I received an advanced copy of Little Eve from Netgalley and was excited because I’ve heard great things about Catriona Ward. This book was deliciously dark and gothic, a perfect Scottish setting for the coming fall days. It was a tale about a secluded “family” living in a rundown castle on an island with strange rituals and preparing for the end of days. In the opening pages, a villager delivering food to the castle discovers their bodies, all missing an eye. Everyone in the family is dead except for Dinah, who is barely alive. From there, Dinah tells us the story about life on the island and with Uncle, the leader of their cult. She unravels the mystery of that fateful day and we learn the truth about their lives and their deaths.

The writing was haunting and gripping and the story was disturbing, so this won’t be for more sensitive readers. I found it perfectly creepy and it only crossed my personal lines in the tiniest of ways, which made the story that much more enthralling. Little Eve will be published on October 11, 2022 and is available to be pre-ordered. Did I say this is the perfect October read for those of us who enjoy the scarier side of things? Because it is. And I’m planning to read more by this author as the season shifts because I have a feeling I’m going to love all of her work.