What Happened at Hawthorne House by Hadassah Shiradski offers an intriguing premise, with a mystery set in an eerie, atmospheric location. The suspense builds throughout the story, with twists and turns that keep the reader curious about the secrets of Hawthorne House. Shiradski's writing is engaging enough to keep you turning the pages, and the setting is wonderfully described, enhancing the overall atmosphere of suspense.

However, while the plot is interesting, it sometimes lacks the emotional depth and complexity that could have made the story truly gripping. The characters, while decent, feel a bit one-dimensional at times, and their motivations are not fully explored, making it harder to connect with them. Additionally, the pacing can feel uneven, with certain sections dragging while others rush through important developments.

Overall, What Happened at Hawthorne House is a decent read for fans of suspense and mystery, but it doesn't fully deliver on its potential. It’s enjoyable but could have benefited from deeper character development and a more tightly woven plot.

What Happened at Hawthorne House is a novella set in 1920, inside an orphanage for young girls. What takes place is a game of monarchy between the girls, dividing them between duchesses, princesses and the queen. The rules to the game are simple: to higher their ranks, they must target and prank a girl above them in line. They can also take the queen's place.

To me, a lot was left unanswered that could have been quite interesting to the narrative, had it been explored. I do understand this is a novella, but this was one of the thoughts I was left with when reaching the end. I would have liked to know how Rosalyn created the game, for starters. I was also curious about their pasts, before the orphanage, and their relationship with Matron, the woman who runs the orphanage.

The second part just didn't work for me. Motives and actions made little to no sense to me and I would have liked to spend more time getting to know the girls, instead of going for that path.

the
gothic horror 🫱🏾‍🫲🏽 creepy children
combo is a tried and true success!

i was more interested in the vibe than the actual story—this is my own fault as i don’t usually read historical fiction so i don’t know why i thought this would be an exception. i do really love an unsympathetic protagonist, which this book serves in droves.

Creepy novella that draws the reader in with a truly scary set of little girls in the 1920s that are playing a game called the Clover Court - one is the queen and the rest are princesses or duchesses and have to abide by the queen's rules....until they go to nasty lengths to usurp her...and it ends in a terrible tragedy.
Roll on to 1939 when Hawthorne House is being prepared to be renovated to house war evacuees and creepy things start to happen.
Enjoyed this odd little book!
3.5 stars

Hadassah Shiradski's What Happened at Hawthorne House is a haunting exploration of childhood innocence corrupted by the harsh realities of life in a 1926 English orphanage. This gothic horror novella delves into the psychological complexities of young girls seeking control in an environment that offers them little solace.

The story centers on nine-year-old Rosalyn, who, in an attempt to escape the bleakness of Hawthorne House Orphanage, devises a game centered around a Royal Court. This imaginative play quickly escalates, as the girls vie for power within their self-created hierarchy. The game, initially a source of camaraderie, morphs into a perilous struggle, revealing the darker facets of human nature.

Shiradski masterfully crafts an atmosphere thick with tension and dread. The orphanage, with its oppressive ambiance, becomes a character in its own right, embodying the despair and desperation of its inhabitants. The author's prose is both evocative and unsettling, drawing readers into a world where the line between innocence and malevolence blurs.

The novella is structured in two parts: the first delves into the inception and evolution of the girls' game, while the second examines the lingering consequences of their actions. This bifurcated narrative allows for a comprehensive exploration of the characters' psyches and the lasting impact of their choices.

What Happened at Hawthorne House is a compelling read for enthusiasts of gothic horror and psychological thrillers. Shiradski's portrayal of the dark recesses of childhood imagination and the consequences of unchecked power is both thought-provoking and profoundly eerie.

Short and spooky, WHAT HAPPED AT HAWTHORNE HOUSE is a brilliant ghost story set in a 1926 girls' orphanage.

As you would expect with a group of girls, there's a wide range of personalities, which leads to a dangerous game that is out of control. The girls are mean, but you quickly grow with each character in their development.

The book is divided up into two section, with the first section really diving into who these girls are, giving the reader a better idea of their day to day lives. There are quite a few characters, so it could be difficult to keep track of everyone.

The second part of the book is quite different, giving a completely different feeling. It's quite an eerie feeling following Andrew around as he understands Hawthorne House better.

This is a fantastic story for anyone who loves a paranormal story.

I liked the setting of "What happened at Hawthorne House" and how the book is short and a good horror snack.

It is divided into two parts and to some extent that was a problem for me. The first part was quite disorienting at the beginning. I had problems to distinguish the girls and how their dynamic worked. Especially Sarah and Mary got mixed up in my head and there was a moment when I wondered who Rosalyn was. But that got cleared quite soon and I was able to enjoy this game that spiraled out of control. The ending of this first part was gut wrenching and would have made an excellent ending allover.

But then the second part started and I was thrown out of the narrative because it was so different. It is a bold decision to change pace that abruptly and after finishing the novel I could live with that decision pretty well but at first it could have been a reason for dnf'ing if the story would have been longer. I liked how the inspector worked with the children and how even after their death they were hauntingly scary in the game of the Clover Court. His reasoning behind how he acts would have been better if shown instead of told but I liked the effect.

As a result I would like to read something else by the author even if this novel had some weaknesses I could overlook!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me this book as an E-ARC.

A deliciously creepy tale set in an orphanage where little girls are playing a dark game.

Great setting and enough tension to make for a gripping story. I appreciated how it was split in 2 parts and I enjoyed them both equally.

All in all it was a great novella. Can't wait to see more from this author!

This was an interesting story. A little slow in the beginning, it picks up the pace after a bit. There are a few passages that are nicely twisted. I was just expecting a little more. 3.5 stars.

Welcome to Hawthorne House—an orphanage where mean little girls play dangerous games to become queen.

The rules are simple: prank the other girls or get them in trouble with the Matron. At first, the tricks are harmless—tossing clothes out the window, hiding bugs in shoes. But when two sisters arrive, things turn cruel and even deadly.

These girls are nasty, and some scenes are hard to stomach. Be sure to check the trigger warnings before reading.

The first half of the book was interesting, following the girls' daily lives and their tricks. But I had trouble keeping track of who was who since they weren’t very distinct.

The second half, set years after a tragedy at Hawthorne House, had promise, but the ending felt disappointing. There wasn’t much action—it just ended. I wanted a bigger, more exciting finish. I feel like it could have been better but it was still entertaining.

Set in an orphanage that becomes a funeral pyre, This haunting story is tragic and dark. Childhood games become deadly.

Very good atmosphere rich book. I did like the unsettling vibes and the children being at odds with each other.

Gothic...and i loved every single second of it! This was so creepy and disturbing. I have a hard time finding books that actually creep me out but this...this did the job! There's something about children in an orphanage and ghosts that just had me turning the lights on at night!

A very atmospheric Gothic short novella, game gone too far! Very creepy and entertaining! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for arc of this book!

What happened at Hawthorne house by Hadassah Shiradski is told in different parts and spans various decades. The first part of the book takes place in November 1926 at an orphanage of sorts. We are introduced to three young girls, Rosalie, Marie & Sophie who live at Hawthorne house. The young girls have an active imagination and bide their time playing make believe. They love to pretend that Hawthorne house is a castle, that one of them is a queen and the rest are princesses. Two more girls named Heather and Willow also come to Hawthorne Manor and are drawn into, although hesitantly, the game of make believe and the royal court. When a game of make believe turns tragic, their games take on a more sinister turn.

Part 2 takes place years later and we are introduced to Andrew whose job is to restore what once was Hawthorne house. Andrew, who also happens to be a medium, communicates with those who lived at Hawthorne house once upon a time. Upon seeing that the precious inhabitants do not like future inhabitants in their space, Andrew comes up with a set of rules to keep those who visit safe.

If you are a fan of paranormal stories then this short novella might be for you. Special thanks to Hadassah for sending your book to NetGalley. I received it in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This novella is about a children's game that turns sinister and the consequences of the game. Contains subject matter that may be upsetting to some readers.


This book takes place at an orphanage in 1929. A group of girls come up with a game called The Clover Court, where much like real life royalty, the Queen holds the power. It starts out innocent enough. Girls vying for the position of queen, where they hold power in the game and amongst the girls in their day to day. At first I was bored. Girls being mean. Yawn. We get it. But then it turns sinister. And yes, that's where it got my attention. These girls turn violent on top of their cruelness. And it ends with their death. That held my attention.


And then we get the second half. While I love that we get what leads to the haunted house,it falls flat on the haunted house part. The house is being rebuilt and a medium is overseeing the development. His goal is the rebuild the Hawthorne House while he attempts to finish the game and set the girls free. This never happens. It just ends after a group of what I assume mediums enter, years after the house is rebuilt. Just nothing. It ends. No solution, good or bad. Very unsatisfying to a book that started out strong.


The first half had me on the edge of my seat. The second half was a struggle for me to finish. So much more could have been done to bring this novella full circle. To end it. Honestly would not read again and would only recommend you read the first half. The ending of the first half is enough to get you what you need from this novella.

3/5 rating

This gothic horror novella is set in 1920s England and follows a group of young girls at an orphanage. After establishing a rule over Hawthorne House the reader follows a cruel children's game gone too far. However, that's not all. A shift in the timeline allows us to really find out what happened at Hawthorne house.

The eerie atmosphere of this novella is perfect for fans of short horror stories and unnerving plots. A list of trigger warnings is provided in the novella.

Thank you Ntegalley, Hadassah Shiradski and Brigids Gate Press for the eARC of What Happens at Hawthorne House.

Set in an Orphanage in the 1920's, a game that goes wrong with a group girls who keep pranking each other. I found this book had an interesting premise and has great elements of dread and gothic darkness prevalent for this time period. I found the girls personalities really interesting being preteen and teens and I felt they all had individuality. The plot is medium to fast with a nice build to the pay off which makes it a fast read novella.

I loved the gothic atmosphere of this book and I felt that there was some repetition in the plot line ( going in circles ) before the pay off. I would have loved to of seen more character development with the characters rather than the plot line. Overall a really interesting gothic horror.

3.75 stars for Storygraph. 4 stars for other review sites.

This book had a good premise and I was very eager to read it, but it fell flat for me and I just couldn't bring myself to finish it. A group of mean girls playing games to become 'queen' just feels a little to ya for me.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press for the ARC copy they provided.

What Happened at Hawthorne House was a surprisingly hard book to read. I went in expecting a typical ghost story, in essence, a tragedy, but this isn’t exactly what I found. What Happened at Hawthorne House is a tragedy, yes, but it is also a book dealing with a lot of intentional, senseless cruelty and mutual abuse. Reading this material was difficult and stomach turning at times.

That said, the fact I felt sick at heart for the characters and the actions portrayed on the page means this book is well written. Hadassah Shiradski created an emotion-packed work that will leave you feeling as any ghost story should, haunted. And with the subtle dread of a place you’ve never been and never want to go. If you are looking for a book to read in the dark and leave you with a little pit of despair and disgust in your gut, What Happened at Hawthorne House is the right book for you.