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Echoes in Everly Manor
"An eerie tale of tragedy, grief, and second chances." - BookLife
When Jason drives toward Everly Manor on a rain-soaked night, the choice has already been made. For the friends he leaves behind, the consequences are only just beginning.
Five years later, they are drawn back to the ivy-covered estate that once haunted their past. Inside its walls, they uncover the Anchor, a sand-filled glass orb capable of bending time itself. Each time it’s used, the manor fractures reality, pulling them back three days before Jason’s fatal crash.
But Everly Manor remembers everything.
The house tightens its grip with every attempt to change the past. Journals fill with events that haven’t happened yet. Objects hum with intent. And a masked figure known only as Goldfinch watches from the shadows, blurring the line between punishment and protection.
As the timeline begins to decay, the friends must confront the guilt they buried, and the truths they never said aloud, before the manor decides what they deserve in return.
Echoes in Everly Manor is a tense, atmospheric descent into loss, obsession, and the dangerous hope of rewriting fate. Once you step foot inside the doors of Everly Manor, time doesn’t heal... it remembers.
"A gripping blend of psychological tension and atmospheric storytelling that keeps the reader firmly on edge.” ★★★★★ - Goodreads Review
When Jason drives toward Everly Manor on a rain-soaked night, the choice has already been made. For the friends he leaves behind, the consequences are only just beginning.
Five years later, they are drawn back to the ivy-covered estate that once haunted their past. Inside its walls, they uncover the Anchor, a sand-filled glass orb capable of bending time itself. Each time it’s used, the manor fractures reality, pulling them back three days before Jason’s fatal crash.
But Everly Manor remembers everything.
The house tightens its grip with every attempt to change the past. Journals fill with events that haven’t happened yet. Objects hum with intent. And a masked figure known only as Goldfinch watches from the shadows, blurring the line between punishment and protection.
As the timeline begins to decay, the friends must confront the guilt they buried, and the truths they never said aloud, before the manor decides what they deserve in return.
Echoes in Everly Manor is a tense, atmospheric descent into loss, obsession, and the dangerous hope of rewriting fate. Once you step foot inside the doors of Everly Manor, time doesn’t heal... it remembers.
"A gripping blend of psychological tension and atmospheric storytelling that keeps the reader firmly on edge.” ★★★★★ - Goodreads Review
410 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2025
2 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Justin R. Pilar
1 bookBefore Justin R. Pilar began bending time on the page, he chased meaning through music. Raised in small-town Iowa, his creative roots began beside his father’s stereo and evolved into years of songwriting and performing with his band, The Fourth Floor. That same instinct for rhythm and emotion later found its home in fiction, where melody became language, and stories became echoes of memory and time.
His debut novel, Echoes in Everly Manor, marks the beginning of The Anchor Point Series, a nine-book saga exploring grief, friendship, and the dangerous temptation of rewriting the past. The story follows a group of estranged friends bound by loss as they uncover the power and cost of altering time. For Justin, it’s not about building heroes, but portraying real people reacting to extraordinary events.
Each trilogy within the series unfolds in new time frames with new scenarios, each layered with consequences that ripple across the entire timeline. His approach blends grounded emotion with gothic atmosphere, always rooted in aesthetic realism: the belief that even the impossible should feel tangible.
When he’s not writing, Justin works for a national crane company and spends weekends as a wedding and event DJ, still finding ways to connect through sound. His passion for music lives on through companion Spotify soundtracks curated for each book, designed to mirror the tone and emotion of every chapter.
For Justin, success isn’t measured in sales, but in resonance. He writes to explore what people hold onto and what they’re willing to let go of when time itself begins to fray. Echoes in Everly Manor is only the beginning.
His debut novel, Echoes in Everly Manor, marks the beginning of The Anchor Point Series, a nine-book saga exploring grief, friendship, and the dangerous temptation of rewriting the past. The story follows a group of estranged friends bound by loss as they uncover the power and cost of altering time. For Justin, it’s not about building heroes, but portraying real people reacting to extraordinary events.
Each trilogy within the series unfolds in new time frames with new scenarios, each layered with consequences that ripple across the entire timeline. His approach blends grounded emotion with gothic atmosphere, always rooted in aesthetic realism: the belief that even the impossible should feel tangible.
When he’s not writing, Justin works for a national crane company and spends weekends as a wedding and event DJ, still finding ways to connect through sound. His passion for music lives on through companion Spotify soundtracks curated for each book, designed to mirror the tone and emotion of every chapter.
For Justin, success isn’t measured in sales, but in resonance. He writes to explore what people hold onto and what they’re willing to let go of when time itself begins to fray. Echoes in Everly Manor is only the beginning.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 19, 2025
Echoes of Everly Manor by Justin R. Pilar is a haunting, chilling, and unsettling narrative. Four friends find themselves back in Everly Manor; with each use of the Anchor, they were under the illusion that they would save him this time.
This book is a representation of how different people deal with grief. Some turn to humor while others obsess over the what-ifs, but at the end we accept. This book was inspiring as much as heart gripping. Lovers of horror and thriller would have a field day with this.
This book is a representation of how different people deal with grief. Some turn to humor while others obsess over the what-ifs, but at the end we accept. This book was inspiring as much as heart gripping. Lovers of horror and thriller would have a field day with this.
December 21, 2025
I went into Echoes in Everly Manor expecting a spooky time loop story, but it ended up being way more emotional and unsettling than I anticipated, in a good way.
The setup pulls you in fast. A tragic accident, Jason and co weighed down by guilt, and a creepy old manor that feels very much alive. The time reset element is handled really well here. Instead of feeling like a gimmick, it adds tension every time the Anchor is used, because you can feel the house pushing back. Everly Manor isn’t just a setting, it’s watching, remembering, and reacting.
The manor feels heavy on every page and there’s this slow dread that builds instead of relying on cheap scares. The emotional side really worked too. This isn’t just about changing the past, it’s about regret, unspoken truths, and how grief doesn’t disappear just because time resets.
If you like moody, atmospheric stories with time manipulation, haunted tales, and a strong emotional core, this one is absolutely worth picking up. Everly Manor sticks with you long after you close the book.
The setup pulls you in fast. A tragic accident, Jason and co weighed down by guilt, and a creepy old manor that feels very much alive. The time reset element is handled really well here. Instead of feeling like a gimmick, it adds tension every time the Anchor is used, because you can feel the house pushing back. Everly Manor isn’t just a setting, it’s watching, remembering, and reacting.
The manor feels heavy on every page and there’s this slow dread that builds instead of relying on cheap scares. The emotional side really worked too. This isn’t just about changing the past, it’s about regret, unspoken truths, and how grief doesn’t disappear just because time resets.
If you like moody, atmospheric stories with time manipulation, haunted tales, and a strong emotional core, this one is absolutely worth picking up. Everly Manor sticks with you long after you close the book.
December 28, 2025
An Atmospheric Mystery That Turns Grief Into a Trap
ECHOES IN EVERLY MANOR opens with an unsettling mystery that immediately pulls the reader in. A rain-soaked drive, a tragic crash, and unanswered questions set the tone from the very first page. The story quickly establishes its core themes of grief, guilt, obsession, and the dangerous allure of second chances. From the start, there is a quiet sense that time itself is unstable and watching.
As the friends return to Everly Manor years later, the tension deepens rather than rushes. The discovery of the Anchor introduces a compelling time-loop element that feels deliberate and increasingly unsettling with each use. Rather than offering comfort, the chance to revisit the past only exposes buried emotions and unresolved truths. The novel explores how loss shapes people differently and how clinging to what might have been can become its own kind of trap.
What truly stands out in ECHOES IN EVERLY MANOR is its atmosphere. The manor feels alive, filled with memory and intent, tightening around the characters as reality begins to fracture. Objects, journals, and quiet moments carry as much weight as the larger twists. By balancing psychological tension with emotional depth, the book delivers a haunting experience that stays with the reader long after the last page.
ECHOES IN EVERLY MANOR opens with an unsettling mystery that immediately pulls the reader in. A rain-soaked drive, a tragic crash, and unanswered questions set the tone from the very first page. The story quickly establishes its core themes of grief, guilt, obsession, and the dangerous allure of second chances. From the start, there is a quiet sense that time itself is unstable and watching.
As the friends return to Everly Manor years later, the tension deepens rather than rushes. The discovery of the Anchor introduces a compelling time-loop element that feels deliberate and increasingly unsettling with each use. Rather than offering comfort, the chance to revisit the past only exposes buried emotions and unresolved truths. The novel explores how loss shapes people differently and how clinging to what might have been can become its own kind of trap.
What truly stands out in ECHOES IN EVERLY MANOR is its atmosphere. The manor feels alive, filled with memory and intent, tightening around the characters as reality begins to fracture. Objects, journals, and quiet moments carry as much weight as the larger twists. By balancing psychological tension with emotional depth, the book delivers a haunting experience that stays with the reader long after the last page.
December 22, 2025
Echoes in Everly Manor delivers a gripping blend of psychological tension and atmospheric storytelling that keeps the reader firmly on edge from start to finish. Justin R. Pilar’s writing style is confident and immersive, unfolding with a controlled precision that allows the story’s unease to build naturally rather than relying on shock alone. The rain-soaked return to Everly Manor immediately establishes a sense of inevitability, drawing readers into a world where time itself feels unstable.
The pacing is particularly strong, balancing moments of quiet dread with sharp narrative turns that keep the tension high. Each revelation feels purposeful, escalating the stakes while maintaining clarity in an increasingly fractured timeline. Pilar’s handling of twists and turns is effective and well-timed, ensuring the story never loses momentum while still allowing its emotional weight to settle.
Atmosphere is where the novel truly excels. Everly Manor feels alive, its halls heavy with memory and intent, creating a constant sense of pressure that mirrors the characters’ guilt and unresolved grief. Rather than relying on traditional hauntings, the story’s echoes objects, journals, and shifting moments to add to a deeply unsettling layer that feels both original and emotionally grounded.
The characters anchor the narrative, their relationships and buried truths lending authenticity to the high-concept premise. As the tension tightens and the consequences of second chances become clearer, the story remains relentlessly engaging. Echoes in Everly Manor is an edge-of-your-seat read that lingers long after the final page, proving that some pasts refuse to stay buried.
The pacing is particularly strong, balancing moments of quiet dread with sharp narrative turns that keep the tension high. Each revelation feels purposeful, escalating the stakes while maintaining clarity in an increasingly fractured timeline. Pilar’s handling of twists and turns is effective and well-timed, ensuring the story never loses momentum while still allowing its emotional weight to settle.
Atmosphere is where the novel truly excels. Everly Manor feels alive, its halls heavy with memory and intent, creating a constant sense of pressure that mirrors the characters’ guilt and unresolved grief. Rather than relying on traditional hauntings, the story’s echoes objects, journals, and shifting moments to add to a deeply unsettling layer that feels both original and emotionally grounded.
The characters anchor the narrative, their relationships and buried truths lending authenticity to the high-concept premise. As the tension tightens and the consequences of second chances become clearer, the story remains relentlessly engaging. Echoes in Everly Manor is an edge-of-your-seat read that lingers long after the final page, proving that some pasts refuse to stay buried.
December 24, 2025
Justin R. Pilai's psychological thriller "Echoes of Everly Manor" features a paranormal setting.
The story line, which centers on the Everly Manor and has a time-bending Anchor, is intriguing and captivating.
In an attempt to undo a terrible loss, the characters attempt to go back in time. But the eerie manor observes all of their efforts and challenges them. The mystery, suspense, paranormal setting, and feelings of loss and tragedy have all been skillfully combined by the author. The storyline's spookiness is given depth by the compelling and powerful narrative.
A compelling thriller that emphasizes how difficult it is to alter the past and how doing so has adverse outcomes of its own.
The story line, which centers on the Everly Manor and has a time-bending Anchor, is intriguing and captivating.
In an attempt to undo a terrible loss, the characters attempt to go back in time. But the eerie manor observes all of their efforts and challenges them. The mystery, suspense, paranormal setting, and feelings of loss and tragedy have all been skillfully combined by the author. The storyline's spookiness is given depth by the compelling and powerful narrative.
A compelling thriller that emphasizes how difficult it is to alter the past and how doing so has adverse outcomes of its own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2025
This book grabbed me from the opening pages with its blend of time-bending mystery and deeply human emotion. The concept of the Anchor — a device that lets characters revisit pivotal moments but with consequences that unravel as they push further — was fresh and compelling. I loved how the narrative didn’t just focus on supernatural elements, but also forced each character to confront their guilt and regret head-on. The atmosphere throughout Everly Manor was richly layered, at times eerie and at others heartbreakingly introspective, making this a memorable read for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers with a supernatural twist.
December 17, 2025
Absolutely loved this novel! The way time itself becomes a character - twisting memories, reshaping intentions, and turning the past into something both dangerous and seductive - was brilliantly done. I couldn’t put it down once the group returned to Everly Manor and began uncovering its secrets. Each use of the Anchor raised new questions, and the stakes kept escalating in unique ways. The book explores the emotional burden of loss and the characters desperation to change what’s already happened pushed the narrative further and added depth to it. Fans of haunting, thoughtful thrillers will find a lot to enjoy here.
December 17, 2025
Atmospheric and deeply chilling, Echoes in Everly Manor is a book that lingers in the mind long after finishing the last page. The novel uses human emotion to great effect, as a group of grieving friends revisit the site where they lost their loved one. In that moment, we can't help but sympathize with the characters.
But Justin R Pilar brings Everly Manor to life in a haunting, beautiful way. He immerses us in the world, describing every sense - sound, sight, feeling - in a deep way, and it feels perfect for this type of novel.
Echoes in Everly Manor is a deep psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover.
But Justin R Pilar brings Everly Manor to life in a haunting, beautiful way. He immerses us in the world, describing every sense - sound, sight, feeling - in a deep way, and it feels perfect for this type of novel.
Echoes in Everly Manor is a deep psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover.
December 17, 2025
Echoes in Everly Manor is a cryptic read that follows a group of friends who return to an estate where their friend died years prior. When they discover the Anchor, they are forced to relive the moment every time it’s used.
Jason R Pilar immerses readers into Everly Manor in this haunting read. He first builds his characters and their relationships, allowing us to experience their bonds and the trauma of their loss, before bringing Everly Manor to life in a chilling way, describing every creaking door and ticking clock in rich detail.
Jason R Pilar immerses readers into Everly Manor in this haunting read. He first builds his characters and their relationships, allowing us to experience their bonds and the trauma of their loss, before bringing Everly Manor to life in a chilling way, describing every creaking door and ticking clock in rich detail.
December 17, 2025
Echoes in Everly Manor by Justin Pilar can only be described as a slow-burning paranormal novel.
Pilar created a horror novel that creeps up on you like a monster. It starts slow, but becomes more intense with each chapter. I feel like the pacing could have been faster at times, but it’s clear that Pilar made his stylistic choices for a reason.
Pilar created a horror novel that creeps up on you like a monster. It starts slow, but becomes more intense with each chapter. I feel like the pacing could have been faster at times, but it’s clear that Pilar made his stylistic choices for a reason.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews