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!

That was creepy and heartbreaking all at the same time. Loved the use of myths throughout the story. Kelley Armstrong wrote another good book. Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for my arc.

I have to thank Martin Quinn of St. Martin's Press (Minotaur Books) for an ARC of this eerie tale of an inheritance with conditions. The story revolves around Sam as she is forced back to her family property where she remembers finding her father burying a young boy. This was so traumatic that she has avoided thinking about or visiting the past for years. Her grandfather's will requires her to stay on the family land for one month in order to inherit it. She is forced to face her past and remember what happened to her family. This story is very emotional as Sam sees her past in a different light, not knowing what memories or who she can trust. Armstrong did a great job of weaving legend into this tale, elevating the fear by magical degrees. I enjoyed seeing how Sam interacted with the limited characters in the book, and how her memories were reframed by being back on the land. I loved the legends coming to life and Sam stepping into her inheritance. It was a captivating story with a dark and eerie vibe (I could see this as a horror movie!).

My thanks to Netgalley, St. Marin's Press and Kelley Armstrong for the eARC in exchange for a review of this book.

I have this memory. When I was a kid, I used to take dance classes. Class would end and I'd go out to the lobby area, where my Dad was sitting with a book. I'd give him the sticker I got at the end of my class and he'd put it on his bookmark, which was covered with stickers from me and my little sister. I'd stare at the covers of the books he read, wanting to know what they were about, because my Dad liked to read horror novels. The one I remember specifically is one called Dead Voices. If you look it up, the cover art is different shades of green, with people coming out of some water in various states of decay, their eyes glowing and focused on you as you stare right back. It's an image that has stuck with me for decades, literally. Because at one point in this book, Sam sees something coming out of the water and my mind filled in the rest with that cover art image and being a child and starting to understand fearing the things you can't see in the dark. And I sat there with this book in my hands and thought, whelp, I don't need sleep, right?

I've read so many Kelley Armstrong books. Not ALL of them, but it is a goal of mine to read as many of them as I can find. I love her A Rip Through Time series, which just released it's fourth book last week. I've read the Cainsville series and the A Stitch in Time series. I even have several Rockton novels that I mean to start once I finish last week's new release and I own nearly every Women of the Otherworld book out there. So when I saw that Armstrong was releasing one-off horror novels, I eagerly got my copies and sat down to read. I liked Hemlock Island for the most part, but there were so many little things that just irked me and I couldn't let them go, so LIKE is all I can say for that book. I just finished I'll be Waiting, and it actually took me a couple of months to finally finish it, which says a lot about my general attitude towards it. Suffice to say, I loved the writing and the general premise of each book, but blast it, those villain reveals just would not stick the landing for me. I wanted to be floored and creeped out and then turn around and give the book to my Dad, because he's where my fascination with the horror genre came from.

I'll be buying a copy of THIS BOOK for my Dad, no doubt about it.

I do have this pre-ordered. It's one of those books that I saw was an upcoming release from one of my favorite authors and just automatically added it to my cart. All the while eyeing it with some trepidation because of my experience with the last two horror novels I've read from Armstrong. I had my fingers crossed and maybe even held my breath a little as I started reading this book. I finished it in less than a day (I did end up falling asleep somewhere in those 24 hours since I opened this book yesterday, where I dreamed of waterlogged people grabbing my feet from under the bed, always a good sign that a book has gotten under my skin.) I devoured the first quarter of the book before starting dinner for my kids and then spent most of the night reading while feeding my infant a bottle and rocking him to sleep.

This book grabbed me from the start. It follows Sam, a woman who thanks to the stipulations set forth in her grandfather's will, has to stay at the lakefront cottage from her childhood. It's a place she hasn't set foot near in almost 14 years, since the last time she was there she witnessed her beloved father burying the body of a boy her age and then subsequently killed himself. Her grandfather didn't believe the story she told and now, in order to inherit the land the cottages sit on, she has to spend a month in her parents' old cabin. It's one last way to stick it to Sam that she had to be wrong, forcing her to confront the trauma of her past in order to move forward with the money she desperately needs by inheriting the property.

It's the kind of plot that is in a lot of horror stories out there right now. The main character has to go back to their childhood home and deal with the demons in their past that haunt them both literally and figuratively, in an old, sometimes derelict property. I'm sure it's the basis of several stories soon to be released this year. What sets this one apart is the background to the property. Turns out, the area around Payne's Hollow, named after Sam's family, has been riddled with disappearances going back for at least a century. Sam has always heard things out in the woods and had grown up knowing to never set foot in the trees or enter the water after dark. Nothing to question about what is seemingly good safety advice. Except over the course of the book, Sam starts to realize there is more than a little warning about the trees and the water. Because something wanders the land the Payne family has held onto for centuries, and it has now set it's focus completely on Sam. The why of it all, is what makes this book work, but for spoiler purposes, you have to read it to find out the reveal. I got to the ending and then went back and reread passages that stood out to me, highlighting how that reveal not only works but just gives the book that oomph that makes it stick in your head, and yes, finally, I LOVE a horror novel from my favorite author. Third time's the charm.

The writing is concise, revealing suspenseful tidbits in due time, enough to keep the reader guessing and turning the pages, needing to find out what happens next. Because I lied, I DO need sleep, but I had to keep reading this book, I couldn't just put it down, look what just happened, 5 more pages, 10 more pages, oh look an hour has passed by, fine, I almost dropped my phone because I'm exhausted, I yield to the need for sleep and the obvious bloodshot eyes I see in the mirror. And then as soon as I woke up, I continued reading in between feeding my family and myself, and doing my utmost to keep my toddler entertained while my infant watches us all in wonder.

I respected Sam as a character. She does her best to manage what she can, working a menial job while living in a rundown apartment, so all her money can go to keeping her mom comfortable in a home that can take care of her thanks to an onset of early dementia. Sam is barely keeping her head afloat and in the back of her mind is the trauma of what she witnessed her dad doing and now the deal she has to suffer through because of her a** of a grandfather had me squarely in her corner. I believe in hard work and determination, and people finally getting what they deserve and I wanted all of that for Sam and even her aunt Gail, who went with her niece to the cabin to keep her company because she didn't want Sam to suffer alone. I loved Josie, the daughter of the Sheriff and a deputy in her own right, who tried her hardest to make Sam feel welcome, providing the right presence to keep Sam focused as more and more gets revealed in the story. I even came to like Ben, the caretaker of the property, who has his own agenda to deal with concerning his connection to the Payne family.

I didn't get the connection from just the title to the classic Irving story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I should have, but it is placed front and center within the first few chapters, and I loved how Armstrong takes pieces of that story to make something that much more twisted in terms of familial secrets and monsters that go bump in the night. As I've already said, I finished this fast, which is a plus for me. And even though it goes fast, the book is not lacking in any way. I had questions and suspicions, and everything was answered and revealed in ways that made me smile because yes, that is so wow. I'll be reading this again when it's released later this year. I want to rave about more, but I'm trying really hard not to spoil the book. I usually read the endings to a lot of books I start reading but I managed to contain myself this time, and I did not regret it. I want other readers to share that same experience.



Rating on my Scale: 10 Stars. I loved this book. Really and truly, just loved this book. Everything worked, the writing, the characters, the reveals, the ending. When I get my hardcover, it will live on a shelf next to my other favorite stories, where I'll pull it out whenever I'm in the mood to be just a little scared. Read if you like T. Kingfisher's A House with Good Bones. I'm going to go read that one again this weekend.

A very fun and chilling summer read. A book to take with you on your next summer vacation, but spook you enough to think about sleeping with the lights on. I have really loved each installment in Kelley’s Great Lakes horror series. The Great Lakes as a setting are absolutely perfect. This one adds in some interesting mythology and family lore. Having Sam caught in a web of family secrets and games of inheritance. Added a fun twist on why the characters couldn’t just simply leave once the scary things start happening. Some fun discoveries and twists and turns at the end were really worth the payoff. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me devour this one early. So glad I was able to read it in the summertime as it should be. 5/5

Another great read by Kelly Armstrong!
A supernatural thriller that I had to finish in one sitting. This has everything you can expect from Kelley, an original plot, characters you can relate to, a creepy atmosphere and twists you don’t expect.
If you love reading supernatural thrillers, then this is definitely for you!
I have read and loved many books by Kelley Armstrong and look forward to read many more!
4.5 ⭐️’s!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced read.

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.