I have to admit I struggled with this book. A family moves into the ancestral home after the suspicious death of Wills father. What happens then is a series of unusual events that can’t be explained, also appearance of the companions which are wooden figures of people who have died before in the house. I found it a little far fetched.

Below is the blurb

"1774, England. Belinda Bainbridge has spent her life in the shadow of her controlling mother, so when her father-in-law dies at The Bridge, she is secretly thrilled. His death means she, her husband Wilfred and their children can relocate to a new home.
But it is not without challenges: the garden is a wilderness, the estate is struggling financially, there are whispers about the mysterious death of a servant many years ago, and rumours of a curse....
And what part do the strange wooden figures around the household have to play in the events?"

When I started reading the book I saw similarities to another book I had read a couple of years ago that also featured wooden companions. It wasn't until I had finished reading this that I realised that it was by the same author. If you like gothic, historical ghost type stories you will like this one, although be warned not everything is as it seems.

Good start to spooky book season - grateful that I got to read House of Splinters by Laura Purcell before it comes out on 9 October: an atmospheric, slow-creeping burn with a (potentially) unreliable narrator - all the stuff I love this author’s books for. It didn’t grip me quite as much as The Silent Companions, which this novel is a prequel to, but plenty of creepy moments to still make it a fun read.

Thankyou NetGalley & publisher for this arc copy for my honest review unfortunately this book didn’t hit the mark for me at first I was hooked it’s set in a old worldly time where they speak highly of themselves in a Tudor like fashion however the story dragged, I loved the little snippets which had me questioning intentions and people characteristics however the writing style confused me at times and thrown me out of the plot

How wonderful to return to the antics of the ‘silent companions’, the creepy wooden life size figures that often have a malevolent purpose. I love the writing style of this author- guaranteed to be creepy, atmospheric and gothic. Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Laura Purcell is back in The Silent Companions' creepy world with House of Splinters, a beautifully stifling Gothic prequel, set in 1774. Belinda Bainbridge, long living in the shadow of her mother's nervous eye, grasps at hope when her father-in-law passes on and she moves with her husband and child to The Bridge house lastly taking on the role of lady of the house. But The Bridge is far from being idyllic. The garden is lush with wild neglect, the estate is financially on the edge, and disturbing rumors of a servant's mysterious death cast a shadow across the corridors. Worst of all is the obsessive interest of young Freddie in the creepy wooden figures 'silent companions' that appear to watch and maybe move with malevolent purpose. When Wilfred's charming brother Nathan shows up, bearing sinister stories and secrets of the family, Belinda's mounting discomfort spills into terror and she starts fearing for the safety of her family.

The author's writing is atmospheric and sublime: lushly vivid, ghoulish, and superbly unnerving "a masterful page-turner" that combines idyllic imagery with rooted horror.

Briefly, House of Splinters is a chilling, tastefully manipulative Gothic novel that refuses to leave your mind after the last page, ideal for readers of atmospheric horror, manipulated family romps, and the ominous influence of inherited objects.

Creepy, gothic and atmospheric, this one was right up my street! Purcell nails that eerie, unsettling vibe that keeps you turning pages late into the night. I loved the claustrophobic setting and the house that felt alive with secrets and whispers.

If you enjoy dark, historical, gothic fiction with a supernatural edge, this is absolutely one for you. Perfect for curling up with on a dark evening!

Thank you to @netgalley @bloomsburypublishing and @laurapurcell for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can get your hands on it from 9 October.

Tenía más hype al leer la sinopsis que al descubrir la trama del libro, aún así ha sido entretenido para la spooky sseason

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Goodreads.

Atmospheric, gothic, and deliciously spooky—what more could you ask for?

I hadn’t read The Silent Companions and didn’t realise this was something of a sequel until I was already a few chapters in. That said, it made no difference to my enjoyment. Purcell sets the scene and the background so vividly that you’d never feel you were missing out on a previous story.

The atmosphere was phenomenal—I could almost smell the roses drifting into my room. More than once, I found myself hesitant to wander into the dark hallway after putting the book down! While I did spot some of the twists in advance, I loved that Purcell still left plenty to the imagination. I can’t wait to dive into more of her work!

"With dread crushing her chest, Belinda leant slowly forward and peered over the footboard. In a pool of silvery light stood the old cradle from Freddy's birth. Ebony wood, high-backed, shaped like a casket..."

Beautifully written and well-researched historically, this felt like a masterclass in gothic atmosphere. I think it would appeal to fans of Susan Hill, Jessie Burton and Johanna van Veen.

This was my first Laura Purcell book, and I hadn't realised it was a prequel (in the same world as 'The Silent Companions') but it works as a standalone. I look forward to reading more of her books.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Sorry but I didn't really click with this book. I've heard lots about and thought it would be my thing but somehow the writing and the time it was set in just passed me by.. Slow paced and just didn't grab me

This is my first Laura Purcell book, and it definitely will not be my last. I really enjoyed it. It might be the most successful blend of gothic atmosphere and the Georgian era that I have read.

House of Splinters is a prequel to The Silent Companions, but you can read the books in any order. The story follows a family who moves into a creepy mansion, where they discover peculiar wooden figures shaped and painted like humans. These figures, known as the Silent Companions, seem to be linked to a series of strange and dangerous events in the house. Additionally, long-lost relatives appear, and it is hard to know what to expect from them. Much of the book focuses on the characters' daily lives and their encounters with increasingly disturbing occurrences, yet the story never feels boring or repetitive.

Laura Purcell’s novel manages to be genuinely unsettling yet it reads very well. The sole idea of the silent companions, especially the suggestion that they can move on their own, is particularly disturbing. The author’s writing style enhances the eerie atmosphere and draws the reader into the story. The characters are also compelling and multi-dimensional. What makes the book truly effective is how it blurs the line between supernatural fear and the horrors caused by human actions. As the plot becomes more intense, it becomes increasingly unclear who or what is truly responsible. The story also leaves several questions unanswered, which actually works in its favor and adds to the lingering feeling of unease.

Overall, I found this book very engaging and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys gothic fiction. While I felt that the ending was a little rushed, I understand it was an intentional choice.

Atmospherically gothic follow up the Silent Companions, fitting in between and building on the two timeframes of that modern classic. Purcell writes beautifully, creating a sense of dread whilst throwing in family crisis after crisis, all exacerbated by the creepy wooden people and the events that took place a hundred years earlier. I really enjoyed this, having been a little uncertain that we really needed to revisit old ground.

This novel felt like a spooky Bridgerton. Nothing wrong with that and I found it an easy entertaining read although I had to look up some of the words that are now archaic. It was nice to be transported back to times without electricity, phones or motorised vehicles. Overall, this is an enjoyable ghost story with decent characters and some twists.

Thoroughly entertaining, gothic tale, spooky and eerie with superb complex characters and beautifully written. This is a prequel to The Silent Companions and I think I enjoyed this more than the original.
Ms Purcell's writing is sublime and with twists and turns, murder and mayhem galore, this haunted house novel is a winner.

Laura Purcell returns to the world of her breakout novel The Silent Companions in this gothic tale. Atmospheric and chilling, it steps forward several hundred years to the 1770s when a new woman comes face to face with the mysterious and terrifying Silent Companions. Purcell’s fans will enjoy but it mostly felt like a rehashing of the first novel, just in a different century and new characters. Not one for me.

(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

As a huge fan of The Silent Companions, the return to The Bridge was an amazing experience. The companions are as ruthless and creepy as usual, the humans behave as monsters and the writing is just sublime. I get absorbed by the atmosphere, impossible not to feel inside a derelict house where ghosts whisper and things move in the dark. It is a gift for people who enjoyed The Silent Companions and for fans of gothic horror in general.

First of all if you haven't read the silent companions I'd recommend that before picking up this one. House of splinters can work alone as Purcell gives enough context to understand the events in this book alone but I feel like the experience is so much better if you know all of the details. Even if you have already read the silent companions a few years ago giving it a little re read before this is a good idea.

I already had this book pre-ordered. Actually that's a lie I have 2 copies pre ordered one for me and one for my mam who is also a huge fan of Laura Purcells other novels and I can say after reading it that I'm glad I'll have a copy of this book to sit on my shelf in October. I read the silent companions at a time when I didn't read much horror and I don't think I would have become such a big fan of horror novels without it so I was really excited to return to The Bridge again.

Without spoiling anything this takes place between the two time periods in the silent companions so acts as a prequel to the main events of the first novel. We follow Belinda, Wilfrid and Freddy Bainbridge who have just relocated to the family's ancestral home The Bridge after the death of Wilfrids father. Once there Belinda finds that The Bridge holds a darker history than her husband had told her about and some of that history doesn't want to stay in the past.

Part of me was worried that maybe Purcells work was only as eerie as it was last time because I had no frame of reference not being a big horror fan so I was concerned I would be let down here but I should have had more faith The Bridge is just as spooky as I remembered! Purcell really crafts an unsettling and atmospheric setting with her writing, the kind of place that feels haunted even before anything particularly scary has the chance to happen. The tension starts to build in the first part of the novel and once built it doesn't really let you relax until the end because you never know when the next spooky occurrence will take place.

Another thing that I love is the amount of research that Purcell clearly puts into the historical side of the novels she writes it means I have to do a fair amount of googling to check what something is or looks like at that time period but I like that I get to learn more about life during the time she writes about.

I can't wait for this book to release so that I have more people to talk about it with and I can't wait to see what Purcell will write next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A proper gothic, creepy treat.

After a death in the family, Belinda and Wilfred take up residence at The Bridge and walk straight into creeping rot, thin ledgers, and a house that keeps its own counsel. Freddy’s fascination with the silent companions is unnerving from the first glance, and Nathan’s return with a competing family history turns every conversation into a test of trust.

Purcell’s craft is razor sharp. Rooms feel smaller with each chapter and the tension accrues quietly. I loved how motherhood, money, and reputation braid into the haunting so nothing feels safe. L

🏚️ Haunted manor
🪵 Cursed objects
👪 Family legacy and buried secrets
🔬 Believer vs sceptic
👩‍👧‍👦 Protective mother stakes

Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, Raven Books and NetGalley for the eARC.