*4.5 Stars*

Violet, Vail, and Dodie Esmie grew up in Fell, New York. Fell is full of mysterious deaths, and although it was not a happy childhood for the siblings, each of them was plagued with their own versions of hauntings and neglectful parents; they all loved their youngest brother, Ben. Ben seemed to keep the terrors away for the siblings until he disappeared during a game of Hide and Seek. Although police searched for Ben, his disappearance was never solved. Now, almost eighteen years later, all three siblings are called back by their little brother with the message to come home. Back in their old childhood home, the siblings are ready to uncover the truth about Ben and the darkness that is plaguing them and the town of Fell.

Simone St. James is an auto-buy author for me. I love the paranormal aspects of her books, and The Box Full of Darkness is one of my favorite reads. This book is the perfect slow-burn paranormal mystery. I couldn’t put this book down, as it seemed that every chapter gave you a new clue about what happened to Ben. My only complaint about this book is the ending. I was still left with some questions that I felt could have been included in the conclusion. However, I still loved this book and would highly recommend The Box Full of Darkness for any fans of paranormal thrillers.

A Box Full of Darkness is out January 20, 2026.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to review A Box Full of Darkness. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A box full of darkness was sooo good! I couldn’t put it down! It’s a thrilling ride with spooky elements that just keep you on the edge of your seat.

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
👻 can see ghosts
🏚️ grew up in a haunted house
😞 lost your little brother during a game of hide and seek
🌊 are terrified of drowning

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Strange things happen in Fell, New York. A mysterious drowning at the town’s roadside motel. The unexplained death of a young girl whose body is left by the railroad tracks. For the Esmie siblings—Violet, Vail, and Dodie—the final straw was the shocking disappearance of their little brother. It started as a normal game of hide-and-seek. The three closed their eyes and counted to ten while Ben went to hide. But this time, they never found their brother—he was gone and the ongoing search efforts turned up no clues.

As their parents grew increasingly distant, Violet, Vail, and Dodie were each haunted by visions and frightening events that made them leave town and never look back. Violet still sees dead people—spirits who remind her of Sister, the menacing presence that terrorized her for years.

And now after two decades running from their past, it’s time for a homecoming. Because Ben is back, and he’s ready to lead them to the answers they’ve longed for and long feared. If the ghosts of Fell don’t get to them first.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was such a good paranormal story! It was absolutely haunting in all of the right ways. I can honestly say that I had no idea what direction this book would take, and it kept surprising me at every turn. I liked that we got to see each of the sibling’s POVs throughout the story as it helped me understand them better and also moved the story along in a more eloquent manner. The only thing I didn’t love was the fact that what exactly caused these things to occur was never fully explained, which is understandable because it’s a ghost story, but I really wanted just a clear explanation. Bonus points for taking place in the late 80s!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC of A Box Full of Darkness!

The three Esmie siblings return to their childhood home after their dead brother, Ben, summons them. Once there, they decide to figure out what happened to Ben all those years ago. As the siblings begin to investigate what happened to Ben, they begin to realize things may not have been as they seemed.
I love Simone St. John's novels. I haven't read one yet that has taken me more than 2 days to read. Her blend of the supernatural and mystery are a winning combination. This novel has a great premise and it kept me guessing all the way to the end. However once I finished, I realized that The author left a few loose ends unanswered. I think they would have served to make the book 5 stars instead of 4.

This book was spookiness intertwined with heartache. The grief felt by Dodie, Vail, & Violet was raw. The mystery gripped me. The way everything played out makes me wary of the next time I have the lights off.

I thought the ending was going to play out a little different. In my head it still does.

You can feel it right away… that electric chill signalling something dark is waiting just beneath the surface.

Darkly atmospheric, unsettlingly moody, & deliciously supernatural!

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James entranced me with its eerie, spooky pull from the beginning. From the moment Violet, Vail, and Dodie return to their childhood home in Fell, New York, haunted by the disappearance of their little brother Ben, the tension never lets up. Ben’s ghost calls them back, but it quickly becomes clear that both the house and the small town hold shadows and darkness far deeper than they ever imagined.

Violet’s ability to see the dead means she is stalked by a terrifying presence she calls Sister, and with a malevolent entity lurking nearby, the house holds its dark truths close but unmistakable. The eerie atmosphere wrapped around me like a thick fog, pulling me deeper into this slow unraveling mystery.

I felt the same unsettling unease as the characters, fully immersed in the story’s creeping dread and uncertainty. That mix of tension and anticipation is exactly what I look for in a book like this.

Here are a few key thoughts:
• 🐌 Slow and brooding start
• 🏚️ Haunted small town vibes
• 🚀 Ending grabs you fast
• 🕵️‍♀️ Mysteries left to ponder

Creepy, spooky, and emotional, with a deliciously dark and disturbing small town energy, this was the perfect read for a stormy evening with the lights low.

Expected Publication: January 20, 2026

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the digital review copy. Highly recommended for anyone who loves supernatural suspense with an edge.

I loved the alternating point of views of siblings that had spent years a part, coming back together again to solve the mystery of their little brother's disappearance. The POVs added to the mysterious tone as you learned that the siblings didn't necessarily have the same view on things as they were and as they are! I love Simone St. James' books and this is a fabulous addition! I shelve my Simone books with Riley Sager. It has a haunting tone that makes it spooky with family drama. If you like books about haunted houses with sibling dynamics, you'll love this spooky, mysterious read!

Thank you for this ARC from NetGalley. This was another winner by Simone St. James. I hadn’t read her in awhile and this book inspired me to go back and find some of her older books and read them. I enjoyed the connections in the story about some of her other books though this was also a great stand alone! Well written, great characters and story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

This book was SO SPOOKY! The Esmie siblings are called home by the ghost of their young brother. They go back home to Fell, New York, where weird things happen (and where a lot of St. James' books are set). They have to figure out what their brother is telling them, all the while trying to banish sinister ghosts from their childhood home.

This had me on the edge of my seat and had a lot of scary parts. I'm knocking it down one star because I'm not sure that the full story of their brother is ever fully explained (how he came into their lives and how/why he exited). Aside from that, this is a great read for fans of suspense, mystery, and horror.

3.5 rounded.

Siblings Violet, Vail, and Dodie Esmie return to their childhood home in the town of Fell, New York, after nearly two decades. They are drawn back by the ghost of their long-missing brother, Ben, who vanished during a game of hide-and-seek and whose haunting presence holds the key to the dark secrets they fled. Strange and unsettling events continue to unfold as the siblings confront their traumatic past and the eerie mysteries of their hometown.

I LOVE Simone St. James and usually find her books to be beautifully atmospheric and captivating. A Box Full of Darkness had a lot of elements I enjoyed, especially the clever Easter eggs referencing her previous novels. Those moments felt like a special nod to longtime fans and added a nice layer of connection to the story.

While the pace was slower than I’m used to with her work, and I didn’t feel as close to the characters as I hoped, the haunting atmosphere was still present. The story took a quieter, more subtle approach, which might appeal to readers who enjoy slow-burn mysteries.

I did wish some questions had clearer answers by the end, but overall this was still an enjoyable read. Simone St. James continues to be an author I will automatically read, and I’m excited to see what she comes up with next.

Simone St. James certainly includes every "dark mood" a reader can have while reading her latest book! It's honestly one of the spookiest and scary stories I've read in awhile! Thanks for the ARC!

Simone St. James is an auto-purchase author for me so I was THRILLED in receiving this arc. No one writes ghost stories like her and this is no exception. So good!!! Loved the characters and their complexities. 4.5 stars! Thank you NetGalley!!

In my eyes, Simone St. James can do no wrong. Every book I read by her is somehow, mysteriously, better than the last- and this is my favorite so far.
Although the underlying story is about how childhood trauma effects us throughout our lives, shapes who we become, the story of three siblings trying to discover why their six year old brother vanished 20 years ago-without a trace, is the top storyline. St. James is excellent at character-building and making her settings incredibly atmospheric, and she definitely shines with both here. I loved the references to the Sundown Motel, as will other habitual readers. I can't say too much about this book without giving away what's going on, so suffice it to say that if you pick this book up, you won't put it down. Also, here's my official campaign to make this into a movie- it would absolutely sell tickets. I'll be recommending this one when it's released, as I do all of her books, and I will be waiting with bated breath for her next novels.

Siblings return to the house they fled eighteen years before, called back by the ghost of their long-missing brother and his haunting request to come home.

Strange things happen in Fell, New York: A mysterious drowning at the town’s roadside motel. The unexplained death of a young girl whose body is left by the railroad tracks. For Violet, Vail, and Dodie Esmie the final straw was their little brother's shocking disappearance, which started as a normal game of hide-and-seek.

As their parents grew increasingly distant, the sisters were each haunted by visions and frightening events, leading them to leave town and never look back. Violet still sees dead people—spirits who remind her of Sister, the menacing presence that terrorized her for years. Now after nearly two decades it’s time for a homecoming—because Ben is back, and he’s ready to lead them to the answers they’ve longed for and long feared.

I always get excited when I open up a Simone St. James book! She never disappoints me. I love supernatural stories and there isn't any author that writes a supernatural book like she does! She is the Queen of supernatural thrillers! She is a favorite author. I also love haunted house stories and this is that kind of story. I loved the creepy atmosphere and we get a revisit from the book, The Sundown Motel.

The story took place in a town called Fell. I loved the creepy, spooky, and evil atmosphere of this town. Strange things happen in Fell, New York and it is frightening.

I felt so sorry for the Esmie Family. They are a dysfunctional family. The Esmie siblings are so strange. They are living in a haunted house. They had such a traumatic life. I felt so sorry for Violet. She still sees dead people. She was terrorized for years.

I had some questions that weren't answered in the story. I was kept on the edge of my seat and I didn't see the twist and turns coming! I did enjoy the ending and I loved this book.

I want to thank Netgalley, and Berkley Publishing Group for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I will always read a Simone St. James book knowing I will be in for a ride! This book was no exception! We are brought back to the world of The Sundown Motel, The Broken Girls, and ghosts. Three siblings return back to their childhood home where their brother Ben went missing when he was 6 years old. I love a story that shows the characters now and in the past. It gave us insight into the devastation that was caused by the events years ago. I will say there is a twist that I absolutely loved that involves their brother, and it is brilliant and heart breaking! I devoured this book because the plot was unique, the characters were superbly developed, the and the story was well paced!

Three siblings return to their eerie hometown of Fell, New York, 18 years after fleeing, drawn back by the ghost of their missing brother, who shockingly and mysteriously. vanished during a childhood game of hide-and-seek. As strange deaths and past traumas resurface, the siblings must confront the haunting truths they fled, and the sinister force that never let them go.

* Tropes/themes
* Multiple POVs
* Supernatural
* Psychic aspects
* Hauntings
* Return to childhood home
* Small town secrets
* Family dysfunction
* Sibling bonds
* Grief
* Very eerie, chilling, and sinister
* Loved the Sun Down Motel cameo; I’m sure there were more cameos that I didn’t pick up on or don’t know about yet
* Definitely a slow burn
* The story itself was very unique and odd (in a good way)
* Loved the characters in all their imperfections
* Really made the hair on my arms stand up for some scenes
* Main (and maybe only) criticism is just that the pacing felt a little off at times, and especially in the final, big, action scene - the build up was good but then it all happened so quickly that it took away tremendously from the impact and satisfaction that I was anticipating from the resolution
* Content warnings:
* Death
* Death of a child
* Death of a parent
* Murder
* Suicide
* Violence
* Drowning
* Ghosts/haunting
* Trauma
* Nightmares and sleep paralysis
* Grief
* Neglect

This book was a bit of a slow burn for me but I ended up enjoying it. It centers on 3 siblings who have all gone different ways, but are pulled back together to meet at their childhood home to solve the mystery of what happened to their little brother decades ago. The story alternates between their POVs.

It took me a bit to get into the story because the characters’ voices didn’t initially seem that distinctive to me. Once I got further in I felt there was more character development, though. This was an interesting story because you had the chance of people, ghosts, or aliens being the cause of the problems and I found that to be fascinating. The story is absolutely creepy at times and I enjoyed going along for the ride as the characters dug into the past to solve the mystery. I liked the way the book ended and thought it worked well with the rest of the story.

Overall, this was a really unique read and despite a bit of a slow start, I really enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This chilling and atmospheric novel set in the haunted town of Fell, New York, is a gripping blend of supernatural mystery and emotional family drama. The story of the Esmie siblings—Violet, Vail, and Dodie—unfolds with a steady, unnerving tension as they return home decades after the traumatic disappearance of their little brother, Ben. The book masterfully weaves eerie imagery, psychological suspense, and raw grief into a tale that explores the long shadows of childhood trauma and the inescapable pull of the past. With a haunting presence lurking behind every page and secrets buried deep in the town’s dark corners, this novel delivers both scares and heartbreak in equal measure.

Here is my 30 second pitch for this title - So…when the landscapers you use to take care of your childhood home, a house you haven’t been to in 20 years, calls to say the ghost of your little brother told them he wanted you to come home - you go home.

Simone St. James is an auto buy for me - I will read anything she publishes, I don't even bother to look to see what it was about. I'm going to say that this is her best book yet! I was hooked from the beginning. By far one of the scariest books I have ever read, at one point I almost stopped reading because it was so scary I thought I was going to have nightmares, but I kept going because I needed to know what happened - I ended up stayed up until 1 pm to finish it (on a work night)! It has been such a long time since I couldn't put a book down, and it was awesome!

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for a copy of A Box Full of Darkness.

A Box Full of Darkness takes readers into a terrifying tale of family secrets and the entities that have followed them throughout their lives. It is said that we all have our demons, or are haunted by something, but in this case it’s more true than you know.

Simone St. James is an author that I always snap up when a new story makes an appearance. A Box Full of Darkness, however, felt like a story I’ve read or watched many times before. It is a classic tormented family drama with dread and scares around every corner. I think we’ve all found ourselves embroiled in that storyline on other occasions.

I always enjoy St. James’s writing style and this was no exception, but I found the plot to be quite predictable. We are introduced to the characters and their “partners” at the very beginning and there’s really no surprise when everyone ends up with exactly who you think they will. The house itself is exactly what one would expect in the given circumstances, as is the neighborhood on the whole.

I did enjoy the “solving a family mystery” aspect of the story, that did add some depth to the story and a purpose behind the character’s actions. However, as anticipated, ghosts are vanquished, the air is cleared and everyone finds happiness and togetherness in the end.

While I know that my opinion may be somewhat unpopular, it does not change the fact that Simone St. James is an author that I will continue to read every single time. I look forward to whatever she has up her sleeve.