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Hemlock Manor
Sixteen-year-old Chloe has already lost everything that matters.
So when she is adopted by the strange and secretive Nightshade family and taken to the isolated coastal town of Shadowbrook, she hopes only for a fresh start. Instead, she finds whispers of vanished teenagers, violent storms that arrive without warning, and a crumbling mansion everyone avoids.
Hemlock Manor.
Drawn to its dark history, Chloe begins to uncover secrets the town has buried for decades. With the help of two boys who seem to carry secrets of their own, she is pulled into a mystery that blurs the line between legend and reality — and awakens something that should have remained forgotten.
As midsummer approaches and the blood moon rises, Chloe must decide how far she is willing to go to uncover the truth… and what she is willing to risk to survive it.
So when she is adopted by the strange and secretive Nightshade family and taken to the isolated coastal town of Shadowbrook, she hopes only for a fresh start. Instead, she finds whispers of vanished teenagers, violent storms that arrive without warning, and a crumbling mansion everyone avoids.
Hemlock Manor.
Drawn to its dark history, Chloe begins to uncover secrets the town has buried for decades. With the help of two boys who seem to carry secrets of their own, she is pulled into a mystery that blurs the line between legend and reality — and awakens something that should have remained forgotten.
As midsummer approaches and the blood moon rises, Chloe must decide how far she is willing to go to uncover the truth… and what she is willing to risk to survive it.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 29, 2024
About the author
Iwan Ross
22 books24 followers
WHERE THE DEAD ARE NEVER TRULY GONE.
Iwan Ross writes atmospheric supernatural suspense infused with mystery, emotion, and dark intrigue.
His stories blend gothic settings, unsettling secrets, and deeply human characters—where the past refuses to stay buried and every truth comes at a cost.
Growing up, books became both refuge and compass, shaping the haunting, character-driven worlds he writes today. His work often explores themes of survival, belonging, and the unseen forces that linger just beneath the surface of everyday life.
He is the author of The McTavish Chronicles, including Serenity Falls, a darkly humorous gothic thriller set in the Scottish Highlands.
When not writing, Iwan works as a technical writer and lives with his wife, Marna, and their spirited Jack Russell, Benji.
Iwan Ross writes atmospheric supernatural suspense infused with mystery, emotion, and dark intrigue.
His stories blend gothic settings, unsettling secrets, and deeply human characters—where the past refuses to stay buried and every truth comes at a cost.
Growing up, books became both refuge and compass, shaping the haunting, character-driven worlds he writes today. His work often explores themes of survival, belonging, and the unseen forces that linger just beneath the surface of everyday life.
He is the author of The McTavish Chronicles, including Serenity Falls, a darkly humorous gothic thriller set in the Scottish Highlands.
When not writing, Iwan works as a technical writer and lives with his wife, Marna, and their spirited Jack Russell, Benji.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 26, 2026
HEMLOCK MANOR by Iwan Ross
A Book Review by Zea Perez
April 2026
The restless souls of Hemlock Manor are equally curious and interesting!
The mysterious, thrilling and haunting book delves into the extraordinary ability of an orphaned Chloe-the main character. Together with her newfound male friends, Chloe can mingle with the otherworldly spirits in Hemlock Manor in Shadowbrook, a close-knit, mysterious community and neighbourhood, the home of her new family- the Nightshades, her adoptive parents. Chloe’s circumstance will surely make the readers intriguing and heartwarming.
The restless souls of Hemlock Manor are equally curious and interesting. I read it uninterrupted so I would get to know them deeply and what caused their haunting presence. There is a pirate, a reaper, an elegant manor lady, a handsome little boy and then a vortex of time travel and then a treasure, a haunting melody all found and experienced in Hemlock Manor!
Iwan Ross narratives are generous as always. Showcasing very intricate prose about the things surrounding the settings and events before arriving at the closure of the topic and complexities. It will leave the reader with the air of mystery and intrigue as there are disappearances of teenagers in Shadowbrook.
Young adult readers will surely find this book a marvel, which is a combination of fantasy, supernatural or paranormal, adventure, young romance, mystery and humor.
I think this book will be good material for a film - the Orphanage, the Nightshade’s house, the Shadowbrook village and the Hemlock Manor with its very intriguing restless spirits!
A Book Review by Zea Perez
April 2026
The restless souls of Hemlock Manor are equally curious and interesting!
The mysterious, thrilling and haunting book delves into the extraordinary ability of an orphaned Chloe-the main character. Together with her newfound male friends, Chloe can mingle with the otherworldly spirits in Hemlock Manor in Shadowbrook, a close-knit, mysterious community and neighbourhood, the home of her new family- the Nightshades, her adoptive parents. Chloe’s circumstance will surely make the readers intriguing and heartwarming.
The restless souls of Hemlock Manor are equally curious and interesting. I read it uninterrupted so I would get to know them deeply and what caused their haunting presence. There is a pirate, a reaper, an elegant manor lady, a handsome little boy and then a vortex of time travel and then a treasure, a haunting melody all found and experienced in Hemlock Manor!
Iwan Ross narratives are generous as always. Showcasing very intricate prose about the things surrounding the settings and events before arriving at the closure of the topic and complexities. It will leave the reader with the air of mystery and intrigue as there are disappearances of teenagers in Shadowbrook.
Young adult readers will surely find this book a marvel, which is a combination of fantasy, supernatural or paranormal, adventure, young romance, mystery and humor.
I think this book will be good material for a film - the Orphanage, the Nightshade’s house, the Shadowbrook village and the Hemlock Manor with its very intriguing restless spirits!
March 5, 2026
Hemlock Manor
by Iwan Ross
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Moody. Intelligent. Quietly feral gothic horror that earns its dread.)
Vibes: Isolated estate - psychological unraveling - generational rot - paranoia simmering under polite conversation - “why does this room feel like it’s watching me?”
This is not fast horror.
This is slow atmospheric suffocation in hardcover form.
And yes - I read it closely.
POV: - You thought you signed up for a moody little gothic manor mystery with maybe a few dusty secrets and dramatic candlelight… but instead you enrolled in a slow-burn psychological internship where the walls gaslight you, the conversations feel like chess matches, and your own perception starts filing for unemployment. 🕯️🏚️🐀
The novel is told in tight third-person perspective, closely anchored to the primary character.
Which means:
• You only know what they know.
• You feel their doubt in real time.
• You question your own interpretation alongside them.
• You are confined to their psychological lens.
That confinement is deliberate.
Ross doesn’t give you an omniscient safety net.
There’s no dramatic irony to cushion you.
Instead, the limited POV amplifies:
• paranoia
• misinterpretation
• suspicion
• the creeping sense that something is slightly misaligned
You’re not just observing the descent.
You’re inside it.
And in gothic horror? That’s the power move.
The Setup (No Spoilers, Just Vibes)
Remote manor.
History layered thick as dust.
A cast of characters who all feel… fractionally off.
Not cartoonishly sinister.
Just:
• overly measured
• emotionally guarded
• slightly too careful
The tension builds through implication.
Not jump scares.
Not dramatic reveals.
Implication.
And implication is always scarier.
The Atmosphere - Peak Gothic Rot
Hemlock Manor itself functions like a character.
Not in a haunted-house cliché way.
In a:
“This building has witnessed things and is not done witnessing.” way.
Expect:
• damp corridors
• quiet rooms that feel occupied
• heavy silences
• emotional claustrophobia
• generational secrets pressing inward
The setting isn’t decorative.
It’s oppressive.
The Writing - Controlled Descent
Ross plays the long game.
He leans into:
• deliberate pacing
• loaded dialogue
• environmental detail
• subtle character shifts
• psychological discomfort over spectacle
At first, it almost feels calm.
Then you realize calm is the trap.
The horror doesn’t spike.
It coils.
Horror Type - Know What You’re Signing Up For:
- Psychological dread
- Isolation-based tension
- Moral ambiguity
- Subtle manipulation themes
- Slow-burn unraveling
Not:
- Splatterfest gore
- High body count
- Slasher pacing
- Shock-value theatrics
This is thinking-person horror.
You have to lean in.
The Characters - Suspicion Buffet
No one feels entirely trustworthy.
And not in an obvious way.
More like:
• motivations are murky
• reactions feel slightly delayed
• alliances shift quietly
• emotional responses don’t always align
You spend the book oscillating between:
“Are they in danger?”
and
“Are THEY the danger?”
Which is exactly the tension you want.
Honesty Section
What Slaps:
• Atmosphere is consistent and immersive
• The POV choice heightens paranoia
• No hand-holding exposition
• Tension builds organically
• The manor feels alive without cheap tricks
What Might Divide Readers:
• It is a slow burn. Respectfully slow.
• Ambiguity over clean answers
• More psychological than physical horror
• Requires attention - skimming will weaken the effect
If you want instant chaos?
Not your book.
If you want creeping dread that seeps into your bones?
Welcome home.
Intensity Snapshot:
Dread: 8/10
Gore: Low–moderate
Psychological discomfort: High
Sleep-with-the-light-on factor: Depends on how imaginative you are 😌
The fear comes from:
• uncertainty
• isolation
• perception slipping
• emotional manipulation
And that’s always more unsettling than a jump scare.
Final Verdict:
4⭐️ - Hemlock Manor succeeds because it commits.
It doesn’t overexplain.
It doesn’t rush.
It doesn’t scream for your attention.
It whispers.
And somehow that’s worse.
This is gothic horror for readers who appreciate:
• atmosphere over action
• character tension over spectacle
• dread that builds layer by layer
It’s controlled.
It’s deliberate.
It’s quietly unhinged.
This book said:
“You are not lost in the manor. The manor is deciding what to do with you.”
And honestly?
I respect horror that doesn’t need to shout.
It just rearranges your sense of safety and leaves you sitting there like:
“…well that felt personal.”
by Iwan Ross
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Moody. Intelligent. Quietly feral gothic horror that earns its dread.)
Vibes: Isolated estate - psychological unraveling - generational rot - paranoia simmering under polite conversation - “why does this room feel like it’s watching me?”
This is not fast horror.
This is slow atmospheric suffocation in hardcover form.
And yes - I read it closely.
POV: - You thought you signed up for a moody little gothic manor mystery with maybe a few dusty secrets and dramatic candlelight… but instead you enrolled in a slow-burn psychological internship where the walls gaslight you, the conversations feel like chess matches, and your own perception starts filing for unemployment. 🕯️🏚️🐀
The novel is told in tight third-person perspective, closely anchored to the primary character.
Which means:
• You only know what they know.
• You feel their doubt in real time.
• You question your own interpretation alongside them.
• You are confined to their psychological lens.
That confinement is deliberate.
Ross doesn’t give you an omniscient safety net.
There’s no dramatic irony to cushion you.
Instead, the limited POV amplifies:
• paranoia
• misinterpretation
• suspicion
• the creeping sense that something is slightly misaligned
You’re not just observing the descent.
You’re inside it.
And in gothic horror? That’s the power move.
The Setup (No Spoilers, Just Vibes)
Remote manor.
History layered thick as dust.
A cast of characters who all feel… fractionally off.
Not cartoonishly sinister.
Just:
• overly measured
• emotionally guarded
• slightly too careful
The tension builds through implication.
Not jump scares.
Not dramatic reveals.
Implication.
And implication is always scarier.
The Atmosphere - Peak Gothic Rot
Hemlock Manor itself functions like a character.
Not in a haunted-house cliché way.
In a:
“This building has witnessed things and is not done witnessing.” way.
Expect:
• damp corridors
• quiet rooms that feel occupied
• heavy silences
• emotional claustrophobia
• generational secrets pressing inward
The setting isn’t decorative.
It’s oppressive.
The Writing - Controlled Descent
Ross plays the long game.
He leans into:
• deliberate pacing
• loaded dialogue
• environmental detail
• subtle character shifts
• psychological discomfort over spectacle
At first, it almost feels calm.
Then you realize calm is the trap.
The horror doesn’t spike.
It coils.
Horror Type - Know What You’re Signing Up For:
- Psychological dread
- Isolation-based tension
- Moral ambiguity
- Subtle manipulation themes
- Slow-burn unraveling
Not:
- Splatterfest gore
- High body count
- Slasher pacing
- Shock-value theatrics
This is thinking-person horror.
You have to lean in.
The Characters - Suspicion Buffet
No one feels entirely trustworthy.
And not in an obvious way.
More like:
• motivations are murky
• reactions feel slightly delayed
• alliances shift quietly
• emotional responses don’t always align
You spend the book oscillating between:
“Are they in danger?”
and
“Are THEY the danger?”
Which is exactly the tension you want.
Honesty Section
What Slaps:
• Atmosphere is consistent and immersive
• The POV choice heightens paranoia
• No hand-holding exposition
• Tension builds organically
• The manor feels alive without cheap tricks
What Might Divide Readers:
• It is a slow burn. Respectfully slow.
• Ambiguity over clean answers
• More psychological than physical horror
• Requires attention - skimming will weaken the effect
If you want instant chaos?
Not your book.
If you want creeping dread that seeps into your bones?
Welcome home.
Intensity Snapshot:
Dread: 8/10
Gore: Low–moderate
Psychological discomfort: High
Sleep-with-the-light-on factor: Depends on how imaginative you are 😌
The fear comes from:
• uncertainty
• isolation
• perception slipping
• emotional manipulation
And that’s always more unsettling than a jump scare.
Final Verdict:
4⭐️ - Hemlock Manor succeeds because it commits.
It doesn’t overexplain.
It doesn’t rush.
It doesn’t scream for your attention.
It whispers.
And somehow that’s worse.
This is gothic horror for readers who appreciate:
• atmosphere over action
• character tension over spectacle
• dread that builds layer by layer
It’s controlled.
It’s deliberate.
It’s quietly unhinged.
This book said:
“You are not lost in the manor. The manor is deciding what to do with you.”
And honestly?
I respect horror that doesn’t need to shout.
It just rearranges your sense of safety and leaves you sitting there like:
“…well that felt personal.”
March 19, 2026
Really struggled with the style of writing, following the storyline was difficult, leaving a lot unexplained and not making sense. I was able to finish but it wasn't an easy read
April 10, 2026
Hemlock Manor was a refreshing change to the books that are out there currently. I get bored very easily, and it was riveting; I read it in one sitting, staying up all night to finish it. The fast-paced tempo and action in this book kept me engaged to where I didn't want to walk away. The story flows in an unpredictable direction from most novels to where I could not predict the ending the way I normally can; the twists and turns are dizzying at points and anyone watching me read it would've found my expressions amusing to be sure. I plan to read the rest of the series as soon as possible.
SR Stone MS, DD,
Author of Going Clear, Doorway to the Divine,
and 1001 Words of Wisdom, Musings of a Master Yogini.
SR Stone MS, DD,
Author of Going Clear, Doorway to the Divine,
and 1001 Words of Wisdom, Musings of a Master Yogini.
February 9, 2025
A seamless blend of mystery, suspense, adventure, and romance, toying with your emotions through unexpected twists and turns, leaving you breathless with anticipation. This book is a must-read; its compelling story will capture the hearts of readers of all ages. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews