A haunted house with a magical upstairs room??? yes please. I feel like like sometimes the haunted house thriller can be overdone but this has a hint of magical realism that makes it so much different. Emily and Freddie are struggling in their marriage. When Emily has an accident that leaves her in a coma and almost dies it put a huge strain on their marriage. When she wakes up they decide to leave the city and buy an old house out in the countryside. Once they move in strange things start happening. Can Emily get to the bottom of what is really going on in this house??

This was a cleverly crafted and deliciously eerie haunted house story. The atmosphere was thick with tension, maintaining an unsettling, ominous tone from start to finish.

I’m always drawn to an unreliable narrator, and this one pulled me in right away. I appreciated the fresh twists on domestic suspense and the constant stream of surprises that kept the plot engaging.

That said, despite the shocking finale, the pacing occasionally felt sluggish. While I understand why this is a favorite for many, I sometimes find it difficult to fully connect with paranormal thrillers—suspending disbelief doesn’t always come easily for me, which can affect my immersion.

However, switching to the audiobook made a difference. The narration was excellent—well-paced and compelling—making it an easy listen to finish in a single day.

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Goodreads

This audiobook was addicting!! It has short chapters filled with intrigue that makes you absolutely devour the book. So many secrets and agendas and non-communication that contributed to the ending. The storytelling from both the author and narrator was absolutely masterful. I absolutely loved hating these characters and lived for the horror that befell them. A+ 10/10. Get it as an audiobook, you will not regret it.

Emily and Freddie move into Larkin Lodge, an old house, built on an unconsecrated graveyard for people who've committed suicide. Emily thinks there is a hostile presence in the house. She is recovering from an accident and still not herself. Freddie writes off her concerns as just post-traumatic stress. He has his own problems to worry about anyway. He's gambled away most of their money and is worried about paying it back.

The two even invite their friends for a weekend get together to try to become acclimated to the house. The visit doesn't go well and the house continues to bother Emily, who is hoping to become pregnant again. She lost a baby in the aftermath of the bad fall she took hiking. Books move about on their own. A mysterious nail keeps popping back up on the landing, and some crows seem to be haunting the place.

This book is a bit of a mashup of Beetlejuice and Gone Girl, with strange twists and turns that will make you laugh and question the institution of marriage. Anyone who enjoys a bit of Gothic horror will enjoy this one, as well as those who are devotees of Poe.

Narrators Helen Baxendale and Jamie Glover do an admirable job of voicing each of the characters. Recommended.

This book was fast paced, gripping, and drenched in unease from the very first page. There’s a creeping sense of dread that builds with each chapter, wrapping tighter and tighter until you're practically holding your breath. The atmosphere is thick with paranoia, and I found myself constantly on edge, second guessing everyone and everything. Every chapter made me more uneasy, more suspicious, more convinced that something was terribly wrong. And I loved every second of it.

What really stood out was the ominous tone through the entire book. There’s no relief, no lull — just a steady, pulsing sense that something terrible is coming. The last hour of the book had me feeling such dread. And the ending left me haunted, sitting in stunned silence long after the audiobook ended.

If you're looking for a dark, atmospheric thriller that knows exactly how to get under your skin and stay there, this one is a must read.

Wow, this audiobook had me completely hooked and hanging onto the author’s every word from the moment I started listening!

🐦‍⬛Slow burn horror
🐦‍⬛Haunted house
🐦‍⬛Unreliable narrator
🐦‍⬛Hallucinations

I have loved Sarah Pinborough since reading Behind Her Eyes as a BOTM pick. I was so excited to get an ALC of her newest book We Live Here Now.

I love that the twists have enough foreshadowing that you can guess at an answer, but she still ALWAYS has another twist up her sleeve. Even when I thought I had things figured out, the last page had me laughing!

The audiobook was especially great as I could feel the main character’s paranoia. I didn’t love the male narrator’s voice as much, but the other two POVs (Emily and the raven) were excellent.

I definitely recommend this one if you like any of the tropes above or want a slow burn creepy mystery.

After waking from a coma, Emily moves with her husband Freddie from busy London to the isolated, brooding landscape of Dartmoor. Larkin Lodge is supposed to be their fresh start—but right from the moment Emily sets foot in the house, something feels deeply off. It’s cold, strange, and unsettling… like it’s holding onto something dark.

This book promised an eerie gothic mystery—and in many ways, it delivered. The moody English moor setting, the creaking old house, the raven that won’t leave the chimney—all created an atmosphere full of tension and dread. The house practically breathes with secrets, and the slow, spiraling unease kept me curious.

But as much as I loved the atmosphere, the rest didn’t quite land for me. The pacing was painfully slow. I’m not usually a fan of slow burns, and this one dragged enough that I had a hard time staying invested. The supernatural elements were vague, the characters felt flat and unlikable, and some of the horror tropes (plus all the Poe references) started to feel gimmicky rather than chilling.

There were some twists I didn’t see coming, and the ending gave just enough payoff to keep it from being a total miss—but the journey there was frustrating. Emily and Freddie’s dynamic leaned heavily on gaslighting and emotional turmoil, which made it hard to connect with either of them. And despite the book setting up the house as its own character, we never really get a satisfying answer about why it’s so haunted.

All in all, We Live Here Now is a beautifully written, atmospheric mystery with a few good scares—but the drawn-out plot, repetitive themes, and underdeveloped characters left me wanting more. This one just didn’t fully work for me, though I know it will hit the mark for fans of slow-burning, psychological gothic tales.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC.

Loved it! This was a great story that was made even better by the fantastic audio. A little bit of a different type of haunted house story with a twist that surprised me. This is the first book I’ve read from this author, but now I will definitely be checking out her other work.

Emily and Freddie start over by purchasing their dream home in the country, Larkin Lodge. Emily is recovering from an accident that left her in a coma and seriously injured. She is still recovering and begins to suspect that the house is haunted. Freddie seems to doubt her suspicions and seems to be hiding something. Emily becomes obsessed with the history of the house. She witnesses many more strange occurrences in their home as her marriage seems to unravel.

This delivered on so many levels—the atmosphere was written with such detail, and leaves the reader with a strong sense of impending doom. You just know something terrible is going to happen. I loved the multiple POVs, I really think that they added to the story. The twists were well written and unexpected. Sarah Pinborough always delivers a unique reading experience that leaves you shaking your head as the conclusion is revealed. This was Pinborough at her best.

4 ⭐️

Emily has just survived an accident that almost killed her. When she and her husband, Freddie, move into the beautiful Larkin Lodge, she hopes for a speedy recovery. Soon Emily begins to suspect that the house is haunted and she is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery of Larkin Lodge. However, Freddie isn't convinced and suspects that Emily might just be losing her mind and maybe he'd be better off without her.

This is my first Pinborough book, and I appreciate her giving us a unique haunted house story. I think that was what I liked best about this book. I didn't expect it to end up the way it did, and while it's not the perfect ending in my opinion, it is uniquely done. Freddie was a deplorable character, and while Emily wasn't the greatest person, she was a bit more sympathetic than Freddie. All in all, I enjoyed this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Helen Baxendale and Jamie Glover were great narrators and really brought the story to life.

I believe his is the second book I’ve read from Sarah Pinborough, but wow! Just phenomenal! Really makes you wonder… how could that be? And also… where does she come up with these ideas???

In this one, we meet Emily, who has had a horrific near-death accident, but somehow pulls through… to her husbands and friends surprise.
But, she’s not done. She has a long road to recovery ahead of her…but with help from all her friends and husband, she knows she’ll be ok…

Add to this that they’ve just moved to the home of their dreams…and, well, it can’t get much better than this…

But when Emily comes home from the hospital, she starts to hear, see and feel things that just… CANNOT BE!

And so she starts to investigate… wants to know more about the house and its history… but is she really prepared to know it all?? Might she uncover some things she does not want to know??

🛑🛑 And yes, I’m leaving it right there!! 🛑🛑

If this sounds intriguing to you, you might want to pick this one up!

#WeLiveHereNow by #SarahPinborough and narrated nicely by #HelenBaxendale; #JamieGlover and #SarahPinborough.

5 big, bright, scary ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook.
*** It was released on 5/20/25, so look 👀 for it on shelves now!! ***

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Creepy and atmospheric We Live Here Now is a horror/ thriller that I could not put down. Emily is recovering from a horrific fall that had her in a coma for months. To make a fresh start she and her husband Freddy buy a gothic manor in the English countryside and move in ready to start anew. However there are unexplainable sounds and cold breezes that both Freddy and Emily begin to notice. Is the house haunted, or something much, much worse. Emily and Freddy both have secrets from each other and as they become more and more entrenched in living at the house these secrets begin to surface, making trust a major issue between them. It's as if the house wants it that way. Spooky and original We Live Here Now will have you turning the pages, or in my case listening with breath held till the very end. The narrators were excellent. Recommended. 5 stars.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for a chance to listen/read an ARC version of this audio book.

I debated not finishing this book initially as it gives ghost vibes. However, I kept going and am so glad I did :) There’s a mystery. This couple moves into an old house and the wife keeps seeing, hearing odd things. Some people that visit also have weird sensations in the house. Great pace overall and good narration.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the eARC.

The audiobook narrators were so fantastic. They did a fantastic job using their voices to show the tension and desperation. This had such a unique twist on the haunted house narrative and I loved the end twist.

Rating: 3ish stars!

The creepy house, with the creepy room, and the creepy things that keep happening had me hooked from the jump. Then it all kind of went down hill from there.. I was getting Stephen King vibes if you know what I mean... Overall its as slightly drawn out "scary" story.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough is a quick, intriguing read with a haunting atmosphere and an eerie slow burn that kept me guessing. Emily and Freddie have a highly unusual marriage, and there were moments I genuinely wondered what was really going on behind the scenes. The story unravels with several unexpected twists toward the end that add to its unsettling tone.

While I appreciated the suspense and the vivid descriptions of the house and all its strange happenings, I struggled to connect with the characters, which held me back from rating it higher. I found it difficult to fully invest in their emotional arcs.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy. The narrators did an excellent job bringing the story to life and enhancing the eerie atmosphere throughout.

I have read one other Sarah Pinborough book and unfortunately it wasn't for me, but I saw that this seemed to be a haunted house story so I was interested.
I actually very much enjoyed this one. Following a couple who is recovering from a medical emergency and attempting to reconnect, the have moved to a large old house. But its obvious early on that something isn't quite right with the house.
I liked getting to know our couple. The pacing was well done with the clues and hints as events began to unfold. I will say that both of them were insufferable at a point, but I think it was intentional and it worked with the way the story was told.
The ending threw me for a loop, but in a good way. Overall, it was a good time and I am glad I enjoyed it.
The audiobook was performed by multiple narrators and the production quality was great.

A moody, unsettling psychological thriller that keeps you questioning everything.

Sarah Pinborough delivers another gripping and twisty tale in We Live Here Now. The eerie atmosphere of Larkin Lodge is beautifully crafted—it’s the kind of haunted house story where the biggest mystery may lie within the characters themselves. Emily’s unreliable narration, shaped by her trauma and post-sepsis condition, creates an intense sense of paranoia that had me second-guessing every odd event.

I really enjoyed how the book blurs the line between psychological illness and the supernatural. The tension builds slowly but effectively, and the theme of not being believed—of gaslighting and isolation—is handled with care and depth. Emily is a complex protagonist, and while at times I wanted more development from Freddie, their dynamic kept the emotional stakes high.

It did take a bit to gain momentum in the beginning, and some reveals felt slightly rushed at the end. But overall, this was a haunting and well-paced read that kept me turning pages and eager to see how it all unraveled.

Perfect for fans of slow-burn thrillers with a psychological edge and just a hint of the paranormal.

First of all thank you to Netgalley & MacMillan Audio for the approval of this audiobook. This audiobook had me on the edge of my seat & it definitely kept my attention from start to finish. I thought the narrator did an excellent job portraying all of the characters & the way she was able to tell the story in her spooky voice at times was fantastic. It was freaky, intense & I will absolutely recommend this book to all my followers as well as family & friends that love a good thriller. This will be a great Fall/Spooky read for this season. Definitely recommend both the audiobook & book!!!