Content warning: this book review contains mentions of religious trauma and suicide.

“Run run run, the ax man is coming!”

In my first review of a repeat-author, today I’ll be sharing with you my thoughts on Darcys Coates’ The Haunting of Blackwood House. Coates is a USA Today best-selling horror author, and you can find my previous review of another book of hers, The Haunting of Ashburn House.

Mara has lived a mainly solitary life since she left home and set boundaries with her spiritualist parents. Raised in an environment steeped in séances, rituals, and occult practices, Mara grew up skeptical of it all—convinced it was nothing more than a hoax. Her only real connection is with her boyfriend Neil, a devout Christian who’s as kind as he is cautious—and utterly petrified of anything supernatural.

When Mara decides it’s time to buy a home, she finds only one property within her budget: the dilapidated Blackwood House. The catch? It’s infamous. Once home to a serial killer named Robert Kant—better known as the Ax Man—it’s been abandoned for over two decades. The last family to live there fled in such haste that their dinner is still set on the table. Whispers of hauntings have circulated for over a century, ever since Kant’s gruesome suicide on the main stairwell.

Despite the home’s grisly history, Mara, ever the skeptic, dismisses the warnings and purchases the house. After all, countless old homes have seen tragedy—why should this one be any different? But soon after moving in, strange events begin to unfold. And before long, Mara can no longer explain away the eerie phenomena surrounding her. Could it be that ghosts really do exist?

Coates has a remarkable gift for atmospheric horror. Her vivid descriptions of the decaying Blackwood House—with its long shadow of death and mystery—make it impossible to read this novel without feeling a chill run down your spine. I was lucky enough to read it during a thunderstorm, which only heightened the tension.

There’s a rich vein of mystery running through this story, and the slow reveal of Mara’s hidden connection to the house is paced perfectly to keep you turning pages late into the night. Her increasingly disturbing dreams—more like vivid nightmares—blur the line between reality and illusion, drawing the reader deep into her unraveling psyche. You’ll genuinely feel her panic, her doubt, and her fear as the story pushes her to question everything she once believed.

Darcy Coates has truly earned her place as a modern master of gothic horror. The Haunting of Blackwood House is an ideal pick if you’re craving a haunting tale that spans generations. Coates continues to impress me, and she’s definitely earned a permanent spot on my list of favorite authors.

I’m always on the lookout for more horror writers—if you have a favorite, drop their name in the comments below!