If you are a fan of Susan Hill's ghost stories then you need to read The Haunting of Hern Hall. It is in the mold of Hill's best works while still being its own unique story, gloomy, atmospheric, and gothic AF. Wandering blindly in the mist? Check! Ominous whispering on the breeze? Double check! Lightning crashing down as a storm engulfs the crumbling family estate? Check check check! I loved everything about this, but particularly the writing style, which really captured that post-WWI bone deep despair. Curses, seances, occult rituals: The Haunting of Hern Hall had everything I look for in a ghost story.

It does lean heavily on religious themes, which may not be for everyone, but I think it worked beautifully for the characters and their situation.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of The Haunting of Hern Hall.

G.R. Pidgeon crafts an eerie, atmospheric Gothic novel in The Haunting of Hern Hall, set in the aftermath of World War I. The story follows John Elliot, a former Army chaplain, who carries the emotional scars of the war and the burden of a promise to his fallen friend, Will Chiddingstone. John's task: deliver a package to Will’s sister, Lucy, at their ancestral home, Hern Hall. Upon arrival, John finds the mansion cloaked in melancholy and haunted by dark legends that may be more than just family lore. Lucy, blind yet resilient, embodies the sorrow of the house while fiercely fighting to restore its peace.

The novel’s strength lies in its immersive, Gothic atmosphere. Pidgeon’s descriptions of Hern Hall bring the crumbling, mist-shrouded estate vividly to life, with its shadowy hallways and ghostly secrets. The interplay between Lucy and John, with hints of a deepening connection, adds warmth amidst the chills, giving the reader a compelling reason to root for them as they delve into the mysteries of the estate.

The supernatural elements are perfectly balanced with historical and mythical layers, and while they veer toward the fantastical, they stay grounded in the story’s dark, haunting ambiance. At times, John’s internal struggle with faith and purpose feels a bit drawn out, but this internal conflict also underscores his haunted psyche, mirroring the spectral nature of Hern Hall.

Overall, The Haunting of Hern Hall is a richly woven Gothic tale, complete with suspense, spectral mysteries, and the lure of dark secrets just waiting to be uncovered. This is an ideal read for fans of haunting historical fiction and Gothic romance, best enjoyed on a quiet evening by candlelight.

This uses the Gothic historical mystery element that I was looking for and enjoyed overall. The plot worked with what I was looking for and enjoyed how everything worked with the characters. It had that dark element that I was looking for and glad everything flowed well together. G.R. Pidgeon has a great writing style and am excited for more.

What a spine-chiller! The Haunting of Hern Hall pulls you right into its dark, gothic world. Set just after WWI, it follows John Elliot, an army chaplain dealing with shellshock, as he arrives at the eerie Hern Hall estate. Right from his arrival, there’s this constant sense of dread and mystery, especially when he glimpses a drowned child in the lake—haunting! As he gets to know the Chiddingstone family, you can feel the weight of their grief and dark secrets. With seances, tragic backstories, and chilling encounters, this book perfectly captures that gothic vibe. It's haunting, suspenseful, and impossible to put down.

A good gothic story set after WWI. When he goes to visit Hern Hall, he comes with a letter of the oldest son of the family who had died in the war. A lot of creepy senses and a history of sadness at the hall is overwhelming at times. Good story and one I high recommend.

A Gothic horror story, The Haunting of Hern Hall takes place in the aftermath of The Great War. John, an army chaplain who's lost his faith, travels to the manor of the family of his good friend and fallen comrade in arms, Will, to deliver a package. While there he learns of the historic and tragic family history, or possibly even curse, as he battles his own demons and encounters the cursed family sentinel and a spiritualist he believes to be a charlatan.
The narrative was skillfully written, and had an intense quality that makes you want to keep reading to see where the story goes next. It had a very deeply plotted element of historical and mythical beliefs, though towards the end they became a bit too fantastical. My only other issue with the book was the a bit too much of religious dogma and questions of faith that eventually felt overdramatic. But on the whole, it was a very enjoyable period piece.

John Elliot is a broken man after serving as an Army chaplain in WW1, both in body and spirit. The only thing he has held onto through his recovery is a package his friend Will Chiddingstone gave him, to hand deliver to his sister, Lucy, after Will’s death. Upon his arrival, John finds Will’s ancestral home, Hern Hall, to be in a perpetual state of mourning and haunted by numerous stories and legends. Lucy, Will’s blind and beautiful sister, tries to keep a positive outlook but she seems to be fighting against a strong tide. When the pair feel they have unlocked a way to bring some peace back to Hern Hall, they must risk everything to do so, even at the peril of their own lives.

This was an amazing gothic thriller that I just loved. The atmosphere was absolutely perfect right from the very beginning. The description of Hern Hall, the characters, the legends and lore, it all put you in the perfect mood for just snuggling in with this book and enjoying a spooky tale. Which is just what this book promised.

Plus, there’s a nice subplot in there with a little romance that I’ll admit, I fell for. But what can I say, I’m a sap. I can’t help it - I was just on tenterhooks waiting for the moment, if you know what I mean!

I won’t spoil all the spooky ooky stuff, but this one has all the perfect ones and I enjoyed them to the fullest. The ending was amazing as it all came together perfectly. It was like a campfire tale that wrapped up nicely and wholly, with a satisfying sigh.

I’d recommend this one for a great weekend in with a ghostly book and a nice drink by your side! You won’t regret it!

This is like Haunting of Hill house 2.0

Scare factor I would maybe give this a 2/5, but it's a quick and entertaining story for the upcoming spooky season

Set in the days following World War I, when spiritualism was on the rise as those left behind tried to contact their loved ones on “the other side “, this story follows a war vet suffering from PTSD. Determined to deliver a last message from a fallen comrade to his family, an army chaplain gets caught up in seances and spooky doings at an English country manor

3.5 stars. This book was fairly cut and dry. There was not anything wrong with it, but it was not amazing either.

3.5 ✨


An enjoyable tale.
The two main themes were well balanced.
The grief and aftermath of the war AND the spiritual aspect of the story.
John and Lucy were good main characters, and there was just the right amount of menace snd mystery running through the whole story.
I was not so keen on Lady Chiddingstone, who I felt needed a good slap 😁

All in all a goodread!