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The Water House: A Novel
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Expected 13 Oct 26An unexplained tragedy. A handsome stranger. A house of ghosts and memories. In this fresh take on the Gothic tale, a young Nigerian woman returns to the family mansion where her brother died—only to find the past ready to consume her.
1967, Nigeria. Celia has been estranged from her family since they banished her to St. Agnes’s reform school after her brother’s death. When the school closes down, she has nowhere to go and no one to write for help.
She secures a job as a typist, marking the beginning of a new chapter; she hopes to leave behind the demons of her past and become a normal, happier person. And when a charismatic yet secretive aspiring politician hires her to be his fiancé, Celia begins to dream of a possible new future. But everything falls apart and Celia, in desperation, returns to her childhood home, the Water House.
There, Celia is confronted by her hostile mother, a past love, and the horrors that the house holds deep in its walls. As a civil war brews in the outside world, Celia begins to suspect that the truth behind her brother’s death might be more sinister than she imagined. In a twist on Jane Eyre and Rebecca, Nneoma Ife-Njoku weaves a mesmerizing story of a woman confronting a home where the past refuses to stay buried.
1967, Nigeria. Celia has been estranged from her family since they banished her to St. Agnes’s reform school after her brother’s death. When the school closes down, she has nowhere to go and no one to write for help.
She secures a job as a typist, marking the beginning of a new chapter; she hopes to leave behind the demons of her past and become a normal, happier person. And when a charismatic yet secretive aspiring politician hires her to be his fiancé, Celia begins to dream of a possible new future. But everything falls apart and Celia, in desperation, returns to her childhood home, the Water House.
There, Celia is confronted by her hostile mother, a past love, and the horrors that the house holds deep in its walls. As a civil war brews in the outside world, Celia begins to suspect that the truth behind her brother’s death might be more sinister than she imagined. In a twist on Jane Eyre and Rebecca, Nneoma Ife-Njoku weaves a mesmerizing story of a woman confronting a home where the past refuses to stay buried.
256 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Eerie gothic novel set in 1967 Nigeria featuring a mystery and a young girl’s longing for acceptance.
Celia de Silva was sent to St. Agnes Reformatory school by her mother after Celia’s brother, Ruben’s death. Celia believes her mother thinks she killed her brother. Now twenty-six she’s taken a typing job as the school is scheduled to be closed after she taught there eight years. In her new job she doesn’t fit in and she’s a terrible typist when Bake Dari, a young politician, picks her as his new wife because a politician should be married. When the papers kick up on why Celia had been at St. Agnes, she leaves Bake and return back to her home, The Water House, which had once been lively but now is dark and in disrepair. There she finds secrets and the truth about her brother’s death. But can she find belonging?
The book is told in three parts - the first takes Celia up through her broken engagement; the second takes place as in her home, The Water House, and the third she return to her former life to attend her friend’s wedding. The atmosphere is morose and strange and even creepy when Celia is home. Part 2 is kind of the crux of the story where the mother lives almost a prisoner of a strange doctor but where the mystery is resolved. The ending was a very nice surprise.
I enjoyed most of this slow read book. I think the author did a fine job trying to position Celia’s longing for love and acceptance in the unraveling of the mystery. Though I had a hard time with the pidgin language spoken by her mother’s care giver in Part 2 so hopefully I understand the resolution of the mystery. I think the gothic atmosphere was achieved.
This book should appeal to readers who enjoy a gothic and atmospheric mystery with shades of Mr. Rochester’s secret.
My thanks to NetGalley and SS/Simon & Schuster for granting me access to this ARK.
Celia de Silva was sent to St. Agnes Reformatory school by her mother after Celia’s brother, Ruben’s death. Celia believes her mother thinks she killed her brother. Now twenty-six she’s taken a typing job as the school is scheduled to be closed after she taught there eight years. In her new job she doesn’t fit in and she’s a terrible typist when Bake Dari, a young politician, picks her as his new wife because a politician should be married. When the papers kick up on why Celia had been at St. Agnes, she leaves Bake and return back to her home, The Water House, which had once been lively but now is dark and in disrepair. There she finds secrets and the truth about her brother’s death. But can she find belonging?
The book is told in three parts - the first takes Celia up through her broken engagement; the second takes place as in her home, The Water House, and the third she return to her former life to attend her friend’s wedding. The atmosphere is morose and strange and even creepy when Celia is home. Part 2 is kind of the crux of the story where the mother lives almost a prisoner of a strange doctor but where the mystery is resolved. The ending was a very nice surprise.
I enjoyed most of this slow read book. I think the author did a fine job trying to position Celia’s longing for love and acceptance in the unraveling of the mystery. Though I had a hard time with the pidgin language spoken by her mother’s care giver in Part 2 so hopefully I understand the resolution of the mystery. I think the gothic atmosphere was achieved.
This book should appeal to readers who enjoy a gothic and atmospheric mystery with shades of Mr. Rochester’s secret.
My thanks to NetGalley and SS/Simon & Schuster for granting me access to this ARK.
June 30, 2026
The Water House was a very eerie debut. Celia is haunted by the memories of her brother’s drowning. It carries weight throughout each of the three parts of the book. Slow-paced and I never knew what was going to happen next. Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Water House - Nneoma Ike-Njoku – Summit Books HX $28.00 – 9781668080931 – 10/13/2026
It’s always enlightening to read a book that features a culture other than ours, ways of thinking and doing that vary from our ideals. In this broadly ranging novel an African notion of relationships and how they affect actions emerges as a complex and dark view of life that may seem alien to American readers but is well worth examining for its insight into human nature, no matter the culture or country.
Starting with the sequestration of a young woman in a reform school because of suspicions about her part in her younger brother’s death shows how matters of law are dealt with in ways that may seem more wedded to the 19th century than the 21st. Without proof and without fair hearing she is shunted into an environment where it is taken for granted the women and girls count for less than men and are not accorded the same rights in law. This is especially true for minors. Celia is trained, marginally, as a typist and finds work outside the school where she meets an aspiring politician who proposes marriage as a political tool. Our society does this, too, but without making it obvious. The practical advantages of this marriage are never in question, but the emotional aspects become more complicated as time goes on.
As Celia gains confidence and becomes more fully independent, her relationship with a remote and unforgiving mother is re-established. She moves into her childhood home, site of her brother’s drowning and the source of her troubles. This situation percolates while outside a countrywide revolution is brewing bringing another level of complexity to the whole affair. All the while her sham marriage is maturing into a difficult, awkward pairing of two people who aren’t sure what they want.
Carefully written and replete with social, cultural and political detail about life in Nigeria this is a fascinating look at a culture both like and unlike our own and is worthy of close attention.
Shelf Talker: A young woman unjustly placed in a reform school seeks justification for herself in work and marriage and re-establishes a relationship with a mother who has not forgiven her for her brother’s childhood drowning.
It’s always enlightening to read a book that features a culture other than ours, ways of thinking and doing that vary from our ideals. In this broadly ranging novel an African notion of relationships and how they affect actions emerges as a complex and dark view of life that may seem alien to American readers but is well worth examining for its insight into human nature, no matter the culture or country.
Starting with the sequestration of a young woman in a reform school because of suspicions about her part in her younger brother’s death shows how matters of law are dealt with in ways that may seem more wedded to the 19th century than the 21st. Without proof and without fair hearing she is shunted into an environment where it is taken for granted the women and girls count for less than men and are not accorded the same rights in law. This is especially true for minors. Celia is trained, marginally, as a typist and finds work outside the school where she meets an aspiring politician who proposes marriage as a political tool. Our society does this, too, but without making it obvious. The practical advantages of this marriage are never in question, but the emotional aspects become more complicated as time goes on.
As Celia gains confidence and becomes more fully independent, her relationship with a remote and unforgiving mother is re-established. She moves into her childhood home, site of her brother’s drowning and the source of her troubles. This situation percolates while outside a countrywide revolution is brewing bringing another level of complexity to the whole affair. All the while her sham marriage is maturing into a difficult, awkward pairing of two people who aren’t sure what they want.
Carefully written and replete with social, cultural and political detail about life in Nigeria this is a fascinating look at a culture both like and unlike our own and is worthy of close attention.
Shelf Talker: A young woman unjustly placed in a reform school seeks justification for herself in work and marriage and re-establishes a relationship with a mother who has not forgiven her for her brother’s childhood drowning.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Water House is a slow-burn, atmospheric mystery about grief, fractured memory, family secrets, and how difficult it can be to separate what really happened from the version of the past you’ve carried for years.
Celia has spent much of her life defined by the drowning death of her brother Ruben and the suspicion that she may have been responsible. When she eventually returns to the Water House, the place where everything happened, the story begins peeling back those memories piece by piece.
The atmosphere was one of the strongest parts for me. The house, the water, the isolation, and the constant feeling that something is slightly off all add to the unease. I also liked how the story gradually complicated Celia’s understanding of her mother, her childhood, and the adults who shaped what she believed about Ruben’s death.
This is definitely more character-driven and literary than fast-paced. The pacing was slower in places, especially earlier on, but I thought the final stretch gave the story a much stronger payoff. Once the truths around Celia’s family and the Water House began coming together, a lot of the earlier details carried more weight.
I also appreciated that the book doesn’t reduce everything to one simple reveal. There’s a lot here about guilt, manipulation, survival, memory, and the ways people can love each other while still causing enormous harm.
Overall, this was a haunting and emotionally layered read with a strong sense of place and a satisfying final act.
Thank you to Nneoma Ike-Njoku, Summit Books, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review The Water House.
Celia has spent much of her life defined by the drowning death of her brother Ruben and the suspicion that she may have been responsible. When she eventually returns to the Water House, the place where everything happened, the story begins peeling back those memories piece by piece.
The atmosphere was one of the strongest parts for me. The house, the water, the isolation, and the constant feeling that something is slightly off all add to the unease. I also liked how the story gradually complicated Celia’s understanding of her mother, her childhood, and the adults who shaped what she believed about Ruben’s death.
This is definitely more character-driven and literary than fast-paced. The pacing was slower in places, especially earlier on, but I thought the final stretch gave the story a much stronger payoff. Once the truths around Celia’s family and the Water House began coming together, a lot of the earlier details carried more weight.
I also appreciated that the book doesn’t reduce everything to one simple reveal. There’s a lot here about guilt, manipulation, survival, memory, and the ways people can love each other while still causing enormous harm.
Overall, this was a haunting and emotionally layered read with a strong sense of place and a satisfying final act.
Thank you to Nneoma Ike-Njoku, Summit Books, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review The Water House.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really liked this Nigerian gothic! The storyline centers around Celia, a young woman who was sent to reform school after her mother blamed her for her brother's death by drowning. As an adult in the 1960s in Nigeria, she finds a job as a typist (which she is really bad at). She doesn't fit in and her past taints any friendship or relationship she tries to establish. I loved the throughline of how her childhood tragedy set her up for a lifetime of self-doubt. She ends up engaged to a politician who is a widower looking for a wife to help make him a better candidate -- very Rebecca by du Maurier vibes, although the haunted house is actually Celia's own. After Nigeria is thrust into a civil war in the Eastern Region (which I was only slightly familiar with from other Nigerian literature), Celia ends up back with her mother at her childhood home, the Water House, where she is able to confront her past.
This was very atmospheric, very vibey, very slow burn-y -- I was reading during a late flight and got distracted a couple times because the pace was slow, but I loved the combination of the mystery with the unfamiliar (to me) setting. I would definitely pick up Nneoma Ike-Njoku's next book! Recommend for fans of Rebecca, of course, but also fresh takes on classic novels like Alena by Rachel Pastan, or gothic novels in different cultural settings like The Manor House by Christina Li, and pretty much anything by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
This was very atmospheric, very vibey, very slow burn-y -- I was reading during a late flight and got distracted a couple times because the pace was slow, but I loved the combination of the mystery with the unfamiliar (to me) setting. I would definitely pick up Nneoma Ike-Njoku's next book! Recommend for fans of Rebecca, of course, but also fresh takes on classic novels like Alena by Rachel Pastan, or gothic novels in different cultural settings like The Manor House by Christina Li, and pretty much anything by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Very much a slow burn, to the point where I almost stopped caring what the answer to the central mystery was. This book was interesting but felt like it would have been better if it had been little longer and the characters could have felt more real. To me even Celia was lacking, and only Adiaye really felt fleshed out.
As a child, Celia's brother drowned, and belief in the community that she pushed him into the water and caused his death led to her being sent to a reform school. Now it's 1967 in Nigeria and the reform school Celia has spent most of her life in, first as a student, then as a teacher, is closing down. One of the nuns helps her secure a job as a typist, and she hopes to leave her past behind and start anew. It seems she may get her wish, and when an aspiring politician hires her to be his fiancé, it seems she has a real chance at a future. As her past is brought to light however, she finds herself returning to her childhood home, the Water House, the scene of her alleged crime, where her estranged mother still resides. As Celia reconnects with a past love and tries to make amends with her mother, she must also deal with the constant presence of her mother's doctor, the encroaching civil war, and a surprise visit from the man she was meant to marry.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
As a child, Celia's brother drowned, and belief in the community that she pushed him into the water and caused his death led to her being sent to a reform school. Now it's 1967 in Nigeria and the reform school Celia has spent most of her life in, first as a student, then as a teacher, is closing down. One of the nuns helps her secure a job as a typist, and she hopes to leave her past behind and start anew. It seems she may get her wish, and when an aspiring politician hires her to be his fiancé, it seems she has a real chance at a future. As her past is brought to light however, she finds herself returning to her childhood home, the Water House, the scene of her alleged crime, where her estranged mother still resides. As Celia reconnects with a past love and tries to make amends with her mother, she must also deal with the constant presence of her mother's doctor, the encroaching civil war, and a surprise visit from the man she was meant to marry.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was really looking forward to this one. A creepy house, family secrets, ghosts, and a gothic mystery set in 1960s Nigeria sounded like exactly the kind of book I'd enjoy.
The atmosphere was definitely the strongest part of the book. There was an eerie feeling throughout, and I liked slowly uncovering pieces of Celia's past. The short chapters also kept me reading, even when the story slowed down.
Unfortunately, I never fully connected with the characters, and I kept waiting for the mystery to really take off. I also expected the Water House itself to play a much bigger role. With a title like that, I wanted more of the house, more of the ghost story, and more answers.
The mystery surrounding Celia's brother kept me interested, but by the time I reached the end, I still felt like I had questions. I finished the book wishing the ending had given a little more closure and explained a few things that were left hanging.
Overall, this wasn't a bad read. It has a unique setting, an unsettling atmosphere, and some interesting themes about grief, family, and the past. It just never completely grabbed me the way I hoped it would. If you enjoy slow-burn gothic fiction that's heavier on atmosphere than action, this one may be a good fit for you.
⭐⭐⭐
The atmosphere was definitely the strongest part of the book. There was an eerie feeling throughout, and I liked slowly uncovering pieces of Celia's past. The short chapters also kept me reading, even when the story slowed down.
Unfortunately, I never fully connected with the characters, and I kept waiting for the mystery to really take off. I also expected the Water House itself to play a much bigger role. With a title like that, I wanted more of the house, more of the ghost story, and more answers.
The mystery surrounding Celia's brother kept me interested, but by the time I reached the end, I still felt like I had questions. I finished the book wishing the ending had given a little more closure and explained a few things that were left hanging.
Overall, this wasn't a bad read. It has a unique setting, an unsettling atmosphere, and some interesting themes about grief, family, and the past. It just never completely grabbed me the way I hoped it would. If you enjoy slow-burn gothic fiction that's heavier on atmosphere than action, this one may be a good fit for you.
⭐⭐⭐
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley as well as Simon & Schuster for this ARC.
In 1967 Nigeria, Celia returns to her childhood home after years of estrangement, only to confront a hostile family, buried secrets, and the horrors within its walls. As civil war brews, she begins to question the truth behind her brother’s death.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this novel. It was eerie, haunting, and suspenseful, and there was something wonderfully unsettling about the hazy way the story unfolded. The Water House itself also felt like such an intriguing part of the story, which is why I found myself wishing we had learned more about its history and the secrets hidden within its walls.
Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the characters, which made it difficult for me to become fully invested in the story. It’s definitely a slow burn, but for me, the eventual payoff didn't quite match the buildup. I also wish the novel had been a little longer, as some of the story's ideas and mysteries felt like they could have benefited from more room to develop.
Overall, The Water House was a quick and compelling read with an eerie atmosphere that kept me turning the pages, even if I ultimately wanted more from the characters and the story itself.
In 1967 Nigeria, Celia returns to her childhood home after years of estrangement, only to confront a hostile family, buried secrets, and the horrors within its walls. As civil war brews, she begins to question the truth behind her brother’s death.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this novel. It was eerie, haunting, and suspenseful, and there was something wonderfully unsettling about the hazy way the story unfolded. The Water House itself also felt like such an intriguing part of the story, which is why I found myself wishing we had learned more about its history and the secrets hidden within its walls.
Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the characters, which made it difficult for me to become fully invested in the story. It’s definitely a slow burn, but for me, the eventual payoff didn't quite match the buildup. I also wish the novel had been a little longer, as some of the story's ideas and mysteries felt like they could have benefited from more room to develop.
Overall, The Water House was a quick and compelling read with an eerie atmosphere that kept me turning the pages, even if I ultimately wanted more from the characters and the story itself.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Haunted house? Family secrets? A decades-old mystery? I was all in.
The Water House is an atmospheric Gothic novel set in 1960s Nigeria that blends grief, family secrets, psychological suspense, and a haunting mystery. The eerie writing creates an unsettling vibe from the very beginning, and I loved the historical backdrop. The chapters kept me turning the pages, eager to uncover what really happened.
That said, this is definitely a slow-burn story. While the mystery kept me invested. By the end, I still had questions about the overall mystery and I wished the ending had delivered more answers and a bigger payoff.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a unique setting and a haunting atmosphere. If you love slow-burn Gothic fiction packed with family secrets, grief, and an eerie, lingering mood, this one may be for you.
Read on 10/13/2026.
Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster, S&S/Summit Books for the Book.
The Water House is an atmospheric Gothic novel set in 1960s Nigeria that blends grief, family secrets, psychological suspense, and a haunting mystery. The eerie writing creates an unsettling vibe from the very beginning, and I loved the historical backdrop. The chapters kept me turning the pages, eager to uncover what really happened.
That said, this is definitely a slow-burn story. While the mystery kept me invested. By the end, I still had questions about the overall mystery and I wished the ending had delivered more answers and a bigger payoff.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a unique setting and a haunting atmosphere. If you love slow-burn Gothic fiction packed with family secrets, grief, and an eerie, lingering mood, this one may be for you.
Read on 10/13/2026.
Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster, S&S/Summit Books for the Book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Based on the book synopsis and how small a portion of the story is actually set at St. Agnes (as opposed to references or reminders of time there), I was somewhat surprised in how far into the book it was before Celia returned to Water House. The discussion of what Celia did after leaving St. Agnes and what prompted her return to Water House was interesting/enjoyable. However, I think the author missed the opportunity to better develop the character of Celia during this portion of the story. She comes across as somewhat flat and passive, drifting along as things happen to her or around her.
The gothic element to the story does not come until pretty late, although there are hints earlier. That aspect of the story was quite good. I thought the ending was good, with positive things happening for both Celia and her mother. Overall, “The Water House” was a good debut novel. I would be interested in reading more from the author.
The gothic element to the story does not come until pretty late, although there are hints earlier. That aspect of the story was quite good. I thought the ending was good, with positive things happening for both Celia and her mother. Overall, “The Water House” was a good debut novel. I would be interested in reading more from the author.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Water House by Nneoma Ike-Njoku releases October 13 2026
Debut Author: First let me say, I LOVED the story. It's only the writing style that put me off. So glad I stuck with it but the disjointed writing style was hard.
What I liked: The gritty, flawed nature of the characters, the hint of dreams and nightmares, the glimpses of 1967 Nigerian food and culture, Celia's learning to stand up for herself and her characters evolution. The Water House itself in all of it's gothic glory was magnificent. It took on a character of it's own in the same way Manderley did in Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.
What I didn't: extremely uneven pacing and a disjointed writing style put me off. Celia doesn't even get to the Water House until 42% in and that setting is the real draw for the story.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫
Prose: hard to follow
Pacing: uneven
Scary: not
Gore: none
Character Development: good character evolution overall
Atmosphere: I could really feel the settings and the tension/strife Celia Da Silva is in. Great Atmosphere in this book.
Debut Author: First let me say, I LOVED the story. It's only the writing style that put me off. So glad I stuck with it but the disjointed writing style was hard.
What I liked: The gritty, flawed nature of the characters, the hint of dreams and nightmares, the glimpses of 1967 Nigerian food and culture, Celia's learning to stand up for herself and her characters evolution. The Water House itself in all of it's gothic glory was magnificent. It took on a character of it's own in the same way Manderley did in Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.
What I didn't: extremely uneven pacing and a disjointed writing style put me off. Celia doesn't even get to the Water House until 42% in and that setting is the real draw for the story.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫
Prose: hard to follow
Pacing: uneven
Scary: not
Gore: none
Character Development: good character evolution overall
Atmosphere: I could really feel the settings and the tension/strife Celia Da Silva is in. Great Atmosphere in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2026
This follows Celia, whose life is pretty much defined by the death of her brother. She was sent away from home because of his death, haunted by the blame she knows her mother feels is Celia's. As soon as her prospects begin to pick up again, Celia is dealt another blow, sending her back home to her childhood home.
Walking these familiar spaces, seeing faces of the past, Celia is drawn back into the darkness of the history this house holds. She will have to confront what really happened to her brother, whether she wants to or not. The town hasn't forgotten what happened...
The story line felt a little disjointed to me. A whole lot happens in the beginning, but that pace doesn't keep through the rest of the book. I was definitely very intrigued by the circumstances around her brother's death, and I really enjoyed Celia as a character. Overall, this was eerie and suspenseful.
Walking these familiar spaces, seeing faces of the past, Celia is drawn back into the darkness of the history this house holds. She will have to confront what really happened to her brother, whether she wants to or not. The town hasn't forgotten what happened...
The story line felt a little disjointed to me. A whole lot happens in the beginning, but that pace doesn't keep through the rest of the book. I was definitely very intrigued by the circumstances around her brother's death, and I really enjoyed Celia as a character. Overall, this was eerie and suspenseful.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Celia is sent to St. Agnes after her brother's death. She spends years yearning for love from her mother only to be ignored. As Celia grew up in St. Agnes, she is not adapt for dealing with the outside world. When she leaves and secures a job as a typist, her world again begins to change. Returning home after a broken engagement, Celia is unprepared once again for what life is showing her.
This was such a slow read for me. I had a very hard time with it. The characters were flat, the story dragged on and the mystery of the brother's death was finally revealed once the main character Celia returned home with the killer being pretty obvious. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Net Galley.
This was such a slow read for me. I had a very hard time with it. The characters were flat, the story dragged on and the mystery of the brother's death was finally revealed once the main character Celia returned home with the killer being pretty obvious. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Net Galley.
Read
September 20, 2026"The Water House" is an atmospheric Gothic mystery that blends family secrets, grief, and political unrest into a haunting story about confronting the past. Celia is a compelling main character as she tries to build a new life after years of rejection, only to find herself drawn back to the family home where her brother died. The Water House is wonderfully eerie, filled with hostile family members, old relationships, and unsettling secrets that make Celia question everything she thought she knew about her past. The growing tension outside the house adds another layer as Nigeria moves toward civil war. It’s a beautifully moody and suspenseful read about memory, loss, and the secrets that can haunt a family for generations.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was looking forward to a really good gothic mystery and while this wasn't a bad read, it moved very slowly and sadly, after about 25% into the book, I found myself losing interest and not sure if I wanted to continue the story or not.
I powered through however hoping that it would pick up and I would find myself caring about Celia, or really, anything at all. Sadly, this didn't really pick up but the story was interesting and while I don't think it worked for me, I do think others will enjoy this more than I did.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I powered through however hoping that it would pick up and I would find myself caring about Celia, or really, anything at all. Sadly, this didn't really pick up but the story was interesting and while I don't think it worked for me, I do think others will enjoy this more than I did.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
September 15, 2026
I liked the idea of using a gothic structure to tell a story about the Nigerian Civil War, but I was expecting horror, with a supernatural house, like Mexican Gothic. In hindsight, the other comps used (Rebecca, Jane Eyre) don’t have sentient houses, either.
What's actually here is more a patient, family-secrets-unspooling story. Celia, who was exiled to a reform school after her mother decided she caused her little brother's drowning, is pulled back to the family home years later during the lead up to the civil war. I’m not mad I read it, but I’m not sure the marketing sells it right.
What's actually here is more a patient, family-secrets-unspooling story. Celia, who was exiled to a reform school after her mother decided she caused her little brother's drowning, is pulled back to the family home years later during the lead up to the civil war. I’m not mad I read it, but I’m not sure the marketing sells it right.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this Advanced Readers Copy of this book from NetGalley, along with Simon and Schuster. Many thanks for allowing me to read it for an honest review!
I liked this book, though I wanted to love it. I was torn between it being both a mystery and love story but it couldn't be both. There seemed to be too much going on to keep all the stories straight but in the end I did like it. Interested to see what comes next.
I liked this book, though I wanted to love it. I was torn between it being both a mystery and love story but it couldn't be both. There seemed to be too much going on to keep all the stories straight but in the end I did like it. Interested to see what comes next.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was eerie and very atmospheric, haunting. This story is suspenseful and filled with memories that feel hazy, half remembered, and add to the msytery. It's a bit of a Rebecca thing going here. I wanted a little more on the Water House itself, but overall, I was hooked.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the arc!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Slow burn. I enjoyed following the journey of Celia but I found myself screaming at her at all of the opportunities she could’ve just used her words
The title really didn’t flow with the overall premise because the house didn’t play as big of a part as expected.
I have a lot of questions that I kept waiting on the answers to.
Overall I did enjoy the book and it kept my interest
The title really didn’t flow with the overall premise because the house didn’t play as big of a part as expected.
I have a lot of questions that I kept waiting on the answers to.
Overall I did enjoy the book and it kept my interest
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ceclia de Silva grows into womanhood thinking everyone, especially her mother, blames her for her brother’s death years before.
Excellent historical fiction set in Nigeria in the 1960s.
My complete review will be posted after it is published in the November 2026 Historical Novel Review.
Excellent historical fiction set in Nigeria in the 1960s.
My complete review will be posted after it is published in the November 2026 Historical Novel Review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🌧️📚 You ever start a book with high hopes… and slowly realize it’s just not clicking?
📍 This one wasn’t my usual type of read, and because of that, it was harder to stay engaged. The pacing was very slow, and the story never fully grabbed me. I expected a gothic, ghost‑heavy vibe from the premise, but I think I interpreted that too literally.
🗺️ The story takes place in Nigeria, and the dialect sometimes made it tough to follow. Celia’s journey—from a school for troubled girls after her brother’s death, to becoming a typist in the City, to being propositioned by a rising politician—had potential. But when her life unravels, she returns to The Water House, and the story still never quite found its momentum for me.
📍 This one wasn’t my usual type of read, and because of that, it was harder to stay engaged. The pacing was very slow, and the story never fully grabbed me. I expected a gothic, ghost‑heavy vibe from the premise, but I think I interpreted that too literally.
🗺️ The story takes place in Nigeria, and the dialect sometimes made it tough to follow. Celia’s journey—from a school for troubled girls after her brother’s death, to becoming a typist in the City, to being propositioned by a rising politician—had potential. But when her life unravels, she returns to The Water House, and the story still never quite found its momentum for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Our protagonist escapes her childhood home full of darkness and secrets by being accused of a horrific crime. It’s only when she goes back do we learn what is really haunting this family.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Water House was an errie yet intriguing read. It is a story of belonging, family, and even lies. It held my interest but not enough to wow me.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
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