What do you think?
Rate this book
Night Babies
'All my fears have vanished, and I realise now that my dreams were not nightmares but a sign of what was to come, how this will end. An inevitability.'
Things were looking up for Astrid Aspden and her partner, Kit, until their house flooded. With Astrid's first solo art exhibition just weeks away, her paintings are ruined and excitement has turned to despair.
She is thrown a lifeline when her best friend Flora invites her to stay in a run-down chapel she and her partner, Sim, are renovating in the Brecon Beacons. As Astrid and Kit settle into their new surroundings to salvage her work, they soon learn about the unsettling history of the chapel and what lies beneath the nearby reservoir.
As the weeks go by, tensions simmer between Astrid and Flora as sour memories flare up from their teenage past and deep wounds are laid bare from an ill-fated school trip to Florence. Her relationship with Kit begins to fray as the chapel and the surrounding hostile beauty of the valley begin to intrude on their lives.
Astrid throws herself into her work but the longer she spends in the chapel the more she begins to notice things: handprints on her paintings, shadowy figures reflected in the reservoir and voices whispering in the night. As the darkness of the Welsh valley closes in on Astrid, will she be able to run from the looming horror or be consumed by it?
Whether it is the past, the otherworldly, or the truth—they all haunt this menacing and claustrophobic novel.
Things were looking up for Astrid Aspden and her partner, Kit, until their house flooded. With Astrid's first solo art exhibition just weeks away, her paintings are ruined and excitement has turned to despair.
She is thrown a lifeline when her best friend Flora invites her to stay in a run-down chapel she and her partner, Sim, are renovating in the Brecon Beacons. As Astrid and Kit settle into their new surroundings to salvage her work, they soon learn about the unsettling history of the chapel and what lies beneath the nearby reservoir.
As the weeks go by, tensions simmer between Astrid and Flora as sour memories flare up from their teenage past and deep wounds are laid bare from an ill-fated school trip to Florence. Her relationship with Kit begins to fray as the chapel and the surrounding hostile beauty of the valley begin to intrude on their lives.
Astrid throws herself into her work but the longer she spends in the chapel the more she begins to notice things: handprints on her paintings, shadowy figures reflected in the reservoir and voices whispering in the night. As the darkness of the Welsh valley closes in on Astrid, will she be able to run from the looming horror or be consumed by it?
Whether it is the past, the otherworldly, or the truth—they all haunt this menacing and claustrophobic novel.
- GenresHorror
400 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 2026
About the author
Lucie McKnight Hardy
19 books88 followersI am a writer of novels and short stories.
I grew up in West Wales and am a Welsh speaker. I have also lived in Liverpool, Cardiff, Zurich and Bradford, and have now settled in the far eastern reaches of Herefordshire, at the foot of the Malvern Hills, where I live with my husband, three children and other assorted creatures.
I have worked in the advertising, public relations and marketing industries, and have an MA in Creative Writing from Manchester Metropolitan University.
I am represented by Donald Winchester at Watson Little.
I grew up in West Wales and am a Welsh speaker. I have also lived in Liverpool, Cardiff, Zurich and Bradford, and have now settled in the far eastern reaches of Herefordshire, at the foot of the Malvern Hills, where I live with my husband, three children and other assorted creatures.
I have worked in the advertising, public relations and marketing industries, and have an MA in Creative Writing from Manchester Metropolitan University.
I am represented by Donald Winchester at Watson Little.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
April 23, 2026
I went into this with ultra-high expectations because
Water Shall Refuse Them
was (and remains) one of my favourite horror debuts of the past decade. The premise of this also sounded fantastic, combining the art novel (always an easy sell for me) with a rural haunting.
Astrid, a struggling artist, is about to get her much-longed-for first solo show when most of her paintings are destroyed in a flood. In the aftermath, she (along with her partner Kit) decamps to the Brecon Beacons to stay in a tumbledown chapel her old friend Flora is renovating. As the place is beset by inexplicable events, Astrid’s artistic inspiration suddenly changes direction. And the precarious bond between her and Flora is challenged by resurfacing memories of an incident from their schooldays.
The best thing about Night Babies is its character work. It’s delicious how Astrid gradually comes into focus, how McKnight Hardy tightens the screws on her. The author takes her time with this, and I really enjoyed how my perception of Astrid shifted over the course of the story. The flashback sections are also great. McKnight Hardy has a gift for teenage dynamics, and the material about Astrid and Flora’s school trip to Italy, vivid and queasy and morally complex, is some of the best in the book. I found myself wanting more of both strands – even for the whole thing to just be a straight-up character study.
All of which does, unfortunately, make the horror elements feel a little less distinctive by comparison; in this regard, the novel leans towards fairly common tropes. The arc of Astrid’s descent into disarray and mania, especially, follows a path that will feel recognisable if you’ve read widely in this genre. Even so, there’s loads to admire here, and if anything, the pivot towards a character-driven slow burn makes me even more curious about what the author will do next.
I received an advance review copy of Night Babies from the publisher through NetGalley.
Astrid, a struggling artist, is about to get her much-longed-for first solo show when most of her paintings are destroyed in a flood. In the aftermath, she (along with her partner Kit) decamps to the Brecon Beacons to stay in a tumbledown chapel her old friend Flora is renovating. As the place is beset by inexplicable events, Astrid’s artistic inspiration suddenly changes direction. And the precarious bond between her and Flora is challenged by resurfacing memories of an incident from their schooldays.
The best thing about Night Babies is its character work. It’s delicious how Astrid gradually comes into focus, how McKnight Hardy tightens the screws on her. The author takes her time with this, and I really enjoyed how my perception of Astrid shifted over the course of the story. The flashback sections are also great. McKnight Hardy has a gift for teenage dynamics, and the material about Astrid and Flora’s school trip to Italy, vivid and queasy and morally complex, is some of the best in the book. I found myself wanting more of both strands – even for the whole thing to just be a straight-up character study.
All of which does, unfortunately, make the horror elements feel a little less distinctive by comparison; in this regard, the novel leans towards fairly common tropes. The arc of Astrid’s descent into disarray and mania, especially, follows a path that will feel recognisable if you’ve read widely in this genre. Even so, there’s loads to admire here, and if anything, the pivot towards a character-driven slow burn makes me even more curious about what the author will do next.
I received an advance review copy of Night Babies from the publisher through NetGalley.
April 15, 2026
Before this release I was two for two with Luce McKnight Hardy. I loved the sweaty, claustrophobic, witchy weirdness of Water Shall Refuse Them, while Dead Relatives instantly became one of my all-time favourite short story collections. So, I was very excited to get a review copy of her newest book and, well, I’m now three for three!
Night Babies is a steady, slow burning modern gothic novel that sat on my chest and started pressing down, gradually squeezing tighter and tighter throughout its duration. The overpowering feeling of dread hooked me in, while the story became more haunting and unnerving the longer it went on.
In some ways, I am a little surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did, because I genuinely hated all of the characters. Astrid was selfish and unreliable, Simeon a hideous and pompous prick, Flora gave off secret Reform voter vibes, and Kit was just useless and arrogant. But they worked brilliantly as an ensemble and all felt like real, flawed humans. And they are helped, of course, by being written brilliantly - full of depth, completely fleshed out and believable.
The landscape was a wonderful character too: the savage elements of the Brecon Beacons offered a powerful backdrop to the story, especially as more the lore of the chapel and what lies at the bottom of the reservoir was revealed.
The flashbacks to a school trip to Italy were also effective, not only fleshing out Astrid and Flora’s friendship but building to that sense of dread.
And then there are the scares, which are subtle yet disturbing. Some of the hauntings were terrific, as were the periods where Astrid would lose track of time and space - they had an almost Overlook hotel weirdness to them. Oh, and the moment we learn why Kit locked his office door was a real highlight.
The climax was highly satisfying as well. Weird, dark, haunting, disturbing - pick your adjective really. In short, it worked. It absolutely nailed the landing and left me chilled.
It would appear I’m now all-in on Lucie McKnight Hardy and will be adding her to my ‘auto-read’ list for future releases. This quietly horrific, bleak and powerful story is a banger and you should check it out!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.
Night Babies is a steady, slow burning modern gothic novel that sat on my chest and started pressing down, gradually squeezing tighter and tighter throughout its duration. The overpowering feeling of dread hooked me in, while the story became more haunting and unnerving the longer it went on.
In some ways, I am a little surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did, because I genuinely hated all of the characters. Astrid was selfish and unreliable, Simeon a hideous and pompous prick, Flora gave off secret Reform voter vibes, and Kit was just useless and arrogant. But they worked brilliantly as an ensemble and all felt like real, flawed humans. And they are helped, of course, by being written brilliantly - full of depth, completely fleshed out and believable.
The landscape was a wonderful character too: the savage elements of the Brecon Beacons offered a powerful backdrop to the story, especially as more the lore of the chapel and what lies at the bottom of the reservoir was revealed.
The flashbacks to a school trip to Italy were also effective, not only fleshing out Astrid and Flora’s friendship but building to that sense of dread.
And then there are the scares, which are subtle yet disturbing. Some of the hauntings were terrific, as were the periods where Astrid would lose track of time and space - they had an almost Overlook hotel weirdness to them. Oh, and the moment we learn why Kit locked his office door was a real highlight.
The climax was highly satisfying as well. Weird, dark, haunting, disturbing - pick your adjective really. In short, it worked. It absolutely nailed the landing and left me chilled.
It would appear I’m now all-in on Lucie McKnight Hardy and will be adding her to my ‘auto-read’ list for future releases. This quietly horrific, bleak and powerful story is a banger and you should check it out!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.
February 11, 2026
After a house flood damages the paintings she needs for an upcoming exhibition, Astrid and her partner are invited to stay with friends. They take up residence in an abandoned chapel, and the cracks begin to show.
Right off the bat, I need to say that I found Astrid deeply unlikeable. She came across as genuinely selfish, unable to appreciate any kindness or effort made on her behalf. Around the 66% mark I actually had to take a break because I was so frustrated by her behaviour.
I really felt sorry for Flora, and Simeon, but mostly Flora. She seemed to be a very giving and generous person, consistently making an effort to ensure the happiness of others, without really receiving the same in return from Astrid.
The location and chapel setting, coupled with the artistic theme running throughout, were fantastic. I was hoping for a bit more horror. I felt a mild sense of dread at times, but it didn’t culminate in anything truly scary or even upsetting in my opinion.
I would recommend this to anyone who appreciates a slow burn and creeping psychological horror.
Thank you to John Murray Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Right off the bat, I need to say that I found Astrid deeply unlikeable. She came across as genuinely selfish, unable to appreciate any kindness or effort made on her behalf. Around the 66% mark I actually had to take a break because I was so frustrated by her behaviour.
I really felt sorry for Flora, and Simeon, but mostly Flora. She seemed to be a very giving and generous person, consistently making an effort to ensure the happiness of others, without really receiving the same in return from Astrid.
The location and chapel setting, coupled with the artistic theme running throughout, were fantastic. I was hoping for a bit more horror. I felt a mild sense of dread at times, but it didn’t culminate in anything truly scary or even upsetting in my opinion.
I would recommend this to anyone who appreciates a slow burn and creeping psychological horror.
Thank you to John Murray Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2025
Some books don’t creep up on you quietly. They barge straight in and start rearranging your head. Night Babies by Lucie McKnight Hardy is one of those. From the first few pages, there’s a pulse of unease, that low hum that tells you something isn’t right, and before you know it, you’re knee-deep in dread.
Astrid Aspden should be having her moment, her first solo exhibition, a fresh start with her partner, Kit. But life being life, there’s a flood, a pile of ruined paintings, and a desperate invitation to stay in her friend’s half-renovated chapel in rural Wales. What starts as a favour becomes a slow, exquisite unravelling.
The chapel, with its rotting edges and strange whispers, is a character in itself, one that doesn’t so much haunt Astrid as consume her. The landscape, too, plays its part: that wild Welsh beauty that appears picture perfect from afar but conceals something ancient and unfriendly beneath. Having walked parts of the Beacons myself, I could practically smell the damp earth and feel the cold air biting at the back of my neck. Hardy captures that kind of setting so precisely that it’s like she’s bottling dread.
Astrid’s mind starts to fray, and Hardy makes sure we feel every thread come loose. Her descent is brilliantly drawn; she’s disturbed, certainly, but the line between internal madness and external haunting is deliciously blurred. The tension between her and her old friend Flora, the echoes of their shared past in Florence, and the growing distance with her partner Kit, all pull at the seams of her sanity. Every relationship in the book feels taut, ready to snap, and when it does well, it’s not a clean break.
The horror here isn’t loud; it’s creeping, psychological, soaked in grief and guilt, the kind that gets under your skin, curls up somewhere dark, and stays there.
I read this via NetGalley, and I’m so sorry to say you’ll have to wait until April to get your hands on it, but trust me, it’ll be worth the wait. Creepy, claustrophobic, and gorgeously written, Night Babies is one of those rare reads that can make you question whether the horror is really in the house or in your own head.
Brooding, brilliant, and quietly devastating, the kind of book that seeps into your bones and doesn’t leave when you turn the last page. I’ll be hunting down everything Hardy has ever written.
Astrid Aspden should be having her moment, her first solo exhibition, a fresh start with her partner, Kit. But life being life, there’s a flood, a pile of ruined paintings, and a desperate invitation to stay in her friend’s half-renovated chapel in rural Wales. What starts as a favour becomes a slow, exquisite unravelling.
The chapel, with its rotting edges and strange whispers, is a character in itself, one that doesn’t so much haunt Astrid as consume her. The landscape, too, plays its part: that wild Welsh beauty that appears picture perfect from afar but conceals something ancient and unfriendly beneath. Having walked parts of the Beacons myself, I could practically smell the damp earth and feel the cold air biting at the back of my neck. Hardy captures that kind of setting so precisely that it’s like she’s bottling dread.
Astrid’s mind starts to fray, and Hardy makes sure we feel every thread come loose. Her descent is brilliantly drawn; she’s disturbed, certainly, but the line between internal madness and external haunting is deliciously blurred. The tension between her and her old friend Flora, the echoes of their shared past in Florence, and the growing distance with her partner Kit, all pull at the seams of her sanity. Every relationship in the book feels taut, ready to snap, and when it does well, it’s not a clean break.
The horror here isn’t loud; it’s creeping, psychological, soaked in grief and guilt, the kind that gets under your skin, curls up somewhere dark, and stays there.
I read this via NetGalley, and I’m so sorry to say you’ll have to wait until April to get your hands on it, but trust me, it’ll be worth the wait. Creepy, claustrophobic, and gorgeously written, Night Babies is one of those rare reads that can make you question whether the horror is really in the house or in your own head.
Brooding, brilliant, and quietly devastating, the kind of book that seeps into your bones and doesn’t leave when you turn the last page. I’ll be hunting down everything Hardy has ever written.
April 21, 2026
“The Silence That Unravels You”
Night Babies by Lucie McKnight Hardy is a slow-burning, atmospheric folk horror that focuses on mood and psychological tension rather than conventional scares.
Set in a remote Welsh valley, the story follows artist Astrid as she retreats to a decaying chapel after a personal setback, only to become increasingly unsettled by both the landscape and her own past. The premise combines artistic obsession, strained relationships, and buried trauma with uncanny elements, shadowy figures, whispers in the night, and a lingering sense that something is amiss beneath the surface.
Hardy’s greatest strength is her prose: lyrical and quietly oppressive. The setting of the reservoir and chapel feels alive with menace, and the novel excels at creating a claustrophobic, creeping dread.
This is a horror story that is very much slow horror. The pacing feels deliberate, and readers seeking action or clear answers may find it frustrating. Instead, the book dwells in ambiguity, emphasising emotional unease and the erosion of reality.
Overall, Night Babies is a haunting, literary ghost story more unsettling than frightening. If you prefer folk horror rich in atmosphere, symbolism, and psychological depth, then this is the book for you.
My thanks go to both NetGalley and John Murray, the publishers, for providing an ebook and for offering an honest review.
Night Babies by Lucie McKnight Hardy is a slow-burning, atmospheric folk horror that focuses on mood and psychological tension rather than conventional scares.
Set in a remote Welsh valley, the story follows artist Astrid as she retreats to a decaying chapel after a personal setback, only to become increasingly unsettled by both the landscape and her own past. The premise combines artistic obsession, strained relationships, and buried trauma with uncanny elements, shadowy figures, whispers in the night, and a lingering sense that something is amiss beneath the surface.
Hardy’s greatest strength is her prose: lyrical and quietly oppressive. The setting of the reservoir and chapel feels alive with menace, and the novel excels at creating a claustrophobic, creeping dread.
This is a horror story that is very much slow horror. The pacing feels deliberate, and readers seeking action or clear answers may find it frustrating. Instead, the book dwells in ambiguity, emphasising emotional unease and the erosion of reality.
Overall, Night Babies is a haunting, literary ghost story more unsettling than frightening. If you prefer folk horror rich in atmosphere, symbolism, and psychological depth, then this is the book for you.
My thanks go to both NetGalley and John Murray, the publishers, for providing an ebook and for offering an honest review.
May 10, 2026
Night Babies by Lucie McKnight Hardy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love horror by a female authors, so I was excited to request McKnight-Hardy's book Night Babies.
The author does creepy, psychological horror within the parameters of the everyday so well. Both the atmospheric landscape and the setting described are haunting and you feel a sense of the unknown creating an unease right from the start. It's a slow paced book, but I felt that this built on the tension, as I was waiting nervously for what was around the next corner. At the end, I was left questioning certain elements, but again I think this factored into the horror element.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love horror by a female authors, so I was excited to request McKnight-Hardy's book Night Babies.
The author does creepy, psychological horror within the parameters of the everyday so well. Both the atmospheric landscape and the setting described are haunting and you feel a sense of the unknown creating an unease right from the start. It's a slow paced book, but I felt that this built on the tension, as I was waiting nervously for what was around the next corner. At the end, I was left questioning certain elements, but again I think this factored into the horror element.
April 23, 2026
I love when books marketed as horror are genuinely scary!! I hated the main character SO much which I think was the point lol
My first time reading a book from this author but certainly not the last!
My first time reading a book from this author but certainly not the last!
November 7, 2025
This was so creepy and disturbing. The atmosphere and setting made this book complete. The rugged landscape and natural beauty elevated this and just made the whole thing such a treat to read. The main character was deeply disturbed, pretty much from the outset, and her descent into 'madness' was perfect. All the peripheral characters were well written and 'fleshed out'. I loved everything about this book.
November 2, 2025
I was lucky enough to get my hands on a proof of this novel before its release next year at the same time as a visit to the Brecon Beacons, making the descriptions of this stunning location even more vivid. An incredible read full of brooding menace. The characterisation of the principal protagonist is developed in each chapter both as the story unfolds and as we glimpse into her psyche through flashbacks to a fraught school trip to Florence. The slow building horror made it impossible for me to put the book down and the gradual descent to the final conclusion was superb. A fabulous half term read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Astrid is a successful artist preparing for a forthcoming exhibition of her work. She lives with her partner Kit in a house for which her distant parents gave them the deposit. But disaster strikes while they are away visiting Astrid’s friends as a flood ruins the house and her exhibition paintings. Temporarily homeless she calls on her friends, Flora and Simeon aka Sim, and they offer her and Kit temporary accommodation on their land in Wales. They are running a luxury holiday accommodation business on the farm and offer them the abandoned chapel near the lake. Sim is very wealthy and 15 years older than Flora. After her earlier visit, Astrid views the farm as one for
‘people who don’t like the countryside.’
But on their first visit she had strange experiences, a face in the mirror that isn’t her and the soft touch of small hands on her legs.
But, as she and Kit settle into the chapel, Astrid remembers the school trip to Florence with Gio, the handsome young art teacher, with Flora and three other girls. It was ostensibly to study Renaissance art as part of their A Level but it degenerated into cheap pizza, eyeing up Italian boys, malice, envy, betrayal and ultimately to disaster. Astrid is fascinated by the lake with its dark water and brooding atmosphere and she neglects the exhibition paintings that need to be reworked. Instead she begins to paint the lake and the countryside. Kit works from home and soon becomes a disembodied voice from behind a closed door. But it soon becomes apparent that they are wearing out their welcome with Flora and Sim.
Astrid discovers that the lake is actually a reservoir and that a village was sacrificed for its creation. Some of the buildings can still be seen at low water levels. But what lies at its bottom echoes the people in her paintings. As her paintings become more intense and Graham, the gallery owner, pressures her to about the catalogue and the paintings, the signs that they have uninvited guests becomes stronger. Soon Astrid will have to face up to the choices she’s made and what she has done.
I think that Astrid maybe one of the most unlikeable, unsympathetic characters that I’ve ever met and this is a compliment to the author. She seems to exploit everyone she comes across including the marginalised people who become the unwitting subjects of her paintings. She takes photos of them without their permission such as a shoplifter at a street market and then creates her work from them. She narrates the story and I already sensed an unsettling atmosphere between her and her oldest friend Flora. By contrast, Flora is eager to please and has embraced her new life in the Brecon Beacons. She is always optimistic even when faced with Astrid’s sullenness. The atmosphere between Astrid and Sim is tense after she made a clumsy attempt to seduce him and was firmly repudiated.
This is a slow burner of a bok and I liked the way that the menacing and macabre atmosphere was built up and how it affected Astrid’s mental health. At times it was a challenging read but it was another good addition to the folk horror genre. However, I felt that it also stood on its own as a scary unsettling book. A good cover as well.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love reading horror, even outside of October and I particularly enjoy stories which revolve around a haunted house, so I was excited to request Night Babies.
Astrid and Kit move in with their friends in their converted chapel overlooking a reservoir in the Brecon Beacons. But the longer they stay there, they begin to realise something may be wrong as they contend with whispering, weird dreams and behavioural changes…
The writing style of Night Babies is beautiful – as main character Astrid is a painter, she sees the world around her in a kaleidoscope of colour, with its beauty of shapes and edges and a need to paint everything in front of her to make sense of what she is seeing. This makes for beautiful, dark and unsettling prose which really, pardon the pun, paints a vivid picture of the setting of the chapel in the grounds of the reservoir. The narrative also alternates between the present day and flashbacks of a school trip to Italy with Astrid and her friend Flora. I liked how this flashback provided vital context to Flora and Astrid’s relationship, and more information about Astrid’s personality, decisions she has made throughout her life and the secrets she has held onto. I also enjoyed the way that Hardy keeps the reader off balance throughout – with an offhanded comment or flashback reveal that suddenly changes the entire framework that we have been viewing this story through.
Night Babies is a slow-burn horror, with emphasis on the slow burn. Although the entire book is darkly unsettling, I felt like I was constantly waiting for a twist or a reveal, and the middle of the book dragged and felt repetitive in places due to this. Although the events do build up to a shocking conclusion, I felt like I was actually left with a lot more questions than answers and the decision not to include a reference to Kit in the epilogue was an odd one – I was left wondering what happened in that side of the story.
Overall, Night Babies is a beautifully written and evocative horror, but it is a very slow-paced read and I was left with a lot of questions by the end. Thank you to NetGalley & John Murray Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
Astrid and Kit move in with their friends in their converted chapel overlooking a reservoir in the Brecon Beacons. But the longer they stay there, they begin to realise something may be wrong as they contend with whispering, weird dreams and behavioural changes…
The writing style of Night Babies is beautiful – as main character Astrid is a painter, she sees the world around her in a kaleidoscope of colour, with its beauty of shapes and edges and a need to paint everything in front of her to make sense of what she is seeing. This makes for beautiful, dark and unsettling prose which really, pardon the pun, paints a vivid picture of the setting of the chapel in the grounds of the reservoir. The narrative also alternates between the present day and flashbacks of a school trip to Italy with Astrid and her friend Flora. I liked how this flashback provided vital context to Flora and Astrid’s relationship, and more information about Astrid’s personality, decisions she has made throughout her life and the secrets she has held onto. I also enjoyed the way that Hardy keeps the reader off balance throughout – with an offhanded comment or flashback reveal that suddenly changes the entire framework that we have been viewing this story through.
Night Babies is a slow-burn horror, with emphasis on the slow burn. Although the entire book is darkly unsettling, I felt like I was constantly waiting for a twist or a reveal, and the middle of the book dragged and felt repetitive in places due to this. Although the events do build up to a shocking conclusion, I felt like I was actually left with a lot more questions than answers and the decision not to include a reference to Kit in the epilogue was an odd one – I was left wondering what happened in that side of the story.
Overall, Night Babies is a beautifully written and evocative horror, but it is a very slow-paced read and I was left with a lot of questions by the end. Thank you to NetGalley & John Murray Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
March 25, 2026
"There's a weight on me, pushing me down. Or is it in me, pulling at me, inside?"
Lucie McKnight Hardy's new novel is about Astrid and Kit. Things finally look promising for them until their home becomes flooded. Astrid is an artist and finds her works for her upcoming gallery show have been damaged. She is thrown a lifeline when her best friend Flora invites her to stay in a run-down chapel she and her partner, Sim, are renovating in the Brecon Beacons. As the couple settle into their new surroundings to salvage Astrid's work, they soon learn about the unsettling history of the chapel and what lies beneath the nearby reservoir. Something shifts as the friendship between Astrid and Flora becomes strained due to their past history and Astrid becomes distant from Kit as his behaviour becomes disturbing. She soon begins to notice strange markings, voices and figures coming from the reservoir. Can she survive the horror that is calling for her or will it consume her?
This was one of those novels where the reader is the bear witness to the claustrophobic nightmare that plagues Astrid and Kit. The story builds this narrative of a rich and unsettling history surrounding the chapel. This is revealed through breadcrumbs by the couple's friend's partner Sim.
The characters in this story play a huge part in emphasising that tense and suffocating atmosphere due to class differences. There is an air of superiority that is the root cause of a lot of the tension between them. However this further pushed when events from Astrid and Floras past surface.
This was a bit of a slow burn with a dark atmosphere throughout. The elements of horror as emphasised through the strange behaviours of the characters and the creepy sightings, made this quite an intense read.
I did enjoy this one, it had quite a few twists and with the unsettling atmosphere, it had me hooked.
Many thanks to @johnmurraypress for the copy.
Lucie McKnight Hardy's new novel is about Astrid and Kit. Things finally look promising for them until their home becomes flooded. Astrid is an artist and finds her works for her upcoming gallery show have been damaged. She is thrown a lifeline when her best friend Flora invites her to stay in a run-down chapel she and her partner, Sim, are renovating in the Brecon Beacons. As the couple settle into their new surroundings to salvage Astrid's work, they soon learn about the unsettling history of the chapel and what lies beneath the nearby reservoir. Something shifts as the friendship between Astrid and Flora becomes strained due to their past history and Astrid becomes distant from Kit as his behaviour becomes disturbing. She soon begins to notice strange markings, voices and figures coming from the reservoir. Can she survive the horror that is calling for her or will it consume her?
This was one of those novels where the reader is the bear witness to the claustrophobic nightmare that plagues Astrid and Kit. The story builds this narrative of a rich and unsettling history surrounding the chapel. This is revealed through breadcrumbs by the couple's friend's partner Sim.
The characters in this story play a huge part in emphasising that tense and suffocating atmosphere due to class differences. There is an air of superiority that is the root cause of a lot of the tension between them. However this further pushed when events from Astrid and Floras past surface.
This was a bit of a slow burn with a dark atmosphere throughout. The elements of horror as emphasised through the strange behaviours of the characters and the creepy sightings, made this quite an intense read.
I did enjoy this one, it had quite a few twists and with the unsettling atmosphere, it had me hooked.
Many thanks to @johnmurraypress for the copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.75 stars
What a delightfully creepy Gothic haunting this was. When their home suffers significant water damage, Astrid and Kit must throw themselves at the mercy of their much wealthier friends. Flora and her husband own a large piece of land in the Welsh countryside. Between the refurbished barns they rent out to tourists and their own palatial former farmhouse, they're able to accommodate Astrid and Kit in an old, deconsecrated chapel. It is far from being in a company-ready condition. Astrid prefers it, though, to sharing space with Flora's insufferable husband. She has an exhibition in a month and must repair her paintings that have been damaged by the leak. Soon, however, the two couples realize that perhaps they are not as close as they believed they were. The vast dark lake that dominates the landscape casts an eerie chill over the increasingly unwelcome guests.
I could not put this down. Astrid is such a difficult person but so intriguing. I needed to know why she was the way she was. In a way, this reminded me of Rachel Harrson's PLAY NICE, being in the head of someone so unnecessarily confrontational. In true Gothic fashion, the creeps are slow, insidious, and atmospheric. The author uses the Welsh countryside expertly to up the reader's feeling of unease.
As an aside, I recommend NIGHT BABIES wholeheartedly as a Halloween book club pick. Between the Welsh superstition, the Renaissance art, the ethical questions regarding profiting off the likeness of strangers, the unanswered questions, and how divisive Astrid as a character is bound to be, I foresee this producing some rich and boisterous discussion!
What a delightfully creepy Gothic haunting this was. When their home suffers significant water damage, Astrid and Kit must throw themselves at the mercy of their much wealthier friends. Flora and her husband own a large piece of land in the Welsh countryside. Between the refurbished barns they rent out to tourists and their own palatial former farmhouse, they're able to accommodate Astrid and Kit in an old, deconsecrated chapel. It is far from being in a company-ready condition. Astrid prefers it, though, to sharing space with Flora's insufferable husband. She has an exhibition in a month and must repair her paintings that have been damaged by the leak. Soon, however, the two couples realize that perhaps they are not as close as they believed they were. The vast dark lake that dominates the landscape casts an eerie chill over the increasingly unwelcome guests.
I could not put this down. Astrid is such a difficult person but so intriguing. I needed to know why she was the way she was. In a way, this reminded me of Rachel Harrson's PLAY NICE, being in the head of someone so unnecessarily confrontational. In true Gothic fashion, the creeps are slow, insidious, and atmospheric. The author uses the Welsh countryside expertly to up the reader's feeling of unease.
As an aside, I recommend NIGHT BABIES wholeheartedly as a Halloween book club pick. Between the Welsh superstition, the Renaissance art, the ethical questions regarding profiting off the likeness of strangers, the unanswered questions, and how divisive Astrid as a character is bound to be, I foresee this producing some rich and boisterous discussion!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Astrid is an artist preparing for her first solo art exhibition when the house she lives in with her husband Kit floods and ruins many of the portraits she specialises in. With Kit due to start a new job and the deadline for the exhibition creeping up on her, Astrid is in a state of despair. That is until her friend Flora and her husband Sim offer for them to stay with them at the farmhouse they are renovating in the Brecon Beacons. After some initial confusion where Astrid believes them to be staying in one of the holiday lets on the farms property, her and Kit agree to move in to the part refurbished run down chapel on the edge of what Astrid believes to be a lake. The longer they stay, the more Astrid and Kit learn about the disturbing history of the land they are living on, and the more strange things start happening. Handprints on the glass front of the chapel and her paintings, shadowy figures, nightmares and a compulsion for Astrid to paint her surroundings instead of working on her exhibition pieces. When Kit falls incredibly ill and she realises that something about the place has an odd pull on her and she attempts to run from the looming horrors.
I had high hopes going into this from reading the blurb and being a big horror fan I’m always on the look out for books that are going to make me afraid to turn out the lights. This promised to be one of those books and initially it did seem to be heading that way. There are some pretty dark themes in here and the slow build up of these weird things happening had me holding out hope for something really good. However the horror aspect never really did develop enough for me personally, and what started out as a slow burn seemed to end with a bit of a fizzle rather than a bang. That’s not to say the ending didn’t work, it definitely fit in with the story but I do feel like there could just have been something a bit… more. One thing I did particularly enjoy about this book was the flashbacks to a school trip to Florence where we get more insight into Flora and Astrids relationship, and we learn a lot more about who Astrid is as a person which makes you go back and question how reliable a storyteller Astrid really is. Although this was without a doubt beautifully written and very evocative, I was left with a LOT of questions at the end and that just let it down for me.
I had high hopes going into this from reading the blurb and being a big horror fan I’m always on the look out for books that are going to make me afraid to turn out the lights. This promised to be one of those books and initially it did seem to be heading that way. There are some pretty dark themes in here and the slow build up of these weird things happening had me holding out hope for something really good. However the horror aspect never really did develop enough for me personally, and what started out as a slow burn seemed to end with a bit of a fizzle rather than a bang. That’s not to say the ending didn’t work, it definitely fit in with the story but I do feel like there could just have been something a bit… more. One thing I did particularly enjoy about this book was the flashbacks to a school trip to Florence where we get more insight into Flora and Astrids relationship, and we learn a lot more about who Astrid is as a person which makes you go back and question how reliable a storyteller Astrid really is. Although this was without a doubt beautifully written and very evocative, I was left with a LOT of questions at the end and that just let it down for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Night Babies
Night Babies is a creepy horror novel set in the Welsh Brecon Beacons by Lucy McKnight Hardie.
We follow Astrid and Kit as they move out of their home due to water damage and stay with their friends Flora and Sim in their guest house in the Welsh countryside. Astrid and Kit move into an old Chapel on the site so Astrid can work on paintings for her upcoming exhibition, however the Chapel seems to have a strange pull on Astrid and quickly her style of painting changes aswell as seeing shadows and feeling tiny hands touching her.
Astrid is such an unlikeable character. She seems to treat everyone around her quite horribly when all they want to do is help her. As the story moves on it alludes to something happening during a sixth form trip Astrid and Flora went on to Florence years before. Tensions rise as does Astrid's descent to madness, or haunting, whichever it will turn out to be.
I liked this book however I think I would have enjoyed it more if I'd had the time to sit and really get into it. As I was picking it up and reading small bits here and their I felt there to be less tension and it felt too slow for me to really become invested in it. It's quite light on scary moments although it is atmospheric. The history of the reservoir and Chapel was really interesting but I felt like it could have been developed more.
I liked the ending although it didn't answer all my questions. In general I did enjoy this one and would read more from this author (in fact I think I have Dead Relatives on my shelf!)
Night Babies is a creepy horror novel set in the Welsh Brecon Beacons by Lucy McKnight Hardie.
We follow Astrid and Kit as they move out of their home due to water damage and stay with their friends Flora and Sim in their guest house in the Welsh countryside. Astrid and Kit move into an old Chapel on the site so Astrid can work on paintings for her upcoming exhibition, however the Chapel seems to have a strange pull on Astrid and quickly her style of painting changes aswell as seeing shadows and feeling tiny hands touching her.
Astrid is such an unlikeable character. She seems to treat everyone around her quite horribly when all they want to do is help her. As the story moves on it alludes to something happening during a sixth form trip Astrid and Flora went on to Florence years before. Tensions rise as does Astrid's descent to madness, or haunting, whichever it will turn out to be.
I liked this book however I think I would have enjoyed it more if I'd had the time to sit and really get into it. As I was picking it up and reading small bits here and their I felt there to be less tension and it felt too slow for me to really become invested in it. It's quite light on scary moments although it is atmospheric. The history of the reservoir and Chapel was really interesting but I felt like it could have been developed more.
I liked the ending although it didn't answer all my questions. In general I did enjoy this one and would read more from this author (in fact I think I have Dead Relatives on my shelf!)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It took me forever to finish this, which is surprising considering it's right up my alley. It's the quintessential slow burn, folk horror/gothic horror novel, with a perfect grasp of what makes a rural haunting a fascinating choice for a premise and a fitting context for one woman's spiral amidst creepy and strange events and resurrected past traumas. But there's so much emphasis on characterization, that very little survives of the (admittedly, interesting) horror elements as either memorable or distinctive. True, characterization is very important in a novel, but to the extent that this is meant to be a horror novel, such an emphasis often made me wonder what kind of a book I was reading - it felt so much like a mainstream work with a ton of engaging flashbacks and riveting ambiguities of the most common sort outside horror, absolutely well-done and superbly imagined, but ultimately completely unoriginal in terms of horror and dread. What's more, I didn't like the characters all that much, their arrognace and selfishness made them extremely annoying -even though for the very same reason they also felt real, which convinced me to read on and finish the book. In respect of the writing, the novel is superb; in respect of the horror aspects, however, I found the book rather pedestrian.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5
One of the things I’ve noticed about McKnight Hardy is her talent for writing, shall we say, difficult as well as unlikable characters and making them completely compelling. Night Babies is no different in that regard.
Here we are introduced to Astrid Aspden and Kit, her partner. Weeks away from her first art exhibition, calamity strikes and her paintings are ruined in an unexpected accident of sorts.
Luckily, her best friend Flora throws the couple a lifeline in the form of a refurbished chapel she and her husband are renovating, hoping to rent it out as a retreat. The chapel has a dark history — so do Flora and Astrid. When unexpected and tragic news arrives, an already frayed situation begins to unravel at a rapid rate.
Hardy also excels at crafting almost painful, deeply uncomfortable tension between characters and an atmosphere so thick it can be cut with a knife. Night Babies has this in abundance.
Admittedly, there is perhaps a touch too much foreshadowing in this novel, and for fans of classic horror, it is fairly easy to see how things will go. The fun, however, is in the journey, and it is quite the jaunt.
Recommended.
With thanks to John Murray Press for the ARC.
One of the things I’ve noticed about McKnight Hardy is her talent for writing, shall we say, difficult as well as unlikable characters and making them completely compelling. Night Babies is no different in that regard.
Here we are introduced to Astrid Aspden and Kit, her partner. Weeks away from her first art exhibition, calamity strikes and her paintings are ruined in an unexpected accident of sorts.
Luckily, her best friend Flora throws the couple a lifeline in the form of a refurbished chapel she and her husband are renovating, hoping to rent it out as a retreat. The chapel has a dark history — so do Flora and Astrid. When unexpected and tragic news arrives, an already frayed situation begins to unravel at a rapid rate.
Hardy also excels at crafting almost painful, deeply uncomfortable tension between characters and an atmosphere so thick it can be cut with a knife. Night Babies has this in abundance.
Admittedly, there is perhaps a touch too much foreshadowing in this novel, and for fans of classic horror, it is fairly easy to see how things will go. The fun, however, is in the journey, and it is quite the jaunt.
Recommended.
With thanks to John Murray Press for the ARC.
March 28, 2026
Night Babies by Lucie McKnight Hardy is an atmospheric folk horror that I can’t stop thinking about.
It follows Astrid Aspden, a promising artist whose life is thrown off course when a flood destroys the paintings meant for her first solo exhibition. Seeking refuge in a decaying chapel in Brecon Beacons, hosted by her old friend Flora, Astrid and her partner Kit attempt to salvage what’s left of her work.
It leans into all the elements I love in folk horror, an isolated rural setting, a building with a dark past, and that constant feeling that something is lurking just beneath the surface. The atmosphere is thick with tension, like you’re waiting for something to snap. Astrid is tormented by memories of a school trip to Florence with Flora, just as much as she is by the strange things happening around her, from the unsettling changes to her canvases to the figures near the reservoir.
Astrid is an intentionally frustrating protagonist, often self-absorbed, and unlikeable, but also strangely compelling. Her obsessive need to capture the landscape and control the narrative of her past drives everything, making her a deeply unreliable narrator. As her grip on reality slowly begins to slip, you are often left wondering what is real.
Kit, Flora, and Sim are well rounded characters, though they remain slightly elusive, filtered through Astrid’s often biased perspective. That distance adds to the book’s tension, keeping you on edge.
The atmosphere is where the book really excels. The chapel and reservoir feel almost claustrophobic, and the surrounding nature comes across as hostile rather than comforting. The pacing is slow but deliberate, building tension in a way that kept me hooked from start to finish.
I think folk horror might be one of my favourite genres, and Night Babies really confirmed that. It was so hard to put down. If you enjoy unsettling, atmospheric stories that rely more on suggestion than outright horror, this book will definitely be worth your time.
Thank you @johnmurrays for the copy. Publishing in April.
It follows Astrid Aspden, a promising artist whose life is thrown off course when a flood destroys the paintings meant for her first solo exhibition. Seeking refuge in a decaying chapel in Brecon Beacons, hosted by her old friend Flora, Astrid and her partner Kit attempt to salvage what’s left of her work.
It leans into all the elements I love in folk horror, an isolated rural setting, a building with a dark past, and that constant feeling that something is lurking just beneath the surface. The atmosphere is thick with tension, like you’re waiting for something to snap. Astrid is tormented by memories of a school trip to Florence with Flora, just as much as she is by the strange things happening around her, from the unsettling changes to her canvases to the figures near the reservoir.
Astrid is an intentionally frustrating protagonist, often self-absorbed, and unlikeable, but also strangely compelling. Her obsessive need to capture the landscape and control the narrative of her past drives everything, making her a deeply unreliable narrator. As her grip on reality slowly begins to slip, you are often left wondering what is real.
Kit, Flora, and Sim are well rounded characters, though they remain slightly elusive, filtered through Astrid’s often biased perspective. That distance adds to the book’s tension, keeping you on edge.
The atmosphere is where the book really excels. The chapel and reservoir feel almost claustrophobic, and the surrounding nature comes across as hostile rather than comforting. The pacing is slow but deliberate, building tension in a way that kept me hooked from start to finish.
I think folk horror might be one of my favourite genres, and Night Babies really confirmed that. It was so hard to put down. If you enjoy unsettling, atmospheric stories that rely more on suggestion than outright horror, this book will definitely be worth your time.
Thank you @johnmurrays for the copy. Publishing in April.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Night Babies is a deeply unsettling and atmospheric read that lingers long after you’ve turned the last page. Lucie McKnight Hardy is a master at blending psychological horror with a creeping sense of dread, creating a story that feels both intimate and terrifying. The writing is sharp and evocative, it pulls you into a world where paranoia thrives.
The novel excels at building tension, every chapter feels like a slow descent into something dark and unknowable. It’s genuinely psychologically scary in places, but not because of cheap shocks, it's haunting and disturbing.
One lingering frustration: though it also adds to the book’s eerie ambiguity.
Thanks to Netgalley and John Murray Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The novel excels at building tension, every chapter feels like a slow descent into something dark and unknowable. It’s genuinely psychologically scary in places, but not because of cheap shocks, it's haunting and disturbing.
One lingering frustration: though it also adds to the book’s eerie ambiguity.
Thanks to Netgalley and John Murray Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In Night Babies, we follow struggling artist, Astrid, who's looking forward to her first exhibition, but tragedy strikes when a flood damages her paintings. So Astrid and her partner are invited to stay In the partly renovated Chapel that her friend owns in Wales and things start to spiral from there.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So for me, Night Babies is more of a slow burn, that creeps up on you and holds your attention once it gets going.
There's wisps of horror in the story, psychological horror in the main, but for me, there's more of a sense of dread and apprehension and the feeling of anxiety and trepidation as Astrid slowly unravels mentally.
The setting for the story was absolutely perfect for this type of read. A crumbling chapel, the cold Welsh hills, the feeling that something's not quite right all made for a gloomy, atmospheric feel.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So for me, Night Babies is more of a slow burn, that creeps up on you and holds your attention once it gets going.
There's wisps of horror in the story, psychological horror in the main, but for me, there's more of a sense of dread and apprehension and the feeling of anxiety and trepidation as Astrid slowly unravels mentally.
The setting for the story was absolutely perfect for this type of read. A crumbling chapel, the cold Welsh hills, the feeling that something's not quite right all made for a gloomy, atmospheric feel.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Not sure what to make of this. It’s undeniably well written, and it captures the Powys landscape and the atmosphere of Bannau Brycheiniog very convincingly. But the problem is if you’ve got any sort of background in horror there is nothing new here. The overall shape of the story is obvious from about fifty pages in, and it becomes frustrating waiting for the twists and upheavals you know are coming. Hardy is clearly inspired by old masters like M.R.James, Algernon Blackwood, Arthur Machen and more recently the likes of Ramsey Campbell and Andrew Michael Hurley, but she seems content to reproduce these influences rather than than build on them. It’s like watching a tribute band - it’s well done and you’ll enjoy the hits, but maybe there’s another band doing something exciting and new in a smaller venue down the road.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Many thanks to Netgalley and JOhn Murray Press for the opportunity to read this book.
Astrid was ready for her first art exhibit but disaster strikes when her house floods. She and her husband KIt decamp to her friend's farm. They stay in the small chapel on the grounds. Its not happy going between them all and things start to get dark and creepy. What is going on and can she survive it.
This was a very dark read and at times had me hooked but other times I just wanted to be done. For me it just didn't hold my attention until the end. The plot was twisted and jumped back to the past to develop the story. The ending did fit the story though if not quite as expected yet it worked. No one in this stands out as likeable. Astrid is very much the unreliable narrator and at times you do feel sorry for her. A dark, creepy read just not for me.
Astrid was ready for her first art exhibit but disaster strikes when her house floods. She and her husband KIt decamp to her friend's farm. They stay in the small chapel on the grounds. Its not happy going between them all and things start to get dark and creepy. What is going on and can she survive it.
This was a very dark read and at times had me hooked but other times I just wanted to be done. For me it just didn't hold my attention until the end. The plot was twisted and jumped back to the past to develop the story. The ending did fit the story though if not quite as expected yet it worked. No one in this stands out as likeable. Astrid is very much the unreliable narrator and at times you do feel sorry for her. A dark, creepy read just not for me.
May 14, 2026
Maybe I have just read too much ‘folk horror’ but from the first chapter where we learn about the construction of the chapel in which the main characters come to live, I could have told you pretty much how the final chapter would play out. That’s not to say that I did not enjoy the journey to the last chapter: the writing is excellent – very atmospheric and with some genuinely chilling elements, some of which are quite unusual and even disturbing.
But at the end of the day, it is the character development and relationships that are obviously most important to the author. If that is your thing (rather than the horror) then you will have come to the right place, but I could have done with a little less of the teenage angst (probably vital to the character development in this novel) but which rather slowed down the pace a little too much for me.
But at the end of the day, it is the character development and relationships that are obviously most important to the author. If that is your thing (rather than the horror) then you will have come to the right place, but I could have done with a little less of the teenage angst (probably vital to the character development in this novel) but which rather slowed down the pace a little too much for me.
April 20, 2026
Thanks to John Murray Press, the author and NetGalley for a DRC in return for an honest review.
This book has everything I love about folk horror.
Creeping dread ✔️
Slow, oppressive unease ✔️
Claustrophobic atmosphere and isolation ✔️
Haunting, lingering chill ✔️
Night Babies absolutely delivers - quiet, unsettling and steeped in that sense of something old and wrong just beneath the surface. It lets the horror creep in slowly until it becomes impossible to escape.
The isolated setting of the Brecon Beacons is a character in its own right and Lucie McKnight Hardy uses this to full effect.
Many reviewers have noted the slow pacing - for some a strength, for others a frustration. The divide is whether it feels masterful or meandering. For me, this was a delicious slow burn - a creeping dread that builds and builds.
This is a modern literary folk horror - not ritual-heavy or mythology-driven, but rooted in atmosphere, psychology and place.
Recommended for anyone who enjoyed The Flowers of Flood House by J J Walker or anything by Andrew Michael Hurley.
#NightBabies #NetGalley
This book has everything I love about folk horror.
Creeping dread ✔️
Slow, oppressive unease ✔️
Claustrophobic atmosphere and isolation ✔️
Haunting, lingering chill ✔️
Night Babies absolutely delivers - quiet, unsettling and steeped in that sense of something old and wrong just beneath the surface. It lets the horror creep in slowly until it becomes impossible to escape.
The isolated setting of the Brecon Beacons is a character in its own right and Lucie McKnight Hardy uses this to full effect.
Many reviewers have noted the slow pacing - for some a strength, for others a frustration. The divide is whether it feels masterful or meandering. For me, this was a delicious slow burn - a creeping dread that builds and builds.
This is a modern literary folk horror - not ritual-heavy or mythology-driven, but rooted in atmosphere, psychology and place.
Recommended for anyone who enjoyed The Flowers of Flood House by J J Walker or anything by Andrew Michael Hurley.
#NightBabies #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book is very much a slow burner. The author does a great job of creating a simmering sense of tension from the very beginning, which gradually builds and builds as the main character slowly loses her grip on reality. The whole thing reads like a fever dream and through a combination of disorientating prose and unreliable narration, you are never fully sure of what's going on at the heart of things, but for me I felt like that really worked to create an incredibly unsettling story.
The back and forth between past and present really worked for me. There was always a lingering sense of wrongness in both timelines but until the final few chapters you're never fully certain what it is that's lurking underneath it all.
This isn't a book that's particularly plot heavy. It's more of a vibe. A journey that will unsettle you and leave you feeling like you can't fully trust your own senses in the best way.
Thank you so much to the publisher for the advanced reader copy!
The back and forth between past and present really worked for me. There was always a lingering sense of wrongness in both timelines but until the final few chapters you're never fully certain what it is that's lurking underneath it all.
This isn't a book that's particularly plot heavy. It's more of a vibe. A journey that will unsettle you and leave you feeling like you can't fully trust your own senses in the best way.
Thank you so much to the publisher for the advanced reader copy!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I couldn't wait to get an advance copy of LMcH's new novel, so I'm hugely grateful to the publishers and to Netgalley for the ARC -- and having just finished it, I know that I'll be creeped out for a VERY LONG TIME. I am in awe of the way that LMcH can invoke the dread and uncanniness of what appears, at first, to be a perfectly 'normal' situation. She unravels the complexities of a woman's life and isn't afraid to take the reader into all the dark corners. It's horror, it's thriller, it's family drama. You have to be a brilliant writer to get that right, and she is, and she has. Highly, HIGHLY recommended.
November 22, 2025
Holyyyy shit I’m gonna need everyone to read this when it comes out. This is the type of horror I want to read, literary horror. This was a slow burn until it wasn’t and holy shit the ending!! Nothing prepared me for that.
Thanks so much to John Murray for my copy, review to come soon on insta!
Thanks so much to John Murray for my copy, review to come soon on insta!
December 18, 2025
Oh my days! What a creepfest. So many eerie elements coming together. Foreshadowing for days. It felt like the evil was alive and creeping closer. So claustrophobic!
April 27, 2026
Really enjoyed it. Creepy af. Well written and well paced.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews