I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. Opinions expressed are my own. 

I usually go for things set in creepy hospitals, but I guess this wasn't creepy enough? I also have a very practical brain, so books that aren't told in a linear fashion have to be extremely compelling for me to get through them. This was not one of those. 

Neither the characters nor the plot were especially gripping. Despite the unusual timeline, the story was very slow and I was just ready for it to be finished. Not to mention the cover. I initially thought it was a bad cover for what sounded like a good book, but, well...

This year, I’ve started reading Cavendish for the first time. In the last nine months or so, I’ve completed several short stories, a novella (The Malan Witch), and this upcoming novel release (In Darkness, Shadows Breathe). In a lot of ways, Cavendish reminds me of Campbell, or what little of him I’ve read so far (a few novels, though he has many); she has a timeless narrative, polite and gothic in atmosphere. So far, my experience is that she deals mostly in hauntings, tame ones in comparison to what I usually read in the horror community. As such, her appeal can be mainstreamed, as it is far less violent and disturbing.

Her latest novel, In Darkness, Shadows Breathe, is very well-written, but also features some hiccups along the way. Looking through the reviews posted by others, it seems that most readers were in agreement that some of the pacing was a bit slow and that the story left some confusion, what with the amount of characters hopping in and out during a nonlinear timeline. I can agree with all that. However, there were several areas that Cavendish did extremely well, and I think those areas deserve spotlighting. For one, the author has dived deep into her own life in presenting Vanessa’s character, who is undergoing cancer treatment. Not only is it personal and descriptive, it’s sad and harrowing. Cavendish has been to hell and back, and I think this novel reflects that. In a sense, it reminds me of how Dreamcatcher is an evident connection for Stephen King and his near-death accident; in it, he constantly goes into the character’s head for escape, something King did while in recovery. The novel was strange and long and difficult to follow at times, but so was his experience with life at the time. I think In Darkness, Shadows Breathe is like that for Cavendish.

The writing is what steals me away in this novel. I think Cavendish really shines in this regard, even if the story does feel a bit jumbled at times. At the same time, it can be expected, considering the nonlinear timeline in which you have characters passing to and from past and present (or lack thereof, according to the story). Nevertheless, I can understand the frustration this caused others, as it did the same to me at times. And I also agree that the first part of the story - following Carol - felt underdeveloped. I would go as far as to say the novel would have been stronger as a long novella that removed Part 1 completely. It isn’t necessary, as all pertinent details to Carol’s story return during Vanessa’s. I partly wonder if that section was written at a later point in an effort to make this story into a novel length for publishing. 

Complaints aside, I enjoyed this title more than The Malan Witch. I felt like it was more dramatic and personal, as well as haunting. Can you imagine being torn to and from different time periods, especially when one involves the pain of being an experiment for mad doctors? Even if Cavendish doesn’t ever go bloody, the themes are frightening. To be going through serious medical recovery and to be haunted at the same time … well, maybe they are one in the same. Maybe that is what Cavendish was going for here. And I liked it.

**

Highlights: Personal for the writer … dramatic and atmospheric … well-written … involves scary themes without any reliance on blood and gore

Shadows: Can be a bit slow at times … the first part of the book is largely unnecessary and a little underdeveloped … can get confusing following the characters and changing time periods

For fans of: Horror that puts its themes and atmosphere at the forefront, rather than supplying copious amounts of blood, gore, sex, and language

Takeaway: In Darkness, Shadows Breathe is a good way to start 2021, because it’s a novel centering around recovery, something the world can relate to right now. Cavendish shines in the ways she’s connected to the story, making herself vulnerable to not only her readers, but to the ghosts that haunt her.

Would I read this author again? Yes

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I didn’t care as much for the first part, which is Carol’s story, as it felt rushed and there was a lot of background information missing. Nessa’s part was a lot more enjoyable, and I find it commendable how much the author taught us about cancer treatment. You can tell she really took her time researching this to make it as life-like as possible. The author has a beautiful story telling voice, and her writing is great in itself.

The problem is that even after reading the book, I still felt lost and didn’t quite understand the story. There were too many different characters in both past and present and it was hard to keep up.  I’m not sure if I missed vital information while reading, but somehow I lost the thread at some point. 

Thanks to Flame Tree Press for the review copy.

*****Thank you NetGalley and FlameTree Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review*****
I am rounding up from 3.5 stars.
The atmosphere of this tale is quite gothic, and is not action-packed from the jump. The book is quite the slow burn. If that is not your thing, then you may not enjoy this book.
Ms. Cavendish introduces us to Carol, a woman who is house sitting, and who doesn't have too much of a past. Over the 1st half of the book, we learn to care for Carol and to fear for her, as she begins to experience frightening and inexplicable things in the place she is staying. Her health also deteriorates, and she winds up in the nearby hospital, where the strange things continue and worsen.
The 2nd half of the book is centered around Nessa, a woman who is in the hospital for a horrific type of cancer. Strange things begin happening to Nessa as well, and I found myself wishing that she would just get out of there. Paul, Nessa's husband, also wants Nessa out of there. 
I really loved Nessa and Paul. I wanted to spend so much more time with them. Their love and care for each other was so touching and warm. 
My only gripe is that I felt that the story isn’t over. I very much hope there will be a follow-up book, as I really want to see the evil doctor and his assistant get their just due. I also want to see goodness and love win out over the darkness. I want a way to revise history and fix all the bad. Of course, that’s not really how life works. But fiction is malleable (just as is time) so please, please, please let my pleas not fall on deaf ears.  😊

I enjoyed this book, but got a little confused a few times throughout, and had to re-read several passages for further clarification. It was definitely a haunting tale, and I definitely enjoyed that aspect. The intertwining stories of Nessa, Carol, Lydia, and the host of other characters was fascinating, though the complexity of it all made my brain hurt a bit. I’ll still recommend this title for purchase in my library when it’s available!

In Darkness, Shadows Breathe is about two women, Carol and Nessa, who are victims of the same evil. They both end up in the same hospital where the evil thrives. Somehow, the poetry of a woman who lived long ago, Lydia Warren Carmody, gets mixed up in it all. Carol is housesitting and some creepy things start happening to her and eventually she ends up in the hospital where stuff gets even creepier. At the same time, Nessa is in the hospital for a surgery and also experiences some strange things. 

The book started with Carol's story and it was pretty slow until she got into the hospital. Then stuff got weirder and weirder. Then, rather abruptly in my opinion, I was introduced to Nessa. It took me quite some time to understand what was going on with Nessa especially since some of the details of her cancer were pretty horrific. 

The feel of the story was Gothic, so much so that I thought the book was in a different time at first, I was quite surprised by the appearance of a cellphone. Lol. However, the pace of the book was really slow and I never really got involved in the plot. Honestly, I finished this book feeling extremely unfulfilled. 

Based on this book, I'm not sure if I'd like to read any more books by this author. 

This book should be read by adults, especially because of the cancer details included for Nessa. There was some violence and supernatural elements which may be unsettling for younger readers.

This was eerie, creepy, and…a bit dull.

The Gothic atmosphere of the piece is well done, as is the portrayal of the horrifying treatment of women in the past, but I was just never excited by the story.    The first section was mostly very predictable.  When we change our POV character, things get a bit more interesting and relatable, but still never exciting.

Probably very good for people who like a slow burn of a read that relies heavily on atmosphere.

I’ll try the author in the future, but this one wasn’t perfect for me.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early. 
As soon as I saw this book up for grabs, I requested it and kept my fingers crossed. I’ve read several of Catherine Cavendish’s book and enjoyed most of them. This one is really different from the ones I’ve read. It plays around with time not being linear. A lot. The first half of the book we get to know Carol. She’s being haunted and tormented by something. Then in part 2 we meet Nessa and spend time with her and the things she’s experiencing. The two storylines do come together and most things are explained. I can understand how the last bit of the book could be confusing. I was just reading it, went along with it and didn’t think on it for too long. 
 I liked the story, I liked the characters and I loved the setting. I am very glad I got to read & review this book.

#InDarknessShadowsBreathe by #CatherineCavendish is an absolute must read!  This story goes back and forth in time, making a reader of time travelers come true, only this time traveler's experience is a complete nightmare.

Ms. Cavendish is famous for making her books similar to #StephenKings books by the way she describes everything in her writing and drawing everything out, but she also puts a lot of action in her writing, which makes her books more interesting, and In Darkness, Shadows Breathe is no exception.


The Gothic style Ms. Cavendish uses in this book makes you feel like you are back in time, and you begin to feel more comfortable, but that feeling doesn't last long before the unpleasantness of the situation creeps in and you start to feel the pain and horror of what was going on. 

I have read several books by Ms. Cavendish now, In Darkness, Shadows Breathe is one of her best!  I can't wait to see what she has in store for her readers!

Unfortunately I am laying this book down as I just cannot seem to get into the storyline - not sure what is going on but I am just not feeling anything with the characters nor the storyline. There seems to be a lot of detail in the beginning of the book which is almost like a overload for me. Now just because I am not into it doesn't mean that other people will not like it. It just isn't for me. Normally this author's books gives me the creepy feels but I am feeling no creepy with this one. Giving it one star for the cover though. Normally I don't give stars to books I don't finish, but making an exception with this book.




My thanks to Netgalley and Flame Tree Press for letting me review this ARC.

We meet modern day Carol and immediately learn that The One And The Many (an ancient evil) is trying to possess her. This book follows the various possessions and time slips of women like Carol who fall prey to the evil entity.

PROS:
Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, Cavendish throws a surprise, a totally new story line about Vanessa. Of course, Vanessa and Carol are linked, but we don’t know how at first. And then, when I thought I knew how everything would end, Cavendish surprised me again. I admire how skillfully the plot is constructed.

Vanessa is a cancer patient, and her experience comes across as true-to-life. I was sure Cavendish had been a cancer patient herself. (I found out the truth in the afterwards of the book.) I was totally drawn into Vanessa’s circumstances.

The jumps in time aren’t at all like a science fiction adventure. These are scary and creepy, and I felt so afraid for the characters because they encountered such evil people when they slipped through time.

The ending is satisfying, but this is Gothic horror, so satisfying doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone lives happily ever after.

CONS:
I have some minor quibbles. It took me some time to keep Margie and Maryam straight, likewise with Joanna and Joyce. The names are too similar. Also, we spend quite a bit of time with Carol in the beginning of the book, and I don’t think that many weird events are necessary. I wanted to move along with the story. But, like I said, just minor quibbles. I only took off half a star.

OVERALL:
In Darkness, Shadows Breathe has a great plot with eerie and spooky scenes, just like a haunted-building story should be. 4.5 stars.

Excellent book. Creepy. I enjoy everything this author writes. She takes horror tropes and runs with them in her own brilliant way. Great book to read for Spooktober.

Another dark tale from Catherine Cavendish where the past and present overlap to create a living nightmare. In this, her most surreal work, an evil spirit from a long-demolished workhouse seeks to inhabit women so it may live again. Definitely not for the squeamish, and definitely not for anyone headed to a hospital in the near future. A large number of plot threads all tie together nicely at the finish. Great character development.

This was an interesting book and it read well, it just wasn’t for me.....................................

https://druidcat.wordpress.com/2020/10/28/in-darkness-shadows-breathe-by-catherine-cavendish/

NetGalley kindly provided a review copy of this book, but my opinions are my own.

Spooky hospitals seem to be their own trend in recent horror. From ‘The Ward‘ to ‘American Horror Story: Asylum‘, we’ve seen so many protagonists fight their way free of institutions that are supposed to be helping them. Perhaps timely in this crazy year?

This book takes the best of such tropes and combines them into a modern gothic tale that gripped me immediately with its spooky atmosphere, despite being set in a very mundane world – at least at first.

We initially follow Carol, a down-to-earth supermarket worker who’s flat-sitting in a posh apartment complex. But it’s adjacent to a hospital that was refurbished from a building with a much darker purpose… and soon this very 21st-century lady is being drawn back in time.

About halfway through, the action jumps to Nessa, a patient in the hospital undergoing a pretty intense operation. From the easy familiarity of Carol’s life, we suddenly find ourselves with a woman going through a traumatic fight with cancer. It’s a bit of a jarring leap, but we quickly find out what they have in common – besides strange dreams (memories?) of a filthy secret corridor echoing with screams.

I don’t want to give any more away, but a thread of uncertainty runs through the book as to whether our protagonists are hallucinating due to medication, going actually mad, or somehow really experiencing supernatural horrors that are tied up with the hospital’s history.

I enjoyed the start of this book. A brief prologue reminded me of Dennis Wheatley somewhat, before settling down into ultra-normality. Once we relate to the character, strange things start to happen, making it easy to ask what we would do in her situation. So far, so good.

The writing is beautiful and an absolute pleasure to read, with the transition from modern renal ward to Victorian squalor (or reality to Otherworld) being almost tangible.

However, the leap from one character to another is sudden and, for me, rather awkward. Nessa’s cancer treatments are focused on quite closely, and that’s a very different type of horror. When we see Carol again, I was left wondering what happened during the time we weren’t with her – because something certainly had.

The book demands a bit of work on the reader’s part, I think, to keep up with what’s going on in several deliberately confusing scenarios. Hospital staff don’t seem to act rationally, and the dreamlike quality of the ghostly scenes draws you along. It all seems to be heading for some sort of dramatic crescendo, as you think the characters have broken free to safety…

And then the book stops.

I don’t think this is a cliff-hanger, but it was shocking in the worst way. Nothing was resolved, I was left wondering what would happen next, and the commitment to both Carol and Nessa’s battles seemed wasted. It’s almost as if the author wanted a ‘Seven’-like twist, but couldn’t quite manage it.

I did enjoy the majority of this book, but it left me wanting more. I found myself making up ‘head-canon’ for the characters, because I genuinely did like them and I wanted more than the author gives. The final part of the novel appears to have vanished.

Do check this out if you like a bit of modern gothic on a dark winter night. Personally though, it left me feeling that the protagonists had checked out of the story early, as well as the hospital.

Available to pre-order on Amazon, for release mid-January 2021.

I received an e-book ARC of In Darkness, Shadows Breathe, authored by Catherine Cavendish, from NetGalley and the publisher Flame Tree Press in return for honest review, which follows below. I thank both for this opportunity.

I rated this novel 3 stars.

There was much about this that felt timeless, including the author’s voice. I set the main time period much older in my mind, then had to adjust quite guiltily when a cell phone is used in chapter two. Without a year to ground me, I was swept up with the expressive language, imagining the entirety of the novel taking place in centuries past. I think it helped with the feeling of upheaval when there were actual jumps in time for the characters, for the reader’s POV. 

Hospitals harboring darker pasts; built from sanitariums that barely attempted basic patient care, while physicians experimented on the vulnerable and involuntarily committed: Gothic dreams are made of these, who am I to disagree? I worked at a hospital that was a few years shy of reaching its centennial year, and let me tell ya, that place had a presence. Places like that, they creep, they grow in strange ways. It can start with an extra floor, an under street tunnel connecting out patient surgery to the main building that runs several blocks but never lights properly, but the more that is built, the more lost you can feel traveling the halls. I worked with that hospital system for ten years, I didn’t realize how many odd things, supernatural even, were common place at that location until we moved to a newly built, clean slate complex a few years later. I felt such unexpected nostalgia.

Every reader experiences a book their own way, for me most of this novel was enjoyable, creepy in some places; but there were a few things that I wish were different. The first half of the novel seemed short of information for the protagonists, while the second half had people popping up left and right to add tidbits to the growing facts collected by our heroine. I also thought there was a character introduced that would have worked better in the story by either being more present or reduced to no interaction. It felt incomplete. That being said, obviously I am only one reader, other readers not required or expected to feel the same.

So, where to begin with this novel - it’s a bit of a twisted tale with some spooky shenanigans happening in the present which encroach on the past. This is a novel in 2 halves, told from 2 perspectives with, for me, the first half bein  the better to me. Imagine a ghost story, with the protagonist alone and disbelieved, seeing and hearing things - enough so that it put me on edge! The second half, not as much but certainly a lot more plot/world building - an ending that I didn’t see coming as well. All in all a good ghost story - recommended for a Halloween read.

this was a great horror novel, I enjoy the way Ms. Cavendish writes. The characters were great and it felt like I was reading an old fashioned horror novel.

Catherine Cavendish never fails to write a tale that will keep you enthralled. This ghost storyline no different.
Excellent read

Twitter can be a cesspool, but I'm so grateful to have found the horror community. I've found some amazing authors because of insightful, passionate reviewers who love the genre as much as I do, and I'm adding Catherine Cavendish to my list of must-reads. 

Carol is on contract to house-sit for six months when things in the flat become weird. She hears voices, items seemingly move on their own, and she begins having moments where she loses chunks of time, envisioning an ominous hospital from the Victorian Era. This can't be real, she tells herself, until a series of events makes her question everything she knows about time and reality. 

Simultaneously, Vanessa is in the hospital recovering from a brutal cancer treatment when she, too, begins hearing threatening voices, seeing Victorian women and the old Waverly hospital where deranged doctors did horrible things to the female patients. 

They are connected, and before the ghosts of the past alter the barriers of time, they have to figure out how and why. 

I really enjoyed this book. 

There were some truly creepy moments here made more disturbing by Cavendish's excellent command of imagery and storytelling. I love a good asylum narrative. Old hospitals have so much potential to be terrifying in their tales, and Cavendish's spin on it was well executed and thrilling. My favorite parts were the moments just before the scare reveal, where the characters sense a presence but don't know yet what is happening. I found myself holding my breath, too, eager to see what was coming but also super wary of what horrible thing would pop up next. 

I also found it refreshing to see the narrative focus around a cancer patient. Approaching illnesses in a meaningful way can be difficult. It's a sensitive subject for many people. There's apprehension about acknowledging when people are sick for any number of reasons. Cavendish even addresses this as her characters discuss the function of humor. I want more of these honest conversations: the real side of treatment and what it entails for the patient and their loved ones. Cavendish gives us Vanessa, a strong, determined woman who has no certainty about her future but isn't drawn in a sympathetic, this-is-all-I-am light. She's not just a cancer patient. She is a woman battling for her life, her (maybe) past lives, and dealing with her recovery. 

Overall, In Darkness, Shadows Breathe is an eerie supernatural tale about possession, persecution, and perseverance. Highly entertaining and thoroughly riveting, I'd recommend to anyone who's not afraid of a few malevolent spirits and, perhaps, doesn't mean sleeping with the lights on. 

Big thanks to Flame Tree and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.