4.5 stars
I'd heard very good things about Sarah Pinborough's previous book, but the blurb of this one immediately caught my attention.
This was a haunted house with a difference.
Chilling and dark, I also liked the characters and the plot moved at a pace that kept me hooked the whole way through.
You can picture the surroundings/setting too, which I enjoyed.
And it had a great twist too.
I'll definitely be seeking more out from this author and keeping an eye out for what they do next.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

We Live Here Now is another intriguing novel by Sarah Pinborough, by that I mean, that nothing is exactly as it seems.

Emily and Freddie have just moved into their dream home thinking it will be the fresh start that they both so desperately need. But it is a nightmare that is just about to begin...

Emily almost died after a devastating cliff top accident that left her in a coma.

Freddie feels an all consuming guilt because they rowed so terribly before the accident, and part of him wished that she would just disappear.

They both want their new home to help them move forward, heal and repair. But both of them are harbouring secrets that would destroy their marriage if they were ever to surface.

The house is a character all of its own. Is it haunted? Is Emily right to be scared? Or is it all in her head?

Neither Emily or Freddie's characters are particularly likeable, their marriage is a literal disaster but there is something compelling about their situation, and a want to know what the hell is going on, even if its unbelieveable at times?!

This was deliciously creepy and unhinged and just what I wanted from the author! I love a good scary house story and this took it to a completely different level. Recommend to anyone who likes horror or anyone who enjoys thrillers with a supernatural twist.

I read this on Kindle and alternated on audio, which gave it even creepier vibes! I will start by saying it wasn't my favourite by Sarah, but it was still good and I am definitely in the minority who thought this in book club. So I absolutely still recommend you pick this one up and see for yourself!

The atmospheric gothic vibe was done well and I did enjoy the POV of the raven.. very unique! The ending was not something I saw coming, which I love in a book, but it just didn't capture me all the way through enough to say I loved it.

After an accident that almost kills Emily, her and husband Freddie move from London to a new country home, Larkin Lodge. But Larkin Lodge is not all it seems, at least not to Emily! Is she hallucinating, a side effect of having a sepsis infection, or is the house haunted as Emily believes it may be?

Love Satah Pinborough books and this is no exception. Plenty of suspense right until the end
Would highly recommend

I don’t think you can go wrong with a Pinborough masterpiece! I don’t usually read books with creepy ghost vibes but I really enjoyed this one.

Love Sarah Pinborough books and this didn't disappoint. Kept me reading until the end. A lovely spookiness about it. Quite clever.

Already lots of lengthy and detailed reviews for this book so all I’m going to say is… Ooh, this book is good! So dark and atmospheric, and so cleverly written. I couldn’t imagine how it was going to end but it actually ended brilliantly.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for an eARC of this book.

A strained marriage is worsened after a couple buy a house with a murky history

Over the last two decades Sarah Pinborough has published in the region of thirty novels but did not hit the bigtime until the international smash Behind Her Eyes (2017). This thriller was also adapted by Netflix and is particularly memorable due to its astonishing twist ending. We Live Hear Now is Pinborough’s fourth release since that monster hit, over that period she has regularly returned to the bestseller charts with consistently clever, page-turning thrillers. Earlier in her career she concentrated on genre fiction, including horror, fantasy and two truly excellent YA novels, The Death House (2015) and 13 Minutes (2016) which both feature in my own YA Horror 400 almanac.

I have always had a soft spot for Sarah and The Death House remains one of my top recommendations for teens; some years ago I invited her to my school for a possible author talk, sadly she was too busy (Behind Her Eyes was just published) but as a consolation sent me four signed copies of 13 Minutes, which was a very nice gesture. I hope, one of these days, she returns to the YA age group, but hey, the big money lies in adult thrillers!

We Live Here Now cleverly keeps a foot in several literary camps, thriller, domestic drama and the haunted house. As there is limited levels of horror in the story there is a likelihood this narrative will play better with thriller fans who do not like the supernatural to dominate. Instead it is kept simmering on the backburner and is more concerned with the squabbles of the couple with marriage problems who move into Larkin Lodge, situated on the edge of the wild moors of Devon, south England. Horror fans looking for a genuinely scary haunted house novel might find this effort slightly tame, as it is more character and psychological, rather than fright driven.

Bearing in mind the huge twist lurking at the end of Behind Her Eyes, even if We Live Hear Now lacks that, neither does it play by the haunted house rule book and I was intrigued by the unorthodox direction the plot takes in the final quarter. This is a Sarah Pinborough novel after all, so expect the unexpected and a few sneaky plot shifts and a memorable ending.

The story has a split first person narrative moving between Emily and Freddie (neither are deliberately particularly likeable and both are unreliable narrators), they also have huge secrets from each other. Emily has the more interesting narrative and is given more to do, as she suspects there is something amiss with the house, whilst her husband constantly moans about the cold. Having recently woken from a coma, and as part of her rehabilitation, the couple have moved from London to this new house. A fresh start is exactly what their marriage needs and as the story unfolds we find out exactly what their genuine motives are. There is not much horror in this, more highly believable family drama.

Pinborough skilfully manages what you might expect to find in a haunted house novel, the building of atmosphere, with creaks, noises, windows opening on their own, cold spots and a sense of isolation as the couple have no friends, missing the busy hustle and bustle of city life. The story revolves around the fact the pair have widely differing attitude to the house, with Emily believing somebody died there, whilst Freddie finds this ridiculous. As the plot fans out locals are introduced and everybody has an opinion on Larkin Lodge, adding to the developing mystery.

We Live Hear Now is a solid slow-burning supernatural thriller and even if the couple tested my patience I remained invested in how events panned out. I would advise reading it very carefully, watching out for escalations, as there are definite clues to the well shrouded final direction. Even though the ending does not come out of left field as much as some of her other books it is still highly memorable. There is a fascinating side story with a raven (who also doesn’t like the house) and even he was more likeable than Emily and Freddie!

3.5/5

Sarah Pinborough's novels are a sure thing. You know, as the reader, that you will be taken out of your comfort zone, more often than not shocked by surprise developments and twists, and that the unexpected will always manifest in one creepy form or another.

We Live Here Now ticked all these boxes with ease. In this story we meet Emily straight out of hospital moving from London into a big, old house on bleak Dartmoor. A change is needed for Emily, on the mend, and her husband, Freddie, who has his own issues to deal with. The narrative is passed back and forth between them with both being cagey about the secrets they are hiding from the other. Gradually Larkin Lodge becomes more sinister over time as understanding blooms in Emily regarding what it means and why. As Emily learns about the house and the secret it holds, the tension between this couple builds to an unsustainable level.

I loved the atmosphere, the ravens, and sense of doom looming. This book begs to be read on a stormy winter night but it's blazing hot out and I still managed to feel the chilliness this book exudes. Bewitchingly dark and interesting, the only element lacking was a better feel for Emily and Freddie. They each had high opinions of themselves, and criticisms for the other, but as the reader I couldn't be certain who they really were. All in all a fun, diverting read I enjoying losing myself in.

Following a terrible accident that left Emily in a coma, she and her husband Freddie move to the Devonshire countryside for a fresh start. But the house isn’t as beautiful and homely as it seemed online. The moors are covered in an icy grey mist, and the house is freezing cold, with a menacing presence. Emily is sure that something bad happened here, but Freddie can’t seem to feel it and all the locals are adamant that there are no ghosts in this house.

It’s a good, creepy story, with an interesting twist in that there are no ghosts. As far as anyone is aware, no one has died in the house and therefore it cannot be haunted. But there’s an undeniable presence which is excellently written and very atmospheric.

The only slight let down is that it’s very typical of the genre. Emily and Freddie both have secrets and both behave most of the time as though they hate each other, but for some reason are determined to stay together. On Freddie’s side, some of his animosity towards Emily is certainly due to the influence of the house, but they are by no means a happy couple and it always makes the story less believable for me when there appears to be absolutely no reason for the couple to stay together. Alongside this, I also found both characters to be pretty unlikeable, which made it difficult to empathise or root for them separately or as a couple.

There’s something undeniably unique about Sarah Pinborough’s writing, something that sets her apart in a crowded genre. Whether it’s her eerie atmosphere, complex characters, or the way she seamlessly blurs the lines between reality and psychological tension, her books always leave a lasting impression. We Live Here Now is no exception.

From the very first page, I was hooked. Pinborough’s writing style is sharp, immersive, and emotionally charged, pulling you into a world that feels both familiar and unsettling. She has a gift for creating slow-burning suspense that creeps under your skin, and just when you think you know where things are headed, she twists the narrative in an unexpected and often chilling direction.

This story is a slow burn, but it’s absolutely worth the wait. It’s quietly unsettling, rich with atmosphere, and just when you think you’ve figured it all out, Sarah Pinborough throws in a twist that completely changes everything.

Definitely a candidate for my favourite book of 2025, i absolutely loved this new book by Sarah Pinborough! I feel as though I had been waiting a long time for her to write another novel but I’d wait twice as long if she writes as good as this! It’s a slow burner and I wasn’t sure where it was going but OMG what a brilliant plot twist! If you’re a fan of this author you’ll know it’s going to be something a little out there that pulls the threads of the plot together but this was insanely good and beautifully executed too. Honestly I just wanted to start it all over again the minute I finished it!

I chose to read a free eARC of We Live Here Now but that has in no way influenced my review.

Emily Bennett nearly died. She wakes from a coma following a horrific accident whilst on holiday in Ibiza. Her injuries will take a long time to heal. So will the psychological scars of her near-death experience. So when her husband, Freddie, suggests they take a break from the hustle and bustle of their London lives and move to a sleepy Devonshire village, Emily reluctantly agrees. But the house they've purchased, Larkin Lodge, is nothing like Emily expected. It's grey and imposing, with thick mist rolling over the moors. It feels cut off and cold. But she's determined to make the most of their new home. A fresh start is exactly what they both need. Time to leave the secrets and lies behind in London and make a real go of their marriage. But the house has other ideas...

I loved We Live Here Now! Chilling, dark and utterly compelling. A haunted house novel with a difference. Gosh, this was GOOD! Emily and Freddie have been married for a number of years but things aren't exactly rosy. They both have secrets from each other. Secrets that could easily destroy their marriage. Whilst on holiday with their closest friends in Ibiza, Emily takes a tumble whilst hiking. No one knows if she will pull through. It's touch and go for a while but she thankfully wakes from her coma with multiple scars to prove she survived. Now walking with a stick, she's slowly recovering but has a long way to go yet. So when Freddie suddenly announces to his wife that he's purchased the house she has been eyeing up on her iPad, Emily is a little taken aback. Does she want to move to the Devonshire moors? Will a fresh start cure the problems in their marriage? Well, there's no harm in giving it a go, is there? It may do them both a world of good to be away from London. The majority of characters in this book are flawed to some degree. They're not particularly nice or likeable, but I found myself very much on Emily's side. As things escalate and get stranger, her concerns are brushed away by Freddie. He begins to convince himself that it's all part of her recovery, that she's been mentally and emotionally changed by what happened to her, as well as physically. And because he's so certain, so incredibly frustrated with her, the reader starts to wonder too...

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. We Live Here Now is a beautifully creepy, dark, gothic thriller with a finely sharpened horror edge. I very much enjoyed the characters who are all exceptionally written and multi-layered. The plot moves at a compelling pace, drawing the reader into the strange world of Larkin Lodge. The setting is vivid, eerie and gets under your skin. The rolling mists of the moor are suffocating and isolating. Larkin Lodge is very much a character in its own right. The big twist was hugely satisfying. It all works so well. I think Freddie will go down in history as one of the most despicable, detestable characters that's been written. The suspense, the intrigue and the way the story unfolds is masterfully done. I truly loved every second I spent reading this book. All in all, We Live Here Now is a perfectly pitched piece of gothic thriller fiction which deftly crosses over the boundary into horror. I loved all of the elements. I loved the unexpected POV we get fairly early on in the book which then continues in-between Emily and Freddie's perspectives. I love the cover, it fits the book so well. The setting was chilling. You never know what's going to happen next. And the characters were outstanding. I loved We Live Here Now. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of We Live Here Now. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Moving to a house in the country is meant to be a fresh start for Emily and Freddie after an accident put Emily in a coma.
Emily has a weird feeling about the house and starts to experience strange things. It is difficult to tell if what Emily is experiencing is real or part of a fractured mind due to her illness after the coma.

The plot is creepy and not knowing if it is due to something supernatural or not adds to this.

The book is narrated by both Emily and Freddie so you get to experience it from both sides and the house itself is a character, adding a lot of atmosphere.

Sarah Pinborough is Queen of the gothic thriller and this is a brilliant addition

Interesting & mainly page turning read - a secret comes out during the book that is in Pinborough's style - ie it's not of this world as we know it. I'm intrigued by choosing characters who are not easy to 'like' or maybe that was just me.

This author has an amazing imagination and ideas so original I am always impressed and this is no exception . Thanks so much and anticipate your next with relish
Thanks so much

I'm a huge fan of Sarah Pinborough and she does not disappoint with the twists and turns in this story. At one point I was certain that I knew exactly what Freddy planned on doing and then to see it not playing out as I expected, left me hooked.

The story of Emily and her husband Freddie who move into a new house in the country after Emily had a very bad fall while hiking. Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of London for a more sedate life while she recovers, strange things start happening in the house when Emily is on her own. Not sure if it’s her imagination or if the house may be haunted, she decides to look into the history of the house and talk to the locals about it.

A haunted house story that is light on the haunting and heavy on the repetitiveness. After two or three chapters of having to listen to Emily being convinced something supernatural has happened only to decide a minute later that she just imagined it, I got that sinking feeling that this was one of those incredibly annoying books that repeats the same thing chapter after chapter with a character that is nearly sure something weird is going on only to have some ailment that may be affecting their judgement.
This literally goes on for three quarters of the book, interspersed with village characters being introduced. Most if not all as unlikeable as Emily and Freddie. Both narrate most of the book and both are so vacuous, narcissistic and uninteresting unlikeable characters that it’s hard to care what happens to them or their equally unlikeable and vacuous friends. In fact I don’t think there is any likeable characters in the whole book. Even the bloody ravens (who yes have their own chapters) annoyed me.

When the reveal happens of the what and why, I will admit it was a lot more imaginative and interesting than I expected but at that stage I had checked out long ago. The book is just too slow, too repetitive, littered with totally unlikeable and uninteresting characters that there was just no way I could enjoy it.

Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

This was a really fun atmospheric thriller with supernatural elements. It was a slow start but once I got into it I couldn’t put it down, full of twists! Highly recommended. The ending was really satisfying too. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.