Another solid slightly supernatural thriller from Sarah Pinborough. Freddie and Emily as dual narrators are not always reliable or likable, as intended by the author and used successfully as a primary plot point. Would recommend for anyone looking for an escapist page-turner.

I really enjoyed this spooky story where a husband, Freddie, and wife, Emily, start over in a new place in England - Larkin Lodge in Dartmoor County. The house, however, appears to be haunted, at least that's what the wife thinks. I loved the back-and-forth narrative between Emily, and Freddie, with occasional inputs from a man named Mark and a mystery woman that used to live in Larkin Lodge. It was a little confusing, but I loved the twist ending...where ghosts actually appear to kill the bad parts of each other. The narrators did a really good job with the narration as well. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

I was excited to receive this audiobook from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. I loved the haunted house plot and loved the eerie rural UK atmosphere that was described in this book. I loved the short chapters and the crow's point of view that was interspersed throughout the book. I will say, the narrators accent was great and really added to the book, but it was really confusing that their voice didn't change at all for other people speaking or for the diary entries that were read. It left me confused at times. Plot wise I thought it was interesting, but felt like it took too long to get to the "aha" moment in the book and once it did it felt like it turned into another book after following that plot line. I would have loved seeing that plot line earlier on. I do, however, think the ending of this book was very fitting! Thanks again to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audioARC.

3.75. The narrator’s of this book did a great job. I loved their accents. This book did keep me guessing the whole time and the characters were pretty likable at the beginning but as the story goes on Emily, Freddie, Sally & Jack were not who they pretended to be. They all had some shady behavior.

I really liked this one, couldn't really tell where it was going but the twists at the end were worth it!

"There are no ghosts in Larkin Lodge."

This might just be the best haunted house story I've ever read. While it fits squarely in the horror/haunted house genre, it feels entirely fresh. The plot is both eerily familiar and wildly original, standing out from many others in the same subgenre.

We follow Emily and Freddie, a couple who have recently relocated from the chaos of London to the quiet countryside, settling into an old estate called Larkin Lodge. Emily, recovering from a serious accident and a long hospital stay, is struggling with limited mobility and the emotional toll of her trauma. As they adjust to their new life, Emily begins noticing strange occurrences around the manor. But in her fragile state, even she begins to doubt her own perceptions—could these be lingering effects of sepsis, or is something truly sinister at play?

The story blurs the line between reality and delusion, keeping me constantly on edge and questioning everything. The lore surrounding the manor and its land is rich and chilling—exactly the kind of slow-burn, secret-laden atmosphere I love. And yes, there's a long-lost journal, and yes, it’s EVERYTHING!

Emily as a character is maddening in the best way. Her sense of moral superiority grated on me, especially with her own secrets quietly festering in the background. But that contradiction made her compelling and real.

We Live here now is full of secrets and scandals, and just when you think you know who to trust, the ground shifts again. Is the house driving everyone mad, or is madness just part of the human condition? Those jaw-dropping moments where everything finally clicks—absolutely satisfying, everything came together leaving no questions unanswered. If you're craving a haunting tale that not only twists your mind but also gets under your skin and stays with you long after the final page, this is the one.

I thought the Narrators did an amazing job and brought Emily and Freddie to life, I was hanging onto every word.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy of We Live Here Now in exchange for my honest review!

WOW... I didn't expect that ending at all.

At the beginning this book was strange and not very interesting. It took about 10 chapters to finally pull me in. Once I was hooked I couldn't put it down. Sarah Pinborough did a fabulous job with this. I enjoyed it very much.

Absolutely love this story! This is truly one of my favorite Gothic novels. When you think it can’t get creepier, guess what it does. A spooky old house marriage troubles. This will definitely be a reread when it comes out on May 20.

4.75 stars - I really really liked this story. This take on the haunted house in the country was so unique and something I absolutely did not expect. It reminded me of Oddity the movie in some ways, and September House in others. I really recommend this story for fans of haunted house horror.

We Live Here Now

I was so excited to listen to this before it comes out! But I sadly didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

The main character Emily and her husband Freddy were so unhappy together.. I’m not sure why they stayed together but that really annoyed me. There were lots of secrets throughout the book which kept it interesting and a few twists. But I still found the book to be painfully slow. I just kept waiting for it to get better.

I do think the narrators did a wonderful job!


Thank you so much Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and Sarah for the ALC!

Rating: ✨✨✨
Publication Date: May 20 2025

This was another fantastic read from Sarah Pinborough! I loved the chilling atmosphere, the steady unraveling of secrets, and the layered mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish. In true Sarah style, that ending blew my mind! I immediately found myself flipping back through the pages to catch all the subtle clues I missed. Of course, I’ve already pre-ordered a copy because I need this one on my shelf!

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This one started off a little slow but Sarah is such a great writer that the characters quickly developed, the plot progressed and the story really took off and gelled for me. The interactions between Emily and Freddie were shocking, funny, dark and some of the thoughts going around their heads were so appalling and real they made me chuckle.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook review copy. The narrators nailed the tone and feel and I think really helped elevate the story.

Well done all around. 4+ Stars and Highly Recommended

**4.5 Stars**

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
After a near-death experience, Emily and her husband Freddie move from London to a grand country house on Dartmoor—Larkin Lodge. While the home is beautiful, Emily senses something is terribly wrong. Strange things happen only when she’s alone: creaking floorboards, extinguished fires, books falling from shelves. Still recovering from sepsis, she questions whether it’s all in her head.
Freddie dismisses her fears, but Emily grows convinced the house is haunted by a murder no one remembers. As eerie events escalate and tensions rise between them, she becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth. But Larkin Lodge isn’t the only place hiding secrets—so are Emily and Freddie.
𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
I love a good haunted house story, so I was really looking forward to this one — and it totally delivered. Right from the start, there’s this great tension where you, as the reader, can kind of see what’s coming before the characters do... but even then, it’s hard to predict how everything will play out. That mix of suspense and mystery kept me completely hooked.
The atmosphere is super creepy in the best way, and the story has just the right amount of twists to keep things interesting without feeling overdone. I didn’t like either of the main characters, but honestly, I think that was the point — they’re complicated, a little messy, and very well written.
What really surprised me was how deep the book went — it touches on some pretty big themes like guilt, relationships, resilience, and how people deal with trauma. Definitely check the trigger warnings.
Now, the audiobook? Fantastic. Helen Baxendale and Jamie Glover absolutely nail that quiet, simmering British tension. But the coolest part? The author, Sarah Pinborough, actually narrates the raven chapters herself. And wow — she brings this whole extra layer of emotion to it. The raven feels like this haunting, grieving presence that really sticks with you.

Thank You @Netgalley and @Macmillan Audio for allowing me to review this ALC.

After surviving a near-fatal case of sepsis, Emily is still physically fragile and emotionally raw. Hoping to recover and reset their lives, she and her husband Freddie leave London behind for a fresh start at Larkin Lodge — a striking country house on the windswept moors of Dartmoor.

But the house seems... wrong. Strange sounds, cold rooms, and books falling off shelves. Is the house haunted, or is it Emily’s post-sepsis hallucinations? Freddie insists everything’s fine, but Emily suspects he’s hiding something — and he is. Then again, so is she.

As strange happenings pile up and their marriage begins to unravel, Emily becomes convinced that Larkin Lodge is haunted. That someone died here. That something still lingers.

Secrets live here. And now, so do they.

This book was everything I want in a modern gothic thriller — eerie, atmospheric, unsettling, and ambiguously supernatural. The cover for this book is what initially attracted me, and the story absolutely delivered on the desolate house and circling ravens promised.

What I loved most is how We Live Here Now leans into the haunted house tradition but puts its own clever twist on it. The house is menacing and strange, but Emily’s medical fragility introduces a layer of psychological tension that makes every creak and open window suspect. Readers know early on that she isn’t imagining all of it, thanks to some truly weird and poetic interludes told from the perspective of a raven — yes, really — which deepen the sense of dread and signal the book’s ties to Edgar Allan Poe’s work.

Emily herself is a compelling narrator — flawed, candid, and unreliable in just the right ways. She’s made mistakes, but her growing paranoia feels justified, especially as her relationship with Freddie fractures under the weight of unspoken secrets. Their marriage feels messy and lived-in, which gives the emotional beats in the final act a real sense of weight and inevitability.

While it never tipped into full-on horror for me, I definitely got that creeping, prickling feeling of dread — the kind that comes with well-written gothic fiction. If you prefer your beach reads to be atmospheric, twisty, and gleefully unsettling, then you will need to add this one to your TBR!

4.5/5 stars rounded up.

I really loved this one. This story had a special twist on the classic haunted house. It was reminiscent of some other stories yet still had its own personal touch that made it stand out. It reminded me a bit of The Haunting of Hill House mixed with Pet Sematary.

Mysterious and drama-filled, this book felt incredibly satisfying. It had a bit of everything: marital troubles, rocky friendships, and a supernatural element. I'm a sucker for a good ouija board scene too. I whipped through this audiobook while knocking out some exercise and chores around the house and it made time fly. This will definitely be a book that I pick up as a bookshelf trophy!

Narrators listed as Helen Baxendale; Jamie Glover; Sarah Pinborough. The narration was fantastic. I love when audiobooks have narrators for different characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

TW: Addiction, Animal death, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

2.5/5 rounded up.

In this book, our main character wakes up from a coma to her husband saying that he finally got them a nice place in the countryside. Apparently, they've always wanted to move there and he thinks it'll help with her healing and relaxation. But this house just so happens to be haunted.

The gaslighting in this book is crazy! (As you can probably imagine when it comes to this type of story.)

Sadly, I found this book quite boring. I think the main reason for that has to do with how repetitive this story and writing is. We get quite a bit of main character sees something spooky, she tells husband, he gaslights her, she moves on, she sees another spooky thing and repeat, repeat, repeat. I think this was supposed to be reminiscent of the Amityville house and that whole story?? But it did not hit.

This was also quite slow, which really didn't help with the repetition and boringness.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my hones review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

After surviving a near-fatal case of sepsis, Emily and her husband, Freddie, move to a secluded countryside house. From the moment she arrives, something feels off about the house. It is beautiful, yes, but has an unnerving quality, like a bookshelf that spells an ominous message, and a heavy presence haunts the third-floor room. A creeping unease and psychological tension linger, a mix of ghost story and domestic suspense. Emily serves as an unreliable narrator, caught in the fog of her recovery, making you question everything. Freddie remains skeptical, and as their relationship unravels, long-buried secrets come to light.

The audiobook narration heightens the sense of dread and Emily's deteriorating mental state. All the characters are flawed, with a complex relationship at the center that battles with lies. Just when you think you've figured out what's going on, the final twist drops. It's clever, well-paced, and satisfying.

Thank you, NetGalley and McMillan Audio, for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

We Live Here Now was an underwhelming read for me, and that’s mostly due to a personal pet peeve—I can’t stand stories about couples who clearly resent each other but still choose to stay together. It’s exhausting to read about people clinging to long-past saving relationships, especially when there’s no meaningful growth or resolution.

While the writing had intense moments and the atmosphere was effectively bleak, the story's emotional core just didn’t resonate with me. Instead of feeling tension or heartbreak, I felt mostly frustration watching two people simmer in mutual bitterness. I know some readers enjoy the raw realism of that dynamic, but for me, it felt like being trapped in someone else’s toxic relationship with no real payoff.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author, but it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook! I thought the narrator did a great job bringing the story to life! This story is told through several POVs, including that of a raven! Which is both interesting and creepy! The ravens cause a lot of unease throughout the book.

This story is slow burn, but still managed to keep me engaged and on the edge of my seat. A unique twist n the typical haunted house story! There are a lot of unsettling scenes with some horror elements. I really enjoyed the ending! It all came together so well in my opinion. It’s hard to go into to much detail without giving anything away.

If you enjoy domestic thrillers, psychological suspense, and horror all wrapped into one, then I definitely think you’ll enjoy this book!

I loved this for the Ravens and mentions of Poe.

Read if you are looking for:
🐦‍⬛ Eerie vibes + slow burn mystery
🐦‍⬛ Short chapters
🐦‍⬛ Marital secrets
🐦‍⬛ Unreliable narrator
🐦‍⬛ Unique haunted house twist

My hang up was that I had zero attachment to the unlikable main characters so I didn't really have anyone to root for and feel for. If you're ok with unlikable characters and a slow burn, I think you'll enjoy this one.

The dual POV narrators for the audio both did a great job creating atmosphere as they voiced the story.