I was hooked from the first page and thoroughly enjoyed getting into this gothic horror novel, it had that overall feel that I was looking for and had that plot that I was looking for. The characters were so well written and was able to create that element that I was looking for in this type of book. Marie Croke was able to weave a strong story and had characters were realistic and enjoyed getting to read this. I thought the use the house was perfectly used in this and loved it as a character in this storyline. It was everything that I was wanting in a Gothic horror novel and can't wait to read more from Marie Croke.

What a well-drawn horror world where women can birth their trauma into house-children. Gothic, but the horrors are very familiar to women living in a patriarchal society, to the point that this world though invented feels very real.

Thank you Saga Press for the review copy.

A Unique Twist On Haunted Houses! Anything Else And I Might Spoil The Plot. Please Check Trigger Warnings But Is We’ll Written And The Characters Are Well Fleshed Out.

🪵👶 BOOK REVIEW: Hush Little Hauntings by Marie Croke 🏚️👀

Release Date: March 2nd, 2027 🗓️

If you’re looking for a gothic horror that is completely original, deeply unsettling, and beautifully written, you need to add this debut to your 2027 TBR immediately. It feels like "Delicate Condition" meets "The Spite House"—creepy, atmospheric, and utterly unforgettable.

The Premise:
Deep in the woods sits Midhouse, a secluded manor with a very strange purpose. Halie is a midwife there, but she doesn't deliver human babies—she oversees the births of hauntings. Each haunting arrives as a perfect, miniature replica of a physical location steeped in human pain and unresolved trauma. Once "born" inside Midhouse, these miniature house-children reach out into the world to seek vengeance.
Everything changes when a new patient named Isabelle arrives. The house-child she gives birth to is fragile and incomplete, signaling that Isabelle is hiding a dark, dangerous secret. Soon, strange men show up at the door, and Midhouse turns hostile—the corridors begin to stretch, rooms vanish, and the house itself turns against them. Halie must uncover the truth before a haunting of her own swallows her.

My Thoughts:
Wow. The world-building in this book is absolutely breathtaking. The concept of delivering miniature, physical manifestations of trauma and grief as "house-children" is one of the most unique magic/horror systems I've read in years. Croke’s background in short fiction shines through here—the pacing is incredibly tight, and the prose is lush, dark, and deeply emotional.
The shifting architecture of Midhouse creates an incredible sense of claustrophobia. You truly feel trapped alongside Halie as the stakes escalate. It’s a brilliant examination of how we carry trauma, wrapped up in a genuinely terrifying haunted house story.

Thank you to Saga Press for the early digital review copy! 🖤