The Cold House

Though it’s a modern gothic (unlike the A.G.Slatter Sourdough books I’ve read), The Cold House has the one thing that keeps me reading her works: a smart, snarky, relatable heroine.

The Cold House opens with a grieving Everly Bainbridge, and the opening paragraphs bring us into her grief. She doesn’t say, I’m sad. She says, I can’t bear the absence of them in the spaces they used to inhabit - and it is this which is the catalyst for her move to a house-sit near the (too?) picturesque village of St.Jude’s on an island that is only accessible from the mainland during low tide.

When she arrives for what she thought would be some quiet time to grieve and to write - an outlet that has helped her work though previous trauma - she instead finds herself haunted by what she believes to be her daughter’s spirit as she starts uncovering more secrets about her husband, his family, and the village.

The Cold House from A.G. Slatter combines folk, gothic, and grief horror with a funny, relatable protagonist for a quick, one-sitting read perfect to kick off haunting season with.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the advance copy for my honest review. Pub. Date: 10/7/25

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