Thank you Netgalley, Sarah Budd and Brigids Gate Press, LLC for the eArc of Enter the Darkness.

Enter the Darkness is a claustrophobic folklore tale set in an ancient cave system under London, uk. The prologue set in the past drew you in immediately and so engaging and I really loved the ritual/sacrificial of our Druid ancestors. The rest of the narrative is set in the present in which our main character, Garth has his first day taking tourists down the caves on a well marked paths. This book is set with a multi POV which builds both the present story and past. What has to be done for hundreds of years to keep the villages safe. And now, a visit goes rouge.

For me this was a quick and engaging read. It was full of great tropes for you to feel the fear of confined/ dark spaces and enjoyed the direction of the narrative itself. Would be interesting to se if this will become an audiobook as with the right narrator, would be spooky and atmospheric!

3.75 stars for Storygraph, 4 stars for other review sites.

I really enjoyed this book! It was my first novel by this author and I’ll be reading others.It had frights, thrills and excitement

I enjoyed this one a lot. It was a simple story to follow even with the multiple perspectives. The book contained creative scenes, great details, and a fascinating story with an intriguing cast of characters and an unrelenting sense of dread. It didn't over do the shock or gore, but instead gave just enough to fulfill and imagination takes over. It greatly plays on the near universal fear of the dark and unknown.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

I found the whole cave system premise very interesting and thought it was a unique storyline. The book itself was very spooky and eerie, exactly what I look for in a horror book. I found myself needing to know what would happen next, so it was very easy to read and fast paced. That is also something I look for in books. I would definitely recommend to any horror fans.

Enter the Darkness by Sarah Budd is a spine-tingling descent into the haunted underbelly of London—a place where ancient rituals, dark magic, and human desperation collide beneath the city’s surface. With its eerie setting and complex, flawed characters, this supernatural thriller grips you from the very first page and doesn’t let go until its chilling conclusion.

The story unfolds during the Spring Solstice, a time when the veil between worlds thins and the White Lady—a mythic creature of bloodlust—awakens. Four strangers are drawn into the shadowy caves beneath London, each with their own agenda and haunted past. Garth, the timid romantic; Cassie, a beautiful and dangerous witch-in-the-making; Bill, a man racing against time to stop a tragedy he helped set in motion; and Sienna, a cynical survivor marked for death. Budd does a fantastic job of peeling back each character’s layers, revealing the pain, guilt, and fear driving them toward the darkness.

The narrative pulses with tension as the caves become a psychological battleground. Each character must confront their inner demons—literally and metaphorically—before facing the monstrous White Lady. Budd masterfully blends horror with emotional depth, making the characters’ internal struggles just as compelling as the supernatural threat stalking them. The atmosphere is oppressive and vivid, with the cave system becoming a living, breathing character in its own right.

With its blend of folklore, psychological horror, and character-driven storytelling, Enter the Darkness is a powerful exploration of sacrifice, redemption, and the thin line between courage and madness. The final twist—where only one can survive—adds a brutal, high-stakes edge that keeps readers guessing until the last page.

Dark, gripping, and deeply unsettling—Enter the Darkness is a must-read for fans of atmospheric horror and character-rich supernatural thrillers. Just be warned: once you go underground, you may not come back the same.

One of my favorite horror novels ever! Cant help but loving every single book Ms Budd writes! Well done!

The first chapter started out pretty dark and creepy & drew me in immediately! 🩸🫀The book is written from the POV of 5 different characters so you see a mix of each persons identity. Garth is awkward, Sienna is manipulative, & Cassie’s story is honestly really sad (see trigger warnings). Although I thoroughly enjoyed the horror aspects of this book & the dark creepy energy within each chapter, there was a lot of inner dialogue from each character but not enough action. The ending was abrupt & an epilogue would have been a nice addition. Overall, good read! I hope to find more horror with this same vibe in the future!

Enter the darkness started relatively slowly, and I initially found it hard to engage - I must admit that I skipped forward a few chapters rather than just give up on it, and I'm really glad I did continue! It more than made up for its slow start, with gruesome imagery, monsters crawling in the shadows and dark betrayals. It was split into multiple character's point of views but the plot gradually interwove their tales altogether to set a haunting scene.

The ending showed that it was more than just a simple "cave horror" and took me by surprise. Overall, a good read and I think it will make horror readers very happy - it's a shame about the slow start but I think that may be typical of the genre. For context, it reminded me of Stephen King novels - again something I'm not a fan of, but as he is very very popular, it goes to show that I'm in the minority, and my review shouldn't dissuade horror fans from picking up a book that I believe they will really enjoy.

eerie, tense and atmospheric.

This is the kind of story you tell around a campfire to scare the rest, it has everything you want from a scary story.
believable characters and a truly terrifying setting.
this is a great and quick read that you can start and finish in one go.

Received a copy of this book through Netgalley. First book I've read by this author and I whizzed through it.

A page turner of a horror story. Gory in places, spooky, keeps you guessing until the end, brilliant ending too.

Thanks again for copy. Loved it

A good mix of folk horror and gory cannibalism all together. The characters development is technically good but I didn't root for the main (Garth and Cassie). They were a bit too flat for my taste and lacked of depth and substance. But it didn't really impact the story so that's not killing the vibes.

I loved the folk and myth and the whole story of the caves. The ambiance and atmosphere is defintiely the best point of this book. It's top notch ! It's uncanny and unsettling and woke up my claustrophobia, adding to the scary atmosphere. It definitely worked for me and made me focus on this and on the horror parts instead of the main "duo".

It's fast pace and easy to read. And as the atmosphere is excellently built, it keeps your interest during the whole book and makes you forget the little weakness here and there. I binge read it and definitely wants more.

Such a well paced and suspenseful book! The twists were believable and not predictable.
It had excellent writing and a fascinating plot.
Enter the Darkness by Sarah Budd is a book which kept me thoroughly engaged from beginning to end.