My Darling Dreadful Thing

By Johanna van Veen

Book Overview

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"Dark and decadent, with the haunting allure of a true gothic tale, My Darling Dreadful Thing is a sensation that horrifies as acutely as it delights. Johanna Van Veen is a force to be reckoned with and will stain your thoughts a brilliant shade of crimson."

-- Rachel Gillig, New York Times bestselling author of One Dark Window

Spirits are drawn to salt, be it blood or tears.

Roos Beckman has a spirit companion only she can see. Ruth--strange, corpse-like, and dead for centuries--is the light of Roos' life. That is, until the wealthy young widow Agnes Knoop visits one of Roos' backroom seances, and the two strike up a connection.

Soon, Roos is whisked away to the crumbling estate Agnes inherited upon the death of her husband, where an ill woman haunts the halls, strange smells drift through the air at night, and mysterious stone statues reside in the family chapel. Something dreadful festers in the manor, but still, the attraction between Roos and Agnes is undeniable.

Then, someone is murdered.

Poor, alone, and with a history of 'hysterics', Roos is the obvious culprit. With her sanity and innocence in question, she'll have to prove who--or what--is at fault or lose everything she holds dear.

"A Sapphic s ance of preternatural proportions, My Darling Dreadful Thing summons a stunning new literary voice to be reckoned with. Johanna van Veen reaches beyond the veil to conjure up a gothic shocker like no other." -- Clay McLeod Chapman, author of What Kind of Mother and Ghost Eaters

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1728281547
• ISBN13: 9781728281544
• Release Date: May 2024
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.94 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

3.5 stars

MY DARLING DREADFUL THING by Johanna van Veen I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this, but I’m glad I stuck with it. Told through recorded interviews interspersed with first-person narration, this takes place in 1950s Netherlands and follows Roosje (Roos), a young woman who has the ability to commune with spirits. This was a slow burn. The writing was dark and descriptive with all the elements of a classic gothic horror with a bit of romance. If you’re familiar with “The Turn of the Screw”, this has a similar feel. It also has “Saltburn” vibes so… take that as you will. As the reader, it’s left up to us to decide whether Roos’ spirit companion, Ruth, is real or imagined. Their relationship was both toxic/codependant and sweet/sisterly. Personally, I like the idea of having spirit companions that guide and help us. Roos’ interactions/relationship with wealthy widower, Agnes Knoop, felt borderline “grooming”. It didn’t come across like a genuine connection or love/romance under the circumstances. In conclusion, this was a solid debut that will appeal to those who are fans of gothic horror/romance and Shirley Jackson novels. Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️