Something in the Walls

Name: Something in the Walls
Price: 28.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781250334381

✍️ Daisy Pearce

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$28.00

In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days

📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A psychological horror novel about a young therapist and a haunted child.

This narrative examines the intersection of professional ambition and supernatural terror through the eyes of an inexperienced therapist. Pearce explores how grief and isolation can make one vulnerable to manipulation or genuine paranormal encounters. The story contrasts the clinical approach of psychology with the raw, unexplained phenomena reported by Alice Webber. It highlights the tension between Mina’s desire for career advancement and the ethical complexities of treating a child in a remote location. The heat wave serves as a physical manifestation of the growing psychological pressure on all characters involved.

Key Themes

grief and mourning supernatural haunting professional isolation

Literary Context

The book is set in Britain during a severe heat wave, focusing on the remote village of Banathel. It draws on traditions of witchcraft and supernatural fiction within the context of modern psychological practice.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Shirley Jackson · M.R. James · Silvia Moreno-Garcia · The Haunting of Hill House

🧠

Psychological Horror

🏛 Minotaur Books 📅 2025 📖 304 pages 🌐 English 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9781250334381

📝 Description: Something in the Walls

Daisy Pearce, an author known for her work in supernatural fiction, presents a narrative centered on Mina, a newly minted child psychologist with limited professional experience. The story unfolds against the backdrop of a stifling heat wave sweeping across Britain. Mina spends her days anxiously contemplating her upcoming marriage to Oscar, a careful and precise researcher, while feeling isolated in her small, close world. Her only relief comes from attending a local bereavement group to mourn her brother, who died years ago. The plot shifts when Mina meets journalist Sam Hunter at the grief group. He proposes a case involving Alice Webber, a thirteen-year-old girl living in the remote village of Banathel with her family in a crowded home. Alice claims she is being haunted by a witch, and her symptoms are becoming increasingly disturbing. The family has tight money, making professional help difficult to access. Mina accepts the role to gain necessary experience, while Sam seeks a significant journalistic scoop. She believes this intervention will help Alice recover, though the reality of the haunting challenges her confidence.

💎 Our verdict on Something in the Walls

“

🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Pearce effectively constructs a claustrophobic atmosphere, using the oppressive heat wave to mirror Mina’s growing psychological distress. The narrative succeeds in balancing the clinical perspective of a novice therapist with the raw, unsettling phenomena reported by Alice Webber. This contrast creates a unique tension that questions the limits of professional ambition against genuine paranormal encounters. The story is best suited for readers who prefer atmospheric dread over jump scares and enjoy complex ethical dilemmas involving vulnerable subjects. While the premise relies on familiar tropes of haunted children and remote villages, the execution offers a fresh look at grief and isolation. It is a thoughtful entry in the genre that rewards patience with deep character insights.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who enjoy the slow-burn tension of psychological horror will find this narrative deeply compelling. It appeals to those interested in the intersection of professional ethics and supernatural terror, offering a nuanced look at how grief and isolation can distort reality. The book is ideal for fans of stories that explore the vulnerability of the human mind when faced with the unexplainable. Those who appreciate character-driven plots where the setting—a stifling heat wave—mirrors internal pressure will gain significant satisfaction from this exploration of ambition, manipulation, and the thin line between clinical detachment and genuine fear.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Pearce effectively constructs a claustrophobic atmosphere, using the oppressive heat wave to mirror Mina’s growing psychological distress. The narrative succeeds in balancing the clinical perspective of a novice therapist with the raw, unsettling phenomena reported by Alice Webber. This contrast creates a unique tension that questions the limits of professional ambition against genuine paranormal encounters. The story is best suited for readers who prefer atmospheric dread over jump scares and enjoy complex ethical dilemmas involving vulnerable subjects. While the premise relies on familiar tropes of haunted children and remote villages, the execution offers a fresh look at grief and isolation. It is a thoughtful entry in the genre that rewards patience with deep character insights.