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Hesket: A Norfolk Haunting
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Expected 5 Mar 26'Hesket is a moving and accomplished debut which describes how we are shaped by our ecology and haunted by the changes we have wrought on it' Samuel Fisher, author of WIVENHOE
'Sara Bayat is a stunning new talent' Bridget Walsh, author of THE TUMBLING GIRL
Hesket is a quiet community of ordinary people, each of whom are contending with their own private trials of everyday life. But the quaint village they call home has a dark history, and the spectre of a centuries-old trauma still lingers there today.
When the threat of development targets the old woods on the edge of the village, unsettling things begin to occur, and the residents must contend with the past and confront their own demons.
Are these strange events simply the anxieties of a troubled community being brought to the fore, or is there something more uncanny at work?
A grieving parent refuses to believe that death is really the end.
A séance takes an unexpected turn.
And something monstrous is said to stalk the river...
In A Norfolk Haunting, debut novelist Sara Bayat weaves a tapestry of a small village community in which each character has their own story to tell. Merging an evocative depiction of the East Anglian countryside and the disquiet of everyday life, Bayat draws on the tradition of the English folk tale with eerie undertones reminiscent of Daisy Johnson, Francine Toon and Andrew Michael Hurley. Hesket is a tale of how loss and love can haunt and shape us.
'Sara Bayat is a stunning new talent' Bridget Walsh, author of THE TUMBLING GIRL
Hesket is a quiet community of ordinary people, each of whom are contending with their own private trials of everyday life. But the quaint village they call home has a dark history, and the spectre of a centuries-old trauma still lingers there today.
When the threat of development targets the old woods on the edge of the village, unsettling things begin to occur, and the residents must contend with the past and confront their own demons.
Are these strange events simply the anxieties of a troubled community being brought to the fore, or is there something more uncanny at work?
A grieving parent refuses to believe that death is really the end.
A séance takes an unexpected turn.
And something monstrous is said to stalk the river...
In A Norfolk Haunting, debut novelist Sara Bayat weaves a tapestry of a small village community in which each character has their own story to tell. Merging an evocative depiction of the East Anglian countryside and the disquiet of everyday life, Bayat draws on the tradition of the English folk tale with eerie undertones reminiscent of Daisy Johnson, Francine Toon and Andrew Michael Hurley. Hesket is a tale of how loss and love can haunt and shape us.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 5, 2026
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13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 24, 2025
Unsurprising that Hesket - a Norfolk Haunting, has been likened to Andrew Michael Hurley as it immediately reminded me of ‘Barrowbeck’ which I recently read, in that it takes a location and the local’s stories build the book around that location.
Spry Wood, an ancient woodland in the small village of Hesket, is threatened with being torn down to make way for redevelopment.
Understandably, the villagers are wholly against the idea. We meet several of the villagers to hear their stories - a grieving father, a kleptomaniac OAP, a Clairvoyant, a tree surgeon, a female vicar among them. Their stories intertwine and Sara Bayat does this skilfully and enchantingly.
Now I’m a huge fan of witchery stuff, folklore and folk-horror and I’m clearly not in a minority, considering the vast amount of recent books that take these themes as their central tenet. The problem is, the more books that are published, the harder it is to find anything truly original and unique.
Considering that the origin story is about a woman, wrongly accused and killed for Witchcraft, I did expect there to be more of a supernatural feel to the book.
There are nods to Hesket’s gruesome history and suggestions of oddness, but I was actually more than happy for that to be all. Too many plums in the pudding can too often spoil the dish.
This is a hugely impressive debut and Sara Bayat has a great talent for creating an immensely readable and enjoyable book.
Will certainly be looking out for her name in the future.
* Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
Spry Wood, an ancient woodland in the small village of Hesket, is threatened with being torn down to make way for redevelopment.
Understandably, the villagers are wholly against the idea. We meet several of the villagers to hear their stories - a grieving father, a kleptomaniac OAP, a Clairvoyant, a tree surgeon, a female vicar among them. Their stories intertwine and Sara Bayat does this skilfully and enchantingly.
Now I’m a huge fan of witchery stuff, folklore and folk-horror and I’m clearly not in a minority, considering the vast amount of recent books that take these themes as their central tenet. The problem is, the more books that are published, the harder it is to find anything truly original and unique.
Considering that the origin story is about a woman, wrongly accused and killed for Witchcraft, I did expect there to be more of a supernatural feel to the book.
There are nods to Hesket’s gruesome history and suggestions of oddness, but I was actually more than happy for that to be all. Too many plums in the pudding can too often spoil the dish.
This is a hugely impressive debut and Sara Bayat has a great talent for creating an immensely readable and enjoyable book.
Will certainly be looking out for her name in the future.
* Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
August 30, 2025
Hesket is a rural Norfolk village - secluded, quiet, nothing special but with its old woodlands, church and stone bridge over a winding river it has its own beauty and charm. There is a dark history to the place, with 9 women having been tried for Witchcraft there in the 1600s. Much to the modern residents' dismay, a new housing development is planned - meaning those ancient woodlands get torn down to make way for new roads and houses.
We experience the story through the eyes of eight people, some residents of Hesket and some connected in other ways. The author gives us a lovely glimpse into their lives and manages, in a short time, to make the reader care about all of the individuals involved. As a reader you can picture the village clearly and find yourself genuinely invested in its future.
I loved this book, the writing is beautiful and the storytelling is compelling and deeply human. More than anything, this is a book about grief and loss - whether that comes in the form of the death of a loved one, the loss of your way of life, a change in your fortune or a relationship - the characters are all connected, even if only tangentially, by it. This is represented so well by the author, with a great deal of empathy and reflection on how complex and conflicted the emotions around grief are.
The reason it isn't a 5 star review is expectation management. Billed as a 'haunting' with tales of witchcraft, death and a curse; I think a lot of readers will come to this expecting something more along the lines of a supernatural horror - which this isn't. It is however, a great read, one that I would very much recommend and that I will almost certainly come back to.
- Thanks to Net Galley for granting me the ARC in exchange for an honest review -
We experience the story through the eyes of eight people, some residents of Hesket and some connected in other ways. The author gives us a lovely glimpse into their lives and manages, in a short time, to make the reader care about all of the individuals involved. As a reader you can picture the village clearly and find yourself genuinely invested in its future.
I loved this book, the writing is beautiful and the storytelling is compelling and deeply human. More than anything, this is a book about grief and loss - whether that comes in the form of the death of a loved one, the loss of your way of life, a change in your fortune or a relationship - the characters are all connected, even if only tangentially, by it. This is represented so well by the author, with a great deal of empathy and reflection on how complex and conflicted the emotions around grief are.
The reason it isn't a 5 star review is expectation management. Billed as a 'haunting' with tales of witchcraft, death and a curse; I think a lot of readers will come to this expecting something more along the lines of a supernatural horror - which this isn't. It is however, a great read, one that I would very much recommend and that I will almost certainly come back to.
- Thanks to Net Galley for granting me the ARC in exchange for an honest review -
August 29, 2025
Writing Style
Bayat's writing style is a bit literary and observational, offering plenty of detail (though not an absurd amount) to keep you interested.
The pace is brisk, the story compelling, and each of the main characters we meet is interesting—although their stories do feel a little unfinished.
I found the book’s structure particularly interesting; it begins with a prologue, which I don't usually love, yet this one drew me instantly into the story. The rest of the book is arranged like a collection of short stories; each chapter is one of the main character's viewpoints, but they tend to interlock, sometimes concretely, and sometimes more tangentially. The book finishes with an epilogue, which, in my opinion, doesn't add anything to the plot. It does wrap up the story, although not in any concrete or satisfying way, which left me feeling a little frustrated.
Another thing I struggled with was that the chapters were longer than I usually prefer, which makes bedtime reading a challenge. I read until I feel sleepy, closing the book when a chapter ends. It can be irritating if you're exhausted and nowhere near the end of the chapter you're reading. However, that aside, I did look forward to bedtime so that I could read it.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I just felt it lacked a little in plot development. I was expecting a story about witches and spooky goings on—and while a few odd things do happen, they don't seem to coalesce into anything substantial.
All in all, I do think you’ll enjoy this book if you like folksy, haunted, literary fiction that pieces a community together, voice by voice. Just don’t expect much of a scare; it’s more eerie and creepy than anything else.
I’m giving this one a 5/10.
I received a free copy of the book via NetGalley in return for a review.
Bayat's writing style is a bit literary and observational, offering plenty of detail (though not an absurd amount) to keep you interested.
The pace is brisk, the story compelling, and each of the main characters we meet is interesting—although their stories do feel a little unfinished.
I found the book’s structure particularly interesting; it begins with a prologue, which I don't usually love, yet this one drew me instantly into the story. The rest of the book is arranged like a collection of short stories; each chapter is one of the main character's viewpoints, but they tend to interlock, sometimes concretely, and sometimes more tangentially. The book finishes with an epilogue, which, in my opinion, doesn't add anything to the plot. It does wrap up the story, although not in any concrete or satisfying way, which left me feeling a little frustrated.
Another thing I struggled with was that the chapters were longer than I usually prefer, which makes bedtime reading a challenge. I read until I feel sleepy, closing the book when a chapter ends. It can be irritating if you're exhausted and nowhere near the end of the chapter you're reading. However, that aside, I did look forward to bedtime so that I could read it.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I just felt it lacked a little in plot development. I was expecting a story about witches and spooky goings on—and while a few odd things do happen, they don't seem to coalesce into anything substantial.
All in all, I do think you’ll enjoy this book if you like folksy, haunted, literary fiction that pieces a community together, voice by voice. Just don’t expect much of a scare; it’s more eerie and creepy than anything else.
I’m giving this one a 5/10.
I received a free copy of the book via NetGalley in return for a review.
October 21, 2025
I liked this book a lot. I like how all the stories were so cleverly interwoven and the underlying theme of spooky witchcraft was intriguing!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Sara Bayat, Netgalley and Little Brown Company for a complimentary e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I've been anticipating reading this book for quite a while now - not only is it a folk horror which is a genre I adore completely, it's set in Norfolk which is a beautiful cosy place whose setting really lends itself to the narrative, and to top it all off... my cousin wrote this haha.
So, maybe I am a LITTLE biased here, but I've been on this journey with her, and I think as someone who reviews books constantly, I can still say with objectivity that I LOVED this book. Sara's writing is gorgeous, every sentence and word use meticulously chosen to create the write effect and atmosphere. The book is told in interweaving miniatures, following the lives of the inhabitants of the fictional village of Hesket during a series of events that have devastating conclusions. Horror and folklore weave through the story, but really like all great folk horrors, this is a story about the people who live and inhabit the place and their own personal hauntings. I read Daisy Johnson for the first time last year and I think if you like her books, then Hesket will definitely be for you also.
I thought this book managed to craft a range of varied and well written characters in its short run-time, and I loved how everything culminated together at the end. Character's stories who particularly stick in my mind are Nell, an old lady grieving the loss of her best friend, and Emir, whose childhood memories of growing saffron with his grandmother one summer, still haunt his everyday life even as an older man. Everyone's story is important in their own way however to the wider narrative, and I liked the little call backs and clues that revealed more truths of the other character's stories.
I can't wait to see what Sara has in store next, as I think this is a truly remarkable and well-crafted debut, that will stick with me longer after I have closed the pages of the book.
I've been anticipating reading this book for quite a while now - not only is it a folk horror which is a genre I adore completely, it's set in Norfolk which is a beautiful cosy place whose setting really lends itself to the narrative, and to top it all off... my cousin wrote this haha.
So, maybe I am a LITTLE biased here, but I've been on this journey with her, and I think as someone who reviews books constantly, I can still say with objectivity that I LOVED this book. Sara's writing is gorgeous, every sentence and word use meticulously chosen to create the write effect and atmosphere. The book is told in interweaving miniatures, following the lives of the inhabitants of the fictional village of Hesket during a series of events that have devastating conclusions. Horror and folklore weave through the story, but really like all great folk horrors, this is a story about the people who live and inhabit the place and their own personal hauntings. I read Daisy Johnson for the first time last year and I think if you like her books, then Hesket will definitely be for you also.
I thought this book managed to craft a range of varied and well written characters in its short run-time, and I loved how everything culminated together at the end. Character's stories who particularly stick in my mind are Nell, an old lady grieving the loss of her best friend, and Emir, whose childhood memories of growing saffron with his grandmother one summer, still haunt his everyday life even as an older man. Everyone's story is important in their own way however to the wider narrative, and I liked the little call backs and clues that revealed more truths of the other character's stories.
I can't wait to see what Sara has in store next, as I think this is a truly remarkable and well-crafted debut, that will stick with me longer after I have closed the pages of the book.
September 6, 2025
Set in a small village in Norfolk, this book introduces the reader to the village through it's history. We start centuries earlier when Women were being accused and murdered in the name of Witchcraft, an event that leaves a harrowing scar.
Fast forward and we are introduced to several different inhabitants of the village, each have their own chapter and all intertwine with the others in varying ways, whether a brief mention or an established relationship.
The writing is descriptive, but not overly so, the surrounding landscape of the village comes alive around the characters. I found it really easy to read, indeed I read it in one sitting, and the general book carries a tone of coldness which adds to the atmosphere.
Unfortunately I also found the book rather lacking in actual depth of story, I read Arthurs chapter and was shocked to glance at the corner of my kindle to find I was 94% finished, I was shocked because I was waiting for the book to ramp up. Yes there are chilling moments, but these were more snippets of interesting plots that never went anywhere, no ones story is returned to so there was no real conclusion to any of it.
I do feel that this is being marketed to the wrong audience, I don't think Haunting should be in the title, it felt misleading and basically left me feeling a bit disappointed when the book ended.
It's almost as if this is the prequel to a much bigger and deeper story, however I don't think that is the case.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this ARC.
Fast forward and we are introduced to several different inhabitants of the village, each have their own chapter and all intertwine with the others in varying ways, whether a brief mention or an established relationship.
The writing is descriptive, but not overly so, the surrounding landscape of the village comes alive around the characters. I found it really easy to read, indeed I read it in one sitting, and the general book carries a tone of coldness which adds to the atmosphere.
Unfortunately I also found the book rather lacking in actual depth of story, I read Arthurs chapter and was shocked to glance at the corner of my kindle to find I was 94% finished, I was shocked because I was waiting for the book to ramp up. Yes there are chilling moments, but these were more snippets of interesting plots that never went anywhere, no ones story is returned to so there was no real conclusion to any of it.
I do feel that this is being marketed to the wrong audience, I don't think Haunting should be in the title, it felt misleading and basically left me feeling a bit disappointed when the book ended.
It's almost as if this is the prequel to a much bigger and deeper story, however I don't think that is the case.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this ARC.
January 11, 2026
This is a series of interconnected stories involving the residents of a small village on the edge of a new and potentially haunted development project taking place in their woodlands. There’s a very human aspect to each of the stories and there’s a wide variety of unique individuals involved in the stories. Throughout all of them is a very tangible undercurrent of grief and mourning in all the many forms that it takes, but in terms of horror, the story almost flinches before it lands so any impact is left to the imagination only.
It’s very well-written, especially with it being a debut novel, with a solid style of writing.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
It’s very well-written, especially with it being a debut novel, with a solid style of writing.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
December 29, 2025
thank you to netgalley and little brown book for providing me with this arc of s. c. bayat’s hesket: a norfolk haunting
2.25 stars
i liked the premise of it, don’t get me wrong. but when i actually started reading it, i was just sat there confused…
2.25 stars
i liked the premise of it, don’t get me wrong. but when i actually started reading it, i was just sat there confused…
January 16, 2026
4.5 but rounded up to 5. Great characters and storytelling. Enjoyed the author's multilayered take on haunting - a place and people haunted by more than just strange goings-on (i.e, the past, their sins, etc). One I'll come back to again.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews