A creepy haunted house with creepy kids will always be a favorite subplot of mine. This book was amazing.

So I will admit that the first few chapters into The Secrets of Blackthorn House, I was skeptical. It all moved a little too fast. The characters were all a little too stereotypical and flat. The action felt a little too contrived.

But about a third of the way in, something changed. I’d like to be able to articulate precisely what that something was, but I can’t seem to hone in on it. Suddenly, I found that I couldn’t put the story down; I was completely invested in Evelyn’s character and her journey, to the point that I was literally cheering her on in the final chapters.

Along with a compelling heroine, I enjoyed the way McWilliams was able to weave elements of Norse mythology into her narrative. She also should be commended for her ability to add her own twist to the gothic horror genre. It makes me wish that we all had the ‘resources’ Evelyn eventually discovers she has.

4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Quill & Crow Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a gothic horror story set in the unforgiving Yorkshire Moors, it gave me both Wuthering Heights and Rebecca vibes.

After a whirlwind romance, Evelyn and her new husband Peter are left his fathers large imposing estate Blackthorn House. As soon as she and her maid Lily arrive they realise that all is not as it seems and the house itself seems to hold some dark and sinister secret. Neither her Husband or the household staff are kind, and Evely quickly realises that evil is afoot.

Trying to find out the secrets of the house Evelyn and Lily, put themselves in grave danger and events happen that neither of them can control or forget.

The writing itself was chilling and athmosphericIt. I would have liked to be a little more scared whilst reading, but all in all a great example of gothic horror set in a macabre old manor house.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date is - August 22, 2025

This book was eerie and suspenseful. If you like Gothic haunted houses, historical settings, and Norse mythology, you will want to read this!

Evelyn is a newlywed suddenly moving with her husband to his family’s home after his father passes away. Secluded in the moors and surrounded by fog, she quickly learns her husband isn’t the man she fell in love with. While the house's staff is standoffish, she becomes good friends with the servant, Lilly, who travelled with her to the mansion. They both see and feel the spirits roaming the property and work together to uncover the house’s secrets while trying to stay safe.

The beginning of this book did move at a slower pace, but I enjoyed how it set the scene. I also felt hints about the family secrets were steadily revealed which kept me engaged and trying to solve a puzzle. The spirits, for the most part, do not seem hostile, which made the environment seem less life-threatening at first. It was more mysterious and eerie. The descriptive, vivid text in this book made the setting so easy to picture. The action picks up a lot in the second half of the book. The situation Evelyn and Lilly are trapped in feels dire and impossible to fix or escape.

I really enjoyed the elements of sisterhood and perseverance in this book. I liked how Evelyn and Lilly found strength together. I also felt a lot of details surrounding a woman’s role and mental health were handled perfectly for the time period.

The ending left me feeling uneasy. I’m not sure I like ending a book on that emotion, but it seems appropriate for this story.

Thank you NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for letting me be an ARC reader for this book!

Thank you, Netgalley & Quill & Crow Publishing House

“ 𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯, 𝘮𝘢’𝘢𝘮, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮”


The books reminded me of Rebecca and the movie Crimson Peak, so if you like those, you will enjoy this book. It’s Gothic horror with the trope of a woman getting married, moving to a house that is haunted and things start to unravel. The writing was easy to follow, picturesque, and atmospheric. It was easy to imagine the house and its grotesque inhabitants. The pacing was moderate, switching fast at around 70% of the book. By this time, sleep was beyond me, the suspense drove it away, and I read page after page, wanting to know what would happen to Evelyn and Lilly. Speaking of, their friendship and how the women helped one another was one of my favorite parts in the book!


“𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘴, 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦. 𝘖𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯, 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘴”

This is my first Marie McWilliams book that I’ve read. I love a good gothic haunted house horror, where the house seems to be alive and plays a central part to the story. This book did not disappoint. Blackthorn House felt like it was a character, a very atmospheric setting that lends to to creepy and haunting vibes of the plot. I found the pacing to be perfect, with lots of suspense and the right amount of secrets being revealed that kept me engaged. When the pacing picked for the last few chapters, I was on the edge of my seat until the very end. An overall great read

Thank you to NetGalley and Crow Publishing House for the eARC.

This was my first time reading a spooky, ghost-filled story — and I absolutely loved it. The atmosphere was haunting in the best way. The setting of a grand, old manor tucked away in the moors, completely isolated from the village, gave me chills and made the perfect backdrop for a gripping mystery.

The female main character was strong-willed, curious, and determined to uncover the truth behind the manor's strange happenings. I was especially drawn to her bond with her friend Lilly — both characters were inspiring in their own ways, and I found myself rooting for them throughout.

What really stood out was the writing style. It was detailed and deeply analytical, allowing me to truly feel the weight of Evelyn’s loneliness and emotional struggle. The author captured her sadness and the eerie atmosphere with such precision that it stayed with me long after I finished the book.

After this read, I’m definitely on the lookout for more haunted manor stories. There's something so thrilling about exploring the secrets of a crumbling house full of whispers from the past.

Evelyn has found the man of her dreams. Peter Black loves her sincerely and comes from a wealthy and cultured family like her own. When his father dies unexpectedly on the night of their wedding, Peter becomes Lord Black, and Evelyn becomes his Lady. Along with Peter's title comes a dark and ancient inheritance: Blackthorn House and the centuries of secrets buried within awaiting a fresh generation the family's blood. Evelyn's waking hours are troubled by strange, unseen presences she senses in the house and grounds. Peter has become cold, his face as stony as the dark moors.Her dreams are haunted by a woman with two faces, one living and one dead. She dreams of a door carved with the runic markings of Peter's Scandinavian ancestors. Nothing makes sense anymore, but Evelyn begins to fear that her new home has become her prison...Reading this book was a spine tingling, fun way to spend a couple of dark nights, a must-read for lovers of a good gothic. Thank you to Netgalley and Quill and Crow for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy.

The Secrets of Blackthorn House is a captivating historical fiction novel that kept me engaged from beginning to end. Marie McWilliams weaves a compelling story filled with mystery, family secrets, and unexpected twists that add depth and intrigue throughout the book. The setting is richly described, immersing the reader in the atmosphere of the era and the haunting Blackthorn House itself, which almost becomes a character in its own right.

The characters are well-crafted and relatable, each with their own complexities and motivations that felt authentic. I particularly appreciated how the author balanced the suspense with emotional moments, making the story both thrilling and heartfelt. The pacing was steady, allowing the mystery to unfold gradually without feeling rushed.

While there were moments where the plot felt slightly predictable, it did not detract significantly from the overall enjoyment. The writing style is elegant and accessible, making it a smooth and enjoyable read.

I’m giving The Secrets of Blackthorn House four stars. It’s a great choice for fans of historical mysteries and those who enjoy stories rich with atmosphere and emotional depth. I look forward to reading more from Marie McWilliams in the future.

Once again, another creepy story that kept me entertained!

I enjoyed it and loved the feeling the book gave.

This is so spooky, gothic and I loved it. The writing is so hauntingly pretty, and the characters are so fun to read. Thank you NetGalley and thank you Marie McWilliams.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and to Quill & Crow Publishing House for the eARC!

I love a good horror book, and especially with gothic elements to it. When done right the two create a fun tale that’ll keep you at the edge of your seat, and Secrets of Blackthorne House definitely did it for me. You meet Evelyn and Peter, a newly wedded couple who just are settling into their newlywed lives when Peter suddenly has inherited Blackthorne House and their lives are uprooted to move there. Immediately Evelyn feels that things are off, including with Peter and she’s seeing ghosts and specter like figures roam the hallways so it’s up to her to figure out why this place is haunted— and stay alive.

I really enjoyed this book a lot— watching Evelyn as she goes searching for answers, the feminine rage, the ghosts and figuring out if they’re there to help or harm her.. I was definitely hooked on it from the start to the end. Sometimes I felt like the pacing was a bit too quick and sometimes the information was a lot to take in, but this story covers the timeline of over several months so the pacing makes sense. I wanted to know more about Peter’s upbringing and some more of the Black family history, and though it can make people squeamish I loved the gory details the author gives. I think it really paints the picture of a good, gothic horror tale. There’s definitely some dark, very dark topics that come in here that were painful to read but in the sense that it’s meant to be so, adding to the horror of it all and helped tell the story the way it was meant to be told. The ending definitely left me wanting a sequel so if Marie McWilliams feels that a sequel should come out, I’ll pick it up immediately!

Gave this 4.5 stars on StoryGraph. Absolutely wonderful book, had an absolute blast with this and I will be picking up a physical copy of this book.

A gripping Gothic read with effective atmosphere and a tightly wound mystery. While less original in plot structure, it strikes a satisfying balance between supernatural chills and emotional stakes. Think Rebecca meets The Haunting of Hill House—if you’re drawn to moody mansions, family secrets, and a pregnant protagonist navigating hidden horrors, this one delivers.

The Secrets of Blackthorn House is a gothic horror that explores dark themes such as toxic relationships. It’s also filled with ghosts, feminine rage and a completely helpless FMC. This book didn’t complete capture my true attention as a whole as much as I’d have liked it to. This story was paced very slow and repetitive at times. The creepy overall sense of dread was there but all the big moments were downplayed in my opinion. I struggle with slow burns as a reader so I think this just was a book not for me. I’m sure many other readers who enjoy their gothic horror as slow burns will really enjoy this one. No jump scares or palpable heartbeat moments and that’s what ultimately didn’t have me completely sold. If you’re going to write a gothic horror novel you need to be fully in it to make it stand out amongst the many others in the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. The Secrets of Blackthorn House releases in August 21st, 2025.

A fantastic gothic horror tale.

This was so atmospheric with creepy chills in all the right places. It drew me in and had me feeling anxious, I was right there with the FMC, Evelyn.

A perfect horror tale, beautifully written and had me utterly invested from the first chapter.

I most definitely enjoyed this atmospheric, gothic horror story and am thankful to Quill & Crow Publishing House and NetGalley for the approval of this ARC.
The author did an amazing job depicting the scenes so it felt like I was inside the haunted Blackthorn House. The FMC has been through her fair share of trauma, and just when she feels as though she is starting fresh with her new husband, things start going wrong.

Gothic Manor
Haunted House
Family Secrets
Viking Cult
Morally Black Husband
Ghosts

What I loved:
Detailed depictions of the gothic setting
Emotional insight into the FMC
The FMC’s treatment of staff
Experiencing the FMC finding her strength
The descriptions of the ghosts appearances
Just enough horror to feel the character’s fear, but not so much it will keep me up
That ending.

What it needs/I didn’t love:

Peter. I needed more details on how he treated Evelyn before Blackthorn because I’m still trying to decide whether he was always bad, or his behavior was a side effect of being a male Black living inside the residence.

While Evelyn’s emotions are relevant, the amount of thoughts she had between responses in conversations were not feasible for carrying on a conversation. 3 pages of thoughts before answering someone would be weird IRL. These moments are where I felt the story drag and wanted out of her head.

How did this family pass down their “inheritance” of blood magic for generations yet no one around them tried to use light or earth magic to break the curse?

A classic gothic horror, deliciously dark 🖤

What you can expect to find in The Secrets of Blackthorn House:

🖤 Ominous manor house
☠️ Helpless heroine
🖤 Ghosts
☠️ Toxic/abusive marriage
🖤 Female rage

The feeling of oppression and despair, appropriate for gothic horror, was done perfectly here. I felt the heroine’s helplessness grow with every page, and by the halfway point I had no idea how the story might end.
At some moments I felt the story dragged on or was a bit repetitive, but I understand the point was to show the main character had exhausted all possible ways to free herself.
I also liked the inclusion of norse mythology, it didn’t feel forced or out of place.

One point that I wish had been better explored was the reason why the villains did what they did. I'm still a bit confused about the explanation.

In the guise of a horror story, this book is ultimately about toxic and manipulative relationships, highlighting the narcissism of the men who treat women as their possessions to own and discard.

The Secrets of Blackthorn House is the gothic ghost story I have been waiting for!
When Evelyn gets married to Peter Black, she thinks she has the perfect marriage, but once Peter inherits Blackthorn House, he drops the perfect husband mask. Trapped with her every move watched, Evelyn must investigate strange occurrences and figure out what she has married into before it is too late.
I was never bored with this read, and loved the different kinds of supernatural events that happen around the house. Though sometimes there's a bit of repetition of Evelyn's thoughts and emotions, it didn't fully distract attention away from the plot and its chilling imagery.
Expect every gothic trope and more! Hauntings, decay, isolation, and intense emotions are masterfully structured, compelling the reader into the unknown. But do check your trigger warnings before reading for this gothic ghost story is unafraid to venture into the darker territory of horror.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a historical, gothic horror novel set in early 1900s. Marie McWilliams crafts an atmospheric tale centered around protagonist Evelyn, who moves into the foreboding Blackthorn House—only to uncover unsettling truths about the house.

The suspense builds steadily, with well-plotted twists that keep the reader guessing. While some character motivations could be deeper, the emotional weight of Evelyn’s journey and the chilling revelations make for a compelling read.
Intriguing: 1
Scariness: 1
Unsettling: 2 (the moors descriptions are really good)

Perfect for fans of Midnight Rooms, this book delivers intrigue, ghostly undertones, and a satisfying unraveling of long-buried secrets. It's a solid 3 ⭐ read for me.
The book comes out in 22/08

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

♾️ / 5 ⭐️

“𝑶𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒏 , 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍 𝒉𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒔.”


「 ✦ 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 ✦ 」 So there’s this girl Evelyn , who is married to Peter , who according to her is perfect. But she sees her true nature when his father dies, he inherites his wealth and move into the blackthorn house. And then she realises his true motive and the history of his ancestors ( pretty much like the Bollywood film “Chhori” )



𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆 : August 22nd , 2025



⋆.˚✮ 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 ✮˚.⋆ I have soo much to say but at the same time nothing to say 😭 This is my first ever book from horror genre , and honestly it was AMAZING . It gives the vibe of a classic book but at the same time it didn’t have sophisticated writing and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to get familiar with this gothic horror genre. I was screaming and crying , it was an emotional roller coaster.It was a type of book to evoke your feminine rage. The writing and the pacing everything was PERFECT! I did NOT see the ending coming and I’m begging the author to make a second part of this book 😭

This book has such a badass FMC and from the moment I read the dedication , I KNEW IT WAS GONNA SLAY

“𝑫𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒖𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒔.”



┈┈┈┈ ⋆.˚✮🎧✮˚.⋆ ┈┈┈┈



𐔌 . ⋮ 𝐂ɦα𝗋α𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 .ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱


⋮ ⋆˚࿔ 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧 ⋆ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
She is a really brave woman . At first she was not that much careful and angry Peter but when she became pregnant she had a major glow up and it was giving PEAK MATERNAL VIBES ! And that one particular scene where they all unite I was like YESSSS GO ONN!! ( I’ll stop here so else I’ll spoil the whole book ) PLEASE GIVE HER A HAPPY ENDING THO😭😭😭😭


⋮ ⋆˚࿔ 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 ⋆ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I’m so mad at this guy , I was literally screaming in frustration at the FMC to grab the knife and slit his throat ASAP. And then whenever he did something that would make the readers anger , the author would add the word “ smirks” to evoke more anger😭


⋮ ⋆˚࿔ 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐲 ⋆ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I was suspecting her from the start but she actually turned out to be nice WOAH. She was there for Evelyn every time and that was so heartwarming ❤️ ( I’ll stop here or else I’ll start crying again😭)


┈┈┈┈ ♡˚ 🦢・✧ ┈┈┈┈

˚⋆𐙚｡𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𖦹.ᡣ𐭩˚ Domestic Violence , Emotional Manipulation, Death and grief.


┈┈┈┈ ⋆.˚✮🕯️✮˚.⋆ ┈┈┈┈

「°•`୨𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍!•°ৎ 」I’m shocked and I cannot stop thinking about this book. Love the writing and the gothic atmosphere, so it’s a five star read for me ❤️ Thank you to NetGalley , Marie McWilliams and Quill & Crow for giving me E - arc for this book in exchange for an honest review!