Unrelentingly scary and thrilling, Dark Is When the Devil Comes is an ambitious and chilling novel from acclaimed horror author Daisy Pearce.

The woods are known as the place to avoid. What goes in, doesn’t come out.

Hazel has been gone from her small hometown of Idless in the English countryside for years. Now returned in the wake of a traumatic divorce and crumbling personal life, her simple plans are to lay low at her parents’ vacated house, reconnect with her prickly sister Cathy, and slowly get back on her feet.

Cathy is surprised when Hazel doesn’t show. Their relationship strained from a fallout half a decade ago, she didn’t expect them to get back into a sisterly rhythm…though she hadn’t counted on Hazel bailing, either.

But something isn’t adding up. Other people in town whisper of a threat that can’t be shaken. The woods are known for being restless. And Cathy knows the old saying.

If you go looking for trouble, you just might find it.

I received an advance copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

Last year, I read “Something in the Walls” by this author and really enjoyed the creepy mystery and the atmosphere of dread. This time around, all of that is present but amped up by a hundred. I found this one to be even creepier, and the characters all carry the story with real weight.

Hazel has just gone through a nasty divorce and decides to come back to her hometown in the English countryside. She’s planning to stay in her parents’ empty house while she figures out what to do with her life. It’s also a chance to maybe repair her fractured relationship with her sister, Cathy. Things have been strained between them for years. But Hazel doesn’t even get the chance to try before she’s abducted.

Cathy is surprised, but not really, when Hazel doesn’t show up for their prearranged meeting. She didn’t expect them to slip right back into a sisterly rhythm, but she also didn’t expect Hazel to just bail. Still, something isn’t adding up. Things are off around her parents’ house, and there’s a man who seems to maybe be tied to Hazel. And other people in town are whispering about a threat in the woods. Women have gone missing for years there. Is Hazel yet another victim?

Hazel’s personal struggles really drive the story. The poor woman can’t catch a break. She’s trying to rebuild her life after her marriage fell apart, and instead of finding a quiet place to heal, she’s pulled into something dark and dangerous. Watching her navigate both her internal struggles and the very real external threat was compelling.

The book is told through multiple POVs, and this really helps paint the bigger picture. It’s effective because you’re not stuck with just one character’s limited understanding. You’re piecing things together from multiple angles. There’s also a nice mix of paranormal horror elements combined with thriller and mystery. The woods are genuinely unsettling, and the book doesn’t rush to explain what is happening or why. It lets the tension build and the dread settle in.

Sometimes I get bored with slow-burn books, but that wasn’t the case here, mostly because the characters are so interesting that it kept me fully locked in. Yeah, the pacing was a little slow, but it never dragged for me. I was invested in what was happening and what was going to happen next.

The writing is strong; Pearce excels at building an eerie atmosphere in the small, isolated English town. The central mystery involving the woods, along with Hazel’s confrontations with unsettling basement events and echoes from her past, raises the stakes and tension throughout. The novel is consistently creepy and often unnerving. Beyond the surface-level chills, there are deeper themes at play. Pearce explores how trauma can linger and shape lives, especially when coupled with isolation and estranged family relationships. The story also touches on the lasting bonds and tensions between siblings, and the ways people confront the shadows of their past. These underlying themes give the novel extra layers and make it more than just your standard thriller.

I both read and listened to this one, and the narration by Catrin Walker-Booth is very effective. She captures the characters and the urgency of the story very well.

If you loved “Something in the Walls,” this is an easy recommendation. If you enjoy slow-burn horror with strong character work or paranormal mysteries set in small, isolated towns, give this a try. The blend of thriller and supernatural elements builds a creeping sense of dread. I look forward to reading more by this author—she’s quickly becoming a must-read for me.