I read this book in one day 'nuff said.... but perhaps, I will say more. I love Kelley Armstrong's writing and found The Haunting of Paynes Hollow to be chilling, thrilling, creepy, dark, eerie, mysterious, and you guessed it - hard to put down! I picked up this arc to read because I was in the mood for something a little creepy, a little spooky, and a little bit horrific and Kelley Armstrong delivered!

Samantha, call her Sam, Paynes has not seen her grandfather in fourteen years. She hasn't seen him since her father took his own life after being accused of murdering a local youth. Her grandfather always insisted on her father's innocence, but Sam saw something that says otherwise. When she is called for the reading of his will, she is shocked. She is even more shocked when her grandfather leaves her his expansive lakefront property. But there is a catch - there is always a catch - she must spend one month staying in one of the cottages without leaving! Sounds easy enough, right! Sounds simple enough right? Get a little rest and relaxation in a beautiful setting by a lake, sure she can't leave but you can't beat the view! Her beloved aunt even agrees to stay with her! Plus, Ben, who she knows and has ties to her past, is the caretaker so she won't be entirely alone. But things take a turn as things often do. Some secrets won't stay buried, some memories might resurface, some things might go bump in the night, and when her aunt disappears ......

I loved the setting. I love that they are virtually alone by a lake, thankfully it is not 'Camp Crystal Lake' but don't let that fool you. This lake is not as picture perfect as it looks! It's scary, spooky and creepy. If the title of 'Paynes Hollow' has you thinking of "Sleepy Hollow" you would not be wrong. But The Haunting of Paynes Hollow has its whole other type of creepy going on.

I enjoyed the tension and the simmering something-isn't-quite-right feeling in this book. I loved the dread which ebbed and flowed throughout the book. I thought Kelley Armstrong did a great job of having both Sam and readers wondering if one of Sam's relatives was trying to scare her off so they could get the property or if there really was something going bump in the night!

Wonderfully written, perfectly placed, well thought out, addictive, horrific and dark! The Haunting of Paynes Hollow which is less than 300 pages, packed a powerful horrific punch while delivering the chills and thrills. Be warned - there discoveries of mutilated animals. These are not described in detail but are still there. Readers can easily skim past these parts if that may make for uncomfortable reading for them.

I have read a number of Kelley Armstrong books, but this was the first one I read that qualified as Horror. I'm not much of a Horror reader, so I am glad this one wasn't too scary. The story was definitely original, strange, twisty, and satisfying. The ending was perfect too!

I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily,

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

This marks the 23rd Kelley Armstrong book that I have read. Suffice it to say that I’m a little bit of a fangirl of hers. I first discovered her Rockton series and have since committed to the spinoff series, Haven’s Rock, as well as her Rip Through Time series. I’ve also enjoyed her paranormal/horror stories as well, which this one would most certainly fall under.

The book summary just basically introduces the start of the story and the primary storyline. What the book summary doesn’t say is that to ensure that Sam follows through on the terms and conditions of her sadistic grandfather’s will, Sam must wear an ankle monitor to make sure she spends an entire month on the property and is not allowed to be vacant from the property for more than an hour a day. There’s also a secondary storyline that isn’t really mentioned and it's the storyline of what goes on in Paynes Hollow when the sun goes down. Seems when Sam was a kid, her grandfather told her stories of the headless horseman, and that the legend of Sleepy Hollow was actually based on the legend of Paynes Hollow. While this isn’t a remake of the legendary Sleepy Hollow story, Armstrong does utilize some of the same characters and their behaviors.

To make things even worse for Sam, her “caretaker”, who works for her grandfather, is Ben, the older brother of Austin, who was supposedly murdered by Sam’s father, and who she saw burying and why Sam’s grandfather has banished her to the property for a month in an effort to force Sam to remember what actually happened. Her grandfather never believed his beloved first son killed Austin. It’s deep in the second half that all the storylines collided into some intense and frightening scenes that had me up really late finishing the book because I could not go to sleep until I knew how it ended.

The character development of Sam, Ben and a couple of other characters was well done. The pacing was steady to fast, and the story was amazing! I loved the paranormal manifestations that Armstrong created; truly creepy and gruesome. On the Donne horror scale of 1-5, five being horror filled, I would rate this one 3.5-4, which was the perfect level of horror for me; I don't like 5's or even a lot of 4's. The writing was classic Armstrong with all of her twists and turns. Loved the ending! Whoo hoo! Karma is a &*!%#!!! I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review. I want to thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #TheHauntingofPaynesHollow

Wow, what a great thriller/horror!! There's lots of messed up family drama, interesting characters and a whole lot of scary!! It starts as a slow burn, but definitely builds to the point that you have to just keep flipping pages. Kelley Armstrong seems to be branching out, and I can say I'm a big fan of her writing!

Thank you to Net Galley and St Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Haunting of Payne's Hollow was not what I expected. The Payne in the title is Samantha Payne, who will inherit 3 cottages if she can live in one of them for a month. The land is quite valuable and thus Sam easily makes the decision to move into her childhood cottage with her aunt as company. Kelley. Armstrong is.an author whose books I have read previously, and yet this book seems quite different from that earlier novel, Death at a Highland Wedding.

In The Haunting of Payne's Hollow, Armstrong merges family history, folklore, horror, evil, isolation, family secrets ghosts, zombies, and dreams into a thriller, in which Samantha must solve a mystery and save her own life. I am not much of a zombie reader., but this novel kept me reading I enjoy magical realism, but zombies are a stretch for me. However, Armstrong can string together a mystery with horror and folklore into an engaging novel. The Haunting of Payne's Hollow is a fast easy read. The mystery is good, as is the solution. The Haunting of Payne's Hollow is well-plotted and held my attention.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing thus ARC in excamge for my honest review. I am trying not to include any spoilers, but honestly, no one would believe them anyway.

Wow! That is how you write a horror book 👏🏼.

I loved every single thing about The Haunting of Paynes Hollow. I was captivated from start to finish. I was initially reading another a second book at the same time and shamelessly abandoned it for this one because I could not put it down.

It was brilliant, haunting and refreshingly unique. Secluded settings can be hit or miss for me, but this was a total win. What could possibly go wrong on a largely abandoned, multi-acre lakefront property in a small town? Well, apparently a lot 🤣.

Samantha’s grandfather was one twisted old man. He knew that she couldn’t afford to refuse his offer, and set everything up with the intention of messing with her head. His goal was to prove a point, regardless of the damage it caused along the way.

I loved Samantha. That poor girl had the weight of the world on her shoulders and desperately needed a win. I was rooting for her the entire time. She was so deserving on the multi-million dollar payout from the cottage.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC!

I honestly went into this one without even reading the synopsis, I loved the cover and title of the book so much that I knew I had to read it and I’m so glad I did.

I love a good folklore retelling, and this one is sort of a headless horseman tail but with a much for twisted and sinister meaning behind it. This one really creeped me out, which didn’t help that I was reading at night before bed. My heart was racing at certain scenes and I had no idea where this story was heading. You don’t know who you can really trust in this story and the plot twist really shook me.

I loved this story so much that I didn’t want it to end, as much as it creeped me out. I definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a spooky, haunted folklore tale with an eerie lake and lots of dead people🫶🏻

This was a family-centric slow burn horror. The writing was easy to read and really descriptive at times — especially when describing the horror elements. I like how the intrigue is built from the beginning when we quickly find out that, many years ago, Sam witnessed her dad burying a dead kid. Despite this evidence, her grandfather always thought her dad was innocent. I was also interested in the various character dynamics, especially between Sam and her aunt Gail. I thought the characters were believable, but sometimes the character development felt a little rushed. Certain changes felt a bit quick, although the change itself did feel fairly organic (i.e. believable) too.

The horror crept up slowly throughout the first half of the book. There are some creepy things going on, but it takes a bit to get to the true horror aspects. For a lot of this slow build I was still interested in the characters and the plot, but after a while I did get a bit impatient for more of the horror elements. This didn't last too long, and the horror ramps up quickly.

Once I got to the climax, I was hooked on finding out what was going on. A little bit of the mystery is taken away knowing this is a horror, so we expect certain things to be true or untrue. Still, I liked how the folklore and family history was weaved in. The horror elements were a lot more interesting with this sort of background behind them. There was a twist or two that was a bit unsatisfying, but there were also some that I found really surprising and interesting. I reread one of the scenes at the end since it was a bit confusing with the truth being slightly muddled before it comes out, but I also might've been reading too fast the first time to get the answers (I neededdd to know!). I think the ending was satisfying and went just as far as it needed to.  

Thank you to St Martins Press and Net Galley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

A perfect read for book clubs, especially around Halloween. There is plenty of great discussion material in this book:
Is the story believable?
Are the characters relatable?
Are the mean people mean enough?
Did everyone get their just desserts in the end?


Well, Happy Halloween, and is this the perfect book to read for this holiday? Yes, it surely is! It scared the pants off of me. At first, I thought this was going to be a simple case of "gaslighting," but it was so much more. After the gaslighting effect, add in some Dutch folklore, a few deaths, and we have a winner!

When Samantha Payne’s grandpa dies, she doesn’t expect to get anything. She hasn’t seen him in over a decade, not since her dad killed himself after everyone thought he’d murdered a kid at their old lake cottage. Grandpa always said her dad didn’t do it—even though Sam literally saw him burying the kid, his clothes covered in blood. So when Sam’s aunt drags her to the will reading, she’s shocked to find out her grandpa left her the cottage. There’s a catch, of course: she has to live there for a month. Supposedly, it’s to help her see she was wrong about her dad. Back at Paynes Hollow, all the old memories come rushing back. Secrets that have been buried for years start creeping up. Then, a couple of days in, Sam’s aunt goes missing. Suddenly, nothing feels right. Sam’s having crazy nightmares, hearing things in the woods, and catching glimpses of something weird crawling out of the lake. Whatever’s out there, it’s not just in her head—it’s waiting just beneath the surface.

There were so many enemies I couldn't even begin to know where to start. So I'll just leave you with this---read the Legend of Sleepy Hollow first, I wish I had!

When a book promises a haunted place mixed with messy family secrets, I know I’m going to want to read it. This one delivered on atmosphere right away. Sam inherits her family’s property in Paynes Hollow, and with it comes plenty of unease, strange history, and a town full of whispers. It had that small-town Gothic feel that reminded me of Sleepy Hollow, especially with the clever nod to the Headless Horseman woven in.

The setting really worked for me—isolated, eerie, and carrying a dark past that slowly came to light. The whole “inherit a cursed house” idea isn’t brand new, but it felt fresh enough here because of how Sam’s experiences blurred between hazy memory and nightmarish moments. Ben, the caretaker, was another highlight. At first he’s gruff and full of resentment toward Sam’s family, but watching him shift into an unlikely ally added good tension. I also liked that their connection didn’t veer into romance, which kept the focus on the haunting and the family drama.

By the time the truth came out, it was all about family secrets and toxic ties. The reveal didn’t blow me away, but I still got chills here and there, which is what I was hoping for. For me, it lands at 3.5 stars and a 2 on my Dread Meter: unsettling, a good step up for readers who want more than mild chills but not something too terrifying.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC. Opinions are, of course, my own.

Okay, I'm kind of obsessed with this book??? I did not know that this was a supernatural mystery/thriller - I just saw Kelley Armstrong and requested, but I loved it so much. It almost felt within the same vein as the Omens series, which I also loved (and didn't know was supernatural until I read it lol, I should read more synopses).

Sam is drowning in money problems. From her mom's long term care center, to her student debts, to her own cost of living, she's barely scraping by. So when she's told to stay at the family cottage in order to inherit 10 million dollars, she takes the deal... even though it means sitting in the memories of the family's downfall and ruin.

I loved the premise. The stakes were high, relatable, and everyone's needs and reactions were incredibly human. I appreciated that this didn't go the bonded-by-trauma romance route, but instead focused on friendships and familial relationships.

I can't really say much about this book without spoiling something, but, y'all, the twists were crazy. When I say the stakes were high, I mean it. I did not expect half of what happened and then I was thrown for a loop again?? Truly, this book is hit after hit and I was so in for the ride.

If you loved The Inheritance Games, Knives Out, and Blue Prince, this is the book for you. Highly highly recommend.

Also, I just saw this is tagged at horror, but I would definitely put it in the thriller/mystery category rather than horror. There are horror elements, but I wouldn't let the horror tag deter you from reading this one.

TW: murder, gun violence, injury detail, blood, dead animals, mutilation, body horror, death; mentions stalking, abuse, infidelity, suicide, parent with Alzheimer's

Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

I finished this in two days. I literally could not put it down. Its scary and suspenseful in all the right ways. The characters are relatable and the twists come out of nowhere. Such a good book. 10/10

This isn’t a direct retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but Armstrong cleverly weaves the lore of the Headless Horseman and other folklore into a chilling modern gothic.

At the heart of the story is Samantha Payne, who hasn’t set foot in her family’s lakeside estate since she was twelve- the night she saw her father bury the body of a murdered boy. Her grandfather spent years insisting her father was innocent, but Sam could never shake what she witnessed.

When her grandfather dies, she’s shocked to learn he’s left her the property, valued in the millions, on the condition that she live there for thirty days. If she succeeds, she’ll inherit enough to pay for her mother’s dementia care. But if she fails, she loses everything. The estate has been meticulously restored to look exactly as it did fourteen years ago, forcing Sam to relive the darkest memories of her childhood.

As soon as she arrives, eerie things begin: mutilated animals left on the porch, pounding hoofbeats in the night, strange lights shimmering beneath the lake’s surface. With her aunt Gail by her side, and the brooding caretaker Ben lurking nearby, Sam must confront both her fractured memories and the sinister forces determined to scare her away.

For me, the atmosphere was the star of the book. Armstrong creates a claustrophobic, eerie setting where every shadow feels alive, and the folklore threads add an extra layer of unease. The mystery pulled me in quickly, and the twist at the end absolutely floored me. At times, I did find some of the supernatural elements a little over the top, but overall, the suspense and family secrets kept me hooked.

The Haunting of Payne’s Hollow is dark, tense, and perfect for spooky season reading. If you love a blend of folklore, family drama, and supernatural suspense, this one is worth picking up.

Wow—I thought this was fantastic. Imaginative, creepy, engaging, and with such a satisfying ending.

I’ll admit, when I first started reading, I peeked at a few reviews after noticing an outlier rating. One described it as a “retelling,” which left me scratching my head. Yes, there’s a headless horseman, but he’s rooted in lore, and simply including him doesn’t make this a retelling or reimagining. To me, this felt entirely original.

I took my time with this one, reading a little each night and letting the unsettling atmosphere sink in—perfect for spooky season. It’s one of those books where you can lean into the haunting, magical-realism vibes, but it also works just as well if you prefer to read it straight through as a gripping mystery.

I hadn’t even registered the author’s name before diving in (I like going in blind), but discovering it was Kelley Armstrong afterward made me appreciate it even more. The way she moves seamlessly from lighthearted romance to dark, paranormal thriller—and does both so convincingly—shows just how versatile and talented she is. It’s easy to see why publishers are eager for her work.

If you’re looking for a unique, atmospheric read to add to your spooky season lineup, this one is a must.

I fortunate to receive a complimentary eARC from St Martins Press via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.

How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.

⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me; I never DNF ARCs.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.

What if the headless horseman didn’t actually originate from Sleepy Hollow, but Payne’s Hollow? After Sam’s grandfather passes, his property valued at ten million dollars is passed down to her. The only catch? To get the money, she has to stay in the family lakeside cottage for a month, tracked by an ankle monitor so she can’t deviate and monitored by a live in caretaker (yes her grandfather took this whole thing really seriously). As soon as she gets there with her aunt, she sees that her grandfather had completely reconstructed her childhood summer home, down the same laundry detergent, her actual old bedding, and the coat of her dead father thrown over a chair. Odd and no doubt triggering, and I don’t doubt that she’d have left and found a way to fake the monthlong stay, if it weren’t for the ankle monitor and caretaker.

Not gonna lie, I wasn’t into the first 70%. BUT, after that it gets immensely better, good enough for me to give this a 4 star rating when for most of this, I didn’t think I would.

I was expecting this to be more of a ghost story of sorts, and while it is technically supernatural story, I was not expecting this to start going the route of underwater lake creature mythology? I mean, you figure out pretty quickly that the book is going to go this route (it’s fairly obvious with lots of references to the lake and avoiding the water in flashback scenes especially). It just felt kind of random, because I thought this would be more of a rustic, gothic horror vibe, but it quickly veered into more of an underwater lake creature thing.

So, as someone who isn’t into creature horror, I really didn’t like the direction the book was going initially. BUT, IT DOES CHANGE AND GET BETTER. There is more to it than just underwater creatures and with the final reveal in the latter part of this book, I liked it SO much more. While it’s still technically lake creature horror, but it actually turned out to be deeper and more interesting than just that. Not necessarily the most original concept in the world but nothing is anymore because at this point everything has been done anyways lol.

So basically, the first 3/4ths of this book are pretty mediocre. BUT the last quarter was good enough for me to give this an above average rating. I loved the last part and ending. Not ideal (because my pet peeve in books is when nothing happens until the end) but the ending was just that good. So, 4/5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I always feel a rush of excitement whenever I immerse myself in a Kelley Armstrong novel. Her storytelling is exceptional, creating immersive atmospheres filled with mystery, suspense, and, in this instance, just the right touch of creepiness.

In her latest tale, we meet Samantha "Sam" Payne, who is attending the reading of her estranged grandfather's will. Approaching the event with a mix of nostalgia and trepidation, she holds little expectation, especially since she hasn't seen him in over fourteen years. Memories of her manipulative grandfather and the lakeside family compound along Lake Ontario are marred by darkness and regret. The term "trauma" hardly captures her experience, as it was there that Sam witnessed a shocking event: her father burying a local boy named Austin in the forest when she was just twelve. This traumatic event has lingered with her, profoundly shaping her life. Her grandfather insisted on his son’s innocence, trying to convince her that her memories might not fully encapsulate the truth of that day.

When her grandfather leaves "Payne’s Hollow," their family summer retreat, complete with multiple cabins and over 300 acres of dense forest, it comes with a peculiar stipulation: to inherit the property, Sam must live there for a full 30 days without leaving. To ensure compliance, her grandfather’s controlling lawyer, Mrs. Jimenez, requires her to wear a tracking device that constantly monitors her movements.

Adding to the complexity is Ben Vandergriff, the brooding caretaker of the estate. While emotionally distant, Ben has his own tragic backstory that adds depth to the unfolding mystery.

As Sam and her aunt Gail settle into the cottage, Armstrong skillfully immerses us in a dense atmosphere of suspense. The sights and sounds disrupt the silence of the lakefront, and whispers of the past echo through the trees. Inexplicable occurrences begin to unravel the fragile threads of Sam’s reality, blurring the line between sanity and madness as she confronts the truth of her surroundings, especially once darkness falls. Memories resurface in a storm, challenging Samantha's perception of the past. With Gail questioning her recollection of events and alarming happenings like horrific visions and mutilated animals appearing at their doorstep, the tension escalates. The chilling family folklore surrounding a Headless Horseman adds another layer of intrigue—one that diverges from the familiar tale we know.

"The Haunting of Payne’s Hollow" is a gripping read that kept me up late into the night! I devoured 60% of the book in a single sitting, and the next morning, coffee in hand, I couldn't resist finishing the story. Armstrong masterfully creates a claustrophobic and eerie atmosphere that feels almost alive, playing a crucial role in propelling the plot forward. The suspense lingers on every page, wrapping Sam, Gail, Ben, and others in a darkness that feels both palpable and haunting. And the twist at the end? Absolutely brilliant—mind-blowing!

I appreciate how Armstrong artfully weaves supernatural elements and family folklore into the mystery without forcing a romantic subplot on Samantha, which, in my opinion, would have detracted from my enjoyment of the story.

This book is a perfect pick for the spooky season! I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a blend of suspense, intrigue, dark family secrets, and a touch of the paranormal. Grab your copy and prepare for a thrilling journey! Expected publication date: October 14, 2025. I want to give a special thanks to Martin Quinn, Director of Marketing and Bookseller Strategy at St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, as well as NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

what a delightfully creepy book. We find out early on that Sam saw her father burying a body on their family's vacation property when she was young. She has believed her father a murderer all these years, and when her grandfather dies, a comical in the will states that Sam can have the entire property, IF she stays there for a full month.
Sam's aunt Gail comes with her, and then the weirdness begins. Sam finds that she will be closely monitored via ankle bracelet by Ben, the brother of that boy that died years ago. Headless horseman, drowned corpses coming out of the lake, eerie things are happening.
Will Sam discover the truth of that death many years ago? Will they all survive their stay? Read this well-written thriller to find out.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I loved almost everything about this book, except when the author wrote in the Scooby Do thing where the villain tells everyone exactly what they were doing and why, in excruciating detail, and in darn near monologue.

I loved the new take on the headless horseman. I loved the lake aspect and the folklore tie ins. I thought the suspense and horror was incredibly well done!

Highly recommend. And it was the perfect book to read in New England as Summer turns to Fall.

For more than a touch of spooky, THE HAUNTING OF PAYNES HOLLOW really fits the bill.

Sam Payne hasn't seen her grandfather for fourteen years. She attends his funeral with her aunt as her last obligation to him. She is pressured into attending the reading of the will certain that there is nothing in it for her. However, she is surprised to learn that she will inherit a 300 acre property worth $10 million if she only spends one month living on the property.

The summer camp is the source of many good childhood memories and the most horrible memories of her entire life. She sees her beloved father burying a child and learns that he committed suicide afterwards. She is the one who turns him in. Her grandfather refuses to believe that his son was a murderer and cuts Sam and her mother off from any support.

When Sam's mother comes down with an inherited early dementia, Sam has to change her life plans to support her. Instead of attending medical school, she has a low-paying lab assistant job and a crappy apartment so that she can afford her mother's care.

As soon as she arrives at the property the dreams and visions start. Everything has preserved to be exactly like it was when she left fourteen years earlier. And the caretaker - the older brother of the boy her father murdered - is to be her keeper and make sure she follows all the terms of the will including the ankle bracelet that proves she hasn't left the property.

Then her aunt disappears after an argument about Sam staying on the land and the local sheriff is less than helpful in trying to find her. As events get even more creepy, Sam has to decided what is real and what might be only in her mind.

This was a terrifying - read only in the daytime - sort of story for me. I liked the way the horror kept building. I enjoyed Sam's determination to fulfill the terms of the will both as a proof to herself of her own strength and to get the better of her cruel grandfather.

Arriving just in time for the Hallowe'en season, this riveting gothic mystery, with paranormal twists, will have you on the edge of your seat.

Samantha Payne ("Sam"), has been living with loss, burdens of responsibility, and lost opportunities, for a very long time. Her estranged paternal grandfather has recently died and Sam is called to attend the funeral and the reading of the will. Her inheritance has so many strings attached. Is it even worth subjecting herself to its demands? Given the cost of her mother's skilled nursing care and she herself living on the edge, she really could use a financial boost. What's the catch? She must spend a month at the three hundred acre family summer compound, Paynes Hollow, in upstate New York and never leave it for more than a hour a day. She subjects herself to an electronic tether and commits to making it through the month at the remote cabin in the woods near Lake Ontario. It isn't long before unusual and unexplainable events occur and eerie creatures make themselves known. Can Sam stick it out? Will she survive?

I do enjoy Ms. Armstrong's writing, although I must confess, this is my first foray into her gothic horror writing. It assuredly, does not disappoint. The story is well written and superbly crafted. Nothing is as it seems. I was captivated by the tale and could not put the book down. The gradually increasing tension carries the reader steadily to the book's spectacular climax and delivers a most satisfying conclusion. If gothic horror is your jam, then I highly commend this story to you.

I am grateful to St. Martin's Press for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication date: October 14, 2025
Number of Pages: 288
ISBN: 978-1250360564