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Dark Is When the Devil Comes
Not yet published
Expected 28 Apr 26Unrelentingly scary and thrilling, Dark Is When the Devil Comes is an ambitious and chilling novel from acclaimed horror author Daisy Pearce.
The woods are known as the place to avoid. What goes in, doesn’t come out.
Hazel has been gone from her small hometown of Idless in the English countryside for years. Now returned in the wake of a traumatic divorce and crumbling personal life, her simple plans are to lay low at her parents’ vacated house, reconnect with her prickly sister Cathy, and slowly get back on her feet.
Cathy is surprised when Hazel doesn’t show. Their relationship strained from a fallout half a decade ago, she didn’t expect them to get back into a sisterly rhythm…though she hadn’t counted on Hazel bailing, either.
But something isn’t adding up. Other people in town whisper of a threat that can’t be shaken. The woods are known for being restless. And Cathy knows the old saying.
If you go looking for trouble, you just might find it.
The woods are known as the place to avoid. What goes in, doesn’t come out.
Hazel has been gone from her small hometown of Idless in the English countryside for years. Now returned in the wake of a traumatic divorce and crumbling personal life, her simple plans are to lay low at her parents’ vacated house, reconnect with her prickly sister Cathy, and slowly get back on her feet.
Cathy is surprised when Hazel doesn’t show. Their relationship strained from a fallout half a decade ago, she didn’t expect them to get back into a sisterly rhythm…though she hadn’t counted on Hazel bailing, either.
But something isn’t adding up. Other people in town whisper of a threat that can’t be shaken. The woods are known for being restless. And Cathy knows the old saying.
If you go looking for trouble, you just might find it.
12 pages, Audible Audio
Expected publication April 28, 2026
About the author
Daisy Pearce
7 books706 followersDaisy Pearce was born in Cornwall and grew up on a smallholding surrounded by hippies. She read Stephen King’s 'Cujo' and The Hamlyn Book of Horror far too young and has been fascinated with the macabre ever since.
She began writing short stories as a teenager and after spells living in London and Brighton Daisy had her first short story ‘The Black Prince’ published in One Eye Grey magazine. Another short story, ‘The Brook Witch’, was performed on stage at the Small Story Cabaret in Lewes in 2016. She has also written articles about mental health online. In 2015, The Silence won a bursary with The Literary Consultancy, and later that year Daisy also won the Chindi Authors Competition with her short story ‘Worm Food’. Her second novel was longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Award.
Daisy currently works in the library at the University of Sussex, where she shelves books and listens to podcasts on true crime and folklore.
She began writing short stories as a teenager and after spells living in London and Brighton Daisy had her first short story ‘The Black Prince’ published in One Eye Grey magazine. Another short story, ‘The Brook Witch’, was performed on stage at the Small Story Cabaret in Lewes in 2016. She has also written articles about mental health online. In 2015, The Silence won a bursary with The Literary Consultancy, and later that year Daisy also won the Chindi Authors Competition with her short story ‘Worm Food’. Her second novel was longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Award.
Daisy currently works in the library at the University of Sussex, where she shelves books and listens to podcasts on true crime and folklore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 513 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
— 2.5/5 stars
Okay, so I picked this book up thinking it would be another amazing read by Daisy Pierce because I loved the last one I read. Something in the Walls genuinely creeped me out so bad I was side-eyeing my own walls at night, and that’s saying something. So obviously, I went into this one with high expectations, fully believing it would hit the same way.
But sadly, and honestly a little heartbreakingly, it just didn’t.
The beginning was actually pretty promising. The premise was interesting, the setup had potential, and I could see where the story wanted to go. The writing itself? Still great. Daisy writes beautifully, no doubt about that. But somewhere along the way, the execution just fell flat for me. It had all the right ingredients, but it didn’t quite come together the way I hoped it would.
And I think the biggest issue for me was the narration. Because narration can truly make or break a book and in this case, it just didn’t work for me. I found myself constantly pausing, trying to piece together what was even happening. It felt confusing at times, almost disjointed, like I was missing something important or like the story wasn’t fully connecting.
There were moments where I genuinely sat there thinking, wait what is going on right now? And not in a thrilling, mysterious way but in a way that pulled me out of the story instead of pulling me in.
And that’s what made me the most sad, honestly. Because I wanted to love this book. I really did. I went in ready to adore it, ready to be obsessed again but I just couldn’t get past those issues. It felt incomplete somehow, like there was something missing that I just couldn’t quite put my finger on.
➳ ABOUT THE BOOK
Okay, so this story revolves around two sisters Hazel and Kathy. And honestly, the premise itself sounded so intriguing to me. Like, it had everything I usually love in a thriller, mystery, family dynamics, a hint of the supernatural. But sadly it just didn’t land the way I hoped it would.
So basically, Hazel is going through a really rough phase in her life. She’s dealing with a divorce, and not just any divorce she genuinely loved her husband, so it hits her hard. But alongside all of that, there’s something off about her. Hazel has this ability where she can see and feel a shadow around her. And that’s where the eerie element comes in.
Except it didn’t feel eerie. I don’t know how to explain it properly, but it didn’t feel like possession, it didn’t feel haunting, it didn’t even feel unsettling in the way it should have. Instead of being scared, I found myself thinking, okay when is this going somewhere? And that was honestly disappointing because this concept had so much potential.
Now, coming back to the sisters, Hazel and Kathy had a falling out in the past, so their relationship is already strained. When Hazel returns home after her divorce, it feels like maybe this is their chance to fix things, to reconcile. But before that can even properly happen, Hazel just disappears. Completely. Out of nowhere.
At first, Kathy tries to rationalize it. She thinks maybe Hazel is avoiding her, maybe it’s because of their past issues. But deep down, she knows something isn’t right. That gut feeling kicks in. And as she starts noticing strange things small, unsettling clues, she realizes that Hazel isn’t just avoiding her, she’s actually missing.
And that’s when the story really begins to unfold.
Kathy, being the only one who truly knows about Hazel’s connection to the“shadows,” starts piecing things together. But at the same time, there’s fear. Because what if Hazel isn’t just missing? What if something else has happened to her? Something darker?
The search becomes both emotional and terrifying for Kathy. She’s trying to find her sister, but she’s also scared of what she might find.
And in the end, yes, she does find Hazel. She saves her. That part wraps up in a way that should feel satisfying.
But here’s the thing, the journey to get there just didn’t feel complete.
The premise? Amazing. The concept? So, so interesting. The storyline had all the right elements. But the execution, that’s where it fell flat for me. It felt rushed in some places, dragged in others, and overall just a bit disconnected. Almost like pieces of the story were missing or not fully explored.
And by the end, instead of feeling fulfilled, I was just left thinking, that’s it?
➳ FINAL THOUGHTS
See, by no means would I call this a bad book, because it really isn’t. It had so much potential, and that’s honestly what makes it more disappointing. It had all the right elements, the kind that usually pull me in instantly, it just didn’t quite reach where it could’ve.
Like I said before, the execution is where things started slipping for me. And narration played a huge role in that. It just didn’t flow in a way that made me feel connected or grounded in the story. Instead, I found myself confused more often than intrigued, which is never a good sign, especially in a thriller.
And maybe that’s why this hit harder than it should have, because I really wanted to love it. I had such high hopes going in, especially after loving Something in the Walls so much. I thought, okay, another eerie, possession-based story? This is so my thing. I was genuinely excited.
But instead of being scared or hooked, I was just lost. Half the time, I didn’t even fully understand what was happening, and not in a mysterious, suspenseful way, but in a confusing, disconnecting way.
That being said, I also feel like maybe it was just me? I hadn’t picked up a thriller in a while as I was deep into fantasy before this, so maybe my reading rhythm was off. Maybe I just couldn’t get into the right headspace for it. That’s always a possibility.
But still, at the end of the day, the experience didn’t change much for me.
⚘ "Overall, it wasn’t bad, it was just disappointing. The kind of book you wanted to love but couldn’t, no matter how much you tried. And honestly? That’s the worst kind of heartbreak for a reader." 💌
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 23 march , 2026
had enough of fantasy, so here we go, back to my roots 🤧🤌🏻
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so I picked this book up thinking it would be another amazing read by Daisy Pierce because I loved the last one I read. Something in the Walls genuinely creeped me out so bad I was side-eyeing my own walls at night, and that’s saying something. So obviously, I went into this one with high expectations, fully believing it would hit the same way.
But sadly, and honestly a little heartbreakingly, it just didn’t.
The beginning was actually pretty promising. The premise was interesting, the setup had potential, and I could see where the story wanted to go. The writing itself? Still great. Daisy writes beautifully, no doubt about that. But somewhere along the way, the execution just fell flat for me. It had all the right ingredients, but it didn’t quite come together the way I hoped it would.
And I think the biggest issue for me was the narration. Because narration can truly make or break a book and in this case, it just didn’t work for me. I found myself constantly pausing, trying to piece together what was even happening. It felt confusing at times, almost disjointed, like I was missing something important or like the story wasn’t fully connecting.
There were moments where I genuinely sat there thinking, wait what is going on right now? And not in a thrilling, mysterious way but in a way that pulled me out of the story instead of pulling me in.
And that’s what made me the most sad, honestly. Because I wanted to love this book. I really did. I went in ready to adore it, ready to be obsessed again but I just couldn’t get past those issues. It felt incomplete somehow, like there was something missing that I just couldn’t quite put my finger on.
➳ ABOUT THE BOOK
Okay, so this story revolves around two sisters Hazel and Kathy. And honestly, the premise itself sounded so intriguing to me. Like, it had everything I usually love in a thriller, mystery, family dynamics, a hint of the supernatural. But sadly it just didn’t land the way I hoped it would.
So basically, Hazel is going through a really rough phase in her life. She’s dealing with a divorce, and not just any divorce she genuinely loved her husband, so it hits her hard. But alongside all of that, there’s something off about her. Hazel has this ability where she can see and feel a shadow around her. And that’s where the eerie element comes in.
Except it didn’t feel eerie. I don’t know how to explain it properly, but it didn’t feel like possession, it didn’t feel haunting, it didn’t even feel unsettling in the way it should have. Instead of being scared, I found myself thinking, okay when is this going somewhere? And that was honestly disappointing because this concept had so much potential.
Now, coming back to the sisters, Hazel and Kathy had a falling out in the past, so their relationship is already strained. When Hazel returns home after her divorce, it feels like maybe this is their chance to fix things, to reconcile. But before that can even properly happen, Hazel just disappears. Completely. Out of nowhere.
At first, Kathy tries to rationalize it. She thinks maybe Hazel is avoiding her, maybe it’s because of their past issues. But deep down, she knows something isn’t right. That gut feeling kicks in. And as she starts noticing strange things small, unsettling clues, she realizes that Hazel isn’t just avoiding her, she’s actually missing.
And that’s when the story really begins to unfold.
Kathy, being the only one who truly knows about Hazel’s connection to the“shadows,” starts piecing things together. But at the same time, there’s fear. Because what if Hazel isn’t just missing? What if something else has happened to her? Something darker?
The search becomes both emotional and terrifying for Kathy. She’s trying to find her sister, but she’s also scared of what she might find.
And in the end, yes, she does find Hazel. She saves her. That part wraps up in a way that should feel satisfying.
But here’s the thing, the journey to get there just didn’t feel complete.
The premise? Amazing. The concept? So, so interesting. The storyline had all the right elements. But the execution, that’s where it fell flat for me. It felt rushed in some places, dragged in others, and overall just a bit disconnected. Almost like pieces of the story were missing or not fully explored.
And by the end, instead of feeling fulfilled, I was just left thinking, that’s it?
➳ FINAL THOUGHTS
See, by no means would I call this a bad book, because it really isn’t. It had so much potential, and that’s honestly what makes it more disappointing. It had all the right elements, the kind that usually pull me in instantly, it just didn’t quite reach where it could’ve.
Like I said before, the execution is where things started slipping for me. And narration played a huge role in that. It just didn’t flow in a way that made me feel connected or grounded in the story. Instead, I found myself confused more often than intrigued, which is never a good sign, especially in a thriller.
And maybe that’s why this hit harder than it should have, because I really wanted to love it. I had such high hopes going in, especially after loving Something in the Walls so much. I thought, okay, another eerie, possession-based story? This is so my thing. I was genuinely excited.
But instead of being scared or hooked, I was just lost. Half the time, I didn’t even fully understand what was happening, and not in a mysterious, suspenseful way, but in a confusing, disconnecting way.
That being said, I also feel like maybe it was just me? I hadn’t picked up a thriller in a while as I was deep into fantasy before this, so maybe my reading rhythm was off. Maybe I just couldn’t get into the right headspace for it. That’s always a possibility.
But still, at the end of the day, the experience didn’t change much for me.
⚘ "Overall, it wasn’t bad, it was just disappointing. The kind of book you wanted to love but couldn’t, no matter how much you tried. And honestly? That’s the worst kind of heartbreak for a reader." 💌
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 23 march , 2026
had enough of fantasy, so here we go, back to my roots 🤧🤌🏻
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 2, 2026
There are some books that don't just creep you out—they crawl under your skin and settle there, humming with tension long after you've closed the last page. That's exactly what happened to me with Dark Is When the Devil Comes. Daisy Pearce doesn't just write horror; she builds an entire emotional and eerie landscape you feel stuck inside, the way you feel stuck in a bad dream you can't shake.
Hazel returns to Idless hoping for a quiet reset after her divorce—maybe a little solitude, maybe a fragile attempt to reconnect with her sister Cathy. But from the moment she steps back into her childhood town, you can sense something is off. Everyone seems to carry invisible weight. The woods seem too silent, too watchful. There's this subtle, prickling feeling that the whole town is holding its breath.
What I loved most is how Pearce roots all that creeping dread in something so relatable: coming home when you're bruised and uncertain, standing in the ruins of your old life, hoping your family will still know how to hold you. Hazel's emotional unraveling makes the supernatural elements feel even more haunting—it's like every fear she never dealt with starts pressing against her from the outside.
And Cathy's side of the story? I felt for her. Their sisterhood is tender and messy and imperfect, and it adds such a deeply human heartbeat to the book. When Hazel disappears, Cathy's frantic search becomes more than a mystery—it's an attempt to salvage years of distance and regret. You can feel how desperately she wants another chance.
The horror itself is atmospheric and eerie in the best ways. Nothing jumps. Nothing screams. Instead, the fear builds like fog—slow and smothering, until you realize you've been clenching your jaw for the last ten pages. Pearce mixes human danger with something older, stranger, and rooted in the very soil of Idless. The woods feel alive, hungry even, and every time a character walks near them, it's like the trees lean in a little closer.
I also loved how Pearce makes you question what's real and what's rooted in pain, trauma, memory, or something darker. It never feels cheap—it feels like the kind of horror that grows out of the things we've buried for too long.
The pacing keeps you hooked, the tension hits right in the chest, and the emotional stakes make the scares land even harder. By the time I finished, I felt like I'd been holding my breath right alongside Hazel and Cathy.
If you enjoy horror that feels intimate, unsettling, and tinged with folklore… if you love stories where sisters have to fight not just monsters but their own ghosts… this one is absolutely worth reading.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for sharing this gripping thriller's digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Hazel returns to Idless hoping for a quiet reset after her divorce—maybe a little solitude, maybe a fragile attempt to reconnect with her sister Cathy. But from the moment she steps back into her childhood town, you can sense something is off. Everyone seems to carry invisible weight. The woods seem too silent, too watchful. There's this subtle, prickling feeling that the whole town is holding its breath.
What I loved most is how Pearce roots all that creeping dread in something so relatable: coming home when you're bruised and uncertain, standing in the ruins of your old life, hoping your family will still know how to hold you. Hazel's emotional unraveling makes the supernatural elements feel even more haunting—it's like every fear she never dealt with starts pressing against her from the outside.
And Cathy's side of the story? I felt for her. Their sisterhood is tender and messy and imperfect, and it adds such a deeply human heartbeat to the book. When Hazel disappears, Cathy's frantic search becomes more than a mystery—it's an attempt to salvage years of distance and regret. You can feel how desperately she wants another chance.
The horror itself is atmospheric and eerie in the best ways. Nothing jumps. Nothing screams. Instead, the fear builds like fog—slow and smothering, until you realize you've been clenching your jaw for the last ten pages. Pearce mixes human danger with something older, stranger, and rooted in the very soil of Idless. The woods feel alive, hungry even, and every time a character walks near them, it's like the trees lean in a little closer.
I also loved how Pearce makes you question what's real and what's rooted in pain, trauma, memory, or something darker. It never feels cheap—it feels like the kind of horror that grows out of the things we've buried for too long.
The pacing keeps you hooked, the tension hits right in the chest, and the emotional stakes make the scares land even harder. By the time I finished, I felt like I'd been holding my breath right alongside Hazel and Cathy.
If you enjoy horror that feels intimate, unsettling, and tinged with folklore… if you love stories where sisters have to fight not just monsters but their own ghosts… this one is absolutely worth reading.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for sharing this gripping thriller's digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
twitter<
December 29, 2025
Darkly horrific, eerily atmospheric, & utterly gripping!
From the very first pages of Dark Is When The Devil Comes Home by Daisy Pearce, I was hooked. This is a twisty, chilling horror story that drags you in and refuses to let go. I immediately loved the way Pearce sets the tone. Dark, tense, and beautifully unsettling, the characters feel so vivid and real that I was invested in their fates from the start.
Key Thoughts
📖 The pacing is relentless in the best way, every chapter ratchets up tension and kept me turning pages far later than I should have.
👀 Hazel and Cathy’s strained, tentative sisterly dynamic added so much depth and relatability to the story. I cared about both of them in very different ways.
💭 The psychological unease, creeping dread, and sense of being constantly watched made me feel like I was right there in the woods, questioning every shadow.
🏡 The English countryside setting and the restless woods were perfectly atmospheric, dark, and foreboding. Nothing good ever happens in those woods.
🧩 The villain was genuinely creepy, and while some motives felt a little murky, the suspense, secrets, and twists more than made up for it. Pearce’s ability to keep reality slippery and tense had me guessing until the very end.
Thank you to the publisher for my physical ARC copy and to NetGalley for my digital ARC.
Pearce has done it again. This book thrills from start to finish, overflowing with atmosphere, tension, and dark, unnerving energy. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.
Expected publication date: April 28, 2026
This was a wonderful witches words buddy read with Debra, Brenda ~ The Sisters~Book Witch and Mary Beth. Please check out their reviews.
Ooooh! Bookmail time! 📚✨BOOKMAIL EXCITEMENT!✨📚
My copy of Dark Is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce has arrived and I am buzzing! Something in the Walls earned a full five stars from me and was one of my favourite reads of 2025, so my expectations are sky high.
Just holding this book has me tingling with anticipation. I cannot wait to dive in and see what twists and chills Daisy Pearce has in store this time.
Thank you so much to Daisy Pearce and Minotaur Books for this copy!
#bookmail #darkiswhenthedevilcomes
From the very first pages of Dark Is When The Devil Comes Home by Daisy Pearce, I was hooked. This is a twisty, chilling horror story that drags you in and refuses to let go. I immediately loved the way Pearce sets the tone. Dark, tense, and beautifully unsettling, the characters feel so vivid and real that I was invested in their fates from the start.
Key Thoughts
📖 The pacing is relentless in the best way, every chapter ratchets up tension and kept me turning pages far later than I should have.
👀 Hazel and Cathy’s strained, tentative sisterly dynamic added so much depth and relatability to the story. I cared about both of them in very different ways.
💭 The psychological unease, creeping dread, and sense of being constantly watched made me feel like I was right there in the woods, questioning every shadow.
🏡 The English countryside setting and the restless woods were perfectly atmospheric, dark, and foreboding. Nothing good ever happens in those woods.
🧩 The villain was genuinely creepy, and while some motives felt a little murky, the suspense, secrets, and twists more than made up for it. Pearce’s ability to keep reality slippery and tense had me guessing until the very end.
Thank you to the publisher for my physical ARC copy and to NetGalley for my digital ARC.
Pearce has done it again. This book thrills from start to finish, overflowing with atmosphere, tension, and dark, unnerving energy. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.
Expected publication date: April 28, 2026
This was a wonderful witches words buddy read with Debra, Brenda ~ The Sisters~Book Witch and Mary Beth. Please check out their reviews.
Ooooh! Bookmail time! 📚✨BOOKMAIL EXCITEMENT!✨📚
My copy of Dark Is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce has arrived and I am buzzing! Something in the Walls earned a full five stars from me and was one of my favourite reads of 2025, so my expectations are sky high.
Just holding this book has me tingling with anticipation. I cannot wait to dive in and see what twists and chills Daisy Pearce has in store this time.
Thank you so much to Daisy Pearce and Minotaur Books for this copy!
#bookmail #darkiswhenthedevilcomes
December 23, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Malignant meets Kiss the Girls, and in all the good ways.
This book romped. It dives right in, pulls you along with its current, and doesn’t relent until its waves have rattled your brain like a sentient tumor. IYKYK
I loved its pace (please authors, give us more short chapters), its characters were vivid, cunning (maybe not you Cathy), and realistic. The villain was creepy, but my only complaint is that his motives were a bit muddled. Otherwise, this book slams from start to finish.
Malignant meets Kiss the Girls, and in all the good ways.
This book romped. It dives right in, pulls you along with its current, and doesn’t relent until its waves have rattled your brain like a sentient tumor. IYKYK
I loved its pace (please authors, give us more short chapters), its characters were vivid, cunning (maybe not you Cathy), and realistic. The villain was creepy, but my only complaint is that his motives were a bit muddled. Otherwise, this book slams from start to finish.
January 21, 2026
Oh, this was good! I found this to be a good atmospheric blend of horror and thriller.
In the midst of a divorce, Hazel heads back to her childhood home in the English countryside. While there she decides it’s a good time to try and reconcile with her estranged sister, Cathy. However, when she doesn’t show up to meet her, Cathy is afraid something might’ve happened to Hazel.
This book blends a tense mystery with elements of supernatural horror. To go any further, I think would spoil the book. I went into this one a little bit blind, and wasn’t sure what to expect. What I got was a book that I was unable to put down and read in 24 hours. My only quibble would have been in regard to the motivations of one of the characters. While this character was detrimental to the novel, I felt the reasoning behind their motives wasn’t fully developed. Other than that, this was a solid read that had me flipping those pages. This is now my second novel by this author, and I will certainly be checking out any of their backlist novels along with any future books.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
In the midst of a divorce, Hazel heads back to her childhood home in the English countryside. While there she decides it’s a good time to try and reconcile with her estranged sister, Cathy. However, when she doesn’t show up to meet her, Cathy is afraid something might’ve happened to Hazel.
This book blends a tense mystery with elements of supernatural horror. To go any further, I think would spoil the book. I went into this one a little bit blind, and wasn’t sure what to expect. What I got was a book that I was unable to put down and read in 24 hours. My only quibble would have been in regard to the motivations of one of the characters. While this character was detrimental to the novel, I felt the reasoning behind their motives wasn’t fully developed. Other than that, this was a solid read that had me flipping those pages. This is now my second novel by this author, and I will certainly be checking out any of their backlist novels along with any future books.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 1, 2025
Boy, let me tell you that this book hooked me! Pearce’s writing was so damn good too!
Hazel hasn’t returned home in years. While going through a traumatic divorce, she decides it’s time. She plans on staying at her parent’s house and meeting up with her estranged sister, Cathy.
Cathy suspects something is wrong since Hazel doesn’t show up. Where could she be? Why would she just bail?
This one deserves all the hype! I was so glued to this story! The fear and dread lay thick with this one. The supernatural elements were fascinating too! I absolutely loved it!
Add this to your TBR! You won’t regret it!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub date 4/2026
Hazel hasn’t returned home in years. While going through a traumatic divorce, she decides it’s time. She plans on staying at her parent’s house and meeting up with her estranged sister, Cathy.
Cathy suspects something is wrong since Hazel doesn’t show up. Where could she be? Why would she just bail?
This one deserves all the hype! I was so glued to this story! The fear and dread lay thick with this one. The supernatural elements were fascinating too! I absolutely loved it!
Add this to your TBR! You won’t regret it!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub date 4/2026
December 26, 2025
This was so creepy and unsettling, I loved it! Dont go into the woods and night…and definitely dont accept any offers a strange man gives you 😆 I loved the desperation of the FMC and how it spiralled into a series of bad choices, the setting of the book was definitely eery and attention grabbing. I love this author and will continue to read her books!
December 11, 2025
From the start this book punched me in the face and dragged me kicking and screaming into the woods. It is atmospherically chilling; an eerie vibe shrouds everything in this small English town. The stories and tragedies made me shiver as I snuggled deeper into the couch. Being thankful that my town is nothing like Kawdarn. It is told through multiple points of view. Which I absolutely loved. Made you see all the different sides of the story. The characters have known each other forever, because you know small towns. Knowing all the gossip even if they may not have laid eyes on each other for years. This book made a nest in my brain, and I could not stop thinking about it. It was glued to my hand until the final sentence was devoured.
Hazel is cat sitting for her parents as they leave on their cruise. She is a mess, her husband has just sent her the divorce papers to sign, and she misses her life with him. The one thing Hazel is excited about is going foraging for mushrooms. There is a forest that is perfect for finding all the different fungi she has been searching for. Hazel and her sister Cathy have been estranged for five years. Hazel has finally taken the step to meet up. She is anxious, yet excited to see her and her two nephews. On the way into the woods a man that is giving off all kinds of weird vibes asks her if she wants a ride and of course she climbs in and disappears.
Since the book is told through Hazel, Cathy, and their friend Susie you know what happens to her. That the creepy man has taken her to a farm in the middle of the woods. Who is he and why has he taken her? There is so much to this story, and I do not want to ruin one second for you. If you want a book that keeps you at the edge of your seat, while chills run down your spine, and make you question going into your own basement. This is the book for you. Thank you to Daisy Pearce and Minotaur Books for my gifted copy.
Hazel is cat sitting for her parents as they leave on their cruise. She is a mess, her husband has just sent her the divorce papers to sign, and she misses her life with him. The one thing Hazel is excited about is going foraging for mushrooms. There is a forest that is perfect for finding all the different fungi she has been searching for. Hazel and her sister Cathy have been estranged for five years. Hazel has finally taken the step to meet up. She is anxious, yet excited to see her and her two nephews. On the way into the woods a man that is giving off all kinds of weird vibes asks her if she wants a ride and of course she climbs in and disappears.
Since the book is told through Hazel, Cathy, and their friend Susie you know what happens to her. That the creepy man has taken her to a farm in the middle of the woods. Who is he and why has he taken her? There is so much to this story, and I do not want to ruin one second for you. If you want a book that keeps you at the edge of your seat, while chills run down your spine, and make you question going into your own basement. This is the book for you. Thank you to Daisy Pearce and Minotaur Books for my gifted copy.
February 6, 2026
I walked away from Dark Is When the Devil Comes with a lot of different feelings I’m still trying to sort through.
The novel follows Hazel—newly single, emotionally unmoored, and retreating to her quiet English hometown in hopes of piecing herself back together. Instead, she stumbles into something far darker lurking in the woods, and the story veers into territory I wasn’t expecting.
And that’s where my conflict lies. The premise promises one kind of book, the narrative delivers another, and the two never quite fuse into a satisfying whole. I genuinely liked both versions of the story—the introspective, character-driven beginning and the eerie, unsettling finale—but the middle section felt unfocused, as if the book was juggling too many ideas at once without letting any of them fully land. The first part hooked me, the last 15% -20% pulled me back in, but everything between felt like it lost its way.
Still, there’s an undeniable creepiness threaded throughout, and if you’re someone who reads for atmosphere and unease, there’s plenty here to enjoy.
Thank you to St. Martins Press for the gifted arc. The thoughts and opinions expressed in my review are my own.
The novel follows Hazel—newly single, emotionally unmoored, and retreating to her quiet English hometown in hopes of piecing herself back together. Instead, she stumbles into something far darker lurking in the woods, and the story veers into territory I wasn’t expecting.
And that’s where my conflict lies. The premise promises one kind of book, the narrative delivers another, and the two never quite fuse into a satisfying whole. I genuinely liked both versions of the story—the introspective, character-driven beginning and the eerie, unsettling finale—but the middle section felt unfocused, as if the book was juggling too many ideas at once without letting any of them fully land. The first part hooked me, the last 15% -20% pulled me back in, but everything between felt like it lost its way.
Still, there’s an undeniable creepiness threaded throughout, and if you’re someone who reads for atmosphere and unease, there’s plenty here to enjoy.
Thank you to St. Martins Press for the gifted arc. The thoughts and opinions expressed in my review are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Creepy, disorienting, and perfect for gloomy days. Dark Is When the Devil Comes had me questioning what was real at times, and that unease is exactly what makes it work. A must for fans of dark supernatural stories.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this arc
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this arc
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a tough one to talk about without getting spoilery, and I would never want to do that because the whole time I was like "What the f is happening?", and that was a huge part of my enjoyment of it! It sucks you in immediately and does not let go. Yes, it is a thriller about exactly what the blurb says.... a woman goes back to her hometown, disappears, and her estranged sister searches for her. But it is FAR DARKER than that alone. This book is truly creepy and leaves you pondering the darkness of humanity. There is a supernatural element as well, this sort of folklore in the woods, and you know I love those vibes. It's like this slow, seeping, atmospheric horror building like a fog and all of a sudden you realize you feel this thickness around you. I don't know how else to describe it. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience, definitely would recommend it!
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC! Releases 4/28/26.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC! Releases 4/28/26.
March 22, 2026
This story creeps under your skin and builds tension beautifully much like the mushrooms woven throughout it. I was hooked from the start, the atmosphere is deeply unsettling, with strong pacing and engaging characters.
Hazel returns to her eerie hometown after a traumatic divorce, hoping to rebuild her life but she vanishes before reconnecting with her sister. As whispers spread about the woods where nothing escapes, Cathy begins to suspect something far more sinister is at play, tied to a threat the town can’t forget.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review
Publication Date: Apr 28, 2026
Hazel returns to her eerie hometown after a traumatic divorce, hoping to rebuild her life but she vanishes before reconnecting with her sister. As whispers spread about the woods where nothing escapes, Cathy begins to suspect something far more sinister is at play, tied to a threat the town can’t forget.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review
Publication Date: Apr 28, 2026
March 19, 2026
This was SO GOOD.. the whole time you’re left wondering if its paranormal or psychological.. thats just the best kind of horror. It leaves you confused, creeped out and wanting to never again in your LIFE see a mushroom😅
April 2, 2026
She did it again! This is the second Daisy Pierce book I've read and I loved it. This book will give you the creeps. This story has everything from that kind of weird guy, invisible other sisters, to locked up girls and serial killers, houses in the woods. .. just everything. I love horror like this, it's creepy but smart. I flew through this one and I know you will too.
January 7, 2026
Dark and atmospheric and haunting, this book is the perfect marriage of a thriller and horror. Scary and creepy and impossible to put down!!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a creepy story about Hazel, who has recently moved back home after her husband filed for divorce. She has a rocky relationship with her sister, Cathy. She has also experienced some mental health issues and spent time in a facility.
Hazel and Cathy make plans to meet up that weekend in an effort to try to mend their relationship. The day before they meet up, Hazel decides to go foraging and is on a quest to find a specific mushroom.
When Hazel doesn't show up to meet Cathy, at first she thinks that Hazel has decided to stand her up. But things start happening and Cathy knows that something bad has happened.
This book is very atmospheric. While I was thinking it was going to be more of a thriller, it had a lot of paranormal aspects to it as well. I felt like it dragged some in the middle but definitely picked up towards the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Hazel and Cathy make plans to meet up that weekend in an effort to try to mend their relationship. The day before they meet up, Hazel decides to go foraging and is on a quest to find a specific mushroom.
When Hazel doesn't show up to meet Cathy, at first she thinks that Hazel has decided to stand her up. But things start happening and Cathy knows that something bad has happened.
This book is very atmospheric. While I was thinking it was going to be more of a thriller, it had a lot of paranormal aspects to it as well. I felt like it dragged some in the middle but definitely picked up towards the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2025
4.5🌟
Snagged this on NetGalley for a ReadNow for 72 hours. It was definitely an intense, chilling, horror like novel. Hazel has gone back home to the parents after getting a divorce. She decides to go out searching for mushrooms one day and meets a man who later saves her while she is walking when a storm begins to hit. Now this is where the madness starts! But there's also a bit of madness that doesn't involve the man at all, but that of the terratoma scar Hazel has. Susie and Cathy, Hazel's friend and sister are a great pairing and her nephew Danny is a smart kid without realizing it. Hazel almost becomes a mother to Bunny and there's chaos that happens and death is quite a central theme. Ending was good, pacing was great, and I was definitely cringing and breathing hard from some scenes. Would recommend for a good thriller with slight horror vibes.
Snagged this on NetGalley for a ReadNow for 72 hours. It was definitely an intense, chilling, horror like novel. Hazel has gone back home to the parents after getting a divorce. She decides to go out searching for mushrooms one day and meets a man who later saves her while she is walking when a storm begins to hit. Now this is where the madness starts! But there's also a bit of madness that doesn't involve the man at all, but that of the terratoma scar Hazel has. Susie and Cathy, Hazel's friend and sister are a great pairing and her nephew Danny is a smart kid without realizing it. Hazel almost becomes a mother to Bunny and there's chaos that happens and death is quite a central theme. Ending was good, pacing was great, and I was definitely cringing and breathing hard from some scenes. Would recommend for a good thriller with slight horror vibes.
March 19, 2026
Dark Is When the Devil Comes
(audio) 4.5⭐️
What starts as a typical woman-held-captive-in-a-basement storyline, turns into a creepy horror spiral. I loved that it wasn’t a “crazy” woman troupe. The “other sister” was real to everyone close to Hazel. She gave me Samara from The Ring vibes. The characters were so well written and the narrator did a great job.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio
for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date Apr 28 2026
(audio) 4.5⭐️
What starts as a typical woman-held-captive-in-a-basement storyline, turns into a creepy horror spiral. I loved that it wasn’t a “crazy” woman troupe. The “other sister” was real to everyone close to Hazel. She gave me Samara from The Ring vibes. The characters were so well written and the narrator did a great job.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio
for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date Apr 28 2026
March 28, 2026
What an awesome thriller, i could not stop turning the page! It was super suspenseful and a bit eerie. I liked the different aspects going on of the problems both andrew and hazel. I was a bit confused about hazels story. I do wish it was a little more in depth about if it was just her mental health problems, or if it was truly a paranormal experience. Either way, this was super good and would definitely recommend for a fast paced thriller!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for a copy of this eARC.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for a copy of this eARC.
March 10, 2026
I went into this expecting more of a thriller, but what I got instead was a slow-burn atmosphere piece packed with deeply unsettling vibes. For me personally, it didn’t quite suit my fancy because it wasn’t the genre mashup I thought it would be based on the description.
That said, it is undeniably well written. The author does an excellent job creating a dark, unnerving atmosphere that pulls the reader completely into the story. The tension lingers in that uncomfortable way that good horror does—quiet, creeping, and just a little bit off. I knew going in that this was horror, and it absolutely delivers on that front; I simply expected a bit more thriller energy woven into the mix.
The real standout here, though, is the narration by Catrin Walker-Booth. She was outstanding. Her lovely British accent pulls you right into the story, and her delivery completely understands the assignment. She does narrate at a slower pace, but in this case the prose truly demands it. While you can comfortably bump the speed to 1.25x and still maintain the atmosphere, anything faster starts to erode the tension and mood the story works so hard to build.
It had actually been a while since I’d read a true suspense-driven horror novel, and this one definitely checks that box. The entire time I listened I had that tight, uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, constantly waiting for something to happen. From a literary perspective it was really interesting, and Walker-Booth’s performance played a huge role in bringing that experience to life.
So while I personally went in looking for a thriller with creepy vibes and got something a bit different, it’s still a solid read that I would absolutely recommend to my suspense and horror loving friends.
I am thankful to have received a complimentary ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
That said, it is undeniably well written. The author does an excellent job creating a dark, unnerving atmosphere that pulls the reader completely into the story. The tension lingers in that uncomfortable way that good horror does—quiet, creeping, and just a little bit off. I knew going in that this was horror, and it absolutely delivers on that front; I simply expected a bit more thriller energy woven into the mix.
The real standout here, though, is the narration by Catrin Walker-Booth. She was outstanding. Her lovely British accent pulls you right into the story, and her delivery completely understands the assignment. She does narrate at a slower pace, but in this case the prose truly demands it. While you can comfortably bump the speed to 1.25x and still maintain the atmosphere, anything faster starts to erode the tension and mood the story works so hard to build.
It had actually been a while since I’d read a true suspense-driven horror novel, and this one definitely checks that box. The entire time I listened I had that tight, uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, constantly waiting for something to happen. From a literary perspective it was really interesting, and Walker-Booth’s performance played a huge role in bringing that experience to life.
So while I personally went in looking for a thriller with creepy vibes and got something a bit different, it’s still a solid read that I would absolutely recommend to my suspense and horror loving friends.
I am thankful to have received a complimentary ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m a bit conflicted with this book and what rating I should give.
It started off really strong. The setup was interesting, one sister returning home after a divorce, trying to reconnect, things feeling a bit off from the beginning… and then when she doesn’t show up, I was fully in.
From that point, it felt like the story was about to get really good.
But somewhere along the way, it kind of lost me.
There are a lot of elements mixed into the story, mystery, trauma, paranormal aspects and instead of coming together smoothly, it started to feel a bit hmm...crowded?!? and a bit all over the place. I found myself losing focus at times, and instead of being pulled deeper into the story, I was kind of just… there.
The atmosphere was definitely there and I might see what the author was going for, but unfortunately it didn’t fully click for me.
I also felt like the pacing slowed down quite a bit in places, which didn’t help, and some parts felt a bit repetitive.
The narrator did a really good job and honestly made the experience more engaging.
Overall, not a bad book, just not the right one for me.
⭐ 3 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.
It started off really strong. The setup was interesting, one sister returning home after a divorce, trying to reconnect, things feeling a bit off from the beginning… and then when she doesn’t show up, I was fully in.
From that point, it felt like the story was about to get really good.
But somewhere along the way, it kind of lost me.
There are a lot of elements mixed into the story, mystery, trauma, paranormal aspects and instead of coming together smoothly, it started to feel a bit hmm...crowded?!? and a bit all over the place. I found myself losing focus at times, and instead of being pulled deeper into the story, I was kind of just… there.
The atmosphere was definitely there and I might see what the author was going for, but unfortunately it didn’t fully click for me.
I also felt like the pacing slowed down quite a bit in places, which didn’t help, and some parts felt a bit repetitive.
The narrator did a really good job and honestly made the experience more engaging.
Overall, not a bad book, just not the right one for me.
⭐ 3 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.
March 7, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC.
The Dark Is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce is a scary, emotional, and at times horrific read that keeps you hooked from chapter to chapter. The story follows sisters Hazel and Cathy as they grapple with restoring their relationship and the aftermath of a terrifying kidnapping. When Hazel is taken, Cathy becomes determined to find her, leading to a tense and emotionally charged journey.
Each chapter leaves you wanting to read more, as the suspense builds as Cathy tries to find Hazel. The book tackles heavy topics such as family trauma, mental health struggles, and abuse, which can make some scenes difficult to read. However, Pearce does an excellent job of immersing the reader in the story, making you feel as though you are right there with the characters experiencing every moment.
While some parts are disturbing, the powerful storytelling and emotional depth make this a compelling and memorable thriller. Overall, this was a gripping read that will stay with you long after you finish the final page.
The Dark Is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce is a scary, emotional, and at times horrific read that keeps you hooked from chapter to chapter. The story follows sisters Hazel and Cathy as they grapple with restoring their relationship and the aftermath of a terrifying kidnapping. When Hazel is taken, Cathy becomes determined to find her, leading to a tense and emotionally charged journey.
Each chapter leaves you wanting to read more, as the suspense builds as Cathy tries to find Hazel. The book tackles heavy topics such as family trauma, mental health struggles, and abuse, which can make some scenes difficult to read. However, Pearce does an excellent job of immersing the reader in the story, making you feel as though you are right there with the characters experiencing every moment.
While some parts are disturbing, the powerful storytelling and emotional depth make this a compelling and memorable thriller. Overall, this was a gripping read that will stay with you long after you finish the final page.
January 20, 2026
⛓️ARC REVIEW⛓️
PUB DATE: 4/28/2026
“You are not alone. You never were.“
“Monsters wear the face of conviviality, keeping their sharp teeth hidden until it is too late.“
“A mother is the hole you spend your life crawling out of.“
This was relentlessly creepy in a slow, skin-crawling way. I felt uncomfortable and I could not look away. This story lives in that delicious space between horror and madness, and it does it so well. I will absolutely be diving into more works from this author! Highly recommend for readers who like their reads dark, tense, and deeply unsettling.
4.5⭐️
Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress @minotaur_books
PUB DATE: 4/28/2026
“You are not alone. You never were.“
“Monsters wear the face of conviviality, keeping their sharp teeth hidden until it is too late.“
“A mother is the hole you spend your life crawling out of.“
This was relentlessly creepy in a slow, skin-crawling way. I felt uncomfortable and I could not look away. This story lives in that delicious space between horror and madness, and it does it so well. I will absolutely be diving into more works from this author! Highly recommend for readers who like their reads dark, tense, and deeply unsettling.
4.5⭐️
Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress @minotaur_books
April 10, 2026
wow wow wow this was FUN! I was HOOKED from the start and ate it up. This was an incredibly thrilling story, which developed into a scary horror read. There were so many levels of family trauma, medical trauma, paranormal, children’s issues, and more! But not once did it feel gimmicky.
I would say this is a MUST read for horror/thriller fans. The suspense and thrills kept me addicted!!!
I would say this is a MUST read for horror/thriller fans. The suspense and thrills kept me addicted!!!
February 5, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book.
Rounded up from 2.5 stars. This one was listed as a thriller/horror/mystery. Yes I can see that, but wow was it kinda confusing! Parts were really good and then there were other parts that made NO SENSE at all! Her “sister” made no sense as well as Andrew’s sister. I kept trying to envision it happening like a movie and could not make logical sense of it. This may be a good “horror” book for others but it fell a bit short for me. Not scary as much as confusing.
Rounded up from 2.5 stars. This one was listed as a thriller/horror/mystery. Yes I can see that, but wow was it kinda confusing! Parts were really good and then there were other parts that made NO SENSE at all! Her “sister” made no sense as well as Andrew’s sister. I kept trying to envision it happening like a movie and could not make logical sense of it. This may be a good “horror” book for others but it fell a bit short for me. Not scary as much as confusing.
April 14, 2026
*2.5
The only real positives I have for this are Pearce’s prose, which is objectively well done, and the first quarter, which showed promise and was pretty tense. Everything else was a mess. It read like an amalgamation of all the aspects I disliked in The Black Phone (film), Malignant (film), and Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter.
The pacing is all over the place—way too slow through the middle 50%, then suddenly rushed and compressed at the end. Character development is also lacking, especially when it came to the nebulous motivations of the antagonist. The psychological elements tied to the protagonist’s internal conflict were murky at best, and the alternating POVs between Hazel and Cathy didn't add equal value to the narrative in both content and pacing.
Plot-wise, this book had a "too many things" problem. There are too many ideas competing at once—kidnapping, false imprisonment, mental instability, psychosis, childhood illness, childhood trauma, sister dynamics (in childhood vs present day), (single) motherhood, mushrooms/mycology—with most of them being underexplained and underexplored, particularly anything tied to the villain or the paranormal elements. The themes of trauma, identity, and psychological duality are present, but they never fully come together in a cohesive way. Combined with the pacing and structural issues, it made it difficult to latch onto what I was even supposed to be feeling at any given moment. I spent more time confused than anything else, unsure if I was meant to feel sympathy, unease, disgust, or some combination of all three.
My thoughts on Dark Is When the Devil Comes can be summed up in two words: developmental editing. The reading experience felt like it either had none, or so little that it’s indistinguishable from none. The storytelling is chaotic, disorganized, and confusing, and it’s a noticeable step down from Something in the Walls, which I gave five stars. This needed significantly more refinement and, in my opinion, was not ready to be published.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The only real positives I have for this are Pearce’s prose, which is objectively well done, and the first quarter, which showed promise and was pretty tense. Everything else was a mess. It read like an amalgamation of all the aspects I disliked in The Black Phone (film), Malignant (film), and Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter.
The pacing is all over the place—way too slow through the middle 50%, then suddenly rushed and compressed at the end. Character development is also lacking, especially when it came to the nebulous motivations of the antagonist. The psychological elements tied to the protagonist’s internal conflict were murky at best, and the alternating POVs between Hazel and Cathy didn't add equal value to the narrative in both content and pacing.
Plot-wise, this book had a "too many things" problem. There are too many ideas competing at once—kidnapping, false imprisonment, mental instability, psychosis, childhood illness, childhood trauma, sister dynamics (in childhood vs present day), (single) motherhood, mushrooms/mycology—with most of them being underexplained and underexplored, particularly anything tied to the villain or the paranormal elements. The themes of trauma, identity, and psychological duality are present, but they never fully come together in a cohesive way. Combined with the pacing and structural issues, it made it difficult to latch onto what I was even supposed to be feeling at any given moment. I spent more time confused than anything else, unsure if I was meant to feel sympathy, unease, disgust, or some combination of all three.
My thoughts on Dark Is When the Devil Comes can be summed up in two words: developmental editing. The reading experience felt like it either had none, or so little that it’s indistinguishable from none. The storytelling is chaotic, disorganized, and confusing, and it’s a noticeable step down from Something in the Walls, which I gave five stars. This needed significantly more refinement and, in my opinion, was not ready to be published.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for inviting me to read this ARC and for giving me the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
This book had a strong start, but quickly I got very bored.
Susie was the most interesting character to me. She felt the most real and natural.
It was very eerie at first, but after that I was never scared. Maybe I would have been if I was physically reading it or read it at night for the most part. Or if I read it during October/spooky season, but this did not affect me at all. I was scared as Hazel was being kidnapped, but that’s enough to scare anyone.
There were a couple of really gross scenes that made me uncomfortable. Mainly having to do with hair. Grossness isn’t scariness though. I’d rather be creeped out than cringing at something I can barely read. But I am a baby when it comes to stuff like that, so other people may be able to handle it better.
With Hazel, it was interesting to see her descent into madness at being trapped, but I wasn’t really excited to continue reading and to see how she would escape. I was more so just thinking I was ready for it to be done.
I thought it was pretty predictable. Not that it is always a bad thing, because I don’t think this book was going for being shocking or unpredictable, but it also didn’t cause very much excitement or interest.
Cathy and Hazel’s dynamic was interesting. The struggles they had as sisters and not being in touch was probably the best part of the book.
The audiobook was very good. The narrator did a good job. That is the only thing that helped me get through this book. I read the last little bit physically, but otherwise I listened to the whole thing.
This was just not for me. I didn’t really get the point and could not connect to it at all. Which is too bad. Maybe other people will get more out of it than me.
This book had a strong start, but quickly I got very bored.
Susie was the most interesting character to me. She felt the most real and natural.
It was very eerie at first, but after that I was never scared. Maybe I would have been if I was physically reading it or read it at night for the most part. Or if I read it during October/spooky season, but this did not affect me at all. I was scared as Hazel was being kidnapped, but that’s enough to scare anyone.
There were a couple of really gross scenes that made me uncomfortable. Mainly having to do with hair. Grossness isn’t scariness though. I’d rather be creeped out than cringing at something I can barely read. But I am a baby when it comes to stuff like that, so other people may be able to handle it better.
With Hazel, it was interesting to see her descent into madness at being trapped, but I wasn’t really excited to continue reading and to see how she would escape. I was more so just thinking I was ready for it to be done.
I thought it was pretty predictable. Not that it is always a bad thing, because I don’t think this book was going for being shocking or unpredictable, but it also didn’t cause very much excitement or interest.
Cathy and Hazel’s dynamic was interesting. The struggles they had as sisters and not being in touch was probably the best part of the book.
The audiobook was very good. The narrator did a good job. That is the only thing that helped me get through this book. I read the last little bit physically, but otherwise I listened to the whole thing.
This was just not for me. I didn’t really get the point and could not connect to it at all. Which is too bad. Maybe other people will get more out of it than me.
April 16, 2026
Thank you to Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a gifted ebook copy of Dark Is When the Devil Comes through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Dark Is When the Devil Comes is a slow burn horror and psychological thriller with elements of the supernatural. Pearce creates the perfect eerie atmosphere in the book, and there were so many elements that I loved. Hazel’s mysterious disappearance and her estranged relationship with her sister brought great tension to the story, while her unfolding mental health issues delivered creepy horror elements.
I did feel there were maybe too many things happening at once and that the story would have benefited from more of a focus on certain plot points. It just needed a bit more here and there to add to the character development and overall storyline.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Multiple POVs
* Small Town
* Creepy & Unsettling
* Sibling Relationship
* Mental Health Issues
* Slow Burn Tension
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🚫
Dark Is When the Devil Comes would make a great read for your spooky season TBR, or for anyone who is a fan of chilling atmospheres, mysterious forests, and run down farms with sinister vibes that power the small town gossip mill.
Dark Is When the Devil Comes is a slow burn horror and psychological thriller with elements of the supernatural. Pearce creates the perfect eerie atmosphere in the book, and there were so many elements that I loved. Hazel’s mysterious disappearance and her estranged relationship with her sister brought great tension to the story, while her unfolding mental health issues delivered creepy horror elements.
I did feel there were maybe too many things happening at once and that the story would have benefited from more of a focus on certain plot points. It just needed a bit more here and there to add to the character development and overall storyline.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Multiple POVs
* Small Town
* Creepy & Unsettling
* Sibling Relationship
* Mental Health Issues
* Slow Burn Tension
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🚫
Dark Is When the Devil Comes would make a great read for your spooky season TBR, or for anyone who is a fan of chilling atmospheres, mysterious forests, and run down farms with sinister vibes that power the small town gossip mill.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions!
There was honestly nothing to dislike about this horror novel. It had everything I ask of my scary stories: slow dread filled reveals, body horror, spookiness constantly. The pacing was honestly the best part, I read this book so fast and never got bored. I wanted to read chapter after chapter and there was no lull at any point.
It’s hard to really say anything about this book without outright giving away spoilers. Even the synopsis is extremely vague and doesn’t give a good idea of what the story actually is. But the reveals are the best part and lend to several points of, “wait, what?”
Definitely worth a read, I’m glad I requested it. Excited to see what else Daisy Pearce has to write.
There was honestly nothing to dislike about this horror novel. It had everything I ask of my scary stories: slow dread filled reveals, body horror, spookiness constantly. The pacing was honestly the best part, I read this book so fast and never got bored. I wanted to read chapter after chapter and there was no lull at any point.
It’s hard to really say anything about this book without outright giving away spoilers. Even the synopsis is extremely vague and doesn’t give a good idea of what the story actually is. But the reveals are the best part and lend to several points of, “wait, what?”
Definitely worth a read, I’m glad I requested it. Excited to see what else Daisy Pearce has to write.
December 28, 2025
I quite enjoyed this ARC of Daisy Pearce’s new novel Dark Is When the Devil Comes. It is a taut thriller, with lots of plot twists and close calls—which is precisely what you want in a thriller. There is a slight paranormal element that may or may not actually be happening, which adds to the intrigue. Well-plotted and engaging, I send thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for letting me have an advance look at this one!
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