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The Secrets Of Blacklace Bay
Not yet published
Expected 15 Mar 26“Blacklace Bay won’t let us leave. And now you’re trapped, too…”
After a stress-related psychotic episode, Nora Took flees to the silent town of Blacklace Bay, seeking peace and a fresh start. She lands a job as a homeschool teacher for the town’s founding the Blackwoods.
But not all is as it seems in this quaint coastal town.
Blackwood House’s whispering walls haunt Nora’s working days and consume her nightmares. And the dolls that her strangely-quiet student keeps lining the walls of her bedroom watch her every move with hungry eyes.
As unexplainable events escalate around her, Nora uncovers a chilling connection to the local doll shop and its owner, whose evil grin and all-seeing eyes hide a terrible secret.
Can Nora save her student’s soul before the darkness consumes them all?
After a stress-related psychotic episode, Nora Took flees to the silent town of Blacklace Bay, seeking peace and a fresh start. She lands a job as a homeschool teacher for the town’s founding the Blackwoods.
But not all is as it seems in this quaint coastal town.
Blackwood House’s whispering walls haunt Nora’s working days and consume her nightmares. And the dolls that her strangely-quiet student keeps lining the walls of her bedroom watch her every move with hungry eyes.
As unexplainable events escalate around her, Nora uncovers a chilling connection to the local doll shop and its owner, whose evil grin and all-seeing eyes hide a terrible secret.
Can Nora save her student’s soul before the darkness consumes them all?
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 15, 2026
1 person want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 1, 2026
I received an advanced digital copy of The Secrets of Blacklace Bay by Athena Wynyard in exchange for my honest review.
Well. I absolutely loved it!
This is hands down one of the most horrific and psychologically frightening books I’ve read from a new to me indie author. From the very first chapters, there was this creeping unease that never once let up. The slow burn tension was masterfully done, tightening scene by scene until I felt completely trapped within the story.
The red herrings were clever and deliberate, constantly shifting my suspicions. Just when I thought I had worked something out, the narrative twisted again. The mistrusting FMC added another layer of instability that made everything feel even more unsettling. You are never quite sure who to believe, and that uncertainty is deliciously terrifying.
The small town setting is everything you want in supernatural horror. Insular, secretive, quietly hostile toward outsiders. Ambrosius Dolls itself feels like a living, breathing entity. The atmosphere is thick with dread, and the imagery is vivid and cinematic without ever feeling overdone.
Every major reveal had me gasping, squirming, and occasionally raging in the best possible way. This book does not just aim to scare you. It aims to disturb you. And i felt very disturbed!
For horror fans who love slow burn psychological tension, layered secrets, and a setting that crawls under your skin, this one is an absolute must read. Graham Masterton and Stephen King, eat your heart out.
I am so grateful I got early access to this novel, and I cannot wait to dive into her other book, Inside the Mushroom Farm. Athena Wynyard has officially become an author I will be watching closely.
If you’re a horror reader, give this one a crack. You won’t regret it.
Well. I absolutely loved it!
This is hands down one of the most horrific and psychologically frightening books I’ve read from a new to me indie author. From the very first chapters, there was this creeping unease that never once let up. The slow burn tension was masterfully done, tightening scene by scene until I felt completely trapped within the story.
The red herrings were clever and deliberate, constantly shifting my suspicions. Just when I thought I had worked something out, the narrative twisted again. The mistrusting FMC added another layer of instability that made everything feel even more unsettling. You are never quite sure who to believe, and that uncertainty is deliciously terrifying.
The small town setting is everything you want in supernatural horror. Insular, secretive, quietly hostile toward outsiders. Ambrosius Dolls itself feels like a living, breathing entity. The atmosphere is thick with dread, and the imagery is vivid and cinematic without ever feeling overdone.
Every major reveal had me gasping, squirming, and occasionally raging in the best possible way. This book does not just aim to scare you. It aims to disturb you. And i felt very disturbed!
For horror fans who love slow burn psychological tension, layered secrets, and a setting that crawls under your skin, this one is an absolute must read. Graham Masterton and Stephen King, eat your heart out.
I am so grateful I got early access to this novel, and I cannot wait to dive into her other book, Inside the Mushroom Farm. Athena Wynyard has officially become an author I will be watching closely.
If you’re a horror reader, give this one a crack. You won’t regret it.
February 26, 2026
A huge thanks to Athena Wynyard for this ARC read.
This slow-burn, psychological thriller really got inside my head! Nora Took is basically running from her past and ends up in this quiet coastal town called Blacklace Bay thinking she’ll finally catch a break. But things feel off from day one, like everyone is holding onto their own dark secrets.
Without giving too much away… she is hired as a homeschool teacher to the Blackwood family and ends up dealing with creepy dolls and whispers that keep her up at night.
Athena Wynyard weaves psychological horror with descriptive atmospheric suspense.
If you’re into books that build unease instead of jump scares, love small-town secrets that turn sinister, or just want an eerie read, you’ll want to grab this one!
This slow-burn, psychological thriller really got inside my head! Nora Took is basically running from her past and ends up in this quiet coastal town called Blacklace Bay thinking she’ll finally catch a break. But things feel off from day one, like everyone is holding onto their own dark secrets.
Without giving too much away… she is hired as a homeschool teacher to the Blackwood family and ends up dealing with creepy dolls and whispers that keep her up at night.
Athena Wynyard weaves psychological horror with descriptive atmospheric suspense.
If you’re into books that build unease instead of jump scares, love small-town secrets that turn sinister, or just want an eerie read, you’ll want to grab this one!
March 7, 2026
I am honored to have been chosen to be an ARC reader for The Secrets of Blacklace Bay. This is the perfect mix of horror and Gothic. Athena Wynyard is one of my favorite authors. The Secrets of Blacklace Bay is amazingly written and will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. I had a hard time putting it down. This book is one of my favorite books. I highly recommend this one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Secrets of Blacklace Bay is a psychological thriller with strong horror undertones, and it completely pulled me in.
I sat with this book for a couple of days after finishing because there is a lot woven into the story. It is layered, tense, and full of moments that slowly build into something much bigger than you first expect.
The atmosphere immediately reminded me of classic 80s thrillers. There is that same creeping tension where the story quietly shifts beneath your feet while you are reading. As the layers unfold, you realise there is more than one narrative thread moving through the book, and the moment you notice it is incredibly satisfying. The storytelling feels deliberate and immersive without relying on shock value.
I genuinely loved every page. I was on edge the entire time, the kind of suspense that makes you keep reading even when your anxiety is buzzing. The ending was so unexpected which made this story even more satisfying.
I also want to acknowledge something that stood out to me on a personal level.
As a neurodivergent parent who home educates neurodivergent children, one element of the story made me pause. My lived experience with education has been very different to Nora’s. In my family, mainstream schooling did not work for my children. In this story, we see the ways the system fails an educator instead.
What stayed with me is that both realities can exist at the same time. Systems can fail students, and they can also fail the educators who genuinely care about the work they do. That nuance added an emotional layer to the story that I did not expect, and I felt the weight of it more than I thought I would.
Kudos to the author for weaving a thoughtful reflection on real systemic pressures into such a gripping fictional story.
This was a tense, atmospheric read that kept me hooked the whole way through.
I received this book as an ARC, however, this review reflects my honest thoughts and feelings shared voluntarily.
I sat with this book for a couple of days after finishing because there is a lot woven into the story. It is layered, tense, and full of moments that slowly build into something much bigger than you first expect.
The atmosphere immediately reminded me of classic 80s thrillers. There is that same creeping tension where the story quietly shifts beneath your feet while you are reading. As the layers unfold, you realise there is more than one narrative thread moving through the book, and the moment you notice it is incredibly satisfying. The storytelling feels deliberate and immersive without relying on shock value.
I genuinely loved every page. I was on edge the entire time, the kind of suspense that makes you keep reading even when your anxiety is buzzing. The ending was so unexpected which made this story even more satisfying.
I also want to acknowledge something that stood out to me on a personal level.
As a neurodivergent parent who home educates neurodivergent children, one element of the story made me pause. My lived experience with education has been very different to Nora’s. In my family, mainstream schooling did not work for my children. In this story, we see the ways the system fails an educator instead.
What stayed with me is that both realities can exist at the same time. Systems can fail students, and they can also fail the educators who genuinely care about the work they do. That nuance added an emotional layer to the story that I did not expect, and I felt the weight of it more than I thought I would.
Kudos to the author for weaving a thoughtful reflection on real systemic pressures into such a gripping fictional story.
This was a tense, atmospheric read that kept me hooked the whole way through.
I received this book as an ARC, however, this review reflects my honest thoughts and feelings shared voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was lucky to receive an ARC from the author.
I've read her previous work, Inside the Mushroom Farm, and absolutely loved it!
With The Secrets of Blacklace Bay, Athena successfully spins a twisted supernatural horror story where, just when you think you've got it figured out, something causes doubt and you second guess everything!
Creepy dolls, hauntings, strange people...what's real, what isn't?
Disturbing, chilling and gripping!
I've read her previous work, Inside the Mushroom Farm, and absolutely loved it!
With The Secrets of Blacklace Bay, Athena successfully spins a twisted supernatural horror story where, just when you think you've got it figured out, something causes doubt and you second guess everything!
Creepy dolls, hauntings, strange people...what's real, what isn't?
Disturbing, chilling and gripping!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received a free copy as an ARC reader from this author!
I absolutely loved this book, it was such a thrilling keep you on the edge of your seat read, I’ll never be able to look at dolls the same way again.
Thank you for giving me a chance to read this wonderful book.
I absolutely loved this book, it was such a thrilling keep you on the edge of your seat read, I’ll never be able to look at dolls the same way again.
Thank you for giving me a chance to read this wonderful book.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews