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A Haunting at Venus Bay
A home. A disappearance. And a mystery that spans a century...
When Cass leaves London with a fractured heart, she plans to settle in Australia, specifically in the beautiful area of Victoria coastline where she spent so many happy holidays. Yet when she arrives, her house is not quite what she'd envisaged - doing a place up is one challenge, living with things that go bump in the night is quite another.
Years earlier, Minna and her mother have escaped war torn Europe to join the fairgrounds. There, Minna meets Albert, a man clearly who wants a wife who will also be a full-time worker on the farm near Venus Bay. Albert has no interest in Minna, nor tolerance of her desire to become a writer. When he, and then Minna, both disappear, the mystery of what has happened to them stays buried, seemingly for ever...
It will take Cass, and the discovery of a hidden book, to unravel the secrets of a childhood and a marriage, and a story that will also help her live again.
Two women, decades apart, and a house that brings them together.
When Cass leaves London with a fractured heart, she plans to settle in Australia, specifically in the beautiful area of Victoria coastline where she spent so many happy holidays. Yet when she arrives, her house is not quite what she'd envisaged - doing a place up is one challenge, living with things that go bump in the night is quite another.
Years earlier, Minna and her mother have escaped war torn Europe to join the fairgrounds. There, Minna meets Albert, a man clearly who wants a wife who will also be a full-time worker on the farm near Venus Bay. Albert has no interest in Minna, nor tolerance of her desire to become a writer. When he, and then Minna, both disappear, the mystery of what has happened to them stays buried, seemingly for ever...
It will take Cass, and the discovery of a hidden book, to unravel the secrets of a childhood and a marriage, and a story that will also help her live again.
Two women, decades apart, and a house that brings them together.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
304 pages, Paperback
Published July 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 7, 2026
2025 Cass Shaw has decided that it is time to leave London and her heartbreak of a broken relationship behind and move to Australia, her brother Liam and his family live in Melbourne and she has purchased a house sight unseen on the coast of Victoria, a place that she spent many a holiday in her teenage years, as an interior designer Cass has plans to make this old house into a beautiful beachside home, but when she arrives and spends her first night there Cass is already having second thoughts there are so many strange things happening, but Cass is determined to make this place her home.
1953 Minna Topp and her mother had arrived in Australia from Germany after the war and have been travelling the East Coast of Australia from one fairground to another, when Minna meets wood-chopper Albert Adams she is soon whisked away from her mother and the life she knows to become Albert’s wife on a dairy farm near Venus Bay, it is not long before Minna realises that Albert just wanted a worker for the farm not a true wife and her life is nothing like she expected it to be.
Cass meets the local police officer Josh and they are becoming friends and soon she learns that both Albert and Minna disappeared twenty years apart never to be found and with a strange mirror in the house that seems to have shadows following her and a kewpie doll that moves by itself Cass wants to know more and while clearing the house she finds an exercise book that seems to have Minna’s story in it and the story unfolds.
This is a fabulous duel time story, the characters are fabulous and the setting just right for the atmospheric story, MS. Brooks pulled me into the story from the start and I felt like I was on the coast with all of the characters, no fault of the author but the formatting was terrible, but I loved the story and I do highly recommend this one.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
1953 Minna Topp and her mother had arrived in Australia from Germany after the war and have been travelling the East Coast of Australia from one fairground to another, when Minna meets wood-chopper Albert Adams she is soon whisked away from her mother and the life she knows to become Albert’s wife on a dairy farm near Venus Bay, it is not long before Minna realises that Albert just wanted a worker for the farm not a true wife and her life is nothing like she expected it to be.
Cass meets the local police officer Josh and they are becoming friends and soon she learns that both Albert and Minna disappeared twenty years apart never to be found and with a strange mirror in the house that seems to have shadows following her and a kewpie doll that moves by itself Cass wants to know more and while clearing the house she finds an exercise book that seems to have Minna’s story in it and the story unfolds.
This is a fabulous duel time story, the characters are fabulous and the setting just right for the atmospheric story, MS. Brooks pulled me into the story from the start and I felt like I was on the coast with all of the characters, no fault of the author but the formatting was terrible, but I loved the story and I do highly recommend this one.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
January 17, 2026
I received a free copy of, A Haunting at Venus Bay, by Julie Brooks, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Cass left London for Australia. This book goes from present time with Cass, to The 1950's and 60's to the early 2000's with Minna. I really like Minna's story, it was so interesting.
February 11, 2026
⭐️5 Stars⭐️
A Haunting at Venus Bay by Julie Brooks is an addictive and atmospheric dual timeline story that brings together two women who lived decades apart.
Interior designer Cass, forty years old has arrived from London and plans to settle in Australia after a broken relationship. She has bought a home on the coast of Victoria, a town she knows from spending holidays there in her teenage years and Melbourne is where she still has family. When she arrives at her newly purchased home (unseen) she is surprised, the house, the peaceful rufuge she had imagined looks to have been abandoned for a long time and needs a lot of work.
As Cass moves in she finds a lot of strange and unsettling things happening in the house which includes a creepy kewpie doll. Cass makes a discovery in the house that unravels the secrets of a young woman.
1953 - Minna Topp and her mother, Madame Zora travel around the East Coast of Australia from one fairground to the next. When Minna meets Albert a farmer who participates in the woodchopping competition it’s not long before she becomes his wife on a dairy farm close to Venus Bay. Married life is not what she expected it to be, her husband seems to have little interest in her expect for her capacity as a full time worker on the farm.
A thoroughly intriguing, haunting and mysterious tale, I loved the mystery and the paranormal happenings were really creepy. I also loved the renovating themes and the beautiful coastal scenery throughout.
Publication Date 06 January 2026
Publisher Hachette Australia
Thank you so much to the lovely Julie Brooks for a copy of the book.
A Haunting at Venus Bay by Julie Brooks is an addictive and atmospheric dual timeline story that brings together two women who lived decades apart.
Interior designer Cass, forty years old has arrived from London and plans to settle in Australia after a broken relationship. She has bought a home on the coast of Victoria, a town she knows from spending holidays there in her teenage years and Melbourne is where she still has family. When she arrives at her newly purchased home (unseen) she is surprised, the house, the peaceful rufuge she had imagined looks to have been abandoned for a long time and needs a lot of work.
As Cass moves in she finds a lot of strange and unsettling things happening in the house which includes a creepy kewpie doll. Cass makes a discovery in the house that unravels the secrets of a young woman.
1953 - Minna Topp and her mother, Madame Zora travel around the East Coast of Australia from one fairground to the next. When Minna meets Albert a farmer who participates in the woodchopping competition it’s not long before she becomes his wife on a dairy farm close to Venus Bay. Married life is not what she expected it to be, her husband seems to have little interest in her expect for her capacity as a full time worker on the farm.
A thoroughly intriguing, haunting and mysterious tale, I loved the mystery and the paranormal happenings were really creepy. I also loved the renovating themes and the beautiful coastal scenery throughout.
Publication Date 06 January 2026
Publisher Hachette Australia
Thank you so much to the lovely Julie Brooks for a copy of the book.
March 17, 2026
Every book by Julie Brooks I have read, I’ve adored. She is such a brilliant story teller! Her plots, descriptions, characters, dialogue and settings are always exceptionally delivered. And in A Haunting at Venus Bay from page one I was captivated once again.
The flow of the scenes and heightened awareness of the environment are evident through the detailed descriptions. I was pulled in one hundred percent into her created world. Julie addresses all the senses so you get the full picture and experience. I was on that Victoria coast road with Cassie, following all that she viewed and was drawn in to her memories as well. These were happy experiences as a child when she visited the region during summer breaks with her family. Now that she is an adult and has returned to Australia, we learn what has brought her back. She has been living in London, England, working as an Interior Decorator but a relationship has gone bad. Broken hearted she wants to get as far away as possible from the scene. So she heads to a place where she felt loved, safe and had good times. And she wants to see her brother again who lives in Melbourne. So family is part of her motivation to head to Australia for a fresh start.
Cassie has purchased an old cottage near Venus Bay she has never seen. When she arrives and catches a glimpse of its poor condition, she is not too worried as this is what she does. Renovates interiors and is sure she can make this one special, too. But this house comes with other issues, besides needing an overhaul. One might say spiritual conflicts are happening on these premises. Her next door neighbour says little about it but Cassie is certain she knows more about the former owners and their peculiar past.
This story is told in two timelines and each are equally fascinating. They overlap not only in sharing the same Venus Bay setting, but the house itself has rumblings from the past affecting the present. They say if walls could speak, what tales they could tell. In this case, this place could share volumes of some very tragic happenings. But this house and its surrounds speak in ways you would never expect. There are long standing rumours. Locals say strange events have happened on the property. Cassie will soon find out for herself that these are not rumours. But are they real or imagined? Is there peculiar paranormal activity at large? And, if so, what is the reason behind it? And how will these strange occurrences affect her as the new owner? Although it will shake her senses and make her doubt all she once believed, this house and previous residents will haunt, lead and send her in directions she could never have imagined.
The past timeline paints a picture of Minna and her mother’s life. How they came from war-torn Europe and joined the fairgrounds. These showgrounds hosted agricultural shows, community events, markets and exhibitions. They offered entertainment, carnival rides and gave Fortune Tellers a chance to do their thing. And this is what Minna’s mother did. She even had a special mirror. And Cassie in the future gets to see what that did! But Minna’s story is a sad one. She meets Albert at one of these events and he asks her to marry him. She sees marriage as an escape from the awful treatment she received as an immigrant from Germany. Albert sees her as someone to work on his farm and provide children. But she does not know of his true intentions initially and thinks he ‘loves’ her. Her mother provides a number of warnings and asks Minna to reconsider but she is young and full of hope and dreams. One of those dreams is to be a writer. But once married, reality sets in and her life becomes hell. She sneaks in her writing and becomes published but her husband continues to torment her about her books. I won’t say any more but life for this woman was heartbreaking. Until something tragic happens…
This historical and present day mystery is steeped in atmosphere. There are plenty of paranormal activities to support suspicions: where the natural and supernatural seem to coexist and collide. Even the animals are affected! This deeply intriguing tale kept me glued to the pages. The pace is perfect and the tension gradually builds but snaps into action at the right time. I truly enjoyed this story and felt completely transported to the times and events. Plot wise and visually, it is riveting. Although there are unsettling topics of prejudice and spousal control, good things like love, release and healing are on the cards, too. I highly recommend A Haunting at Venus Bay. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Julie and her publisher for a review copy.
The flow of the scenes and heightened awareness of the environment are evident through the detailed descriptions. I was pulled in one hundred percent into her created world. Julie addresses all the senses so you get the full picture and experience. I was on that Victoria coast road with Cassie, following all that she viewed and was drawn in to her memories as well. These were happy experiences as a child when she visited the region during summer breaks with her family. Now that she is an adult and has returned to Australia, we learn what has brought her back. She has been living in London, England, working as an Interior Decorator but a relationship has gone bad. Broken hearted she wants to get as far away as possible from the scene. So she heads to a place where she felt loved, safe and had good times. And she wants to see her brother again who lives in Melbourne. So family is part of her motivation to head to Australia for a fresh start.
Cassie has purchased an old cottage near Venus Bay she has never seen. When she arrives and catches a glimpse of its poor condition, she is not too worried as this is what she does. Renovates interiors and is sure she can make this one special, too. But this house comes with other issues, besides needing an overhaul. One might say spiritual conflicts are happening on these premises. Her next door neighbour says little about it but Cassie is certain she knows more about the former owners and their peculiar past.
This story is told in two timelines and each are equally fascinating. They overlap not only in sharing the same Venus Bay setting, but the house itself has rumblings from the past affecting the present. They say if walls could speak, what tales they could tell. In this case, this place could share volumes of some very tragic happenings. But this house and its surrounds speak in ways you would never expect. There are long standing rumours. Locals say strange events have happened on the property. Cassie will soon find out for herself that these are not rumours. But are they real or imagined? Is there peculiar paranormal activity at large? And, if so, what is the reason behind it? And how will these strange occurrences affect her as the new owner? Although it will shake her senses and make her doubt all she once believed, this house and previous residents will haunt, lead and send her in directions she could never have imagined.
The past timeline paints a picture of Minna and her mother’s life. How they came from war-torn Europe and joined the fairgrounds. These showgrounds hosted agricultural shows, community events, markets and exhibitions. They offered entertainment, carnival rides and gave Fortune Tellers a chance to do their thing. And this is what Minna’s mother did. She even had a special mirror. And Cassie in the future gets to see what that did! But Minna’s story is a sad one. She meets Albert at one of these events and he asks her to marry him. She sees marriage as an escape from the awful treatment she received as an immigrant from Germany. Albert sees her as someone to work on his farm and provide children. But she does not know of his true intentions initially and thinks he ‘loves’ her. Her mother provides a number of warnings and asks Minna to reconsider but she is young and full of hope and dreams. One of those dreams is to be a writer. But once married, reality sets in and her life becomes hell. She sneaks in her writing and becomes published but her husband continues to torment her about her books. I won’t say any more but life for this woman was heartbreaking. Until something tragic happens…
This historical and present day mystery is steeped in atmosphere. There are plenty of paranormal activities to support suspicions: where the natural and supernatural seem to coexist and collide. Even the animals are affected! This deeply intriguing tale kept me glued to the pages. The pace is perfect and the tension gradually builds but snaps into action at the right time. I truly enjoyed this story and felt completely transported to the times and events. Plot wise and visually, it is riveting. Although there are unsettling topics of prejudice and spousal control, good things like love, release and healing are on the cards, too. I highly recommend A Haunting at Venus Bay. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Julie and her publisher for a review copy.
April 25, 2026
Big thanks to Julie for gifting us a copy to read and review.
History lurks everywhere, in houses, landscapes and in memories.
The past and present osmotically collide and its secrets unravel.
Two women in different eras, one house and a haunting that sews the decades together to form the core of this emotive and evocative read.
Cass escapes London after a breakup to her new house in Venus Bay.
Back in Australia for a fresh start.
Mysterious activity and a doll that creepily appears unexpectedly mar the experience.
Delving into the past she discovers a famous author once lived and disappeared from there.
Minna a young German refugee married too young and to the wrong man.
Her life was controlled by him and a heavy workload shackled her to their dairy farm.
Fear and rage governed her emotions.
Both him and her disappear leaving an abundance of mystery as bodies were not found.
A dual timeline that moves fast to an overlap, entertains and keeps the reader on the edge.
Resilience, mystery and regret intertwine as the two women strive to conquer their demons and improve life choices.
A picturesque setting, a reality of land division, the eerie paranormal phenomenon and the reminder how women through time have an inner strength and foresight make this a fabulous read.
I loved the 1960s timeline and just had to know how it ended.
History lurks everywhere, in houses, landscapes and in memories.
The past and present osmotically collide and its secrets unravel.
Two women in different eras, one house and a haunting that sews the decades together to form the core of this emotive and evocative read.
Cass escapes London after a breakup to her new house in Venus Bay.
Back in Australia for a fresh start.
Mysterious activity and a doll that creepily appears unexpectedly mar the experience.
Delving into the past she discovers a famous author once lived and disappeared from there.
Minna a young German refugee married too young and to the wrong man.
Her life was controlled by him and a heavy workload shackled her to their dairy farm.
Fear and rage governed her emotions.
Both him and her disappear leaving an abundance of mystery as bodies were not found.
A dual timeline that moves fast to an overlap, entertains and keeps the reader on the edge.
Resilience, mystery and regret intertwine as the two women strive to conquer their demons and improve life choices.
A picturesque setting, a reality of land division, the eerie paranormal phenomenon and the reminder how women through time have an inner strength and foresight make this a fabulous read.
I loved the 1960s timeline and just had to know how it ended.
February 1, 2026
Having loved Julie Brooks’ previous books I was excited to dive into her latest atmospheric tale. A Haunting at Venus Bay is a gripping dual-timeline mystery set on the rugged Victorian coast of Australia.
In the present day, we follow Cass, who flees a broken heart in London to renovate an old house in Venus Bay. However, she soon realises she’s not alone; the house is full of "things that go bump in the night" and a shadow-filled mirror that seems to follow her. In the 1950s, we meet Minna, a young woman who escaped war-torn Europe only to find herself trapped in a harsh marriage on a remote dairy farm. When she and her husband mysteriously disappear, their secret stays buried for decades. It is not until Cass discovers a hidden book that the threads of Minna’s past and Cass’s present begin to intertwine.
Julie is so good with the "haunted setting” - the coastal scrub and the isolation of Venus Bay feel so real you can almost smell the salt air. This is a story about secrets, survival, and the way the past refuses to stay buried. If you enjoy historical mysteries with a touch of the supernatural, this is a must-read!
In the present day, we follow Cass, who flees a broken heart in London to renovate an old house in Venus Bay. However, she soon realises she’s not alone; the house is full of "things that go bump in the night" and a shadow-filled mirror that seems to follow her. In the 1950s, we meet Minna, a young woman who escaped war-torn Europe only to find herself trapped in a harsh marriage on a remote dairy farm. When she and her husband mysteriously disappear, their secret stays buried for decades. It is not until Cass discovers a hidden book that the threads of Minna’s past and Cass’s present begin to intertwine.
Julie is so good with the "haunted setting” - the coastal scrub and the isolation of Venus Bay feel so real you can almost smell the salt air. This is a story about secrets, survival, and the way the past refuses to stay buried. If you enjoy historical mysteries with a touch of the supernatural, this is a must-read!
July 13, 2026
This book really surprised me. I wanted to read it purely based on the fact that Venus Bay is like a second home to me and the promise of a haunting there had me absolutely sold. I don't know why but I didn't really expect much from this book so I was pleasantly surprised when I became hooked after the first couple of chapters and ended up absolutely loving it!
About the book:
The story is told through two different storylines from two different women, one in the past and one in the present.
Minna is the woman from the past who finds refuge in Australia from Germany after the war and lives a very nomadic life with the hopes of one day settling down somewhere permanent. She eventually finds herself living on a dairy farm in Venus bay.
Cass is the woman from the present and she has just moved to Venus Bay with the plan of renovating the old cottage/farm house she just bought. It isn't until she's moved in that she realises that the house she's bought still has the lasting presence of it's previous owner, Minna, whose belongings still fill the house. Minna, who disappeared without a trace many years ago. As Cass sorts through Minna's things she tries to piece together Minna's story and what might have happened to her.
My thoughts:
I was honestly so invested in both of the storylines. They both felt so different and Julie did a fantastic job of making them feel like completely different narrators which isn't an easy thing to do!
I was completely hooked on Minna's story, I loved her character so much. It was so fun piecing together what happened to her. Poor Minna deserved so much better. I also loved the bits of German thrown into the writing, it felt so authentic.
Cass was also a great character and I loved that her past was slowly revealed throughout the book. I'm not sure I was 100% sold on Josh but he definitely seemed a hell of a lot better than her ex.
Julie's writing was fantastic. She did a marvellous job at describing Venus Bay - I loved that I was able to envision the story in a place that I love so dearly! It was honestly such a beautiful story, unlike anything I've read before.
I'd highly recommend this book! It was absolutely fantastic!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
About the book:
The story is told through two different storylines from two different women, one in the past and one in the present.
Minna is the woman from the past who finds refuge in Australia from Germany after the war and lives a very nomadic life with the hopes of one day settling down somewhere permanent. She eventually finds herself living on a dairy farm in Venus bay.
Cass is the woman from the present and she has just moved to Venus Bay with the plan of renovating the old cottage/farm house she just bought. It isn't until she's moved in that she realises that the house she's bought still has the lasting presence of it's previous owner, Minna, whose belongings still fill the house. Minna, who disappeared without a trace many years ago. As Cass sorts through Minna's things she tries to piece together Minna's story and what might have happened to her.
My thoughts:
I was honestly so invested in both of the storylines. They both felt so different and Julie did a fantastic job of making them feel like completely different narrators which isn't an easy thing to do!
I was completely hooked on Minna's story, I loved her character so much. It was so fun piecing together what happened to her. Poor Minna deserved so much better. I also loved the bits of German thrown into the writing, it felt so authentic.
Cass was also a great character and I loved that her past was slowly revealed throughout the book. I'm not sure I was 100% sold on Josh but he definitely seemed a hell of a lot better than her ex.
Julie's writing was fantastic. She did a marvellous job at describing Venus Bay - I loved that I was able to envision the story in a place that I love so dearly! It was honestly such a beautiful story, unlike anything I've read before.
I'd highly recommend this book! It was absolutely fantastic!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 3, 2026
This story is told across two timelines, 2025 and 1953, gradually moving forward as the mystery unfolds. The story is told from two points of view: Cass in 2025 and Minna in 1953.
Cass has bought a house sight unseen on the coast of Victoria, Australia. Her brother Liam and his family live in Melbourne, and she has happy memories of holidays spent in the area. After the breakdown of her eight-year relationship, the interior designer has left London behind in the hope of making a fresh start.
Unfortunately, the house is nothing like she imagined. It’s run-down, has been empty for years, and the last person to live there vanished without a trace. Determined not to give up, Cass begins renovating the property, but it soon becomes clear the house is hiding more than just years of neglect.
In 1953, we meet Minna Topp and her mother, Madame Zora, who travel Australia reading palms, tarot cards and telling fortunes after fleeing Germany following the war. At one of the fairs, Minna meets Albert Adams, a champion woodchopper and farmer. Romance blossoms, and before long Albert proposes.
Life on the farm, however, is very different from the future Minna had imagined. She soon realises Albert wasn’t looking for someone to simply share his life—he needed another pair of hands to help keep the farm running. Minna adapts to her new life, until one day Albert mysteriously disappears.
I loved the atmospheric feel of this novel. It’s full of mystery, secrets, eerie happenings, and just enough paranormal elements to keep you wondering what’s really going on. The dual timeline works beautifully, with each chapter revealing another piece of the puzzle, and I found myself equally invested in both Cass’s and Minna’s stories.
With mystery, romance, family secrets, and plenty of suspense, this was an engaging read that kept me guessing until the very end. If you enjoy dual-timeline mysteries with an atmospheric setting and a touch of the supernatural, this is definitely worth picking up.
Thank you to @headlinepg for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest, fair review, all thoughts and opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.
Cass has bought a house sight unseen on the coast of Victoria, Australia. Her brother Liam and his family live in Melbourne, and she has happy memories of holidays spent in the area. After the breakdown of her eight-year relationship, the interior designer has left London behind in the hope of making a fresh start.
Unfortunately, the house is nothing like she imagined. It’s run-down, has been empty for years, and the last person to live there vanished without a trace. Determined not to give up, Cass begins renovating the property, but it soon becomes clear the house is hiding more than just years of neglect.
In 1953, we meet Minna Topp and her mother, Madame Zora, who travel Australia reading palms, tarot cards and telling fortunes after fleeing Germany following the war. At one of the fairs, Minna meets Albert Adams, a champion woodchopper and farmer. Romance blossoms, and before long Albert proposes.
Life on the farm, however, is very different from the future Minna had imagined. She soon realises Albert wasn’t looking for someone to simply share his life—he needed another pair of hands to help keep the farm running. Minna adapts to her new life, until one day Albert mysteriously disappears.
I loved the atmospheric feel of this novel. It’s full of mystery, secrets, eerie happenings, and just enough paranormal elements to keep you wondering what’s really going on. The dual timeline works beautifully, with each chapter revealing another piece of the puzzle, and I found myself equally invested in both Cass’s and Minna’s stories.
With mystery, romance, family secrets, and plenty of suspense, this was an engaging read that kept me guessing until the very end. If you enjoy dual-timeline mysteries with an atmospheric setting and a touch of the supernatural, this is definitely worth picking up.
Thank you to @headlinepg for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest, fair review, all thoughts and opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.
April 8, 2026
I have been a fan of Julie Brooks for years. I have enjoyed all her books. She writes with creativity, intelligence and heart. Julie Brooks’s novels are always engaging, enjoyable and thoroughly well researched.
“A Haunting at Venus Bay” has blown me away. I believe it is her best book to date. Again Julie Brooks gives us meticulous research and so many layers of brilliantly woven stories which gripped me from the very beginning. Julie Brooks is a consummate storyteller I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It is a totally satisfying read that packs many surprising punches. It would make a wonderful film or mini series. Congratulations Julie Brooks. I can’t wait for your next one.
Carmelina Di Guglielmo
“A Haunting at Venus Bay” has blown me away. I believe it is her best book to date. Again Julie Brooks gives us meticulous research and so many layers of brilliantly woven stories which gripped me from the very beginning. Julie Brooks is a consummate storyteller I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It is a totally satisfying read that packs many surprising punches. It would make a wonderful film or mini series. Congratulations Julie Brooks. I can’t wait for your next one.
Carmelina Di Guglielmo
January 14, 2026
What a find! Loved this book. Told through the eyes of two women, with an unlikely connection. An easy read for my holiday, but characters are really likeable & the story intriguing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Fantastic book! I don't normally pick up things set in Australia (don't know why) but I guess I need to widen my reads because I loved this!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Buying a house unseen was not something Cass had envisioned doing, but needing to leave London and her heartache, and with her brother Liam and his family living in Australia, plus the holidays she'd loved as a child, Venus Bay on coastal Victoria was her choice. But the arrival at her "new" home gave her a shock. Abandoned for around twenty years, falling down with the old furniture inside in a big state of disrepair, Cass wondered if she'd bitten off more than she could chew.
Fifty plus years prior, Minna and her mother, Madam Zora, were travelling with the shows up and down the Victorian coastline. They'd moved to Australia at the end of the war, and their home was a caravan. When Minna met Albert at one of the shows, and he continued to return wherever they travelled, Minna, a naive young woman, thought Albert loved her. They married, and she was expected to work on his farm, milking the cows, collecting eggs and many other tasks. Albert wasn't a kind man but loved fishing, supplementing their food with the many fish he caught.
The eerie sounds in the dark of night; the kewpie doll which seemed to move of its own accord; the ancient but creepy mirror - these were a few of the things which had Cass wondering. But when she discovered an old note book, long ago hidden, she began to learn some things about the past, and the old house that was part of it...
A Haunting at Venus Bay is another wonderful story by Aussie author Julie Brooks which I thoroughly enjoyed. The formatting was dreadful, but no fault of the author. The scenery of the beautiful coastline around Venus Bay; the writing that wove magical pictures so I felt I was there; the characters played their parts brilliantly. An exceptional story which I highly recommend.
With thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.
Fifty plus years prior, Minna and her mother, Madam Zora, were travelling with the shows up and down the Victorian coastline. They'd moved to Australia at the end of the war, and their home was a caravan. When Minna met Albert at one of the shows, and he continued to return wherever they travelled, Minna, a naive young woman, thought Albert loved her. They married, and she was expected to work on his farm, milking the cows, collecting eggs and many other tasks. Albert wasn't a kind man but loved fishing, supplementing their food with the many fish he caught.
The eerie sounds in the dark of night; the kewpie doll which seemed to move of its own accord; the ancient but creepy mirror - these were a few of the things which had Cass wondering. But when she discovered an old note book, long ago hidden, she began to learn some things about the past, and the old house that was part of it...
A Haunting at Venus Bay is another wonderful story by Aussie author Julie Brooks which I thoroughly enjoyed. The formatting was dreadful, but no fault of the author. The scenery of the beautiful coastline around Venus Bay; the writing that wove magical pictures so I felt I was there; the characters played their parts brilliantly. An exceptional story which I highly recommend.
With thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2025. Interior designer Cass leaves London, she’s bought a cottage at Venus Bay on the Victorian coast and where she and her brother Liam spent some enjoyable summer holidays. Cass knows the house has been vacant for years, but it’s still a shock when she notices how rundown it is and the overgrown garden. On her first night she feels rather out of sorts, hears lots of odd noises and could it be possums?
1953. Minna and her mother escaped post-war Germany, her mum is a palm reader and in their caravan they join the fairgrounds circuit. Here Minna meets Albert, he's an entrant in the wood chopping competition and a dairy farmer. Minna is smitten, despite her mother’s warning, she agrees to become Mrs. Adams and is tired of always being on the move.
On arrival she discovers Albert wanted someone to help him with the farm work, the sweet words and endearments end and provide him with sons. Minna is lonely, she starts writing children’s stories, something she has to hide from Albert and he thinks she’s wasting time and has chores to finish.
Of course Cass is interested in the previous owner of the house, she had no idea it was once a large estate and been divided up twice.
I received a copy of A Haunting at Venus Bay from Headline and NetGalley and in exchange for a review and all thoughts are my own. The setting was prefect, an isolated and run down cottage, with an overgrown garden, near the coast, walking trails and sand dunes, a busy body neighbour, old furniture and an antique mirror, books and a cupie doll left behind by Minna, a woman who vanished.
I don’t believe in ghosts, and I do think residents of an old house leave behind their presence, it would be eerie and creepy, and with lots of creaks and groans at night.
This would be the perfect choice for readers who enjoy stories about haunted houses and unsolved mysteries and long buried secrets.
The quality of the ARC did make it hard to read the novel, letters were missing and I had to fill in the blanks, maybe this effected the flow of the narrative and made it jump around. A solid for stars from me and I’m still keen to read future books by Ms Brooks and only the final edition.
1953. Minna and her mother escaped post-war Germany, her mum is a palm reader and in their caravan they join the fairgrounds circuit. Here Minna meets Albert, he's an entrant in the wood chopping competition and a dairy farmer. Minna is smitten, despite her mother’s warning, she agrees to become Mrs. Adams and is tired of always being on the move.
On arrival she discovers Albert wanted someone to help him with the farm work, the sweet words and endearments end and provide him with sons. Minna is lonely, she starts writing children’s stories, something she has to hide from Albert and he thinks she’s wasting time and has chores to finish.
Of course Cass is interested in the previous owner of the house, she had no idea it was once a large estate and been divided up twice.
I received a copy of A Haunting at Venus Bay from Headline and NetGalley and in exchange for a review and all thoughts are my own. The setting was prefect, an isolated and run down cottage, with an overgrown garden, near the coast, walking trails and sand dunes, a busy body neighbour, old furniture and an antique mirror, books and a cupie doll left behind by Minna, a woman who vanished.
I don’t believe in ghosts, and I do think residents of an old house leave behind their presence, it would be eerie and creepy, and with lots of creaks and groans at night.
This would be the perfect choice for readers who enjoy stories about haunted houses and unsolved mysteries and long buried secrets.
The quality of the ARC did make it hard to read the novel, letters were missing and I had to fill in the blanks, maybe this effected the flow of the narrative and made it jump around. A solid for stars from me and I’m still keen to read future books by Ms Brooks and only the final edition.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Julie Brooks has crafted a beautifully atmospheric story that lingers long after you close the book. A Haunting at Venus Bay is more than a mystery—it’s a tale of healing, memory, and the way places hold onto the lives that came before.
Cass arrives on the windswept Victoria coastline hoping to mend her fractured heart, but the house she chooses is not the peaceful refuge she imagined. Shadows, secrets, and echoes of the past seep into its walls, drawing her into a century-old disappearance. Decades earlier, Minna’s dreams of becoming a writer were stifled by a husband who wanted obedience, not ambition. When both Albert and Minna vanish, their story is buried—until Cass discovers a hidden book that begins to unravel the truth.
What makes this novel so compelling is the way Brooks weaves two timelines together with tenderness and suspense. Cass’s journey of self-discovery mirrors Minna’s struggle for freedom, and the house itself becomes a bridge between them. The writing is rich with atmosphere—the misty coastline, the creaking house, the sense of lives overlapping across time.
It’s a story about resilience, about women finding their voices, and about the quiet power of uncovering the past to heal the present. Warm, haunting, and deeply moving, A Haunting at Venus Bay is the kind of book that feels like stepping into a memory, both unsettling and comforting at once.
With thanks to Julie Brooks, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Cass arrives on the windswept Victoria coastline hoping to mend her fractured heart, but the house she chooses is not the peaceful refuge she imagined. Shadows, secrets, and echoes of the past seep into its walls, drawing her into a century-old disappearance. Decades earlier, Minna’s dreams of becoming a writer were stifled by a husband who wanted obedience, not ambition. When both Albert and Minna vanish, their story is buried—until Cass discovers a hidden book that begins to unravel the truth.
What makes this novel so compelling is the way Brooks weaves two timelines together with tenderness and suspense. Cass’s journey of self-discovery mirrors Minna’s struggle for freedom, and the house itself becomes a bridge between them. The writing is rich with atmosphere—the misty coastline, the creaking house, the sense of lives overlapping across time.
It’s a story about resilience, about women finding their voices, and about the quiet power of uncovering the past to heal the present. Warm, haunting, and deeply moving, A Haunting at Venus Bay is the kind of book that feels like stepping into a memory, both unsettling and comforting at once.
With thanks to Julie Brooks, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
June 2, 2026
What a delight this book turned out to be after a slow start for me.
Cass has just purchased a house unseen on the other side of the world in a small beachside country town. Memories of holidays here with her family draw her there after a heartbreaking relationship breakdown. Being an interior designer she has visions to bring the house back to life.
50 odd years ago Minna and her mother Madame Zola (a fortune teller) are travelling the country with the circus. Meeting Albert brings promise of stability for Minna and she takes up his offer of marriage. Unfortunately too late, Minna realises Albert just needed an extra hand on the small dairy farm he is managing. Life is hard and disappointing and Albert becomes very bitter after the failure of a family eventuates.
Told in two time lines this book switches easily between the stories and I was invested in both.
I loved the hints of supernatural in Cass’s world…fleeting visions of something in the mirror, a fairground kewpie doll reappearing and the gentle rekindling friendship between Cass and Josh. A friend from long ago in her childhood.
Meanwhile in Minna’s life I felt so much for her as she tried to make life better and earn some respect for herself as a children’s book writer.
There is more to this book but you’ll have to read it to find out. A perfect escapism on a rainy winters day.
Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
Cass has just purchased a house unseen on the other side of the world in a small beachside country town. Memories of holidays here with her family draw her there after a heartbreaking relationship breakdown. Being an interior designer she has visions to bring the house back to life.
50 odd years ago Minna and her mother Madame Zola (a fortune teller) are travelling the country with the circus. Meeting Albert brings promise of stability for Minna and she takes up his offer of marriage. Unfortunately too late, Minna realises Albert just needed an extra hand on the small dairy farm he is managing. Life is hard and disappointing and Albert becomes very bitter after the failure of a family eventuates.
Told in two time lines this book switches easily between the stories and I was invested in both.
I loved the hints of supernatural in Cass’s world…fleeting visions of something in the mirror, a fairground kewpie doll reappearing and the gentle rekindling friendship between Cass and Josh. A friend from long ago in her childhood.
Meanwhile in Minna’s life I felt so much for her as she tried to make life better and earn some respect for herself as a children’s book writer.
There is more to this book but you’ll have to read it to find out. A perfect escapism on a rainy winters day.
Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
February 8, 2026
I really enjoyed A Haunting at Venus Bay, a quietly eerie, immersive story told across two timelines.
In the 1950s, Minna marries a farmhand and quickly realises she’s signed up for a life of back-breaking work rather than love. Her story is tense and unsettling, especially as it builds towards a moment on the water that changes everything.
In the present day, Cass moves from London to Australia and buys a dilapidated house with a distinctly uncomfortable atmosphere. There’s an eerie doll, strange moments that don’t quite make sense, and the growing realisation that the house once belonged to Minna, who vanished years earlier. As Cass forms a relationship with Josh, the local police sergeant, the past begins to surface.
Great pacing, strong characters, and a real sense of creeping unease throughout.
Also… I’ve never read a book where my name is a character before, and that was oddly thrilling 👀📖
✨️✨️✨️Out on 2 July 2026✨️✨️✨️
With thanks to @headlinebooks @juliebrooks_books
And @netgalley for early access to this book.
In the 1950s, Minna marries a farmhand and quickly realises she’s signed up for a life of back-breaking work rather than love. Her story is tense and unsettling, especially as it builds towards a moment on the water that changes everything.
In the present day, Cass moves from London to Australia and buys a dilapidated house with a distinctly uncomfortable atmosphere. There’s an eerie doll, strange moments that don’t quite make sense, and the growing realisation that the house once belonged to Minna, who vanished years earlier. As Cass forms a relationship with Josh, the local police sergeant, the past begins to surface.
Great pacing, strong characters, and a real sense of creeping unease throughout.
Also… I’ve never read a book where my name is a character before, and that was oddly thrilling 👀📖
✨️✨️✨️Out on 2 July 2026✨️✨️✨️
With thanks to @headlinebooks @juliebrooks_books
And @netgalley for early access to this book.
February 9, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC. This review represents my honest opinion.
When Cass arrives in Venus Bay, Victoria (Australia) she finds that the cottage she bought sight unseen after the end of her relationship is in worse shape than she thought. After a few strange comments from neighbours and unpleasant experiences within the house, it becomes clear that there might be a bit more than her active imagination going on.
This story skilfully weaves between Cass's experiences at present time (2025) and the past of Minna, the previous inhabitant. The author writes compelling backstories of disappointment, grief, loss and haunting (literally and figuratively) grief.
I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars.
When Cass arrives in Venus Bay, Victoria (Australia) she finds that the cottage she bought sight unseen after the end of her relationship is in worse shape than she thought. After a few strange comments from neighbours and unpleasant experiences within the house, it becomes clear that there might be a bit more than her active imagination going on.
This story skilfully weaves between Cass's experiences at present time (2025) and the past of Minna, the previous inhabitant. The author writes compelling backstories of disappointment, grief, loss and haunting (literally and figuratively) grief.
I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars.
February 14, 2026
Set in Venus Bay, South Gippsland in Victoria, this is a mesmerising, atmospheric and compelling dual timeline story. Cass (Cassandra) in 2025 tells their story in the first person, whereas Minna, a German refugee’s story is told in the third person, beginning in 1953. They are both haunted by their traumatic past, particularly Minna, and seemingly haunted by ghosts and unexplained happenings. Minna’s story is particularly harrowing, especially when she disappears without trace at the age of seventy, but through Cass, all those years later, her story is finally told. Cass also finds peace and a chance to live life to the full. Well written and thought provoking.
February 16, 2026
How does one write a ghost story without being cliche? Like this!
Interior designer Cass leaves London to renovate a cottage of her own at Venus Bay, on Victoria's coast. Years before the house was owned by a farmer and his wife and its tragic past haunts Cass from the moment she moves there.
The farmer's wife, Minna, endured the bitterness of her husband after the farmer wooed then duped her into leaving her mother and friends who are part of a travelling carnival.
Evocative and eerie the switch between present and past was seamless. Pacing was great and the ending very satisfying.
A spooky tale with a side serving of romance.
Interior designer Cass leaves London to renovate a cottage of her own at Venus Bay, on Victoria's coast. Years before the house was owned by a farmer and his wife and its tragic past haunts Cass from the moment she moves there.
The farmer's wife, Minna, endured the bitterness of her husband after the farmer wooed then duped her into leaving her mother and friends who are part of a travelling carnival.
Evocative and eerie the switch between present and past was seamless. Pacing was great and the ending very satisfying.
A spooky tale with a side serving of romance.
May 21, 2026
3.5 from me. The title should have been a turn off for me as I'm not a believer of ghosts and things that move in the night. The story would have worked as well without the supernatural element. I'm in the minority I realise. The characters are interesting, as is the dual time line writing. first book by this author, so maybe all the 5* reviews are from those readers who know her better and appreciate her style.
January 17, 2026
I've visited the area where the book is set and loved the way the author describes the setting. The atmosphere gets more unsettling as the story progresses, and the main character investigates a mystery from the past. Couldn't put it down.
February 20, 2026
I just finished reading a wonderful book ,A Haunting at Venus Bay by Julie Brooks a beautifully written story of two women , two timelines decades apart and a house that brings them together many mysteries , laugh out loud moments loved it ....enjoy...😀
March 5, 2026
Loved the descriptions of Venus Bay and the two storylines, one in the past and one in the current day. Very strong female characters, my favourite was Minna’s mother - full of wisdom and love for her daughter.
March 24, 2026
An atmospheric dual timeline that brings two women together, it was beautifully written and I really enjoyed the story and the characters. With so much thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher Headline for the ARC.
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