The Haunting of Lavender House is a lyrical, atmospheric historical horror book. Petra’s mother died in a car crash and she decides to visit her ancestral homeland of Croatia. She meets her grandmother on the fictional island of Tolba, her mother always said she was dead. Petra visits the home with lavender fields surrounding it. She soon learns that a lot of folklore surrounds the family home as well.
The other POV is from 1895, where Magdalena agrees to help an old lady and hopes to repair her reputation.
In these intersecting timelines, both Petra and Magdalena find love and confuse it with belonging.
I enjoyed a lot of things about this book. Both of the main characters are compelling, flawed but likable. The setting and incorporating the Slavic language and folklore legends. For me, the pacing was a bit off, the dialogue seemed stilted at times and the climax was rushed, although it was very thrilling.
I would recommend this book for lovers of gothic horror, atmospheric, creepy reads.
Thanks to NetGalley and park Row for the ARC. Book to be published 10/20/26.
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