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The Farmhouse
Every woman who has lived on this farm has died. Emily just moved in.
When Emily Hauk's mother dies, it's time for her and her husband, Josh, to finally leave San Francisco. A farm in rural Nebraska is everything they want for a fresh start: clear skies, low costs, and distance from the grief back home.
They should have asked why the farm was for sale.
Three years ago a teenage girl went missing from the farm. Soon afterward, the girl's mother mysteriously died. The deeper Emily digs the more stories she uncovers of women connected to her new home who've met their own dark ends.
With each passing day Emily's sanctuary slips further away. The barn seems to move throughout her property as though chasing her. Her mother's favorite music drifts across the cornfield. She swears she saw blood in one of the farmhand's trucks. And the screams that wake her are not fox howls, no matter how many times her husband says they are. If she wants to claim this place as her own she'll have to find out the truth before whatever watches from the cornfield takes her, too.
When Emily Hauk's mother dies, it's time for her and her husband, Josh, to finally leave San Francisco. A farm in rural Nebraska is everything they want for a fresh start: clear skies, low costs, and distance from the grief back home.
They should have asked why the farm was for sale.
Three years ago a teenage girl went missing from the farm. Soon afterward, the girl's mother mysteriously died. The deeper Emily digs the more stories she uncovers of women connected to her new home who've met their own dark ends.
With each passing day Emily's sanctuary slips further away. The barn seems to move throughout her property as though chasing her. Her mother's favorite music drifts across the cornfield. She swears she saw blood in one of the farmhand's trucks. And the screams that wake her are not fox howls, no matter how many times her husband says they are. If she wants to claim this place as her own she'll have to find out the truth before whatever watches from the cornfield takes her, too.
421 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 17, 2025
254 people are currently reading
19764 people want to read
About the author
Chelsea Conradt
3 books141 followersChelsea Conradt is the USA Today bestselling author of The Farmhouse and The Secret Attic. She writes twisty speculative thrillers and psychological horror. Her short fiction has appeared in The Sunday Morning Transport and the Fractured Reveries anthology. Her stories are packed with both murder and kindness because we can be more than one thing.
When not writing stories that make you question what’s real, she is likely watching a baking show or a true-crime documentary. She is nothing if not on brand. Chelsea lives in Texas with her husband, son, and two big dogs.
When not writing stories that make you question what’s real, she is likely watching a baking show or a true-crime documentary. She is nothing if not on brand. Chelsea lives in Texas with her husband, son, and two big dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 381 reviews
June 14, 2025
The Farmhouse by Chelsea Conradt
Expected Publication: June 17, 2025
Genre: Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
Format: Digital ARC
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
I came for the chickens and country calm… what I got was a shifting barn, ghostly whispers, and a farm full of secrets I couldn’t look away from. The dread was real—and I gotta say I kinda loved every minute.
Chilling tension, creeping dread, and ghostly unease!
THE FARMHOUSE by CHELSEA CONRADT is a chilling, eerie, and quietly disturbing psychological thriller with a supernatural twist that slowly burrowed under my skin and kept me turning the pages.
Chelsea Conradt delivers a haunting and well-written debut that blends mystery, grief, and ghostly suspense with vivid, unsettling imagery. She does an excellent job getting inside Emily’s head—we get a front row seat to her unraveling thoughts, creeping fears, and the toll isolation takes on her. The atmosphere is beautifully drawn, and although the pacing leans more steady than fast, the tension builds with quiet intensity as the story unfolds.
A slow burn that pulled back at times only to pull me right back in. While some moments tested my patience, the growing sense of unease kept me reading. The imagery is so effective—a barn that seems to move, eerie music drifting across the fields, and things that go bump in the night you definitely can’t explain away. I especially loved Emily’s creative running log; it added such a personal, grounded layer to all the unexplainable moments.
There is a strong manipulation element that runs throughout the story, and although gaslighting plots usually aren’t my favourite, I’m glad I stuck with this one. It becomes quite rewarding in the end.
As someone who struggles with insomnia, I really connected with Emily’s nighttime dread and the eerie stillness that crept into the darkest corners of the story. That tension felt almost too real at times.
On a personal note, I live in the country, surrounded by a quarter section of land, coulees, and horses—so the title and cover immediately drew me in. I expected calm open skies, but what I found instead was a deeply atmospheric story laced with tension and long-held secrets that linger long after the last page.
To sum it all up, this was a cleverly layered, atmospherically rich, and steadily paced debut with chilling tension, creeping dread, and a satisfying conclusion. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC—would recommend!
Expected Publication: June 17, 2025
Genre: Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
Format: Digital ARC
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
I came for the chickens and country calm… what I got was a shifting barn, ghostly whispers, and a farm full of secrets I couldn’t look away from. The dread was real—and I gotta say I kinda loved every minute.
Chilling tension, creeping dread, and ghostly unease!
THE FARMHOUSE by CHELSEA CONRADT is a chilling, eerie, and quietly disturbing psychological thriller with a supernatural twist that slowly burrowed under my skin and kept me turning the pages.
Chelsea Conradt delivers a haunting and well-written debut that blends mystery, grief, and ghostly suspense with vivid, unsettling imagery. She does an excellent job getting inside Emily’s head—we get a front row seat to her unraveling thoughts, creeping fears, and the toll isolation takes on her. The atmosphere is beautifully drawn, and although the pacing leans more steady than fast, the tension builds with quiet intensity as the story unfolds.
A slow burn that pulled back at times only to pull me right back in. While some moments tested my patience, the growing sense of unease kept me reading. The imagery is so effective—a barn that seems to move, eerie music drifting across the fields, and things that go bump in the night you definitely can’t explain away. I especially loved Emily’s creative running log; it added such a personal, grounded layer to all the unexplainable moments.
There is a strong manipulation element that runs throughout the story, and although gaslighting plots usually aren’t my favourite, I’m glad I stuck with this one. It becomes quite rewarding in the end.
As someone who struggles with insomnia, I really connected with Emily’s nighttime dread and the eerie stillness that crept into the darkest corners of the story. That tension felt almost too real at times.
On a personal note, I live in the country, surrounded by a quarter section of land, coulees, and horses—so the title and cover immediately drew me in. I expected calm open skies, but what I found instead was a deeply atmospheric story laced with tension and long-held secrets that linger long after the last page.
To sum it all up, this was a cleverly layered, atmospherically rich, and steadily paced debut with chilling tension, creeping dread, and a satisfying conclusion. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC—would recommend!
June 12, 2025
I’m sad about this one, because there *is* a good story in here—it’s just far too bogged down with minutiae to be engaging in any way. And I do want to find out what’s actually going on! However, when you keep looking down to see how far along you are…that’s not a good sign.
Emily is still grieving the loss of her larger-than-life mother and decides to buy a farm in Nebraska with her husband, Josh. Born and raised in San Francisco, the Midwest small town life is quite the culture shock for Emily, but the couple falls in love with the quaint farmhouse and beautiful, open scenery. They are leasing the farmland back to the farmers who tend it (honestly, that’s the only way to do it, for me! 😂), and pretty quickly there are some strange things going on with the farmhands.
However, the BIG problem is with the delapidated barn located not too far from the couple’s house. It seems to be…moving. Emily is a dedicated runner who times her runs *and* count the steps to the farmhouse from the barn everyday. And the counts are always different. Add to that the fact that Emily has extreme insomnia and starts hearing and seeing inexplicable things, and she starts to look pretty crazy (especially since no one else can confirm these odd things). Once she finds out that the previous owners had a streak of bad luck (to put it mildly), Emily goes full-on sleuth to figure out what’s going on, once and for all.
Sounds intriguing, right? I agree! But the action scenes are few and far between, and this story desperately needs trimming down. I felt like I was stuck in the farmhouse with Emily, with absolutely nothing going on except racing thoughts and staring out the window towards the barn. That got old, really quickly.
I would love to read a shorter, more action-packed version of this, and I think it would be fantastic. As is, it’s a very long near-miss.
DNF at 39%. ☹️
My thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC. All opinions are mine alone.
Emily is still grieving the loss of her larger-than-life mother and decides to buy a farm in Nebraska with her husband, Josh. Born and raised in San Francisco, the Midwest small town life is quite the culture shock for Emily, but the couple falls in love with the quaint farmhouse and beautiful, open scenery. They are leasing the farmland back to the farmers who tend it (honestly, that’s the only way to do it, for me! 😂), and pretty quickly there are some strange things going on with the farmhands.
However, the BIG problem is with the delapidated barn located not too far from the couple’s house. It seems to be…moving. Emily is a dedicated runner who times her runs *and* count the steps to the farmhouse from the barn everyday. And the counts are always different. Add to that the fact that Emily has extreme insomnia and starts hearing and seeing inexplicable things, and she starts to look pretty crazy (especially since no one else can confirm these odd things). Once she finds out that the previous owners had a streak of bad luck (to put it mildly), Emily goes full-on sleuth to figure out what’s going on, once and for all.
Sounds intriguing, right? I agree! But the action scenes are few and far between, and this story desperately needs trimming down. I felt like I was stuck in the farmhouse with Emily, with absolutely nothing going on except racing thoughts and staring out the window towards the barn. That got old, really quickly.
I would love to read a shorter, more action-packed version of this, and I think it would be fantastic. As is, it’s a very long near-miss.
DNF at 39%. ☹️
My thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC. All opinions are mine alone.
June 23, 2025
3.5 rounded up for Goodreads
Rural Nebraska. A haunted farmhouse. Creepy cornfields. And one of my favorite tropes, a couple dealing with big marital issues seek a fresh start by moving into an isolated haunted house. Horror ensues. The storytelling is fresh and vibrant. The main character, Emily, keeps running logs that are sandwiched between chapters. She’s weighed down by grief–the loss of her mother to cancer. There are a lot of pop-culture references and social media jargon that I wish would stay on social media–like “nom nom”. It’s distracting in the sense that it’s on every page so I was forced to clock it. Emily’s husband, Josh, turns out to be one of those guys that doesn’t believe his wife and dismisses all her concerns about their new house. Even though this book uses familiar tropes which feel predictable, I never once wanted to put the book down. I was entertained and invested enough to see this one through to the end. Perfect for an October reading list for classic haunted house vibes, creepy, rural cornfield atmosphere, and a fast, easy read.
Rural Nebraska. A haunted farmhouse. Creepy cornfields. And one of my favorite tropes, a couple dealing with big marital issues seek a fresh start by moving into an isolated haunted house. Horror ensues. The storytelling is fresh and vibrant. The main character, Emily, keeps running logs that are sandwiched between chapters. She’s weighed down by grief–the loss of her mother to cancer. There are a lot of pop-culture references and social media jargon that I wish would stay on social media–like “nom nom”. It’s distracting in the sense that it’s on every page so I was forced to clock it. Emily’s husband, Josh, turns out to be one of those guys that doesn’t believe his wife and dismisses all her concerns about their new house. Even though this book uses familiar tropes which feel predictable, I never once wanted to put the book down. I was entertained and invested enough to see this one through to the end. Perfect for an October reading list for classic haunted house vibes, creepy, rural cornfield atmosphere, and a fast, easy read.
September 15, 2025
"Every woman who has lived on this farm has died. Emily just moved in."
3/5 stars, Audiobook performance 5/5🎧
This book had such a great premise. When Emily and her husband Josh leave San Francisco after her mother's death for a farm in rural Nebraska, they have high hopes for a peaceful, idyllic life. Their dreams are quickly shattered when Emily begins to hear music, see people everywhere, blood in a truck, and the barn seems to have a light on often when it shouldn't. Emily is a runner and counts her steps to get to the barn, which appears to be moving as her step count is significantly different. She warns her husband that they aren't safe there, but he doesn't believe her. Will Emily figure out what's going on and survive?
The premise and resolution for this book are great. It is atmospheric, gothic, and spooky. Themes of gaslighting and violence against women are prominent. It did get repetitive for most of the novel, which took it from a book I loved to one I liked. This is the perfect fall read, and the audiobook narration by Brittany Pressley is outstanding. 🎧👏
Many thanks to Sourcebook Audio and Chelsea Conradt for a listening copy in exchange for my honest review.
3/5 stars, Audiobook performance 5/5🎧
This book had such a great premise. When Emily and her husband Josh leave San Francisco after her mother's death for a farm in rural Nebraska, they have high hopes for a peaceful, idyllic life. Their dreams are quickly shattered when Emily begins to hear music, see people everywhere, blood in a truck, and the barn seems to have a light on often when it shouldn't. Emily is a runner and counts her steps to get to the barn, which appears to be moving as her step count is significantly different. She warns her husband that they aren't safe there, but he doesn't believe her. Will Emily figure out what's going on and survive?
The premise and resolution for this book are great. It is atmospheric, gothic, and spooky. Themes of gaslighting and violence against women are prominent. It did get repetitive for most of the novel, which took it from a book I loved to one I liked. This is the perfect fall read, and the audiobook narration by Brittany Pressley is outstanding. 🎧👏
Many thanks to Sourcebook Audio and Chelsea Conradt for a listening copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 10, 2025
Oof, I stuck this one out until the end, hoping and praying that the ending was going to stick the landing.
Nope, we just have a basic story of city people going to the country, mild ghostly encounters, some random serial killer type things, and a whole lot of gaslighting.
Nothing about anyones motivations made sense, there was nothing driving this story forward and the ending was so completely baffling that I could literally hear my eyes rolling.
Sometimes you just need to trust your gut and DNF.
⭐⭐
Available June 17, 2025
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press or a free advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Nope, we just have a basic story of city people going to the country, mild ghostly encounters, some random serial killer type things, and a whole lot of gaslighting.
Nothing about anyones motivations made sense, there was nothing driving this story forward and the ending was so completely baffling that I could literally hear my eyes rolling.
Sometimes you just need to trust your gut and DNF.
⭐⭐
Available June 17, 2025
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press or a free advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 26, 2025
I’m a sucker for an Authors debut and a chance to find a new author I love so I had to snatch this up especially after reading the ominous synopsis! “the farmhouse” definitely has potential to be great. The plot follows our FMC Emily who has recently moved from a big city to a small town in Nebraska following the passing of her mother. She is definitely searching for a fresh start and instead she finds that her new home is harbouring the ghosts of the Past in more ways than one.
What I enjoyed:
The creepy atmosphere
The sense of a haunted home
Eery isolated small town vibes
What didn’t work for me:
At some points the plot felt a little too slowburn and I was eager to get to the point, from a debut perspective the book could have benefited from a little more editing however I enjoyed the read as a whole. I think the author definitely has potential and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next!
Thank you for the gifted copy!
Publish date - June 17th 2025
What I enjoyed:
The creepy atmosphere
The sense of a haunted home
Eery isolated small town vibes
What didn’t work for me:
At some points the plot felt a little too slowburn and I was eager to get to the point, from a debut perspective the book could have benefited from a little more editing however I enjoyed the read as a whole. I think the author definitely has potential and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next!
Thank you for the gifted copy!
Publish date - June 17th 2025
November 4, 2025
Every woman who has lived on this farm has died. Emily just moved in. When Emily Hauk's mother dies, it's time for her and her husband, Josh, to finally leave San Francisco. A farm in rural Nebraska is everything they wanted for a fresh start: clear skies, low costs, and distance from the grief back home. Of course they didn't, but they should have asked why the farm was for sale.
This is advertised as a "psychological, supernatural thriller". Believe me, you will need a great deal of patience because it's one of the slowest "slow burn" stories I have ever read...but so worth the wait. It's 432 pages long and keeps you at a low level of tension throughout the entire story.
A young couple leave California, after the death of the wife's mother. They buy and move to a farm in the middle of "no-where" Nebraska. It isn't very long before the wife starts to feel that something is "wrong" with the house...actually, something is "wrong" with the entire farm. She does some research and learns that the daughter of the last owner had gone missing and shortly after that the missing girl's mother died after suffering a tragic accident. The wife, Emily, tries to make her husband, Josh, understand that there is something "wrong", very wrong, with the farm. Of course he doesn't believe her, and he tries to blame it on her grief and lack of sleep after her mother's death.
This book is a masterpiece of invisible but tangible, horror, as well as a social commentary on the perception, that unfortunately still sometimes exists, that the "little woman" is simply prone to hysteria and therefore shouldn't; couldn't possibly be believed.
There were parts of this story that were a little unnecessary...page and word count filler most likely. Our "little woman" character had sense enough to investigate and find out the info that they should have learned before handing over the money or moving into this "way cheaper than it should have been" house and farm. She contacts the town librarian who was more than happy to help her research the place. I was a bit disappointed here as that storyline never really gets resolved, and it could have added so much to what was already becoming an interesting story.
This book wasn't particularly scary, but I think I have read so many books of this particular genus throughout my lifetime, that it takes a great deal now to really "scare" me. But there was one moment in the book that did produce some chills, and that alone was worth the 4.5 stars that I'm giving the book. The psychological aspect was a much stronger presence than the supernatural was, but still a good, absolutely worth the time, read.
Actual Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
This is advertised as a "psychological, supernatural thriller". Believe me, you will need a great deal of patience because it's one of the slowest "slow burn" stories I have ever read...but so worth the wait. It's 432 pages long and keeps you at a low level of tension throughout the entire story.
A young couple leave California, after the death of the wife's mother. They buy and move to a farm in the middle of "no-where" Nebraska. It isn't very long before the wife starts to feel that something is "wrong" with the house...actually, something is "wrong" with the entire farm. She does some research and learns that the daughter of the last owner had gone missing and shortly after that the missing girl's mother died after suffering a tragic accident. The wife, Emily, tries to make her husband, Josh, understand that there is something "wrong", very wrong, with the farm. Of course he doesn't believe her, and he tries to blame it on her grief and lack of sleep after her mother's death.
This book is a masterpiece of invisible but tangible, horror, as well as a social commentary on the perception, that unfortunately still sometimes exists, that the "little woman" is simply prone to hysteria and therefore shouldn't; couldn't possibly be believed.
There were parts of this story that were a little unnecessary...page and word count filler most likely. Our "little woman" character had sense enough to investigate and find out the info that they should have learned before handing over the money or moving into this "way cheaper than it should have been" house and farm. She contacts the town librarian who was more than happy to help her research the place. I was a bit disappointed here as that storyline never really gets resolved, and it could have added so much to what was already becoming an interesting story.
This book wasn't particularly scary, but I think I have read so many books of this particular genus throughout my lifetime, that it takes a great deal now to really "scare" me. But there was one moment in the book that did produce some chills, and that alone was worth the 4.5 stars that I'm giving the book. The psychological aspect was a much stronger presence than the supernatural was, but still a good, absolutely worth the time, read.
Actual Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
March 27, 2025
The Farmhouse by Chelsea Conrad is a truly creepy haunted house tale. Emily and Josh Hawke moved from Haight Ashbury in California to a farmhouse in Nebraska. it’s been six months since her mom Penelope died but she is still severely mourning her loss. The move is supposed to be a fresh start and they couldn’t be more excited. unfortunately soon after moving in strange things start happening. From the light coming on in the barn to the barn itself moving from one location to another but none of this prepares Emily for what else the house has in store for her. It has a story to tell and will not be quiet until the story is told. she finds out every female who lived there previously has either died in a strange way or like the teenager before is missing. it doesn’t help matters when the people renting out her land to grow crops visit the barn way more than she thinks they should she gets woken up by her mom��s favorite artist Dolly Parton singing, but the house isn’t the only place she hears her mom‘s playlist. this was such a creepy story and despite the fact I did not like the way it ended I still absolutely recommend the story. I thought Emily being that upset because Josh found what she was saying hard to believe and as a matter of a fact didn’t believe her was ridiculous I mean even though what she said was true she should’ve given Josh a break I mean it was a fantastical story. I guess in the error of hating the patriarchy that it was status quo I just don’t like this new theme where all men are bad and gas lighters because they all are not. Either way forget my soap box speech this is a great book with creepy vibes in an even creep your tail if you think small towns treat outsiders with distain wait till you see how Nebraskan’s treat their own.#NetGalley,#PoisonPenPublishers, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #ChelseaConrad, #TheFarmhouse,
June 24, 2025
I really enjoyed this horror debut! The setting of an isolated farmhouse was already eerie enough, but add in the creepy things the MC was hearing and seeing, as well as how she was surrounded by unreliable and possibly untrustworthy men, and this had me hooked!
I will say that at times the MC did some things that felt a tad reckless (a couple times I said out loud "WHY would you go check that out on your own?!") but I also admired her gumption and the way she refused to stop trying to figure out what was going on with the property. Another reviewer mentioned some plot holes, and I agree that a few things were kinda left hanging, but overall I was satisfied with the ending. I especially appreciated where the MC ended up, as it was a refreshing ending compared to some other horror novels. I actually wished we had gotten a bit longer of an epilogue, since it did feel a bit abrupt at the very end, but overall this author is one to watch and I'll be excited to see what she comes up with next!
*A big thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for sending me a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review!
If this book was Taylor Swift lyrics:
"And you didn't see me here
No, they never did see me here
And she's in my dreams"
I will say that at times the MC did some things that felt a tad reckless (a couple times I said out loud "WHY would you go check that out on your own?!") but I also admired her gumption and the way she refused to stop trying to figure out what was going on with the property. Another reviewer mentioned some plot holes, and I agree that a few things were kinda left hanging, but overall I was satisfied with the ending. I especially appreciated where the MC ended up, as it was a refreshing ending compared to some other horror novels. I actually wished we had gotten a bit longer of an epilogue, since it did feel a bit abrupt at the very end, but overall this author is one to watch and I'll be excited to see what she comes up with next!
*A big thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for sending me a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review!
If this book was Taylor Swift lyrics:
"And you didn't see me here
No, they never did see me here
And she's in my dreams"
May 6, 2025
‘Man of clear logic deals with wayward hysterical wife’
Josh was an utter bore and very patronising, which frustrated me, but didn’t stop me from really enjoying this book. The idea of the barn moving intrigued me and I loved how practical Emily was in response to her situation. This book was slow placed and quiet at times, especially with the theme of grief, but it was also eerie and sinister when it needed to be. It also had a satisfying conclusion which I was pleased about.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Josh was an utter bore and very patronising, which frustrated me, but didn’t stop me from really enjoying this book. The idea of the barn moving intrigued me and I loved how practical Emily was in response to her situation. This book was slow placed and quiet at times, especially with the theme of grief, but it was also eerie and sinister when it needed to be. It also had a satisfying conclusion which I was pleased about.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2025
The Farnhouse was on my TBR for quite some time before publication. It was creepy and well plotted. The characters were consistent, even though I questioned their thought process at times. I was entertained overall, but the conclusion puttered out and was disappointing; if the conclusion was stronger and adequately satisfying, this could have been 4 stars.
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If you love active book communities, check out LiterALLy BOOKiSh Book Club (on Facebook)! Games, giveaways, discussions, reviews, bingo, swaps, pen pals, traveling books, and a lot more!
May 10, 2025
The Farmhouse started extremely strong. The atmosphere was very eerie, the setting of the plot was incredibly interesting and Conradt’s writing really pulled me in. It was simple, yes, but it suited the tone of the story perfectly. Early on, everything felt like it was building toward something big. Unfortunately, that buildup never really paid off.
By the 30% mark, I was already losing interest. Not much had happened aside from the main character, Emily, sensing something was very off with her new property. I kept pushing through hoping things would pick up. While something finally did happen around the 80% mark, it wasn’t interesting enough to justify such a slow and repetitive lead-up.
The characters didn’t help much either. Emily was constantly relying on coffee and her internal conflict about her husband got old fast. Josh started out fine but quickly became frustrating, especially with how dismissive he was of Emily’s very valid concerns. Even with proof he kept brushing everything as part of her grief. The townspeople were very misogynistic and unwelcoming, particularly toward Emily. It felt like no one wanted to hear her which, in hindsight, was very much apart of the plot.
I didn’t end up DNFing this one because of the writing. The author clearly has a talent for setting a perfect eerie scene and creating tension and, even though The Farmhouse wasn’t for me, i’m curious to know about other projects she ends up writing in the future.
A thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
By the 30% mark, I was already losing interest. Not much had happened aside from the main character, Emily, sensing something was very off with her new property. I kept pushing through hoping things would pick up. While something finally did happen around the 80% mark, it wasn’t interesting enough to justify such a slow and repetitive lead-up.
The characters didn’t help much either. Emily was constantly relying on coffee and her internal conflict about her husband got old fast. Josh started out fine but quickly became frustrating, especially with how dismissive he was of Emily’s very valid concerns. Even with proof he kept brushing everything as part of her grief. The townspeople were very misogynistic and unwelcoming, particularly toward Emily. It felt like no one wanted to hear her which, in hindsight, was very much apart of the plot.
I didn’t end up DNFing this one because of the writing. The author clearly has a talent for setting a perfect eerie scene and creating tension and, even though The Farmhouse wasn’t for me, i’m curious to know about other projects she ends up writing in the future.
A thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
June 22, 2025
3 stars
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me access to the ARC.
The summary of this sounded interesting and I've been on the lookout for new horror titles this year. We're following Emily and Josh, a married couple who've just moved from California to a farmhouse in middle of nowhere Nebraska. She starts to notice odd happenings about the house and the story goes from there.
I have to stay, the dynamic between the two was so frustrating. Every time Emily told Josh about something he was quick to blame outside sources or just not outright not believe her. It definitely made me suspicious of him. I will also say that the pacing of the book is pretty slow. Emily's basically on a mission to find out all she can about the barn and the town is less than forthcoming. But I maintained interested throughout (for the most part) because I have always enjoyed the whole unreliable narrator trope - never knowing if what's going on is real or some type of delusion. There was a creepy aspect about the barn I found unique and chilling.
My main grievance with the novel was the fact that I didn't really feel like it had a climax. We did get a pretty solid resolution about the plot but the build up to it felt ... lacking. Like it just sort of happened and then the end. I wanted more suspense out of it, maybe some type of bigger reveal. Overall I enjoyed Conradt's writing and I would be interested in her future work.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me access to the ARC.
The summary of this sounded interesting and I've been on the lookout for new horror titles this year. We're following Emily and Josh, a married couple who've just moved from California to a farmhouse in middle of nowhere Nebraska. She starts to notice odd happenings about the house and the story goes from there.
I have to stay, the dynamic between the two was so frustrating. Every time Emily told Josh about something he was quick to blame outside sources or just not outright not believe her. It definitely made me suspicious of him. I will also say that the pacing of the book is pretty slow. Emily's basically on a mission to find out all she can about the barn and the town is less than forthcoming. But I maintained interested throughout (for the most part) because I have always enjoyed the whole unreliable narrator trope - never knowing if what's going on is real or some type of delusion. There was a creepy aspect about the barn I found unique and chilling.
My main grievance with the novel was the fact that I didn't really feel like it had a climax. We did get a pretty solid resolution about the plot but the build up to it felt ... lacking. Like it just sort of happened and then the end. I wanted more suspense out of it, maybe some type of bigger reveal. Overall I enjoyed Conradt's writing and I would be interested in her future work.
February 20, 2025
I found this to be a little slow moving.
If you keep with it, there's definitely some payoff in the end and a mostly satisfying conclusion.
Had the book been tightened a bit, I would have found it a bit eerier. My issue was that the eerie bits kept getting interrupted by running updates (like physically running) and the RELATIONSHIP. I hated the RELATIONSHIP and the way that issue resolved was like a weird throwaway.
The book has potential and the eerie bits prove that the author can write. I just needed something with a little more movement (except the running - that was a lot).
If you keep with it, there's definitely some payoff in the end and a mostly satisfying conclusion.
Had the book been tightened a bit, I would have found it a bit eerier. My issue was that the eerie bits kept getting interrupted by running updates (like physically running) and the RELATIONSHIP. I hated the RELATIONSHIP and the way that issue resolved was like a weird throwaway.
The book has potential and the eerie bits prove that the author can write. I just needed something with a little more movement (except the running - that was a lot).
December 27, 2025
I started and finished in one day; this is a wonderfully thrilling read with quite a few original techniques employed to escalate tension and suspense. The step and distance counter of Em's workout routine seemed like a clever way to propel creepiness, and I have never seen such a device used that way before. Sorry this is not a typical review, but I read it so late most people have already pointed most things out. I did wonder if anyone happened to know if Ms. Conradt has planned a sequel? It reads like a standalone, but I have unanswered questions.
The Question of Josh:
I have to discuss spoilers here because I was so certain that Emily's husband Josh was in some way tied to the family. There were so many hints about that--the ghostly voice saying "they would never disturb his house." Many times over a reference to "his house" was made about Josh. And routinely, Em is warned off Josh. I know she was supposedly under the influence of toxic chemicals at the time, but it felt like a loose end to me, especially as he blots at the end like he is too afraid to be associated with the big reveal. His reason for his temper with the young farmhand is never revealed either. This just really confuses me--I needed an explanation. Also there was quite a bit of discussion about the family Josh goes alone to visit being severe and judgey. We never find out why. We never get a great explanation about why Josh was gaslighting Em even after he had solid evidence. None of these issues wrap up.
Does anyone out there have any ideas or thoughts on the Josh of it all?
Despite these questions, I gotta say that I really did enjoy reading this one. It's over 400 pages and I couldn't knock it out fast enough--turning those pages felt like an obsession. So I definitely encourage lovers of thrillers to pick it up.
The Question of Josh:
I have to discuss spoilers here because I was so certain that Emily's husband Josh was in some way tied to the family. There were so many hints about that--the ghostly voice saying "they would never disturb his house." Many times over a reference to "his house" was made about Josh. And routinely, Em is warned off Josh. I know she was supposedly under the influence of toxic chemicals at the time, but it felt like a loose end to me, especially as he blots at the end like he is too afraid to be associated with the big reveal. His reason for his temper with the young farmhand is never revealed either. This just really confuses me--I needed an explanation. Also there was quite a bit of discussion about the family Josh goes alone to visit being severe and judgey. We never find out why. We never get a great explanation about why Josh was gaslighting Em even after he had solid evidence. None of these issues wrap up.
Does anyone out there have any ideas or thoughts on the Josh of it all?
Despite these questions, I gotta say that I really did enjoy reading this one. It's over 400 pages and I couldn't knock it out fast enough--turning those pages felt like an obsession. So I definitely encourage lovers of thrillers to pick it up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2025
Full review to come, but I LOVED this book. The atmosphere was eerie and isolating in the best ways.
(The author was kind enough to provide me with an ARC when we met at Apollyon)
(The author was kind enough to provide me with an ARC when we met at Apollyon)
June 16, 2025
Emily and Josh leave San Francisco for rural Nebraska after Emily’s mother passes away.
They buy a farm and soon begin to learn about the dark past of the farm and the barn on its land.
Three years ago a teenage girl went missing on the farm. Then her mother mysteriously died. A trail of death seems to come with this property unbeknownst to the new owners.
Can Emily uncover the truth of the property and convince Josh of what she’s is seeing and hearing?
Moving to a new area is never easy and now Emily must learn the ways of the rural locals. As she tries to settle in there are unsettling things she comes across on the property. Josh is dismissive at first leaving Emily to dive deeper into the various deaths.
The creepy atmosphere of the farmhouse was great and the eerie happenings were on point. The story did drag a bit but I’m glad I hung in for the conclusion.
Thank you to author, Chelsea Conradt, Publisher Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
They buy a farm and soon begin to learn about the dark past of the farm and the barn on its land.
Three years ago a teenage girl went missing on the farm. Then her mother mysteriously died. A trail of death seems to come with this property unbeknownst to the new owners.
Can Emily uncover the truth of the property and convince Josh of what she’s is seeing and hearing?
Moving to a new area is never easy and now Emily must learn the ways of the rural locals. As she tries to settle in there are unsettling things she comes across on the property. Josh is dismissive at first leaving Emily to dive deeper into the various deaths.
The creepy atmosphere of the farmhouse was great and the eerie happenings were on point. The story did drag a bit but I’m glad I hung in for the conclusion.
Thank you to author, Chelsea Conradt, Publisher Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
July 16, 2025
Throughout this book, I kept flipping the page thinking “This is it!” As the pages dwindled, I started to get nervous as there were not enough pages left to explain. Then I get to the last page and realize that the only reveal I would be finding was me thinking there was something more to this book.
Clearly the couple moving to the farm in the middle of nowhere was going to encounter something nefarious, and this is made obvious multiple times. The hair clip in the grass, the mother committing suicide in the barn, the eerie linkage that everyone in the town seems to share with each other and our main couple painted as outsiders.
Here is where I would think that I am being lead as the reader to believe the missing girl is murdered and the farmhands are responsible. Well, I could have stopped here because this is exactly what happened and the author told me immediately. No build up, no big denouement, no mystery, no thrilling chase for the truth. This is exactly what is happening. I would think that the author is leading me to believe the stereotype of creepy rural families to distract me from what she will reveal next. I was very wrong.
Not every author has to distract or mislead their audience though, right? Totally agree. However, the author decides to use this distraction against the audience instead. The constant gaslighting of Emily by Josh despite clear evidence is so incessant that it’s nearly unbelievable. He will constantly change the subject when she is clearly worried about her safety. This is obviously the author trying to make you believe that Josh is somehow involved in the murder(s).
Need more?
1. Josh attempts to blatantly hide information about the history of the farm from Emily
2. Josh interacts with the characters in the town as if he has known them a lot longer than he has
3. Josh deletes the pictures of teeth from Emily’s phone
4. Josh cleans the chicken coop spotless and never finds a tooth and here’s the worst part: the picture Emily receives is clearly taken at a different time of day than what Josh claims and the author NEVER EXPLAINS THIS LIE
5. The weird way Josh reacts to Nick showing up to their house and not letting him speak and then getting almost physical with Emily when she questions him???
6. Josh is a traveling salesman who takes long trips by himself
I could go on and on about the useless distractions and weird interactions the author purposefully tries to jam in here for the sake of distraction. The sheriff’s dismissal of the tooth of a missing girl, the librarian who adds nothing to the story, the weird locals in the diner, the sheriff’s secretary who is so super surprised that Emily is calling about the dead girl who’s teeth the secretary already knows has been found in her barn.
And I could forgive the useless plot devices if the story was leading up to something big. Instead the final pages reveal the killers to be no other than the farmhands who kill because girls want to leave the state of Nebraska?????? And that’s it. No more. No other mention of the family’s history. No further elaboration on the incredibly hard-to-believe motivation for not one but two serial killers. The only explanation of the cover up by Ray despite him being related to the murdered girl is that he is scared. Would he not have had more access to evidence than anyone else? Also, at this point, I’m too exhausted to even talk about the berries.
And our boy Josh? Just a major gaslighter because reasons. Nothing more to see here folks.
The author sat there making a bunch of noise clanging pots in the kitchen, pulling out every seasoning in the cabinet, spending hours stewing away just to serve me a bowl of flavorless slop.
I was so invested trying to figure out what the author was leading up to and this rant is my way of coping with the fact that it is now over and I’m left with nothing.
Clearly the couple moving to the farm in the middle of nowhere was going to encounter something nefarious, and this is made obvious multiple times. The hair clip in the grass, the mother committing suicide in the barn, the eerie linkage that everyone in the town seems to share with each other and our main couple painted as outsiders.
Here is where I would think that I am being lead as the reader to believe the missing girl is murdered and the farmhands are responsible. Well, I could have stopped here because this is exactly what happened and the author told me immediately. No build up, no big denouement, no mystery, no thrilling chase for the truth. This is exactly what is happening. I would think that the author is leading me to believe the stereotype of creepy rural families to distract me from what she will reveal next. I was very wrong.
Not every author has to distract or mislead their audience though, right? Totally agree. However, the author decides to use this distraction against the audience instead. The constant gaslighting of Emily by Josh despite clear evidence is so incessant that it’s nearly unbelievable. He will constantly change the subject when she is clearly worried about her safety. This is obviously the author trying to make you believe that Josh is somehow involved in the murder(s).
Need more?
1. Josh attempts to blatantly hide information about the history of the farm from Emily
2. Josh interacts with the characters in the town as if he has known them a lot longer than he has
3. Josh deletes the pictures of teeth from Emily’s phone
4. Josh cleans the chicken coop spotless and never finds a tooth and here’s the worst part: the picture Emily receives is clearly taken at a different time of day than what Josh claims and the author NEVER EXPLAINS THIS LIE
5. The weird way Josh reacts to Nick showing up to their house and not letting him speak and then getting almost physical with Emily when she questions him???
6. Josh is a traveling salesman who takes long trips by himself
I could go on and on about the useless distractions and weird interactions the author purposefully tries to jam in here for the sake of distraction. The sheriff’s dismissal of the tooth of a missing girl, the librarian who adds nothing to the story, the weird locals in the diner, the sheriff’s secretary who is so super surprised that Emily is calling about the dead girl who’s teeth the secretary already knows has been found in her barn.
And I could forgive the useless plot devices if the story was leading up to something big. Instead the final pages reveal the killers to be no other than the farmhands who kill because girls want to leave the state of Nebraska?????? And that’s it. No more. No other mention of the family’s history. No further elaboration on the incredibly hard-to-believe motivation for not one but two serial killers. The only explanation of the cover up by Ray despite him being related to the murdered girl is that he is scared. Would he not have had more access to evidence than anyone else? Also, at this point, I’m too exhausted to even talk about the berries.
And our boy Josh? Just a major gaslighter because reasons. Nothing more to see here folks.
The author sat there making a bunch of noise clanging pots in the kitchen, pulling out every seasoning in the cabinet, spending hours stewing away just to serve me a bowl of flavorless slop.
I was so invested trying to figure out what the author was leading up to and this rant is my way of coping with the fact that it is now over and I’m left with nothing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2025
I'm a huge fan of unreliable narrator and this was recommended to me by Lish McBride, so I was pretty eager to get to it.
I liked Emily. She has a lot going on and is trying to make her way in this new version of her world. The layering of the grief, sleeplessness, and caffeine overload really helped to keep me wondering if it was really happening or all in her head. I will say all of the men in this story are complete asshats and need to be kicked repeatedly.
Plot wise, it's a bit of a slow and repetitive meandering towards the build up and reveal. The setting is eerie (seriously, corn is the worst) and Chelsea does a good job of setting the tone and once it gets going, it's a ride. I did want a little more from the ending as it felt slightly rushed; however, it was a satisfying conclusion.
Overall, for me this was a good and spooky debut and I look forward to Chelsea's future books.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Emily. She has a lot going on and is trying to make her way in this new version of her world. The layering of the grief, sleeplessness, and caffeine overload really helped to keep me wondering if it was really happening or all in her head. I will say all of the men in this story are complete asshats and need to be kicked repeatedly.
Plot wise, it's a bit of a slow and repetitive meandering towards the build up and reveal. The setting is eerie (seriously, corn is the worst) and Chelsea does a good job of setting the tone and once it gets going, it's a ride. I did want a little more from the ending as it felt slightly rushed; however, it was a satisfying conclusion.
Overall, for me this was a good and spooky debut and I look forward to Chelsea's future books.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
July 5, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for the advance copy of The Farmhouse by Chelsea Conradt.
Emily and Josh want a fresh start away from the big city, San Francisco. They decided to move to a farmhouse in Nebraska. Unfortunately, for them this house has a terrible history of tragedy. Many illogical situations continue to occur and causes Emily to question her reality.
One of my favorite tropes is a ‘haunted house’, which was a reason I wanted to read this. I felt the vibes were good and kept me curious. Some of the things Emily uncovers is unsettling. I can agree there is some horror here but on the light side.
However, this overall could have been condensed to 300 pages or less and the impact would have been better. There is a lot of redundancy and unnecessary rabbit trails. The final climax was underwhelming and the story ends… in other words, the journey didn’t justify the conclusion.
If you’re new to thriller/mystery genre, I recommend this to you.
This is a 2.5 ⭐️ for me
Emily and Josh want a fresh start away from the big city, San Francisco. They decided to move to a farmhouse in Nebraska. Unfortunately, for them this house has a terrible history of tragedy. Many illogical situations continue to occur and causes Emily to question her reality.
One of my favorite tropes is a ‘haunted house’, which was a reason I wanted to read this. I felt the vibes were good and kept me curious. Some of the things Emily uncovers is unsettling. I can agree there is some horror here but on the light side.
However, this overall could have been condensed to 300 pages or less and the impact would have been better. There is a lot of redundancy and unnecessary rabbit trails. The final climax was underwhelming and the story ends… in other words, the journey didn’t justify the conclusion.
If you’re new to thriller/mystery genre, I recommend this to you.
This is a 2.5 ⭐️ for me
April 9, 2025
After Emily and her husband Josh moved from California to Nebraska into a farmhouse after her mothers passing eerie things start to happen. Emily notices the Barn out back is changing distance from the farmhouse daily , she hears screaming in the night and seeing things. Is she going crazy? Is it the grief of her mothering passing affecting her more than she thought? Or is it the lack of sleep she gets at night because no one seems to believe the things she’s experiencing. What horrible things happened on this farm?
This was a very slow progressing book, it did start to pick up around 70% mark but I felt like this book had so much potential with a creepy farmhouse but the slow pace just didn’t do it for me. It did have very eerie points and jump scares.
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC
Publication Jun 17, 2025
This was a very slow progressing book, it did start to pick up around 70% mark but I felt like this book had so much potential with a creepy farmhouse but the slow pace just didn’t do it for me. It did have very eerie points and jump scares.
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC
Publication Jun 17, 2025
April 14, 2025
Oh my goodness 😳 This book was right up my alley! It kept me guessing the entire time. Emily was put through so much emotionally, and her husband not believing her...ugh...that hurt my heart. I am just glad Emily and Alice got the happy endings they deserved. Poor Blanche, I can't get over that 😢.
April 6, 2025
If you love your thrillers with a touch of trauma, tangled pasts, and a healthy dose of “get out of the house, girl,” The Farm House by Chelsea Conradt is your next unputdownable read. It’s eerie, twisty, and soaked in dread—in the best possible way.
January 17, 2025
The story was pretty good, but this gets bumped down to a three star because I am so bored with the same old story in these thrillers of the husband not believing his wife and her accounts of bad things happening around them. It served ZERO purpose to the story aside from prolonging the conclusion of the story. I was really enjoying this one, but that ruined it for me. Super bummed!!
September 9, 2025
I listened to this one on audio, and I enjoyed Brittany Pressley's narration as I usually do, but unfortunately her narration was the best part of this for me. She was clear and expressive at 2x speed, but couldn't save a completely lackluster story. Emily and her husband, Josh, leave their San Francisco life behind after the death of Emily's mother for a fresh start on a farm in Nebraska. Having made an arrangement to lease the farm to the family of the former owners, they take ownership of the farmhouse and barn, but both sides are eager to keep their distance from each other. Emily soon finds out the sinister past of their home, where a teenage girl went missing and her grief stricken mother unalived herself in the barn. Soon, she starts hearing voices, the distance to the barn keeps shifting, and she hears her mother's favorite music playing in the dead of the night. Josh is quick to dismiss her fears, and the shifty farmhands warn her to stop poking around. The gaslighting in this one is infuriating, but what was most infuriating was all the hints and allusions along the way that Josh either knew the truth or was somehow involved that didn't go anywhere. Sometimes, husbands are just crappy husbands. It had the potential to at least attempt a predictable twist there, but then we were just told exactly what happened all along, so that was a big let down for me. Several chapters felt repetitive and the story used its tropes as a crutch, so nothing here felt fresh or original.
🏚️ Thank you Sourcebooks Audio for the listening access
🏚️ Thank you Sourcebooks Audio for the listening access
June 24, 2025
2.5 ⭐️ Agh, I struggled with this one. I had high hopes and was really intrigued by the synopsis, but, unfortunately, this fell flat for me. I felt as though nothing really happened for 90% of the book and then the ending wrapped everything up super quickly leaving a lot of questions. I really liked the rural, isolated setting but I feel it had the potential to be much creepier. I was left feeling bored and underwhelmed. I’m disappointed that this wasn’t for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 9, 2025
Loved the rural Nebraska setting for this one, but after awhile there were parts that felt repetitive.
April 2, 2025
I felt as though I was holding my breath until the last page of this creepy story. This book was received from Goodreads
March 19, 2025
Women on this farm never made it out alive. Emily was always dismissed and put off as crazy. Could she be the difference?
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