The Last House on Needless Street was creepy and atmospheric. It's one of the few books I've read in recent times that has stuck with me long after turning the last page.
Then, Sundial was announced. That blurb sounded amazing, right? Could Catriona Ward do it again? Could she live up to the hype of The Last House on Needless Street? That's some big book shoes to fill.
Well, people. Gather round. Let. Me. Tell. You.
Yes!! Sundial is also engrossing and creepy and so damn amazing. I loved Callie and Rob and their complex mother and daughter relationship. There are secrets and history and the past leads firmly to the circumstances of the present and everything ties together with a grim kind of book magic.
After The Last House on Needless Street, and now Sundial, I feel like I have a front row seat for the birth of literary greatness. Catriona Ward is a name you will be hearing a lot more of, I'm sure of it. And rightfully so. Her books cut right to the core of what it means to be human, and how humans are the worst of monsters of all.
I'm rushing off now to order her first two books, Rawblood (also called The Girl from Rawblood) and Little Eve.
I'll also be busy marking off my calendar until 2023, when her next great novel, Looking Glass Sound will be released.
I already know I'm going to love it.
In the meantime though, if you haven't read The Last House on Needless Street, go and buy it! It's out now. Then, add Sundial to your TBR, you won't regret it.

I read The Last House on Needless Street, Catriona Ward’s last novel, just a little while back, and was suitably gobsmacked. It’s equal parts, audacious, heartbreaking, and creepy, a tour de force that finds Ward juggling five or six different narrators (one of whom is a cat…seriously), each more unreliable than the last. It’s a thrilling, flawless high wire act.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but holy fuck, Sundial is even better. Ward burrows her way beneath your skin, sets her barbed hooks deep, then spends 272 pages dragging those hooks out of your flesh slowly but inexorably. Sundial is part psychological horror, part desert-set gothic, and part extremely dysfunctional family drama, with a little Island of Dr. Moreau thrown in for good measure.

Rob has a curdled marriage to a sometimes abusive husband, and two daughters. The oldest, Callie, has a darkness inside her that’s beginning to manifest in horrifying ways. Ways that remind Rob all too well of secrets buried in her own troubled past.

And…that’s all you’re getting. Much like she did with Last House on Needless Street, Ward has concealed twists and shocks throughout Sundial. They explode like land mines, psychic shrapnel, constantly reshaping the novel, never letting you catch your breath. To give away any more than I have would be criminal.

Sundial release March 1st, 2022, but is available for pre-order now. This is a must-read. In fact, anything Ward writes from now on will be a must-read for me.

Puppies, Pink Star Lamps, and Nightmares

Sundial is a new, twisty psychological horror novel from Catriona Ward, author of The Last House on Needless Street. This one is even darker than that and it keeps you guessing until the end. Catriona Ward has mastered the concept that horror can come from all species,in all shapes, sizes, and ages.

There are many triggers in this novel, so I don't recommend it for the sensitive. This is no mindless slasher novel, though, it's an intricately designed knot. As each convolution was untangled, the suspense grew so intense that I didn't realize I was holding my breath and had to remind myself to breathe.

Though the elements in the plot are not entirely unique, some are even plucked from headlines, I've never read a book that brought them together in this way before. The author slowly, painstakingly added layer upon layer to her characters until Rob, Jack, Callie, and Annie became real to me. As chilling as the revelations were, I cared very much about their outcomes.

I was honored to be given a free advanced review copy of Sundial courtesy of the author, publisher, and NetGalley. It's my privilege to share my enthusiasm for this excellent, hair-raising book.

Enjoy The Last House on Needless Street? You haven’t seen anything yet. Ward has given us another dark, psychologically horrifying novel, chock full of twists and turns. I was disoriented, upset, horrified, triggered, surprised, shocked, intrigued and just could not stop once I started reading. Add this to your 2022 TBR list.

TW: Domestic abuse, cheating, toxic relationships between parent and child, miscarriages, abuse, drug addiction, sibling drama, animal abuse, etc etc...

About the book: All Rob wanted was a normal life. She almost got it, too: a husband, two kids, a nice house in the suburbs. Far from her childhood home, Sundial, hidden deep in the wild Mojave Desert.

But beneath the veneer, Rob is terrified for her oldest daughter, Callie, who collects tiny bones and whispers to imaginary friends. Rob sees a darkness in Callie, one that reminds her too much of the family she left behind.

Running from her past has led her directly back to it -- what’s buried at Sundial could never stay a secret forever, and Rob must risk one last trip out there to protect her family, and her future.
Release Date: March 1st, 2022
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
• The writing style flows so seamless
• The characters are so outlandish you can't look away
• The book cover is just pleasing to the eye
• So hard to put down

What I Didn't Like:
• Sometimes it becomes a lot when you have a story in a story in a story

Overall Thoughts: "It's possible to feel horror of something and to accept it all at the same time. How else could we cope with being alive?"

I struggled to finish this book because I did not want it to end...like EVER! Every-time I picked it up I was transformed into this world of Rob and the dysfunctional world she lived in. At times I wanted to hug her then shake her. I never knew what was real or what was just Rob's thoughts. Just when you think you know the villains in this book things change up and suddenly you're doubting yourself.

The final ending was mind bending. Was Rob really Rob or was Rob really Jack? The ending with the contacts. Callie really being the good dog and not the bad dog. Just wow.

Final Thoughts: This book is magic. I'm convinced that Catriona Ward is a witch because she keeps enchanting me into having to read every book she writes & loving it.

True Horror! Are you tired of "Psychological Thrillers"?! I am! Catriona Ward has it on lock. This book is for real scary.

Every second used to read this review is a second that you aren't using to read Catriona Ward's latest, Sundial. This is a problem, because she can freakin' WRITE, and I can't.

For those that have read The Last House on Needless Street, I can say this: SHE HAS DONE IT AGAIN. All of those things that made that book magnificent are here again. This is all you need to know.

Get it.

I was blown away by The Last House on Needless Street, so I was pretty sure I'd love Sundial. I had no idea what I was in for though! This gives "psychological thriller" a whole new, intense meaning.

Right from the start, we realize that something isn't quite right with Rob. She's rightfully concerned about her two daughters, Callie and Annie, but we soon find out that her past is extremely disturbing, and nothing is as it seems. This book is horrifying and dark - and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. As we learn more about Rob's childhood when she returns to Sundial, her childhood home, with Callie, it becomes clear that there really aren't any "good guys" here - we've got horrible parents, an abusive spouse, manipulative siblings and it just gets worse from there.

What you need to know about Sundial is that you will think you have everything figured out right before Ward flips everything upside down and you realize you know nothing. That is the best kind of thriller and Ward is an expert at it!

You also need to know that there are gruesome scenes of animal abuse, animal death, physical, emotional and verbal abuse of adults and children, infidelity and drug abuse. I loved it and could not put it down, but it is extremely disturbing on many levels.

Holy crap, this was disturbing!

Fair warning to those who like their horrors on the light side, this one isn’t for you. Every little thing that happens in this book is wrong. Every character is wrong. Every situation is wrong. And just when you think the author’s given us the most wrongness she can give, hey, there’s more!

The author handles this well and with a deft touch. While it’s evident from page one that things are skewed with our little family, each chapter adds more and more ugliness to their situation – all described in deceptively beautiful narrative or, in the case of children, childish phrases that belie how terribly horrific the truth really is.

I loved the book, but warn that it may not be for everyone.

5 Stars!

*ARC via Publisher

Thank you to Tor Nightfire and Netgalley for the chance to read this arc!

Having read Ward's other work I knew that I enjoyed it but Needless Street was just not for me. Sundial was a chance to try out her work again and WOW it didn't disappoint.

Rob seems to have her life together - a home, a family, a husband - but behind closed doors her husband is abusive and her eldest daughter is showing troubling signs like collecting bones. To protect Callie from her husband she decides to bring her back to her childhood home Sundial.

This book was full of twists and honestly just delivered so well on the promise of psychological horror. It was such a delight to piece together any of the twists before they came but still managed to be surprised by pieces I didn't see coming.

And you thought YOUR family was dysfunctional!

It’s official. I am a compete Catriona Ward stan. After being bowled over by the incredible The Last House On Needless Street, I could not wait to get my hands on her next book. I am happy and excited to say that Ward’s sophomore effort did NOT disappoint. Glittering, dark, shocking, horrifying prose - Ward is an heiress to Stephen King’s throne. (It was King’s recommendation that got me to read Needless Street, and I couldn’t be happier to have found this wonderful author.)

Ward’s writing is hypnotic and totally immersive. You forget where you are reading her work, and just become a part of her mesmerizing and horrifying world. It sucks you in and holds you there when it’s beautiful and also when it’s completely uncomfortable and horrifying.

This book will not be for everyone but oh man, was it ever for me. The book is about a pair of female twins named Rob and Jack. The disturbing nature of their lives, particularly their upbringings by a weird pair of parents on a cult-like compound called Sundial, creeps into the story bit by bit until you are totally immersed in the crazy. I was immediately and totally fascinated with the narrating twin Rob, her husband Irving, and her two daughters from the start. Rob worries that one of her daughters may be a psychopath in the making. This sounds like a simple plot that you’ve read before, but I promise you, it is not. The book then delves into an incredible and horrifying story of nature vs. nurture, the significance of the so-called psychopath or “warrior” gene, bizarre psychological experiments, horrible parenting, weird twin relationships….and that’s not even the half of it. This author knows how to do multiple narrators: slightly different from Needless Street, this book has way fewer narrators but man does it pick the right ones.

I really cannot stress enough how haunting, beautiful and unique Ward’s writing is. This author has an incredible dark gift. Her style is so individual and this story is so creepy that I think you will either love it or be repulsed by it. I definitely loved it (and as evidenced by Needless Street, many others do too).

I had a great time savoring, being stressed out by, and reveling in this super creepy book. The ending was sufficiently insane and perfect, with a totally unforeseen yet perfect twist. This is the kind of great horror book that really goes deep on the nature of evil - what makes a horrifying person that way? Can anything be done about it? Is it always completely evident who the true psycho is?

Yep, so, I loved this book. An easy five-plus stars from me. I sure hope Ward writes fast because I am ready for another book from her, like, right now. Creepy, spooky, gross, but also beautiful, in that way only a few horror authors can really do. Get ready to watch Catriona Ward because she’s just getting started, but already one of the greats.

Thanks to Macmillan Tor Forge, NetGalley, and the author for this totally immersive, awesome, and creepy reading experience. I plan to read it again soon.

A fantastic and twisted tale by Catriona Ward.

I read this book in a single day because I just couldn't put it down.

Readers will think they know what is going to happen, but will be WRONG.

This story contains family, cults, physical and psychological abuse, violence and implied threats of violence. Obviously this is a horror story and as such should be avoided by those who are sensitive to the above topics.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale. It is a startlingly original take on the age old question of whether nature or nurture are more important in the formation of a child's mind.

I will be recommending this book to the readers and followers of my blog and social media accounts.

I rate SUNDIAL as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have no idea what goes on inside author, Catriona Ward's head. In theory these storylines shouldn't work - first there was The Last House on Needless Street where one of the narrators was a cat, and now we have Sundial, a literary horror set in the Mojave Desert with a story based around scientific experiments on stray dogs - but somehow everything that comes out is pure genius!

Sundial is a story about Rob, her husband Irving, and their two children Callie and Annie. Callie has always been difficult but when her behavior really starts to concern Rob, she decides to take her back to 'Sundial' (the compound where she grew up) in an attempt to put an end to it once and for all. True to form, there are plenty of twists, and if you think you know where the story is going, you are most certainly wrong!

This is a story about family, trauma, genetics, psychological abuse, and is a reminder that sometimes the worst type of horrors come from the things closest to home. There's no doubt that Sundial will be another smash hit when it is released next year.

Catriona Ward's book "The Last House of Needless Street" left an irrevocable impact for me and immediately set an unparalleled standard for the horror genre. In some ways, "Sundial" was reminiscent of Ward's first novel: poignant, magnetic writing strewn with complex, deeply-intriguing characters in which a darkness simmers just below their surface. And yet, "Sundial" is a literary horror masterpiece all its own. Set in the Mojave Desert, it is atmospheric, chilling, and profound. Everything that Ward weaves into her pages is intentional and ingenious; slow fuses lit at the start of the novel that culminate explosively in the most unthinkable ways. This book is about roots, family, and identity, and will settle deep in your bones and stay with you long after you've finished it. Ward demonstrates yet again that she remains in a league all her own when it comes to horror; this story captivated me and terrified me all at once. An absolute must-read for 2022.

*Thank you to Tor-Nightfire and Netgalley for my ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.*

Catriona Ward is now two for two! I fell in love with Catriona Ward's writing when I read her 2021 release, The Last House on Needless Street, so I knew that I needed to read her 2022 release, Sundial . Catriona, please keep the books coming because I think I found my new favorite horror author. Sundial will be very polarizing for readers, because it doesn't give the same vibe as her last book did, which goes to show you how finessed Ward's craft of storytelling is.

Sundial focuses on mother and wife Rob, her husband Irving, and their two children Callie and Annie. After witnessing some pretty gruesome and dangerous behavior by their daughter Callie, Rob decides to take Callie back to her childhood home—"Sundial", a compound in the Mojave Desert. Rob hopes that their time together in Sundial will help Callie reflect on her behavior, but Rob has a philandering and psychologically corrupt husband at home as well to worry about. Callie's behavior is just the tip of the iceberg for this extremely unstable family.

I don't want to give away too much, because as you expect, Sundial is best read when you know as little as possible. The story is way more straightforward than The Last House on Needless Street, so no need to worry about trying to catch the massive plot twist. However, this story is just as dark and captivating as its predecessor. I truly loved reading this book so much that I've began diving into Catriona's previous works. If you are unsure about reading horror, Catriona Ward expertly handles horror with care and interweaves it into other genres as well. This time, we get an extremely solid (yet chaotic and unstable) family drama, infused with horror and suspense. I read this book in two sittings and cannot wait to see what else this author has up her sleeve. Prioritize this one for 2022, readers!

Long ago something happened in the desert, at Sundial, that has remained with Rob through the rest of her adult life. Now in the present, stuck in a cruel and miserable marriage, something odd has started happening with her daughters, and Sundial might be the only place to hold answers. Caught between old traumas of the past and the love of a mom for her daughters, Rob must retrace memories back to Sundial, her childhood home, and face truths that have rested untouched in the desert for far too long.

What I Loved:
- Catriona Ward has become one of my absolute favorite horror authors. She writes psychological horror unlike anyone else, and I love how she always leads the reader up to a moment when, all of a sudden, the twisted up storylines start unraveling and the bigger picture starts to come into full focus. When that left foot drops (in the best way), I just can’t ever stop reading, and this book didn’t leave me disappointed in that way.
- Of the stories I’ve read by Ward, she always incorporates multiple perspectives. Sometimes these are from the past and into the present, sometimes they’re from the point of view of animals, and sometimes they’re in a different format, like chapters in a book. Sundial also incorporates multiple perspectives, and it really helps to continue moving the plot forward and keeping the reader guessing what’s next, who’s telling the truth, and asking “What’s REALLY happening?”

What I Didn’t Love:
- The only aspect I had a little bit of a harder time with involved some scenes of animal death and just some general sort of tough situations involving animals. That said, it was all so purposeful and intentional in regard to the storyline, and there were some sweet moments as well.

Overall:
Overall, I feel like this is a “Catriona Ward has done it again” moment. When I initially read the description of the book to decide if I wanted to request it to read or not, I hesitated. It didn’t sound quite as pulse-racing as The Last House on Needless Street or as eerie and cultish as Little Eve; it felt like it’d be an entirely different story altogether. And it was, but it was just as good. Her stories all stand so unique from one another but all have a similar thread: you’re guaranteed to not know anything from the start, and you’re guaranteed some reveals toward the back half of the book that will have your mind constantly turning to put pieces together and to get to the truth of the story and what happened. If you enjoyed any of her most recent books, love psychological horror novels, enjoy multiple perspectives, and love a good reveal, definitely read this one next!!

Content Warnings:
Child neglect and abuse, domestic abuse, animal experimentation, animal death, miscarriage/loss of pregnancy

I have been reading horror since I was allowed to choose my own books and no book has delightfully traumatized nearly as much as Sundial has. The characters’ willingness to do ANYTHING (and I mean anything) for their sisters and children broke me wide opening. Ward has the fascinating ability to show us both how entirely broken a person can be and their ability to transform that pain and suffering to enormous, gruesome strength. I will read EVERYTHING Catrina Ward has to offer after this and will recommend this book to anyone who will listen. (TW abuse).

Wow. This really shook me! In the best way. I finished reading this a week ago and still am having a difficult time pulling my thoughts together for a review!

First, I am going to avoid going into any detail of the synopsis. I think that the less you know, going in, is better!

Catriona Ward’s beautifully brutal writing managed to literally transport my brain out of my head and into the world she has created in ‘Sundial’. I still don’t know if that’s a good thing or not, considering how nightmarish and creepy this book is! I was just completely immersed and intrigued by what in the h*ll what going on here!? I was confused, shocked, horrified, interested, etc.! You name it, I probably felt it while reading this!

People often refer to the images that form in your brain while you read as ‘brain movies’. Well, prepare for one of the most memorable, unique, uncomfortable yet amazing brain movies ever! Thanks, again, to the flawless and vivid writing, you will not fall short on visuals to accompany you as consume this novel (probably in one sitting).

I am psychological thriller/horror fan through and though and Catriona Ward has got my attention 100%! Her striking and descriptive writing, character development, and her way of exploring human nature via disturbing dark fiction have made me a fan for life!

Thanks to Macmillan Tor Forge, NetGalley and the author for this excellent arc.

I'm quickly realizing that I am never going to know what Catriona Ward is going to serve up to her readers. It didn't really work for me with Last House on Needless Street, but Sundial was unsettling and unexpected, twisty and thrilling, in all the best ways. I'm not going to say anything about the plot because, quite frankly, I don't know what I could say to sum it up. It just has to be experienced.

Do I have books to read that publish before Sundial? Why yes, I do. I tried so hard to put this one on my February to be read list, but no matter what I did, it kept calling my name. What do I have to say about my behavior? I am glad, glad I tell you that I started this on the last day of 2021 and finished it on the first day of 2022 because it was amazing.
Rob is married to Irving, and right from their first interaction, I felt like she must have reiterated at least one of her wedding vows, till death do us part, at least a million times. He is a serial cheater and an odious man, and how Rob wound up with him and why she continues to stay with him was a real puzzle. It isn't until the behavior of her older daughter, Callie, starts to alarm her, that she makes a quick and potentially life-altering decision. She leaves her younger daughter Annie with Irving and heads to Sundial, her childhood home. She needs to connect with Callie if she has any hope of saving her, and that means exposing her past.
There is a lot and I mean an awful lot going on in the present and the past. Unlike Needless Street, this book doesn't have one specific what moment, but rather every chapter exposes more and more secrets. It builds dark layer upon even darker layer until I wasn't sure who were the monsters and who were the heroes of this tale. Disturbing at every imaginable level, I forgot to breathe more than once and especially when the author dropped her final bombshell revelation.
I am not going to say any more for fear of spoilers. Just let the words take you to Sundial and see who you are if you find your way out. I will gladly devour anything Catriona Ward writes.

Did you read the Last House on Needless Street? If so, then you are prepared! If not, brace yourself, this is horror and psychological twists like you have never experienced!

Rob lives with her husband and 2 children in suburbia. She hints of a dark past life in a cult-like existence and seems to tread carefully around her husband. When Callie, her oldest daughter shows a predilection for collecting animal bones she decides its time for a pilgrimage to Sundial,
her childhood home in the Mojave Desert.

At Sundial Rob flashes back to her life with her twin sister Jack and the many dark and twisted events that they experienced. Has Rob inherited the evil traits of the Sundial inhabitants? Has Callie? Can anyone from Sundial be redeemed?

This gothic thriller is horrific in a good way. I challenge you to read it in one or two sittings - I couldn't I needed to take many breaks (sad face). Callie has a voice in the story and just like Needless Street, she's not what you thought (confused face).

If you liked Needless Street, or books by Steven King, Paul Tremblay then this is the most thrilling novel of 2022. You won't forget a character or an event in this twisty dark adventure (happy face and heart!) #NetGalley #Sundial #CatrionaWard #Besthorror #MacMillanTor #tornightfire

Thank you to Macmillan/Tor-Forge for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I heard that the author had another book coming out, I knew I had to add it to my TBR right away! Sundial by Catriona Ward is a psychological horror novel that will chill you to the bone. The story opens up from Rob's point of view. Rob is an everyday housewife with a husband and two daughters in the suburbs. But from the very beginning, you can tell something is off with this family. Why can't Rob emphathize her daughter Callie? Why are Rob and her husband Irving always fighting? What secrets are they hiding?

Here is a gripping excerpt from Chapter 1 that illustrates an argument between Rob, her husband Irving, and Callie::

"He lowers his gaze and strokes Callie’s shoulder, murmuring about pancakes. Her screaming stops. It gives way to little giggles. She and Irving stare at me. The same little smile plays about both their mouths. They have the same lips. And it sets me off, even though I know it shouldn’t.
“That’s it!” I shout. “You go and clean your room. Change your sheets. Maybe that will get rid of the weird smell in there.”
Callie covers her mouth and giggles into her palm. Irving gets up and starts doing dishes, like it’s nothing to do with him. I stare at the back of his head, the red place where the barber went too close, and I wish I could throw something, like he does. But I’ve got no power here."

Overall, Sundial is an extremely disturbing psychological horror novel that will keep you up at night. It will appeal to fans of the twist-filled novels of Gillian Flynn and Josh Malerman. One highlight of this book is how scary this book is. It starts from the very beginning, when minor arguments foreshadow domestic violence and abuse. I made the mistake of reading this book too close to nighttime, and I couldn't sleep afterward. This book is definitely not one for the faint-hearted!

Another highlight is the creepy and twisty plotline. There were definitely some twists that I was not expecting. I have to admit that I was pretty confused when I first started reading this book, because the author introduced a lot of characters in the sections in the past, but everything was eventually explained and made sense in a satisfying way. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of horror novels, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in March!

This is an incredibly unsettling yet unputdownable book. It is the first book I’ve read by Catriona Ward but not the last. It is both psychological and horror. The writing kept me entranced and completely captivated.
5 stars for sure!

Catriona Ward has done it again and taken it to whole new level! Sundial is a disturbing and engrossing tale of a mother desperate to protect her children. Unreliable narrators run amok and family relationships are taken to a whole new level of WTF. This is a twisting and turning psychological horror that is even darker than The Last House on Needless Street. Warning: this book is not for the faint of heart. Multiple TW's for abuse, toxic relationships, drug abuse, animal abuse, etc. Rob, a wife and mother, senses a darkness in her daughter Callie. Rob thinks the only way to help her daughter is take to her back to her childhood home of Sundial and let her in on her mysterious childhood. That's all I'm giving you! Ward has an amazing way of taking you down a path you think you know and then taking a turn you never saw coming. I read this book in a day because I just could not stop. This book may not be for everyone ( history of abuse should steer clear of this one) 5 stars to my new favorite author. I can't wait for a physical copy and a reread. Thanks NetGalley, this was incredible.

Also reviewed on www.curiosityboughtthebook.com

It's rare that I'm sucked into a story from the first page. But Sundial is exactly that kind of story. There is so much mystery, despair, and drama that I couldn't stop myself from devouring it. A mix of thriller and horror; it's the perfect story for me. Catriona Ward's writing almost has a V.C. Andrews-feel to me, and I love her work for that. It's Gothic and eerie; the perfect mix.

Ward writes deeply flawed characters in Sundial, just like she did in her previous book The Last House on Needless Street, which was also a five star book for me. This is definitely an auto-read author for me from now on.

It’s a story about a loveless (and hateful) marriage, twin sisters that grew apart in anger and resentment and the strange way they were brought up. All of this is told in two different timelines, and two POVs.

Little extra note: once I found out the remote control experiments really happened, it got even more unsettling.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

Trigger warning in this book for abuse, including animal abuse and spousal abuse.


My initial notes for this ARC consisted of:

-Great tension in first chapters
-Enthralling, can’t stop reading
-Ghosts??
-Monster dogs???

And I still stand by those. The tension is initially shown to be between Rob and her oldest daughter who, we later learn, has some very dark tendencies. But the longer we read (and I read quite a lot in my first sitting), the more we realize the tension also comes from other people in Rob’s life. It is this thick tension that makes the first several chapters so enthralling; I literally could not convince myself to stop reading until I learned just a little more, and really, this author is a master at leaving you tiny crumbs that keep you coming back.

Ward also does a fantastic job of weaving narrations together, both between mother and daughter and between past and present. These shifts also keep you wondering which character is telling you the whole truth, or if there is even a whole truth to be learned through all the misdirection.

There are some bits of plot I wish had been better fleshed out, as well as some little bits and pieces left unanswered by the end that I’m still wondering about. However - this was a great, thrilling read, and Catriona Ward is an author I will return to for every book she writes.

Catriona Ward knows how to incorporate mental illnesses into her stories very well, but this time she didn’t stop there: she added bit of science into it. This story…. It was something! At the beginning, I wasn’t sure what to make of any of the characters. It took me a while to form my opinion of Rob, Irving, Callie, and Annie. But at the end, I realized how wrong I was.

Rob started to see some patterns in her child’s behavior that she wished that she would never ever see. With her husband cheating on her and another child dealing with chicken pox, she had to choose her battles. She chose to figure out a way to fix her daughter who might be going little wild. One might ask why she didn’t take her daughter to a psychiatrist, but she had her reasons looking back at her own past. She thought the solution she was looking for was at her childhood home. So away we go!

With triggers hitting her left and right, Rob started to remember things from her past defining who she is and who she could be. These were much different than what she always believed. While her goal of fixing her daughter stayed as her North Star, she decided to choose different means to solve this problem. But what she didn’t know was she might have been wrong all along.

Rob fears there is something seriously wrong with her oldest daughter, Callie, when she finds a collection of small bones in her bedroom. Add to this the fact that she whispers to "imaginary friends," and Rob knows she needs to act quickly. She opts to bring Callie back to her childhood home, known as Sundial, in the Mojave Desert. It's there that Rob's old, dark memories are stirred up.

Callie is also concerned about her mother. There's something off about the way she looks at her, and she's afraid only one of them will leave Sundial alive.

It's definitely worth noting that I didn't *love* The Last House on Needless Street, but I was really impressed by Catriona Ward's writing style and I knew I wouldn't hesitate to read another one of her books in the future. Enter: Sundial. First, can we talk about how gorgeously creepy that cover is? I immediately knew I needed to get my hands on this one.

I was SO INTO this storyline. The pacing of the plot was perfect, and I could not stop flipping pages. This is told in alternating viewpoints: Rob in present day, Rob in the past, and Callie in present day. I 100% did not see the end coming and I was completely and totally satisfied by it, as well as sufficiently creeped out.

Horror and thriller lovers are definitely going to want to get their hands on Sundial, out on bookshelves in the US March 1, 2022!

Catriona Ward has done it again!

When you start reading a book by this author, be prepared for surprises. She's phenomenal at luring your thoughts one way and then changing the whole game. Ward makes you feel things, and you're left with a desire for introspection. Be right back while I go contemplate all the choices I think I'd make..

Rob is a mother of two with a not-so-stellar home life. When things start to worsen, Rob takes her oldest daughter, Callie, back to the desert where it all started to get to the heart of the problem.. Can she save her family?

For fun, here are some thoughts and questions I had written down during my read (which I did in one day because I couldn't stop myself):
Did Rob kill Jack?
What happened to the parents?
Where did Callie come from? Is Pale Callie the dead baby? Or is she dead Jack?
Oh no, she's gonna give her the controlling drugs.
Oh.. the girls came from the puppy people.
They got drugged?! Along with other dude.. so that was his story.
Jack noooooo!!!
Ugh Irving! He deserved what he got.
What about Annie? What about the contacts? (After the fight with Irving)
It was Annie?!?!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Now go read The Last House on Needless Street

Shelves: 2021-read , 2022-pub , dark , family-drama , horror , slow-burn , psychological-thriller
Catriona Ward is now two for two! I fell in love with Catriona Ward's writing when I read her 2021 release, The Last House on Needless Street, so I knew that I needed to read her 2022 release, Sundial . Catriona, please keep the books coming because I think I found my new favorite horror author. Sundial will be very polarizing for readers, because it doesn't give the same vibe as her last book did, which goes to show you how finessed Ward's craft of storytelling is.

Sundial focuses on mother and wife Rob, her husband Irving, and their two children Callie and Annie. After witnessing some pretty gruesome and dangerous behavior by their daughter Callie, Rob decides to take Callie back to her childhood home—"Sundial", a compound in the Mojave Desert. Rob hopes that their time together in Sundial will help Callie reflect on her behavior, but Rob has a philandering and psychologically corrupt husband at home as well to worry about. Callie's behavior is just the tip of the iceberg for this extremely unstable family.

I don't want to give away too much, because as you expect, Sundial is best read when you know as little as possible. The story is way more straightforward than The Last House on Needless Street, so no need to worry about trying to catch the massive plot twist. However, this story is just as dark and captivating as its predecessor. I truly loved reading this book so much that I've began diving into Catriona's previous works. If you are unsure about reading horror, Catriona Ward expertly handles horror with care and interweaves it into other genres as well. This time, we get an extremely solid (yet chaotic and unstable) family drama, infused with horror and suspense. I read this book in two sittings and cannot wait to see what else this author has up her sleeve. Prioritize this one for 2022, readers

Sadistic. Twisted. Inhumane. Those are some of the words I would use to describe this. You know those stories you read that just stick with you awhile? This was one of those. This book kept me guessing, and out of all the characters in the whole book, Irving was the most sadistic. The gruesome images of the puppy mill and animal experiments were hard to stomach, but I could definitely watch the image play out of the book in my head, which really adds to the horror of it all. Rob and Callie were sympathetic characters, despite some of the horrible things they may have done. The ending I did not see coming, and I love these type of ominous endings in horror fiction. I really look forward to reading Catriona's other book now.

WOW WOW WOW!!!! Truly cannot say enough great things about this book, with the only downside being that I had to stop reading it right before bed because it was so creepy! There's something about Ward's ability to use beautiful prose to explore the darkest depths of humanity--with the contrast resulting in a horrifically disturbing but undeniably brilliant story. I couldn't catch my breath and couldn't look away until the very last twist--which I had not seen coming (I can't remember the last time I was surprised by an ending, and Ward knocks it out of the park). For anyone who likes dark and atmospheric books that are also fascinating glimpses into psychology and psychopathy, this is a must read!!

Catriona Ward is the mistress of the twist. Once I thought I figured something out, it turned out that my reading path zigged when I thought it zagged. Few of the characters are who they seem to be, except for one who starts out awful and stays that way. Who to root for? Who to condemn? There's enough twists to keep the reader guessing through the book.

Be aware that there is physical and psychological (but not sexual) abuse of children, a spouse, and animals. It's almost overwhelming for me to read, but Ms. Ward is just so very good with words. An excellent writer.

All Rob wanted was a normal life. A family of her own far away from the compound she grew up on. But things at home are anything but normal.

Her husband is cruel and unfaithful, belittling her if she dares to call him out on his affairs. Brandishing her past as a tether. A history she cannot escape.

But more disturbing is the behavior of her eldest daughter Callie. A solitary child. A collector of dead things. While unsettling on its own, her macabre obsession seems to be taking a more extreme turn. Speaking to shadows. Punishing her little sister Annie in progressively more dangerous ways.

A missing bottle of pills. The blue lips of an overdose.

Rob knows there’s only one place where she can help Callie out. Sundial. Her family home. A place to reveal to Callie the secret in her families blood.

Told through dual timelines, the mystery of what happened in Rob’s past starts to reveal itself. Packed with twists that only Catriona Ward is capable of bending. I’m in awe with how she fools me.

Supernatural elements, medical experiments, family traumas, gaslighting, aggressive dogs. There are loads of themes stuffed into these pages, but it’s brisk and propulsive, and while I don’t feel it was as seamless as Needless Street it’s a hell of a follow up effort. Seriously, Ward has become an auto-but author for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 rounded up

Catriona Ward is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Sundial grips you immediately and does not let go. I was entranced by the story telling and character building. You find yourself in the story with these characters and finding your reasons to understand all of them while simultaneously being scared of what they will do next. The setting of this story is unsettling enough, just you wait until the truth comes out.

It is very rare for me to read a book in January and know, without a doubt, it will be in the top ten books I read this year. But here we are.

Much like this author’s book from last year, The Last House on Needless Street, this book is best gone into as blind as possible. The only things I knew about this going in were that I liked the cover, I enjoyed this author’s book that came out last year, and I got an ARC of it so I was just going to check it out and see if it was anything like Needless Street.

And the answer is yes and no. This book also starts at a slow, confusing pace but it doesn’t have as much weird stuff going on in it. Not to say it isn’t really weird itself. It’s just very different in style. Something about this book just really clicked for me. This is a book with many twists and reveals but they are all earned. I know several twists were foreshadowed 100 pages or more before the twist happened and I feel like upon reread, it would probably be all of them.
Ward is a master of her craft and is able to construct these stories were you just read along for the ride and halfway through realize how hooked you are. With just the two books I have read of hers, she has cemented herself as a favorite author to me.

If you are someone who needs to know just a tiny bit about a book before picking it up, this story is about a wife with two children who lives in a pretty suburban area. But when one of her children starts exhibiting strange and scary behavior, the mother decides to take a trip with her misbehaving child to Sundial, her childhood home. Maybe there, she can get to the root of what is causing this behavior.

If you like weird. If you like unsettling. If you like a deep dive into what makes people the way they are, read this book.

This is an insane book, full of absolutely creeping horror and evocative images. You don't want me to tell you everything that happens, trust me.

It starts out as a look at a dysfunctional marriage, but guys, you aint seen nothing yet if you think that's the whole situation. Little sprinkles of information slowly lead up to an incredible reveal that is both horrifying and sad. Complex characters, weird science, and a small amount of justice in the end make for a great horror tale. Im very into it.

I loved the indie movie style ending if you know what I mean by that, although I wouldn't skip a sequel if she were to write one.

It's a horror novel. If you can't handle horror, then don't read horror.

I received this as an ARC from netgalley in exchange for honest review.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book blew me away! I really enjoyed how the perspectives went from the present to the past, from different characters points of view, and had a little piece of a fictional story woven in. The narrators are all unreliable to a certain extent but I like uncovering secrets along the way, and this book definitely had that! The only minor issue I noticed was that the characters are from and living in Ojai, California but much of the dialogue and spelling is written like they’re in the UK. For example, words like rucksack, colour, cheque, and the child in school being in “third year” when here in California, we go by grade levels. Otherwise I very much enjoyed this book and will definitely recommend to friends and family!

Thanks to the author and publisher for an advance reading copy of Sundial for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

A twisty, horrifying story that sheds its layers with pinpoint precision. This proves, once again, that Ward is one of the premiere voices in horror fiction right now. If she isn’t already a household name like Shirley Jackson or Stephen King, she needs to be.

Ward might be the ONLY author in the last few years who can wholly and completely pull the rug out from under me. With The Last House on Needless Street, and now Sundial, she is now 2 for 2 in blindside hits. Just when you think you have her all figured out… She just has this penchant for leaving you mouth agape by the time you turn the last page. It is absolutely mesmerizing.

Where the author excels, in my opinion, is with her characters. Yes, the reveal is clearly her specialty, but her characters are what makes that reveal SO FREAKING GOOD. In just a few short sentences, she can have you completely enamored, emotionally invested, and the biggest cheerleader for the protagonist, while also have you wholly loathing the antagonist – or who is perceived to be such. Her use of language is mind-bogglingly good and really puts her to the forefront as one of my favorite writers today.

Like a majority of novels that like to build up suspense until the very end, Sundial does tend to have its moments of pacing miscues as pieces of the puzzle are put into place. While this type of thing doesn’t necessarily detract from the enjoyment of the story, I know it can be a turn off to certain types of readers. Trust me, the payoff is worth is it. If those pieces were missing, the ending wouldn’t make sense.

While I’d love to do a deep dive into the story itself, any little misstep could lead to a massive spoiler. Just go into the story fresh; I suggest not even reading the synopsis – especially if you are already a fan of Ward’s. This generally helps suppress the want and need to figure everything out before the end, especially knowing I’ll be 100% wrong.

A friend handed me Last House on Needless Street last year and it was unexpectedly, amazingly good. The story was solid, gripping, with so many twists and with crazy, flawed, lovable characters to boot.

And here comes Sundial, and I have unreasonably high expectations and Ward just sails over them all.

I enjoyed every moment with this horrific, terrifying, twisting story. Beautiful foreshadowing, as always. Scarred, complex, loveable, relatable characters, again. This story is about bonds between mothers and daughters, sisters, family. The background is full of wild animals, a harsh desert, and hurt people. It's about trying, whether or not you succeed.

And now, I think, I need to find a way to let go of the tension of it all. Funny, to read what you know will be the best book of the year in January. Five stars.

Dear horror/ psychological thriller lovers! Just put down the books you plan to read it and urgently start reading this one ! This is the biggest winner of the year!

Last year I was addicted to Last House on Needless Street! I was so close to climb up the roof and scream “Read that book!” This year I plan to do exactly the same thing! Because this book is even better! Dysfunctional sisterhood bonds, psychological twists you never see it coming, mind blowing POVs, darkness pouring chapters, violence, shock, whirlwind mind games, bleak, claustrophobic dog farm theme, jaw dropping cliffhangers, deeply layered characters, the saddest, creepiest, harshest back stories you hardly digest! This book is definitely MASTERPIECE! I couldn’t put it down! It gives me creeps! It shattered my heart! It freaked me out! But I couldn’t help myself to fall so hard for it!
Let’s quickly look at the plot:

Rob, English teacher, mother of two daughters, married with charming professor; correction: cheat scumbag who has serious anger issues. When she sees her 12 years old Callie starts acting weirder like collection animal bones, talking with ghosts, she gets worried at first. And when she finds out Callie might hurt her little sister Annie, she thinks that’s the last straw.

She takes the matters into her own hands and takes her daughter with her to drive to Sundial, the creepiest place she’s inherited from her parents. Rob is adamant to come clean with her daughter by sharing their family’s dark past. When her story will be over, she has to make the toughest decision to save her daughters. How far she could go to save them? Can she save the daughters from the darkness she’s kept for years? Who is the real monster? It seems like for saving their family, someone should be sacrificed, but who?

This is the best work of the author and even it’s too early to announce, this is the best horror book of 2022 ( I am all set to vote for it on Goodreads choice awards just like I voted for Last House on Needless Street)

I’m giving five billion stars! It’s definition of pure PERFECTION! I absolutely highly recommend it!

Millions of thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge -Tor Nightfire for sharing this incredible digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Another incredible book from Catriona Ward! Fascinating characters and unexpected twists to the very end.

Another absolute WIN from Catriona Ward. I have to admit, after reading The Last House on Needless Street which turned out to be one of the most epic books I’ve ever read, I was hesitant she would be able to do it again. BUT SHE SURE DID!!! Catriona Ward is a goddess in the literature world. The writing warps your mind the story has so many levels to analyze the characters clutch your heart and when you finish you want to start over again.

Once again this is not a book for everyone. It is not for the faint of heart. There are triggers for violence. If you can handle it, it is an absolute must read. Go in blind. Don’t investigate into the story too much. Just know you’re about to go into a psychological ride. Expect the unexpected and brilliance once again! Love love loved it!!

Thank you Catriona Ward so much for the arc in exchange for my honest review. I eagerly await the next extraordinary novel!!

There's something magical about Catriona Ward's writing--it's vivid, engaging, and completely twisted. This is the second book I've read by Ward (the first being *The House on Needless Street*) and even though I know to anticipate twists, and I know things won't be what they seem, she manages to keep me guessing --even when I do predict the outcome. There's always another surprise, another nuance, another callback. She has a delicious way of penning unlikeable characters that you still root for, even though you spend the vast majority of the book hating them. Masterful.

I don’t know what to say about this to express just quite how much I loved it. It was generations of stories come together in Rob taking Callie to the desert for their reckoning. It was sister-love-sister-trauma set in science, fate, and love. The narration style immediately drew me in and then Rob and Irving’s story. And then Rob and Jack. Rob and Callie. Rob and Annie. All of the stories fit into each other like Russian nesting dolls and they are all eerie and riveting and horrific.
What I thought was Rob taking her weird and, honestly, kind of creepy daughter on a trip to her childhood home in the Mojave desert for some new kind of attitude adjustment was so much more than that. The way the story keeps just rippling out from Rob and her twin sister Jack’s home into the present with Callie and her strange tendencies and back again is so all consuming as you read. I don’t want to spoil it but it was strange and terrifying and disgusting and infuriating and touching and heartbreaking and a read like nothing else I’ve ever found.
For fans of horror, psychological thrillers, unreliable narrators, folklore and ghosts.

I was looking forward to reading "Sundial" because I had been so intrigued by Catriona's previous book, "The Last House on Needless Street." I found "Sundial" to be much scarier, especially early in the book.

The story centers on Rob, her husband, two daughters, and her sister. "Sundial" is the name of Rob's childhood home and is the place where Rob takes her daughter, Callie, when she believes that Callie is killing small animals.

But, of course, things are not as they seem. That's the thrilling part of "Sundial." Rob's extended family is composed of a group of severely damaged people. Rob's husband abuses her and tries to turn their daughters against her.

Much of this book is Just. Extremely. Creepy. The rest, though, has a fascinating plot filled with twists. The final OOF! doesn't appear until the very last pages. It was worth it.

So if you can handle scary, creepy, and mean, you'll find a great read in "Sundial."

The less said about specifics, the better, as Sundial relies on twists and revelations. I enjoyed how the book turned out very different from what one might have expected from the first few chapters, and would argue that this book belongs in the psychological thriller category just as much as horror. Quite a fun trip trying to figure out what;s going on, even as the subject matter is quite dark. A good follow-up to The Last House on Needless Street.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance copy.

Sundial by Catriona Ward ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5
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After discovering some of her daughter Callie’s dangerous activities, Rob decides to take Callie on a trip back to her desert childhood home, Sundial. Sundial is dusty, wild, and haunted with memories of Rob’s strange past. Hopefully she can use the ghosts of her childhood to teach and protect Callie. How far can a mothers love go?
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What a fantastic follow up novel to The Last House on Needless Street! It was dark (very dark), twisty, terrible, and mysterious with a full syringe of sci-fi infused horror.
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What a thrilling novel! I absolutely recommend this for adults.
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Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review prepublication. This novel will be published in March of 2022! 📚 🏚 🖤

Wow! What a crazy and intense roller coaster ride! This book grabbed me at page one and did not let go. So much excitement, thrills, twists and turns.
Complex storyline was flawlessly executed. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Holy cow! If you thought Last House on Needless Street was creepy then buckle up because Sundial ramps it up a notch. A puppy farm, science experiment, twins and pale things are just the beginning. What a story! Catriona Ward is a master storyteller. Beautifully written and emotional on so many levels. One to read.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc