I chose this book because I adore ghost stories, particularly Christmas ones, and I loved the sinister-looking cover.

After tragedy strikes, Leah buys the Maitland Farmhouse on a wild impulse. It had belonged to her family decades ago, although she hadn't appreciated how isolated and rundown it is until she moves in and spooky things begin to happen. She can hear voices and children's laughter, catches glimpses of shadowy figures in a mirror, and then finds a sinister old doll...

Alison Littlewood excels at creating a deliciously creepy atmosphere, with the hint of a supernatural presence around every corner. Even plain old mistletoe (which I'd quite liked before!) becomes something more sinister - an allusion of something reaching out from beyond the grave. I had expected more jump shocks but the ghosts, when they do appear, are very solid. Therefore Mistletoe is more time slip than ghost story, as Leah is given glimpses into the lives of those lived in the farmhouse during Victorian times. As a bonus, there is a murder mystery to solve - with a few unexpected last minute twists!

Mistletoe will appeal to anyone who loves Christmas murder-mysteries and ghost stories that take their time creating a truly chilling atmosphere - in more ways than one!


I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book, which will be released on 10th October 2019.

Thank you to Alison Littlewood and Jo Fletcher Books (Quercus) for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

This was the first book I’ve read by Alison Littlewood but it definitely won’t be the last. Mistletoe is a masterfully written, deliciously unsettling novel. I loved the timeslip element: a disturbing blurring of the lines between past and present as Leah uncovers the truth about the terrible events that happened at Maitland Farm, involving her own ancestors. Full of slow-burn creepiness, a deeply evocative landscape and a cast of believable characters, past and present, Alison Littlewood controls the tension so masterfully in this book that I could not put it down.