What do you think?
Rate this book
The Agony of Her: An Ohio Gothic
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 22, 2026
I’m completely OBSESSED with this story!!!! When I tell you this book not only had me hooked but it had my mind reeling through out the night it was so good!
This book gives The Haunting (Hugh Crane) mixed with Coraline vibes in all the best of ways!
We get the story of Ada Haite the new and third wife of Charles Haite, as her and his two daughters from two previous marriages get sent to Haite Hill. Charles owned the mill and as such the town was named Haite Town. Ada suffered from sleepwalking and Charles solution was to hid her away in a summer home that was built for his first wife Julianna. As the story goes along Ada starts experiencing strange things both during waking hours and at night.
We go back and forth between timelines (1910 & 1981) to get the full story.
We also meet Lori Green whom inherits Haite Hill, an abandoned Victorian Gothic set in the long forgotten company town deep in the Cuyahoga valley. Lori happens to be a historical home renovator. This unexpected inheritance comes during a time when she needs it the most. Lori has recently been divorced and needed a fresh start. Lori same as Ada has two step daughters whom unfortunately have an absent father by his choosing. We finally have a story that paints a stepmother in a good light and not as the villain.
This book gives The Haunting (Hugh Crane) mixed with Coraline vibes in all the best of ways!
We get the story of Ada Haite the new and third wife of Charles Haite, as her and his two daughters from two previous marriages get sent to Haite Hill. Charles owned the mill and as such the town was named Haite Town. Ada suffered from sleepwalking and Charles solution was to hid her away in a summer home that was built for his first wife Julianna. As the story goes along Ada starts experiencing strange things both during waking hours and at night.
We go back and forth between timelines (1910 & 1981) to get the full story.
We also meet Lori Green whom inherits Haite Hill, an abandoned Victorian Gothic set in the long forgotten company town deep in the Cuyahoga valley. Lori happens to be a historical home renovator. This unexpected inheritance comes during a time when she needs it the most. Lori has recently been divorced and needed a fresh start. Lori same as Ada has two step daughters whom unfortunately have an absent father by his choosing. We finally have a story that paints a stepmother in a good light and not as the villain.
March 14, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the opportunity to read this book.
📝 Short Summary
The Agony of Her: An Ohio Gothic by Cassandra L. Thompson is a haunting gothic horror that moves between timelines, revealing the dark history of a house and the women connected to it. As the past slowly rises to the surface, buried secrets, supernatural forces, and generational pain begin to intertwine, creating a chilling story about what lingers long after tragedy.
Review
I’m such a huge fan of gothic stories with dual timelines, so this book immediately caught my attention. That combination of past and present slowly weaving together with a haunted history is something I always love, and this story really leaned into that eerie gothic atmosphere.
From the start, there’s a heavy sense that something dark lives within the setting itself. The house and the land surrounding it feel steeped in history, almost like the place remembers everything that has happened there. That kind of lingering presence is one of my favorite elements in gothic horror, and this book delivered that slow creeping dread really well.
The supernatural elements added a lot to the atmosphere without overwhelming the story. Instead of relying on constant shocks, the horror builds through tension, mood, and the unsettling feeling that the past has never truly been laid to rest. There were several moments that felt genuinely eerie, the kind of scenes where the writing makes you pause because you can almost feel the darkness surrounding the characters.
What I especially enjoyed was how the story revealed pieces of the past gradually. Watching the connections between the timelines unfold made the mystery even more engaging. Each reveal felt like another layer of the house’s history being uncovered, and it added emotional weight to the supernatural elements.
The writing itself was another highlight for me. Cassandra L. Thompson creates such a vivid gothic tone, and there were many moments that felt beautifully dark and haunting. The imagery and atmosphere really carried the story, making the horror feel immersive rather than just shocking.
There were also some powerful themes surrounding the experiences of the women tied to this place and the way history can echo through generations. That added depth to the haunting and made the story feel more meaningful than just a traditional ghost story.
I don’t want to give too much away because part of the fun of this book is watching everything slowly come together. If you love gothic horror with strong atmosphere, supernatural elements, and a dark past that slowly reveals itself, this one is definitely worth picking up.
For me, this was a really enjoyable gothic read filled with eerie moments, haunting writing, and a story that slowly pulls you deeper into its unsettling world.
✅ Would I Recommend It
If you love gothic horror with dual timelines, haunted settings, and supernatural elements that build slowly through atmosphere and tension, this is definitely one to check out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the opportunity to read this book.
📝 Short Summary
The Agony of Her: An Ohio Gothic by Cassandra L. Thompson is a haunting gothic horror that moves between timelines, revealing the dark history of a house and the women connected to it. As the past slowly rises to the surface, buried secrets, supernatural forces, and generational pain begin to intertwine, creating a chilling story about what lingers long after tragedy.
Review
I’m such a huge fan of gothic stories with dual timelines, so this book immediately caught my attention. That combination of past and present slowly weaving together with a haunted history is something I always love, and this story really leaned into that eerie gothic atmosphere.
From the start, there’s a heavy sense that something dark lives within the setting itself. The house and the land surrounding it feel steeped in history, almost like the place remembers everything that has happened there. That kind of lingering presence is one of my favorite elements in gothic horror, and this book delivered that slow creeping dread really well.
The supernatural elements added a lot to the atmosphere without overwhelming the story. Instead of relying on constant shocks, the horror builds through tension, mood, and the unsettling feeling that the past has never truly been laid to rest. There were several moments that felt genuinely eerie, the kind of scenes where the writing makes you pause because you can almost feel the darkness surrounding the characters.
What I especially enjoyed was how the story revealed pieces of the past gradually. Watching the connections between the timelines unfold made the mystery even more engaging. Each reveal felt like another layer of the house’s history being uncovered, and it added emotional weight to the supernatural elements.
The writing itself was another highlight for me. Cassandra L. Thompson creates such a vivid gothic tone, and there were many moments that felt beautifully dark and haunting. The imagery and atmosphere really carried the story, making the horror feel immersive rather than just shocking.
There were also some powerful themes surrounding the experiences of the women tied to this place and the way history can echo through generations. That added depth to the haunting and made the story feel more meaningful than just a traditional ghost story.
I don’t want to give too much away because part of the fun of this book is watching everything slowly come together. If you love gothic horror with strong atmosphere, supernatural elements, and a dark past that slowly reveals itself, this one is definitely worth picking up.
For me, this was a really enjoyable gothic read filled with eerie moments, haunting writing, and a story that slowly pulls you deeper into its unsettling world.
✅ Would I Recommend It
If you love gothic horror with dual timelines, haunted settings, and supernatural elements that build slowly through atmosphere and tension, this is definitely one to check out.
February 18, 2026
This dual-timeline gothic horror completely consumed me while I was reading it. The Agony of Her is dripping in atmosphere, oppressive, eerie, and beautifully unsettling in a way that feels both classic and sharply original.
Cassandra L. Thompson leans fully into the gothic tradition: a cursed house, fractured family dynamics, generational echoes of trauma, and horror that feels both supernatural and intimately human. The horror elements were creatively horrific, not just jump-scare frightening but deeply symbolic and skin-prickling in a way that lingers. The imagery of The Sisters Three, the three vultures, and the house itself felt mythic and ominous, like something pulled from a dark folktale.
One of my favourite aspects was the dual POV structure. The future timeline subtly mirrored the past, particularly through the stepmother and two stepchildren dynamic. That thematic echo created a haunting sense of inevitability, as though history was not simply repeating but slowly decaying in on itself.
What stayed with me most was the atmosphere. The dread, the rot, the emotional intensity woven through the family dynamics all combined to create a story that feels heavy in the best possible way. It carries that lingering gothic shadow long after you close the book.
If you love dual timelines, decaying houses, toxic family dynamics, and horror that feels mythic and symbolic rather than purely graphic, this one is absolutely worth picking up. Dark, unsettling, and gorgeously grim.
Thank you Cassandra L Thompson, Quill & Crow Publishing House and NetGalley for early access to the eARC.
Cassandra L. Thompson leans fully into the gothic tradition: a cursed house, fractured family dynamics, generational echoes of trauma, and horror that feels both supernatural and intimately human. The horror elements were creatively horrific, not just jump-scare frightening but deeply symbolic and skin-prickling in a way that lingers. The imagery of The Sisters Three, the three vultures, and the house itself felt mythic and ominous, like something pulled from a dark folktale.
One of my favourite aspects was the dual POV structure. The future timeline subtly mirrored the past, particularly through the stepmother and two stepchildren dynamic. That thematic echo created a haunting sense of inevitability, as though history was not simply repeating but slowly decaying in on itself.
What stayed with me most was the atmosphere. The dread, the rot, the emotional intensity woven through the family dynamics all combined to create a story that feels heavy in the best possible way. It carries that lingering gothic shadow long after you close the book.
If you love dual timelines, decaying houses, toxic family dynamics, and horror that feels mythic and symbolic rather than purely graphic, this one is absolutely worth picking up. Dark, unsettling, and gorgeously grim.
Thank you Cassandra L Thompson, Quill & Crow Publishing House and NetGalley for early access to the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really enjoyed this book.
The story uses parallel timelines, however the author makes the timelines easy to follow by having each chapter have the Year that the chapter is writer for in the chapter title. Also, the characters’ names are distinct enough from each other to be easy to keep track of who is who.
The folklore aspects are thought out well and explained when needed, without taking over or dragging out.
I really appreciated the small details added in about the house, as it really helped me with visualizing during reading.
The plot is classic gothic horror in style but still done really well. Nothing wrong with a classic formula done well.
The writing style is easy to read without being overly simplistic, nothing too flowery or overly wordy.
This book is a good, quick read if you enjoy gothic horror with a supernatural aspect.
However I do have a single warning: if you’re an insomniac.
This is horrible for us trust me. I ended up reading 95% of the book in one sitting instead of sleeping but dam was it a better almost 3 hours spent than laying there trying to sleep and not sleeping. Honestly good engrossing books are an insomniac... love hate.
Thank you to the publisher and the author for providing an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Life is too short to read bad books, so l only select ARC Books that I would pickup in a bookstore or library from the blurb.
The story uses parallel timelines, however the author makes the timelines easy to follow by having each chapter have the Year that the chapter is writer for in the chapter title. Also, the characters’ names are distinct enough from each other to be easy to keep track of who is who.
The folklore aspects are thought out well and explained when needed, without taking over or dragging out.
I really appreciated the small details added in about the house, as it really helped me with visualizing during reading.
The plot is classic gothic horror in style but still done really well. Nothing wrong with a classic formula done well.
The writing style is easy to read without being overly simplistic, nothing too flowery or overly wordy.
This book is a good, quick read if you enjoy gothic horror with a supernatural aspect.
However I do have a single warning: if you’re an insomniac.
This is horrible for us trust me. I ended up reading 95% of the book in one sitting instead of sleeping but dam was it a better almost 3 hours spent than laying there trying to sleep and not sleeping. Honestly good engrossing books are an insomniac... love hate.
Thank you to the publisher and the author for providing an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Life is too short to read bad books, so l only select ARC Books that I would pickup in a bookstore or library from the blurb.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Agony of Her is a Gothic Horror novel that takes place in Ohio at Haite Hill, a Victorian mansion that now harbors a horrifying history. Told in 2 timelines, the house causes nightmares and visions for Ada in 1910 and Lori in 1981, and slowly reveals its disturbing past and secrets.
Gothic horror is not usually my preferred genre, but I was struck by the cover and wanted to check this story out for myself. I did enjoy this brief departure into a very different type of story that was somewhat out of my comfort zone. There are several scenes of body horror, some ritualistic sacrifice and abuse of women and children. The author does include a trigger warning guide that some would find useful. If you would like to get your feet wet with Gothic horror, this book would be a great place to start!
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the opportunity to read this ebook ARC.
Gothic horror is not usually my preferred genre, but I was struck by the cover and wanted to check this story out for myself. I did enjoy this brief departure into a very different type of story that was somewhat out of my comfort zone. There are several scenes of body horror, some ritualistic sacrifice and abuse of women and children. The author does include a trigger warning guide that some would find useful. If you would like to get your feet wet with Gothic horror, this book would be a great place to start!
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the opportunity to read this ebook ARC.
February 1, 2026
This book completely pulled me in from the very first pages, it is intense, emotional, and impossible to put down. “The Agony of Her”is a haunting, emotionally charged novel that blends history and supernatural elements into a gripping and unforgettable story.
The characters feel real, flawed, and shaped by both history and forces beyond their control. As the story unfolds, the line between what is remembered, what is hidden, and what is otherworldly becomes beautifully blurred. The emotional impact stays with you long after the final page.
Dark, thoughtful, and compelling, this book is perfect for readers who love historical depth mixed with eerie supernatural undertones and strong emotional storytelling. An absolutely captivating read that lingers in your mind.
The characters feel real, flawed, and shaped by both history and forces beyond their control. As the story unfolds, the line between what is remembered, what is hidden, and what is otherworldly becomes beautifully blurred. The emotional impact stays with you long after the final page.
Dark, thoughtful, and compelling, this book is perfect for readers who love historical depth mixed with eerie supernatural undertones and strong emotional storytelling. An absolutely captivating read that lingers in your mind.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really enjoyed the first half of this book as the characters really came to life and the mystery surrounding the history of the house and its occupants was described in such a way that I could tell things were going to get creepier. I liked both timelines and the links between the stories. However at around the 70 per cent mark there was a dump of background story which was simply one character relaying the history to fill in the gaps. This felt like a lazy way to convey the details and I completely lost interest. It's a shame because I do love a good spooky house/folklore combination.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
February 24, 2026
I really enjoyed this. I haven’t read many horror books set in my home state of Ohio, so this was a really fun read.
I love haunted houses that are way more than they seem, and Haite Hill had that in spades! I also enjoy women banding together to take down toxic men - I always say horror and feminism go together like peanut butter and jelly.
I’m glad I got a chance to read this book, and look forward to reading more from this author!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I love haunted houses that are way more than they seem, and Haite Hill had that in spades! I also enjoy women banding together to take down toxic men - I always say horror and feminism go together like peanut butter and jelly.
I’m glad I got a chance to read this book, and look forward to reading more from this author!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
February 11, 2026
Incredibly captivating. Well-written & well-paced. It's not quite a dual POV, it's more of parallel storytelling. Each storyline filled in gaps and answered questions for the other. An absolutely exquisite horror novel.
February 18, 2026
The Agony of Her: An Ohio Gothic is a moody, unsettling read. The Ohio gothic setting feels bleak and oppressive, with creepiness that sneaks up on you rather than relying on big scares. Several moments genuinely gave me that quiet, skin-crawling unease.
Cassandra blends psychological tension with themes of grief and trauma that make you question everything. I loved the folklore concept to the story.
Overall, this is a moody, eerie read that excels at creating discomfort and lingering dread. If you love gothic horror that’s creepy in a quiet, haunting way rather than nonstop scares, this one is definitely worth picking up.
Cassandra blends psychological tension with themes of grief and trauma that make you question everything. I loved the folklore concept to the story.
Overall, this is a moody, eerie read that excels at creating discomfort and lingering dread. If you love gothic horror that’s creepy in a quiet, haunting way rather than nonstop scares, this one is definitely worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I don’t typically read horror, but the description and cover made me say, “Eff it—I’ll give it a try.” And I was not disappointed.
From the very beginning, I was hooked. I even had a moment of absolute horror early on and legitimately had to put the book down for a minute.
Since horror is a new genre for me, I’m not sure how this compares to others, but I found the story incredibly captivating—I finished it within 24 hours. I loved the coinciding timelines and how they intertwined by the end, and I thought I had the characters all figured out… I absolutely did not.
This might have been the perfect introduction to horror for me, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone curious about dipping their toe into the genre.
From the very beginning, I was hooked. I even had a moment of absolute horror early on and legitimately had to put the book down for a minute.
Since horror is a new genre for me, I’m not sure how this compares to others, but I found the story incredibly captivating—I finished it within 24 hours. I loved the coinciding timelines and how they intertwined by the end, and I thought I had the characters all figured out… I absolutely did not.
This might have been the perfect introduction to horror for me, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone curious about dipping their toe into the genre.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews