This was my second book by this author, and she definitely knows how to write creepy, eerie, and atmospheric thrillers and horror stories. This one kept me guessing the entire time and was the perfect read for the Halloween season. As an added bonus, there was almost no swearing and no spice.

I wanted something Gothic, spooky, and mysterious for October, and this book delivered. It’s categorized as horror, or even cozy horror, but I personally didn’t find it scary. However, it definitely had that unsettling creep factor, along with a little bit of gore. I would also consider this a haunted house story, which I absolutely loved. The mansion and its surrounding grounds are haunted by ghosts, and the supernatural elements added so much to the eerie atmosphere. There was plenty of suspense, along with some heart-pounding moments that had me turning the pages late into the night. I just had to find out what was really going on.

I was pulled into the story from the very beginning and had absolutely no idea where it was going to take me. What a wild ride! It was fast-paced, engaging, and easy to read, but I will say that things got a little muddled toward the end. With all the twists, turns, and big reveals, I found myself a bit confused about how everything came together. I actually had to look up an explanation after finishing the book just to make sure I understood exactly what had happened. That was really my only complaint, though, because the mystery kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn’t figure out what was happening for the life of me.

I also really enjoyed our main character, Daniel. He was such a sweet guy with a kind heart who genuinely wanted to do the right thing. He was incredibly easy to root for, and I found myself hoping everything would work out for him. And the ending! I loved how everything wrapped up. It was such an interesting and refreshing twist on the traditional ghost story or haunted house tale, and not something we typically see in this genre.

Overall, I had such a great time with this book. It had everything I was looking for in a spooky October read: a creepy Gothic mansion, ghosts, supernatural mysteries, plenty of suspense, and twists I never saw coming. Despite a little confusion toward the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

I can’t wait to read more by this author. Definitely recommend, especially if you love atmospheric, mysterious, and creepy stories that aren’t necessarily terrifying.