Ellen is a ghost writer for clients wishing to write their memoirs. Her newest client, Miss Carey, has requested she stay at her home for the duration of the interviews. Unusual, but Ellen agrees, nonetheless.

From the beginning of her arrival to Elver House, things are unsettling, a foreboding eeriness and tone. That part I liked. The slow burn of a horror novel just starting out. We follow Ellen as she interviews Catherine and the townspeople to get a better picture for the book. The eeriness continues as our "twist" unfolds, which for me, was predictable.

This could have been a much shorter novel. There was a lot of internal monologues that didn't contribute to the plot and flashbacks to her friendship that she only refers to as "you". The flashbacks to this friendship felt random and almost interrupted the story, creating more of an annoyance than helping the story progress.

This was labeled as a horror novel, but I would disagree. I would say this would fall more along the lines of literacy fiction. The writing style was beautiful, and I really felt like I was at Elver House, or the brook, contemplating the life of eels.

What I really liked, was the age-old discussion of being childfree, choosing to be childfree and living with that decision. Ellen never wanted kids, "you" had one and she felt shafted and alone. Miss Carey's mother did not want her, and you feel Catherine's sadness as she grapples with those heavy emotions and childhood. As someone who is childfree by choice, this resonated with me, and I appreciated seeing this in mainstream media because I do believe it is a topic that is hardly written about.

There are a few things that didn't make sense to me. Obviously, the friendship part didn't really need to be in the novel. I feel like it didn't contribute to the plot at all. I think Miss Carey's character was underdeveloped and I didn't feel connected to her or her history. I was hoping for more. A big AHA moment in Miss Carey's life that never came. She was an old lady who lived at a historic house. And that was about it.

It wasn't all bad. Imagery and writing style were spot on and I did feel like it read at a quick pace. It kept my interest, and I read quickly to get to that twist. And I felt like Ellen was my friend, relatable, easy going and a go-getter.

I wouldn't say I would read it again, but I didn't mind it.

3/5 stars rounded up. I want to thank NetGalley, the author and publishers for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a book!!!! I enjoyed this book so much. The prose was beautiful, delicate and elegant but also impactful and so so so important with setting the tone of the book. I loved the little parallels to Ellen’s own life, the descriptions of Elver House, the eels. Very funny (in a creepy twisted way) the fact that Ellen’s job is to be a ghost writer, considering.

I really loved all the parallels drawn between Miss Carey and Ellen’s best friend and I loved the fact that the friendship between Ellen and her best friend was itself a kind of Haunting that plagued Ellen, with its own final homecoming.

If you love horror books about spooky ancient houses and metaphors based on the life-cycle of eels, this is the perfect book for you.

Salt Publishing’s mantra is "Beautiful Books You Won’t Forget," and The Homecoming certainly lives up to that claim. This eerie, nuanced tale is a masterclass in storytelling trickery. It explores loneliness from multiple perspectives, each beautifully intertwined.

The story revolves around Miss Carey, who has lived in the isolated Elver House since before the Second World War, either with her ailing mother or alone. Then there’s Ellen, Miss Carey’s ghostwriter, who is mourning the loss of a friendship.

When Ellen arrives at Elver House on a dark and stormy night for her ghostwriting assignment with Miss Carey—the manor's only resident—she finds the house abandoned but mysteriously unlocked. Inside, entire rooms have been upturned, and Miss Carey is nowhere to be found. Just as she’s about to give up and head home, Miss Carey, a frail 87-year-old woman, suddenly appears, claiming she’s simply been out for a walk… in the dark… in the rain. Naturally, Ellen is unnerved, but a paycheck is a paycheck, so she gets to work the next day, curious to hear Miss Carey’s story.

But things don’t go as planned. Miss Carey seems reluctant, even unable, to talk about her past, and the eerie, empty house soon begins to get under Ellen’s skin. What exactly is happening on the wild, sprawling estate of Elver House?

The Homecoming belongs under the category of Ghosts, Haunted Houses, and Hauntings;  however, to discuss this theme further would veer dangerously close to spoiler territory, so I’ll highlight what this book does so well.

The beauty of The Homecoming lies in its delicate writing and the way Apostolides weaves together different forms of loss. She explores how death, loneliness, and the fading of friendships intertwine, highlighting the unique grief experienced by women. Particularly poignant is its exploration of the mourning felt when a friend becomes a mother. While we often hear about the isolation mothers face, this novel gives voice to the sadness of those left behind. It's not an angry realisation, but one filled with quiet, lingering grief.

And then there’s the author’s sleight of hand with the ending, which gave me goosebumps and left me feeling profound sorrow for the protagonists. It’s incredible how the quietest ghost stories can leave the loudest impressions.

Final Verdict: If you’re a horror addict, don’t let the slower pace of The Homecoming deter you. Instead, cozy up with a hot beverage on a cold, stormy day, or do like the Victorians did and read it aloud on Christmas Eve. Put aside supernatural jump scares for this eerie and emotional mystery that recalls other ghost stories like Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand or Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. An early contender for my best-of-the-year list, no doubt.

At first, “The Homecoming” felt like a modern homage to the classic gothic tale. An isolated and dilapidated manor house, fallen from grandeur. A young woman sent on her own to spend time secluded alone with the mysterious and elusive lady of Elver House. A nearby river holds secrets as well as hordes of juvenile eels that writhe and roll below the surface.
I was getting serious “The Woman in Black”/Poe vibes.

Then the story kind of stalls. Sure, the atmosphere is still there, but the creeping eeriness and sense of dread fizzles out. We get a lot of internal monologue which felt so unnecessary (I really don’t need a detailed account of all the ingredients used in each meal the narrator makes thanks). You can see the big “twist” from a mile away, and while there’s still a slight sense of foreboding, the reader is left in limbo.

I can appreciate the author wanting to tell a secondary story about the main characters below the surface level “horror”: the historical role of women and how it translates to present day. The expectations to become mothers and caretakers while giving up our own friendships and dreams. The isolation created by our “roles”. This was a great story in itself, but really took away from the original plot and also throws readers out of any attempt to be present in the dank, dreary and bizarrely terrifying encounters Ellen was presently having.

The eels are more metaphoric/symbolic than actually front row characters in themselves, and this was a bit disappointing. I had hoped for a more central (possibly supernatural) part for them.

Ellen and Catherine were uniquely developed, but even though one is there to ghost write a biography, and one is supposed to tell their life story, minimal time was actually spent hearing about Catherine’s life as the lady and sole heir of the historical house and its expansive lands.

I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for more works by Apostolides, but hope that future books are more in theme with their synopses. If you’re going to put a tale in a horror category- make it true to that genre.

Lastly, I looked online, throughout the book and even on the publisher’s website, but I couldn’t find a credited cover artist. It’s a wonderfully eye catching piece of work, so it’d be great to know who created it (even if it’s the author or publishing company themselves).

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Salt Publishing for a copy.

Despite the flowing writing and all that rain, the Homecoming's dampness didn't really get to me.

The first half was honestly quite convincing. I easily pictured the darkness, the lingering smell of mold, the cold of the house and the rain drumming on the windows. It was genuinely unsettling. I shared Ellen's discomfort and apprehension and it was delightful, exactly what I expected from this book. Even after settling in, these sensations persisted and I loved feeling on edge, knowing I couldn't really trust Elver and its tenant. The suspense was thick, and hard to untangle. It did take me a while to get a sense of what was truly happening and where the threat was actually coming from. This felt truly gothic and the unique eel imagery was a brilliant addition to it.
However, I can't really pinpoint why but after a while, this wasn't enough for me anymore and I got the impression we were heading nowhere. All the clues and mysterious details converged to one rather unsatisfactory answer and many of them turned out to have nothing horrific which was a big let down. The slowness of the pacing was a blessing at first, but in the end it just felt like we were dragging on for nothing.

3/5

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a fantastic debut for an author. The writing style is wonderful. I really enjoyed the twist and didn’t figure it out which I loved because I’ve read so many books and that just takes the fun out of it for me. I enjoyed the slow burn, gothic style horror. The writing is very descriptive and I’ve thought about it quite a bit since finishing it. I gave myself some time before writing this review. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

This was a very atmospheric book and I really enjoyed the gothic and gritty elements. I struggled a bit at the start, I thought this book would feature more horror-esque elements as I was under the assumption that this was a horror, where it’s really more mysterious. I still enjoyed my time reading but I found myself waiting for the horror aspect to start. A solid book, with an interesting mystery and writing style.

An old fashioned ghost story for the modern world, The Homecoming follows Ellen, a young ghostwriter hired to work with a woman whose last decades have been spent in an isolated mansion. Unsure what to expect from the job, and quickly aware that something is not quite right with both her client and the place she lives, Ellen resolves to do her job and tease out the story, unearthing old ghosts -- some of which may be more than just memories.

A quiet, eerie novel, The Homecoming is about the choices we make in life, the ways we confront death, and how we confront the very fact of our aging as the world around us changes. It is about family -- in particular motherhood -- and the ways in which the bonds between parents and children can age or even shatter under pressure.

The elegant, understated prose plays into the unsettling atmosphere in which Ellen finds herself, but this is not a horror story -- it is a ghost story in the purest sense, dealing as much with earth-bound troubles as those beyond, and using the idea of ghosts as a way to explore these people and this place in its most emotional corners. The last act twist is one you'll sense if you know the genre well, but that isn't the point -- atmosphere, intelligence, emotion are what drive this book and keep you turning those pages.

The Homecoming in two words: brooding & gothic. This book reads like a memoir and mystery, and can best be described as a slow burn.

I think it’s possible to tease out what’s going on in the book, though some readers might feel as though the gap between figuring out the plot and the plot actually reaching fruition is too large. While this is no horror story, the eerie ghost-like atmosphere that The Homecoming is steeped in is creepy and rich.

Thanks to Salt Publishing and NetGalley for the eArc.

A great debut! The book begins very atmospheric and I was waiting for ...something... the whole time but nothing happens, really. Things proceed calmly, but kind of claustrophobic at the same time? And then comes the twist in the last chapters. I did see it coming but that only made it a "HA!" kind of thing, not a disappointment.
I personally connected with the secondary friendship story on a very personal level. As the intentionally childfree friend this mirrored a lot of my own experience and I thought it was a nice tie in with the main story. I liked how the memories were interwoven and connected to what was happening in the present time, it all made sense in the end.
I also really enjoyed the gentle writing, the way that everything was made clear to me without describing it too much. A very enjoyable read for me, a nice modern gothic story.

Thank you Net Galley and Salt Publishing for the ARC and the chance to review!

Let me start off by saying that this book was market at least to me as horror and that to me is a misstep. I think I would have enjoyed it far more if I wasn’t waiting for the shoe to drop so to speak.

Ellen is a young(ish) woman who ghost writes the lives of her clients. In a way this mirror the way that she seem to be almost ghost writing her own life.

She’s on the cusp of many things, the women around her are staring to have children and shes not ready for that step in fact she might never be ready for that step but its clear that she at least to some existent resents the expectation of her to be a mother.

She’s not old yet and yet she feels her youth slipping away from her, reminiscing about the time she had with the mysterious YOU she seems almost to be writing this narrative for.

When shes contracted to write the biography of the mysterious Miss Carey int the sprawling Enver House Ellen is forced to dwell in a state of uncertainty. Miss Carey is mysterious and something is simply off.

What starts off as a memory laps reveals itself to be a gothic setting not only of house and home but also of memory, soul and body.

I enjoyed the gothic setting quite a bit. The decaying house, the possibility of ghosts past and present all made an enthralling backdrop for Ellen to explore.

Ellen herself was quite sad character. Both easy to root for, as a person in a similar life state and hard because the way she spoke of her loved one going through motherhood while raw and often and under represented perspective felt a bit resentful in a way that I personally didn’t love.

The twist unfortunately reveals itself self pretty early on, so if twist are important for you that might be a bit of a let down. I for one do not like a twist so it didn’t much matter to me.

I wish most of all that the Eels had more of a pay off. That they were sinister or more mysterious or housed the dead or something.

A fairly long book for how little happens but with beautiful prose and an emotional resonance.

I really enjoyed this book.
I’ve not read a good decent horror for a while.

I did not expect the twist coming at all although I had a feeling there will be something coming to light, I didn’t expect it to be what it was.

At times I was reading this in the dark and I can feel the goosebumps from the creepiness.

I thought this book was very well written and as much as i felt it was a good horror novel I liked the fact it also dipped into real life absences happening in friendships and the reality of how motherhood can change people and their friendships.

I was a little confused at times with the flashbacks to her friendship but it all came together at the end.

If I had to sum up this book in one word it would be: unsettling. We follow Ellen who is a ghost writer for people's memoirs (what a great idea for a service!). She is commissioned to write one for a woman, Ms Catherine Carey in a very small, very isolated town. She arrives to an empty mansion and things only get creepier from there. I really enjoyed the dual storylines though I was not sure what one had to do with the other until about halfway through the book. The last 25% left me with an overwhelming sense of dread and goosebumps but I could not help reading ahead to find out what was happening. The way the ending wove the two stories together to get the authors message across was very well done. The only thing I would have wanted out of this was more eels haha

Zoe Apostolides’ The Homecoming is a haunting and atmospheric tale that explores the complexities of memory, family secrets, and the eerie pull of the past. Blending psychological suspense with a slow-burning sense of dread, Apostolides crafts a novel that is as emotionally gripping as it is unsettling.

At its core, The Homecoming is a story about returning—to places, to people, and to truths that refuse to stay buried. Apostolides excels at creating an immersive setting, where every shadowy corner and whispered conversation adds to the novel’s growing tension. The prose is elegant yet unsettling, drawing readers into a world where nostalgia and fear intertwine.

The novel’s strength lies in its character work. The protagonist’s journey is filled with doubt and revelation, making for an emotionally rich narrative that keeps the reader engaged. Apostolides carefully layers the story with psychological depth, ensuring that the mystery at its heart unfolds at just the right pace.

If there’s one drawback, it’s that the novel’s slow build may test the patience of those seeking fast-paced thrills. However, for readers who enjoy suspense that simmers before boiling over, The Homecoming delivers a rewarding and chilling experience.

With its evocative writing, rich character development, and an atmosphere thick with unease, The Homecoming cements Zoe Apostolides as a writer to watch. This is a novel that lingers, its ghosts—both literal and figurative—refusing to let go.

Oh wow, I loved this Gothic novel! I speed through this book. The writing in this book is wonderful and I enjoyed every minute of it. I also was very surprised about the ending.

Ellen, who works as a ghostwriter, is assigned to write Miss Carey’s memoirs at the request of the agency where she works. This leads her to Elver House, an old, almost grotesque mansion where Miss Carey, a woman with occasional lapses in her memory, lives. Isolated from the town, she resides in the past, carrying her memories with her. When the long-delayed interviews finally begin, it is revealed that Miss Carey’s life has been shadowed by the trauma of her childhood—her father's death and her mother's neglect—experiences that have stayed with her throughout her life.

Meanwhile, during her time at Elver House, Ellen encounters a series of mysterious events, although she is able to find explanations for most of them. However, when she returns home to transcribe the interviews, she realizes that all of the explanations she had gathered are actually invalid. From the beginning, the novel carries an air of ambiguity through Elver House and Miss Carey. These elements lend a mysterious quality to The Homecoming. Additionally, the sense of unease, reminiscent of a ghost story, is woven into the narrative through the mysteries surrounding Elver House.

The writing is good, with short chapters and easy-to-follow plot. The novel explores themes such as motherhood, the concept of family, loneliness, and the weight of the past.

The ending wasn’t much of a surprise for me, but then again, the author had already hinted at it, not offering little promise of a shocking end.

Thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher for the #ARC .

While not a horror novel in my opinion, The Homecoming by Zoe Apostolides is a thoughtful novel of the place of women throughout the generations.

The premise itself was what caught me initially. A ghostwriter visits an aging woman's manor in the wilds of countryside England. She quickly finds that things are a little off. Rooms have been ransacked, the lady of the estate vanishes to walk the woods at night, and there are more than a few rumors about ghosts.

Here's what I loved:

The novel feels almost diary-like in its intimacy and thoughtfulness. The minutiae and the details of daily life are not spared. It's easy to visualize each scene.

A mystery bubbles right below the surfrace, and it's reveal, at least to me, was well done. I didn't anticipate it at all, though I see other reviewers did.

The environment, history, and symbolism is top-notch.

Where it suffers:

The book certainly lags at places. There are long stretches where not much is happening at all. It ties up nicely at the end, but I often found myself wanting to return to the house like many of the characters within the pages of this book. I wanted to pull apart the old woman, the long stretches between her girlhood and golden years. I wanted to tear open all the doors to see what lurked on the upper floor or see what was left in the crypt. So many nooks left hidden.

I really enjoyed reading The Homecoming by Zoë Apostolides. The book had a captivating storyline that kept me engaged from start to finish. The characters were well-developed and relatable, making it easy to connect with their experiences and emotions.
I appreciated the insightful exploration of family dynamics and the complexities of returning to one's roots. The writing style was descriptive and lyrical, painting vivid pictures of the landscapes and settings in which the story took place.
Overall, I would give this book 4 stars because while I found it engaging and thought-provoking, there were moments where the pacing felt a bit slow. Nonetheless, I would highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a heartfelt and immersive read.

It was alright. Pretty atmospheric and captivating but i felt like the spooky elements could’ve been done better. With the cover and mention of eels, i was totally expecting the horror element to come from them and was disappointed when it didnt. It definitely left me wanting more. I couldnt care for ellen’s backstory ( that switch into second person was jarring and strange? It made the friendship felt almost romantic like what?)

Many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for supplying me with an arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Upon reading the synopsis of this book, I thought that it was going to be suspenseful and mysterious. Unfortunately what I got was a lackluster read with a not so exciting twist that let me down. This book could have had 100 pages knocked off, it just seemed way too long. I did like the main character but she was we forgettable. Would I read another book by this author? Probably not, sorry to say