What do you think?
Rate this book
Call Off the Dark
Not yet published
Expected 22 Sep 26A haunting, atmospheric debut thriller with a love story at its heart, following a feisty young woman caught between her husband and a mysterious stranger who disturbs their off-grid life in rural Washington.
Helen and Tyler were soulmates, a couple with a storybook beginning and an enduring bond, until Tyler’s sudden murder shattered her world. Numb with grief and desperate for escape, Helen impulsively marries Wade—a near stranger—and goes off-grid with him to a farmhouse in rural Washington, far from her polished Seattle existence.
By day, Helen, who definitely wasn’t built for canning food and sewing dresses, contemplates setting her garden on fire. By night, she faces down insomnia and PTSD with her collection of poems by Plath and Poe—and daydreaming about her past with Tyler. But the routine of her “trad wife” life is broken when an unexpected traveler Isaac, Wade’s broodingly mysterious brother.
Wade is stunned—Isaac died in a horrific farm accident years ago—and he quietly insists to Helen they are in danger. Helen isn’t sure what to believe. Has Isaac truly come back from the dead? Is Wade manipulating her fragile grip on reality? Or is her mind turning against her? As her suspicions close in from every side, Helen must navigate a maze of secrets, grief, and uncertainty—where trusting the wrong person could be fatal.
A stunningly original debut, Call Off the Dark blends a heart-piercing love story, immersive psychological drama, and spine-tingling thriller, resulting in a multilayered, transportive narrative that reminds us of the magic in human connection and that our truest partners in life can keep us tethered to the world, even from the grave.
Helen and Tyler were soulmates, a couple with a storybook beginning and an enduring bond, until Tyler’s sudden murder shattered her world. Numb with grief and desperate for escape, Helen impulsively marries Wade—a near stranger—and goes off-grid with him to a farmhouse in rural Washington, far from her polished Seattle existence.
By day, Helen, who definitely wasn’t built for canning food and sewing dresses, contemplates setting her garden on fire. By night, she faces down insomnia and PTSD with her collection of poems by Plath and Poe—and daydreaming about her past with Tyler. But the routine of her “trad wife” life is broken when an unexpected traveler Isaac, Wade’s broodingly mysterious brother.
Wade is stunned—Isaac died in a horrific farm accident years ago—and he quietly insists to Helen they are in danger. Helen isn’t sure what to believe. Has Isaac truly come back from the dead? Is Wade manipulating her fragile grip on reality? Or is her mind turning against her? As her suspicions close in from every side, Helen must navigate a maze of secrets, grief, and uncertainty—where trusting the wrong person could be fatal.
A stunningly original debut, Call Off the Dark blends a heart-piercing love story, immersive psychological drama, and spine-tingling thriller, resulting in a multilayered, transportive narrative that reminds us of the magic in human connection and that our truest partners in life can keep us tethered to the world, even from the grave.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 22, 2026
About the author
Hallie Shepherd
1 book62 followersHallie Shepherd is an author, screenwriter, actor, and producer. Her debut novel, Call Off the Dark, blends psychological suspense, gothic tension, and a deeply felt love story.
Originally from a tiny town in the Pacific Northwest, Hallie grew up running around in the woods, shooting “short films” with her friends on a video camera, and writing a weekly column for the county newspaper.
Her background in film and television influences her love of cinematic novels that balance pacing and atmosphere, as well as storytelling that moves between genres rather than staying inside a single box. Her favorite books are those with gray-area complexity that reveal both darkness and light.
Hallie now lives in Los Angeles with her filmmaker husband, where she continues writing stories for both page and screen.
Hallie’s Website
Follow Hallie on Instagram
Originally from a tiny town in the Pacific Northwest, Hallie grew up running around in the woods, shooting “short films” with her friends on a video camera, and writing a weekly column for the county newspaper.
Her background in film and television influences her love of cinematic novels that balance pacing and atmosphere, as well as storytelling that moves between genres rather than staying inside a single box. Her favorite books are those with gray-area complexity that reveal both darkness and light.
Hallie now lives in Los Angeles with her filmmaker husband, where she continues writing stories for both page and screen.
Hallie’s Website
Follow Hallie on Instagram
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
August 26, 2026
After losing her husband to a senseless act of violence, Helen moves to a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere and adopts a simpler lifestyle. She has remarried and is trying to move on, but everything is upheaved when her husband‘s brother shows up out of nowhere.
Where I think this book really excelled was showing the grief and loss that Helen felt. By having the past timeline showing how she and Tyler met gave a good snapshot as to who she was as a character and what she was feeling with her grief. I found those parts of the novel had the heaviest emotional impact. I thought it gave a good reason for why Helen chose to move to the farmhouse, isolated deep within the woods, and adopt a tradwife style of living. The setting was loaded with atmosphere, and the choice of poetry that Helen read gave it an extra eerie flair.
Where I feel like it lost me a little bit was with the supernatural elements, as well as Helen’s relationship with Wade and Isaac. I just didn’t find it believable. Not the supernatural elements, the actual relationship piece of it. Maybe because I didn’t get enough backstory on Wade that I had a hard time relating to that relationship. As for Isaac, I think that relationship is going to be a little tricky with readers. I feel like they’ll either love it or hate it. While I liked his role in the novel, I wasn’t a fan of his relationship with Helen. It was odd. But these are all just personal preferences as always.
While for most of the book I found it impossible to put down, around the 65% mark it started to drag a little bit for me. I think maybe the combination of all the different genres didn’t work 100% in this case, but it was still a very compelling read.
This is definitely a good debut novel and an author to be on the lookout for.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
Where I think this book really excelled was showing the grief and loss that Helen felt. By having the past timeline showing how she and Tyler met gave a good snapshot as to who she was as a character and what she was feeling with her grief. I found those parts of the novel had the heaviest emotional impact. I thought it gave a good reason for why Helen chose to move to the farmhouse, isolated deep within the woods, and adopt a tradwife style of living. The setting was loaded with atmosphere, and the choice of poetry that Helen read gave it an extra eerie flair.
Where I feel like it lost me a little bit was with the supernatural elements, as well as Helen’s relationship with Wade and Isaac. I just didn’t find it believable. Not the supernatural elements, the actual relationship piece of it. Maybe because I didn’t get enough backstory on Wade that I had a hard time relating to that relationship. As for Isaac, I think that relationship is going to be a little tricky with readers. I feel like they’ll either love it or hate it. While I liked his role in the novel, I wasn’t a fan of his relationship with Helen. It was odd. But these are all just personal preferences as always.
While for most of the book I found it impossible to put down, around the 65% mark it started to drag a little bit for me. I think maybe the combination of all the different genres didn’t work 100% in this case, but it was still a very compelling read.
This is definitely a good debut novel and an author to be on the lookout for.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
August 18, 2026
Call Off the Dark is a brilliant, genre-bending novel that caught me completely off guard.
Featuring a dual timeline, the story balances a sweet, meet-cute romance in the past with an eerie, unsettling horror narrative in the present. Think Emily Henry meets Melissa Albert, as weird as that sounds. Layered beneath the atmospheric tension is a deeply moving exploration of grief and trauma, handled with a quiet, profound simplicity that really sticks with you.
If you enjoy off-the-grid survival elements similar to The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, atmospheric dread, and stories that use horror as a lens for real-world emotional weight, this is a must-read. It’s a unique, quiet banger of a book, and Hallie Shepherd is definitely an author I'll be watching closely in the future. 4.5/5 stars!
Thank you to Jen at William Morrow (Harper Collins) for sending me an ARC copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This sounds so gooooooood.
Featuring a dual timeline, the story balances a sweet, meet-cute romance in the past with an eerie, unsettling horror narrative in the present. Think Emily Henry meets Melissa Albert, as weird as that sounds. Layered beneath the atmospheric tension is a deeply moving exploration of grief and trauma, handled with a quiet, profound simplicity that really sticks with you.
If you enjoy off-the-grid survival elements similar to The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, atmospheric dread, and stories that use horror as a lens for real-world emotional weight, this is a must-read. It’s a unique, quiet banger of a book, and Hallie Shepherd is definitely an author I'll be watching closely in the future. 4.5/5 stars!
Thank you to Jen at William Morrow (Harper Collins) for sending me an ARC copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This sounds so gooooooood.
September 3, 2026
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Thanks to all!
I gave it 4/5 ⭐️
I enjoyed:
- the atmosphere and location. I Love a story based in the woods and the descriptions in this book were really pretty. Picturesque.
- Tyler and Helen’s love story. I like a duel timeline and getting to look back at how they met/fell in love made me understand Helen’s grief more because I could feel how much she loved him.
- I love these new books with like a trad wife element- but I like that in this one Helen doesn’t ever act like she just lovessss living like this which is refreshing.
- That i wasn’t sure till the end which way things were going to go. I kept changing my mind on how it would end .
Things I didn’t enjoy as much-
- This was more literary the first half of the book which wasn’t bad it just took a while to get to the “thriller” part of the book.
- This book is ultimately about Helen and her grief but I would have liked a little more on Wade and Isaac.
April 7, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ I have read a lot of thrillers and a lot of romance novels. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the two combined but I loved it. The author did a great job exploring the blurred line between fear and lust. I felt so trapped in the house with Helen for a majority of the book and understood why she chose her personal methods of escapism, even if risky on many levels. There were also deep themes of friendship, love, trauma, regret, and insanity. Very well done!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
July 22, 2026
This was such a delightfully weird read! This atmospheric thriller drew me in right away and just kept getting better as the story progressed. It had me wondering what was real and what wasn’t up until the very end.
I enjoyed the dual timeline, as it provided insight from the past as well as what was currently going on with the characters. This was definitely one of those stories where the past was important in order for everything to click in place at the end.
The off-grid lifestyle Helen and Wade decided to partake in did a good job at creating an isolated and atmospheric setting for the story. This certainly added to the eeriness when Isaac came into the picture.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I’m sure I’ll be thinking about it for a while.
Read this if you like:
→ Off-grid lifestyle
→ Love story
→ Mystery
→ Stories about grief
Thank you @Williammorrowbooks
for the gifted copy of the book.
I enjoyed the dual timeline, as it provided insight from the past as well as what was currently going on with the characters. This was definitely one of those stories where the past was important in order for everything to click in place at the end.
The off-grid lifestyle Helen and Wade decided to partake in did a good job at creating an isolated and atmospheric setting for the story. This certainly added to the eeriness when Isaac came into the picture.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I’m sure I’ll be thinking about it for a while.
Read this if you like:
→ Off-grid lifestyle
→ Love story
→ Mystery
→ Stories about grief
Thank you @Williammorrowbooks
for the gifted copy of the book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4/5
Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and Hallie Shepherd for gifting me with this ARC to review. Despite me taking a minute to get into the story, I really ended up liking it!
Liked:
-Helen is a very painful ball of grief. I felt so bad for what she had to go through with witnessing Tyler die and watching the future she’d planned with him die too. Despite me not losing a significant other, I did lose my dad as a teenager and I related so much to the pain, anger, emptiness, and sadness that Helen was going through. I’m glad that she’s now able to fully process her grief and start letting go so she can learn to live again.
-supernatural elements are our friends. I always enjoy a good mystery with some supernatural elements thrown in the mix. I think the author added the right amount of it in the story. If it leaned more towards supernatural I don’t think it would’ve worked well with the whole story of Helen processing her grief funny enough.
-flashback moments. I truly did love seeing Helen and Tyler’s love story bloom. Sometimes you just find the right person and it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to you. They deserved so much more time with each other, but I think it really does reinforce the idea of living everyday like it’s your last, because we don’t know when death is going to come for us in the end.
Disliked:
-it was a slower start. I don’t mind that typically as long as there is at least some interest in dialogue or something going on between characters. Wade and Helen were really like two people living around each other, not with, if that makes sense. Until Issac showed up I didn’t know if I was going to end of liking this story as much as I did.
Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and Hallie Shepherd for gifting me with this ARC to review. Despite me taking a minute to get into the story, I really ended up liking it!
Liked:
-Helen is a very painful ball of grief. I felt so bad for what she had to go through with witnessing Tyler die and watching the future she’d planned with him die too. Despite me not losing a significant other, I did lose my dad as a teenager and I related so much to the pain, anger, emptiness, and sadness that Helen was going through. I’m glad that she’s now able to fully process her grief and start letting go so she can learn to live again.
-supernatural elements are our friends. I always enjoy a good mystery with some supernatural elements thrown in the mix. I think the author added the right amount of it in the story. If it leaned more towards supernatural I don’t think it would’ve worked well with the whole story of Helen processing her grief funny enough.
-flashback moments. I truly did love seeing Helen and Tyler’s love story bloom. Sometimes you just find the right person and it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to you. They deserved so much more time with each other, but I think it really does reinforce the idea of living everyday like it’s your last, because we don’t know when death is going to come for us in the end.
Disliked:
-it was a slower start. I don’t mind that typically as long as there is at least some interest in dialogue or something going on between characters. Wade and Helen were really like two people living around each other, not with, if that makes sense. Until Issac showed up I didn’t know if I was going to end of liking this story as much as I did.
Want to Read
March 5, 2026oooh this one sounds good!! Pub date: 09/2026
** ARC REC"D THANK YOU! **
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
** ARC REC"D THANK YOU! **
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Did Not Finish
August 27, 2026I often go into ARC’s reading only the blurb so that I can give an unbiased review as possible.
With this novel I didn’t get very far. For starters, the writing style was not for me. Too much describing and less experiencing, but the main character was so unlikeable, making super stupid choices right out of the gate, and I really had no empathy for her. She married a man, but not for love, while still grieving the loss of her ex-husband. It’s not the 1800’s where women have less agency. Then she chooses the trad wife life with him, but somehow is getting painted as a victim. Boohoo, I honestly think that set up is enough for me to hope she has a bad life.
Then we hit the seance stuff, which is not my forte, so opted to read reviews to see if there were redeeming aspects to this book. There are some favorable ones, but reading the content others wrote about ghost/demon/paranormal erotic scenes, I have opted to DNF this one. I imagine if I continued it would be a 1 star, but I won’t rate on GR due to not reading enough. The amount I did read, I did not enjoy.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.
With this novel I didn’t get very far. For starters, the writing style was not for me. Too much describing and less experiencing, but the main character was so unlikeable, making super stupid choices right out of the gate, and I really had no empathy for her. She married a man, but not for love, while still grieving the loss of her ex-husband. It’s not the 1800’s where women have less agency. Then she chooses the trad wife life with him, but somehow is getting painted as a victim. Boohoo, I honestly think that set up is enough for me to hope she has a bad life.
Then we hit the seance stuff, which is not my forte, so opted to read reviews to see if there were redeeming aspects to this book. There are some favorable ones, but reading the content others wrote about ghost/demon/paranormal erotic scenes, I have opted to DNF this one. I imagine if I continued it would be a 1 star, but I won’t rate on GR due to not reading enough. The amount I did read, I did not enjoy.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.
August 30, 2026
Unsure if I finished this book or if it finished me. FRTC
August 16, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5 rounded up
“Finally, he asked, ‘What do you want, Helen?’ Oblivion. Peace. Quiet. Noise. Revenge. Joy. Excitement. Death. ‘Will you just hold me?’”
WOW okay I actually loved this. So different and original. Writing and dialogue, both inner and external were outstanding. A commentary on grief add the complexity of existing as a woman in this world, and throw in an unreliable narrator and I was spellbound. Couldn’t put it down.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
“Finally, he asked, ‘What do you want, Helen?’ Oblivion. Peace. Quiet. Noise. Revenge. Joy. Excitement. Death. ‘Will you just hold me?’”
WOW okay I actually loved this. So different and original. Writing and dialogue, both inner and external were outstanding. A commentary on grief add the complexity of existing as a woman in this world, and throw in an unreliable narrator and I was spellbound. Couldn’t put it down.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 30, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Call Off the Dark was unlike anything I’ve read before. I’ve never really ventured into paranormal stories, but wow… this one completely won me over.
I won’t lie, the beginning was a little slow for me and I almost set it aside. But once the story found its footing, it absolutely took off. From that point on, I couldn’t stop turning the pages.
The grief woven throughout this story felt so visceral and tangible. It wasn’t just something the characters experienced. It became a thread that carried the reader through every chapter, almost as if the story was gently taking your hand and guiding you through the weight of loss alongside them.
The twists kept coming, and every time I thought I had even the smallest idea where the story was headed, I was wrong. I genuinely could not predict how everything would unfold, and I loved that.
I’m so glad I stuck with this one because the payoff was more than worth it. If you’re looking for a paranormal mystery with emotional depth, compelling twists, and a story that keeps you guessing until the very end, I absolutely recommend picking this one up. I’ll definitely be recommending it to my friends.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Call Off the Dark was unlike anything I’ve read before. I’ve never really ventured into paranormal stories, but wow… this one completely won me over.
I won’t lie, the beginning was a little slow for me and I almost set it aside. But once the story found its footing, it absolutely took off. From that point on, I couldn’t stop turning the pages.
The grief woven throughout this story felt so visceral and tangible. It wasn’t just something the characters experienced. It became a thread that carried the reader through every chapter, almost as if the story was gently taking your hand and guiding you through the weight of loss alongside them.
The twists kept coming, and every time I thought I had even the smallest idea where the story was headed, I was wrong. I genuinely could not predict how everything would unfold, and I loved that.
I’m so glad I stuck with this one because the payoff was more than worth it. If you’re looking for a paranormal mystery with emotional depth, compelling twists, and a story that keeps you guessing until the very end, I absolutely recommend picking this one up. I’ll definitely be recommending it to my friends.
September 6, 2026
This is my favorite thriller that I’ve read so far this year!
It was a dark and atmospheric thriller with a touch of paranormal mixed with grief and mental illness so you don’t know what is real until the end.
Helen’s husband and soulmate was killed in a home invasion and in the throws of her grief, she decides to marry Wade and goes out to live with him in the middle of nowhere, quasi off the grid and as a little bit of a trad wife.
I highly suggest you just go in as blind as possible. When Helen and Wade get an unexpected and frankly impossible visitor, everything starts to spiral and collapse.
This one was a little bit slower, but it flipped between Helen’s current life and the entirely different life she lived with her first husband, Tyler. It gets to the point where Helen starts to question her own sanity. She made for the best unreliable narrator because even she didn’t know if she was reliable.
I absolutely recommend this one!
It was a dark and atmospheric thriller with a touch of paranormal mixed with grief and mental illness so you don’t know what is real until the end.
Helen’s husband and soulmate was killed in a home invasion and in the throws of her grief, she decides to marry Wade and goes out to live with him in the middle of nowhere, quasi off the grid and as a little bit of a trad wife.
I highly suggest you just go in as blind as possible. When Helen and Wade get an unexpected and frankly impossible visitor, everything starts to spiral and collapse.
This one was a little bit slower, but it flipped between Helen’s current life and the entirely different life she lived with her first husband, Tyler. It gets to the point where Helen starts to question her own sanity. She made for the best unreliable narrator because even she didn’t know if she was reliable.
I absolutely recommend this one!
Did Not Finish
May 14, 2026DNF. The publisher sent it to me, so I gave it a go. It's just not my thing.
August 25, 2026
If you’re looking for your next “what the heck did I just read?!” I’ve got the recommendation for you and it’s perfect for those spooky season TBRS!
My summary:
An epic love lost to tragedy. A summoning gone wrong. An unwelcome return.
A woman, struggling with the overwhelming grief of losing the great love of her life, remarries and moves into a secluded farmhouse in the woods. Drawn to her current husband for his desire to live off grid, she spends her days like a Trad wife and her nights finding solace in poetry. Until, in a desperate attempt to speak to her dead husband one more time, she performs a seance that brings something back… just not who she asked for.
My overall thoughts:
When I say this book felt like a movie I mean it! I continually had the thought this would look amazing on screen pop into my head as I read. Truly, a cinematic read filled with jump scares, twists, and drama. I had a blast reading this and the spooky vibes and atmosphere were exactly what I wanted! Then we got to a certain plot twist (no spoilers) and I just couldn’t quite stomach it. I’d say this was previously a vibes five star until we hit this point! Unfortunately, it just crossed a line for me and my enjoyment dipped. I feel like a more adventurous reader would not share the same sentiments though!
If you love spooky, atmospheric settings, a plot that keeps you guessing, and a unique mix between love story and suspense then this is a very engaging read! Just know it has some spice content that may not appeal to all.
What I loved:
The cinematic writing style! The way this was written felt like I was watching the theatrical cut of a movie in my head. It was so highly descriptive and dramatic with moments that seared into my brain. Absolutely loved it!
The past storyline! The romance between Tyler and the FMC was a highlight of the book for me. I truly loved seeing how a healthy relationship happened, developed, and continued in sharp comparison to her current one.
The setting! I absolutely loved the ominous dark woods, with the coyotes lurking and howling, and the farmhouse creaking! The borderline grotesque mentions of the worms and the outright isolation all made for a great unsettling atmosphere.
What I didn’t like:
The spice. I just can’t with this… it’s hard to come back from the ick but this books spice gave it to me. I truly don’t think it’ll be an issue for others I just felt my eyebrows raise and they did not come back down. 🤣
Thank you to William Morrow Books and the author for the arc! All thoughts and opinions are my own and this is my voluntary review.
My summary:
An epic love lost to tragedy. A summoning gone wrong. An unwelcome return.
A woman, struggling with the overwhelming grief of losing the great love of her life, remarries and moves into a secluded farmhouse in the woods. Drawn to her current husband for his desire to live off grid, she spends her days like a Trad wife and her nights finding solace in poetry. Until, in a desperate attempt to speak to her dead husband one more time, she performs a seance that brings something back… just not who she asked for.
My overall thoughts:
When I say this book felt like a movie I mean it! I continually had the thought this would look amazing on screen pop into my head as I read. Truly, a cinematic read filled with jump scares, twists, and drama. I had a blast reading this and the spooky vibes and atmosphere were exactly what I wanted! Then we got to a certain plot twist (no spoilers) and I just couldn’t quite stomach it. I’d say this was previously a vibes five star until we hit this point! Unfortunately, it just crossed a line for me and my enjoyment dipped. I feel like a more adventurous reader would not share the same sentiments though!
If you love spooky, atmospheric settings, a plot that keeps you guessing, and a unique mix between love story and suspense then this is a very engaging read! Just know it has some spice content that may not appeal to all.
What I loved:
The cinematic writing style! The way this was written felt like I was watching the theatrical cut of a movie in my head. It was so highly descriptive and dramatic with moments that seared into my brain. Absolutely loved it!
The past storyline! The romance between Tyler and the FMC was a highlight of the book for me. I truly loved seeing how a healthy relationship happened, developed, and continued in sharp comparison to her current one.
The setting! I absolutely loved the ominous dark woods, with the coyotes lurking and howling, and the farmhouse creaking! The borderline grotesque mentions of the worms and the outright isolation all made for a great unsettling atmosphere.
What I didn’t like:
The spice. I just can’t with this… it’s hard to come back from the ick but this books spice gave it to me. I truly don’t think it’ll be an issue for others I just felt my eyebrows raise and they did not come back down. 🤣
Thank you to William Morrow Books and the author for the arc! All thoughts and opinions are my own and this is my voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Call Off the Dark by Hallie Shepherd
I'm really dipping my toes into horror right now and I've learned I can't expect to know what is going because we are not going to get answers (or answers that make sense) when it comes to this kind of horror story. So I just took it all in and really was horrified for a number of reasons. One reason was that Helen goes from her interesting (although sometimes boring) big city life and jumps head first into being a subservient, way off the grid, lonely housewife for a man she surely doesn't love and maybe doesn't even like at all.
I love country living but I'd never want to give up myself to become whatever Helen has become but she is dealing with major grief after being present for the brutal murder of her first husband, Tyler, in that big city they had loved so much. Losing her husband, especially in such a violent manner, did something to Helen's brain and heart and when she has a chance meeting with a stranger named Wade, she is primed to make a very impetuous change to a life that had become meaningless and worthless to her.
In her new life in the middle of rural Washington, where Helen rarely sees anyone, Wade likes it that way, so he even makes sure she doesn't get to go to town much anymore. Helen doesn't help her mental health by reading Plath and Poe. She can't sleep, her mind wanders back to Tyler all the time, and she knows she's made a huge mistake becoming an "insta trad wife" but she doesn't have it in her to do anything else. Helen does know her something has to give and it just may be her sanity.
Then Wade's brother, Isaac, shows up and things take a turn for the worse mostly, but at least it's different. The thing is, Wade says his brother is dead, he was there when Isaac died, and something is very wrong for this dead man to be in their house, talking to them, flirting (maybe) with Helen, and wavering between menacing and friendly. So, is Wade crazy, is Helen crazy, and what's up with brother Isaac? There is a little bit of Helen that wasn't even happy in her past life and that had me wondering about her in this life. Has she lost touch with reality? It was hard to relate to Helen, who was too different from me before the trad wife transformation and then once she is Wade's wife, I could see how Helen could go crazy by the smothering life she is living with Wade. Who is real, what is real, and is there any escape? I like the way the story ended because it surprised me. I certainly would have had no idea where to go with what was going on.
Expected publication September 22, 2026
Thank you to William Morrow, SOTC Early Read, and NetGalley for this ARC
I'm really dipping my toes into horror right now and I've learned I can't expect to know what is going because we are not going to get answers (or answers that make sense) when it comes to this kind of horror story. So I just took it all in and really was horrified for a number of reasons. One reason was that Helen goes from her interesting (although sometimes boring) big city life and jumps head first into being a subservient, way off the grid, lonely housewife for a man she surely doesn't love and maybe doesn't even like at all.
I love country living but I'd never want to give up myself to become whatever Helen has become but she is dealing with major grief after being present for the brutal murder of her first husband, Tyler, in that big city they had loved so much. Losing her husband, especially in such a violent manner, did something to Helen's brain and heart and when she has a chance meeting with a stranger named Wade, she is primed to make a very impetuous change to a life that had become meaningless and worthless to her.
In her new life in the middle of rural Washington, where Helen rarely sees anyone, Wade likes it that way, so he even makes sure she doesn't get to go to town much anymore. Helen doesn't help her mental health by reading Plath and Poe. She can't sleep, her mind wanders back to Tyler all the time, and she knows she's made a huge mistake becoming an "insta trad wife" but she doesn't have it in her to do anything else. Helen does know her something has to give and it just may be her sanity.
Then Wade's brother, Isaac, shows up and things take a turn for the worse mostly, but at least it's different. The thing is, Wade says his brother is dead, he was there when Isaac died, and something is very wrong for this dead man to be in their house, talking to them, flirting (maybe) with Helen, and wavering between menacing and friendly. So, is Wade crazy, is Helen crazy, and what's up with brother Isaac? There is a little bit of Helen that wasn't even happy in her past life and that had me wondering about her in this life. Has she lost touch with reality? It was hard to relate to Helen, who was too different from me before the trad wife transformation and then once she is Wade's wife, I could see how Helen could go crazy by the smothering life she is living with Wade. Who is real, what is real, and is there any escape? I like the way the story ended because it surprised me. I certainly would have had no idea where to go with what was going on.
Expected publication September 22, 2026
Thank you to William Morrow, SOTC Early Read, and NetGalley for this ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you've recently lost a loved one and are struggling with grief, this is probably not a good book for you. The main character, Helen, loses her first husband in a very violent manner. A few months later she basically marries the next man she meets to escape her grief. Which, you know is a bad coping mechanism. The book alternates between Helen's present day and her past with her first husband Tyler. Her current husband Wade is kind of a an emotionally stunted potato and Tyler was her soul mate. In all honesty I thought the flashbacks were really intriguing. It not only showed the contrast between Helen's past and present, but also really builds the dread. You, as the reader, know this absolutely terrible thing is going to happen, but before we really see what happens to Tyler, we get to learn their love story.
To escape the pain of losing her person, Helen decides to give up her life in Seattle, remarry, and move to an isolated forest farm with her new husband Wade. Wade does all the lumberjack stuff and Helen does the tradwife stuff. Which she hates. She doesn't even get to go to town with Wade. Also, for some reason she like really takes care of this man. Like runs his bath for him and he gets irritated if it's not done when he gets home from the woods. This actually bothered me. I get that Wade and Tyler were supposed to be very opposite and Helen is dealing with depression, but it felt a little too far. When Issac, Wade's brother, shows up two bombs are dropped: Wade has a brother to begin with and surprise he's also dead.
I did like the majority of this book. Being in Helen's head was isolating and claustrophobic, which is how grief feels. Like you're the only one in the world who has ever felt this empty. I did think some of the choices she made were unrealistic. I also felt like the lore of Isaac could have been fleshed out a little more. I wouldn't really say this is a horror book though horrific things happen; it's more of an erotic thriller. I know it's a ghost story and there are some jump scares, but it just feels more like a thriller with some sexy times.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy, all opinions are my own.
To escape the pain of losing her person, Helen decides to give up her life in Seattle, remarry, and move to an isolated forest farm with her new husband Wade. Wade does all the lumberjack stuff and Helen does the tradwife stuff. Which she hates. She doesn't even get to go to town with Wade. Also, for some reason she like really takes care of this man. Like runs his bath for him and he gets irritated if it's not done when he gets home from the woods. This actually bothered me. I get that Wade and Tyler were supposed to be very opposite and Helen is dealing with depression, but it felt a little too far. When Issac, Wade's brother, shows up two bombs are dropped: Wade has a brother to begin with and surprise he's also dead.
I did like the majority of this book. Being in Helen's head was isolating and claustrophobic, which is how grief feels. Like you're the only one in the world who has ever felt this empty. I did think some of the choices she made were unrealistic. I also felt like the lore of Isaac could have been fleshed out a little more. I wouldn't really say this is a horror book though horrific things happen; it's more of an erotic thriller. I know it's a ghost story and there are some jump scares, but it just feels more like a thriller with some sexy times.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book left my brain spiraling and I’m not totally sure if it’s in a good way or bad. Regardless of my feelings towards the end, I sacrificed sleep because I could not put this audiobook down.
Call Of The Dark is a mixed genre thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I don’t want to go into the other genres because I feel it is best to go in blind. The story starts off with Helen, a grieving widow whose husband was murdered in their small apartment home. Finding it too hard to live through the grief she has married a man named Wade and together they build their life in a rural area living off the land. The story bounces between two timelines, Helen in the past where we experience her meeting her first husband Tyler for the first time and then follow their love story over the years until he is fatally murdered. The other timeline is of Helen in her current marriage with Wade and how different her life has become.
I’m not usually one for dual timelines because I feel like it pulls me out of the story but both held all of my attention. You know from the very first page that her husband has been murdered and yet it is so hard not to hope he doesn’t die. I fell completely in love with him and their sweet relationship. The author did a really great job of placing the reader into Helen’s shoes and having us feel as if we too were going through the motions. Whenever I was stuck in the current timeline I would be equally immersed into the setting and storyline but this timeline leans more towards horror. There were so many times I had chills while reading some of the moments that came up.
Where I start to get torn on my feelings towards this book and my rating is how the story finally concludes. I guess I don’t really understand the point of all of it? Maybe I don’t need to though and I should just take it as the thrilling experience that it was. All I know is that I left with more questions than I started with and couldn’t wrap my head around why the author decided to go in all the directions that she did. I feel like this would make for an excellent book club read because it’s one I feel the need to discuss with someone and hear their thoughts on the story.
Call Of The Dark is a mixed genre thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I don’t want to go into the other genres because I feel it is best to go in blind. The story starts off with Helen, a grieving widow whose husband was murdered in their small apartment home. Finding it too hard to live through the grief she has married a man named Wade and together they build their life in a rural area living off the land. The story bounces between two timelines, Helen in the past where we experience her meeting her first husband Tyler for the first time and then follow their love story over the years until he is fatally murdered. The other timeline is of Helen in her current marriage with Wade and how different her life has become.
I’m not usually one for dual timelines because I feel like it pulls me out of the story but both held all of my attention. You know from the very first page that her husband has been murdered and yet it is so hard not to hope he doesn’t die. I fell completely in love with him and their sweet relationship. The author did a really great job of placing the reader into Helen’s shoes and having us feel as if we too were going through the motions. Whenever I was stuck in the current timeline I would be equally immersed into the setting and storyline but this timeline leans more towards horror. There were so many times I had chills while reading some of the moments that came up.
Where I start to get torn on my feelings towards this book and my rating is how the story finally concludes. I guess I don’t really understand the point of all of it? Maybe I don’t need to though and I should just take it as the thrilling experience that it was. All I know is that I left with more questions than I started with and couldn’t wrap my head around why the author decided to go in all the directions that she did. I feel like this would make for an excellent book club read because it’s one I feel the need to discuss with someone and hear their thoughts on the story.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I would like to thank Goodreads for sending me an ARC of this suspense/thriller that I enjoyed reading. The novel goes back and forth between when Helen met her husband, Tyler, who was murdered and the present time in her life living with her current husband, Wade, in an isolated farmhouse in rural Washington. Helen was in her 20's when she met Tyler, the love of her life. She recounts meeting him at work and the cute game they played. She met his family and the details of that meeting, getting married, the time she spent with Tyler and the up's and down's. She went through a period of sadness and after talking with Tyler she had decided that she wanted to go back to school and took a history class on Thursday evenings because she wanted to change jobs and be a museum curator. She recalls the terrible night that Tyler was killed, what happened and the fact that she never got to hear the last words he wanted to tell her or the regret she had not wanting to buy a house so that maybe the murder wouldn't have happened if they weren't in the apartment. Her present time with Wade reveals her boredom after living in the isolated farmhouse for 18 months, how she hates cooking, wants to see the coyotes that are howling and remembers Tyler everyday. She kills a raven unintentionally and being well read Helen remembers how fateful things often happen according to the rule of three according to mythology and the Cosmos (the Sky, the Sea, and the Underworld). Helen tells about her time with Wade and he isn't the most thoughtful. She meets his brother Isaac who she didn't know existed and this is interesting. According to Wade Isaac is dead. Helen doesn't know who to trust. Helen likes poetry and Isaac is also interested in the poetry books. Isaac tells her he didn't plan on staying when he arrived but after meeting her his plans changed. All this will definitely keep you reading until the end. Call Off the Dark is definitely an unnerving and frightening thriller about love and the aftermath of loss and grief. I highly recommend that you buy, gift, but most importantly read this big hearted, twisty novel with final stunning revelations. I know you won't be disappointed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Told in alternating timeline, we meet Helen and Tyler, a young couple who meet in the elevator of the building they work in. They have a wonderful relationship, and eight years together. In the other timeline, we are introduced to Wade and Helen. This Helen isn't anything like the one who was married to Tyler. After Tyler is killed during a home invasion, this Helen is mired in grief, and she can't seem to find her way forward after her life changed forever. Yearning to escape a world in which Tyler isn't, Helen finds herself married to Wade and living a simple life homesteading over a thousand acres secluded near the national forest. Helen's days are a monotony of gardening, cooking, and washing clothes by hand while Wade logs their acreage. Until one day a mysterious stranger shows up at their cabin. Claiming to be Wade's younger brother, Isaac, the tall, dark stranger instantly causes turmoil in their simple lives. Wade claims his brother Isaac died years ago in a farming accident, so who is the stranger sleeping in their spare bedroom? As we see two versions of Helen: the one married to Tyler, and the one married to Wade, we learn what has brought her to the point that she is at today. Does she believe the husband that she barely knows, who is acting stranger and stranger after Isaac's arrival? Or does she embrace the discord that Isaac has brought to their home?
This book was really interesting, and the mystery of Isaac kept me hooked. I'll admit that this book definitely didn't go the direction that I thought it would. I had a lot of sympathy for Helen, who was a very unreliable narrator for this story. It's her angst and grief that propels the events that happen, and I felt for her delicate mental state. I'm not sure if I loved the very ending of the book, I don't know what it really means for Helen going forward, and I don't really love open ends like that. This was still a fantastic debut full of atmosphere and complex characters, and I highly recommend it for those who love a good suspense book.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Hallie Shepherd for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book was really interesting, and the mystery of Isaac kept me hooked. I'll admit that this book definitely didn't go the direction that I thought it would. I had a lot of sympathy for Helen, who was a very unreliable narrator for this story. It's her angst and grief that propels the events that happen, and I felt for her delicate mental state. I'm not sure if I loved the very ending of the book, I don't know what it really means for Helen going forward, and I don't really love open ends like that. This was still a fantastic debut full of atmosphere and complex characters, and I highly recommend it for those who love a good suspense book.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Hallie Shepherd for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When Helen's husband, Tyler, is murdered, it feels like she desperately needs something to distract her and to take her away from that part of her life. She finds that in Wade, who quickly brings her out to the wilderness, where she spends her days sewing, cooking, dealing with worms in her garden, and thinking about Tyler. When Wade's mysterious brother, Isaac, shows up, Helen begins to question everything going on around her.
This book is marketed as haunting, atmospheric, and a thriller. In truth, I personally felt that it only delivered on one of these elements. Shepherd's description of the woods Helen and Wade live in, from the enormous trees to the coyotes stalking the land, certainly felt atmospheric and foreboding. Here, the writing really shined, and I would have enjoyed more of this throughout the book. But, while Helen did desperately want her first husband to haunt her and perhaps she felt haunted by his memory, I didn't get a sense of 'haunting' on the page.
And, for me, this never delivered as a thriller. When Wade's brother, Isaac shows up and Wade begins to share the secrets of his past, I expected this book to really pick up. But, instead, there are weirdly long sex scenes (truly, some of the longest scenes in the present day sections of the book) and pages upon pages dedicated to telling Helen and Tyler's love story (including a tsunami threat on their wedding day that just left me wishing for it to be over). A lot of the present day sections felt like Helen just recounting the two men leaving to go work in the woods and then returning home, expecting to find dinner on the table.
As of writing my review, this book is certainly working for a lot of readers, and I am in the minority in my thoughts. I do think this book will work for many readers who are looking for a new author in this genre, and are interested in a book that is a bit more of a character study than a thriller. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the eArc of this book.
This book is marketed as haunting, atmospheric, and a thriller. In truth, I personally felt that it only delivered on one of these elements. Shepherd's description of the woods Helen and Wade live in, from the enormous trees to the coyotes stalking the land, certainly felt atmospheric and foreboding. Here, the writing really shined, and I would have enjoyed more of this throughout the book. But, while Helen did desperately want her first husband to haunt her and perhaps she felt haunted by his memory, I didn't get a sense of 'haunting' on the page.
And, for me, this never delivered as a thriller. When Wade's brother, Isaac shows up and Wade begins to share the secrets of his past, I expected this book to really pick up. But, instead, there are weirdly long sex scenes (truly, some of the longest scenes in the present day sections of the book) and pages upon pages dedicated to telling Helen and Tyler's love story (including a tsunami threat on their wedding day that just left me wishing for it to be over). A lot of the present day sections felt like Helen just recounting the two men leaving to go work in the woods and then returning home, expecting to find dinner on the table.
As of writing my review, this book is certainly working for a lot of readers, and I am in the minority in my thoughts. I do think this book will work for many readers who are looking for a new author in this genre, and are interested in a book that is a bit more of a character study than a thriller. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the eArc of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I never really imagined multiple genres like this blending so well. This book had a lot of different genres sprinkled into it (thriller, romance, horror, supernatural, and drama being the main ones). I thought everything flowed together beautifully, and the author did a really good job combining genres.
Helen was a city girl with a normal office job. One day she bumped into Tyler on the work elevator going to a different floor in the same building. The two immediately hit it off and shared a strong bond immediately. They inevitably ended up getting married. Tyler ends up getting murdered in a home (or apartment in their case) invasion gone wrong, and it absolutely destroys Helen's world. She's basically going through the motions rather than actually living anymore. Desperate for escape and something completely different, Helen ends up remarrying a man named Wade and goes completely off grid. The drastic change from city life to running off a generator on a farm, sewing her own dresses, canning her own food, etc. was something Helen had needed. Then one day Wade's brother, Isaac, who Helen had no idea existed, shows up out of nowhere. Wade informs Helen that his brother died and he has no idea who the man that looks like his brother is in their house.
Everything starts spiraling from there, and I wasn't really sure who had the grip on reality anymore. I loved the dual timeline of past and present Helen. I felt like it accurately portrayed the grief and desperation that would be felt when losing a spouse. Overall, it was very well written, and I couldn't wait to see where the story was going. A fantastic debut novel, and I can't wait to see what this author puts out in the future.
The only negative thing I have to say is the ending felt a little lengthy. Just a chapter or so too long that I felt wasn't necessary at the end.
Thank you Hallie Shepherd, William Morrow & NetGalley for the ARC of this book! ❤️
Helen was a city girl with a normal office job. One day she bumped into Tyler on the work elevator going to a different floor in the same building. The two immediately hit it off and shared a strong bond immediately. They inevitably ended up getting married. Tyler ends up getting murdered in a home (or apartment in their case) invasion gone wrong, and it absolutely destroys Helen's world. She's basically going through the motions rather than actually living anymore. Desperate for escape and something completely different, Helen ends up remarrying a man named Wade and goes completely off grid. The drastic change from city life to running off a generator on a farm, sewing her own dresses, canning her own food, etc. was something Helen had needed. Then one day Wade's brother, Isaac, who Helen had no idea existed, shows up out of nowhere. Wade informs Helen that his brother died and he has no idea who the man that looks like his brother is in their house.
Everything starts spiraling from there, and I wasn't really sure who had the grip on reality anymore. I loved the dual timeline of past and present Helen. I felt like it accurately portrayed the grief and desperation that would be felt when losing a spouse. Overall, it was very well written, and I couldn't wait to see where the story was going. A fantastic debut novel, and I can't wait to see what this author puts out in the future.
The only negative thing I have to say is the ending felt a little lengthy. Just a chapter or so too long that I felt wasn't necessary at the end.
Thank you Hallie Shepherd, William Morrow & NetGalley for the ARC of this book! ❤️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Call Off the Dark claims an intriguing premise of suspense/thriller and deeply felt love story. I enjoy both genres, so I anticipated a great book with characters I could root for. Unfortunately, this book didn't deliver the suspense I craved or the love story I yearned for.
This book might be for you if you loved God of the Woods by Liz Moore, Beautiful/Ugly or Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney, and stories involving supernatural elements (ghosts/demons.)
Quick Plot Summary: Helen has never come to terms with her late husband Tyler's murder. She clings to his memory and it haunts her even though she has moved away from home and remarried a man named Wade. When Wade's long dead brother Isaac shows up at their door, Helen must work through the past and present to determine what is reality and what is a figment of her imagination.
My Impressions: From the synopsis I hoped this book would have a love story plot line and a suspense story plot line, but what I got was an mash up of horror, supernatural elements, and unlikeable characters I couldn't root for. The love story recounted between Tyler and Helen was sad, not endearing. I felt like there were a lot of side stories going on that took away from any overall plot. The final delivery felt unsatisfying. Ultimately, this book wasn't for me.
Notes on Audiobook: The narrator, Brittany Pressley, did an excellent job with the voice acting and my rating of this book was solely based on the book itself, not the narrator.
Content Considerations: Infrequent profanity, cheating, multiple open door scenes (mild to moderate in detail), ghosts/spirits, mention of seance, gore (murder witnessed in the past, recounted), mental illness.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and HarperAudio Adult for the complementary copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. My review is in no way influenced by the author or publisher.
This book might be for you if you loved God of the Woods by Liz Moore, Beautiful/Ugly or Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney, and stories involving supernatural elements (ghosts/demons.)
Quick Plot Summary: Helen has never come to terms with her late husband Tyler's murder. She clings to his memory and it haunts her even though she has moved away from home and remarried a man named Wade. When Wade's long dead brother Isaac shows up at their door, Helen must work through the past and present to determine what is reality and what is a figment of her imagination.
My Impressions: From the synopsis I hoped this book would have a love story plot line and a suspense story plot line, but what I got was an mash up of horror, supernatural elements, and unlikeable characters I couldn't root for. The love story recounted between Tyler and Helen was sad, not endearing. I felt like there were a lot of side stories going on that took away from any overall plot. The final delivery felt unsatisfying. Ultimately, this book wasn't for me.
Notes on Audiobook: The narrator, Brittany Pressley, did an excellent job with the voice acting and my rating of this book was solely based on the book itself, not the narrator.
Content Considerations: Infrequent profanity, cheating, multiple open door scenes (mild to moderate in detail), ghosts/spirits, mention of seance, gore (murder witnessed in the past, recounted), mental illness.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and HarperAudio Adult for the complementary copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. My review is in no way influenced by the author or publisher.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Hallie Shepherd's debut novel Call off the Dark tells the story of Helen, a grieving woman who, in her grief, is making a lot of questionable choices. Helen's world fell apart the night her husband was murdered during a home invasion. Helen's grief drives her to give up everything, marry a man she barely knows, and move out to the middle nowhere to live off the grid.
Helen's life is a holding pattern as she mourns her first husband while running the homestead for her new husband, Wade. The first 30% of the book is a holding pattern for the reader as Helen's current situation is painfully spelled out for us. It's clear she isn't well -- understandably so -- and to drive the point home, we're told the story of her first marriage through a series of flashbacks. While I certainly felt sorry for Helen, I had a difficult time caring about the story. Every character is a trope with very little dimension. I was about to call it quits on this one and then Wade's dead brother Isaac shows up.
At this point, the book evolves into a story told by an unreliable narrator. Is Wade lying about his brother? What's the deal with Isaac? He can't really be dead can he? Is Helen becoming Edgar Allen Poe with her ravens? (Seriously.) The story gets twisty and weird. For a time, the book became unputdownable.
For me, though, the book didn't stick the landing. It was heavy-handed explanation of events that felt forced. Instead of letting the reader draw some of their own conclusions, Shepherd wanted to make sure you really understood it.
2.5 stars rounded up because the middle bit -- when the author stops beating you over the head with what you're supposed to think and feel and just lets the story play it, it's really good.
Thank you to the Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Helen's life is a holding pattern as she mourns her first husband while running the homestead for her new husband, Wade. The first 30% of the book is a holding pattern for the reader as Helen's current situation is painfully spelled out for us. It's clear she isn't well -- understandably so -- and to drive the point home, we're told the story of her first marriage through a series of flashbacks. While I certainly felt sorry for Helen, I had a difficult time caring about the story. Every character is a trope with very little dimension. I was about to call it quits on this one and then Wade's dead brother Isaac shows up.
At this point, the book evolves into a story told by an unreliable narrator. Is Wade lying about his brother? What's the deal with Isaac? He can't really be dead can he? Is Helen becoming Edgar Allen Poe with her ravens? (Seriously.) The story gets twisty and weird. For a time, the book became unputdownable.
For me, though, the book didn't stick the landing. It was heavy-handed explanation of events that felt forced. Instead of letting the reader draw some of their own conclusions, Shepherd wanted to make sure you really understood it.
2.5 stars rounded up because the middle bit -- when the author stops beating you over the head with what you're supposed to think and feel and just lets the story play it, it's really good.
Thank you to the Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 Surprise Stars
Helen and Tyler’s love story takes center stage in this new one from debut author Hallie Shepherd. But it’s also a ghost story, horror, and thriller.
It took me a while to understand what was happening in this story. Helen is now married to Wade and living off the grid in Washington. She’s sewing her own dresses while Wade tends to the trees on the property. She’s very skittish, and night noises spook her. They are very isolated, only going to town once a month for groceries and an awkward call to Helen’s parents.
She had a very different urban life with Tyler that sounded mostly idyllic. That life ended when Tyler was tragically murdered. Explains her issues with night noises.
Helen seems to be losing her grip on reality, communing with coyotes, raccoons, and crows. She gardens but dreams of burning it all down. And she misses Tyler like crazy. One day, Helen is shocked when Wade’s brother Isaac shows up. She thought Wade had no siblings. She’s even more shocked when Wade later tells her that Isaac died in a farming accident. How could Isaac be a ghost? He seems very real.
This part of the book was very confusing for me. Was Helen imagining everything? Has she completely lost her mind? She gets immersed in poetry; think Edgar Allen Poe and Emily Dickinson.
I need to do a better job of screening books before I decide to read them because I have decided that horror is just not my cup of tea. The ending was intriguing, but I was left wondering about a lot of details.
I was glad I buddy read this one with Marilyn because she could talk it through with me.
My thanks to Scene of the Crime and William Morrow for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one. Scheduled to release on 9.22.2026.
Helen and Tyler’s love story takes center stage in this new one from debut author Hallie Shepherd. But it’s also a ghost story, horror, and thriller.
It took me a while to understand what was happening in this story. Helen is now married to Wade and living off the grid in Washington. She’s sewing her own dresses while Wade tends to the trees on the property. She’s very skittish, and night noises spook her. They are very isolated, only going to town once a month for groceries and an awkward call to Helen’s parents.
She had a very different urban life with Tyler that sounded mostly idyllic. That life ended when Tyler was tragically murdered. Explains her issues with night noises.
Helen seems to be losing her grip on reality, communing with coyotes, raccoons, and crows. She gardens but dreams of burning it all down. And she misses Tyler like crazy. One day, Helen is shocked when Wade’s brother Isaac shows up. She thought Wade had no siblings. She’s even more shocked when Wade later tells her that Isaac died in a farming accident. How could Isaac be a ghost? He seems very real.
This part of the book was very confusing for me. Was Helen imagining everything? Has she completely lost her mind? She gets immersed in poetry; think Edgar Allen Poe and Emily Dickinson.
I need to do a better job of screening books before I decide to read them because I have decided that horror is just not my cup of tea. The ending was intriguing, but I was left wondering about a lot of details.
I was glad I buddy read this one with Marilyn because she could talk it through with me.
My thanks to Scene of the Crime and William Morrow for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one. Scheduled to release on 9.22.2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Solid Debut Novel. Hallie Sheppard is exactly the kind of author I seek out and am drawn to. I really liked her writing style. It’s vivid and atmospheric, but there’s a lot of emotion behind it too. I could picture that isolated farmhouse, the dark woods, the coyotes outside, it all had this creepy, uneasy feel to it. I also liked the contrast between the past with Helen and Tyler and the present with Wade and Isaac. One felt more emotional and heartbreaking, while the other had me constantly wondering what the heck was actually going on. It was such an interesting mix of grief, love, suspense, and that constant sense that something was off.
The blending of genres was what I loved most. It’s part psychological suspense, part paranormal/ghost story, part romance, and part exploration of grief. It all worked together without the story feeling like it belonged completely in any one box. I also appreciated Sheppard’s examination of grief, loss, and the connections that remain after someone dies. There was a lot more emotion beneath the suspense than I expected. On top of that, I loved the narration. I’m a big fan of Brittney Pressley, and her narration is one I can always rely on. As always, she delivered a fab performance.
Overall, there is nothing I love more than discovering a debut novel, and finding one that incorporates what I enjoy in a book is even more satisfying. The dual timelines, isolation, creepy atmosphere, grief, psychological uncertainty, unreliable sense of reality, and a story that gets twistier as it progressed. Sheppard’s debut made it a no-brainer to add her to my authors-to-watch list.
Thank you to HarperAudio Adult for the advance listener copy in exchange for my honest opinion. This was a solid debut and one I definitely recommend.
The blending of genres was what I loved most. It’s part psychological suspense, part paranormal/ghost story, part romance, and part exploration of grief. It all worked together without the story feeling like it belonged completely in any one box. I also appreciated Sheppard’s examination of grief, loss, and the connections that remain after someone dies. There was a lot more emotion beneath the suspense than I expected. On top of that, I loved the narration. I’m a big fan of Brittney Pressley, and her narration is one I can always rely on. As always, she delivered a fab performance.
Overall, there is nothing I love more than discovering a debut novel, and finding one that incorporates what I enjoy in a book is even more satisfying. The dual timelines, isolation, creepy atmosphere, grief, psychological uncertainty, unreliable sense of reality, and a story that gets twistier as it progressed. Sheppard’s debut made it a no-brainer to add her to my authors-to-watch list.
Thank you to HarperAudio Adult for the advance listener copy in exchange for my honest opinion. This was a solid debut and one I definitely recommend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow! What a debut! CALL OFF THE DARK by Hallie Shepherd is just the book you need for the upcoming spooky season, book friends! Haunting, atmospheric, suspenseful, and shocking are just a few words I’d use to describe this upcoming release. It’s half love story, half literary thriller, so if you appreciate a good genre mash-up, please give this one a go! Check out this quick synopsis:
𝘈 𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧-𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯.
What I loved most about this novel was how unpredictable it was! The author throws out SO many shocking twists, turns, and surprises. I had absolutely no clue where this story was going to take me, and my gosh, did I ever like it! I can’t even tell you how many times my jaw dropped, I gasped aloud, sucked in a breath, or scratched my head. This debut had me on my toes. I could not put it down!
READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:
- Rural Washington state setting
- Epic love stories
- Family drama and dynamics
- Off-grid lifestyle
- Genre mash-ups
- Mystery and suspense
- Atmospheric writing
- Reflections on loss and grief
- Multiple WTF moments
- Horror and paranormal vibes
- Unwanted guests
This addictive read had five star potential, but the author kind of lost me with the conclusion—I found it a little weak—and maybe even a tad rushed. But other than that, it was a major winner for me. I can’t wait to see what Hallie Shepherd comes up with next!
4.5/5 thrilling stars for CALL OFF THE DARK! You can grab a copy on September 22nd!
𝘈 𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧-𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯.
What I loved most about this novel was how unpredictable it was! The author throws out SO many shocking twists, turns, and surprises. I had absolutely no clue where this story was going to take me, and my gosh, did I ever like it! I can’t even tell you how many times my jaw dropped, I gasped aloud, sucked in a breath, or scratched my head. This debut had me on my toes. I could not put it down!
READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:
- Rural Washington state setting
- Epic love stories
- Family drama and dynamics
- Off-grid lifestyle
- Genre mash-ups
- Mystery and suspense
- Atmospheric writing
- Reflections on loss and grief
- Multiple WTF moments
- Horror and paranormal vibes
- Unwanted guests
This addictive read had five star potential, but the author kind of lost me with the conclusion—I found it a little weak—and maybe even a tad rushed. But other than that, it was a major winner for me. I can’t wait to see what Hallie Shepherd comes up with next!
4.5/5 thrilling stars for CALL OFF THE DARK! You can grab a copy on September 22nd!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If I am honest, I requested this because it was in Horror and no one writes about Washington state, I had to see what Hallie said about our great PNW.
The book follows Helen as she is trying to run from her past to the safety of the woods hours from Seattle. It is here that the simple life she claims to have wanted is interrupted by her new husband’s brother which she didn’t know existed. A brother in which Wade claims is dead. Is Issac dead or is Wade manipulating her? And will Tyler ever show her a sign from beyond the grave?
It’s been days since I finished this one and I am still not fully sure what I think of this book. I really loved the flashbacks to Helen’s time with Tyler. It’s a stark and jarring contrast to the life Helen has with Wade. I feel like the horror/thriller aspect of this book took too long to get going. There was a sprinkling of stuff early on, but until Wade finally opens up about things, I just didn’t like the main story.
I think the story gets better as it gets going, but the slow start didn’t help me. I think part of me not knowing where the town was and questioning if the author knew about Washington took some of it out of me (honestly until they get to Bellingham I wasn’t sure about the Washington knowledge, but shout out for dropping knowledge on WWU, GO VIKINGS!).
I think overall it was a good book, not one I would ever pick up again, but it’s not just my style really. I was the wrong audience for this sadly.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!
The book follows Helen as she is trying to run from her past to the safety of the woods hours from Seattle. It is here that the simple life she claims to have wanted is interrupted by her new husband’s brother which she didn’t know existed. A brother in which Wade claims is dead. Is Issac dead or is Wade manipulating her? And will Tyler ever show her a sign from beyond the grave?
It’s been days since I finished this one and I am still not fully sure what I think of this book. I really loved the flashbacks to Helen’s time with Tyler. It’s a stark and jarring contrast to the life Helen has with Wade. I feel like the horror/thriller aspect of this book took too long to get going. There was a sprinkling of stuff early on, but until Wade finally opens up about things, I just didn’t like the main story.
I think the story gets better as it gets going, but the slow start didn’t help me. I think part of me not knowing where the town was and questioning if the author knew about Washington took some of it out of me (honestly until they get to Bellingham I wasn’t sure about the Washington knowledge, but shout out for dropping knowledge on WWU, GO VIKINGS!).
I think overall it was a good book, not one I would ever pick up again, but it’s not just my style really. I was the wrong audience for this sadly.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A solid 2.5 read that ultimately flat after trying its hand at half a dozen genres and plot devices without once going all out or committing to one.
Admittedly, I am not the target audience for this novel which I'm sure many readers will find thrilling and romantic and spooky. I found it to be a sign that the trad wife lit bubble might finally have burst. "Call Off the Dark" wasn't effortless or pulpy enough to capture the addictive quality of The Housemaid series nor vicious or literary enough to garner YesterYear levels of shock and conversation. I was bored by Helen, her dead perfect husband, and her living imperfect husband. The grief on the page felt poignant, but the rage that the reader is assured Helen is feeling was never captured. Instead, we get a kind of supernatural "The Notebook" with a dual timeline that attempts to add gravitas to a muddled and bloodless (despite the stabbing) story. Although I take personal offense to the inclusion of Keats and Fanny Brawne (they deserve better), it is clear the author has compelling ideas and deeply planted literary roots. I just wish the path she'd chosen to take felt less well-trod. Give me weirder SPOILER ALERT ghost sex, more haunting apparitions, and gorier gore. Instead, we get a protagonist who doesn't even unleash her primal scream of grief and loss until the last act is nearly over.
Make-Likes: Trad Wife: A Novel by Sarasota Schaefer, Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton, Home Sick by Rhiannon Grist, Accumulation by Aimee Pokwatka,
Admittedly, I am not the target audience for this novel which I'm sure many readers will find thrilling and romantic and spooky. I found it to be a sign that the trad wife lit bubble might finally have burst. "Call Off the Dark" wasn't effortless or pulpy enough to capture the addictive quality of The Housemaid series nor vicious or literary enough to garner YesterYear levels of shock and conversation. I was bored by Helen, her dead perfect husband, and her living imperfect husband. The grief on the page felt poignant, but the rage that the reader is assured Helen is feeling was never captured. Instead, we get a kind of supernatural "The Notebook" with a dual timeline that attempts to add gravitas to a muddled and bloodless (despite the stabbing) story. Although I take personal offense to the inclusion of Keats and Fanny Brawne (they deserve better), it is clear the author has compelling ideas and deeply planted literary roots. I just wish the path she'd chosen to take felt less well-trod. Give me weirder SPOILER ALERT ghost sex, more haunting apparitions, and gorier gore. Instead, we get a protagonist who doesn't even unleash her primal scream of grief and loss until the last act is nearly over.
Make-Likes: Trad Wife: A Novel by Sarasota Schaefer, Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton, Home Sick by Rhiannon Grist, Accumulation by Aimee Pokwatka,
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher William Morrow for this 5-star read.
Helen’s love with Tyler is the kind that feels all-consuming—the kind where even ten years doesn’t feel like enough. They built a life around each other in small, meaningful ways, so when he dies suddenly, Helen is completely unmoored. Her grief feels raw and messy, pushing her to make shocking decisions, like marrying Wade, a stranger, just months later. It’s hard to understand at first, but it also feels very real in the way grief can make you reach for anything to fill the silence.
Her new life with Wade as a survivalist feels like both an escape and a kind of self-punishment, cutting herself off from everyone she once loved. At the same time, there’s an eerie tension running through it all—Helen waking at night, calling out to Tyler, thinking she hears him, feeling drawn outside, the coyotes, the raven, the parallels to her favorite poem by Poe. It adds a haunting layer that makes you question what’s real and what’s grief, and it stayed with me long after I finished.
When Wade’s brother Isaac shows up, the story really shifts gears into something more tense and unsettling. I loved how unsure everything feels from that point on. I was questioning what was actually happening and who Helen could trust. The slower middle lets you sit inside Helen’s head a bit longer, which might feel drawn out at times, but it really pays off by making the ending hit harder. This is a strong debut and I wish the author the best of luck!
Helen’s love with Tyler is the kind that feels all-consuming—the kind where even ten years doesn’t feel like enough. They built a life around each other in small, meaningful ways, so when he dies suddenly, Helen is completely unmoored. Her grief feels raw and messy, pushing her to make shocking decisions, like marrying Wade, a stranger, just months later. It’s hard to understand at first, but it also feels very real in the way grief can make you reach for anything to fill the silence.
Her new life with Wade as a survivalist feels like both an escape and a kind of self-punishment, cutting herself off from everyone she once loved. At the same time, there’s an eerie tension running through it all—Helen waking at night, calling out to Tyler, thinking she hears him, feeling drawn outside, the coyotes, the raven, the parallels to her favorite poem by Poe. It adds a haunting layer that makes you question what’s real and what’s grief, and it stayed with me long after I finished.
When Wade’s brother Isaac shows up, the story really shifts gears into something more tense and unsettling. I loved how unsure everything feels from that point on. I was questioning what was actually happening and who Helen could trust. The slower middle lets you sit inside Helen’s head a bit longer, which might feel drawn out at times, but it really pays off by making the ending hit harder. This is a strong debut and I wish the author the best of luck!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for letting me read Hallie Shepherd’s debut thriller novel, Call Off The Dark. 4.5/5 rounded up for review!
Helen’s life is perfect; married to her soul mate, a great job, and going back to school for her dream career. It all changes when a robbery gone bad tragically ends the life of Helen’s husband.
Still grieving, she meets a new man, Wade, who she marries quickly and they run away together to an isolated cabin in the woods where she turns into a Trad Wife (which she hates) while her husband leaves her alone all day to do forestry, living like they’re in the early 1900s. Suddenly, Wades brother, Isaac, shows up unannounced for a visit, but the thing is… Isaac died many years ago in a farming accident… Why is he here? Did Helens grief call him to them? And why can Wade see him too? Helen starts to unravel how her past is reflected into her present self and how can she stop the horror from continuing to consume her.
Told in a dual timeline, this page turner of a novel showcases how a small event can impact the mental and physical well being of a person looking to feel comfort again. The story telling makes the reader feel the grief and loneliness the main character develops throughout the story. There are a handful of thriller and horror aspects of the novel, but overall it’s a story of a woman who realizes she needs to believe in herself to find the support and safeness she craves to move on with her life. I wish the ending was more climatic but otherwise it was a feel good ending for the main character🖤🖤
Helen’s life is perfect; married to her soul mate, a great job, and going back to school for her dream career. It all changes when a robbery gone bad tragically ends the life of Helen’s husband.
Still grieving, she meets a new man, Wade, who she marries quickly and they run away together to an isolated cabin in the woods where she turns into a Trad Wife (which she hates) while her husband leaves her alone all day to do forestry, living like they’re in the early 1900s. Suddenly, Wades brother, Isaac, shows up unannounced for a visit, but the thing is… Isaac died many years ago in a farming accident… Why is he here? Did Helens grief call him to them? And why can Wade see him too? Helen starts to unravel how her past is reflected into her present self and how can she stop the horror from continuing to consume her.
Told in a dual timeline, this page turner of a novel showcases how a small event can impact the mental and physical well being of a person looking to feel comfort again. The story telling makes the reader feel the grief and loneliness the main character develops throughout the story. There are a handful of thriller and horror aspects of the novel, but overall it’s a story of a woman who realizes she needs to believe in herself to find the support and safeness she craves to move on with her life. I wish the ending was more climatic but otherwise it was a feel good ending for the main character🖤🖤
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews