When her grandmother passes away, the assisted living home she was in saves her cherished antique credenza for Veronica Marquette, who has mixed memories of that piece of furniture. Her crazy, estranged mother always claimed it was cursed and used to whisper to her. But now that it's in Veronica's home, strange things occur, making her wonder if somehow the credenza is putting her and her daughter in danger.
An antique piece of furniture, an evil cult, a family of witches and a slew of paranoia. These elements all come together in a sometimes cray-cray, but overall solidly written novel. Though it has a bit of a slow start, once the story really got going it didn't let up till the end. I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. 4.5 of 5 stars.

3.5 rounded up.

Veronica (“Ronnie”) is a single mother in in her thirties, living in Florida with her young teen daughter. She is struggling to provide a stable, loving home to her child, reckon with her feelings about her formerly drug addicted ex and her mentally unstable mother, trying to keep her small business (vintage items she finds at estate sales, restores and resells) afloat, and now dealing with the grief from the recent death of the grandmother who raised her. When she inherits grandma Maddie’s antique walnut credenza, there is no consideration of reselling an item of such sentimental value. But when sinister and strange events start occurring, a ghastly old book is discovered, and a mysterious stranger makes a generous offer to purchase the sideboard, Ronnie soon finds herself debating whether to let the family heirloom go. But it may be too late to save her little family from the curse it carries.

Credenza is a pretty straightforward cursed object tale, as the title and cover would imply. This is a short and easy read, and I would compare Dalrymple’s writing to cozy horror author Darcy Coates, although with a few more rough edges that could stand to be smoothed over through better editing. There’s nothing really new here, the cursed object playbook is certainly not being rewritten or even offering anything particularly unique in Credenza, but I still found the story engaging enough that I was happy to go along for the ride. It’s a short book too, which is in it's favor. I don’t know how I would feel about 300+ pages of this.

I would recommend it for an easy read to horror fans interested in the cursed object trope, who are looking for something more cozy than disturbing. There was some gore at the end, but nothing too extreme. This was my first book by the author, and I would definitely check out more of her work, probably as one of the palate cleanser books I like to pick up sometimes between more dark and/or challenging reads.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of Credenza in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for providing me a copy to review.

As an avid horror fan, I thought Credenza was a pretty nice short horror read for the summer. It's also not too gorey for anyone who wants to dip their fit into this genre as it's mostly character driven. The horror elements don't really happen until the end of the book. Personally, I would've liked more horror elements sprinkled a little more throughout the book.

I liked the cast of characters in Credenza; I found them quite realistic and relatable. The writing was good, as well as the pacing of the plot unfolding.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for providing me a complimentary copy of this book.

Veronica is a struggling, albeit stubborn, single-mother to a 12-year old and an antiques seller. The book begins with an eerie scene back in time where a specific, special tree is being cut down by a young man who is desperate to make money to feed his family. Fast-forward to the present and Veronica's grandmother has passed away and she has inherited an antique credenza that's been in the family for years and a box of her grandmother's belongings. After she brings the items home, she begins to experience strange occurrences in her home and life. She realizes that the credenza might be the common denominator for these strange happenings and she is set on finding out more information about this credenza and the creepy green-clothed covered book she finds in a hidden compartment in one of the drawers.

Okay, I *really* enjoyed this. I devoured this in a whole 24 hours and I am not complaining. Even though the book was on the shorter side, I felt like the pace of the story wasn't rushed, but it unraveled at a good speed. The mystery and the weird occurrences were actually pretty creepy. I love the idea of a haunted piece of furniture that is filled full of suspicious history and suspected evil. My only "complaint," which really isn't a complaint, it's just more unrealistic in my eyes, is how honest Veronica is with her 12-year old Star - I feel like the honesty and the amount of information Veronica shared with Star was a little too much. There were things that Star definitely didn't need to know about and I feel like at her age, Veronica was a little TOO honest and open with her; but I also understand that Veronica didn't have anyone else, what with her mother disappearing when she was young, having a non-existent father figure in her life, no friends, and no family around.

The ending was super satisfying, but I feel like it left off on a cliffhanger, maybe? If so, I am totally looking forward to the next one because I need to know what happens next!

Credenza is a fascinating pink horror set in FL where we follow Veronica Marquette, a 35 year old single mother, who’s decided to take home her late grandmother’s credenza and single box of belongings left from the assisted living facility she was living in. Veronica is trying to keep her online thrift store profitable while parenting her daughter who’s about to begin middle school. Veronica starts hearing voices once the credenza is home and what unfolds is nothing I could’ve anticipated from a story that started out with a bang in the prologue where the tree used to make this cursed piece of furniture was graphically cut down. 👀

The horror in Credenza creeps up on you and finishes in a gory display of immortal gluttony, but ultimately this story is a lesson in listening to mothers and believing their intuition. It’s about what happens when you silence women’s voices and diminish their word. The relationships between mothers and daughters and the way they can be fractured or unbroken. Strong or strained. In the end it’s about what a mother will do to keep her own safe.

I had a thrilling time reading this book and highly suggest if you enjoy bloody horror, generational curses, thrifting, vintage deco, and that uneasy WTF feeling a good horror can achieve!

Thank you NetGalley, Quill & Crow Publishing House and Wendy Dalrymple for the eARC of Credenza in exchange for an honest review.

Credenza by Wendy Dalrymple is a wonderfully creepy read that completely caught me off guard—in the best way.

This story follows Veronica, who inherits a beautiful but mysterious credenza from her late grandmother. Seems innocent enough… until it becomes clear that this isn’t your average piece of furniture. This credenza is haunted—not just with ghosts, but with long-buried family secrets that begin to unravel the moment it enters her home.

The atmosphere in this book is eerie without being over-the-top. It’s got that slow-build tension that keeps you wondering, What is actually going on here?? Wendy Dalrymple did such a great job blending family drama, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural. I love when horror creeps in through something so mundane—and this heirloom? Yeah, it’s got a mind of its own.

It’s spooky, it’s heartfelt, and it’s just the right amount of weird. A great pick if you enjoy haunted house vibes but want something fresh and emotionally grounded.

If you’re into quiet horror, ghostly heirlooms, and family secrets that won’t stay buried, Credenza is for you.

Credenza is a fast-paced pink horror story surrounding an apparently cursed family heirloom that could easily be devoured in one sitting.
When her Grandma Maddie passes away, Veronica Marquette is bequeathed a peculiar piece of furniture, the aptly titled credenza. When it arrives home, strange and terrible things begin to happen – and Veronica begins to question her own sanity. Soon, old family secrets emerge, and she is forced to confront an ancient evil.

Dalrymple tackles themes of generational trauma and familial relationships via the haunted piece of furniture through various timelines, while simultaneously underscoring the often difficult bond between mothers and daughters. Credenza works as both a creepy and an unsettling dramatic horror story that is hard to put down.

This comes highly recommended for horror fans who enjoy cursed object stories without too much blood and gore. Dalrymple also wrote the delightful YA novella Birthday Party Demon, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for her readers next.

A woman inherits an antique credenza after the death of her grandmother. Strange occurrences start happening in her home, in addition to an equally peculiar man offering her a staggering amount for the piece of furniture.

Veronica, a relatable figure with a chaotic family life, is at the heart of this story. She struggles with the loss of her grandmother while navigating the challenges of single parenthood. This isn’t your typical in-your-face horror story. The subtle horrors of daily life, juxtaposed with the mysteries and terrors brought by the credenza, create a complex narrative.

I wish there had been more focus on the group behind the credenza and the group charged with protecting it. I wanted to read more about their story.

I enjoyed this story and could recommend it to pink horror fans. This was the first book I read by Wendy Dalrymple, but I’ll be checking out more of her books!

This started as a basic, run of the mill, haunted piece of furniture, scary story. I want to give a huge shout out to Veronica for actually having a goo head on her shoulders and saying "Oh, fuck no," upon finding a creepy book about ritualistic cannibalism. It's so hard to find smart heroines these days.

She went through the typical stages of being haunted (the denial, the "maybe I'm actually crazy," and finally the acceptance) but it wasn't in a way that made me want to reach through the book and shake some sense to her.

I found some things predictable. Fernando? I didn't trust that guy from the beginning. And this was by all accounts a cozy scary story. And then I got to the last 20% and all hell broke lose. There was fire and gore and lots of unpleasantness that actually caught me off guard because it was so far away from the vibe the first 80% of the story gave me.

I am docking this star because there was one loose end that I don't understand. What was the deal with the plates? And that Billie girl dying? I feel like this should have been explained a bit more, because that wasn't really resolved. Her death was suspected to be foul play, and that's all we know. Who has the plates? Are they just gonna keep getting passed around and getting people sick? I'm more worried about that than I am with the knife still being active in the epilogue lol

I usually don't read horror, but a haunted piece of furniture is up my alley. As a southerner, we all know that cursed piece that goes down generations. We all know not to touch Aunt June's favorite item. And this has a southern Gothic feel. With some working class roots in trying to keep above the payment fray.

Credenza's a multigenerational, matriarchal story that let's readers see the damages done with lies, secrets, and half truths. Gives The Witching Hour vibes, especially the first half of the mammoth book. (Credenza's under 250, so yay.) There's very gruesome cannibalism content and description, fair warning. But it's a fast read. Took less than a day. And it's an interesting thread to learn family lore and mistakes as you go along.

I think the time frames are a bit hard to parse. Thinking they should be slightly longer apart, given the language used in some parts. And I wish we'd been given slightly more backstory on lineal lines. Got confused a few times.

Solid, spooky read. Would be a great Halloween month entry to any of the reading challenges. The writing chops are definitely there.

Thanks to NetGalley, Quill & Crow, and Wendy Dalrymple for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The haunted heirloom concept of this book was very intriguing and also very well written. It is a little on the slow side in terms of pace but that only adds to the atmosphere of terror and dread. I would've like a more fleshed out ending but other than that, great read for mild horror lovers!

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc. This was a great story and the perfect length. I’ll take any book about Haunted objects! The legend of the credenza was a fun bit and jumping between timelines made the story feel richer.

This had some really great ideas and was very well-written! The pacing was a bit odd - it was slow and slightly repetitive and then everything happened at once. I wish there had been more information about the weirdness throughout the story, not just vague “this credenza is haunted and maybe dangerous.” The last 15% of the book was SO interesting and I wanted to know more! I love the ideas in here and would love to see the author take it further.

I really wanted to love this—spooky family heirlooms and ancient secrets are totally my thing. And with such a short page count, I expected it to hit the ground running. But honestly? It never really took off.

The pacing was slow, which is tough for a novella-length story where every page needs to count. I kept waiting for that hook—that moment where everything clicks and I’m glued to the page—but it never came. The premise had potential, but it felt like it skimmed the surface instead of diving deep into the mystery or emotion.

There were glimmers of intrigue, and I liked the eerie atmosphere the author was trying to create, but overall it left me feeling underwhelmed. Not a bad read, just not one that left a lasting impression.

When Veronica’s grandmother passes away, she inherits a large credenza. But no sooner has the credenza been installed in her home, when strange things start to happen. Voices whisper from the dark, injuries occur, and a strange man appears, determined to have the credenza for himself.

Credenza is a cosy gothic horror that takes you on a lyrical ride on every page. With a cast of characters that jump off the pages with reality, wholesome relationships and complicated motives, the story takes off and doesn’t let you go. The story is an interesting take on the cursed object sub-genre, with twists and turns that lead you down unexpected paths.
This was my first book by Wendy Dalrymple: it won’t be my last

When I saw that Wendy had a new book coming out, of course I am going to jump on it! An evil credenza who whispers to u? Yes please! I loved the mother/daughter relationship in this story. My only problem is that the ending felt rushed and I wanted to know what happened next.

Thank u to NetGalley for sending me a free copy for an honest review!

Perfect for readers looking for a fun creepy read, Credenza drew me in with the slightly wacky premise and then kept me hooked through a well-done pink horror story!

When Veronica picks up her late grandmother’s antique credenza, she thinks the only difficulty the piece of furniture will give her is the moving process; but the real nightmare begins after she gets it home, and frightening things start to happen around the furniture. Veronica is forced to confront the possibility that something evil has followed the credenza into her house, and as the haunting escalates, she will have to fight to protect her daughter from the evil she accidentally brought home.

This is a quick read that packs an enjoyable amount of creepiness within its pages. The pacing is fast; this is not a slow-burn story, and the frightening action starts right away, which made this book a nice break in between some non-fiction and slower burn books I’ve been reading recently. I found Veronica a sympathetic and likable main character, though I think some of the relationships in the story could have been fleshed out a little more. My favorite part of this book was the premise, and the execution of the premise. As an adult reader who started my horror journey young with the Goosebumps books, a story about an evil credenza immediately grabbed my interest; but I thought perhaps it might be more of a horror comedy. However, the author takes the potentially funny premise and turns it into a well-done scary story that explores themes of motherhood and generational trauma, built around a haunted credenza. I always love a fun concept executed well, and Credenza does exactly that.

I would recommend Credenza to readers who enjoy pink horror, haunted objects, and fast-paced creepy stories.

Thank you to NetGalley & Quill & Crow Publishing House for the arc! All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Great short horror story with engaging characters and a fun plot! I really enjoyed the twist at the end as well as the creepy vibes.

Unexpected, creepy, and fascinating. This book is one I can totally re-read and enjoy each time. It would make a great movie too!

Wendy Dalrymple’s Credenza is a page-turning horror novel that drew me in with an eerie premise. What if an ordinary piece of furniture harbored a chilling family history? When Veronica Marquette brings home an old-fashioned wooden cabinet inherited from her grandmother, strange things begin to occur. As she searches for answers about the credenza’s origins, she learns she must choose what role she’ll play in her family’s disturbing history.

The story wastes no time getting to the good part. I enjoyed how quickly the suspense built and found myself devouring the book in one sitting. The central mystery around the haunted object kept me hooked throughout. The pacing allows the reader to wonder what may happen next, but doesn’t keep you waiting too long for the reveal.

While the overall plot was engaging, some of the character interactions and dialogue felt a bit underdeveloped. I appreciated the fast paced storytelling, but it seems this came at the cost of deeper relationship dynamics between characters. That said, while I wish there was more in the way of character development, this didn’t ruin the fun of the core narrative for me.

The horror here isn’t sleep-with-the-light-on terrifying, but there’s a quiet eeriness to the idea that something sinister could be hiding in a seemingly innocuous setting: in a quiet little home, within a sturdy piece of furniture. This gives the book just a touch of an unsettling vibe.

I’d recommend Credenza to readers looking for a short, spooky read. It’s great for those who enjoy haunted object stories or those who have often pondered the hidden histories of ordinary things.