Eva Pasco

5.0 out of 5 stars

Eerie and Endearing Occult Horror

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2024

Verified Purchase

Author Beth Hildenbrand’s vivid descriptions and historical references build “The Laurels Creative Retreat” from the basement to the attic, granting the reader a solid foundation on which to stand and shiver in terror when the “spookies” make their presence known.

I succumbed to the retreat’s charm and became enamored with the characters. Some are there at random to engage their creative pursuits. Others have a bloodline connection which puts them in Abby’s path.

Judge and Jury, Terra, Layla, Perry, Eva, and Abby somehow develop lifelong familial ties through a friendship budding from an interest in getting to the bottom of where the tombstones grow.

If The Laurels were more than a figment of the author’s imagination, I’d reserve a room there. I highly recommend this Occult Horror novel teeming with charm and unease.