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Ashes of August Manor: A Novel
For fans of "The Haunting of Hill House" and "The Haunting of Bly Manor".
Noelle, a tragedy-ridden hospice worker with a unique connection to death, accepts a job caring for the dying patriarch of the reclusive August family at their lakefront manor just outside the town of Bell River, Oregon. The house does not have electricity, and the eccentric nature of the family is displayed through the grotesque artwork that lines the walls of the manor.
As Noelle wrestles with her own struggles with understanding her connection to death, she is also plunged headfirst into the dark mysteries surrounding the August family. The dying patriarch who she is strangely never able to see. The head of the household incapable of giving a straight answer, and a boy unable to speak but clearly terrified of something.
But above all, she must uncover the answers behind the ashen footprints she finds all over the house at night and the withered figure she sees looming at the tree line across the lake.
Noelle, a tragedy-ridden hospice worker with a unique connection to death, accepts a job caring for the dying patriarch of the reclusive August family at their lakefront manor just outside the town of Bell River, Oregon. The house does not have electricity, and the eccentric nature of the family is displayed through the grotesque artwork that lines the walls of the manor.
As Noelle wrestles with her own struggles with understanding her connection to death, she is also plunged headfirst into the dark mysteries surrounding the August family. The dying patriarch who she is strangely never able to see. The head of the household incapable of giving a straight answer, and a boy unable to speak but clearly terrified of something.
But above all, she must uncover the answers behind the ashen footprints she finds all over the house at night and the withered figure she sees looming at the tree line across the lake.
276 pages, Paperback
Published June 10, 2025
78 people are currently reading
833 people want to read
About the author
Blaine Daigle
10 books214 followersHaving lived his entire life deep in the gut of Louisiana, Blaine Daigle grew up surrounded by ghost stories of haunted plantations and cursed woodlands. He still lives in Louisiana with his wife and two children and can't wait to pass on the nightmares to his kids..when they are old enough. During the day he teaches high school English. At night, he enjoys diving deep into the fears that shape and mold the world around him.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
July 8, 2025
Gothic, creepy, unnerving, dark, and chilling! Blaine Daigle's Ashes of August Manor with its eerie vibe slowly and silently sucked me and never let go! I was instantly engrossed in this book about a hospice worker who has been hired to care for a dying man in his manor home outside of Bell River, Oregon. This book delivers on the chills and thrills and kept me guessing. I was instantly intrigued by the fact that before she even arrives at his home she is warned by someone in town to go home. The dying man is a monster she is informed. When she decides to continue on to the home, she is strongly urged to never go into the woods!!!! I was all in for that! I mean seriously, what could be in the woods that has everyone in town avoiding them? Plus, are those ashes falling from the sky?
Noelle, who is no stranger to loss, grief, tragedy, and loneliness, has been hired by the Isabel August to care for her dying father. She along with her mute son, Ernest, live in the dark home with Isabel's dying father. The home is grand yet relies on candles as there is no electricity. What? How do they cook, what about a refrigerator? If these questions pop up, just push them to the side and go with it as I did. Noelle is happy to get to work but Isabel always seems to have a reason that she needs to check on her father. Earnest, the mute child, is frightened and Noelle wants desperately to help him. Noelle can relate to his fear, his loneliness, his helplessness, and his isolation. It's not long before strange things begin to happen. Noelle begins to hear and see things. Are they real? Is the house haunted? Plus, what is up with the ashes????Don't even get me started on the ravens!
This book is oozing with atmosphere and unease. I loved the foreboding and sense of danger that ebbed and flowed just underneath the surface. Something isn't right but what is it? Why is Isabel not letting her see the man she was hired to care for? Why is Earnest so frightened?
This is the 4th book which I have read by Blaine Daigle, and he continues to wow me with his wonderful writing, his well thought out plots, his characters, his settings, his vivid descriptions, and the chilling feel of his books. This book goes through a metamorphosis as it progresses. It goes from being a haunted house book to something else entirely. I had no idea where things were going to go in this book, but I happily read along as Daigle switched things up in a spooky strange manner.
This book read like an old-time horror movie/ horror book, and I loved every page of it. There is something nostalgic and creepy about the house, the atmosphere, and the characters. I felt as if this book was taking place in black and white and I mean that as a compliment. This book is spooky, chilling, dark, haunting, gothic and atmospheric.
Dark, gothic, wonderfully written, and hard to put down! I can't wait to read what Blaine Daigle writes next!
Thank you to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Noelle, who is no stranger to loss, grief, tragedy, and loneliness, has been hired by the Isabel August to care for her dying father. She along with her mute son, Ernest, live in the dark home with Isabel's dying father. The home is grand yet relies on candles as there is no electricity. What? How do they cook, what about a refrigerator? If these questions pop up, just push them to the side and go with it as I did. Noelle is happy to get to work but Isabel always seems to have a reason that she needs to check on her father. Earnest, the mute child, is frightened and Noelle wants desperately to help him. Noelle can relate to his fear, his loneliness, his helplessness, and his isolation. It's not long before strange things begin to happen. Noelle begins to hear and see things. Are they real? Is the house haunted? Plus, what is up with the ashes????Don't even get me started on the ravens!
This book is oozing with atmosphere and unease. I loved the foreboding and sense of danger that ebbed and flowed just underneath the surface. Something isn't right but what is it? Why is Isabel not letting her see the man she was hired to care for? Why is Earnest so frightened?
This is the 4th book which I have read by Blaine Daigle, and he continues to wow me with his wonderful writing, his well thought out plots, his characters, his settings, his vivid descriptions, and the chilling feel of his books. This book goes through a metamorphosis as it progresses. It goes from being a haunted house book to something else entirely. I had no idea where things were going to go in this book, but I happily read along as Daigle switched things up in a spooky strange manner.
This book read like an old-time horror movie/ horror book, and I loved every page of it. There is something nostalgic and creepy about the house, the atmosphere, and the characters. I felt as if this book was taking place in black and white and I mean that as a compliment. This book is spooky, chilling, dark, haunting, gothic and atmospheric.
Dark, gothic, wonderfully written, and hard to put down! I can't wait to read what Blaine Daigle writes next!
Thank you to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
January 3, 2026
This is an intense, gripping, creepy horror novel which is well-narrated by Jennifer Pickens, who has a captivating voice.
July 7, 2025
I loved the atmosphere in this book, gloomy and dark and creepy as the fog that creeps through and over the woods in this gothic tale of ghosts and family horror in an ominous manor in the Oregon forest. Noelle is an end-of-life caregiver working at an assisted living facility when she is hired by a mysterious voice over the phone to care for the dying patriarch of the August family. Little does she suspect that her secrets and that of the August family have been intertwined her entire life, and things come together swiftly once she moves into the manor.
Although I enjoyed this book, as the author is a particularly skilled wordsmith, I was disappointed in several aspects of the plot in the book, and I was left with many unanswered questions and why this? and why that? Overall, however, this was an enjoyable, creepy read that is sure to delight many fans of a dreadful family tale.
Although I enjoyed this book, as the author is a particularly skilled wordsmith, I was disappointed in several aspects of the plot in the book, and I was left with many unanswered questions and why this? and why that? Overall, however, this was an enjoyable, creepy read that is sure to delight many fans of a dreadful family tale.
July 7, 2025
A little slower of a horror story than I would’ve liked/expected. It was hard to stay present, and I really was bored at some points. The last 1/4 of the story is intense and finally got me hooked. Although I can’t say that I fully understood the explanation provided on what was really going on.
It’s definitely atmospheric, like all his stories, but it didn’t grab me like “A Dark Roux” or “A Dark and Endless Sea” did.
I think Daigle has better books out there if this is your first time reading his work. If you’re a die hard fan of his, then definitely give this one a go.
It’s definitely atmospheric, like all his stories, but it didn’t grab me like “A Dark Roux” or “A Dark and Endless Sea” did.
I think Daigle has better books out there if this is your first time reading his work. If you’re a die hard fan of his, then definitely give this one a go.
July 16, 2025
3.5
very good and atmospheric gothic, folk horror story.
very good and atmospheric gothic, folk horror story.
June 17, 2025
I enjoyed both of the Haunting in Hill House and the Bly Manor one on netflix. But, I get both of those mixed up, which one is which.... and you could add this one to the mix. It's very similar to those and to me, nothing stood out to make it memorable. 🤷♀️
With that being said, it wasn't bad at all. A good story, just done similarly before.
With that being said, it wasn't bad at all. A good story, just done similarly before.
August 25, 2025
Daigle's entry into quiet, gothic horror is solid with The Ashes of August Manor.
Noelle, a hospice worker with a unique ability, eases and comforts the dying’s last moments before death. Her abilities stem from a hazy and tragic past that she’s tried to bury and move on with her life. Using her gift to provide peace to the terminally ill takes its toll on Noelle’s mental and physical health. So much so that she doesn’t know how much longer she can continue being a caregiver. If only she could afford to follow her passion of being a writer.
One day, she receives a call that seems to solve all of her problems. Isabel, the heiress to the August family fortune, heard about Noelle’s abilities and offered to hire her. Ernest August is terminally ill, and she thinks Noelle would be perfect to help ease her father in his final days. Noelle is hesitant to take the job, but Isabel isn’t taking no for an answer and offers compensation that’ll allow Noelle to quit hospice care and write full time. The offer is too good to turn down. But every offer has its price…
The Ashes of August Manor is chock-full of atmosphere. The imagery of ashes constantly falling on the grounds of the gothic mansion and the gloomy surroundings pulls the reader into its hypnotic pacing. It’s all about providing subtle chills, like a whisper along your neck causing the hairs to rise, rather than buckets of blood to numb the senses. If you’re a fan of Charles L. Grant, you’re going to dig what Daigle has done here. This is his first foray into quiet horror. I think he has a comfortable home within the sub-genre of horror.
4 Pitch Black Ravens out of 5
Noelle, a hospice worker with a unique ability, eases and comforts the dying’s last moments before death. Her abilities stem from a hazy and tragic past that she’s tried to bury and move on with her life. Using her gift to provide peace to the terminally ill takes its toll on Noelle’s mental and physical health. So much so that she doesn’t know how much longer she can continue being a caregiver. If only she could afford to follow her passion of being a writer.
One day, she receives a call that seems to solve all of her problems. Isabel, the heiress to the August family fortune, heard about Noelle’s abilities and offered to hire her. Ernest August is terminally ill, and she thinks Noelle would be perfect to help ease her father in his final days. Noelle is hesitant to take the job, but Isabel isn’t taking no for an answer and offers compensation that’ll allow Noelle to quit hospice care and write full time. The offer is too good to turn down. But every offer has its price…
The Ashes of August Manor is chock-full of atmosphere. The imagery of ashes constantly falling on the grounds of the gothic mansion and the gloomy surroundings pulls the reader into its hypnotic pacing. It’s all about providing subtle chills, like a whisper along your neck causing the hairs to rise, rather than buckets of blood to numb the senses. If you’re a fan of Charles L. Grant, you’re going to dig what Daigle has done here. This is his first foray into quiet horror. I think he has a comfortable home within the sub-genre of horror.
4 Pitch Black Ravens out of 5
December 28, 2024
This book was hauntingly beautiful. Blaine Daigle-Author continues to show how expansive his story telling truly is. Every book I’ve read from him up to this point has had a different style, sub genre, pacing, & tone. Ashes of August Manor is no different.
This book touches on some very sensitive places. It skillfully expresses the true feeling of loss, guilt, isolation, & the desperate drive to find purpose in the cold, dark world this story builds on. I usually don’t get emotionally attached to fictional characters & their slow mental decline but this story was intensely realistic. I had to take the occasional breaks between chapters as it was capable of swinging my mood.
I haven’t read such a good gothic ghost story in some time since The Woman in Black & it feels like Blaine went into some deep, dark places in his mind to make these characters real enough to root for, the story atmospheric, & the building of suspense is unsettling.
Not for the faint of heart if your mind is not in the right place but worth reading next to the fire on a cold, late night. It’s 💀💀💀💀💀 skulls for me
This book touches on some very sensitive places. It skillfully expresses the true feeling of loss, guilt, isolation, & the desperate drive to find purpose in the cold, dark world this story builds on. I usually don’t get emotionally attached to fictional characters & their slow mental decline but this story was intensely realistic. I had to take the occasional breaks between chapters as it was capable of swinging my mood.
I haven’t read such a good gothic ghost story in some time since The Woman in Black & it feels like Blaine went into some deep, dark places in his mind to make these characters real enough to root for, the story atmospheric, & the building of suspense is unsettling.
Not for the faint of heart if your mind is not in the right place but worth reading next to the fire on a cold, late night. It’s 💀💀💀💀💀 skulls for me
March 15, 2025
Sublime. Absolutely Sublime. This is how you write quiet, grief horror, brimming with Gothic atmosphere and escalating tension. "Ashes of August Manor" is a genuine feat of tight plotting, brilliant writing, and detailed characterization! A ghost story, small town horror, a cult horror tale, a haunted house novel - however you parse it, it will check all your boxes, keep you captivated to the end, and repay your time with a satisfying though deeply sad, ending.
The book builds on dread from the very first pages. With a huge mystery in its center, multiple hints revolving around it, the story unfolds in a way that you simply know that something bad is happening, and yet, for the life of you, you can't figure out precisely which direction the story is going. The writing itself keeps pointing you away from the real issues, and in this you're in the same boat with the main character, Noelle, a hospice worker who's accepted a job in the titular manor. Bits of ashes keep falling all the time once she goes outside; footsteps and giggling disturb her sleep; and Elias, the little boy who can't speak, conveys to her that she's not safe. And then Noelle starts seeing things she never expected. Telling her to leave. To keep out of the woods. To save herself.
It all has strong Mike Flanagan vibes, but the melancholy is all Daigle. Shirley Jackson and Adam Nevill should be proud.
The book builds on dread from the very first pages. With a huge mystery in its center, multiple hints revolving around it, the story unfolds in a way that you simply know that something bad is happening, and yet, for the life of you, you can't figure out precisely which direction the story is going. The writing itself keeps pointing you away from the real issues, and in this you're in the same boat with the main character, Noelle, a hospice worker who's accepted a job in the titular manor. Bits of ashes keep falling all the time once she goes outside; footsteps and giggling disturb her sleep; and Elias, the little boy who can't speak, conveys to her that she's not safe. And then Noelle starts seeing things she never expected. Telling her to leave. To keep out of the woods. To save herself.
It all has strong Mike Flanagan vibes, but the melancholy is all Daigle. Shirley Jackson and Adam Nevill should be proud.
June 9, 2025
It is about time that Blaine Daigle did a gothic haunted house story!
Blaine does an amazing job of setting up the atmosphere in a story. When I read his first novel, Broken Places, it was so deliciously spooky and creepy. His subsequent books continued to set a great atmosphere - whether it's in New Orleans or a boat at sea. He's an instant read for me (without needing to read a book's synopsis). When I started on this book and realized it was gothic haunted house, I was so ridiculously excited.
The story starts with Noelle who is a hospice nurse. She feels obligated to be with people as they cross over due to her Tragic Backstory TM. She receives a call from Isabel August asking her to come to August Manor and care for Isabel's dying father, Ernest, as he nears his end. She offers to pay Noelle a ridiculous amount of money for this service and Noelle agrees.
When Noelle shows up to the remote town, the residents tell her to leave, say that Ernest is a monster, and make cryptic comments about the woods around the manor. Noelle continues on to the manor and is met with a mounting sense of dread as she sees the building. There's no electricity so we get the eerie candlelight. The weirdness mounts as Isabel doesn't let Noelle meet Ernest, Isabel's son doesn't speak, ash constantly falls from the sky from the papermill (hint: it's not the papermill), the gardener looks and acts exactly like Noelle's deceased fiancé, and Noelle sees tiny footsteps in the ashes and hears a female child's laughter. This goes back to my initial comment about how great Blaine does at setting the atmosphere of a story.
The book does a great job of exploring grief and themes of dying. Noelle is clearly struggling with what she's carrying and the author does a realistic job of showing this and how she's trying to work through things. The story only takes place over a few days, but even within those days, we see a good amount of character growth from Noelle.
The reveal/climax got a little weird. It fit into the story and Blaine did a great job of leaving clues so it fit within the story. I would not have guessed that's where we were going, which is something I appreciate in a book.
Overall, this was a great story. Perfect for anyone who wants to be submerged in a feeling of unease and mounting tension.
Thank you to the author for this advance review copy.
Blaine does an amazing job of setting up the atmosphere in a story. When I read his first novel, Broken Places, it was so deliciously spooky and creepy. His subsequent books continued to set a great atmosphere - whether it's in New Orleans or a boat at sea. He's an instant read for me (without needing to read a book's synopsis). When I started on this book and realized it was gothic haunted house, I was so ridiculously excited.
The story starts with Noelle who is a hospice nurse. She feels obligated to be with people as they cross over due to her Tragic Backstory TM. She receives a call from Isabel August asking her to come to August Manor and care for Isabel's dying father, Ernest, as he nears his end. She offers to pay Noelle a ridiculous amount of money for this service and Noelle agrees.
When Noelle shows up to the remote town, the residents tell her to leave, say that Ernest is a monster, and make cryptic comments about the woods around the manor. Noelle continues on to the manor and is met with a mounting sense of dread as she sees the building. There's no electricity so we get the eerie candlelight. The weirdness mounts as Isabel doesn't let Noelle meet Ernest, Isabel's son doesn't speak, ash constantly falls from the sky from the papermill (hint: it's not the papermill), the gardener looks and acts exactly like Noelle's deceased fiancé, and Noelle sees tiny footsteps in the ashes and hears a female child's laughter. This goes back to my initial comment about how great Blaine does at setting the atmosphere of a story.
The book does a great job of exploring grief and themes of dying. Noelle is clearly struggling with what she's carrying and the author does a realistic job of showing this and how she's trying to work through things. The story only takes place over a few days, but even within those days, we see a good amount of character growth from Noelle.
The reveal/climax got a little weird. It fit into the story and Blaine did a great job of leaving clues so it fit within the story. I would not have guessed that's where we were going, which is something I appreciate in a book.
Overall, this was a great story. Perfect for anyone who wants to be submerged in a feeling of unease and mounting tension.
Thank you to the author for this advance review copy.
August 27, 2025
This is a very dark and creepy in places book.
The MFC Noelle gets called to work in August Manor as an end of life carer do the head of the family - Ernest. The only other people living in the manor are his daughter Isabelle and his mute grandson Elias.
While staying in their residence, Noelle discovers some of the secrets the family is hiding; one of them being that they are a part of a secret cult - The Black Order.
There’s a lot of creepy paranormal moments in this book. Stuff that really gave me goosebumps a few times.
The author does a a great job building intrigue, dread and tension. There are quite a few very unnerving scenes.
I love the use of fog in the story. Reminded me of The Mist by Stephen King and The Fog by James Herbert.
It’s fear of the unknown, the fear of not really knowing what’s hiding in the fog. Until it catches up to you!
Some of the writing was a bit repetitive (grammar?) and the pacing was a bit too slow in places for me. Generally, a good read. If you like creepy, gothic, oppressive atmosphere in your books, you’ll like this one.
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley. Thank you.
The MFC Noelle gets called to work in August Manor as an end of life carer do the head of the family - Ernest. The only other people living in the manor are his daughter Isabelle and his mute grandson Elias.
While staying in their residence, Noelle discovers some of the secrets the family is hiding; one of them being that they are a part of a secret cult - The Black Order.
There’s a lot of creepy paranormal moments in this book. Stuff that really gave me goosebumps a few times.
The author does a a great job building intrigue, dread and tension. There are quite a few very unnerving scenes.
I love the use of fog in the story. Reminded me of The Mist by Stephen King and The Fog by James Herbert.
It’s fear of the unknown, the fear of not really knowing what’s hiding in the fog. Until it catches up to you!
Some of the writing was a bit repetitive (grammar?) and the pacing was a bit too slow in places for me. Generally, a good read. If you like creepy, gothic, oppressive atmosphere in your books, you’ll like this one.
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley. Thank you.
July 7, 2025
Thank you Blaine Daigle for this read! Blaine is an auto-read author for me and I feel that his books are getting better and better!
This book delivered all the creepy house/forest/village vibes I needed. The writing was brilliant, with vivid descriptions painting clear and eery pictures in my head. I wanted to YELL at the protagonist many times, and like in all scary movies, I felt like an outsider seeing our character enter a point of no return.
The plot was really clever and some unexpected turn of events changed where I thought the story was headed.
This book needs to be on all your haunted house / towns, spooky season TBRs immediately.
4.5/5
This book delivered all the creepy house/forest/village vibes I needed. The writing was brilliant, with vivid descriptions painting clear and eery pictures in my head. I wanted to YELL at the protagonist many times, and like in all scary movies, I felt like an outsider seeing our character enter a point of no return.
The plot was really clever and some unexpected turn of events changed where I thought the story was headed.
This book needs to be on all your haunted house / towns, spooky season TBRs immediately.
4.5/5
June 14, 2025
5/5⭐
This is an oh so quiet book. Blaine says so himself in his afterward, and that was the word I was reaching for while reading it. Quiet. Muted. From the hushed susurrus of falling ashes in the dark Cascadian forest to the mysteriously silent boy who lives in the large Manor in that muffled wood.
He lures you into his richly detailed settings with the subtlest of touches and a frisson of apprehension. His characters are relatable, real, sympathetic… and yet with just enough personal damage and instability to keep you wondering.
This is the fourth book he’s released and the fourth I’ve read and Every Single Time he completely pulls me into his story.
As I read this here in my home province of BC on a very chilly, rainy November night I could literally smell and hear and see this book. And by the fourth chapter I was wondering aloud ‘How does he keep writing these places as though he knows them so intimately?!?’ I’ve been there, lived there in the Cascades and it feels like he has too. It was the same with The Broken Places. It’s almost obscene how incredibly, consistently, wonderfully he writes.
Strongly reminiscent of Shirley Jackson, Poe, James, and du Maurier, the story is a beautiful gothic ode to death. And for such a quiet novel, it has exactly the right amount of horror and dread… and those few bursts of sound when they come are all the more deafening.
My thanks to the author for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is an oh so quiet book. Blaine says so himself in his afterward, and that was the word I was reaching for while reading it. Quiet. Muted. From the hushed susurrus of falling ashes in the dark Cascadian forest to the mysteriously silent boy who lives in the large Manor in that muffled wood.
“Atop the creaking house was the soft touch of a steady shower. The rain hit the outside of the manor tenderly, as though nature itself were afraid to subject the frail old home to too much force.”
He lures you into his richly detailed settings with the subtlest of touches and a frisson of apprehension. His characters are relatable, real, sympathetic… and yet with just enough personal damage and instability to keep you wondering.
This is the fourth book he’s released and the fourth I’ve read and Every Single Time he completely pulls me into his story.
“The Pacific Northwest had this quality of being made more beautiful by the rain.”
“It was late afternoon, and the hidden sun slunk closer to the skyward reach of the dark green teeth of the landscape.”
As I read this here in my home province of BC on a very chilly, rainy November night I could literally smell and hear and see this book. And by the fourth chapter I was wondering aloud ‘How does he keep writing these places as though he knows them so intimately?!?’ I’ve been there, lived there in the Cascades and it feels like he has too. It was the same with The Broken Places. It’s almost obscene how incredibly, consistently, wonderfully he writes.
Strongly reminiscent of Shirley Jackson, Poe, James, and du Maurier, the story is a beautiful gothic ode to death. And for such a quiet novel, it has exactly the right amount of horror and dread… and those few bursts of sound when they come are all the more deafening.
My thanks to the author for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 4, 2025
The Ashes of August Manor is a quiet melody with profound movement of the readers emotions. It’s dark, as most gothic novels are, focusing on death and how we perceive and process it; but it’s also light, and hopeful. With immense atmosphere and wonderfully created characters, Daigle has truly created a masterpiece of gothic fiction. I was so enraptured with the story, watching it play out in my mind as my eyes devoured it word for word. Highly recommend to lovers of gothic fiction, or those who want a ghost story that isn’t full of gore and violence but quiet suspense and haunting vibes!
July 9, 2025
I’m not sure it’s fair to be disappointed by a 4-star read that I'd still wholeheartedly recommend, but considering how incredibly close this was to a new all-time favourite, that’s still the overwhelming feeling I’m left with. Long review incoming…
"Everyone deserves to have someone at their side when they go."
The Story:
We follow Noelle, a 27-year-old hospice worker at the end of her emotional rope, who accepts a job caring for the dying patriarch of the reclusive August family at their lakefront manor in the Oregon forests. Arriving at the manor, she soon learns that this is going to be a job unlike any of her previous ones. The gothic manor, isolated and perpetually covered in ashes from a local papermill, as well as the eccentric family that calls it home, ooze a sense of dread and mystery. Together with the August’s mute son Elias and the manors gardener (who eerily resembles Noelles deceased fiancé), Noelle reckons with the secrets of the family, as well as those of her own tragic past.
What I loved:
Plenty a book has been marketed as “for fans of The Haunting of Bly Manor”, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a book truly capture that same feeling the show gave me. Until The Ashes of August Manor. For the first 60% or so, I was obsessed with this novel. I read it in almost a single sitting, completely captivated and amazed by how much this book matches all the things I love in horror. It’s a gothic, quietly melancholic tale of grief-horror that’s absolutely brimming with atmosphere and building dread. Our protagonist Noelle is a fascinating three-dimensional lead, who’s equally haunted as the manor she works at. The writing is gorgeous, delivering stunningly gorgeous gothic descriptions that are clearly inspired by the likes of Shirley Jackson (the opening paragraph could’ve been straight out of Hill House). Yet it also knows exactly when to tone that down and deliver a short and poignant line to drive in the emotional nail.
In short, this book was so close to perfection, that it made it all the more frustrating when it took a turn that really didn’t work for me.
What I didn’t love:
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a novel squander its potential to be a new favourite, this hard in a single chapter before… That chapter happens to be chapter 17. Here, what was a subtle and “quiet” horror-novel (these are the authors own words, as stated in the afterword too, so we know this was the intended direction!), tosses all that out of the window with a heavy-handed villain monologue explaining everything ánd introducing several more twists that weren’t properly foreshadowed… It turns into a masterclass of over-exposition and it’s all the more sad that, had this single chapter been rewritten, leaving the entirety of the rest of the book the same, this could’ve been a new favourite for me. It’s still a 4-star, because I loved the majority of the book, and I don’t think my particular gripes will be universal to every reader.
Beware spoilers below, because I want to go into a bit more specifics.
Many thanks to Wicked House Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
"Everyone deserves to have someone at their side when they go."
The Story:
We follow Noelle, a 27-year-old hospice worker at the end of her emotional rope, who accepts a job caring for the dying patriarch of the reclusive August family at their lakefront manor in the Oregon forests. Arriving at the manor, she soon learns that this is going to be a job unlike any of her previous ones. The gothic manor, isolated and perpetually covered in ashes from a local papermill, as well as the eccentric family that calls it home, ooze a sense of dread and mystery. Together with the August’s mute son Elias and the manors gardener (who eerily resembles Noelles deceased fiancé), Noelle reckons with the secrets of the family, as well as those of her own tragic past.
What I loved:
Plenty a book has been marketed as “for fans of The Haunting of Bly Manor”, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a book truly capture that same feeling the show gave me. Until The Ashes of August Manor. For the first 60% or so, I was obsessed with this novel. I read it in almost a single sitting, completely captivated and amazed by how much this book matches all the things I love in horror. It’s a gothic, quietly melancholic tale of grief-horror that’s absolutely brimming with atmosphere and building dread. Our protagonist Noelle is a fascinating three-dimensional lead, who’s equally haunted as the manor she works at. The writing is gorgeous, delivering stunningly gorgeous gothic descriptions that are clearly inspired by the likes of Shirley Jackson (the opening paragraph could’ve been straight out of Hill House). Yet it also knows exactly when to tone that down and deliver a short and poignant line to drive in the emotional nail.
In short, this book was so close to perfection, that it made it all the more frustrating when it took a turn that really didn’t work for me.
What I didn’t love:
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a novel squander its potential to be a new favourite, this hard in a single chapter before… That chapter happens to be chapter 17. Here, what was a subtle and “quiet” horror-novel (these are the authors own words, as stated in the afterword too, so we know this was the intended direction!), tosses all that out of the window with a heavy-handed villain monologue explaining everything ánd introducing several more twists that weren’t properly foreshadowed… It turns into a masterclass of over-exposition and it’s all the more sad that, had this single chapter been rewritten, leaving the entirety of the rest of the book the same, this could’ve been a new favourite for me. It’s still a 4-star, because I loved the majority of the book, and I don’t think my particular gripes will be universal to every reader.
Beware spoilers below, because I want to go into a bit more specifics.
Many thanks to Wicked House Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
May 29, 2025
Ashes of August Manor by Blaine Daigle
Noelle, a tragedy-ridden hospice worker with a unique connection to death, accepts a job caring for the dying patriarch of the reclusive August family at their lakefront manor just outside the town of Bell River, Oregon. The house does not have electricity, and the eccentric nature of the family is displayed through the grotesque artwork that lines the walls of the manor.
As Noelle wrestles with her own struggles with understanding her connection to death, she is also plunged headfirst into the dark mysteries surrounding the August family. The dying patriarch who she is strangely never able to see. The head of the household incapable of giving a straight answer, and a boy unable to speak but clearly terrified of something.
But above all, she must uncover the answers behind the ashen footprints she finds all over the house at night and the withered figure she sees looming at the tree line across the lake.
There is nothing better than Gothic Horror and this novel is a perfect example. It is such a dark and foreboding read and beautifully written. I found myself wanting to light some candles and curl up under a blanket while reading it. The author does an excellent job of immersing the reader in the dreary yet sinister atmosphere of the large manor. Highly recommend if you enjoy authors such as Shirley Jackson and Rebecca Netley.
Thank you Blaine Daigle for the advance read.
Noelle, a tragedy-ridden hospice worker with a unique connection to death, accepts a job caring for the dying patriarch of the reclusive August family at their lakefront manor just outside the town of Bell River, Oregon. The house does not have electricity, and the eccentric nature of the family is displayed through the grotesque artwork that lines the walls of the manor.
As Noelle wrestles with her own struggles with understanding her connection to death, she is also plunged headfirst into the dark mysteries surrounding the August family. The dying patriarch who she is strangely never able to see. The head of the household incapable of giving a straight answer, and a boy unable to speak but clearly terrified of something.
But above all, she must uncover the answers behind the ashen footprints she finds all over the house at night and the withered figure she sees looming at the tree line across the lake.
There is nothing better than Gothic Horror and this novel is a perfect example. It is such a dark and foreboding read and beautifully written. I found myself wanting to light some candles and curl up under a blanket while reading it. The author does an excellent job of immersing the reader in the dreary yet sinister atmosphere of the large manor. Highly recommend if you enjoy authors such as Shirley Jackson and Rebecca Netley.
Thank you Blaine Daigle for the advance read.
November 21, 2024
I have discovered lately that I truly enjoy gothic horror. The slow, dread that the atmosphere provides passes on to the reader. There was so much symbolism in this novel. I could imagine the soft feel of the ash falling from the sky. I could sense the dedication of the ravens as they tried to pass on the message to Noelle. I could picture the monumental architecture of the old manor. The addition of no electricity in the manor helped to provide the scene for secrets being held within the walls of the manor and the forest. Just reading about the warnings from the townspeople only cemented the dread I felt as I continued to turn the pages of this novel. There was such an adrenaline rush as I read about the bone chilling fear Noelle experienced as she was transported to various scenes as she tried to figure out why she was so drawn to August Manor and young Elias. I could never have been prepared where this magnificent story was heading. There were small clues but nothing to help me understand the total worship Isobel had with the Order. Then to be met with the heartbreaking decisions Noelle had to make in order to end her connection with death. This was by far my favorite read by this author.
December 10, 2024
In my TOP 3 reads of the year EASILY! If I could have given 10 stars - know that I would have!
My first gothic horror book - horror is not usually my genre of choice but Blaine Daigle's books are always a must read for me. I've loved seeing his writing develop from his earlier books. His prose is incredibly poetic. Major Edgar Allen Poe vibes in the best way.
This story had me looking over my shoulder while reading - turning the lamp on so the shadows didn't seem so ominous. The main character, Noelle, was relatable on so many levels and I became enthralled in her story early on. She was a likeable character - good head on her shoulders. Her own share of regrets and secrets from her past. Daigle's character development of Noelle was flawless.
The setting of the manor and nearby town was so well described. The details kept a vivid image as the story unfolded. It was like watching a Mike Flanagan series!
Huge thanks to Blaine Daigle and Wicked House Publishing for the ARC and chance to give my honest opinion
My first gothic horror book - horror is not usually my genre of choice but Blaine Daigle's books are always a must read for me. I've loved seeing his writing develop from his earlier books. His prose is incredibly poetic. Major Edgar Allen Poe vibes in the best way.
This story had me looking over my shoulder while reading - turning the lamp on so the shadows didn't seem so ominous. The main character, Noelle, was relatable on so many levels and I became enthralled in her story early on. She was a likeable character - good head on her shoulders. Her own share of regrets and secrets from her past. Daigle's character development of Noelle was flawless.
The setting of the manor and nearby town was so well described. The details kept a vivid image as the story unfolded. It was like watching a Mike Flanagan series!
Huge thanks to Blaine Daigle and Wicked House Publishing for the ARC and chance to give my honest opinion
July 12, 2025
Unpopular opinion I guess, but what a slog! The writing wasn’t technically bad, but it was flowery and drawn out. It didn’t even feel like a real world. Everything was so strange and dreamlike. Theres a weird little town that felt like Hobbs End from “In the Mouth of Madness”. Except without all the cosmic, Lovecraftian horror. Not a minute of this story resembles anything normal. It’s ungrounded.
The big creepy manor that is poorly described. All the ash just left an impression of post apocalyptic landscapes. Not of dark gothic horror in a rain forest. At no point did I ever find any of it scary.
I never felt any connection to any of the characters. You really only get to know the MC (Noel) and she’s summed up in one word, dreary. You’ll hear a lot of pissing and moaning from her. 90% of the story is her slowly going over every death she’s ever witnessed. Most of which were by choice of her profession. I should have DNF’d this one. Oh well….
The big creepy manor that is poorly described. All the ash just left an impression of post apocalyptic landscapes. Not of dark gothic horror in a rain forest. At no point did I ever find any of it scary.
I never felt any connection to any of the characters. You really only get to know the MC (Noel) and she’s summed up in one word, dreary. You’ll hear a lot of pissing and moaning from her. 90% of the story is her slowly going over every death she’s ever witnessed. Most of which were by choice of her profession. I should have DNF’d this one. Oh well….
June 4, 2025
Hauntingly beautiful, Ashes of August Manor invites you in and doesn’t let you go.
Noelle has had a particularly tragic life, surrounded by death in her personal and professional life. Although easing hospice patients’ end of life moments is something she finds important, it’s hard to say no to an offer from a rich family tucked away in a manor in the cascades.
Blaine Daigle is a master of his craft. Truly. Each novel he writes is so unique in style and substance. You don’t get repetitive plots and characters, and yet each one is extremely well thought out and as good as the one before. Every story is completely fresh.
I have a particular soft spot for gothic horror and this take on a haunted manor is perfectly subtle and subdued. I could not put this down, the mixture of horror and humanity will get you every time.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Available June 10, 2025
Thank you to Blaine or a free advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Noelle has had a particularly tragic life, surrounded by death in her personal and professional life. Although easing hospice patients’ end of life moments is something she finds important, it’s hard to say no to an offer from a rich family tucked away in a manor in the cascades.
Blaine Daigle is a master of his craft. Truly. Each novel he writes is so unique in style and substance. You don’t get repetitive plots and characters, and yet each one is extremely well thought out and as good as the one before. Every story is completely fresh.
I have a particular soft spot for gothic horror and this take on a haunted manor is perfectly subtle and subdued. I could not put this down, the mixture of horror and humanity will get you every time.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Available June 10, 2025
Thank you to Blaine or a free advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 13, 2025
Nice effort from Daigle about a haunted mansion and a young girl who accepts a job to care for a dying man who currently resides there with his daughter and grandson. She encounters old family secrets and spirits that may or may not want to harm her. Not much here you haven't seen before but it's done well with solid writing and keeps you entertained, although with the customary slow start from Daigle. This is my fourth from him and probably my least favorite, but it's relatively short and a worthwhile effort if you like gothic horror and ghosts.
November 3, 2025
To be honest I wasn't in a good head space to read this so that's probably influencing my rating. It's a culty Eldritch kinda story I wouldn't call it a ghost. The vibes were spooky but the story itself wasn't really spooky.
May 23, 2025
Haunted house. Spooky, gothic vibes. A town with a well kept secret. A family with a dark past. Noelle is a hospice worker who is intimately familiar with death. She accepts a job to care for the dying patriarch of August Manor, but finds there are dangerous secrets and ghosts that lurk within the isolated property.
This was a beautifully written novel with underlying themes of grief and loss. The character build and backstories were strongly written into the story lines and left me satisfied with the pace and ending. Blaine’s writing is captivating and had me drawn in from beginning to end.
This was a beautifully written novel with underlying themes of grief and loss. The character build and backstories were strongly written into the story lines and left me satisfied with the pace and ending. Blaine’s writing is captivating and had me drawn in from beginning to end.
July 13, 2025
2.5/5
June 11, 2025
Oh this book. I love a good well written horror book that speaks to my soul. This did that. For me it's now up there with Haunting of Hill House. Scary? egh not really. Gory? definitely not. Heart wrenchingly beautiful? 100% yes
March 8, 2025
In Ashes of August Manor, Blaine Daigle channels the spirit of Shirley Jackson and creates an unsettling, wholly-Gothic masterpiece centered around death. In a world full of slashers, hyper-violence, and intense action, Daigle proves that the quiet can be even more horrifying.
December 16, 2024
Thank you to Blaine Daigle and Wicked House Publishing for an ARC of Ashes of August Manor!
Since earlier this year I've been chasing the high that Blaine Daigle's A Dark and Endless Sea gave me. This one was not quite on this level for me, but still a good read! I enjoyed the dark, gothic vibe of the story and the spooky setting. This would make a great Halloween read, or for any time you're in the mood for a story with a touch of macabre! 3.5 stars.
Since earlier this year I've been chasing the high that Blaine Daigle's A Dark and Endless Sea gave me. This one was not quite on this level for me, but still a good read! I enjoyed the dark, gothic vibe of the story and the spooky setting. This would make a great Halloween read, or for any time you're in the mood for a story with a touch of macabre! 3.5 stars.
October 23, 2025
This book is about the inevitability of death and the fact that it will come for all of us in the end.
"Every story ends the same way if it goes on long enough,"
As soon as I read the synopsis I was intrigued but it still took me some time to get into this. At times things would happen in the plot that made me interested but then I'd just get bored again and the cycle repeats. I think if the atmostphere was more consistent I could've enjoyed this more. There were points where I really felt the spooky, gothic atmosphere but then just as quickly it'd disappear. There are so many well composed elements that come together to make for an interesting read; The air of mystery surrounding not only the house and the land but also the inhabitants of it, the black ash that never seems to go away, the chilling stories of children gone missing, the woods that everyone is warned to stay out of, the sounds during the dead of night, etc. I really wanted to love this because it sounded like it would be right up my alley but unfortunately it didn't click for me.
From a young age, Noelle has been more accquainted with death than most are. Working as a hospice caregiver she recieves a call one night offering her a job opportunity to care for the patriarch of August Manor in his final moments in exchange for more than enough money to start fresh afterward, hopefully away from the constant prescence of death, and she accepts. Little does she know she's in for a lot more than she bargained for.
November 17, 2024
A gothic story filled with quiet melancholy.
Noelle is a woman who has been around death, both in her past and her present. Her job is in a hospice where she sits quietly with the dying as they take their final breaths "because everyone deserves to have someone at their side when they go."
When she is offered a high paying job sitting with the dying patriarch of a secluded manor in the Cascades, she takes it. What follows is a slow-burn gothic novel filled with creeping dread. It reminded me a good deal of Turn of the Screw, not because it closely followed the plot but because of the quiet dread that surrounds the manor and its grounds. This is a story about death and dying and how grief will often cause you to forget how to actually live.
The only reason that I didn't give it five stars was because personally, I'm not really a fan of the gothic trope (the damsel led to a secluded mansion under false pretenses, the sad lonely child/children who live there, the patriarch/matriarch who is keeping secrets, etc). But despite that, I still really enjoyed it and I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys gothic horror.
I received an ARC from the author. I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Noelle is a woman who has been around death, both in her past and her present. Her job is in a hospice where she sits quietly with the dying as they take their final breaths "because everyone deserves to have someone at their side when they go."
When she is offered a high paying job sitting with the dying patriarch of a secluded manor in the Cascades, she takes it. What follows is a slow-burn gothic novel filled with creeping dread. It reminded me a good deal of Turn of the Screw, not because it closely followed the plot but because of the quiet dread that surrounds the manor and its grounds. This is a story about death and dying and how grief will often cause you to forget how to actually live.
The only reason that I didn't give it five stars was because personally, I'm not really a fan of the gothic trope (the damsel led to a secluded mansion under false pretenses, the sad lonely child/children who live there, the patriarch/matriarch who is keeping secrets, etc). But despite that, I still really enjoyed it and I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys gothic horror.
I received an ARC from the author. I am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 16, 2025
Noelle is a hospice worker that is getting burned out. After a particularly rough night she decides to leave to care for the patriarch of the August family, who is in his final days. Soon after she arrives to August Manor, she realizes that all is not as it seems.
I know my words are not gonna do this book justice but here goes. This was a combination of haunted house, Gothic horror, and grief horror blended to absolute perfection. The Gothic elements help add to the dark and unsettling moments on almost every page. The other pages showcase the excellent writing skills as Noelle and others around her deal with their grief and emotions. I can't say enough about how excellent this book was. This is my first book by Blaine and absolutely won't be my last.
I know my words are not gonna do this book justice but here goes. This was a combination of haunted house, Gothic horror, and grief horror blended to absolute perfection. The Gothic elements help add to the dark and unsettling moments on almost every page. The other pages showcase the excellent writing skills as Noelle and others around her deal with their grief and emotions. I can't say enough about how excellent this book was. This is my first book by Blaine and absolutely won't be my last.
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