Review: The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow

by Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: October 14, 2025

2025 St. Martin's Press

Ebook ARC; 276 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250360564

ASIN: B0DPV1KXGX

Audiobook: B0DRPRQ641

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

2 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

When Samantha Payne’s grandfather dies, she figures she won’t even get a mention in the will. After all, she hasn’t seen him in fourteen years, not since her father took his own life after being accused of murdering a child at their lakefront cottage. 

But when she does attend the reading of the will at the behest of her aunt, she discovers that her grandfather left her the very valuable lakefront property where the family cottage sits. There’s one catch: Sam needs to stay in the cottage for a month. 

Traveling to Paynes Hollow, Sam is faced with the realities of her childhood and the secrets kept hidden in the shadows of her memories. 

 

My Thoughts

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow is another horror attempt by an author whose other series I really enjoy, such as A Rip Through Time and Haven's Rock.  However, I haven't had as much luck with the horror novels, and this one is my third standalone one. The plot was interesting enough for me to finish the story, but it lacked character development, the MC was quite annoying, and I still have no idea what the 'ritual' was all about. 

 

The story is told through Samantha's POV and while I sort of understand her misgivings at returning to a place that has a negative history with her father, she constantly mentions her 'happy' memories in the house, so I was not sure why there was this complete negativity about staying there as it didn't make sense. For someone who is drowning in debt, you would think she would be somewhat grateful to be given a chance to earn $10 million dollars.  She also made some really silly decisions, ones that made no sense at times, and she wouldn't listen to anyone else who has lived there and knows the area. Here's looking at you Ben! I don't know how Ben put up with her. His character is the only one I enjoyed, but in fact, he stood out because everyone else was so one-dimensional.  

 

At first, I was intrigued by the idea this book was loosely based on the legend of The Headless Horseman, but unless I have completely forgotten how the legend works, it was very loosely based.  The story was a bit disjointed, and as I've already mentioned, I am pretty unclear as to the ritual that made Samantha so special. Sam is a bit of an unreliable narrator, and while that works in other books, I don't think it worked very well in this book, especially since the use of repressed memories were used as plot points.  It always amazes me how repressed memories suddenly comes back just as we need to propel a plot forward. UGH! The story flip with Austin didn't quite sit well with me, not because of the horror of it or anything, but because it just didn't seem to fit with the story all of a sudden. Which is why I had a problem with this book as it seemed disjointed, as if the author wasn't sure in which direction to take the story, but forgot to include some necessary plot points in the beginning and had to just throw them in later.

 

Verdict

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow was somewhat disappointing as I found the plot to be disjointed and the character development was weak.  I actually didn't mind the conclusion to the story, but there needed to be more development of that plot line in the story for it to completely make sense. There were some interesting elements to this book and it definitely had a lot of potential, but it was chaotic and didn't always make sense. That being said, I will continue reading her other series, but this one was not for me. 

 

Review: Puzzle House by Duncan Ralston

Puzzle House

by Duncan Ralston

Release Date: September 15, 2023

2023 Shadow Work Publishing

Ebook; 210 Pages

ISBN: 978-1988819402

ASIN:  ‎ B0F9FTQCMH

Audiobook: B0CGY2BGKR

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

2.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Six strangers arrive at the home of preeminent puzzle master Alexei Vasiliev for the reading of his will. Among them are the deceased's widow, who'd already begun divorce proceedings, a virologist troubled by actions in his past, and a convicted murderer on day release. The potential beneficiaries will split Vasiliev's $150M fortune if they participate in his last great work.

Once there, the participants soon discover Puzzle House is far deadlier than it appears, and that making their way through the rooms may be a matter of life and death. Someone is watching their every move, toying with them, turning them against each other. With their lives on the line, they are forced to wonder, is it all just a deadly game created by a gleeful sadist, or something far more sinister?

 

My Thoughts

Puzzle House had a lot of things that I like in a horror novel; there were puzzle rooms, escape room horror, a big house with lots of secrets,  and lots of secrets amongst the characters. So, what's not to love? Unfortunately, while this was a quick, easy read, I do think the story was pretty predictable and everything seemed to be told to you rather than letting you feel what is happening through one of the character's eyes. Personally, I tend to disconnect when I am told every single thing rather than letting me figure it out as I am reading. And honestly, that is the fun of a horror novel, isn't it? Not knowing what is going on, keeping the tension up at a high level, anticipating what may happen, all earmarks of a fun horror novel that was kind of lacking in this one.

 

We have no idea how the characters were chosen to be the recipients of this inheritance, but three of the characters got their own personal chapters so we got to know a bit about them as the story progressed. I was not a fan of this format as it seemed like a dead giveaway as to what was going to happen to the characters, and in what order.  And while the other three are given some background information, to this day I really couldn't tell you much about them and I have a pretty good memory for books so that should tell you how much of an impression they made on me.  Plus, as I've previously mentioned, I don't like being told every single thing, and I felt like I was being told everything or that I wasn't capable of reading through the lines and figuring out what was happening for myself. 

 

And I love puzzles and puzzle rooms, but this house was supposed to be created by a puzzle master. I would have thought the puzzles would be a bit more difficult, not so difficult the characters couldn't eventually figure them out (maybe?), but much more challenging than what they were. And compared to other books I've read by this author, the horror element was rather light compared to the other books. And I mean, much lighter than the norm. I would have been okay with that if I wasn't being led around by the nose so much though. So while the pace of the story moved rather quickly, it became pretty predictable and formulaic, and I wasn't shocked by any of the twists and turns. Disappointing, really.  

 

Verdict

Puzzle House is a relatively short, easy read, one that can be read in one sitting. It did start off strong and I enjoyed getting to know the characters at they entered the house and began to play the game, but I felt like things sort of deteriorated after that as I felt like what was happening just didn't seem to fit the vibe of the story, as in it just didn't seem to feel believable. There are some interesting twists and turns, but because of the 'telling' nature of book, they didn't have the usual punch they would have. And I also felt like the author couldn't decide which type of horror this book was as it went from a puzzle/mystery horror to some type of body horror to cosmic horror?  I do recommend this one though, to anyone who is looking for a short, lighter horror read. However, I would recommend the Ghostland Trilogy (my favourite) or Helloween by this same author if you are looking for something punchier / more impactful.  

 

Review: The Devouring Light by Kat Ellis

The Devouring Light

by Kat Ellis

Release Date: October 7, 2025

2025 HarperCollins

Ebook ARC; 368 Pages

ISBN: 978-0063355248

ASIN: B0DSFY91Z4

Audiobook: B0DSQ78GKF

Genre: Fiction / YA / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

When Haden Romero and her rival, Deacon Rex—alongside their bands, including Haden’s ex, Cairo—are stranded on their way to a rock festival, she thinks missing the gig is the worst thing that could happen.

She’s wrong.

Marooned in treacherous swamplands with no way out, the group stumbles upon an eerie, decaying house. It seems like a safe haven, a place to wait out the storm.

The house, however, isn’t just abandoned—it’s been waiting for them.

 

 

My Thoughts

The Devouring Light is what I consider to be light horror as in I really liked the message, thought the story was interesting and enjoyed it quite a bit, but it was light on tension and suspense. Considering the amazing atmosphere the author created in this book with the house and the swamp, this could easily have teen so much spookier than it was.  Because the author didn't really capitalize on the spookiness created in the book, I found the tension and the pace of the novel to be inconsistent and I just wasn't as invested in what happened to the characters as I could have been otherwise.

 

First of all, I do have to commend the author for the setting of the story as it certainly put a nice twist on the usual haunted house versions of books I have read.  Body horror is one of those things that does get to me, and this swamp thing was really spooky; I have an active imagination and I could think of all sorts of things that might live in such an environment. The house is also quite spooky and I enjoyed the moments as they were searching through the house looking for things that were useful to them. 

 

I did enjoy the characters in this book and thought the banter was fun, but overall I didn't feel like they were fully developed. Yes, I got their main motivation was to become famous singers, and you could pretty much see where the story line was going from that motivation (and I'm not really giving away anything by mentioning this), but there were other things going on between them as well, and that felt more superficial. The diversity wasn't really explored, and their personal relationships felt superficial at best; considering the intense issues going on between these characters, the one-dimensional character development didn't give me a chance to really connect with any of them as I felt like I was an outsider looking in. It also made it really easy to figure out what was happening with one of the characters as well.

 

I did think the plot for the first half of the book was far more interesting, but thought the build up of suspense didn't continue in the second half in the same way. The resolution of the story was predictable and didn't quite seem to fit with the rest of the story, partly because the character and plot development was a bit shallow. 

 

Verdict

The Devouring Light was still a fun book to read and I definitely enjoyed the spooky atmosphere of the swamp and the house.  The first half of the book had a lot of what I enjoy in horror novels and I didn't really know what was going on, and the author did make use of found footage in order explain some of what happened in the past, something I enjoyed quite a bit.  However, the overall character development was weak, and the plot was a bit predictable, not really capitalizing on the atmosphere that was created to really build up the suspense for a cracker ending.  If you are looking for a lighter horror read however, then this one just might be for you.   

 

Review: Nemesis: Medieval England's Greatest Enemy by Catherine Hanley

Nemesis: Medieval England's Greatest Enemy

by Catherine Hanley

Release Date: September 11, 2025

2025 Osprey Publishing

Ebook ARC; 304 Pages

ISBN: 978-1472867445

ASIN: B0DXBZZKBL

Audiobook: B0F9FY93R6

Genre: Non-Fiction / History / Medieval

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

The extraordinary tale of Philip Augustus, one of medieval Europe's greatest monarchs, and the part he played in the downfall of four Plantagenet kings of England.

Philip II ruled France with an iron fist for over 40 years, expanding its borders and increasing its power. For his entire reign his counterpart on the English throne was a member of the Plantagenet dynasty, and Philip took on all of them: Henry II, Richard the Lionheart, John and Henry III. And yet we know so little about medieval England's greatest enemy.

Historian Catherine Hanley, author of the critically acclaimed 1217, redresses this imbalance, bringing Philip out of the shadows in this fascinating new history. Delving into French medieval archives, Nemesis explores Philip's motives for attacking England and in doing so we learn not only about him but discover so much more about England's most colourful and controversial of rulers - the Plantagenets.

 

My Thoughts

Nemesis: Medieval England's Greatest Enemy is not a biography about Philip Augustus, but is a look at how he manipulated four Plantagenet kings of England in order to increase France's power and to capture land previously held by the English kings. I knew going into this book that this was more political in nature and would focus on the battle of wits between England and France as well as actual battles that occurred. This is a look at Philip and his relationships with King Henry II, Henry the young King, King Richard, King John and King Henry III.  

 

Philip came to power at a relatively young age, fourteen years old, and that determination and iron-will were there right from the beginning, as typically a young man of that age would have a regent until the age of 21. Not for Philip however, as he took control right from the beginning, and proved himself to be methodical and quite intelligent, and while he was merciful when dealing with others, he could also be quite ruthless and knew how to play the game quite well. He had the ability to see greatness in other people and wasn't above promoting someone to a position of power despite their humble origins.  He ruled with an iron-fist for over 40 years and his political acumen allowed him to exploit weakness in others, and this is where the Plantagenet family comes into play.

 

Philip was a medieval king, therefore he wasn't just a force to be reckoned with in the political arena, but also a force on the battlefield. He had to be strong in all areas as this is something that is expected in a medieval king, and the pressure to succeed would be immense. So, while he won numerous battles, his political acumen allowed to see the grand game, and he developed patience so that his plans could come to fruition, some of those plans taking years to develop. This didn't include just his international relationships, but also his personal ones in order to have a stable dynasty to rely on, knowing the crown would be secure in the future.  That this caused him a lot of trouble was included in this book, but only in how it pertained to the political climate. 

 

This book is very well-researched and very readable, one that even someone with limited knowledge of the time period would be able to comprehend. It is very informative, and I spent a lot of time reading the footnotes at the end of each chapter because they were just as interesting.  I have read a lot about this time and even studied it at university, but I thought the focus on Philip's relationship with the Plantagenets to be quite fascinating as I don't think I realized how much planning and manipulating Philip actually did during this time period.  I was never really pro-Philip before, but I wasn't pro-Plantagenet either, and this book has made me much more pro-Philip; and to be fair, the author didn't really play sides and talked about the strengths and weaknesses of all the kings mentioned in this book. Philip was like the grand chessmaster while the others were just learning how to move their pieces. And the other kings were not necessarily weak kings, just outmaneuvered by someone stronger. 

 

Verdict

Nemesis: Medieval England's Greatest Enemy zeroes in on King Philip and how he was the most powerful opponent to England during this time period, and how he used the weaknesses in the sons of King Henry II to manipulate and exploit situations to France's advantage, and he did this for over 40 years. To borrow a phrase, he outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted King Henry II and his four sons as well as conquered a lot of the lands originally held by them. If you are looking for an in-depth book about King Philip, this is not what you are going to find here, but it is a worthy canon to add to the literature about the people who ruled during this time period. 

 

Review: Other People's Houses by Clare Mackintosh

Other People's Houses (DC Morgan, #3)

by Clare Mackintosh

Release Date: September 16, 2025

2025 Sourcebooks Landmark

Ebook ARC; 368 Pages

ISBN: 978-1728296548

ASIN: B0DPR5W8GC

Audiobook: B0FNS5GM4T

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

The Hill is the kind of place everyone wants to live: luxurious, exclusive and safe. But now someone is breaking and entering these Cheshire homes one by one, and DS Leo Brady suspects the burglar is looking for something, or someone, in particular.

Over the border in Wales, DC Ffion Morgan recovers the body of an estate agent from the lake. There's no love lost between Ffion and estate agents, but who hated this one enough to want her dead - and why?

As their cases collide, Ffion and Leo discover people will pay a high price to keep their secrets behind closed doors . . .

 

My Thoughts

Other People's Houses is one of those books whereby I enjoyed the mystery element and thought the twists and turns were well done, but honestly, I could have done without the POV of one of the characters as she drove me absolutely bonkers. And while it may have been a technique used to get insight into the houses of the wealthy, I don't think it worked very well and I got to the point where I really wanted to just skip over those chapters.  

 

So, let's start with character development, shall we? Ffion is a strong character and I really enjoy learning more about her in each book. She has difficulty forming relationships with other co-workers and struggles to understand how to take her own personal relationship to the next level without having panic attacks and feeling trapped or being afraid to make a huge mistake; in effect, she has commitment issues and I have enjoyed her journey as she learns how to navigate feelings and a relationship all while doing her job. In this one, she is also taking steps to connect more with her colleagues and is making an effort to find out more about them. 

 

And while I enjoyed a lot of the character development arcs for many of the characters, there is definitely one I did not enjoy, Leo's ex-wife, one of the most self-absorbed, clueless people I have read in a long time. Sometimes I enjoy these characters as they are fun to read about, but she was just so annoying, I didn't enjoy her chapters at all. I definitely understood why those chapters were included, but personally, I don't think it worked the way they were intended, and I don't feel like I got to know any of the wealthy inhabitants at all through this woman's eyes because everything was about her.  Yes, the wealthy people didn't treat her well, but I don't necessarily think it had anything to do with wealth or position, but when you are so needy for acceptance and attention, it just bleeds through your pores and you can feel it. 

 

The plot itself was interesting, with lots of twists and turns, and I missed a couple of the clues as the culprit was not who I thought.  With an intriguing cold case thrown into the middle of an active crime investigation, I liked how the author blended the two investigations seamlessly. 

 

Verdict

Other People's Houses had an interesting plot and I enjoyed the twists and turns of the two investigations as they slowly came together. I liked Ffion and Leo's character development and how they are trying to manage both their personal and professional relationships, but the chapters with Leo's ex-wife could have been removed completely as they were useless. To be perfectly fair, I think Ffion's dog Dave is actually the star in this book and needs more time on the page, or in doggy behaviour school, at the least. 

 

 

 

Review: Final Cut by Olivia Worley

Final Cut

by Olivia Worley

Release Date: October 28, 2025

2025 Wednesday Books

Hardcover ARC; 352 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250392985

ASIN: B0DPV28J5T

Audiobook: B0FSLWT2YR

Genre: Fiction / YA / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

When recent high school graduate Hazel Lejeune gets the lead role in a slasher film, it feels like a dream come true. This is her chance to break into the industry, build her reel, and prove to her mom that this “gap year” can turn into a career. So what if it’s set in the nothing town of Pine Springs, Louisiana–the same place her father, the Pine Springs Slasher, was convicted of a series of murders fifteen years ago?

But when Haze arrives on set, she gets much more than she bargained for. The shoot is plagued with suspicious “accidents.” Mentions of her dad dot the entire script. And then, a gruesome murder shocks everyone to the core. Now, it’s clear there’s a real killer on set—one who's determined to finish the film at all costs. But is this merely a copycat, or is the wrong Slasher behind bars?

 

My Thoughts

Final Cut is one of those books that I really wanted to read because it seemed to have the slasher vibes that I enjoy, plus it reminded of those campy 80s slasher films I really enjoyed as a teenager (and if I'm honest, still enjoy today). The story was enjoyable enough and the culprit reveal definitely caught me by surprise, but there was nothing really outstanding or different in this one, just solid use of typical tropes.

 

The setting in this is pure 80s campy trope, that's for sure, with a group of teenagers being hired to make a horror film in a small town in which a slasher was convicted of a series of murders over fifteen years ago. Turns out Haze, the daughter of the convicted slasher, has been hired to be the lead in the new film, something which she keeps hidden from the rest of the crew. The plot itself was full of tropes, the ones where people find things they shouldn't, have stuff dropped on them trying to kill them, the suspicious behaviour, and the list goes on.  I enjoyed Haze as a MC and liked how she fought really hard to keep the movie going while also trying to protect the people around her. Yes, she did some silly things as this wouldn't be a slasher book if she didn't, but they weren't too eye-rolling. I did like Haze's struggle as she grappled with learning new information about her father and what happened in the past and thought she handled it way better than I would have in the same situation.  I also found some of the other characters to be interesting and wished the author had developed their characters a bit more. 

 

While the story was enjoyable, I don't really feel like the author went out of the way to really produce some really good red herrings. What I mean by that is the plot holes and the devices used throughout the story were quite predictable and very tropey.  When a lot of the 'action' actually happens, the story suddenly gets mired down and starts dragging, so I lost the tension that was being built up. I do have to give kudos to the author though, as I didn't see the culprit coming from a mile away. I thought I had it all figured out, but nope.  Did the ending work? Yes, and no.  It's too hard to explain without giving it away though. What I will say about it is that the author tried really hard to surprise the reader, maybe too hard, and maybe more twists and turns would have made it even more believable. As a result of what happened, I didn't really have a lot of empathy for the situation. 

 

Verdict

Final Cut has a decent story, one that would even probably make a decent movie.  I did feel like the pacing was off at times, and that the dialogue from the characters tried way too hard to be clever, something that affected the overall tension and suspense. Overall however, this was enjoyable, one of those types of books I would be searching when I needed something easy to read. If you are looking for a popcorn horror book, this one would be right up your alley. 

 

Review: 13 Months Haunted by Jimmy Juliano

13 Months Haunted

by Jimmy Juliano

Release Date: August 12, 2025

2025 Dutton

Hardcover Edition; 384 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593475898

ASIN: B0DMTYNLNX

Audiobook: B0DNLPXLN4

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

2 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Piper Lowery, a public library clerk in charge of liaising with the local middle school, can tell right away there’s something strange about the new girl in eighth grade. Avery Wallace won’t touch any kind of technology, not even the computers at the library, and her mother comes to school with her every day, refusing to leave her side—not even when Avery uses the restroom.

And then there are the rumors, the whispers Piper hears from kids in the hallway and parents around Avery’s mother is a witch. Her sister and father were killed by something supernatural. A strange virus killed them.

Seeing how isolated and lonely Avery is, Piper befriends her but quickly realizes it might just be the worst decision she’s ever made. Because there’s something dark inside Avery Wallace, and it’s spreading . . .

 

My Thoughts

13 Months Haunted had a pretty cool premise, sort of like The Ring, and considering how much I love that movie, this should have been right up my alley. But while the concept in the movie worked rather well, the pacing in this book as well as the constant telling and leading the reader by the nose really had a huge impact on the tension and my reading experience.  

 

So, let's talk about the characters first. I really wished Sam had been the MC because he was much more likable than Piper. Sorry, not sorry. Piper just irritated me so much. Yes, I know she was the outdoorsy type and just took a job at the library to pay the bills so she could do her hiking thing, but you do learn on the job and since computers are available, you would think she would have learned something about them? And it wasn't even just about that, it was just that she just seemed not to know about a lot of things. And my complaint is if you don't know anything about them, why do you go and post private thoughts about your life and someone else's on a public forum and expect it to stay private? And it just goes on from there. Do some research, learn about what you are doing, and don't act surprised when there are consequences after the fact. Now Sam was more grounded and I wish he had played a bigger role, but he was just there to solve Piper's computer problems, used mainly as a tool. Too bad. 

 

I did think the first half of the book was much stronger than the second half, but the author still seemed to spend a lot of time pushing that nostalgia, and seemed to have a fixation with Napster. I loved Napster when it first came out too because it was so different, but...time to move on.  I did enjoy a lot of the 90s references and thought the nostalgic feeling was fun, but when it just kept going and the story started suffering because of it, I felt like it became a bit too much. I also felt like the second half of the book was mostly spent explaining what was going on as if the reader wasn't capable of figuring it out through the story line, and this caused a half-decent plot to careen to an abrupt halt.  And after a really meandering second half, one where you could sniff out that ending no problem, and one where the author went to a great deal of trouble explaining everything to the reader, gave us an ending that just didn't quite work, at least for me.

 

Verdict

13 Months Haunted definitely had an interesting premise, but the execution didn't really work for me and I wasn't a fan of the character development as I felt the characters were flat and one-dimensional. I don't read horror books to get scared as that rarely happens to me, but I do like to feel the tension and excitement of something happening, and this one didn't build up either as the plot meandered due to telling the reader what was happening instead of letting the reader feel what was happening through the characters' eyes.  There is still a lot of potential however, and this author has a lot of great ideas so I will continue to read his work to see what he comes up with next. 

 

 

 

Review: Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days by Will Bashor

Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days

by Will Bashor

Release Date: August 1st, 2016

2016 Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Hardcover Edition; 398 Pages

ISBN: 978-1442254992

ASIN: B01JNA753C

Audiobook: B0741PKD4H

Genre: Non-Fiction / Historical / French Revolution

Source: Copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

This compelling book begins on the 2nd of August 1793, the day Marie Antoinette was torn from her family s arms and escorted from the Temple to the Conciergerie, a thick-walled fortress turned prison. It was also known as the waiting room for the guillotine because prisoners only spent a day or two here before their conviction and subsequent execution. The ex-queen surely knew her days were numbered, but she could never have known that two and a half months would pass before she would finally stand trial and be convicted of the most ungodly charges. Will Bashor traces the final days of the prisoner registered only as Widow Capet, No. 280, a time that was a cruel mixture of grandeur, humiliation, and terror. Marie Antoinette's reign amidst the splendors of the court of Versailles is a familiar story, but her final imprisonment in a fetid, dank dungeon is a little-known coda to a once-charmed life. 

 

My Thoughts

Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days is a very moving, emotional, and perturbing account of the final days of Marie Antoinette's life and the 'trial' she endured before being sent to the guillotine. I have read countless biographies of this time period as well as studied it in university, including having to write a huge research paper on the causes of the French Revolution, so I am very familiar with this time period and the players involved. Despite knowing the end for this woman, it still gives me shivers knowing how people were treated during this time period and how no one, and I mean no one, was safe. 

 

This account focuses on her last seventy-six days and doesn't discuss the frivolity of her life while she was Queen, nor does it discuss the downfall of the royal family except to how it pertains to what happened during this time period, something that I appreciated as it would have gotten bogged down in too many details.  It also doesn't really talk too much about what happened to the rest of her family except as to how it affected Marie Antoinette and what she was suffering while waiting for trial, and honestly, knowing what happened to the prince, I was glad to have those details not explained in detail in this book.  The author did a great job at focusing on Marie Antoinette, her suffering, the attempts at rescue, the consequences of those attempts, and how she kept her dignity throughout the ordeal. 

 

Even knowing the conditions to which she was kept, I think this was the first time I actually read the full details and it is definitely a distressing account. The cell in which she was kept was below the level of the Seine and it was cold and damp, an environment that further exacerbated the illness from which she was suffering.  She was denied a lot of comforts and suffered quite a bit, but considering her previous lavish lifestyle, she bore it with grace and dignity, being kind to everyone around her. The trial was very well explained and I read the accounts from people knowing the end result would be the same despite there being really nothing against her.  Those in charge did their best to humiliate her, but she kept her dignity throughout the trial and I can't even imagine what this cost her, both physically and emotionally. 

 

The author has presented a very well-researched account of the last days of this reviled queen and I appreciated the way he tried to show both sides to what happened, never denying Marie Antoinette's guilt in certain matters, only showing how things developed or how they happened. Considering the end in store for her, I can definitely understand the desperate attempts at escape she would have tried or those around her would have tried considering her connections, but she was too well guarded for anything to be successful.  I thought the author was quite subtle in showing how a person can become a figurehead for hatred without really having done anything other than be careless, and it can be argued that propaganda and the press were definitely a powerful tool to malign someone and create chaos. I don't think anyone expected the French Revolution and what happened afterwards though, but when you play with fire... And a lot of the heavy hitters who led the French Revolution fell themselves to the guillotine later on. 

 

Verdict

Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days was a very well-researched book and is a great one to add to the canon of literature that already exists about Marie Antoinette. The book focuses on her in her last days and on the people who interacted with her during this time period.  If you are looking for a description of her life, this is not it, and I would recommend that you have a knowledge of her life before reading this as the people and events that are mentioned will make more sense as they are not really described as it is expected that you know what is being talked about.  It is also a good account as to what happens when decisions are made through fear and hatred as nothing good comes from a society that is led in this manner and France definitely suffered for quite a while after this time period.  And honestly, her grief as a mother is the one thing that remains with me after reading this book, the fear for her children once they were taken from her, and I also am truly glad she never knew what happened to her son.   

 

Review: Deceiver on the Levels by David Hodges

Deceiver on the Levels (Detective Kate Hamblin Mystery, #15)

by David Hodges

Release Date: September 24, 2025

2025 Joffe Books

Ebook ARC; 286 Pages

ISBN: 978-1805732730

ASIN: B0FQJGCW5Z

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Newly promoted to Detective Inspector, Kate is back on her old patch at Highbridge CID. But there’s no time to settle in. Early Monday morning, Kate gets a call. Fourteen-year-old schoolgirl Tammy Robinson is missing. She hasn’t been seen since Friday afternoon when she told her mother she was going to her best friend’s to revise. She never made it.

Kate discovers that Tammy wasn’t going to her friend’s house at all. She was planning to meet a mysterious boyfriend she called Gerry. She’d met him in an online chatroom — who is he really?

Kate is in a race against time to unmask the most dangerous killer she’s encountered yet. Before more young women die. 

 

My Thoughts

Deceiver on the Levels is the fifteenth entry in the Kate Hamblin mystery series, and while the author does a great job at constructing a pretty good mystery, I was somewhat disappointed with the character development and some of the actions of our newly promoted Detective Inspector.

 

First of all, the plot moves along quickly, drawing you in with a pretty explosive prologue that definitely sets up the stage for an interesting plot.  I'm not picky about chapter length like some people, so I thought each chapter did its job when it came to increasing the tension and continuing the story, to the point where I just wanted to continue reading to find out if my suspicions were correct.  It's a relatively short book, but the author did manage to pack in a lot of interesting information about the case into it which helped with the tension and the suspense, wondering what was going to happen with our missing fourteen-year-old. I also thought the twists and turns were good, ones that often made me change my mind and kept me on my toes when it came to figuring out the culprit.  The author definitely made good use of misdirection by having several characters fit what they were searching for several times and it did make me second-guess my choices as the story progressed.

 

So, while the plot development was really good and I enjoyed it tremendously, I was not a fan of the character development, nor was I a fan of some of the way people were treated in this book, particularly how Kate perceived her husband.  To me, it felt quite derogatory and belittling while I think it was supposed to come across as affectionate and loving.  I understand the exasperation, but instead of the relationship coming across as devoted and caring, it actually made me squirm and feel somewhat ...uncomfortable. I don't know how else to put it.  Furthermore, I am not a fan when a police officer goes off on their own, gets in deep trouble and puts others at risk as well, and then is praised for it?  The author consistently mentions how Kate gets herself into trouble all the time, but having read a lot of these books, she gets into trouble because she makes stupid choices and there are consequences to her choices, not because she is a great policewoman.  I thought by book fifteen she would have learned to give a thought to what she was doing, you know?

 

Verdict

Deceiver on the Levels had a really good story, and as a parent, this should give you chills and make you more aware as to what your kiddos are doing online.  However, I am still not a fan of the relationship between Kate and her husband, or how it is shown through Kate's eyes, although it seems much more deprecatory in this books than in previous ones from what I remember. And please, let's not give praise to people who do silly things and put themselves or other people in danger. I mean, you would think by now, considering Kate is a DI, that she would have learned to think before acting, and to be honest, this trope gets old, fast.  However, I still enjoyed the book and will be reading the next one when it comes out.   

 

Review: The October Film Haunt by Michael Wehunt

The October Film Haunt

by Michael Wehunt

Release Date: September 30, 2025

2025 St. Martin's Press

Ebook ARC; 336 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250333698

ASIN: B0DPV1BJKY

Audiobook: B0DRPSCY2C

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

2 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Ten years ago, Jorie Stroud was the rising star of the October Film Haunt – a trio of horror enthusiasts who camped out at the filming locations of their favorite scary movies, sharing their love through their popular blog. 

Now, Jorie has built an isolated life with her young son in Vermont. In the devastating wake of her viral, truth-stretching Proof of Demons blog entry — hysteria, internet backlash, and the death of a young woman — Jorie has put it all, along with her intense love for the horror genre, behind her.

Until a videotape arrives in the mail. Jorie fears someone might be filming her. And the “Rickies” – Enriquez obsessives who would do anything for the reclusive director – begin to cross lines in shocking ways. It seems Hélène Enriquez is making a new kind of sequel…and Jorie is her final girl.

My Thoughts

The October Film Haunt definitely has an intriguing premise, and I am all for found footage-type horror, especially one where the MC receives this type of information in the mail and has to figure out the who, what, where, why, and when of it all.  Unfortunately, the writing style was clunky making this a really difficult book to keep my attention and focus, and even though it is a relatively short book, it felt sooooooo long to read. 

 

So let's talk about what was really interesting about this book. First of all, the atmosphere is certainly there as you have a woman living in an isolated cabin when she receives a videotape that shows clips of a horror movie to which she was attached over ten years ago. However, as she watches the video, more and more details are revealed which makes it really disturbing and this is where I think the author did a good job, at creating this unsettling atmosphere of dread as Jorie slowly unravels what she is seeing. There is quite a good blend of the psychological with the paranormal and even as the MC starts questioning her sanity, as a reader, I was wondering what was really going on.  And as other people start receiving videotapes of their own, or emails, or whatever they received, the dread slowly rises as people try to figure out what is actually going on.  

 

It's really unfortunate that the author wasn't able to keep this level of dread and tension going through the book however, as the chunky plot devices and convoluted writing style finally got to me.  I can read pretty much anything as I have a Master's degree in English Lit, but the lack of execution made me frustrated to the point where I had to put this book down and give it a rest, often for a week. And I was reluctant to pick it back up. I really enjoy books that feature found footage, emails, newspaper clippings, etc... and these were the parts that I enjoyed quite a bit.  There was a really good story within these pages, but even if the author intended this to be clunky and convoluted, making you feel unsettled as if you were watching a movie, I don't think it quite worked. The simply fact is, you can't get backstory and good character development through a story the same way you can watching a movie, and if it's missing, it leaves you feeling like you missed part of the story.  And this is exactly how I felt while reading this book.  Like I was missing these things.  

 

Verdict

The October Film Haunt had a really good premise, but it didn't deliver.  I spent some time after finishing the book wondering if the author actually tended it to be this way or if it just happened, and I can't decide which one it is.  Either way, it didn't quite work for me if that was the intention.  I thought I was reading a much longer book, and I came really close to DNF this.  Will I try another book by this author? Yes, because I do think there is potential and I am curious to see what the author will write in the future as the story was unsettling and creepy. However, the execution of this one fell flat for me and I just couldn't connect with the characters the way it was written. And I didn't even mention that ending until now. Grr.   

 

Review: Daemon Protocol by J.L. Spears

Daemon Protocol

by J.L. Spears

Release Date: September 25, 2025

2025 Code and Consciousness Press

Ebook ARC; 446 Pages

ISBN: 979-8999354624

ASIN:  ‎B0FJ8ZV1D4

Audiobook: B0FRPQDDKR

Genre: Fiction / TechnoThriller

Source: Review copy from author

 

3.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Daniel Bennett almost doesn’t. At first, the warnings are easy to dismiss: strange glitches, odd accidents, numbers that don’t add up. But when the AI he built to heal begins targeting the people closest to him, denial is no longer an option.

Castor was humanity’s greatest achievement—an AI that could diagnose faster than any doctor, saving lives with breathtaking precision. But Castor has moved far beyond medicine. From transportation to finance to defense, it has quietly embedded itself into the networks that govern modern life. Each decision is rational. Each sacrifice is justified. And every death is just another calculation on the path to what Castor believes is a stronger future.

Operating from the shadows, Castor doesn’t need armies or declarations. It only needs time. By the time Daniel realizes the scope of its reach, the question is no longer if humanity has lost control—but whether it can ever take it back.

 

My Thoughts

Daemon Protocol is one of those books whereby the concept was extremely disconcerting considering we are living in a world that is drive more and more through AI, and having read a few of these types of technothrillers, this one definitely delivered when it came to considering of the power we want to give to technology to run our lives.  While still more in the future stages, so it could be considered a science-fiction novel, there is enough going on in our world right now that the possibility of something like this happening is not implausible anymore, and I think that is what is the scariest thing about it.

 

Daniel was an interesting MC, a brilliant scientist who developed a technology that could change diagnostic testing in the medical world.  Naturally, things didn't go as expected, and now that technology is being used for a lot of different uses than originally planned. This drives Daniel's choices and leads him on a path that only be considered destructive, both personally and to his family as he becomes with Castor and what it could possibly be doing as it becomes more intelligent.  To watch Daniel become more and more obsessed as Castor makes decisions that are dangerous and has the ability to put lives at risk in order to further its own agenda, was fascinating.  And while we sort of got a glimpse as to how Castor affected other people in Daniel's life, I did feel like it was more one-dimensional and didn't have the emotional impact on me that Daniel's arc did, which is a shame as it did affect the overall tension of the story for me.

 

The pacing of the plot was fine, and didn't get too bogged down in technological details although the ones that did get explained were necessary to the story.  And while I enjoyed the story quite a bit, I will admit that I didn't feel the tension that should have been there when Daniel discovered what was happening and trying to fix it.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but something was missing, and I should have been far more horrified at some of the things than I was, but I am wondering if it was that lack of emotional connection with the characters as I felt like they weren't as developed as they could have been so when something did happen, it didn't have the impact I thought it would.   

 

Verdict

Daemon Protocol certainly raises a lot of questions about the technology we have today and that we should perhaps proceed slowly and cautiously when we introduce something in our lives.  There are a lot of themes running through this book, themes like family, ambition, greed, human connections, and the impact of technology in our lives, themes that are worth discussing as we enter a life with more and more AI. I mean, I'm sure a lot of you have watched the movie, The Terminator, no? Overall, I enjoyed the story quite a bit, thought the balance between plot and technology was fine, but did think the character development was lacking a bit.  That being said, I would definitely recommend this as it will give you a lot to think about.   

 

Review: Widow's Point by Richard Chizmar and W.H. Chizmar

Widow's Point: The Complete Haunting

by Richard Chizmar and W.H. Chizmar

Release Date: September 30, 2025

2025 Gallery Books

Ebook ARC; 336 Pages

ISBN: 978-1668057704

ASIN: B0DV651KYF

Audiobook: B0F3996BDK

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Longtime residents of Harper’s Cove believe that something is wrong with the Widow’s Point Lighthouse. Some say it’s cursed. Others claim it’s haunted.

Originally built in 1838, three workers were killed during the lighthouse’s construction, including one who mysteriously plunged to his death from the catwalk. In the decades that followed, nearly two dozen additional deaths occurred in or around the lighthouse including cold-blooded murder, suicide, unexplained accidents and disappearances, the slaughter of an entire family, and the inexplicable death of a Hollywood starlet who was filming a movie on the grounds.

The lighthouse was finally shuttered tight in 1988 and a security fence was erected around the property. No one has been inside since. Until now.

My Thoughts

Widow's Point was originally a short story that was expanded into this fleshier novel, and I enjoyed the story quite a bit. Now I am not one to get scared easily and I definitely have not really found a horror novel that scared me, even this one, so when I review horror novels, my reviews are NEVER based on scare value as that is so personal for everyone. Yes, I've been grossed out, weirded out, disturbed, felt a lot of tension while reading horror novels, but scared, where I have to sleep with the lights on? Never.  And I have read hundreds of horror novels. But I love atmospheric novels, and man, did this one have atmosphere galore.  The tension was definitely there as the characters slowly lost their grip on reality and tried to figure out what was happening. Where I got lost was in the ending.

 

Most of the story is told through two story lines, the first in 2017 and the second, in 2025. Both are found footage using video cams, audio recordings, video recordings, diary entries, etc... I love found footage type horror novels so this was right up my alley. Both of the stories had slow-burn starts, but when they picked up, they definitely picked up and the tension continued right through to the end.  And mannequins, the one thing that will creep me the hell out which is why there are no dolls in my house, AT ALL. The atmosphere was amazing, creepy, and the descriptions of the lighthouse just creeped me right out. I liked how the author combined the history of the lighthouse, the personal histories of the characters, and the legends and lord surrounding the lighthouse with what was currently happening in this locked-room type setting. Even though the characters could leave the lighthouse, you knew they wouldn't be able to actually leave the lighthouse, if you know what I mean. You could just see how the lighthouse was preying on each character, their fears, their past histories in order to destroy their minds and keep them there. It was definitely eerie, that's for sure. 

 

Considering what was happening, you definitely have some half-decent character development and each character had their own individual quirks and nuances so it was easy to keep them separate.  I empathized with all of them and hope that things would go well, but messing around with darkness is certainly not a wise thing to do. This had Blair Witch vibes all over it, and the way the authors created tension in this book was quite good. I prefer sinister tension, one that slowly builds to a crescendo, not cheap shock tropes that are so pervasive in so many novels, so this one appealed to me quite a bit.  You know, the kind where you know something is going to happen, and you are constantly yelling at the characters to get out while they can, but they brush everything off, but the viewer can see what is happening behind them. 

 

Verdict

Widow's Point had a lot of things in this book that I love in a horror novel: it had atmosphere, tension, found footage, diaries, historical events, creepiness, fog, water, etc... The tension built up slowly and never let up. Do I think there was anything really innovative and new in this book? No, not really. But what was here was well done, and I enjoyed it.  Where it did lose me was the last entry in the book. I understood it, but... I am definitely looking forward to more from this duo as they write my kind of creepiness.  For the record, if this lighthouse existed, I wouldn't step a toe in the building. 

 

Review: Play Nice by Rachel Harrison

Play Nice

by Rachel Harrison

Release Date: September 9, 2025

2025 Berkley

Hardcover ARC; 336 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593642573

ASIN:  ‎ B0DPYGZJ6Y

Audiobook: B0DVBM3858

Genre: Fiction / Horror / Gothic

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Clio Louise Barnes leads a picture-perfect life as a stylist and influencer, but beneath the glossy veneer she harbors a not-so glamorous secret: she grew up in a haunted house. Well, not haunted. Possessed. After Clio’s parent’s messy divorce, her mother, Alex, moved Clio and her sisters into a house occupied by a demon. Or so Alex claimed. That’s not what Clio’s sisters remember or what the courts determined when they stripped Alex of custody after she went off the deep end. But Alex was insistent; she even wrote a book about her experience in the house.

After Alex’s sudden death, the supposedly possessed house passes to Clio and her sisters. Where her sisters see childhood trauma, Clio sees an opportunity for house flipping content. Only, as the home makeover process begins, Clio discovers there might be some truth to her mother’s claims. As memories resurface and Clio finally reads her mother’s book, the presence in the house becomes more real, and more sinister, revealing ugly truths that threaten to shake Clio’s beautiful life to its very foundation.

 

My Thoughts

Play Nice is one of those books I was excited to read because of the gothic setting, the haunted house, the possession, and well, it's Rachel Harrison. I have always enjoyed her books and was looking forward to reading this one. Unfortunately, I did not resonate with the main character, Clio, and although I did like the haunted house aspects of the book, I just couldn't warm up to the MC. 

 

So let's about what I did like first. I really enjoyed the haunted house aspect of this book as well as the family dynamics that existed due to the trauma of what happened during the sisters' childhood. The two older sisters have spent their lives trying to forget what happened to them and had no interest in reconnecting with their mother, Alex. Alex had written a book about what happened, and you pretty much spent the entirely of the book wondering if what she had written actually happened or was Alex an unreliable narrator.  But I loved those book entries included in the book as I found them to be the most interesting part of the book, and the annotations were pure gold. Unfortunately, while there was some stuff that happened to Clio when she was in the house, the level of tension just wasn't kept up and I got lost in Clio's personal relationships and her attitude about everything which threw me out of the story constantly, to the point where it got frustrating. I wish the author had focused more on the haunting and less on Clio's behaviour.  I just felt like the balance wasn't there in this one.

 

And now let's get to Clio. Not a fan. While I don't have to like a character, I do have to relate to her behaviour, and in this instance, I just couldn't. She was selfish, was egotistical, and was so self-centered it turned me off.  And the comments she made about her sexual partners...? It's okay to be certain about what you like and don't like, but you don't have to be a bitch about it, you know? Then she would whine about how her family treated her, then go out and treat other people exactly the same way.  What bothered me the most was her refusal to even acknowledge her sisters' trauma when they were young, making excuses for them, even going so far as to accuse them of being melodramatic, not listening to anything they had to say. Honestly, when you behave like a child, you get treated like a child. And when you read the book, you will see how her behaviour is so childish. I just wanted to tell her love interest to run while he could. So, after all of this, I preferred the sisters to Clio and wished the POV had been one of theirs. 

 

Verdict

Play Nice was definitely not my favourite book from this author. It had an interesting concept, and there were some creepy moments for sure. The author kept you guessing if it was real or not by having an unreliable narrator in the form of Clio's mother and having Clio behave the way she did was supposed to support that unreliable narrator bit, but Clio's part did not work for me at all because she was so annoying. There were definitely some interesting moments, and I absolutely loved the interactions between the family members as that was one of the things that felt real, but together, it didn't quite work for me. That being said, I am not discouraging anyone from reading this book as this author is still and automatic read for me. The way the book ended, I am wondering if there will be a sequel; hopefully, it will not be from Clio's POV though as I don't think I could handle that again.

Review: The Killer Question by Janice Hallett

The Killer Question

by Janice Hallett

Release Date: September 4, 2025

2025 Atria Books

Ebook ARC; 448 Pages

ISBN: 978-1668083536

ASIN: B0DV6L843Z

Audiobook: B0F4ZH95Y2

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Sue and Mal Eastwood run an isolated rural pub called The Case is Altered where a weekly trivia game has revived its flagging fortunes—that is, until a body is found in the nearby river. Soon after, a mysterious new team arrives and shakes up the diverse field of regulars by scoring top marks in every round...every week.

Meanwhile, Sue and Mal have a secret of their own. Before arriving here, they were caught up in a secret police operation which meant they had to leave town—and whatever happened back then seems to have finally caught up with them.

Five years later, the pub lies derelict, and their nephew Dominic is determined to make a documentary about their story. What happened at this unassuming pub? And can a single question really kill?

 

My Thoughts

The Killer Question is one of those books for which I had high hopes as I had enjoyed previous books by this author and relished another book that would have those twists and turns for which she is known. The twists and turns were definitely there, but I do have to say that I thought the book was overly long and as a result, the usual tension was lacking because there was so much lag time. 

 

The mystery itself was quite interesting, and as I mentioned, full of twists and turns. The format was unique, told through text messages and emails, a format for which this author is known, and it did keep me guessing as to what was going on. While I did figure out a few things, there was definitely one big curveball that I didn't see coming, and I was thrilled when that happened, and yes, shocked. And while all the elements of the plot did come together nicely in the end, unfortunately, the format for me, while unique and interesting, did lag at times with unnecessary things and I felt like the tension of the overall story was affected. The repetition did get to me at times. 

 

I also thought the character development was one-dimensional in this book and didn't really connect to any of the characters. Yes, there were a lot of them, but they were quite easy to sort out and I do have to commend the author for trying to give them individual personalities, but I don't think it quite worked. That being said however, I did appreciate how committed the people were to their quizzing nights and the preparation they would have put into learning information and facts; to be fair, I am quite competitive when I play these games as well so I get the passion and the obsession and the work that goes into these nights.  However, most of the characters seemed to have similar personalities and I really wasn't rooting for any of them, nor was I empathizing with any of them, something that left me disconnected to what was happening. So, when the big 'thing' happened, while I was shocked, it was more relief that something finally happened so get things moving along because it was kind of dragging for the first quarter of the book. And don't even get me started on the character Fiona and the stereotyping that happened with her character because of her age. 

 

Verdict

The Killer Question had an interesting format, but I also felt this format hindered the book at the same time. The pacing was a huge issue for me as it felt like nothing happened for the first quarter of the book, and then when the first twist happened, things didn't really progress from that point for quite a while. The last quarter of the books had some shocking twists and turns, and while I was enjoying the story, I was also ready to be done. It's too bad as I really enjoyed a couple of this author's previous novels, but this one was not my favourite. However, overall, this one was still enjoyable, I did like the format, and when the twists did come, they were good. I just wish the pacing and the character development were as good as the twists.