*Huge thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the digital ARC of this one!*

There’s a brilliance that shines forth when an author includes aspects of something they truly live and breathe and love in their real lives, within their written work. Sometimes it’s subtle, sometimes it’s overt, but no matter which way the author chooses to implement it within the book, it sparkles, crackles and fills the spaces between words with a palpable energy.

With Tim Lebbon, that aspect is running. If you follow Tim on Facebook or subscribe to his newsletter/blog, you’ll see a majority of his personal updates are about running events he’s taken part in, whether a marathon length or longer. In fact, his love for running is what elevated his 2020 novel ‘Eden,’ to another level. (And if you’ve not read that banger – A- shame on you and B- get on it, it’s glorious!).

In fact, Tim’s latest novel, ‘Secret Lives of the Dead,’ is what happens when you take that novel and mix it with his recent novel, 2024’s ‘Among the Living,’ and shook them up and tossed them on the table. Where ‘Eden’ had the running, survival element, ‘Among the Living,’ has the heavy, lovely folklore elements.

I went into this one rather blind, but confident knowing I was in Tim’s capable and wonderful writing hands, and wow, did this novel deliver a thrill ride I wasn’t expecting.

What I liked: The novel hops between multiple POV’s but our de facto main character is Jodi. A young woman, she’s haunted by events in her past, including her dad’s death in a car accident she witnessed, and ever since that moment, she’s lived a bit of a nomadic existence. Moving from place to place, never feeling settled, but always finding a place to run. Throughout her wandering life, she’s keeping her eyes open for the relics, pieces of something that seem to hold a curse and that were directly related to her dad’s untimely death.

At her current stop, she learns one might be within an old, abandoned mansion. To her surprise, she’s connected with a man, BB, more than she’s ever connected before. Some might even call it love. Joined by his friend, Matt, the trio break in to find whatever treasure might be inside – with Matt and BB unaware that Jodi is searching something more.

It’s here that Lem is introduced. He’s seeking the relics for himself in an attempt to break the curse that’s enveloped his family for many, many decades. He’s been battered and beaten and carries the scars on his skin from his search.

A confrontation occurs, Jodi and crew flee and from there Tim takes us on a day-long thrill ride filled with brutality, loss, heartbreak and gore. It’s a mixture of very high moments and very low moments and Tim has a way of letting the sorrow sit and take hold while also skyrocketing our blood pressure without warning. Throughout, Tim uses the world around our characters as chess pieces to move and use to better and worsen each others situations and the constant tug of war between Jodi and Lem is heightened because of that. Ultimately, those two want each other to die, while each understanding the other is part of the puzzle for the other to use to get to their end goals.

The final quarter is a dizzying sprint. I raced through it, needed to see what would happen and learn the truth of what resides on Crow Island. Tim sets things up really nicely and when the domino’s fall, it was done with such precision that it felt like the air was sucked from the room.

The epilogue was fitting and answered some questions that lingered and I for one was glad to have answered.

What I didn’t like: The whole spoiler thingy kind of prevents me from fully discussing what I didn’t like, but what I can say is that revelation of a specific character potentially still being alive and being part of the curse’s dynamic ultimately felt like it fizzled out when we got to the part of actually seeing this character. It felt glossed over and not as impactful as I was thinking it would be.

Why you should buy this: Lebbon is a world class author who is frankly firing on all cylinders. His last three novels have all been PHENOMENAL – ‘Eden,’ ‘The Last Storm,’ and ‘Among the Living,’ and ‘Secrets of the Dead’ only adds another amazing book to a bibliography that boasts over a dozen top drawer reads. ‘Secrets of the Dead’ is a spot on mix of friendship, frustration and kinetic energy. Throughout, you’ll be on the edge of your seat, always waiting to see what happens next and when it does happen, you’ll keep speeding along, pulled roughly by the scruff of your neck as Tim bludgeons these characters to within an inch of their lives.

Pulse-pounding thriller. What a ride.

Creepy, tense, and dripping with folk horror vibes. What starts as three friends breaking into an abandoned country house for a thrill turns into a nightmare of family curses, twisted motives, and supernatural terror. The antiques and relics inside aren’t just valuable they’re the key to a dark legend that’s haunted generations. Storms, secrets, and blood debts all collide in one deadly day on Crow Island. If you like eerie family secrets and curses that feel way too real, this one will get under your skin.

Another banger from Tim Lebbon , an absolute auto read for me. Absolutely recommend for horror lovers

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. Unfortunately, this will be 2.5 stars, rounded up.

This is by no means a bad book, but I believe it will keep receiving lower ratings purely because of the way it was advertised. I requested it based on the promise of some gritty folk horror, and it's just not that.

The horror elements are scarce, and the mystical curse serves as a motivator for the villain, but the majority of the book reads like an action movie. There is plenty of gore, but there is not much dread - you see heads being bashed, throats being slit, and shots being fired, but all of this feels very superficial and without any emotional impact. Again, the violence presented would be totally fine in an action movie but from horror I expect a different punch.

Additionally, the characters read more like someone much younger thinks adults should speak and act, which results in some cringy scenes and dialogue. I did not find any of the good guys engaging enough, and Jodi, with whom we spend most of the time, did not manage to endear herself to me. We had plenty of flashbacks for her e.g. how she ended up in the predicament she did and what her motivations were, yet I still could not care for her story. She was bland, and her sidekicks were just as uninteresting, so without that emotional connection, I couldn’t bring myself to care when they got hurt

The main antagonist, Lem, was a much more compelling character, driven half to madness by violence in his pursuit of freedom, he was truly the one shining in this book. His persona also suffered from too many flashbacks, but overall his chapters had the most impact, and he was the main reason why I kept reading. I think that if the book had cut out the good guys and focused solely on him, his family, and his curse (more lore!), we could have had a truly remarkable folk horror. A protagonist doomed from the start with no redeeming qualities could still be enough to tell a good story. He didn't need a counterbalance to his darkness, especially since the good side was so dull in comparison.

It was an easy read, and if you like action and some silly fun, then try out this book.

2.75/5 stars.

Less folk horror, more revenge story. I thought if anything, it would've been reversed and I wish that we got more folk out of this. I struggled with this book a bit but not for any particular reason. Overall I found the story to not quite be what I expected or hoped for and I didn't enjoy the majority of the characters. I found them decently unlikeable and not too intriguing.

I felt my mind drifting while reading a lot of this book due to my struggles with connecting to the characters. The gore was good, but I felt as though the overall story was lacking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the arc. All opinions are my own.

I wanted to like this book so much but it just wasn't for me. It felt like a young adult horror (which I don’t have a problem with, it just wasn't what I went into the book expecting).

The plot was decent but felt a bit disjointed at times. I did appreciate the literary technique of flashback usage in the writing of the story. The writing itself was solid, if not extremely engaging.

My biggest issue was likely that I couldn't connect to the characters. Some really awful stuff happens to the characters over the course of the book but I just couldn't bring myself to care. The FMC is kind of insufferable and despite understanding her motivation for doing what she does, I couldn't reconcile dragging others into her mess when she could have easily done it alone. Her single minded focus on revenge has her losing a lot and causes detrimental things to those in her orbit and she just doesn't seem to care at all.

The gore was well written but didn't shock me in any way and didn't feel extreme as some reviews have suggested. Like I said, this would be a good young adult (think ages 14-16) horror, but it wasnt the adult gore horror I expected.

While you may know author Tim Lebbon’s name from his contributions to the Alien and Predator literature extensions, he has some really solid work that deserves more attention.

I’d highly recommend his eco-horror Eden plus the fantastic The Last Storm, twinned with his latest novel Secret Lives of the Dead.

Unabashedly, this was one of my favourite reads of the year to date.

Lebbon shifts gear quickly here, and throws us straight into a dark folk horror story that really packs a punch.

He is not afraid to craft some memorable and violent imagery with his words, and this gives Secret Lives of the Dead balls and a sense of danger which will certainly be a page-turner.

We follow a trio of young people who break into a derelict home but soon find out that a rumoured curse surrounding it may be more real than they thought.

The flipside of this we have Lem, a vicious man who is determined to lift the curse and right the wrongs of his family’s past. Both of their worlds will collide and there will be blood.

The dual storylines really shakes Secret Lives of the Dead up, as we have antagonist and protagonist POV, plus Lebbon gives his main characters depth, even if they do things you may be shocked by.

I’m not the fastest reader, but I burnt through this in under a week. Not to sound cheesy, but I couldn’t put it down.

One of the best horror novels of 2025 to date.

The gory scenes in this book are wonderfully descriptive, and I absolutely loved that! The main plot itself is great, though at times it feels like the focus shifts more towards the sub-plot. Overall, it’s an amazing read, but I have to admit I struggled a little to get through it—probably because I’m more comfortable with fast-paced stories, and this one felt a bit on the slower side (or maybe that’s just me). Some of the characters are definitely likeable, but I couldn’t help feeling there was something missing—they could have been fleshed out a bit more. That said, I still enjoyed it! It’s not particularly scary, but it’s certainly deliciously gory.

This one is a fast-paced, atmospheric folk horror with a strong thriller vibe running through it. The setup is immediately intriguing, as three friends break into an abandoned house on a dare, and stumble into a family curse and a deeply rooted obsession that refuses to die. The writing is vivid and cinematic, full of eerie descriptions that pull you right into the chaos. While I found the story full of energy, I struggled a little to connect with the characters. That said, the relentless pacing and the horror elements delivered the chill I was hoping for. It’s not your typical slow-burn folk horror, but more of a collision between crime, folklore, and creeping dread.

Overall, I’d say it’s a solid 3.5 star read for me, rounded up because of the strong atmosphere and unique concept. I’m still pretty new to Lebbon’s work, but this one definitely makes me curious to read more.

Thanks to NetGalley & Titan Books for this eArc.

A short *synopsis*
When Jodi, BB and Matt decide to burgle a derelict country home as a thrilling dare, they become embroiled in a twisted legacy of supernatural terror. There are rumours of a bizarre curse hanging over the hoard of antiques and jewellery within the house. And unbeknownst to the others, one member of the trio has darker motives for breaking into the property.

Lem is a brutal man obsessed with a gruesome family legend. He is determined to right the wrongs of the past and lift the curse placed on his bloodline. By completing the work of his father and bringing a bizarre selection of scattered relics back together, he hopes to be free of the malign influence that has hounded every generation of his family for two centuries.

Intriguing: 1
Unsettling: 1
Scariness: 0
I loved this previous novel, Eden. This one is about two individuals quest for a relic. It has some great gore elements. Overall, it's a 3 ⭐ read for me.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The plot of the Secret Lives of the Dead is a tricky one for me to rate. The premise and the writing itself were really great, but I found the characters to be half-baked and pretty insufferable.

A good gory revenge story, the overarching mystical plot felt overtaken by the minor plot points with Jodi’s father and Matt’s problems.

The writing style is very openly fragmented which makes the story read very quickly and fly by, but it did also leave it feeling a little disjointed it some areas.

Thank you NetGalley and Titan for an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This was a dark and gritty story with a unique plot and characters. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and how none of the characters were really likeable. I especially enjoyed Lems character and his dark character development.

I really enjoyed that it was gory and gritty with descriptive writing that really made you feel like you were in the world. However I do wish that the lore of the curse and relics would have been explored more.

Overall an enjoyable read.

'Secret Lives of the Dead' is a fast, gripping thriller. When Jodi and her friends break into an abandoned house, they get caught up in a deadly chase with a violent man tied to a brutal family curse. The story’s pace is relentless and the atmosphere tense, with sharp, cinematic writing that pulls you in. A memorable read.

In Secret Lives of the Dead by Tim Lebbon, Jodi, BB, and Matt decide to go to a local abandoned house hunting for treasure. What they find there will cost them everything and will lead to an escape from a mad man bent on ending a family curse and laying his loved ones finally to rest.

Secret Lives of the Dead is my newest review book from Net Galley. Its an dark, intense, twist filled novel thats more suspense and thriller than horror, although it definitely has some horror in it. Tim Lebbon takes his time, introducing characters and flashing back to give us more of Jodi and the mad man Lem's backstory. Its a really good story that keeps building and building toward its thrilling complex. I had no idea where this book was going. I literally gasped out loud at one part. I did not see that coming!

Tim Lebbon is really good at dialogue and even better at describing the story. I felt like I was reading a movie. Secret Lives of the Dead would definitely make a great movie. This is not a happy story but its really good story. If you like mystery, suspense, and horror, then you'll want to read this book!

I liked Secret Lives of the Dead a lot. I'll have to read more of Tim Lebbon's books in the future. I think he is an excellent writer. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing an early digital copy of this book for review. Secret Lives of the Dead comes out on August 26th, 2025.

I was hoping for a horror novel, but really this is more of a thriller. There's nothing supernatural going on that I could tell. There's some talk of a family curse, but talk is all it is... everything just stays pretty vague. Also, I didn't really get why this dude is so fixated on lifting some curse off his family when he is literally the last family member alive, so what does it matter one way or the other whether there was this curse or not, that race is pretty much run... Maybe it was so he could finally die or something, but the whole business with the curse and the relics felt like a major McGuffin to me. Folk horror? Certainly not.

I also thought the way the plot unfolded was a bit of a let-down. It's basically just one faction chasing after the other, with the roles of chaser and chasee switching every now and then. Just one party heading to point A and the other party following, and then someone heads (or rather jogs, lots of jogging going on here) to point B with their respective antagonist on their heels, and so on and so on. It felt like a game of ping-pong. No variation whatsoever. Add to this the fact that the whole "action" takes place in a fairly cramped locale (provincial/bland small-town Britain), so the characters are basically running through idyllic pastures to pub and then river and then someone's house or other... it's just not all that exciting. I kept waiting for a clever twist or something that would turn all of this pointless running around into some massive set-up for something unexpected and cool, but alas, that twist never came.

I really liked the beginning, although I found Jodi and her super massive secrets annoying from the get-go (her main character trait seemed to be "I have a Big Secret"), but when the middle started slumping, it REALLY slumped, and I have to say my level of interest never recovered. It didn't help that the one character who I felt sympathetic towards dropped out of the story early on, which drained the entertainment level of this book straight down to Empty.
As for the villain, he was just too over the top for me. It was just non-stop gore and violence and Evil with a capital E with this guy, I lost interest in him fairly quickly and ended up simply skimming his POV chapters, because I already knew what those would entail (namely non-stop gore, violence, being EEEEEEEEVILLLLL evil evil evil to the max). Too one-dimensional for me. Also, none of the violence was even relevant to the plot, just gratuitous gore piled on with a shovel. Scary? Nah. Simply unpleasant.

Although, really, what this book is is a major Bromance, and the bad things that happen once A Girl shows up. That's the theme of this book, and it's none too subtle. All the rest, Evil Dude and the curse and the witch and those relic things and the old house on the hill, that's just details.
And, you know, I liked the Bromance parts. It just felt that breaking up that beautiful thing those two had going did not serve any real purpose for the plot, it was simply another sucky thing that happened. I would have liked for this to serve as a catalyst for a major turning point or something, but the story would have run the same course without it.
Oh well.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the eARC of this cursed title!!**

I absolutely love Tim Lebbon and have stalked his new releases ever since reading Eden a few years ago.

With The Secret Lives Of The Dead being a shift from his usual eco-horror, I was really happy to find that I loved it just as much as his previous books,

Lebbon’a characters SHOW you their fear and it adds an ominous sense of dread over the entire book. I raced to the ending of this one and loved every second.

Check this one out if you love horror, curses, and reading about pure evil.

This book wasn’t for me - the first 30~ pages felt like it was written in a Young Adult style which felt too cheesy for me. The long paragraphs also slowed down the action for me.

Another very enjoyable read from Tim Lebbon. Have been reading him for years, and is always great. This book had a great story/plot, and the pacing really worked too. And the characters were very well developed, with the flashbacks. New reads from Tim Lebbon should always jumped to the top of your TBR stack. #SecretLivesoftheDead #NetGalley

2.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a heavily character focused horror. If it wasn’t featuring a family curse and the hunt for cursed objects, I’d probably call this a revenge based thriller instead. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this anyways though since I typically don’t enjoy thrillers. Lem and Jodi could’ve used more development as our main characters, and BB and Matt were super one-dimensional, despite BB’s death being the driving force for Jodi fighting back this last time since it was the first time since her father’s death that she loved anyone. This was gruesome and I think the family curse was unique but unfortunately the characters and plot were too superficial for me to truly care about the resolution.