I’m rating this book 3.5⭐️ simply because I wasn’t a huge fan of Nell. In my opinion, she made bad decisions at every turn. Recently divorced, her and her daughter rent a room in someone’s house because she can’t afford anything else, yet she goes out and buys trousers and pens? Super odd decision, but okay… I guess.
I liked Dolly and would have loved to delve deeper into her character and story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book, the back and forwards in time showing us what happened to Dolly. The ghostly house full of memories and resentment. But I just couldn't get on with the character of Nell, a daughter of an alcoholic reaching for the wine, I don't think so. Goes shopping buys trousers and pens but no food. Rich husband kicks you out of the house and you don't get half or kick his butt out. She just annoyed me tbh. Thank you netgalley for the advance copy

I love a ghost story and this was no exception. Set within two timelines, this story goes between present day with Nell and her daughter Fern moving into an old Victorian house that is haunted. In the 1840s, Dolly is a performer in a freak show and becomes pregnant by Abel, the showman. He imprisons her at Merry Hall and now she haunts the place present day. I will say this book made me feel uneasy throughout because it felt like a sinister force was always present. I love how Nell and Fern try to figure out the mystery of the Hall and all the creepy events that happen while they are there. I will definitely be reading more by Heather Davey from now on!

The Ghosts of Merry Hall is exactly the kind of gothic ghost story I crave—moody, mysterious, and soaked in atmosphere. Heather Davey has crafted a tale that feels like stepping into a decaying manor full of locked doors, whispered secrets, and grief that clings like dust.

From the moment I arrived at Merry Hall alongside the protagonist, I could feel the place breathing. The house isn’t just a setting—it’s a character, pulsing with sorrow and memory, alive in a way that’s both terrifying and beautiful. Davey’s prose is elegant and haunting, full of that quiet tension where every creak in the floorboards might mean something more.

But what really pulled me in was the emotional core. This is a ghost story, yes—but it’s also about family, loss, and the ways we haunt ourselves. The supernatural elements are chilling, but never overdone. They serve the story’s heart, not the other way around. And by the end, I wasn’t just spooked—I was moved.

If you love gothic fiction with emotional depth, slow-building dread, and ghost stories that linger long after you’ve finished the last page, The Ghosts of Merry Hall is one to add to your shelf. A beautiful, melancholic haunting.

Nell and her daughter are starting over. When an opportunity arises to stay for cheap in an old Victorian mansion as house sitters for a traveling artist, Nell thinks she has finally caught a break. But there is something else in the house, and they don't know what it wants from them.

It took a little bit to get into as the set up takes a good first quarter of the book, but I really enjoyed the dual timelines, and how we got a lot of the ghostly backstory. Everything tied together well, and it brought the unsettling and spooky vibes.
Beyond that, it seemed generally pretty bland. I never really felt the danger to the characters. Even Dolly in the past- the danger to her seemed super sudden and short. I almost wish we saw more of her relationship to Abel, or perhaps some of the other people's demise in the house throughout history. Or more detail on the harrowing things happening to Nell in the house. Overall I enjoyed myself well enough, and would recommend it for anyone looking for a wintery ghost story.

I rated it 3.25/5 rounded down to 3 stars.
Holding off on posting reviews elsewhere until pub month as requested.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC!

I was drawn in from the onset of Chapter 1 in by the atmospheric style of writing and Dollys watchful character. I quickly realised the story was dual timeframe switching between 1847 and present day with central characters and the majority of the plot all taking place in the setting of Merry Hall.
Dolly joins others already working for showman Abel Wenham who runs a show of ‘novelties’ or ‘curios’. Initially life seems wonderful but naive Dolly is soon to find out life is the dream she had hoped it would be.
Present day Nell and her daughter Jade move in and discover Merry Hall hides a sinister secret.
For a first novel I was super impressed. I loved the style of writing which reminded me of the gothic style of Susan Hill.’s ghost stories.
If you want a story to make you feel slightly scared to get out of bed in the night then this is for you.

THE VIBES! Yes, this has everything I am looking for in gothic novels. Love the ghosts, love the angst. The plot was well developed and entertaining.

This is a super creepy ghost story, following Nell and her daughter as they house sit at a large house for a talented artist who plans to work away for several months. It soon becomes apparent though that the former resident of the house dies not rest in peace and their stay will involve more than keeping the place the ticking over - they'll need to uncover the secrets kept there.

Thanks to Netgalley and Titan Books for this ACE.

I really enjoyed this dual timeline ghost story, told from the perspective of the two main protagonists; Nell and Dolly (with a hefty helping of Nell's daughter Fern thrown in to the mix). Whether it's the 19th century or 21st, this is not just a ghost story it is a story of women who have been wronged by men.

Written very descriptively, you can really feel the coldness of the houses Nell and Fern live in during the book. A chill descends as the wind whistles and the unrelenting snow makes for a properly wintery feeling ghost story.

A captivating read and one I will definitely recommend.

Don’t let the pretty cover fool you. This was so incredibly creepy and I loved it! Yes, the story was a bit drawn out, but the two different pov’s + two different timelines made the book very bingeable. Short chapters that made me want to keep reading. If you enjoy gothic, spooky mysteries then you’ll love this book! A new to me author that I’ll read more from.

"The trouble is, it’s all thoughts and feelings and conjecture, based on what we experienced at Merry Hall. Nothing concrete. Nothing that anyone would ever believe."

2025:
Nell a cash-strapped mum and her teenage daughter Fern move into Merry Hall after the breakup of Nell's marriage. Merry Hall is a crumbling Victorian mansion haunted by Dolly the ghost girl who performed in Victorian freak shows back in the 1840s.

1840
Abel Wenham seduces Dolly an albino girl to perform in his freak shows. Dolly soon finds that Abel is not the man she thought he was after falling pregnant with his child. The other performers of the freakshow hatch a plan to escape the hold of Abel Whenham but Whenham is not a man you double cross.

I loved the dual timelines and the three points of view I would have liked a few chapters from the daughter to hear her thoughts on the haunted mansion and her feelings with her mum Nell. The writing is strong and there is an uneasy feeling throughout the book that just leaves you feeling like some dark shadow is around. The historical side was my favourite as I love anything with freakshows and the Victorian period is one of my preferred timelines.

A strong gothic debut I look forward to reading more by this author!

Thank you Netgalley and Titan Books for this ARC!

3.5 stars

This was really good! The writing was certainly creepy, whereas I always had a sense of sort of anxious energy every time I was reading this. I really enjoyed the dual timelines and the way they sort of interconnected in some ways was interesting.

I can’t say that I LOVED the characters in this, but the story was powerful and learning of Dolly’s past and how it intertwines with Nell & Fern’s present was cool!

There was one scene that made me feel uncomfortable but as I’m not a super frequent horror reader that could just me being a little squeamish.

Otherwise, this was an interesting read and definitely recommend checking out!

A chilling ghost story in which a mother and daughter move into a crumbling house haunted by the ghost of a girl who performed in victorian freak shows, through which wind whistles eerily, floorboards creak ominously and dark secrets long to come to light. Deeply unsettling and beautifully written story about the persistence of memory and the dangers lurking in the shadows.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐲

Ghosts of Merry Hall by was my first read by her, and I'll definitely read more. Don't let the cosy title fool you; there's nothing comforting here. Marshall quickly pulls you into a world where the past won't stay buried, and the ghosts of Merry Hall aren't friendly.
The story builds dread expertly, not with cheap scares, but a slow, creeping unease. The descriptions of Merry Hall are vivid, making the house feel like a character itself. This sense of place and the weather really makes the story unsettling.
The plot is gripping and keeps you guessing, with a constant, underlying tension. Even in calm moments, you feel something sinister lurking. I did find the ending a little lacking resolution, but life's like that.
If you want a ghost story that sticks with you, Ghosts of Merry Hall is excellent.

Thank you to Netgalley for an E Arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very strong debut: the plotting is impeccable, the writing is perfectly polished (even if a bit too flowery for my taste), and I love the split timelines. Unfortunately, I realised I'm not keen on the entire freak show/circus theme, so I didn't find Dolly's 19th century chapters that interesting. Her haunting the modern characters was really fun, though! I also could not stand Nell and I could not sympathise with her at all. She made strange decisions, was way too awkward to be believable and that definitely affected my reading experience. I even preferred her moody, teenage daughter Fern! All in all, an interesting novel, I love a ghost story so enjoyed the spooky shenanigans, and will be definitely interested to see what this author writes next.

This book was just different, different from what I usually read. I love gothic thrillers/horror books. I've never read anything with the subject matter of traveling curiosities. It was interesting to read. I loved the atmospheric writing. This is a good read for fall. 4 stars.

It took me a while to gather my thoughts. I didn't dislike the book, but I also didn't love it, love it. I think it's well-written, and the timeline split is well-done. There are a LOT of chapters, and at times it felt a bit dragging.

The story of this book is a series of bad decisions, and it keeps going, and going, and going. Dolly, for starters, in the 19th century, and then Nell (with her daughter Fern) in the present time. What kept me interested was learning more about the past and Dolly's history. By the first page, we already have an idea of what's going to happen in the present.

I still think this book can find its readership. Pick it up if you like:

- Ghost stories and horror
- Past and Present timeline mix
- Mysteries and solving them
- To give a chance to a debut novel

Thank you Titan, for the opportunity to haunt Merry Hall with Dolly.

Haunted House lovers will enjoy this story. Definitely spooky and weird. I enjoyed the historical timeline better than the current one. The mother and daughter in the current timeline were not as likeable as the characters in the past. Still, the story came together at the end with a satifisfying ending.

I love the three point of view it was a good gothic tale, dolly had short parts in the story I didnt like how nell was and her bad decisions in the story. I did like how this was a ghost story. The back story was that I was completely captivated by this dark, atmospheric tale. It begins with a traveling showman who adds an albino girl to his troupe of so-called “freaks.” What starts as a twisted partnership soon turns more sinister she falls in love with him, becomes pregnant, and he isolates her in a crumbling estate known as Merry Hall. From there, the story spirals into something chilling and tragic.

Fast forward to years later in the 2000's , when a struggling single mother stumbles upon Merry Hall, desperate for a fresh start. But the house’s past is anything but dead—and its long-forgotten secrets still linger in the shadows. The blend of historical and contemporary horror is so well done, and the slow-burn suspense had me hooked. Haunting, heartbreaking, and utterly gripping I couldn’t put it down.

I'm afraid I didn't like Nell, and that clouded the whole thing for me.
I found myself not agreeing with everything she did just because of this dislike.
To be fair, I don't think she always made the best decisions.
I'd have liked to hear more about Wenham and his traveling curiosities, but the goings on of the house gives me a good idea what might go on.
Well split across two timelines, and towards the end ramps up the ghostly goings on.