid of the dark. Be very afraid.
When the book opens, Sam Payne's grandfather has died and she has just been to his funeral and is told the reading of the will is taking place immediately. They had been estranged since she was a child because Sam's actions led to her father's death. You see, Sam saw her father burying the body of 13 year old Austin Vandergriff behind a shed at Payne's Hollow (the family summer property) and called the sheriff. Sam's father committed suicide shortly thereafter and Sam and her mother were exiled from the family. Sam's grandfather was convinced until his death that his son did not murder Austin and blames Sam. Grandpa Payne was so convinced of this fact that he made Sam staying for an entire month at the site of the murder a condition of her inheriting the lake property worth millions. Since Sam's mother is suffering from dementia and her nursing home bills are astronomical, Sam agrees. She and her Aunt Gail head out to Payne's Hollow for the endurance test. And who should she meet upon first entering the property? Austin's older brother Ben who is the caretaker of the property.
Armstrong does a great job of creating the spooky atmosphere that is Payne's Hollow. Primitive cabins? Check. Deep, dark woods? Check. And water that contains scary things. Her misdirection of the whodunit part of the story is great as well. I recommend this book to those who aren't afraid of the dark.
*Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fun, spooky "cabin in the woods" sort of read. I especially enjoyed the characters, from my initial first impressions to the things you learn about each one as the story unfolds. While reading this book, you soon realize that not everything is as it seems in Payne's Hollow!

I found some of the dialogue felt too "exposition-y" and a little unrealistic as a result. With that being said, this was a wild ride for somebody who enjoys spooky, mysterious, and just a little bit campy.

Is there any genre Kelley Armstrong can’t crush? In The Haunting of Paynes Hollow, Armstrong steps away from her time-traveling and detective worlds and takes a stab at horror—and nails it.Sam is barely getting by, scraping together enough to cover her mother’s medical treatments for early-onset Alzheimer’s. She’s haunted by her past—literally and figuratively—especially the childhood memory of turning in her own father after witnessing him bury the body of a missing boy.
One day, as she finds herself no longer able to fund her mother’s treatments, she gets summoned to the reading of her estranged grandfather’s will. The catch? She could inherit the Paynes Hollow property, valued at ten million dollars, only if she agrees to spend one full month living there. Her grandfather believed doing so would help her recover lost memories—and realize she was wrong about her father all along. For Sam, it sounds like a lifeline: thirty days in exchange for financial security for the rest of her and her mother’s lives. Of course, nothing is ever that simple.
Joined by her aunt, Sam returns to Paynes Hollow and meets Ben—the caretaker of the property, who also happens to be the older brother of the boy she once saw buried. From night one, things spiral fast. Dismembered animals, missing people, and bone-chilling folklore swirl with Sam’s fractured memories, leading to a story that’s part mystery, part psychological horror, and totally unputdownable.
This was a captivating read and I finished it in one sitting feeling the need to turn each page to get to the end. Kelley Armstrong is one of my top five writers and this one did not disappoint. Her characters are well thought out and developed, the story rich in folklore. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A great cozy thriller with strong elements of family dynamics, really enjoyed this had a compelling plot and characters felt authentic, had me guessing untill the end

3 stars

Samantha Payne doesn’t expect to receive anything in her grandfather’s will. After all, she was responsible for the death of her father when she told everyone that she saw him burying a murdered boy at their lakefront home (he killed himself right after.). Samantha’s grandfather insisted that his son couldn’t be guilty and pressured her to change her story until he died.

However, her grandfather does will her the entire lakefront property, worth ten million dollars, which Sam desperately need to care for her mother. But there’s a catch - Sam made st spend a full month on the property before she can inherit. And that’s going to be a very tough task indeed.

This was a decent horror story with some nice folk elements. I liked it just fine.

A cozy thriller with a fantastic setting, unique folklore, realistic family dynamics and a few genuinely creepy moments!

While the characters were relatable, and the mystery twisty enough to keep you reading, the real stars of this book are Paynes Hollow and the lake's inhabitants. I loved the rustic, rundown depiction of the family retreat, full of familiar childhood nostalgia. And the combination of common and uncommon folk tales made the story unpredictable and exciting. The nighttime scenes along the shore were vivid and unsettling!

The plot itself was standard, relying on a few worn tropes like hidden journals and occasionally ridiculous character choices (how many times can people run around in the wilderness without phones, flashlights and shoes??), which is why this wasn't a five star book for me, but overall it was a fresh, fun read!

Family dynamics, dementia, murder and myths from folklore all mix for a great horror story. Sam has to go back to where her life changed after the death of her grandfather to receive her inheritance. He was a spiteful mean spirited man, but he demands she remembers what really happened when she saw her father burying a boys body 14 years ago. It's not a locked room mystery, but a 300 acre locked forest mystery on a lake that is a main character. Was a bit of a surprise at the end, I couldn't put it down. Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for my arc.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Kelley Armstrong's horror novels and her latest novel, "The Haunting of Paynes Hollow" was a fantastic thrill and chill ride of a book.

This book was great if you love spooky woods, ancient folklore, and family drama then you need to read this book. I like how she set up the atmosphere in this book along with really drawing you into the crazy family dynamics. Thank you NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this ARC

5/5 stars! I absolutely devoured this book and could not put it down. I was hooked from the first chapter and finished the book in one day. I absolutely loved the vibes of this book, it was the perfect amount of paranormal and eerie vibes. I enjoyed this book so much I didn’t want it to end. The Haunting of Paynes Hollow is releasing October 14, 2025. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Kelley Armstrong for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

I absolutely loved this book. I wasn't really sure what to expect but it definitely blew me away. Sam Payne gets dragged back into Paynes Hollow after the death of her grandfather with the company of her aunt Gail after her grandfather dies. She needs to spend one month in her family's old summer cottage in order to receive the inheritance her cunning and cruel grandfather has left her. This book is filled with so much mystery and folklore and I couldn't put it down. I loved the idea of Paynes Hollow having its own headless horseman, the Drowned dead that rise out of the lake, old Dutch rituals brought over when settlers arrived in the area. I never saw the twist coming but it was oh so good. This one is definitely the perfect fall read and I loved it so much!