Dragged unwillingly back to her childhood home by the death of her estranged mother, Leda must endure strange visions, family secrets, and terrifying occurrences that lead her deep into her family's history.
Forced to confront the childhood memories of her mother's frightening possession, her brother’s tragic death, and the unexplainable horrors happening during her return 15 years later, she is led down into the depths of a dark and dangerous place she may never escape from.
The perfect read for fans of "The Haunting of Hill House” and “Wishmaster.”
Desiree Horton is a horror writer and enthusiast. She can be found at home in the PNW with her two dogs, two kids, and one husband. Her work can be found in other horror anthologies, and on the edges of papers she will lose almost immediately. More information on her works can be found at authordesireehorton.my.canva.site or on Amazon. Instagram and tiktok: @horrortonwritesabook
This is an extremely creepy novel about family trauma, mental illness, and possession that brings the scares and immerses you in the world this author has created.
Our protagonist and her two brothers suffered at the hands of their mother after the death of their father. It wasn't just standard abuse. The mother would spend her nights literally trying to kill her children. To the point where they would lock themselves in a closet before nightfall to escape. In the morning, everything would go back to normal. Until the death of one brother one night brought the police to the door where they would take the mother away to a mental facility.
Years later, our protagonist finds out her mother has died and she and her remaining brother must go back to handle the affairs.
What follows are haunting, ever increasingly horrific events as the truth about what actually happened and the true meaning behind their childhood home comes to light.
This novel excellently portrays the sibling rivalry and tension between the siblings as the past has traumatized them both yet they handle it in very different ways. The true nature of these events is terrifying and will have you on the edge of your seat while you're reading.
This one is fantastic and I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through the author with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
I’m a cheap date, ask your dad. It doesn’t take much to make me happy, especially when it comes to a horror novel. All I need is some good scares; some psychological/emotional aspects; SOME character depth; and blood & gore. See? Not much to ask, right? However, if you really want to get to like LOBSTER DINNER level with me, you’ll make me laugh and/or give me nightmares. Again, not difficult feats but I’m saying, all good elements to make for a good horror story. Enter: my latest hot date; who ticked all the boxes and called me an uber black after: Midnight Mother by Desiree Horton. We love a debut that knocks it out of the park, & she 👏🏽 did 👏🏽 that.
Quick synopsis: Leda is a complex individual with some TRAUMAS—to say the least—but we feel for her. Especially in her current situation, heading home to her estranged mother’s funeral & an impromptu family reunion. The more we hear about Leda’s upbringing, we “get it.” We hear about the ordeals she went through with a mother who was mentally ill, eventually needing to be institutionalized, with Leda ending up in foster care. However once she gets back in town, memories, as well as odd behaviors and sightings are making her wish she never came back. Now she’s trapped and drowning in secrets. Will the sins of her parents be her destiny?
Horton tackled a lot in this debut: grief, mental illness, childhood trauma, the horror that is blood relatives, ancient curses, demonic entities, confined spaces, & MF SNAKES. 🐍 Tackled and handled them extremely well, at that. Her characters are very real and engaging throughout. For being such a heavy book, it was very lively and kept my attention. I laughed at more than a few things I’m pretty sure I wasn’t supposed to, so bonus points for that. At about the halfway mark, the story takes a huge turn that made me devour it so I could see how it all ended. I was shooketh, to say the least. 🫨 A very satisfying end to a very satisfying date. I highly recommend this one, we def need more like this!
Midnight Mother is perfect for those that love a good haunted house/possession story! I throughly enjoyed this one!
Leda and Sam are estranged siblings that find themselves together again because their mother has passed away. They have a rough history with their mother, especially Leda. Growing up their father died when they were young and the siblings really only had each other. Their mother was shortly committed to an institution, landing Leda in foster care but Sam went to live with his aunt. How messed up is that?!
The further along in this book you get more insight about their family dynamics and how everything came to fruition. The more Leda goes digging to find the root cause of their mother’s behavior, things turn quickly and Leda finds out a chilling secret.
This book is full of twists and turns and just when I thought I had things figured out, I was slapped in the face again with yet another twist. The ending was perfect!
Horton did a fantastic job writing this story and had me on the edge of my seat up until the very last page.
I received this book as an ARC and I promised a review.
"I wasn't sure if I was meant to be scared of what I was seeing or intrigued. I could safely say I felt quite a bit of both." This quote from the book perfectly sums up how I felt while reading it. I could have read this in a day, but I had to stop when I was scared or creeped out. My only problem is I can't put my phone in the freezer to keep me safe from it.
I was pulled into the story right away, I wanted to know what happened in the house, what was Leda's story, what really happened that night? This book unlocked a new fear for me and gave voice to my most irrational fear. This is the first book I've read by Desiree Horton but it definitely won't be the last.
This is the debut book of Desiree Horton. Despite that, this was an enjoyable book to read. This haunted house horror has to do with a dark family secret that haunts Leda and his family. It starts off slowly but does a good job of not info dumping too much and letting the story speak for itself. Leda has to try to live a normal life despite childhood abuse and losing her parents at an early age.
15 years later, Leda has to relive the horrors of her childhood as she begins to have visions of a dark and dangerous place. It was a thriller that I didn't want to put down. I truly enjoy this kind of story and I have to say this is a strong debut novel for Desiree. Hopefully, her future works are just as great as this one was.
Loved it! If you enjoy haunted house stories, don't pass this one by.
Really loved this book! It had my adrenaline pumping through 90% of it! The only reason I’m taking a star away is because of the typos. There were quite a few words that ran together and it made my brain work overtime to try to figure it out😆
Desiree Horton’s Midnight Mother is a haunting, deeply atmospheric novel that blends family trauma, supernatural horror, and psychological dread into a gripping tale. This book isn’t just a ghost story—it’s a powerful exploration of grief, generational pain, and the legacies we carry, whether we want to or not.
🚨 Spoiler Alert 🚨 The story centers on Leda, a young woman reluctantly drawn back into her family’s fractured past after her estranged brother, Sam, informs her of their mother’s death. Leda’s return to their eerie childhood home, surrounded by haunting memories and unresolved guilt, sets the stage for a chilling encounter with the darkness that consumed their family.
Horton’s richly descriptive writing makes the decrepit family home and the surrounding countryside feel alive with menace. One of the most memorable moments comes when Leda discovers the word “MOTHER” scrawled in condensation on her bathroom mirror, a sinister message from the other side. As the days progress, she is plagued by eerie apparitions of her mother, whose descent into madness left scars on both Leda and Sam.
The tension ramps up when Leda realizes that the entity haunting her isn’t just her mother—it’s something far darker. Flashbacks to her mother’s decline reveal unsettling hints of possession, culminating in a harrowing final confrontation in the family home. The scene where Leda confronts the entity in the attic is unforgettable, with a powerful line: “You took my mother, but you won’t take me.”
What truly sets Midnight Mother apart is its exploration of complex family dynamics. Leda’s resentment toward Sam and her mother is palpable, but so is her longing for connection and closure. The bond between the siblings is fragile but deeply human, and their shared trauma adds emotional weight to the supernatural elements.
The ending is both satisfying and deeply unsettling, leaving readers questioning how much of the horror was supernatural and how much was rooted in the family’s own pain. Horton masterfully blurs the line between psychological and paranormal, making this a story that lingers long after the final page.
Midnight Mother is a must-read if you’re a fan of slow-burn horror with rich character development and a touch of gothic atmosphere.
MIDNIGHT MOTHER BRINGS HORROR BUBBLING UP FROM UNDERGROUND
I’m starting to see the state of Washington in a new light, and it’s not the kind of light their tourism people would appreciate…
The first book I read from Desiree was her fantastic novella, Of Teeth and Pine. Then I got an ARC for her latest release without going back and reading her first novel. What Comes From Between was horrifically brilliant, but as a lover of rural horror, I can honestly say that Midnight Mother was worth saving for last.
Two siblings, Leda and Sam, disconnected by their mother’s disease and the loss of their brother, are forced together to inurn (yes, spell check, that is a real word) their mother and fix up the family home to sell. The process is complicated by memories from the home and the mine behind it. As they begin, strange occurrences take place, ultimately leading Leda back into the mine.
Ambitious for a debut novel, Midnight Mother is a slow-burn, psychological horror work with plenty of creatures and strange happenings that will satisfy the most ardent horror fan. Desiree set the bar high with this one, and has continued to deliver with her more recent works. This is an author you should be reading!
Midnight Mother By Desiree Horton is told from the perspective of Leda - a character I absolutely loved - who suddenly has to return to her childhood home after her mother passes away. Dealing with death is already hard enough. But having to reexamine the trauma of the final night she spent in that house, in which she and her brothers had to lock themselves away to hide from their possessed mother? That’s just too much.
To me, this novel is about how much our parents can mess us up, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Even when they’re gone, they can continue to drive wedges between us and the few loved ones we have left. But sooner or later, we have to face it, perhaps through therapy or rekindling relationships. Or sometimes, you have to plunge deep into that abandoned mine behind your childhood home, where there may or may not be nests of snakes and even worse unnameable things hiding in the deepest vaults.
Hopefully that’s enough to sell you on this book. As the icing on the cake, I’ll add this. The monster or entity or hidden “thing” that’s behind it all is pretty freakin scary. I enjoyed the entire ride of this book, but the final showdown was what really sealed it for me.
This book tricked me with thinking it was your standard horror novel. The characters all feel delightfully different from each other, and Sam grew on me 😭
I was so worried about how things would end, but let's just say it made me tear up!
4.5 stars from me, sometimes dialogue can feel a little strange, some references feel a little out of place, the beginning is a little choppy and awkward but maybe that can be argued to be purposeful for who Leda is. Leda is the perfect unreliable narrator because holy shit I didn't expect to see where this was going. It really became something I couldn't put down in the last 60% and I'm so happy it was not your typical possession story nor ghost story. I always say it's never horror without tragedy, and the elements with her parents and Jody bring that so necessarily to this. There are some spelling errors, but my guess it's the fault of KU and the system for those minor issues.
Phenomenal experience of a book, the setting is great and well understood as someone from the PNW, and I'm thrilled to know what else this author comes up with next.
I preface this review by admitting being a fan of Desiree's since Of Teeth and Pine. There's something eerily accessible about the author's MC's that resonate with me, deep down in my little bones. I was so fascinated by one the MC's that I wrote a diddy as part of me review! The stories are always gripping, wordplay second-to-none, but the true polish is in Horton's storytelling and character development. Horton's ability to dip their pin directly into your veins and vulnerabilities, inking passages with coded with relatable trauma. These are types of books that force me to ask myself questions I might otherwise overlook.
Leda is a powerhouse of an MC. Her journey delves deep into the themes of unspoken griefs, a beckoning return to the wound, and a promise of dark inheritance beyond simple implications. This is a story about acceptance, brimming with folk-horror devices that would translate quite well to the big screen. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we see it one day...
I'd never heard of Desiree Horton until this book but she is an author that I will definitely be seeking out from now on. One of my top five reads this year!
Leda, a young woman and her estranged brother Sam, return to their childhood home after their mother's death. A childhood that was filled with terror; with their mother trying to kill them every night then seemingly going back to normal by morning. As Leda starts cleaning out the old house, she begins to learn more about the truth of her family's past and that old pacts must be paid.
I was sucked into the story immediately by the traumatized Leda. Once I started with her plight I couldn't stop reading. Sympathetic characters are more important to me than the plot. If a book just has a mediocre plot then the characters can make or break it for me. Well this gem of a novel has both fantastic plot and characters!
Highly recommend.
I received an arc from the author. I am voluntarily leaving a review.
What an awful thing to find out about one’s family at a funeral. People in town just thought Leda’s mom had mental issues but she knew different. After her oldest son had died, mom was never the same. She struggled with demons but most importantly she had to deal with an unknown entity. Leda, determined to find out the reasons why her family was falling apart, decided to snoop around the rundown house. The clues she found suggested deals and bargains had been made by her ancestors with some long living entity. With time family began trying to get out of the promise made and were tormented until death. Since her other brother refused to believe anything Leda said, it was up to Leda to solve the mystery. I found many of the scenes in this book terrifying. I have no desire to explore a mi e. Too many things could go wrong. Also, who knows what could be roaming around, waiting to snatch your soul. No thanks! I will stay above ground.
I loved the atmospherics of this book. I felt creeped out the entire time and couldn’t wait to find out what happens next. Great read for haunted house / possession themes.
The story was about two siblings who must return to their childhood home to get it ready for the market after the passing of their mother. However, what haunted their childhood and tormented their mother is waiting for Leda. As the story continues, the history of the property and family dynamics slowly unfold, revealing deep rooted secrets.
I read this book in chunks, and it was very easy to pick it back up and resume with some time between each session. The storyline was interesting.
Leda, estranged from her family, receives a phone call from her brother, Sam, that their mother has passed. Still haunted by the memories of her childhood and the traumatic events leading to the removal from her home, Leda is curious to know what really happened all those years ago, and she will go to great depths to find out.
I'm not going to lie; this one spooked me enough to need the light on! If you're looking for a spooky/haunting/possession type of book, this one is it. Horton did an amazing job, and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more from this author!
It has been quite a while since I’ve loved a main character as much as I loved Leda in this book. Snarky, takes no shit but also self deprecating. She’s just so believable considering the childhood she had. I loved reading her inner thoughts and thought the author did amazingly at creating a relatable character.
There were parts in this book that were genuinely scary and I read a lot of horror so that doesn’t happen too much. The overall premise was what drew me to the book but certain scenes were straight out of a nightmare.
I can’t wait to read what this author comes up with next.
You just can’t beat a good old fashioned horror story like this one. Midnight Mother is a consuming read that engages the reader with Leda’s relatable and vulnerable perspective as the narrator. Desiree foregoes any excessive or abstract themes, instead providing vivid imagery in her descriptions and colorful, complex characters with layers to tell the story. Midnight Mother is a well-rounded tale of horror that’s sure to keep you entertained.
A fun haunted house story with a folky twist, this story very enjoyable. I like the main character and the fact that she had her own struggles and issues, as it made her a lot more relatable. There were plenty of spooky moments, and although the ending felt a bit odd, I did enjoy it.
This book got me out of a reading slump! I couldn't put it down. It was well written. The characters were all well developed. The setting was so spooky and uncomfortable. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of reading this book, and I never got bored. I appreciated the twists and did not see them coming. The imagery and descriptions of everything was so great, and I felt like I was in the story when reading. Would recommend!