
Member Reviews

My only complaint is I wish there was more. This was so entertaining and I loved every bit of it. I can't wait for it to release so I can add it to my book collection.

A mind-bending novel about the dark your family can hold. Trying to solve the past may be harder and tricker than it seems, but be fully aware of what goes on around you.

The first couple of chapters had me confused because they didn't seem to match up with the book's description, but once the story got going, I found myself feeling so awful for the protagonist that I just wanted to give her a hug. Her mother, who Suze spent her whole life trying to find, is dead, leaving her a tattered wedding dress and a huge old house that's going to be immediately torn away from her to pay inheritance taxes and her mother's debts. She's lost and alone in the world, trying to find a way to hold onto the only things left from the family she just learned about...and she's seeing visions through the veil. More disturbing than scary, this book packs an intense emotional punch.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book Veil by Jeff clulow pub date 1st of august. Suze never new her real mum , pushed from one foster family to the next she also loses her job but not before she is given a letter regarding her birth mum, when she is giving a wedding dress mysterious things start to happen she can see her mothers life through the veil , this book is heartbreaking but beautiful at the same time, beautifully written and the character of suze is wonderful

Wow.. what an unexpected gem this book turned out to be! I honestly have nothing but good things to say. Jeff Clulow does an incredible job of setting the scene; I felt like I was right there at Aeolus House in Storm Bay. Our FMC’s character growth was so well done, evolving beautifully as the story unraveled. The twists and turns? Completely unpredictable. I actually had to stop myself from gasping out loud more than once! This was the perfect little dose of gothic horror, in all the best ways.

A gothic tale of a grown foster-child who encounters a sus estate lawyer regarding the birth mother's estate. If the idea of traveling through time and seeing someone's memories while putting on their veil, interests you, you should definitely read this book. It was disturbing and gratifying.

Veil is a haunting, emotionally resonant gothic horror novel that lingers long after the final page. It’s not loud or flashy—its power is in the quiet devastation it brings, peeling back layers of trauma, grief, and memory through lyrical prose and aching solitude.
The story follows Suze, a woman shaped by foster care, abandonment, and emotional shutdown, as she learns she may be the heir to a woman she’s never known—only to discover that woman was her birth mother. What begins as a mystery turns into a deeply introspective journey through a decaying coastal town, a sanatorium cloaked in secrets, and a past Suze never knew she carried.
The atmosphere is gothic and immersive. The writing is sharp and poetic. The horror creeps in slowly—through silence, through sorrow, through the weight of things left unsaid. And the emotional journey Suze takes is raw and deeply human.
One of the most striking elements is the metaphor of the aquamarine suitcase, a place Suze mentally stores all her pain. That image alone will stay with me for a long time.
✅ Highlights:
Gorgeous, literary writing with a sharp emotional edge
Gothic coastal setting that feels like a character in itself
Deeply layered themes of identity, loss, and mental illness
A vulnerable, complex protagonist you can’t stop thinking about
🧷 Content Warnings:
Mental illness, institutionalization, abandonment, childhood trauma, self-harm (off-page), grief, suicidal ideation, emotionally triggering family dynamics.
Final Thoughts:
If you love slow-burn gothic stories that explore the emotional horror of being forgotten, Veil delivers a beautifully written, heart-wrenching experience. It's introspective, eerie, and quietly unforgettable.
⭐ 4 – Gorgeously haunting and emotionally powerful.

Thank you to Jeff Clulow and Third Eye Press for the ARC of Veil in exchange for an honest review!
This story had me hooked from the very first page. It’s quiet and atmospheric, the kind of haunting that creeps up on you. Not with jump scares, but with emotion. Grief, longing, memory… all tangled up in this delicate, ghostly thread.
The premise felt really unique. A woman inherits her mother’s wedding veil and, through it, begins to see visions of the past. The story reveals a truth that’s both chilling and deeply human. The writing has a softness to it that made even the darkest moments feel poetic. Some scenes genuinely gave me goosebumps.
I will say the pacing dragged a bit in places, and there were a few moments where I wished for more clarity or connection between the threads. But overall, this was such a tender, eerie read. It explores love and loss in a way that felt really personal.
If you’re into romantic horror with a gothic edge, or you like stories that unfold slowly and stay with you after the last page, Veil is worth the read.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley!
I will say my rating is a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed the concept of this book, and was drawn in by the description of the book.
The start of the book was very interesting and had me a little confused, as you're initially left trying to figure out what's going on. It's quickly explained in the following couple of chapters, but it's not your initial way of starting a new book. As you continue on with Suze's story, you get to learn more about her past and how she became so closed off as a person.
As the story continues, Suze learns more of her mother's story in a not-so-traditional ghost story way. I love the symbolism of the wedding veil, and how it toes the line with how a veil is the wall between the dead and the living. That was a very creative way to showcase the way Suze was able to learn/relive her mother's story and help her lay to rest in the way she's always wanted.
I do feel the ending was a little rushed, and I wish we got to see more of an outcome of Suze's life since we got to see how her story began. I know that the premise was Suze finding out more about her mother's life and what was hidden from the public, but the story was also heavily focused on Suze. I just wish we got an epilogue that showed Suze living her life with all the new changes that had occurred towards the end of the book.
Other than that, I did enjoy this book quite a bit, and love a good ghost story. As I stated, it's not your traditional ghost story, but that's what makes it super interesting and had me wanting more for sure!

This book was super freaky! Also made me never want to borrow any dead family heirlooms that are worn ever again… at least not without proper cleansing precautions being taken. Yikes…. Well done.

Creepy and eerie. My favorite things in books. This is a beautiful book. I really loved everything about it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC. All opinons are my own.

A beautifully dark, tragic story. I think Clulow does subtle, creeping horror excellently and this story left me thinking about it long after I’d already set it down. A strong female character, excellently developed plot and decadent writing style leaves me excited for what else Clulow has in store.
Highly recommended for those who love gothic horror, speculative fiction and ghost stories.

Short horror story very gothic and atmospheric
Such an amazing palette cleaner and definitely recommend it to someone who is just starting out with reading and like horror and thriller. Really enjoyed the characters and how they were all presented

4 Stars
I really enjoyed this. It was not a traditional ghost story, but very atmospheric and gothic in nature nonetheless. I felt the anxiety and tension that Suze felt, along with the oppressive and dreary nature of the house and its surroundings.
I did work out what had happened from the clues we were given before Suze did, and found it very tragic. I did find though that in some occasions the writing style made me want a bit more concerning feelings. Sometimes Suze seemed a little too apathetic or unbothered - particularly with some of the reveals of her theories earlier on. The ending did change this though and i suppose it makes sense with Suze’s characterisation to be so stoic.
I definitely recommend this to lovers of ghost stories, gothic horror and romance.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of the eARC - this is my honest review*

This story starts with us meeting Susanna "Suze" Newman, a 30-year-old woman who has just been fired from her childcare job for sleeping while on the clock. She had grown up in the foster care system, being passed around from family to family, knowing nothing about her biological family. She discovers that she's inherited her recently deceased mother's estate through the rules of intestacy and finds that this will be the perfect way to learn about her mother, but what she doesn't realise yet is just how dark her family's past is, and what truths her mother's veil will uncover.
I have absolutely nothing but praise for this book. Seriously.
The storytelling was beautiful, the pace was perfect, and the end was rounded off flawlessly. I truly feel like a better person after having had the chance to read this.
I came up with my own theory at the 52% mark (beginning of chapter 21) which I was genuinely so thrilled to have gotten right, but I was also so upset to be right.
If there's anything that anyone does come August 1st, it better had be reading this book.

Jeff Clulow's "Veil" offers a truly unique premise that immediately captured my imagination. The idea of a young woman inheriting a haunted house and discovering family secrets through a magical wedding veil is genuinely intriguing, blending gothic atmosphere with a compelling mystery. The author clearly has a knack for creating a mysterious and unsettling backdrop, and the initial setup had me very excited to delve into the story's depths.
However, while the concept is strong, the execution felt like it could have been better in a few key areas, which ultimately kept this from being a higher-rated read for me. There were moments where the narrative felt a bit disjointed, and some of the more intriguing elements didn't quite coalesce as smoothly as I'd hoped. I found myself wishing for a tighter focus or a more consistent pacing in certain sections, as the story occasionally lost some of its initial momentum.
While I appreciated the ambition and the original approach to a familiar genre, the delivery sometimes struggled to match the promise of the premise. For readers drawn to unique, atmospheric mysteries with a touch of the supernatural, "Veil" might offer an interesting journey, but be prepared for an experience where the concept shines brighter than its overall execution. It's a fair effort, but one that left me wanting just a bit more polish.

Quick read with a unique premise of a haunted veil that may help reveal family secrets. I absolutely loved the atmosphere of a cliffside, decrepit house with secret rooms and squeaky floorboards. The wind getting into every nook and cranny and the cold seeping in through keyholes. I enjoyed MC's POV and personally found her voice engaging. She was cold and distant most of the time and for me personally it was part of her charm as we could slowly notice hints of hope for her better future. I did guess the main twist around middle of the book and found some of the veil sequences too explanatory to the point of being just big story dumps, still I considered the prose engaging and even when I guessed what's coming I still had fun getting to the end. The book shines in its descriptions of old rooms, dusty pages and harsh environment and I would recommend it as an atmospheric and slightly spooky read for fans of old mysteries coming to light.

I really enjoyed this book! The prologue instantly gripped my attention and I was intrigued to see where the story was going. There are twists along the way and while I guessed most of them, it didn't spoil the story for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookbuzz for the gifted copy.
Even though I don’t usually read this genre, I really liked the book. Veil is the story has a dark and gothic-horror even though it was labeled under romance. Our FMC, finds a veil and reveals secrets from her family's past. It takes you on an emotional ride with lots of ups and downs, and ended up being quite emotionally intense. Many people might relate to the main character’s journey of self-discovery. There’s a lot of suspense, so if you like horror, you’ll probably enjoy this. Just be ready for the deep emotions. The book mixes trauma and romance in a powerful way.

Much thanks to Third Eye Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
This book was really really good. It’s not the type of thing that I normally read, but it was a great palate cleanser. It was a short, enjoyable, and somewhat heartbreaking read. The vibes were dark and dreary but also told a story of finding hope and who you were meant to be. I also very much related to the main character and her difficulties with her emotions.
I would 100% recommend this to anyone who would like a novella length horror-esque read that features uncovering mysteries, thwarting conniving strangers, and uncovering long lost love.
The only downside is that I’m an American and some of the Britishisms made it somewhat difficult for me to place the time period that the book is set in towards the beginning. That ended as time went on though.