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We Wait
The wealthy Crawleys can’t abide a scandal, so when fifteen-year-old Maddie’s behaviour causes concern, she’s packed off to the family’s country estate, along with her best friend, Ellie. But while Maddie is resentful, Ellie is secretly thrilled. A whole summer at Greywater House, which she’s heard so much about, and with Maddie, who she adores…
But from the moment the girls arrive, it’s clear there’s more to the house and the family than Ellie could ever have imagined. Maddie’s aunt, Natalie, and her bedridden grandmother are far from welcoming – and something has been waiting at Greywaters, something that flits among the shadows and whispers in the night.
As the July heat rises and the girls’ relationship intensifies, the house’s ghosts can’t be contained, and it isn’t just Ellie who has reason to be afraid. Three generations of the Crawley family must face their secrets when past and present violently collide.
‘Hill House for the 21st haunting, dark, and very, very real. A masterpiece’ – Anstey Harris
'As poetic as it is unsettling, We Wait is an absolute triumph. This is Megan Taylor at her most thrillingly dark’ – Kerry Hadley-Pryce
'Scandal, sex and secrets in a crumbling country pile await us in Megan Taylor’s latest dark novel, a coming-of-age tragedy packed with prose so vivid it leaps off the page' – Lucy Wood, Sublime Horror
But from the moment the girls arrive, it’s clear there’s more to the house and the family than Ellie could ever have imagined. Maddie’s aunt, Natalie, and her bedridden grandmother are far from welcoming – and something has been waiting at Greywaters, something that flits among the shadows and whispers in the night.
As the July heat rises and the girls’ relationship intensifies, the house’s ghosts can’t be contained, and it isn’t just Ellie who has reason to be afraid. Three generations of the Crawley family must face their secrets when past and present violently collide.
‘Hill House for the 21st haunting, dark, and very, very real. A masterpiece’ – Anstey Harris
'As poetic as it is unsettling, We Wait is an absolute triumph. This is Megan Taylor at her most thrillingly dark’ – Kerry Hadley-Pryce
'Scandal, sex and secrets in a crumbling country pile await us in Megan Taylor’s latest dark novel, a coming-of-age tragedy packed with prose so vivid it leaps off the page' – Lucy Wood, Sublime Horror
- GenresHorror
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 5, 2022
6 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Megan Taylor
36 books35 followersI was born in Greenwich in South London in 1973. I have always loved to write.
My first novel, a dark coming of age story, ‘How We Were Lost’, was placed second in the 2006 Yeovil Prize (the Betty Bollingbroke-Kent award) and went on to be published by Flame Books (www.flamebooks.com) in June 2007.
I currently live in Nottingham with my young family, where I’m working towards a Creative Writing MA online with Manchester Metropolitan University, and completing my second novel ‘Before the Light’.
Set against a backdrop of wintry beauty ‘Before the Light’ is a literary thriller following a single family over a single life-changing night.
Although they're very different stories, both 'How We Were Lost' and ‘Before the Light’ reflect my continued fascination with the shadows and secrets of people’s inner worlds and the isolation that can exist even within the closest relationships.
My first novel, a dark coming of age story, ‘How We Were Lost’, was placed second in the 2006 Yeovil Prize (the Betty Bollingbroke-Kent award) and went on to be published by Flame Books (www.flamebooks.com) in June 2007.
I currently live in Nottingham with my young family, where I’m working towards a Creative Writing MA online with Manchester Metropolitan University, and completing my second novel ‘Before the Light’.
Set against a backdrop of wintry beauty ‘Before the Light’ is a literary thriller following a single family over a single life-changing night.
Although they're very different stories, both 'How We Were Lost' and ‘Before the Light’ reflect my continued fascination with the shadows and secrets of people’s inner worlds and the isolation that can exist even within the closest relationships.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 30, 2020
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!
What a perfect book to read this season, and most especially after having just read for October, both Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca and Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic - both of which were fabulous examples of gothic horrors. "We Wait" feels like a mix of both - the prose is definitely haunting, mysterious and a very gothic eerie feel I absolutely loved with this book.
Sara and Hugo Crawley's daughter Maddie has been a handful and is now going to be sent away for the summer at the Greywater House with her best friend Eleanor "Ellie". Hugo's sister Natalie lives at Greywater with their elderly mum. Some resentment starts to brew with Natalie who not only is the main caregiver for their mother, but now have two teens in her hands.
The story is told in two timelines where the story starts to really unfold and this is where Taylor's brilliance in her writing with reveling just the right amount at the exact time. The story is so chilling with the atmospheric writing building this world that was horrifying and creepy in the best ways possible. This book kept me up and I loved the it!
This sinister and unsettling novel is a must read for thriller and gothic horror fans. This is such a well written novel, that is sure to stand the test of time. I am hoping more readers will discover this amazing book by Megan Taylor. If you are reading this review, please pick the book up for a fantastic read you will enjoy!!
What a perfect book to read this season, and most especially after having just read for October, both Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca and Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic - both of which were fabulous examples of gothic horrors. "We Wait" feels like a mix of both - the prose is definitely haunting, mysterious and a very gothic eerie feel I absolutely loved with this book.
Sara and Hugo Crawley's daughter Maddie has been a handful and is now going to be sent away for the summer at the Greywater House with her best friend Eleanor "Ellie". Hugo's sister Natalie lives at Greywater with their elderly mum. Some resentment starts to brew with Natalie who not only is the main caregiver for their mother, but now have two teens in her hands.
The story is told in two timelines where the story starts to really unfold and this is where Taylor's brilliance in her writing with reveling just the right amount at the exact time. The story is so chilling with the atmospheric writing building this world that was horrifying and creepy in the best ways possible. This book kept me up and I loved the it!
This sinister and unsettling novel is a must read for thriller and gothic horror fans. This is such a well written novel, that is sure to stand the test of time. I am hoping more readers will discover this amazing book by Megan Taylor. If you are reading this review, please pick the book up for a fantastic read you will enjoy!!
May 2, 2020
One of the blurbs on the back of the book has this to say about We Wait: "Hill House for the 21st century: haunting, dark, and very, very real." It's a statement that I can support!
Megan Taylor gives us a chilling and modern gothic horror story with We Wait. It is atmospheric, spooky, and the character development is wonderful. The story takes places in 2016 and 1986 with some overlapping characters in each time, and this time hop is a way to slowly unveil some of the history of the house and its former inhabitants as we advance along in the story.
There are some "real" and sadly relevant horrors in this book as well - I do not want to give TOO much away because that plot/sub-plot of the book was a total surprise to me! And I am here for it! But it just adds to the looming darkness of the book.
A fun, yet serious, and great read! Highly recommended for fans of Susan Hill or Shirley Jackson - and Megan Taylor does her own little twist on what makes those aforementioned authors so loved as well. 4 stars from me!
Megan Taylor gives us a chilling and modern gothic horror story with We Wait. It is atmospheric, spooky, and the character development is wonderful. The story takes places in 2016 and 1986 with some overlapping characters in each time, and this time hop is a way to slowly unveil some of the history of the house and its former inhabitants as we advance along in the story.
There are some "real" and sadly relevant horrors in this book as well - I do not want to give TOO much away because that plot/sub-plot of the book was a total surprise to me! And I am here for it! But it just adds to the looming darkness of the book.
A fun, yet serious, and great read! Highly recommended for fans of Susan Hill or Shirley Jackson - and Megan Taylor does her own little twist on what makes those aforementioned authors so loved as well. 4 stars from me!
June 26, 2022
3.5 This took me an age to finish as I lost interest a while back and kept picking up other books I wanted to read instead. I think I’ll reread it come Autumn maybe. I’m a mood reader and this just didn’t grab me like I expected.
December 5, 2019
I really enjoyed this story. I went to the book launch and heard Megan reading from it so was hooked even before I bought it. I abandoned the book I was in the middle of in order to start it straight away. If you like a spooky story, well told, this is for you.
January 24, 2020
Smart, sad, and scarily familiar...
Fans of the modern gothic and haunted house scenarios will be delighted by this timeless story in which history repeats itself with fascinating twists I did not see coming.
Fans of the modern gothic and haunted house scenarios will be delighted by this timeless story in which history repeats itself with fascinating twists I did not see coming.
November 2, 2020
Captivating gothic horror! From the sticky heat as the girls lay at the lake to the cool darkness of the nearby woods, the setting provokes a claustrophobic feeling. The writing is descriptive and poetic. I thought the characters are beautifully portrayed. Ellie’s uncertainty and aching want, Maddie’s false bravado, Natalie’s despair; they all feel real. The house looms over them ominously through its dark hallways and fussy rooms. An unknown narrator whispers secrets, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Taking place in in 2016 and 1986, the parallel storylines illustrate the haunting way history tends to repeat itself.
While I don’t want to reveal too much, I want to highlight the fact that the book has queer representation. I thought it portrays sapphic relationships in a tender, thoughtful way. The horror thus comes not just from the supernatural but also from the hostility and repression of these desires. It’s emotionally resonant. I liked how the book leaves crumbs and pieces that fall into place at the end. If you’re looking for an evocative ghost story about memories and secrets, you don’t want to miss this.
CW: homophobia, parental abuse
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
While I don’t want to reveal too much, I want to highlight the fact that the book has queer representation. I thought it portrays sapphic relationships in a tender, thoughtful way. The horror thus comes not just from the supernatural but also from the hostility and repression of these desires. It’s emotionally resonant. I liked how the book leaves crumbs and pieces that fall into place at the end. If you’re looking for an evocative ghost story about memories and secrets, you don’t want to miss this.
CW: homophobia, parental abuse
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
June 25, 2021
Spooky.
November 19, 2019
Loved this! Cracking pace, with great characters and fantastic, atmospheric writing. Thrilling and scary. One of my best books of the year.
October 27, 2020
From the chilling and rather disturbing prologue, I knew this coming-of-age novel set in an eerie country house was going to be a very creepy read and perfect for Halloween!
It’s 2016 and Sara Crawley is driving her 15-year-old daughter Madeleine (Maddie) and her friend, Eleanor (Ellie), to Greywater House where the teenagers are going to be spending the summer. Maddie has been involved in something scandalous at school and, as a result, her father, Hugo, wrote to his sister, Natalie, who lives at the house with their elderly mother, and asked if she could stay with them to give her parents a break.
Before they even get to Greywaters, strange things start happening and there’s sense of anticipation, fear and trepidation. It’s clear there’s something not right about the house; a feeling of evil and foreboding. Sara drops the girls off and talks to her sister-in-law but can’t wait to leave.
The story is told from the viewpoints of Maddie’s friend, Ellie, and her aunt, Natalie. Ellie’s mother is suffering from cancer and she’s looking forward to having some time to relax with her best friend after caring for her mum, who is going on a retreat. Natalie is also a carer for her elderly mother and resents looking after her while brother, Hugo, carries on with his life.
Natalie already seems to be dealing with enough without having two teenagers thrust on her as well! There are hints about something dark in her past, and a childhood friend called Jess often features in her memories.
Ellie has always had awful nightmares and she sleepwalks at the house. She’s upset about her mum but feels reckless and freer being there. She’s always had a bit of a crush on Maddie and looks up to her and the girls grow much closer in the claustrophobic and intense setting.
In the second part of the book, we’re whisked back to the summer of 1986 at Greywater House, where we learn about the events that brought us to where we are in the present day. Things are hinted at in the first part and all becomes clearer as we put the pieces of the puzzle together and work out exactly what’s happening. The story comes together in a dramatic, life-changing conclusion.
The house is old, dark, menacing and creepy and feels like it has a life of its own, with something lurking within the walls. Everything feels off and ominous, everyone begins to feel more and more and out of control and they’re all hiding secrets and waiting for something to happen. It’s like there’s a creeping, malignant force hiding in the house that taints all around it. It grabs hold of people and stops them from leaving.
Overall, I really enjoyed We Wait – it’s beautifully descriptive with lovely imagery. Megan Taylor creates an excellent sense of place in the dark, gloomy, disturbing and atmospheric location of Greywaters with its hostile grounds including various outbuildings, gardens and a deep, silver lake.
The novel is cleverly written, with an intriguing and compelling plot. There were some shocking moments and I was surprised by how the story unfolded, with its twists, turns and revelations. As the tension rose, the pace quickened and the walls started closing in, I wasn’t really quite sure what was real and what was a dream. The writing was excellent – tense, claustrophobic and it made me feel uncomfortable and uneasy.
I’m already looking forward to checking out the rest of the author’s novels and reading some of her short stories.
It’s 2016 and Sara Crawley is driving her 15-year-old daughter Madeleine (Maddie) and her friend, Eleanor (Ellie), to Greywater House where the teenagers are going to be spending the summer. Maddie has been involved in something scandalous at school and, as a result, her father, Hugo, wrote to his sister, Natalie, who lives at the house with their elderly mother, and asked if she could stay with them to give her parents a break.
Before they even get to Greywaters, strange things start happening and there’s sense of anticipation, fear and trepidation. It’s clear there’s something not right about the house; a feeling of evil and foreboding. Sara drops the girls off and talks to her sister-in-law but can’t wait to leave.
The story is told from the viewpoints of Maddie’s friend, Ellie, and her aunt, Natalie. Ellie’s mother is suffering from cancer and she’s looking forward to having some time to relax with her best friend after caring for her mum, who is going on a retreat. Natalie is also a carer for her elderly mother and resents looking after her while brother, Hugo, carries on with his life.
Natalie already seems to be dealing with enough without having two teenagers thrust on her as well! There are hints about something dark in her past, and a childhood friend called Jess often features in her memories.
Ellie has always had awful nightmares and she sleepwalks at the house. She’s upset about her mum but feels reckless and freer being there. She’s always had a bit of a crush on Maddie and looks up to her and the girls grow much closer in the claustrophobic and intense setting.
In the second part of the book, we’re whisked back to the summer of 1986 at Greywater House, where we learn about the events that brought us to where we are in the present day. Things are hinted at in the first part and all becomes clearer as we put the pieces of the puzzle together and work out exactly what’s happening. The story comes together in a dramatic, life-changing conclusion.
The house is old, dark, menacing and creepy and feels like it has a life of its own, with something lurking within the walls. Everything feels off and ominous, everyone begins to feel more and more and out of control and they’re all hiding secrets and waiting for something to happen. It’s like there’s a creeping, malignant force hiding in the house that taints all around it. It grabs hold of people and stops them from leaving.
Overall, I really enjoyed We Wait – it’s beautifully descriptive with lovely imagery. Megan Taylor creates an excellent sense of place in the dark, gloomy, disturbing and atmospheric location of Greywaters with its hostile grounds including various outbuildings, gardens and a deep, silver lake.
The novel is cleverly written, with an intriguing and compelling plot. There were some shocking moments and I was surprised by how the story unfolded, with its twists, turns and revelations. As the tension rose, the pace quickened and the walls started closing in, I wasn’t really quite sure what was real and what was a dream. The writing was excellent – tense, claustrophobic and it made me feel uncomfortable and uneasy.
I’m already looking forward to checking out the rest of the author’s novels and reading some of her short stories.
October 27, 2020
We Wait’ tells the story of Maddie, her best friend, Ellie and and Maddie’s family. When Maddie and family visit Greywater House for the summer, they have no idea of what’s to come. As soon as they get to the house they soon realise things ain’t quite as they seem.
The story half way through the story cuts from 2016 to 1986 giving us an insight further into the history of the family and the house.
Things soon heat up. Tensions rise. We soon find our things ain’t as rosy with the family. They must soon learn to face their problems before things get worse.
There’s some great character development throughout the novel as we learn more about the family and the plot progresses.
It’s highly descriptive and I loved reading all the little details that make it a chilling read. You get a real sense of what it’s like to live in a haunted house.
The story ties up nicely together. There’s also a few twists which I didn’t see coming.
It’s spooky, atmospheric and I was gripped from page to page. It’s a chilling read and I was left wondering what was going to happen next.
If you like stories about ghosts and if you’re after something spooky for this time of the year, I highly recommend ‘We Wait’.
The story half way through the story cuts from 2016 to 1986 giving us an insight further into the history of the family and the house.
Things soon heat up. Tensions rise. We soon find our things ain’t as rosy with the family. They must soon learn to face their problems before things get worse.
There’s some great character development throughout the novel as we learn more about the family and the plot progresses.
It’s highly descriptive and I loved reading all the little details that make it a chilling read. You get a real sense of what it’s like to live in a haunted house.
The story ties up nicely together. There’s also a few twists which I didn’t see coming.
It’s spooky, atmospheric and I was gripped from page to page. It’s a chilling read and I was left wondering what was going to happen next.
If you like stories about ghosts and if you’re after something spooky for this time of the year, I highly recommend ‘We Wait’.
August 17, 2022
A gripping, contemporary ghost story. Relatable characters, great tension, a vivid, spooky setting and a narrative that spans two time periods 30 years apart - linked by the brooding, atmospheric presence of Greywaters. Told from the point of view of two main characters whose stories mirror each other across the decades, it's beautifully written and cleverly constructed.
July 8, 2025
Wow! This kept me up all night. If you like gothic horror and haunted country houses, this should be your next read. It's got everything: ghosts, wonderfully developed characters with intriguing stories, and a crumbling country house. I couldn't put it down.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews