A sinister Gothic folk horror from the bestselling author of The Ghosts of Merry Hall, in which a family in modern day England find their new home beset by the terrifying ghosts of the past. Ideal for lovers of gothic chillers by Laura Purcell, Susan Hill and Rebecca Netley.
When her husband, Ben, takes on his first parish in the rural community of Hope-Upon-Barrow, Kate Greenwood feels like it could be a fresh start for the family. But from the moment they arrive, something just feels… off. It could be the locals, with their strange rituals and rites. Or it could be the yew tree which stands in a graveyard bordering their garden, whose presence brings headaches, visions and disturbing, unfamiliar memories that do not belong to Kate.
As she investigates the strange things happening to her, Kate begins to delve into the history and memories of Hope-upon-Barrow, and the more she uncovers, the more she risks losing herself to something deadly and ancient.
An extraordinary new Gothic chiller from the bestselling author of The Ghosts of Merry Hall.
PRAISE FOR THE GHOSTS OF MERRY HALL
‘Dark, unsettling and beautifully written, this gothic chiller is full of surprises. Terrifying but impossible to put down – I loved it!’ Carly Reagon, author of The Toll House and Hear Him Calling
‘A darkly gleaming gem of a novel about the persistence of memory and the dangers lurking in the shadows of an old and brooding house.’ A. J. Elwood, author of The Other Lives of Miss Emily White and The Cottingley Cuckoo
‘A mesmerising and original gothic tale that I struggled to put down. Beautifully written, dark and delicious. I literally dropped everything to read it in two days!’ Jody Cooksley, author of The Small Museum
‘The Ghosts of Merry Hall is a gothic treasure chest full of seedy secrets and eerie charm. I loved Dolly Dove from the start.’ Verity M. Holloway, author of The Others of Edenwell
“Heather Davey has crafted a confident, thoughtful, and deeply atmospheric debut that marks her as a significant new voice in gothic fiction.”—Ginger Nuts of Horror
Heather Davey has an MA in Writing from Bath Spa University and was a student on the Curtis Brown Creative Finish Your Novel course. She has always been fascinated by ghost stories and was a contributor to the BBC2 series Uncanny. Outside of her work as a school librarian, she runs creative writing workshops, and will be a judge for the Yoto Carnegie Medals in 2025 and 2026. The Ghosts of Merry Hall is her debut novel. Follow Heather on Twitter/X at @HethDavey; Bluesky at @heatherdaveyauthor.bsky.social; and Instagram at @heather_author.
A sinister Gothic folk horror from the bestselling author of The Ghosts of Merry Hall, in which a family in modern day England find their new home beset by the terrifying ghosts of the past. Ideal for lovers of gothic chillers by Laura Purcell, Susan Hill and Rebecca Netley.
When her husband, Ben, takes on his first parish in the rural community of Hope-Upon-Barrow, Kate Greenwood feels like it could be a fresh start for the family. But from the moment they arrive, something just feels… off. It could be the locals, with their strange rituals and rites. Or it could be the yew tree which stands in a graveyard bordering their garden, whose presence brings headaches, visions and disturbing, unfamiliar memories that do not belong to Kate.
As she investigates the strange things happening to her, Kate begins to delve into the history and memories of Hope-upon-Barrow, and the more she uncovers, the more she risks losing herself to something deadly and ancient.
An extraordinary new Gothic chiller from the bestselling author of The Ghosts of Merry Hall.
Praise
PRAISE FOR THE GHOSTS OF MERRY HALL
‘Dark, unsettling and beautifully written, this gothic chiller is full of surprises. Terrifying but impossible to put down – I loved it!’ Carly Reagon, author of The Toll House and Hear Him Calling
‘A darkly gleaming gem of a novel about the persistence of memory and the dangers lurking in the shadows of an old and brooding house.’ A. J. Elwood, author of The Other Lives of Miss Emily White and The Cottingley Cuckoo
‘A mesmerising and original gothic tale that I struggled to put down. Beautifully written, dark and delicious. I literally dropped everything to read it in two days!’ Jody Cooksley, author of The Small Museum
‘The Ghosts of Merry Hall is a gothic treasure chest full of seedy secrets and eerie charm. I loved Dolly Dove from the start.’ Verity M. Holloway, author of The Others of Edenwell
“Heather Davey has crafted a confident, thoughtful, and deeply atmospheric debut that marks her as a significant new voice in gothic fiction.”—Ginger Nuts of Horror
Author
Heather Davey has an MA in Writing from Bath Spa University and was a student on the Curtis Brown Creative Finish Your Novel course. She has always been fascinated by ghost stories and was a contributor to the BBC2 series Uncanny. Outside of her work as a school librarian, she runs creative writing workshops, and will be a judge for the Yoto Carnegie Medals in 2025 and 2026. The Ghosts of Merry Hall is her debut novel. Follow Heather on Twitter/X at @HethDavey; Bluesky at @heatherdaveyauthor.bsky.social; and Instagram at @heather_author.
