A new mom in need of help opens her door to her long-estranged mother—only to invite something much darker inside—in this “fast-paced and frightening debut” (Rachel Harrison) about the long shadows cast by family secrets, perfect for readers of Grady Hendrix or Ashley Audrain.

Flora is a new mom enamored of her baby girl, Iris, even if she arrived a few weeks early. With her husband still deployed, Flora navigates the newborn stage alone. But as the sleepless nights pass in the loneliness of their half-empty home, the edges of her reality begin to blur.

Just as Flora becomes convinced she is losing her mind, a surprising guest shows up: Flora’s own mother, to whom she hasn’t spoken in years. Can they mend their fraught relationship? Or is there more Flora’s mother isn’t telling her about the events that led to their estrangement?

As stranger and scarier events unfold, Flora begins to suspect the house is not as empty as she once thought. She must determine: is her hold on reality slipping dangerously away? Or is she, in fact, the only thing standing between a terrifying visitor and her baby?

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one, seeing as the reviews have been mixed. I love a good new mommy horror story, and when you add in an isolated setting, it’s even more appealing. That said, I ended up really enjoying this one and managed to read it in just a few hours.

The story follows Flora, a young woman who just gave birth to a baby girl. Flora’s husband is deployed and won’t be home for a few more weeks, so her father and her stepmother graciously helped her out at first, but they’ve had to get back to their lives, leaving Flora alone, sleep-deprived, and struggling to keep up with the demands of being a new mother. After they’ve gone, Flora has trouble keeping up, and self-limiting beliefs begin to settle in. Is she really cut out for this? In a moment of desperation, Flora reaches out to her estranged mother, whom she hasn’t spoken to in years, and asks for help.

Flora’s mother is happy to step in, and when she arrives, she immediately treats Flora as though nothing negative transpired between them. At first, it seems like everything will be okay and Flora will be able to manage just fine until her husband gets home, but it doesn’t take long before the strange events begin to happen, and Flora starts to wonder if her mother is up to something – or if there’s something after both of them.

This is a creepy and twisty tale that moves at a brisk pace. It is the perfect read for this time of year. I really loved how skillfully Walters weaved together themes of motherhood and mental health. The author also does an excellent job of capturing the raw emotions and vulnerabilities that come with being a new mother, and the way in which she explores Flora’s internal struggles is very realistic. Flora’s desperation and fear as she grapples with the possibility of losing her mind are palpable throughout the story, and there were times when even I wondered if it was Flora, her mother, or something else entirely behind the strange happenings.

The relationship between Flora and her mother is really what drives the story forward. Little by little, we learn what transpired between them and why their relationship is so fraught. There are a couple of twists later on in the book (one of which I suspected early on) that added a nice, creepy touch. This is the second book in a few weeks that I’ve read that deals with the complexities new mothers face, and I felt that Walters handled it in a way that even I – a cis male – could understand and sympathize with.

As the tension mounts and the mysteries surrounding Flora’s increasingly eerie experiences deepen, the book becomes even more dark and creepy. The suspense continuously builds and culminates in a satisfying, though slightly unsurprising, way.

Overall, I found this to be a creepy novel that explores the darker side of motherhood and the power of familial bonds. The characters were just right, the pacing was perfect, and Flora’s unraveling was – dare I say – fun to watch. Whether you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, domestic dramas or simply love a good mystery, this is a nice, quick, and creepy read worth checking out.

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