4.5 stars

Unsettling, dark and painful (quite literally, shout out to my chronic pain ghoulies woop woop)

As someone with endometriosis I really reallllly appreciated seeing it represented when so often I hear so little about it. Brigid's story allows us access to the reality of what it can be like to live with a chronic condition. The narration through Brigid's self-deprecating humour and somewhat glum outlook on life was actually very captivating, because I felt it and could relate to it. I also valued the exploration of how absolutely "insane" some health professionals can make you feel (I know I've left majority of phone calls and visits if you can somehow get one in tears). All I can really say without giving too much away is that this felt so real.

The focus on Irish folklore was also very interesting! I now want to delve deep into it and research it all!

While I enjoyed it, I did feel that the pacing felt slightly stilted at the beginning compared to how quickly it ramped up in the final 25%. It was still enjoyable though but I perhaps wanted a bit more of that ending pulled forward a little to enjoy it for longer.

ALSO there is a quote that I will not share as I read an arc and will check it when it's published! But it's about Catholic guilt and it HIT ME!!

I will definitely be recommending this!

I love some creepy folk horror and The Scald-Crow did not disappoint in the slightest. The horror elements were balanced well with a good amount of humor, which I was definitely a fan of.

Brigid has returned to her childhood home after her mother has passed away. Suffering from an undiagnosed chronic illness, Brigid is faced with the mounting task of emptying her mother's home of unwanted belongings, including a Jesus painting that keeps reappearing in different spots throughout the book. Through this clean out, we learn about Brigid's past with her parents and that what she believed were hallucinations and more undiagnosed issues, might not be that way at all.

I loved how Daly was able to give the reader a creepy story, yet keep it lighthearted with a dabble of self-depreciating humor. There was also the intertwining of Irish Folklore, which I'm not at all familiar with, but Daly was able to explain it easily for the reader to understand and link.

Plus there's a cat, so that's always a plus.

Thank you Netgalley and Creature publishing for a copy of this ARC.

I approached The Scald-Crow with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, drawn by its premise of blending horror, dark humor, and themes of medical trauma. The book follows Brigid, a woman grappling with chronic illness and the haunting question: "Can a sick woman ever be trusted?"

From the outset, Daly's writing is sharp and self-aware, often breaking the fourth wall with a voice that's both sardonic and vulnerable. Brigid's internal monologue is raw and unfiltered, capturing the disorienting experience of living with an invisible illness. The narrative's interplay between the grotesque and the absurd creates a disquieting atmosphere, reminiscent of the psychological tension found in the works of Iain Reid.

The novel's exploration of Irish folklore adds a layer of cultural depth, though at times, the supernatural elements felt more like a metaphor for Brigid's internal struggles than fully realized plot devices. The pacing occasionally falters, particularly in the middle sections, where the narrative becomes entangled in Brigid's spiraling thoughts.

Despite these moments, The Scald-Crow offers a compelling examination of trust, identity, and the body. It's a book that lingers, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths about illness and perception.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

✨REVIEW: 5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🐦‍⬛The Scald-Crow by Grace Daly🐦‍⬛

🦷synopsis: Her mother has gone missing and Brigid’s only option is to move back into her childhood home in the idyllic Midwestern town of St. Charles, Illinois. Soon the uncanny begins: A particular crow that once harassed her reappears, following her everywhere. A painting of Jesus keeps coming back, no matter how many times she throws it away. Frozen body parts show up in places rubber band balls and door stoppers ought to be 😩😩. Every night the same nightmare repeats: her real mother is dead and decaying in the closet, and the identical mother who raised her is not her mother 💀. But it’s all in Brigid’s head. It’s all her fault. It must be. What other explanation could there be?

🦷my opinion: I started this book without knowing much about it and I think it was the best decision.

Brigid is a lonely girl who has to move back into her (presumed dead) mother’s house and in the move, cleaning the home she starts seeing a painting of Jesus that keeps coming back to her no matter where Brigid has hidden it 🤣. She also sees some strange things and feels like she is losing her mind, and I thought I was losing it with her too 😬. I loved this story, it had everything; humor, Irish folklore, psychological horror and a very likable protagonist 😭💖 If that wasn’t enough, the ending felt very Coraline-esque and I AM A FAN. Definitely a book that you enjoy very quickly and UFF I loved it. <333

🙂‍↔️Release date is October 14 so you’ll have the perfect Halloween read.

✨Highly recommended if you✨

🐦‍⬛Like funny horror stories.
🦴Like crows and cats.
🐦‍⬛Like folklore and mythology.

I would like to thank @gracedalyauthor and @netgalley for the advanced e-copy. <33

This was lovely! The underlying themes about the horror of women not being believed are very well done and I’m obsessed with the cat. I think the underlying mythos could have been done better, but overall fabulous.

I have mixed feelings about this one. The pacing felt uneven, the humor didn’t always land, and I found myself wishing some subplots, particularly Brigid and Emma’s relationship, had been more fully developed. Plus, the story demanded more suspension of disbelief than I was willing to give—and I’m willing to give *a lot*.

That said, the author does an excellent job of conveying a powerful message, and actually manages to explore the absurdity within horror without shying away from it.

This has so many layers to it, it's complex yet simple in its telling. When the story unfolds it takes you on a journey many women today can relate to medically the Irish Ness of the tale another bonus to the read. I enjoyed this entertaining and informative.

4.5 stars rounded up, release date 14/10/25.

I absolutely love any kind of folk horror and it was fascinating to learn about Irish folk tales which were intertwined throughout this story beautifully. Grace Daly also tackled the very real struggles of those living with chronic illness poignantly and with humour, which added to how real and genuine it felt.

On the face of it, tackling every day tasks from one POV could have been very boring, but this was anything but. There were some genuinely creepy moments during and I was happy about the ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Creature Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Stunningly creepy - this read takes on chronic pain head on. No one can trust a sick woman, right? Can we, the reader, trust a sick woman? The Scald-Crow does a phenomenal job of towing the line between doubt and belief. Incredibly paced and sprinkled with the perfect amount of humor among the gore and the creep.

Cú, the ever-returning Jesus, unexpected lesbians!!! Just a few of my favorite things out of this book.

Love. I love this. I am not an extreme horror reader but in my estimation this does not hold back on the scary/gross factor. Brigid is recently disabled with chronic pain and illness and hasn’t been able to square away disability/Medicaid yet. So when her mother’s house becomes available (because her mother seems to be dead though they never found a body) she can’t pass up a rent free option no matter how awful her life was there. Her memories are almost as debilitating as her physical pain. The question comes down to, does she trust herself and therefore acknowledge that her situation is dire or does she trust most people around her who would say she’s wrong?

A book that’s scary, funny, gross, and heartwarming all in one, AND done well is a rare find. But this book is that rare gem. I LOVE Irish Folklore, so seeing it wrapped into a horror sort of novel is thrilling. We get the experience of a woman in great pain and stress, it’s grotesque and reminds me of feeling heard.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm always very happy about an ARC and being able to give it a review! <3

This book pulled me in right from the start. I could picture every detail—the setting felt dusty, dark, and immersive in the best way. I was completely hooked. But then… something shifted. The tension started to fizzle out, and for a moment, I actually considered putting it down.

Thankfully, I didn’t. Around the halfway point, things picked up again, and the suspense built beautifully toward a gripping climax. I was back in it, flipping pages like mad.

The ending, however, felt a bit rushed. I also wish the relationship between Bridig and Emma had been explored more deeply—it had so much emotional potential. Overall, I had hoped for a darker tone throughout the book, especially given the powerful setup.

That said, the author’s note at the end really struck a chord. The protagonist lives with pain, yet every doctor insists there’s nothing wrong—a reality that so many people, especially women, can relate to. That part felt deeply seen and genuinely important. A subtle but powerful message, delivered with care. Well done to the author for that.

This is a startlingly original and sharp novel. It's a story that's exactly the right side of trippy and surreal and combines horror and humour to perfection. I also enjoyed the nod to Irish myths and legends.

I loved the narrative voice and Brigid is a singular character. The description of living with chronic illness and pain is well drawn and immersive and I like how the author doesn't shy away from the grisly detail and grinding misery of living with an undiagnosed and disabling condition.

This is a strong example of feminist horror. I was amazed at how good this was and I ate this up in a day

3.5, well written with a wonderful distinctive voice but uneven--the ending felt like a very abrupt mood shift from the darker themes of the novel. the terror of being unable to trust yourself after years of disbelief was real and oppressive and i commend the author for her portrayal. i would die for cú.

Creature Publishing knocked it out of the graveyard by publishing The Scald Crow this fall. This is a must read for me as someone who absolutely loves Irish folklore and Grace Daly weaves the lore so eloquently. From each page I needed to read what was going to happen next and I like how this mimicked Cú Chulainn journey in the Ulster cycle. And finally, a narrative that does not reduce the Morrigan to a watered-down version of herself but truly shows the power in the Morrigan’s spirit.
More books with Irish mythology please! Daly really modernized the Irish myths and how they are incorporated into the psyche of a girl facing constant pain. What is constant pain and what does it mean to experience the world with that pain? This is the manifestation of slow agony that has been neglected because society refuses to listen. A metaphor for the way society bashes women’s healthcare beneath the fabric – because it is deemed unworthy!
Reading this book partially was hard because the struggles the protagonist endures with her uterus are almost identical to my personal journey. The descriptions were grotesque but also honest. Going down the health journey with her felt like my own and the way the world isolates you with this pain is how the world falls behind you. This is a girl bonding with her cat, a girl navigating pain beyond period cramps, a girl who is thrown into hallucinations that merely touch the tip of the pain women experience.
The descriptions are ghastly and alluring. Each simile and metaphor are so carefully chosen and really sets the world around the unreliable narrators quest. The Catholic guilt and sapphic undertones truly reflect society and the horrors of repression. Cats are a gift just like this narrative. Thank you Net Galley and Creature Publishing for this advanced copy for this honest review.

Combining a wicked sense of humor, a terrifying Irish folklore legend, and a main character who you can't help but root for, this debut novel is fantastic.

Brigid is a young woman with a lot of issues. Chronic abdominal pain which sometimes renders her unable to do anything, a low self esteem solidified by her abusive mother, and a non existent love life. Her father left twenty years earlier and her mother's car was found in a lake and she's presumed deceased. Now Brigid is back and moves into her old family home despite never wanting to return.

Things get weird almost right away. A peculiar bird which has followed her since she was a child is back. It harrasses her, always there, always watching her every move. There's a picture of Jesus which appears to have a mind of its own. No matter how she tries to get rid of it, it keeps showing back up in strange places.

She also suffers chronic pain. Doctors tell her there's nothing wrong so it must be in her head. Between the stress of moving, the pain, the bird, and the Jesus painting, she feels like she might be going crazy. Not to mention the body parts she finds around the house. But once the horrifying truth is revealed, a monster from Irish folklore come to life, she will need to find something within her if she wants to survive.

This book hits a lot of great notes for a debut novel. It expertly combines a dark tale imbued with humor while also dealing with very real issues of chronic invisible illness and the effects of childhood emotional abuse.

I loved that it was set in Chicago and involves some truly freaky Irish legends! That Midwestern attitude and dialogue shone through and I can relate, being from that area myself. It's always nice to see in a horror book.

Since it's told from first person perspective, it was very easy to slip into Brigid's world and experience all of this with her. I highly recommend it.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley, Grace Daly, and publisher for the advanced copy. I really enjoyed the humor and chronic invisible illness representation as a former sufferer. Brigid is a lovable, relatable character which made reading exceptional. The combination of gross and humor was the perfect. I definitely recommend.