Chris Coppel is really good. He spins eerie tales with likeable down to earth characters and creepy apparitions. Lingering was immersive, emotional and haunting. All the things I love in horror. Trauma, ghosts and relationships tested. Can’t wait for the next one.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

The strength of Chris Coppel’s horror mysteries is that they feature characters who might be you, characters who find that what appears to be normal is slowly morphing into the supernatural. By the time you realize this, you are standing with them, nervously looking over your own shoulder.

Lingering takes young professionals Paul and Christy into a world of dark puzzles. After an unsuccessful search for their first home, they discover Croft House, a charming cottage with multiple quirky additions, set down a tree lined lane on several private, forested acres. There are some warning signs: Why is the price set so low? Why did the former owners leave so suddenly? And who is the old man who counsels them that the house “is not to everyone’s taste”? So they move in. Or Paul does while Christy is temporarily taking care of her abusive father. Then Paul quickly discovers that he is not the only one living in Croft House…

Lingering is not to be read alone or in the dark. It pulls you in quickly and makes you want to rationally solve the unimaginable. Don’t try. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and Chris Coppel for this ARC.