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The Haunting of Emily Grace
An eerie suspense novel, in which a grieving woman takes a job at an isolated mansion only to become wrapped up in the curse that seems to have befallen its eccentric owner.
Emily Grace has endured the worst loss imaginable. But can she survive a remote manor haunted by more than just memories . . .?
Drowning in grief, Emily Grace has lost her home, her friends, her career. Only one lifeline remains—a job working for an eccentric millionaire. Along with his wife, he’s been building a mansion on a secluded island surrounded by a harsh and unforgiving sea. But when she disappears under mysterious circumstances, Emily Grace is hired to finish the project.
Locals believe the house is cursed, but their warnings go unheeded as Emily Grace works to rebuild her life. After what she's been through, nothing can scare her—except perhaps the attention of a handsome man offering more than friendship. And yet, there's something strange about this solitary fortress. Accidents. Mishaps. Ghostly whispers through the surrounding forest, footsteps when she's completely alone . . .
Is there truly a curse or is the ethereal specter in the window an omen of something more sinister?
This spooky standalone from phenomenal crime author Elena Taylor will have readers sleeping with the light on for weeks! With vibes of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, fans of Riley Sager and thrillers with light horror elements will love The Haunting of Emily Grace!
Emily Grace has endured the worst loss imaginable. But can she survive a remote manor haunted by more than just memories . . .?
Drowning in grief, Emily Grace has lost her home, her friends, her career. Only one lifeline remains—a job working for an eccentric millionaire. Along with his wife, he’s been building a mansion on a secluded island surrounded by a harsh and unforgiving sea. But when she disappears under mysterious circumstances, Emily Grace is hired to finish the project.
Locals believe the house is cursed, but their warnings go unheeded as Emily Grace works to rebuild her life. After what she's been through, nothing can scare her—except perhaps the attention of a handsome man offering more than friendship. And yet, there's something strange about this solitary fortress. Accidents. Mishaps. Ghostly whispers through the surrounding forest, footsteps when she's completely alone . . .
Is there truly a curse or is the ethereal specter in the window an omen of something more sinister?
This spooky standalone from phenomenal crime author Elena Taylor will have readers sleeping with the light on for weeks! With vibes of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, fans of Riley Sager and thrillers with light horror elements will love The Haunting of Emily Grace!
288 pages, Hardcover
First published November 4, 2025
27 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
About the author
Elena Taylor
5 books400 followersMystery writer, avid reader, animal mom.
Elena Taylor started out her storytelling career in the theater. She worked for several years as a playwright, director, designer, technician, and educator before becoming a novelist.
Elena has more than twenty years of teaching experience and now works one-on-one with writers as a manuscript consultant and writing coach.
She lives in North Bend, Washington, with her husband, two cats, and the greatest dog in the world. When she’s not writing, teaching writing, or talking about writing, she can be found at a nearby stables, playing with her horses.
For more information about Elena, please visit www.elenataylorauthor.com.
Elena Taylor started out her storytelling career in the theater. She worked for several years as a playwright, director, designer, technician, and educator before becoming a novelist.
Elena has more than twenty years of teaching experience and now works one-on-one with writers as a manuscript consultant and writing coach.
She lives in North Bend, Washington, with her husband, two cats, and the greatest dog in the world. When she’s not writing, teaching writing, or talking about writing, she can be found at a nearby stables, playing with her horses.
For more information about Elena, please visit www.elenataylorauthor.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
November 22, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and Severn House for an ARC of this book.
Never in my life did i imagine id still want to throat punch someone even after learning they're going through the grief of losing a young child but here we are. our FMC really needs a psychologist that enjoys a challenge and an exorcism. Usually I attribute a dislike for a character to the talent of the author to really make you FEEL what you're reading. Unfortunately in this case it was too much. And the distane you develop for the FMC really gets in the way of enjoying much of the story (at least for me).
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
Never in my life did i imagine id still want to throat punch someone even after learning they're going through the grief of losing a young child but here we are. our FMC really needs a psychologist that enjoys a challenge and an exorcism. Usually I attribute a dislike for a character to the talent of the author to really make you FEEL what you're reading. Unfortunately in this case it was too much. And the distane you develop for the FMC really gets in the way of enjoying much of the story (at least for me).
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
September 1, 2025
thank you netgalley and severn house for the e-arc. all thoughts are my own!
here are my thoughts on the book:
⊹ it felt like the author told us things instead of letting us see them happen.
⊹ i expected some horror, as promised, but didn't find any in the story.
⊹ the ending felt very rushed.
⊹ i was often left feeling quite confused.
here are my thoughts on the book:
⊹ it felt like the author told us things instead of letting us see them happen.
⊹ i expected some horror, as promised, but didn't find any in the story.
⊹ the ending felt very rushed.
⊹ i was often left feeling quite confused.
October 30, 2025
Still grieving from loosing her most precious family member two years ago, Emily Grace suddenly gets a chance to try and rebuild her life. Her old friend and mentor Bill, who taught her everything she knows about carpentry, asks her to take over from him his last big job. A very big job, because it entails to finish the beautiful and costly woodwork in a giant house on a remote island. The house was designed by Katrina Lang, a renowned architect, but she disappeared a year ago. Now her grieving husband Cameron, still hoping Katrina is still alive somewhere, wants the house finished.
The house is a stunning large building, very modern, but built into a large cliff. It can only be reached by boat or via a bridge from the mainland that is only accessible when its not high tide. Emily Grace arrives at the little town that is just across the water, and even before she begins with her work, locals inform her that the rock is rumoured to be haunted. Still, Emily has no choice but to go on and start working because she has no house and no money.
Cameron and Emily start off with a good working relationship, although just for a couple of days. Then, Chloe, Cameron’s daughter from another woman announces that she will come and stay over – just for two nights.
And then the story begins in seriousness. From the moment Chloe arrives, tension builds up. And up and up, because Emily feels something weird is going on between Cameron and Chloe. Not only that, strange things are suddenly happening in the house, where Emily is frequently alone due to Camerons’ and Chloe’s travels. Luckily Emily makes some new friends in the village, such as the lovely lady from the coffee shop, her friend who is very good at reading people and giving them advice, and the young sailor who works on the ferry.
All the ingredients for a good read, although I don’t understand why people so readily believe in haunted houses when they hear stories about things that supposedly have happened in the past. Emily is a likable woman, who is tormented by loss and grief but learns to stand up for herself.
I agree with other reviewers here about the ending. It is very rushed and really doesn’t fit the book. It gives all the answers but I would have loved to have more clues, more show and less tell.
Thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this review copy.
The house is a stunning large building, very modern, but built into a large cliff. It can only be reached by boat or via a bridge from the mainland that is only accessible when its not high tide. Emily Grace arrives at the little town that is just across the water, and even before she begins with her work, locals inform her that the rock is rumoured to be haunted. Still, Emily has no choice but to go on and start working because she has no house and no money.
Cameron and Emily start off with a good working relationship, although just for a couple of days. Then, Chloe, Cameron’s daughter from another woman announces that she will come and stay over – just for two nights.
And then the story begins in seriousness. From the moment Chloe arrives, tension builds up. And up and up, because Emily feels something weird is going on between Cameron and Chloe. Not only that, strange things are suddenly happening in the house, where Emily is frequently alone due to Camerons’ and Chloe’s travels. Luckily Emily makes some new friends in the village, such as the lovely lady from the coffee shop, her friend who is very good at reading people and giving them advice, and the young sailor who works on the ferry.
All the ingredients for a good read, although I don’t understand why people so readily believe in haunted houses when they hear stories about things that supposedly have happened in the past. Emily is a likable woman, who is tormented by loss and grief but learns to stand up for herself.
I agree with other reviewers here about the ending. It is very rushed and really doesn’t fit the book. It gives all the answers but I would have loved to have more clues, more show and less tell.
Thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this review copy.
August 30, 2025
I received a free copy of, The Haunting of Emily Grace, by Elena Taylor, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Emily Grace is in a downfall, she lost so much, but is still taking it day by day. Emily has a new job that locals say is haunted. This was a really intriguing read, I was cheering for Emily Grace the whole time, I was reading the book.
November 19, 2025
I'm a bit disappointed with this book, as there is a good story and a interesting set of characters. Also the setting is enticing: a hypermodern house on a desolate stretch of coast, next to a quirky little fishing village. Everything is just right and my expectations were high, but then I got let down.
Just as other reviewers have mentioned, the story is very different from what you would expect as there is no haunting at all, not of Emily Grace nor of the house. Instead you'll have to suspend all disbelief and find it normal that a superwealthy guy confides in newly appointed woodworker. From there on, I found it difficult to find the characters realistic. I kept on reading as the writing is crisp and well done and I kept on hoping that the conclusion would be a nice wrap, but instead the mystery keeps on going with a whole panoply of theories and the final reveal is just a onepager at the end, which left me a bit disconnected.
I agree with another reviewer: good idea but poor execution.
Thank you NetGalley, Severn House and the author for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.
July 31, 2025
2.5 stars
You had me at “haunting,” you sly little minx. I was ready to curl up with a cozy blanket, a glass of sweet tea, and a proper spooky tale to make my heart race. Alas. That didn't happen. It’s like getting all dolled up for a hot date only to find out it’s just your weird cousin showing up with a soggy pizza.
First off, the title is a total tease. The Haunting of Emily Grace sounds like it’s gonna deliver creaky floorboards, flickering candles, and maybe a ghostly grandma whispering cryptic warnings. Spoiler alert (and I’m not sorry): there’s no ghost. Nope. Nada. Zilch. I waited HALF THE BOOK—yes, you read that right, HALF—for something spookier than wet footprints on a floor. Wet. Footprints. I’m sorry, but my kitchen floor after a rainy day is scarier than that. I kept flipping pages, hoping for a spectral jump-scare or at least a creepy vibe, but it’s like the book was saying, “Psych! Let’s just bore you with Emily moping around and being wet blanket in her head with multiple of instances of her thinking comments were inappropriate instead!”
And oh, Emily Grace, my sweet summer child. I wanted to root for you, I really did. The first 200 pages feel like a slow-motion montage of Emily staring out windows, hearing vague noises, and overthinking her life choices. It’s like the book decided to major in “vague unease” and minor in “making me check my phone every five minutes.”
Then there’s the so-called climax, and y’all... It's a hot mess. Picture this: after dragging us through endless chapters of “is it a ghost or just bad plumbing?”, the big reveal is basically, “Oh, two people are in the house!” Cue Emily running into a storm (because of course there’s a storm), getting hypothermia, and then—brace yourself—the ending is just TOLD to us. Told! Like I’m sitting at a campfire and Elena Taylor’s like, “Yeah, so here’s how it all wraps up, no need to show you.” I felt gaslit, okay? This book should be called The Gaslighting of Emily Grace and Also The Poor Readers because that’s the real crime here.
I will say, there’s a flicker of charm in the writing. Elena Taylor has a knack for painting a moody scene—those stormy nights and creaky glass houses got me all tingly for a hot second, like we're watching Camilla Belle in that creepy house in When A Stranger Calla. But those moments are like finding a single good French fry in a pile of soggy ones. Not enough to save the meal.
In the end, I’m giving The Haunting of Emily Grace 2.5 stars because I’m feeling generous (and maybe because I’m still hoping for a sequel where actual ghosts show up). It’s not a total trainwreck—there’s potential in the atmosphere and Emily’s character—but it’s like the book promised me a haunted house and delivered a damp Airbnb with bad Wi-Fi. If you’re looking for thrills, you might want to scroll past this one and binge a true crime podcast instead. Sorry, Emily Grace, I wanted to love you, but you left me out in the cold—literally and figuratively. 💅
You had me at “haunting,” you sly little minx. I was ready to curl up with a cozy blanket, a glass of sweet tea, and a proper spooky tale to make my heart race. Alas. That didn't happen. It’s like getting all dolled up for a hot date only to find out it’s just your weird cousin showing up with a soggy pizza.
First off, the title is a total tease. The Haunting of Emily Grace sounds like it’s gonna deliver creaky floorboards, flickering candles, and maybe a ghostly grandma whispering cryptic warnings. Spoiler alert (and I’m not sorry): there’s no ghost. Nope. Nada. Zilch. I waited HALF THE BOOK—yes, you read that right, HALF—for something spookier than wet footprints on a floor. Wet. Footprints. I’m sorry, but my kitchen floor after a rainy day is scarier than that. I kept flipping pages, hoping for a spectral jump-scare or at least a creepy vibe, but it’s like the book was saying, “Psych! Let’s just bore you with Emily moping around and being wet blanket in her head with multiple of instances of her thinking comments were inappropriate instead!”
And oh, Emily Grace, my sweet summer child. I wanted to root for you, I really did. The first 200 pages feel like a slow-motion montage of Emily staring out windows, hearing vague noises, and overthinking her life choices. It’s like the book decided to major in “vague unease” and minor in “making me check my phone every five minutes.”
Then there’s the so-called climax, and y’all... It's a hot mess. Picture this: after dragging us through endless chapters of “is it a ghost or just bad plumbing?”, the big reveal is basically, “Oh, two people are in the house!” Cue Emily running into a storm (because of course there’s a storm), getting hypothermia, and then—brace yourself—the ending is just TOLD to us. Told! Like I’m sitting at a campfire and Elena Taylor’s like, “Yeah, so here’s how it all wraps up, no need to show you.” I felt gaslit, okay? This book should be called The Gaslighting of Emily Grace and Also The Poor Readers because that’s the real crime here.
I will say, there’s a flicker of charm in the writing. Elena Taylor has a knack for painting a moody scene—those stormy nights and creaky glass houses got me all tingly for a hot second, like we're watching Camilla Belle in that creepy house in When A Stranger Calla. But those moments are like finding a single good French fry in a pile of soggy ones. Not enough to save the meal.
In the end, I’m giving The Haunting of Emily Grace 2.5 stars because I’m feeling generous (and maybe because I’m still hoping for a sequel where actual ghosts show up). It’s not a total trainwreck—there’s potential in the atmosphere and Emily’s character—but it’s like the book promised me a haunted house and delivered a damp Airbnb with bad Wi-Fi. If you’re looking for thrills, you might want to scroll past this one and binge a true crime podcast instead. Sorry, Emily Grace, I wanted to love you, but you left me out in the cold—literally and figuratively. 💅
September 15, 2025
2.5/5 stars
Unfortunately, I think the title of this book is doing it a disservice. I'm sure that many people (like myself) are going to go into this book expecting a ghostly haunting and be disappointed to realize that this isn't the premise. The blurb also alludes to the potential of a ghostly haunting, but alas, there is not. Maybe if this book was marketed more accurately, I could've gone into this with different expectations and potentially ended up with a higher rating here.. but it ended up failing in the areas that I was expecting it to succeed in.
The writing was good, but this felt so incredibly slow to me. And again, maybe this is due to the fact that I was waiting for a ghost to appear throughout the whole novel. This also, obviously, failed on the "spook" factor. I also went into this expecting a spooky, autumn read, but was underwhelmed.
Ultimately, do not go into this expecting a haunted house or anything of the like. You will be sorely disappointed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Unfortunately, I think the title of this book is doing it a disservice. I'm sure that many people (like myself) are going to go into this book expecting a ghostly haunting and be disappointed to realize that this isn't the premise. The blurb also alludes to the potential of a ghostly haunting, but alas, there is not. Maybe if this book was marketed more accurately, I could've gone into this with different expectations and potentially ended up with a higher rating here.. but it ended up failing in the areas that I was expecting it to succeed in.
The writing was good, but this felt so incredibly slow to me. And again, maybe this is due to the fact that I was waiting for a ghost to appear throughout the whole novel. This also, obviously, failed on the "spook" factor. I also went into this expecting a spooky, autumn read, but was underwhelmed.
Ultimately, do not go into this expecting a haunted house or anything of the like. You will be sorely disappointed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
January 30, 2026
This one fell short for me because it wasn't what I was expecting. Misleading title? A carpenter haunted by her grief from a past tragedy ends up on a remote island working on a house called "End of the World," only to get wrapped up in drama surrounding the owner. No paranormal here, which is fine, except that the story didn't grip me, and the ending was a lot of "telling" after the fact. REBECCA is my favorite novel, and IMO this book went overboard with its homage to that classic. I did enjoy the ominous atmosphere and descriptions of the Pacific Northwest island setting.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book. Opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book. Opinions are my own.
November 15, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my opinion.
Between the title and synopsis, I jumped into this one thinking I was getting a haunted house or thriller or even a paranormal story. I was sadly mistaken. It was atmospheric, I’ll give it that. But then the ending was rushed and we were left with so many unanswered questions. This one wasn’t for me.
Between the title and synopsis, I jumped into this one thinking I was getting a haunted house or thriller or even a paranormal story. I was sadly mistaken. It was atmospheric, I’ll give it that. But then the ending was rushed and we were left with so many unanswered questions. This one wasn’t for me.
November 3, 2025
I went into this book expecting the book to be both a thriller and also have paranormal aspects to it, but it ultimately didn't deliver. If you're expecting this book to be about a haunted house or ghosts, like the title suggests, you will be disappointed.
Emily Grace has taken a carpentry job on a very small island off the Pacific coast, after her boss is injured and is unable to finish the job.
The house "End of the World", is owned by millionaire Cameron, whose wife disappeared. There is speculation by the locals that the house is cursed, as well as the land that it's built upon.
I really struggled with the pacing in this book, which was extremely slow and I had a lot of trouble keeping myself focused while reading the book. In the end, although I felt that the writing wasn't bad, this book just wasn't for me.
Expected Publication Date: November 4th, 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley, Severn House, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Emily Grace has taken a carpentry job on a very small island off the Pacific coast, after her boss is injured and is unable to finish the job.
The house "End of the World", is owned by millionaire Cameron, whose wife disappeared. There is speculation by the locals that the house is cursed, as well as the land that it's built upon.
I really struggled with the pacing in this book, which was extremely slow and I had a lot of trouble keeping myself focused while reading the book. In the end, although I felt that the writing wasn't bad, this book just wasn't for me.
Expected Publication Date: November 4th, 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley, Severn House, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 27, 2025
THE HAUNTING OF EMILY GRACE is set on a tiny remote island off the Pacific coast, separated from the rest of a larger island by a bridge that is frequently impassable during high tide and heavy storms. Emily Grace is a carpenter who is hired to finish building a house after the last carpenter is injured.
The owner of this unfinished house is millionaire Cameron, whose wife, Katrina, disappeared seven months ago. There’s some mystery surrounding his wife’s disappearance, and rumors are the house is haunted.
The plot and scenery are richly detailed, making you feel you are right there on the island.
While the pacing was a bit slow in the beginning, it was never lethargic. After the halfway mark, the plot was so compelling that I didn’t want to put this book down.
The title of this book is both metaphoric and literal. Emily Grace is haunted by her own personal trauma, as well as by strange happenings while working on this home. The setting was creepy and a bit unsettling, but in a very good way.
I ended up enjoying THE HAUNTING OF EMILY GRACE very much. I can’t wait to read what this author has in store for us next!
🌟Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.🌟
The owner of this unfinished house is millionaire Cameron, whose wife, Katrina, disappeared seven months ago. There’s some mystery surrounding his wife’s disappearance, and rumors are the house is haunted.
The plot and scenery are richly detailed, making you feel you are right there on the island.
While the pacing was a bit slow in the beginning, it was never lethargic. After the halfway mark, the plot was so compelling that I didn’t want to put this book down.
The title of this book is both metaphoric and literal. Emily Grace is haunted by her own personal trauma, as well as by strange happenings while working on this home. The setting was creepy and a bit unsettling, but in a very good way.
I ended up enjoying THE HAUNTING OF EMILY GRACE very much. I can’t wait to read what this author has in store for us next!
🌟Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.🌟
October 23, 2025
I love the author's Sheriff Bet Rivers series, so I was excited to read this one!
Emily Grace is lost. She's lost her job, home, friends, and has no family. She's drowning in grief. An opportunity arises to work for an eccentric millionaire. He and his wife have been building a mansion on a secluded island. When his wife goes missing, he needs someone to finish the job. Emily Grace is a carpenter and she's hired. She knows she needs to see this through—it's her last chance to rebuild her life. The locals seem to think the house is cursed, and there are unsettling stories about the island. Emily Grace finds herself ignoring it all until she starts hearing and seeing things. Is the house really cursed? Is there something lurking in the woods, or is someone or something trying to drive Emily Grace out? And what really happened to the wife?
The setting really made this book. The secluded island in the PNW made for the perfect location. It was dark, atmospheric, and eerie. I was intrigued by the mystery and the history of the island. This book was suspenseful, and I was captivated by the writing. My heart went out to Emily Grace as she was still struggling with the grief of losing her daughter. She also seemed to have a phobia of the water, which made it quite interesting that she was working on an island. This was an engaging read that I enjoyed and would recommend🩷
Emily Grace is lost. She's lost her job, home, friends, and has no family. She's drowning in grief. An opportunity arises to work for an eccentric millionaire. He and his wife have been building a mansion on a secluded island. When his wife goes missing, he needs someone to finish the job. Emily Grace is a carpenter and she's hired. She knows she needs to see this through—it's her last chance to rebuild her life. The locals seem to think the house is cursed, and there are unsettling stories about the island. Emily Grace finds herself ignoring it all until she starts hearing and seeing things. Is the house really cursed? Is there something lurking in the woods, or is someone or something trying to drive Emily Grace out? And what really happened to the wife?
The setting really made this book. The secluded island in the PNW made for the perfect location. It was dark, atmospheric, and eerie. I was intrigued by the mystery and the history of the island. This book was suspenseful, and I was captivated by the writing. My heart went out to Emily Grace as she was still struggling with the grief of losing her daughter. She also seemed to have a phobia of the water, which made it quite interesting that she was working on an island. This was an engaging read that I enjoyed and would recommend🩷
October 27, 2025
3 stars for me.
Emily Grace dealing with grief after losing her daughter, and work at the remote manor will help to keep her busy.Cameron Lang together with his wife started building this manor,but after his wife dissapear he needs help to finish it.Then his daughter that also suffered from accident come to stay for a few days,but is she truthfull ?Locals warnings that the manor is haunted, don't take long for her question that maybe it's the truth.
Will Emily Grace finish the job at manor?
What Cameron daughter Chloe is hidding?
I first thought that it will be horror/tense thriller,but for me it was more of a mystery.The manor on island and haunting sound interesting,and while it was not scary and suspenseful I still enjoyed this story.I liked Emily Grace and her suspicious ,then need to uncover the truth.Quick myster read,my first by this author,and would like to read more of her work.
For mystery fans.
Thank you netgalley and publisher for arc,my review is honest and my own.
Emily Grace dealing with grief after losing her daughter, and work at the remote manor will help to keep her busy.Cameron Lang together with his wife started building this manor,but after his wife dissapear he needs help to finish it.Then his daughter that also suffered from accident come to stay for a few days,but is she truthfull ?Locals warnings that the manor is haunted, don't take long for her question that maybe it's the truth.
Will Emily Grace finish the job at manor?
What Cameron daughter Chloe is hidding?
I first thought that it will be horror/tense thriller,but for me it was more of a mystery.The manor on island and haunting sound interesting,and while it was not scary and suspenseful I still enjoyed this story.I liked Emily Grace and her suspicious ,then need to uncover the truth.Quick myster read,my first by this author,and would like to read more of her work.
For mystery fans.
Thank you netgalley and publisher for arc,my review is honest and my own.
December 5, 2025
✨🌊✨
I liked this one but it didn’t hit like I was hoping.
Here is what I loved: The setting was great for a creepy feel. You have an isolated mansion on an island that is built into the cliff with walls of windows to watch the ocean. It can only can be reached by boat or the bridge when tide is low. Sounds incredible and very isolated.
Here is what didn’t hit for me: The title is a bit confusing for the story. There is no “haunting” or paranormal elements to the story. There are people in the town that think the house is haunted due to the history, but you are not getting a haunted house type story, which was kind of a letdown. This was a slow-burn mystery about a missing wife. I felt the pacing was too slow for my reading taste. For a book that was less than 300 pages, I expected more to happen. It was really the last 50 pages that got exciting which made the ending feel a bit rushed.
I have seen others who really enjoyed the story, so please still check it out if you like atmospheric slow burn mysteries.
I received this book as an ARC. Thank you to Severn House and Netgalley for providing this book for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I liked this one but it didn’t hit like I was hoping.
Here is what I loved: The setting was great for a creepy feel. You have an isolated mansion on an island that is built into the cliff with walls of windows to watch the ocean. It can only can be reached by boat or the bridge when tide is low. Sounds incredible and very isolated.
Here is what didn’t hit for me: The title is a bit confusing for the story. There is no “haunting” or paranormal elements to the story. There are people in the town that think the house is haunted due to the history, but you are not getting a haunted house type story, which was kind of a letdown. This was a slow-burn mystery about a missing wife. I felt the pacing was too slow for my reading taste. For a book that was less than 300 pages, I expected more to happen. It was really the last 50 pages that got exciting which made the ending feel a bit rushed.
I have seen others who really enjoyed the story, so please still check it out if you like atmospheric slow burn mysteries.
I received this book as an ARC. Thank you to Severn House and Netgalley for providing this book for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 2, 2025
I’m sorry it’s taken so long for me to review this. Things happened in our nation that has just kind of messed me up reading wise for a few weeks and I just couldn’t read much. And my mind wasn’t able to comprehend or understand what happened. I just wasn’t in the mindset to read or review, except read the Bible, but here is my review for it now.
Really good! Great for spooky month! 😃 I don’t want to spoil anything but a grieving mother who’s life is kind of in a downward spiral because of her grief and loss, gets a job to finish a job of finishing a build of a home of a woman who has disappeared and was the home’s builder before disappearing. Did you get all that?😬 The home is built into a cliff over the sea and into the sea also, so it’s a special build. She wonders if she can do it, but is going to try as best she can because she’s got to get her life back together before she loses everything. Once she gets there…things get pretty creepy. She doesn’t know if she’s imagining things or the ghost of the previous builder is haunting the place. Recommend to all those readers who loves some creepiness in their reading especially during the spooky month! Thank you Net Galley, publishers, and author for the arc. My thoughts and opinions are my own. .
Really good! Great for spooky month! 😃 I don’t want to spoil anything but a grieving mother who’s life is kind of in a downward spiral because of her grief and loss, gets a job to finish a job of finishing a build of a home of a woman who has disappeared and was the home’s builder before disappearing. Did you get all that?😬 The home is built into a cliff over the sea and into the sea also, so it’s a special build. She wonders if she can do it, but is going to try as best she can because she’s got to get her life back together before she loses everything. Once she gets there…things get pretty creepy. She doesn’t know if she’s imagining things or the ghost of the previous builder is haunting the place. Recommend to all those readers who loves some creepiness in their reading especially during the spooky month! Thank you Net Galley, publishers, and author for the arc. My thoughts and opinions are my own. .
July 28, 2025
The Haunting of Emily Grace kept me up all night until I was done with the very last page! If you like remote islands, missing people, old historical landmarks and graveyards, and mysterious things that continually happen around the house, this is the book for you. Once I started I could not put it down. Which was surprising because it's so different from the genres I usually read. I am overwhelmingly pleased and cant wait to look into the author more and get started on something equally as juicy.
There was nothing I didn't like about this book. I will be recommending it to everyone!
There was nothing I didn't like about this book. I will be recommending it to everyone!
September 21, 2025
TW: Dealing with grief after the death of a child
Our main character, Emily Grace, is dealing with learning to live again after the death of her young daughter. A billionaire hires her to finish the carpentry work on his house in the middle of nowhere after his wife, the house's architect/carpenter, disappeared a year before. Shortly after Emily Grace arrives, his estranged, adult daughter shows up. Both the billionaire and the daughter act strange and Emily Grace is trying to figure out what's going on and what happened to the disappeared wife.
The author does a good job of setting up the atmosphere of the creepy house. However, I was expecting more horror elements, per the description, and the book didn't really deliver. It spent more time exploring how she learns to live with her grief and move forward with her life, which would have been fine, if I were expecting that. However, I was expecting more of a Rebecca vibe, again, from the description, and the book didn't deliver.
The narrator has lots of suspicions and ideas about what's actually going on, which was interesting. Though towards the ~60% mark, I felt like I was getting whiplash from all the different "maybe it's this person!" "maybe this is what happened!" ideas. After the climax of the action, we're not any clearer on what's actually going on; instead, everything gets info dumped in the last few pages of epilogue and I'm still not 100% clear on everything.
Overall, I think the book could have been marketed to better match its contents. It wasn't necessarily bad, but as someone who reads a lot of mystery and horror, it was a letdown.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this advance review copy.
Our main character, Emily Grace, is dealing with learning to live again after the death of her young daughter. A billionaire hires her to finish the carpentry work on his house in the middle of nowhere after his wife, the house's architect/carpenter, disappeared a year before. Shortly after Emily Grace arrives, his estranged, adult daughter shows up. Both the billionaire and the daughter act strange and Emily Grace is trying to figure out what's going on and what happened to the disappeared wife.
The author does a good job of setting up the atmosphere of the creepy house. However, I was expecting more horror elements, per the description, and the book didn't really deliver. It spent more time exploring how she learns to live with her grief and move forward with her life, which would have been fine, if I were expecting that. However, I was expecting more of a Rebecca vibe, again, from the description, and the book didn't deliver.
The narrator has lots of suspicions and ideas about what's actually going on, which was interesting. Though towards the ~60% mark, I felt like I was getting whiplash from all the different "maybe it's this person!" "maybe this is what happened!" ideas. After the climax of the action, we're not any clearer on what's actually going on; instead, everything gets info dumped in the last few pages of epilogue and I'm still not 100% clear on everything.
Overall, I think the book could have been marketed to better match its contents. It wasn't necessarily bad, but as someone who reads a lot of mystery and horror, it was a letdown.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this advance review copy.
November 23, 2025
This was my very first time reading a book by Elena Taylor and this story blew me away! I am definitely going to be checking out her backlist because this book I thought was amazing! It’s mysterious and spooky and it grabs ahold of you and you have a really hard time setting it down to do other things. It’s the story of Emily Grace, a young woman who is a carpenter by trade who has experienced a very painful loss. Probably about the worst kind of loss there is, her young daughter to Cancer. From there her life spirals and she ends up living out of her truck she has named Louis. That is until a carpenter friend of hers gets hurt on a job and recommends Emily to be his replacement. But this job site is really different and unique. It’s a strange home that’s built in a very remote area that is said to be haunted. The story is filled with mystery and deceit and you never really know who you should trust. There’s also some romantic feelings along with a psychic who ends up becoming a dear friend. There’s just so much to this story that I found so appealing and it kept me reading late into the night. I loved how the author wrapped the story up and how all the characters that I wanted to like ended up being the good guys after all. This book is well deserving of my 5 star rating and I look forward to reading more by this author very soon. If you’re like me and have never heard of Elena Taylor before, I highly recommend you check her out because if her other work is anything like this book then you’re most definitely in for a treat!
November 14, 2025
I was prepared for a little eerie atmosphere, but Elena Taylor said, “Oh, you wanted vibes? Here take ALL of them,” and yeeted me straight onto a fog-soaked island where sleep apparently does not exist.
From page one, I felt Emily’s grief like a weight in my own chest. She’s lost everything: home, friends, career and honestly, I just wanted to wrap her in a blanket and feed her hot cocoa. So when she accepted a job finishing construction on an eccentric millionaire’s mansion on a remote island, I was like, “Girl this feels like a bad idea,” but did I stop her? Absolutely not. I love a heroine who makes questionable life choices in spooky places.
The locals whisper about curses. The sea is angry. The woods are whispering. Footsteps echo when no one else is there. And every time Emily swore she wasn’t scared anymore because life had already broken her, I was SCREAMING, because same, but also ma’am, that is definitely a ghost.
And let’s not forget the handsome man who strolls in like good hair and subtle flirting can cancel out supernatural creepiness. Spoiler: it cannot, but I was rooting for him anyway.
This book gave me chills, a few gasps, and that delicious sense of dread that keeps you reading at 1 a.m. with all the lights on. It’s gothic, emotional, atmospheric and the kind of haunting that lingers long after the last page.
⚡️Thank you Partners in Crime Tours and Elena Taylor for sharing this book with me!
From page one, I felt Emily’s grief like a weight in my own chest. She’s lost everything: home, friends, career and honestly, I just wanted to wrap her in a blanket and feed her hot cocoa. So when she accepted a job finishing construction on an eccentric millionaire’s mansion on a remote island, I was like, “Girl this feels like a bad idea,” but did I stop her? Absolutely not. I love a heroine who makes questionable life choices in spooky places.
The locals whisper about curses. The sea is angry. The woods are whispering. Footsteps echo when no one else is there. And every time Emily swore she wasn’t scared anymore because life had already broken her, I was SCREAMING, because same, but also ma’am, that is definitely a ghost.
And let’s not forget the handsome man who strolls in like good hair and subtle flirting can cancel out supernatural creepiness. Spoiler: it cannot, but I was rooting for him anyway.
This book gave me chills, a few gasps, and that delicious sense of dread that keeps you reading at 1 a.m. with all the lights on. It’s gothic, emotional, atmospheric and the kind of haunting that lingers long after the last page.
⚡️Thank you Partners in Crime Tours and Elena Taylor for sharing this book with me!
November 17, 2025
This novel gets off to a slow start but then the creepiness and fear sets in and grows. Taylor does a good job of building up the tension as Emily Grace navigates an unusual house with many secrets and on a hard to reach island. Sounds of footsteps. Items in the house moved. It seems the woman who is supposed to be dead is still very active. And the contradictory statements. Who is telling the truth? And then Emily Grace finds a body.
The creepiness of this novel was not something I expected from Taylor but she does it well as the novel progresses. There are many possibilities but we readers don't know where to find the source of the action. It only gets more muddy as facts come to light. I wondered if Emily Grace would uncover the end game before it was too late. As Emily Grace says, there are many threads. She just has to figure out which one to pull.
Taylor does a good job with characters. We get to know Emily Grace the best while Cameron and Chloe remain a bit vague, hiding behind secrets. The plot concludes with a nail biting scene of suspense. The denouement reveals the complicated scheme, almost beyond belief. Nonetheless, this novel is still a good, spooky one to read.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
The creepiness of this novel was not something I expected from Taylor but she does it well as the novel progresses. There are many possibilities but we readers don't know where to find the source of the action. It only gets more muddy as facts come to light. I wondered if Emily Grace would uncover the end game before it was too late. As Emily Grace says, there are many threads. She just has to figure out which one to pull.
Taylor does a good job with characters. We get to know Emily Grace the best while Cameron and Chloe remain a bit vague, hiding behind secrets. The plot concludes with a nail biting scene of suspense. The denouement reveals the complicated scheme, almost beyond belief. Nonetheless, this novel is still a good, spooky one to read.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
February 3, 2026
I am a big fan of Elena Taylor's fiction. I've read almost all of the books in her previous mystery series so was excited to see what she would do with a new stand alone.
From the first moment, the tension in this suspense novel is taut. The setting is the 'End of the World,' the name for the modern mansion the owner and his wife were building on a remote island off the western cost of the U.S. The tension gets under your skin from the moment Emily Grace drives off the ferry onto the island. She's been hired to complete the renovations on the couple's dream home after the wife has disappeared.
Emily Grace, a carpenter by trade, is a wounded, struggling heroine who has enough demons of her own without adding in a haunted house, the fraught relationship between the owner and his daughter, the locals who aren't what they seem, and the dangerous water that surrounds them on all sides.
Like all great suspense reads, this one had me up late at night reading and thinking about it long after the final page. It is intricately plotted, beautifully written, and a absolutely fantastic read.
From the first moment, the tension in this suspense novel is taut. The setting is the 'End of the World,' the name for the modern mansion the owner and his wife were building on a remote island off the western cost of the U.S. The tension gets under your skin from the moment Emily Grace drives off the ferry onto the island. She's been hired to complete the renovations on the couple's dream home after the wife has disappeared.
Emily Grace, a carpenter by trade, is a wounded, struggling heroine who has enough demons of her own without adding in a haunted house, the fraught relationship between the owner and his daughter, the locals who aren't what they seem, and the dangerous water that surrounds them on all sides.
Like all great suspense reads, this one had me up late at night reading and thinking about it long after the final page. It is intricately plotted, beautifully written, and a absolutely fantastic read.
September 21, 2025
thank you to netgalley for giving me an advanced copy of this book.
this is about emily grace going to a small island as a carpenter hired to fix up a house. cameron who lives in the house that emily moves in to. katerina , cameron his late wife, went missing before she could finish fixing up the house. everyone emily meets says the house is cursed & haunted. as time goes on you get to meet all the other people in town and make up your own theories about everyone & make your guesses of who’s done what.
this story is a lot different of what i thought. i thought id get to meet some ghosts and i just thought it would go differently, however i really did enjoy the story & read it really quick. it was so fast paced that i couldn’t stop reading it.
i did think the ending was a bit quick, they wrapped it up so fast. once you find out who did what that’s it, that’s the story done.
overal i did enjoy the book and would recommend it, for a fast paced thriller.
this is about emily grace going to a small island as a carpenter hired to fix up a house. cameron who lives in the house that emily moves in to. katerina , cameron his late wife, went missing before she could finish fixing up the house. everyone emily meets says the house is cursed & haunted. as time goes on you get to meet all the other people in town and make up your own theories about everyone & make your guesses of who’s done what.
this story is a lot different of what i thought. i thought id get to meet some ghosts and i just thought it would go differently, however i really did enjoy the story & read it really quick. it was so fast paced that i couldn’t stop reading it.
i did think the ending was a bit quick, they wrapped it up so fast. once you find out who did what that’s it, that’s the story done.
overal i did enjoy the book and would recommend it, for a fast paced thriller.
August 26, 2025
thank you to the publisher for letting me read this early!
I really enjoyed this book! Emily Grace was a relatable character with all she had been through and was struggling with and I appreciated that.
The twist at the end of the book was really unexpected and I really liked that, because not many books surprise me after reading so many. I think the writing was good, giving just enough details when needed but not giving too much away at the same time.
My jaw was really on the floor when I learned who was really doing all of the "haunting"!
Also Adrian and Emily Grace are so cute together And Morgan just made me so happy 😀
I really enjoyed this book! Emily Grace was a relatable character with all she had been through and was struggling with and I appreciated that.
The twist at the end of the book was really unexpected and I really liked that, because not many books surprise me after reading so many. I think the writing was good, giving just enough details when needed but not giving too much away at the same time.
My jaw was really on the floor when I learned who was really doing all of the "haunting"!
Also Adrian and Emily Grace are so cute together And Morgan just made me so happy 😀
August 31, 2025
I enjoyed liked this book as a thriller, but never got the haunting spooky vibes that were described in the synopsis which are really what I was looking for. If I set that aside it’s an interesting slow paced mystery with a mansion on a secluded island and some indications that Emily Grace, who is the carpenter working on the mansion, and Cameron, the homeowner, aren’t alone on the island. I did love the setting of the island in the Pacific Northwest and the quaint town with really interesting residents. If you want a slower thriller with a bit of mystery that takes place on a super moody setting, this is up your alley!
November 1, 2025
I would give 2.5.
I grabbed this off netgalley for an ARC and honest review.
I wanted to like this book more, the problems I found were that:
The title of the book makes it seem like we are going to be having a spooky haunting happen, however 60% in on the book......it felt like nothing was happening.
Emily grace lands a job working on an island fixing up a huge house of a man who's wife disappeared. His daughter ends up coming to stay at the house for a couple days, and she was insufferable.
I kept waiting for something to happen, and unfortunately for me, just didn't feel like anything happened.
This book was not for me, but could be for you!
I grabbed this off netgalley for an ARC and honest review.
I wanted to like this book more, the problems I found were that:
The title of the book makes it seem like we are going to be having a spooky haunting happen, however 60% in on the book......it felt like nothing was happening.
Emily grace lands a job working on an island fixing up a huge house of a man who's wife disappeared. His daughter ends up coming to stay at the house for a couple days, and she was insufferable.
I kept waiting for something to happen, and unfortunately for me, just didn't feel like anything happened.
This book was not for me, but could be for you!
November 8, 2025
Set on a remote island that has a phenomenon of “breathing ground” is all the vibes I needed to hear to want to read this book. I’ve read the author’s Sheriff Bet Rivers series and was interested in the genre jump to thrillers. Carpenter Emily Grace moves in with the owner to finish his house that his missing wife started. I was a few chapters into this book and thought “I really like this book.” That may sound silly but when I think of that I’m reading a really good book!
The atmosphere of the book is dark and spooky. I was on the island with the characters and felt the vibe of the island. I hope Elena Taylor writes more thrillers because they will be automatically added to my TBR.
The atmosphere of the book is dark and spooky. I was on the island with the characters and felt the vibe of the island. I hope Elena Taylor writes more thrillers because they will be automatically added to my TBR.
November 25, 2025
The haunting of emily grace.
Was quite different.
Emily grace,
Has lost a child grieving, but now trying to rebuild her life.Moving on to the perfect job on an island work something to keep her mind busy. but busy is an overstatement.
There are so many things going on on the island at the end of the world.
The new boss cameron really nice guy.
Recently lost someone. Just needs someone to finish the work.
Soon he gets a visitor.
Strange things begin.
This was really a different type of story for me. It was enjoyable, a good read.I enjoyed every moment.The chapters were short that was a bonus.
I must say I really enjoy this authors books.The last two I read were my favorite.
Was quite different.
Emily grace,
Has lost a child grieving, but now trying to rebuild her life.Moving on to the perfect job on an island work something to keep her mind busy. but busy is an overstatement.
There are so many things going on on the island at the end of the world.
The new boss cameron really nice guy.
Recently lost someone. Just needs someone to finish the work.
Soon he gets a visitor.
Strange things begin.
This was really a different type of story for me. It was enjoyable, a good read.I enjoyed every moment.The chapters were short that was a bonus.
I must say I really enjoy this authors books.The last two I read were my favorite.
December 19, 2025
From the description, I was expecting The Haunting of Emily Grace to be a more overtly supernatural, gothic read, so my disappointment that it wasn't may have shaped my response to the story. I found the opening quite slow, with the tension taking some time to fully build. That said, I was compelled to keep reading to uncover how the mystery would be resolved.
The novel follows Emily Grace as she attempts to rebuild her life after the death of her daughter. She accepts a job at the isolated home of millionaire Cameron Lang, where a series of unsettling incidents prompts her to investigate the disappearance of his wife.
While the story wasn’t particularly frightening, it was still an enjoyable read overall, and quite a decent thriller.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The novel follows Emily Grace as she attempts to rebuild her life after the death of her daughter. She accepts a job at the isolated home of millionaire Cameron Lang, where a series of unsettling incidents prompts her to investigate the disappearance of his wife.
While the story wasn’t particularly frightening, it was still an enjoyable read overall, and quite a decent thriller.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
October 17, 2025
Still mourning the death of her daughter, Eve believes her new job will offer some respite. Working on a build on a remote island, Eve is looking forward to the solitude. Upon her arrival locals warn her about the death on Monk Island and tell her the stories of the wife who disappeared from the home she has been hired to work on.
Eva would like to believe that there is nothing to the stories. But the strange events when she is alone in the house make her wonder.
As we progress through the story it’s clear that people are hiding secrets. And it becomes a rather fraught experience as Eva tries to unearth some of these secrets before it’s too late.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.
Eva would like to believe that there is nothing to the stories. But the strange events when she is alone in the house make her wonder.
As we progress through the story it’s clear that people are hiding secrets. And it becomes a rather fraught experience as Eva tries to unearth some of these secrets before it’s too late.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.
July 29, 2025
“Welcome to Monk’s Rock and the End of the World. For better or worse, I’m here.”
This line perfectly sets the tone for a story that pulled me in from the start. I was hooked chapter after chapter by the fast-paced, haunting journey Emily Grace navigates as secrets unravel around her. The characters are richly developed, and the hidden architecture of the house adds an eerie, enchanting layer that makes the setting feel like a character of its own. The twist at the end had me speed-reading the final 20 pages - I had to know how it ended!
This line perfectly sets the tone for a story that pulled me in from the start. I was hooked chapter after chapter by the fast-paced, haunting journey Emily Grace navigates as secrets unravel around her. The characters are richly developed, and the hidden architecture of the house adds an eerie, enchanting layer that makes the setting feel like a character of its own. The twist at the end had me speed-reading the final 20 pages - I had to know how it ended!
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