Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press for the advance ebook.

When Samantha Payne’s grandfather dies, she figures she won’t even get a mention in the will. After all, she hasn’t seen him in fourteen years, not since her father took his own life after being accused of murdering a child at their lakefront cottage. Her grandfather always insisted her father was innocent, despite Sam having caught him burying the child’s body, his clothing streaked with blood.

But when she does attend the reading of the will at the behest of her aunt, she discovers that her grandfather left her the very valuable lakefront property where the family cottage sits. There’s one catch: Sam needs to stay in the cottage for a month. To finally face the fact she was wrong and her father was innocent, in her grandfather's words.

Traveling to Paynes Hollow, Sam is faced with the realities of her childhood and the secrets kept hidden in the shadows of her memories. When her aunt goes missing a couple days into their stay, Sam begins to question everything again. Plagued by nightmares and paranoia, she begins hearing sounds in the forest and seeing shapes crawling from the water as the rippling waves of the lake promise something unspeakably dark lurking just below their surface.

Really good book! It had me interested from start to finish. Interesting characters and lots of twists and turns! Great summer read. 4 out of 5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc! I really enjoyed this and it definitely wasn’t your typical inheritance read! Will definitely recommend this

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Kelley Armstrong’s “The Haunting of Paynes Hollow” delivers an atmospheric blend of psychological suspense, supernatural folklore, and buried family secrets, all wrapped in a chilling retelling inspired by The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. With its eerie lakefront setting, unsettling nightmares, and a mystery that unravels decades of trauma, this book is as much about confronting the past as it is about surviving the horrors that linger in the shadows.

At the center of the story is Samantha Payne, a fiercely selfless and relatable protagonist whose life has been marked by a childhood tragedy: finding her father in the act of burying a bloodied child’s body. The trauma shattered her family and drove a wedge between her and everyone she loved. Now, years later, she’s unexpectedly included in her estranged grandfather’s will—receiving the very lakeside cottage where it all began. The catch? She must live there for one month, and in doing so, confront everything she thought she knew about her past, including the possibility that her father wasn’t the monster she believed him to be.

Armstrong masterfully sets the tone early with haunting imagery and gothic undertones. Paynes Hollow is drenched in atmosphere: shadows moving in the woods, strange sounds by the lake, and an eerie presence that suggests something more than just psychological scars are resurfacing. This isn’t just a haunted house story; it’s a dive into generational trauma, guilt, memory, and the supernatural forces tied to old rituals and legends.

Folklore plays a prominent and refreshing role here. Armstrong draws from the Sleepy Hollow mythos but deepens it with European lore of nekkers and water horses, tying in chilling elements of animal mutilation and ritualistic fear. The Headless Horseman becomes more than a ghost story. It’s a symbol of reckoning, retribution, and buried truths. These supernatural threads are tightly woven into the story and never feel like window dressing; instead, they’re vital to the mystery and its resolution.

Sam’s emotional journey is the beating heart of the novel. Her willingness to return to a place of trauma for the sake of her ailing mother is admirable, and her character is unique as she is riddled with doubt, anger, and a desperate need for answers, which feels deeply authentic. Her bond with her aunt Gail adds another layer of complexity, though I did find Gail’s sudden shift in behavior a bit jarring partway through the book. Still, it serves its purpose in isolating Sam and heightening the stakes. A subtle but effective hint of romance adds a touch of hope near the end without distracting from the core story.

The pacing is quick and addictive, with just enough twists to keep you guessing. Some moments require a suspension of disbelief, particularly the logistics of the grandfather’s will, but the story moves so confidently you’re unlikely to mind. The plot teases potential truths about Sam’s father’s involvement in the boy’s death, dangling the possibility that what Sam saw wasn’t what it seemed. As the truth is finally unearthed, the payoff is both satisfying and unexpected, with a vengeance-fueled ending that feels earned.

If you enjoy gothic thrillers with a supernatural edge, “The Haunting of Paynes Hollow” is a must-read. Armstrong combines mystery, folklore, and emotional depth into a story that both chills and moves. It’s a book about confronting the horrors that hide in our past, both real and imagined, and emerging from them stronger.

When I started reading this, I thought I was going to end this disappointed. It felt like basic inheritance plot #12. You know...family black sheep inherits all, other family members big mad, ooh...who's doing bad things to make the heir leave?

Oh, I'm happy to say it's not that. In fact, it's an unexpected throwback to delightful story from days gone by. Once I realized where the book was going, I was so happy!

Don't worry - the book is still mysterious, suspenseful, eerie and sad - everything you're looking for!

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Yet again, the author has surprised me!

* ARC via Publisher

I throughly loved reading the riveting and mesmerizing story. When Samantha (Sam) goes to her Grandfather's funeral with her Aunt, Sam finds out that if she stays at the house in Paynes Hollow for a year, she will receive enough money for her mother's expensive care, but staying at the house where she saw her dad burying a thirteen year old boy who had tormented her and all the grief surrounding the murder makes it harder and harder to stay there. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written full of suspense and mystery, and a must read captivating story by the phenomenally talented author, Kelley Armstrong.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4+ stars

I always put a new Kelley Armstrong at the top of my TBR pile and she never disappoints. Sam Payne has spoken to her grandfather in 14 years. She had found her beloved father burying a dead body and reported him. He then took his life. Her grandfather always said that his son was innocent. To get her inheritance, Sam has to live at the family camp for a month. Sam supports her mom in an expensive memory care facility and needs the money.

Great horror story. Well worth the read.

There is always something chilling and haunting when a will is involved, and The Writer delivers a gripping, atmospheric tale that blends psychological suspense with gothic undertones.

Samantha Payne hasn't seen her grandfather in fourteen years, not since her father's suicide following accusations of a horrific crime. Sam was the one who found her father burying a child's body at their lakefront cottage, his clothes stained with blood. The image has haunted her ever since. So, when her estranged grandfather dies, she never expects to be included in his will. But not only is she mentioned, she inherits the very cottage tied to her family’s tragedy. The catch? She must stay there for a month and confront the possibility that she was wrong, and her father was innocent all along.

As Sam returns to Paynes Hollow, memories she thought long buried begin to rise. The serenity of the lake masks a sinister presence, and her aunt’s sudden disappearance deepens the sense of dread. Shadows move through the trees. Something stirs beneath the surface of the water. Nightmares blend into reality as Sam is forced to question everything, she thought she knew about her family and herself.

Valerie Keogh expertly layers suspense and emotion, crafting a story that is as unsettling as it is compelling. With eerie imagery, complex family dynamics, and psychological depth, The Writer explores the burden of guilt, the fragility of memory, and the darkness that lingers in silence.

This is a haunting, immersive read that lingers long after the final page. Fans of atmospheric psychological thrillers will be utterly captivated.

OMG what a read! Extremely hard to put down with all the twists and turns. Ms Armstrong never fails to deliver.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review!

I throughly enjoyed this atmospheric mystery with supernatural elements. The characters are engaging and the pacing was excellent. The atmosphere of the place is pretty neat. This is a great read for the end of summer, getting into the fall/halloween mood.

I enjoyed the slow building of the mystery - both what actually happened in the past alongside present events. I love mysteries like this. Lines blurred between reality and madness. Or is it supernatural?? Or corrupt people? Each new reveal makes me question everything.

I've been reading Kelley Armstong for years and this was a great book. Murder and family drama set at a creepy cottage with folklore to make it fun. Read it in one sitting!

This story is one that will keep you thinking. Sam witnesses her father burying a body as a child and gets the unthinkable requirement of having to return to the scene of the crime as a condition of inheritance. The twists and turns of this story make it difficult to put down. A book I read in one sitting is something I do rarely anymore because of time but this was one of those books that made me need to finish it.

Kelley Armstrong's The Haunting of Paynes Hollow delivers a compelling blend of mystery, psychological suspense, and supernatural intrigue. Samantha Payne's return to her family’s lakeside cottage after her grandfather’s death uncovers long-buried secrets and a legacy shrouded in darkness. The premise of staying at the cottage for a month to prove her father’s innocence adds an engaging sense of stakes and internal conflict. Armstrong masterfully creates an atmospheric setting filled with eerie sounds, shadowy figures, and unsettling nightmares that keep the tension high. The story deftly explores themes of guilt, memory, and the supernatural, with well-timed scares that will appeal to fans of ghost stories and psychological thrillers alike. The characters are nuanced, especially Sam, whose emotional journey adds depth to the chilling events. While the plot occasionally leans into familiar haunted-house tropes, Armstrong’s storytelling keeps it fresh with intriguing twists and a haunting sense of unease. The ending offers satisfying resolution while leaving some lingering questions that invite reflection. Overall, The Haunting of Paynes Hollow is a suspenseful and atmospheric read that hooks you from start to finish, earning a solid 4 stars—well worth a spooky night’s reading.