I wasn't sure of where the book was heading. It dragged in places but I continued reading as I did want to find out how it would end. At the end of it, I still wasn't sure of what was troubling the protagonist and if there were ghosts or not or was she going mental? I like my stories to all tie up in the end and this one didn't so for me, it isn't Lisa Hall's best book. Unless there is a part two?

This was a really atmospheric read for me, full of those chilling moments that have you listening out for noises in your own home and sensing the supernatural around you!

When Allie and her family move out of London to a cottage in a haunted village, there's excitement about their new start! But things never go that smoothly do they?! And soon after the fun(!) begins and Allie is thinking she's slowly going mad as she starts seeing and hearing things around the cottage - it's enough to spook anyone! But she's dismissed by her family and it's only when she starts talking to locals that the truth about the history of their new cottage comes to light!

From the very evocative opening, this is a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat as it explores a number of subjects including the supernatural, witchcraft and also mental health. The tension is captured really well and I enjoyed the characters portrayed as they all added something a little different, with Allie playing the main role perfectly as you're going through the anguish with her - is she going mad or is she being played? An enjoyable creepy read!

What a novel, full of suspense and creepy atmospheres. I found it a real page turner, but the ending was a strange twist in the tale !

I have loved everything about this one. This is well-written and a book that I have been completely unwilling to put down. I am a huge fan of this author and cannot wait for more.

Again another perfect October / spooky read for me!

I am not aware that this author has written any witchcraft/spooky books before, but she is such a talented writer, that she is able to nail the thriller with witchcraft mixed into it

The reader is immediately drawn into the creepy atmosphere.

The book is a real page Turner and would make a perfect tv drama

This is a creepy thriller which kept me in suspense. Allie, her husband and their two young children have moved into a new home, which backs on to a wood. It’s creepy, decrepit and full of secrets. Allie discovers that their own home forms a big part in the history of the haunted village and she sets about looking for answers to things she thinks she has seen.

Allie hears noises, she sees people and finds things in the house, things left behind by previous occupiers. There are leanings towards witchcraft and spooky happenings, some of her acquaintances in the village believe in the history more than others and Allie starts looking into the background of the house and former inhabitants herself. Whatever you believe or don’t believe when you discover that your home is the location of haunted happenings it’s very unsettling and Allie starts to show signs of emotional instability. Already sleep deprived by having a young baby poor Allie is at her weakest, lonely and struggling her behaviour and sense of reality are questionable.

This is eerie and creepy and compelling to read. Allie starts citing what she has seen and her sense of reality and loss of control starts to spiral. Poor Allie doesn’t know who to trust, she has a best friend who tries very hard to look after her, does she try too hard or is she genuinely nice – she’s a tricky character too!

I’ve read another book by this author, The perfect couple and I liked how she played with our mind with this book too! You don’t always know what to think, or what to expect and I like a book that’s twisty and dark like that – an enjoyable read.

The Woman in the Woods tells the story of Rav and Allie Harper, who move to the village of Pluckley in Kent from Ebbsfleet with their daughter, two-year-old Mina. Their son, Leo, is born soon after they arrive in the place that’s referred to as England’s most haunted village!

Allie is a florist and manager of a shop called The Daisy Chain, which her friend, Naomi, is looking after while Allie is on maternity leave. Rav is a barrister or judge and works long hours, putting cases together and dealing with criminals in court. The couple met in Goa – Rav was visiting his aunts and uncles with his parents and brother and Allie was backpacking with two friends she’d met along the way.

Their house (Gowdie Cottage) in Pluckley is a 400-year-old Grade II listed cottage with an intriguing past. It hasn’t been lived in for years and needs lots of working doing still. With two young children, Allie is exhausted most of the time and getting little sleep as Leo is feeding regularly through the night. She is so tired that she starts seeing people in the woods near their house and she feels watched.

Strange things seem to be happening inside the cottage too. Allie discovers items that have been left by the previous owners and when she learns the cottage’s history, she becomes even more freaked out and feels that a ghostly presence is trying to make itself seen and heard, especially when she finds various symbols of witchcraft and superstition.

As the story progresses, I wasn’t sure if Allie was an unreliable narrator and was imaging things or if the family really was in danger from a supernatural being. Allie’s husband, Rav, was acting very strangely and her friend, Naomi, also seemed to be trying to get too close to the family, especially as she moved to the same village! The pair of them seemed to be gaslighting Allie and questioning her thoughts and actions constantly, and dismissing her worries about the house being haunted by a ghost.

Allie makes some mum friends in the village but they all seem rather cliquey and it often feels like they’re talking about her behind her back. They like to gossip and took great delight in telling her about the history of Gowdie Cottage. It’s difficult for Allie to know who to trust and her mum and Rav’s mum, Avó, also like to interfere too.

Overall, I really enjoyed this disturbing and gripping novel, which had me distrusting several of the main protagonists and wondering what on earth was going on! I had several theories but couldn’t put my finger on what was really happening. It’s a creepy and atmospheric story and I enjoyed the descriptions of the cottage and its grounds with the rather dangerous herb gardens and water feature!

The book is well paced and cleverly plotted and kept me intrigued throughout with its spooky goings on and Allie’s rather erratic behaviour. At times, there were tense moments and I was really worried for Mina and Leo’s safety as Allie was distracted and the ghostly happenings ramped up. An unsettling read with some good elements of misdirection and perfect Halloween reading!

I felt that this book couldn't really decide what it wanted to be. It's hard to explain without giving away spoilers. There are suggestions of post partum depression, paranoia, supernatural, witchcraft..... I could go on. That would be ok except that things do actually happen that aren't explained in the end.
One other thing that got quite irritating was Allie's continually calling Leo, the baby. I'm not sure if this is to indicate a lack of bonding but it was annoying.
Not one of my favourite Lisa Hall's I'm afraid.

Excellent read! I didn't put this book down until I'd finished it, so creepy and very intense. It had me wanting to scream out to Allie at parts! A great time to read it so close to Halloween too. Loved the witchcraft. I'd highly recommend.

I chose this as a Halloween read. The synopsis was interesting, I have enjoyed other books by Lisa Hall and I also like to read about witchcraft and superstition.

Initially, I recognise the usual beautiful style of writing I have come to expect from Lisa Hall and it flows well, drawing you in from the very start.

The plot is very cleverly written and interesting. Living in a new house with a newborn baby and a small toddler is tough, making new friends and trying to fit everything in makes it even harder but all is not what it seems here. There is a lot of concern over the main character, Allie, her best friend and husband, Rav, are concerned for the children and their safety.

This leads you through Allie’s thought process very well and is delivered excellently. However, there are some irritating parts, the regular references to how large Allie and Rav’s house is in comparison to everyone else’s seems unnecessary. However, the descriptions of the house, village and surroundings are wonderful.

The characters are well developed and clearly well thought out with quite a variation, they each have their own personalities well fixed but Rav does appear quite distant for how loving he appears. They were all relatable and their concerns felt real and appropriate.

The ending was pretty much what I had guessed and is where it did become a little disappointing. It felt a bit rushed with parts left unfinished. It maybe would have benefited from a “year later” type approach maybe, not being a writer I’m not quite sure, but I felt it was missing something that would ha e made it into a really great book.

Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this fast-paced read which kept my attention well throughout. A good solid read, great for fans of supernatural stories, psychological thrillers or domestic suspense, and of course the perfect Halloween read!

Again another perfect October / spooky read for me!

I am not aware that this author has written any witchcraft/spooky books before, but she is such a talented writer, that she is able to nail the thriller with witchcraft mixed into it

The reader is immediately drawn into the creepy atmosphere.

The book is a real page Turner and would make a perfect tv drama

This is a perfect autumn read, I loved this gripping chiller about a woman who moves to the countryside with her husband. She discovers that their cute countryside cottage has an alarming history and when strange things start happening she wonders if they've made a big mistake.

I really enjoyed this novel and I'll definitely be reading more by this author.

This books plot looked like something I might enjoy so requested it! Sadly I didn’t like this as much as I thought.

I was expecting something more creepy and atmospheric, but with the slow start and having difficulties engaging with the characters, I’ve sadly had to give up after 30%. I found the pace too slow for my liking and so I am having to give it up.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. I have really liked Lisa's books in the past, but wasn't sure if I would like this one based on the description. I was right. The character development didn't feel complete, it was a very slow start, and I ended up giving up.

Woman moves into house that her husband hasn’t bothered telling her is full of history that relates to witches. Garden is full of poisonous plants. Woman keeps seeing things. Woman keeps feeling chills. Woman asks herself questions over and over again about what might be going on, instead of confronting people who might know with a direct question or two. All very frustrating. Also includes a few chapters in italics the purpose of which is not at all clear. Set in Pluckley which was nice and they moved there from Ebbsfleet(!)

All very frustrating which was a pity because I enjoyed a previous book by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for a fair review

Allie and her family move into a countryside house, it seems idyllic, but strange things begin to happen. When she finds out about the haunted status of the house and village Allie starts to wonder if they are safe.

Allie is an unreliable protagonist, but the reader feels empathy. Allie's increasingly fragile mental state and emotional vulnerability raise questions in the reader's mind about the validity of Allie's perception of events. Vivid sensory imagery draws the reader into Allie's fearful world.

There is an ethos of simmering menace that intensifies with each strange event. Impactful twists
interwoven with gothic and paranormal elements make this a compelling and chilling story.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Approaching Halloween, this is the perfect read to get you in the mood. It is chilling, it is atmospheric and will have you questioning Allie and her actions throughout.

Moving into the spookiest village in Britain, I think Allie knows, deep down, that there are going to be some ghostly tales that she learns about. What she wasn’t anticipating was that these legends even feature her own house. With this knowledge comes fear and superstition as Allie becomes increasingly convinced that she is being haunted by a woman who used to live in the house hundreds of years ago. However, Allie’s husband and close friend are dismissive of her claims, excusing her delusions for new-baby stresses.

This book covers a range of topical issues, including mental health and the stresses of motherhood. I did forget the name of Allie’s baby as he is so often referred to as ‘baby’; I think the writer could have used his name a bit more to make it more personal and for her relationship with her son to be more convincing. Exasperated for Allie when no one seems to believe her about seeing something in the woods behind their house, Hall also explores the sensitive issue of mental health and how precarious it is. Whilst I was frustrated and sympathetic that everyone around her is so dismissive, I do think Hall uses this topic rather carefully, especially when combined with postpartum feelings.

For sure, this book is incredibly atmospheric, particularly when Allie experiences such ghostly occurrences around the house. The chilling landing, the reflections in the mirror, voices, scratchings in the chimney… this book has the ingredients for a spine-tingling, atmospheric read. The isolation that Allie feels as a new mum is symbolised by the woods that seem to engulf her back garden. Therefore, I was convinced that believing she can see a figure in the trees became a metaphor for Allie desiring to reach out and her opinions being accepted. She is determined she is not ‘crazy’, but not even her husband seems to trust her. How can she change his opinion?

The theme of witchcraft was fascinating and I enjoyed reading the history of Allie’s house. Furthermore, when trinkets are discovered in the house, it added to the idea of spells and charms. I loved reading about the legends of Pluckley but think the writer could have developed this slightly further and allowed more magic and witchcraft to take more prominence in the story.

Quickly captured by this story, I found I could not put it down. Obsessed with Allie’s story, I was so curious to discover what the explanations would be behind her many accusations. In truth, I was surprised by the ending and think it could have been elaborated further, making significant connections to the history of the house but, it seemed to satisfy the overall atmosphere of the novel. At the same time, I thought Allie’s treatment at the end was quite sad because it justified how other characters behaved towards her in the novel. I think I was desiring more strength from Allie after all she had experienced.

This was an immersive read with a haunting setting, a haunted house and a woman haunted by what many consider as a figment of her imagination… or is it?

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Allie and Rav have recently moved to a new house in the spooky Kent village of Pluckley, shortly after the birth of their second baby. But Allie soon regrets the move as she learns more about the history of the house they are living in, and its links to witchcraft. Rav is sceptical but Allie continues to experience spooky goings on that make her quite sure that the house is haunted, and she seeks to find out more about it, with dangerous results.

I thought this was a creepy and atmospheric novel - it didn't pack as many surprises as I think it was supposed to, but it was a good story that I enjoyed reading very much.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Allie and her husband Rav have just moved to a new house in the quaint village of Pluckley. It seems like a perfect place to raise their children, toddler Mina, and newborn baby Leo. Their new house is a cute cottage which has been sitting empty for a while so needs some work. Cobwebs cleared, a bit of a clean, and it will be perfect, won’t it? But not long after they move in Allie starts to get some very unsettled feelings. There are scratching noises that no one else hears. Something in the woods. A sensation of someone is in the room behind her. Then the dreams start. But are they dreams?

Allie starts to research the history of the house and what she finds makes her even more unsettled. The town of Pluckley already has a reputation for being the most haunted town in England. Now her house has a history tied up in witchcraft and danger.

On paper this book sounds like a great read. However, in reality, I found it dragged a bit. It was slow to get started, and really only picked up pace towards the end. But I nearly gave up a few times along the way. The character development is a bit hit and miss, some that you expect will become integral to the story fade away. And others who remain, don’t amount to much. When the story did pick up I was enjoying it, and looking forward to a good, dramatic ending. I just don’t feel like it quite got there. There were so many opportunities to make this story so much more terrifying, creepy, disturbing, horrific - take your pick on a direction to go. In the end it feels like there was not quite a commitment to a direction, which was a shame, as there was potential. A good read if you don’t like too much scare in your scary stories.

*I received this copy from Netgalley for review, but all opinions are my own.

Allie and Rav have just moved, together with their two children, from the city to an old house in a quaint country village. Allie has recently had a baby and Pluckley is closer to Rav’s work. However soon Allie starts to become aware of some unusual noises and sensations in the house that begins to spook her. Normally a sceptic, she starts to wonder whether the place could be haunted, only to learn that not only is she living in the most haunted village in England, but that her house has its own history too.

This was a bit of a too slow burn for me. At the beginning it does drag a bit but does pick up as the story progresses. Whilst Allie seems a reliable enough soul, there are a few key characters such as Rav, her best friend Naomi, Rav’s mother for example that (probably deliberately) you remain unsure about whether you like or trust them or not. Rav works long hours and leaves her to struggle alone. She starts to feel paranoid about everything she does and sharing her thoughts only seems to exacerbate things. I was irritated by Rav’s inconsiderate behaviour that he displays throughout the book, which never seems to get flagged or dealt with.

The latter part of the book added pace and tension as the situation escalated and I was more captivated by how complex it was getting and how this was going to play out to the denouement. Sadly the reality of the situation, whilst ultimately credible left me feeling cheated. It was too sudden as if to say it was all a dream, when what I was in for was a good spooky, witchcraft riddled tale.

So because of the too slow earlier pace, which made it less compelling to read, a mixed feeling regards the characters, only really a light touch play on the witchcraft, which could have been far better fleshed out, ending with a dissatisfying denouement it has landed a 3 for me. But decent nonetheless.