Wow. Where to begin.
I really wanted to like this one, however the pacing just felt all over the place and when I realized how long of a book this was, I had to DNF about 50% of the way through. I had a really hard time staying engaged.

I am approximately 50% of the way through with this and struggling. It is not well written nor is it well edited. The characters aren't written in a way that I have cared what happened to them. And placing a prequel in the middle is not appropriate. I hope it is revealed in the third section why this is.

I do plan to finish, but this book needs more work if it is to be successful.

I would've loved to be able to give this book a five because I like the concept so much but, sadly, I can't. The characters are not that developed that I care about them at all. The pacing is all over the place and it's too long. Maybe the amount of pages wouldn't be a problem if everything else would feel better and flow better.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Clark's writing is atmospheric, drawing readers into a world where the line between reality and myth is blurred. The prose is rich with detail, and the pacing is slow, allowing the tension to build gradually as the town's secrets begin to unravel. The character of Mildred herself is both enigmatic and compelling, and her story is one of intrigue, tragedy, and ultimately, a kind of redemption.

Surprisingly enjoyable book. Well-written and engaging. Kept my attention from the first page. This book would be enjoyable fore a wide range of audiences.

This is a tough one to accurately rate, due to the 3 separate books. As a whole, I enjoyed the story, and read it (600+ pages) in two days. The deep background surrounding Mildred is impressive, even managing to make her a sympathetic villain. Although the writing is admittedly not as polished as it could be, very much a 'telling vs showing' novel- the plot moves along smoothly. It was a fun reading experience and I'm glad I read it!

Part 1- A great mystery, with some creepy moments. Very standard haunted house fare, in a good way.

Part 2- This section is sad, but fascinating. The supernatural lore is unexpected, and a bit underdeveloped, but interesting.

Part 3- Unfortunately this is the weakest section. The scenes get repetitive, there's a huge cast of mostly irrelevant characters, and the end is sort of...not eventful. It turns from supernatural horror into Slasher territory, and sadly I didn't understand the motivations. After so much wonderful buildup, Mildred earned a stronger conclusion!

"Like a cat, Mildred leaped as Bonnette attempted to throw himself down the stairs. He would gladly trade broken bones for his life. The woman was the smell. Flies buzzed in his ears, tasting something warm for a change. With a flick of her wrist, the blade appeared, and she plunged it into his chest.
Bonnette sucked for air in short breaths as if wading into a frigid sea. He turned his head, determined to make his last thought about something else, but all he saw was the pattern on the wallpaper as Mildred found his heart."

💭Mary 'Mildred' Wells is one vengeful, contemptuous, malevolent entity and she's someone you don't want to mess with.
She grew up in a cult that used black magic to turn her into a revenant. Revenants are, by definition, hell-bent on revenge. Her headstone says:
Here lies MILDRED WELLS
Born: October 6, 1836 Exploited and Scorned Resting in Fury.
The Legend of Mildred Wells is the edited/revamped version of The Patience of A Dead Man Trilogy.
I decided to give this one a shot despite seeing mixed reviews. This easily grabbed my attention and I am pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it more than I care to admit.
I found myself deeply immersed into Mildred's world. The more I read, the more I wanted to deep dive into this enigmatic character and surreal scenarios. I love her backstory on how she was able to learn magic up until she became a revenant. Why she became this evil, twisted version of her former self and still continues to terrorize people decades after. Being three novels combined, I didn't mind the length though this was almost at 600 pages (length, time and patience which I usually reserve for Stephen King novels 🤪) yet I did not feel like my time was wasted. In fairness, this made me feel like I was reading an early Stephen King novel circa 70s-80s with a Castle Rock setting vibes. 🖤

Thanks to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press for the arc. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🖤

4.75✨🪰

Michael Clark’s The Legend of Mildred Wells delivers a spine-chilling ghost story with a haunting depth that lingers well after the final page. Combining atmospheric suspense, emotional turmoil, and a touch of dark humor, the novel takes readers on a harrowing journey into a farmhouse teeming with secrets, spirits, and vengeance.

Tim Russell, a handyman recovering from a bitter divorce, hopes to start fresh by flipping an old farmhouse in the country. But his plans unravel as he encounters the supernatural inhabitants of the home—a ghostly boy, his tormented mother, and the sinister presence of Mildred Wells herself. What begins as eerie, unexplained phenomena escalates into a full-blown battle with a spirit whose thirst for revenge knows no bounds.

Clark excels at building tension, blending the mundane struggles of Tim’s life with the increasingly sinister happenings in the house. The descriptive prose immerses readers in the farmhouse’s unsettling atmosphere, where candles mysteriously burn, footsteps echo, and wails pierce the silence. The narrative keeps you guessing as Tim uncovers clues and slowly realizes he’s been drawn into a web of unfinished business, betrayal, and wrath that transcends time.

The character of Mildred Wells is particularly striking. Clark crafts her as more than just a typical vengeful ghost; she’s a scorned woman with a complex, deeply rooted story that adds layers of intrigue to her haunting. Her presence is both terrifying and tragically compelling, making her a memorable antagonist.

While The Legend of Mildred Wells is a classic ghost story at its core, it also explores themes of loss, regret, and the ways unresolved pain can fester and grow—whether for the living or the dead. Tim’s reluctant heroism is relatable, and his journey through fear and courage adds emotional weight to the supernatural horror.

For fans of eerie, atmospheric tales with rich character development and plenty of frights, The Legend of Mildred Wells is a must-read. Michael Clark delivers a gripping narrative that will make you think twice about what lingers in the shadows of old homes—and in the hearts of those who’ve been wronged.

Besides the haunting parts of the book the characters fell flat for me and did a lot of things I didn't think made sense for someone who was in the situations they were in.
Thank you to NetGalley, for this ARC.

This is one of those books that reads like a movie. I was really impressed with how well the past and present were intertwined to give the reader a backstory as to why the house was haunted. It is a well known fact that messing with black magic can only lead to death and destruction. This was the case with this story. What Gabriel did to Mildred was absolutely horrific. She found out his secret but he stopped her before she could learn the extent of what she discovered. He left her in limbo forcing her to disappear. When she met the love of her life she had more situations to deal with. When her husband enlists in the war and she becomes very bitter. Fast forward to when Tim buys the house, Tim has no idea what he is about to be involved with. All of her bitterness escalates until tragedy strikes Tim’s family and it is about time Mildred is stopped. I like this book so much. Once I read to the end I realized that a whole afternoon had passed. I definitely recommend this book for those who love haunted home/people books.

Years ago I read The Patience of a Dead Man trilogy, and by read I mean inhaled, and I knew it was one I would want to circle back to. When I saw that all three were combined together and an edited a little bit, I thought no better time than now! I still felt all the same things reading this for second time, it’s creepy and it’s dark and just as enjoyable as it was the first time around. Since it is three novels combined, it’s expected to be long but it wasn’t an issue for me although I do think it took me longer to get through this time. My memory isn’t the best, so while I remembered some scenes and certain aspects of it, there were things I totally forgot and found fun. I also like that it takes place in the 70s when things were much different. Anyways, if you’re looking for a spooky read to get cozy with and don’t mind the length, this is a great choice. Thanks to Brigids Gate Press for my eARC. The Legend of Mildred Wells was published this week.

The cover is awesome! This was an enjoyable spooky story. It's unique and engaging. If you enjoy ghost stories, I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Michael Clark, Brigid's Gate Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Legend Of Mildred Wells by Michael Clarke is a ghost story that starts with Tim Russell who recently lost his business and divorced his wife. He then decides to move to New Hampshire and finds the old Pike farm and a new “friend“ in the realtor Holly. He isn’t there long at all when the ghost activity begins and when he finds the old diary of the previous owner he learns more about the ghosts, but soon it becomes dangerous. This book is much more than just a story of Tim, theres Mildred‘s origin story which I totally enjoyed and altogether thought this was a great read. I really love a good ghost story with actual ghost and a great backstory and that is definitely this book. Although I did find the book long, but at the same time it was so interesting. I knew when Mary got rid of the baby goat there was something wrong with her and Tim started sleepwalking and woke up with the scratches I just imagine how terrifying that would be especially with Viv and Liv in the house. I’m going to stop here all you need to know is this was a great read with the real dangerous ghost an awesome origin story with a great creepy feel. It is set in between the 1840s in the 1970s and it all makes for an awesome awesome haunted house tail.#NetGalley, #MichaelClark, #TheLegendOfMildredWells,#Bridget gates press,

2.5 rounded to 3. I was captivated by the book at the start, but I quickly found myself troubled by the pacing. Unlike other reviewers, I wasn't much worried by the book's length (in fact, I enjoy big books), but progressively there was a lack of narrative coherence. The story just didn't flow. That's a pity, because I really found the plot interesting. It was very difficult, though, to keep up with the large cast, the many different parts with their own atmosphere and twists, and so many unnecessary scenes (from romance to backstories that went nowhere). I lost interest when I reached the third part, but kept on going out of curiosity. The ending was rather too convenient and did not justify the investment.

This book is downright amazing. However, from personal experience I do not recommend reading it while doing a housesit in a 1800s built old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere! I did that, and it made the book entirely more scary, and even had me scared after finishing. I would jump at every sound the house made, and slept with the bedroom lights on! This book will live rent free in my head for a really long time!

Unfortunately, this is not for me. I never really connected to any character. I don't enjoy the writing style and it feels too long.

This is a tough book to review because, although the first part was pretty good and intriguing, the latter two parts were not. I believe this story is a combination of three books, which makes the book extremely long, and unfortunately, difficult to remain interested in. I loved the spooky atmosphere and the idea of being haunted by a vengeful "ghost" (Mildred isn't really dead), however much of the book felt very flat ans uninteresting, especially towards the end.
Thank you NetGalley, Brigids Gate Press, and Michael Clark for this ARC.

This one was creepy good, my book peeps!! I initially thought this would be more of a ghost story, but it definitely is not!! Instead, we have revenants!! 🙌

I loved the arc of the Mildred Wells character! What she went through with the cult as a child was horrible, and how that affected her into adulthood - and death - is not surprising! 😢

I will say that this book is quite a bit on the long side, and I’m not sure it really needed to be. However, I also understand this is a reversioning of the author’s The Patience of a Dead Man novella trilogy into one novel.

Overall though, I really enjoyed this one and definitely recommend it!!! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Brigids Gate Press, and Michael Clark for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

I enjoyed it, this booked kept my attention from start to finish.
I recomment this for all horror book lovers!

Like wow omg this was some intense heart stopping reading I was hooked from start to finish.
Absolutely fantastic reading it's a must read you will definitely not be disappointed