I was able to read this book relatively quickly! I did enjoy the concept and the writing style very much. I love a good horror story about an old house with creepy things.

The reason this book got three stars was because of the very, very abrupt transition in personality of the MMC. I understand what the author was trying to do with this particular change but for me it was a bit unrealistic how quickly this happened.

I was able to predict some of the ending as well.

This cover immediately caught my eye and I’m happy to report that the inside absolutely matches the gorgeous outside.

This is the kind of gothic story that I crave. It was atmospheric and eerie. A lot of the elements for the gothic theme was in here, the stunning yet ominous setting, the uncanny side characters, and a main lead that you can root for.

I loved everything about this book. The writing was beautiful, it was the perfect blend of horror and female strength and resilience. There were also so many great quotable sentences in here, I highlighted so much.

Highly recommend this if you like gothic horror.

This is a wonderful gothic story. This was such a hauntingly, creepy, sad, twisty story. It starts in such a captivating way which I loved, a lot of books have buildup for the first few chapters, but this book just dived straight in and it was amazing. It was attention grabbing, horror filled, suspenseful and deeply sad.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

The Secrets of Blackthorn House wasn’t quite what I expected—but that’s probably why I inhaled it in a single sitting like a woman possessed. From the moment Evelyn steps into the fog-drenched halls of Blackthorn House, it’s clear something is deeply wrong—and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to figure out what.

After a whirlwind romance, Evelyn is ready to start her happily ever after with her new husband, Peter. Instead, she finds herself trapped in the middle of the wild Yorkshire Moors with a husband who’s suddenly turned cold and distant, and a house that feels more cursed than cozy. Children’s laughter echoes through the empty halls, the fog itself seems alive with wailing specters, and Evelyn’s dreams are haunted by a creature wearing her mother’s corpse like a suit. (Yes, it’s as chilling and unsettling as it sounds—and I was riveted.)

With Peter practically a stranger and the ever-watchful staff offering nothing (not even cryptic warnings), Evelyn’s only ally is her loyal servant, Lilly. Together, they dig into the Black family’s terrible history—a blood-soaked legacy involving a dark bargain that threatens their lives and the life of Evelyn’s unborn child.

This is one of those gothic thrillers that keeps you slightly unmoored, unsure of what’s real, what’s imagined, and what fresh horror is waiting in the next fog-choked corner. If you love creeping dread, crumbling manors with deadly secrets, and heroines who refuse to go quietly into that haunted night, add this to your list immediately.

Disclaimer: I received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. And honestly? I have no regrets about sacrificing an entire night’s sleep to this book.

The Secrets of Blackthorn House is a chilling, atmospheric gothic horror that delivers exactly what it promises—fog-drenched suspense, haunted halls, and a creeping sense that something is deeply wrong. Evelyn, a newlywed thrown into her husband’s eerie ancestral estate, quickly finds herself surrounded by ghosts, secrets, and a husband who’s suddenly a stranger.

The pacing is sharp and immersive, with just enough mystery to keep you turning the pages late into the night. The lore is rich and original, avoiding typical ghost story tropes in favor of something darker and more ancient. Evelyn’s journey is emotional and empowering—yes, she cries a lot, but by the end she’s a fierce, unforgettable lead.

This is a dark, twisty, beautifully written book that I read in one sitting. It’s creepy, sad, suspenseful—and so, so satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the ARC! This one’s a must-read for fans of gothic horror.

The Secrets of Blackthorn House follows a young newly married woman who goes to live in her husband’s ancestral home and quickly realizes that old secrets have a way of corrupting everyone and everything around them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow for the opportunity to read and review this book which I am giving 3⭐️.
For such a short book this had plenty of spookiness and terror packed into it. The main character, Evelyn, wasn’t even inside the front door of Blackthorn House before I wanted to yell for her to run away! I enjoyed the fact that the author made the ultimate reveal of this reason for ghostly activity different from the average “it’s a ghost!” Storyline and put what seemed like a lot of research into the mythology woven into the Black Family.

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

I love myself a good Gothic read and this one foot the bill. Our MC, Evelyn, has a whirlwind romance with Peter to whom she is quickly married. The day after their marriage her father-in-law that wasn't present at the wedding passes away. Peter leaves and then after two weeks by herself she is whisked away to his ancestral home. When she arrives the home is isolated and dark. The staff is unnerving and unwelcoming. And her dear Peter is no longer the man she married. Trapped alone in a house that doesn't feel like a home, strange things start to happen and she starts to wonder what her role at Blackthorn House really is.

While I enjoyed this book, there were a couple things that kept it from being a 5 star read for me. It felt very slow in some parts, the pacing could have benefited a little more in the middle. The beginning grabbed my attention and the ending was great, but the middle dragged. I think more could have happened to up the spook factor without being scary. Another criticism I have, is that the same phrases were used repeatedly and it irked me. Like the author couldn't come up with any other emotion or way of relaying an emotion for our MC.

All in all a good book! I unfortunately base all my Gothic novel ratings off of my favorite one, Mexican Gothic, and this wasn't quite to that level. I think with some minor tweaks it could get there.

P.S. the author has a trigger warning at the back of the book which I think is important for everyone to look at prior to reading this book!

Huge thank you to Marie McWilliams, Quill & Crow Publishing House, and NetGalley for an eArc to read and review.

✨✨✨Top tier chilling gothic horror! ✨✨✨

I really enjoyed The Secrets of Blackthorn House! This is a wonderful (okay it was very sad and creepy but I think that’s wonderful) gothic story reminiscent of books such as Rebecca and We Have Always Lived in the Castle so of course I devoured this one!

I liked the MC Evelyn a lot and the author did a great job making the reader really care about her and scared for her. The atmosphere was on point (chilling!!!) which for me is the most important thing in a gothic horror book. I’m obsessed with how incredible and well written this novel is!

This is definitely a must read for gothic horror fans!! 👏 👏

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book will be released August 22, 2025.

I very much enjoyed this, but I did come to feel like it got a bit repetitive at times - it felt like a continuous cycle of long descriptions of enduring and unbearable loneliness and feeling trapped/caged, followed by the FMC crying. After a certain point, I felt like I could do without the mentions of feeling like a prisoner - it was definitely very clear and visceral as a reader.

The ending had me shocked, though!

I was scrolling NetGalley and came across this book published by Quill and Crow Publishing, which made it an automatic request for me. I've enjoyed all the books Ive read published by them. The Secrets of Blackthorn House is a Slowburn, gothic, feminist Horror. I really enjoyed the writing and felt I could put myself in Evelyn's POV. She realizes through the book in real time what her situation is.and her situation is dire. This is a really great horror book. Well written, well edited and very enjoyable to read. I recommend The Secrets of Blackthorn House by Marie Mcwilliams.
I found myself surprised at what the secrets of Blackthorn House were! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

There’s something deliciously eerie about a crumbling estate, a mysterious inheritance, and a protagonist who slowly realizes the house she’s entered may not be as empty—or innocent—as it seems. The Secrets of Blackthorn House by Marie McWilliams gave me exactly the kind of gothic chills I crave, wrapped in atmosphere so thick you could practically feel the fog settling in your bones.

From the moment I started reading, I was pulled into the brooding isolation of Blackthorn House. The setting is a character in its own right—decaying, watchful, and full of things that creak when no one’s around. I’ve always loved haunted house stories, but this one felt personal. The fear wasn’t just in the shadows, but in the unraveling of memory, trust, and identity.

The main character’s journey into her own family’s hidden past is filled with just the right amount of slow-burn suspense. McWilliams builds dread expertly—not with jump scares, but with unanswered questions, quiet discoveries, and the creeping sense that the truth might be worse than any ghost. I found myself turning pages faster and faster, needing to know how everything connected, even as part of me wanted to stop and hide under a blanket.

There are whispers of classic gothic fiction here—think Rebecca meets The Haunting of Hill House—but McWilliams gives it a modern edge. The story wrestles with legacy, trauma, and what it means to belong to a place that’s trying to keep its secrets buried. And yes, there are twists. Satisfying ones. The kind that make you want to go back and reread just to catch what you missed the first time.

If you love crumbling manors, family curses, locked doors, and heroines who dig too deep—The Secrets of Blackthorn House is calling your name. Just be warned: some doors, once opened, can’t be closed again.

Interesting in terms of story but, the writing style isn't for me. I would say that if you like the style of writing you'd like it more than I do. But I think it was a bit old timey for my tastes.

That being said I thought the narrative was interesting

I’m so glad I stuck with this book. At first, the level of detail felt a little overwhelming, but just a few chapters in, I was completely hooked. Marie McWilliams delivers a hauntingly atmospheric gothic thriller that pulls you deeper with every page.

The story follows Evelyn, a newlywed stepping into a powerful family’s legacy—one cloaked in shadows, secrets, and something much darker. What begins as a fairy tale quickly unravels into a chilling descent filled with unsettling discoveries, creeping dread, and a powerful supernatural undercurrent.

What truly stood out to me was the strong feminist core woven into the narrative. Evelyn’s journey is not just one of survival, but of reclaiming power. As she navigates isolation, grief, betrayal, and fear, she learns to trust her instincts—and the strength of the women around her. This story highlights the resilience of women, especially when they support one another. It’s a powerful reminder that even in the darkest moments, women can rise, fight back, and overcome.

Perfect for fans of gothic fiction, haunted estates, and stories where women face—and conquer—the unimaginable. This one lingers long after the final page

A literary gothic masterpiece! Beautifully horrifying. This was my first time reading Marie McWilliams and she definitively has a new fan. Blackthorn House was reminiscent of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca when she arrived at Manderley but quickly turned a very dark and creepy corner. The writing was mesmerizing and beautifully dark, making your heart race with fear and absolutely impossible to put down.
So glad I picked this one on NetGalley!

This was such a hauntingly, creepy, sad, twisty story. I read it in one sitting, I just couldn't put it down. It starts in such a captivating way which I loved, a lot of books have buildup for the first few chapters, but this book just dived straight in and it was amazing.

Definitely check your trigger warnings first, it's gory, there are heavy grief and loss themes of all ages, and domestic violence. Just the whole stretch of dark and terrible things.

It was attention grabbing, horror filled, suspenseful and deeply sad. I really recommend this for people who like a good dark story.

Book: The Secrets of Blackthorn House
Author: Marie McWilliams
Would I recommend?: A very enthusiastic yea
Genre: Gothic fiction, historical, horror
Content warnings: Included in the back of the book
The Secrets of Blackthorn House is a slow-burning candle that leads to a tremendous explosion of exceptionally written gothic horror. With beautifully crafted prose and flawless pacing, it will have you curled up, devouring each page and wanting - but also dreading - to see what lies ahead for our heroine.

That heroine is newlywed Evelyn, who has just moved to Blackthorn House following the death of her husband Peter’s father. The loss prompts their relocation to the ancestral home of the Black family, where they are to assume the titles of Lord and Lady Black - a family spoken of only in fearful whispers by the locals.

Located in the remote, foggy, mysterious Yorkshire moors, Blackthorn House is a beautiful house fit for a king (or a Lord); full of locked doors, forbidden rooms, and the sense that all is not what it seems. With the help of her lady’s maid Lilly, Evelyn is determined to discover the secrets of both Blackthorn House and the Black family.

This book genuinely had me on the edge of my seat. The horror is not in jumpscares and gore, but in the creeping realisation that Evelyn’s situation is much worse than it initially seems, right when she is possibly too deep to escape. There are some Wuthering Heights vibes, some Haunting of Bly Manor.

The Secrets of Blackthorn House is out on August 22, 2025 via @quillandcrow. Thanks to Quill and Crow and @netgalley for the ARC!

Tags: #bookreview #booksbooksbooks #bookstagramaustralia #gothichorror #historicalfiction #TheSecretsofBlackthornHouse #NetGalley

This is horror done correctly!

The Secrets of Blackthorn House has to be the best Horror book I've read as an Adult. I was promised Horror Historical Fiction, and that promise was fulfilled!

The pacing of the entire plot was perfect for my reading preferences. Enough details to keep me interested, yet answers were not easily given which made me eager to read on. The suspenseful, adrenaline spiking scenes were very much appreciated and had me on edge. I loved actually getting worried and anticipating what was going to happen next in those moments. I loved the lore and history that this story played around with. It tied everything together for me and was satisfying to have the "why" be interesting.

Evelyn did cry a bit much, however as I thought on it a bit. I came to the conclusion that it was probably realistic and appropriate for a woman of her age (and the era she was in); especially considering her circumstances. I realized I'd probably be crying a lot too! However, by the end of the book, I was mentally fist pumping for Evelyn. She may be one of the most badaxx female characters I have read about. As a woman myself, I felt every single struggle, strain, bead of sweat, and labored breath that she endured during that ending. And maybe because I could physically feel present with her, it made me admire and cheer for Evelyn that much harder. I loved her determination and loved her character so much!

There were also some shocking moments that I did not anticipate and I enjoyed being taken by surprise like that by the Author. I am so excited for this to release so that I can purchase a physical copy for my shelves!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC.

this book had me SCREAMING.
I was torn between devouring it in one sitting and taking a break so I didn't finish it too soon.
I can't wait to pick up a physical copy, Marie certainly knows how to draw you in!