There was not a single moment or character that I didn’t enjoy as I raced through this book anxious to see how it ends and that was refreshing after a bit of a slump. I think the plot moved along nicely allowing this organic build to the climax and there isn’t a question I feel was left unanswered as I finished which I was a bit worried about as I went along as sometimes books or shows that try to capture that unnerving dread tend to do in the final beats. Macabre yet somehow cozy, All the Dead Lie Down is perfect for readers who enjoy charmingly disturbing children and grand old houses full of secrets. A great book to curl up with on a dark night.' — Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns

As Marin tries to untangle the mystery around the Lovelace estate and the complicated history between her mother and Alice Lovelace, she also meets a girl her age, and a tenuous romance develops between them. I loved the sweetness of that love against the darkness of the rest of the story. Conclusion There are a lot of secrets at play in this book and I think McCauley hints at them well throughout. The foreshadowing was sometimes a little too opaque, but all in all it was fun to find clues. I also loved the reveal of the stalking. Even before you get it confirmed why Alice was monitoring them, the sudden understanding of how deep it all went and how much Alice had been effecting her life was so creepy and impactful. I really loved the build of this book as it lets you question how much if any of the creepy occurrences are real or just a bit of fun conjured up by a couple of kids who love torturing their Nannie’s until they eventually quit. There’s a few moments in here that I actually laughed out loud over the sass of the two girls and the exasperation Marin felt trying to keep up with them. This novel was simply incredible. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. It was advertised as a novel for those who are fans of The Haunting of Bly Manor, one of my favorite horror TV shows (albeit I love Hill House more), and the inspiration was very clear. The slow unraveling of all the mysterious secrets held by the family, and the confines of their secluded property, left me hooked until the very end. While, at times, I felt the story was getting too similar to Bly Manor, I can happily say the uniqueness of this story shines through. The “slow burn” nature of the gradual horrors unfolding was done perfectly, and I think the Bly Manor writers would be equally impressed. Given that this story was compared to one of my favorite shows, I had high expectations, and this novel exceeded them. The characters really hooked me into the story, too. It’s a very predominantly female cast. I think the only male named characters are the Lovelace girls’ father and a neighbor man who kind of looks out for danger in the woods. The younger sisters are mischievous and odd. It’s easy to tell they’re lonely and grieving, and that they’re keeping some kind of secret. I liked the push and pull feeling of the relationship between them and Marin, who feels drawn to them because of their sorrow and loneliness but wary because they can be capricious and cold.Molly’s also covering the passage of a bill through the State Senate which will legalise the carrying of hidden weapons. She’s against it, but the gun lobby is rich and resourceful. It’s bound to get through. The Senate doesn’t realize that some vigilantes believe that the bill will work against them; and that the right to bear arms is more important than any other, including the right to live.

All the characters are great: the two children are definitely a fun addition to the story (and this is coming from someone who cannot stand kids). Evie was wonderful, and I really did believe the romance that developed between her and Marin. But Marin, the main character, is really the one who stole the show for me. I mean, come on: a young girl riddled with constant dread and anxiety, always anticipating the worst-case scenarios, finding an odd comfort in horror stories, and slowly discovering that she's sapphic as hell? Did I meet McCauley at age 17 and then promptly forget about that encounter while she went off and wrote an entire novel about me? I related to Marin so much, and it made it really easy for me to become deeply invested in the story from the very beginning. I loved following her on her journey and watching her grow as a person. I thought Marin was a great YA character. Not a pushover, and definitely not a Mary Sue. She takes Thea and Wren on (dealing with awful pranks) but realizes that something seems off with Alice. She finds herself falling for Evie, but realizes that something is going on that she doesn't understand. McCauley skillfully wrangles haunting atmosphere, anticipatory tension, and macabre humor to cultivate a slow-boiling thriller couched in a decades-old mystery.' — Publishers Weekly

Completely compelling thriller featuring crime journalist Molly Cates (heroine of THE RED SCREAM and UNDER THE BEETLE’S CELLAR). Fanatic gun lobbyists and vigilantes plot to blow up the Texas Senate, but are overheard by a homeless bag lady – and Molly’s the only person who believes her Chilling, convincing, powerfully entertaining, this is suspense writing at its best as crime journalist Molly Cates is dragged into the desperate underworld of the homeless, threatened by vigilantes and brought face to face with the violence in her own past. Molly’s also following the passage of a bill which will legalize the carrying of hidden weapons.The senators don’t know that a faction of extremist vigilantes believe that the bill will work against them, and that the right to bear arms is more important than any other, including the right to live... The book takes you on a ride within the Lovelace house. A combination of magic and horror, the book is about Marin who receives a letter to be a nanny at Lovelace House. Now that she has lost everything, this seems like a good start. But the girls are weird and there is something unnerving about the house. 🏡. As she is settling down, the level of incidents occurring at the house increases with the return of the eldest daughter. The game of death and shadows has begun! This book definitely enjoys a Gothic Horror leaning aesthetic, and the bones and the sprawling estate fit with greenhouse and ancient cemetery really make this setting feel real and get your ready for the story being told. I appreciate how much this is a "girl comes to be a nanny, is immediately isolated and over her head" classic piece of horror, but in a way that still feels modern even while leaning into that dressing.

The atmosphere in this book was the perfect eerie setting for a spine chilling horror novel. I loved the way that everything slowly unraveled as Marin unfurled the mysteries of the Lovelace family. Her romance with Evie was soft and tender, and it was so sweet seeing the two girls band together to protect the younger sisters. The horror aspect slowly unfurled and was cleverly done. The ramifications of Evie's power slowly lead to escalating horror and gore. This was a great YA horror read! Under the Beetle’s Cellar' is an instant classic in mystery and suspense. The best chiller-thriller of the year” Winner of the Edgar Award for 'The Red Scream', the Agatha Award for 'Zero at the Bone', and the Hammett Prize and Macavity Award for 'Under the Beetle’s Cellar', Mary Willis Walker is one of the most exciting writers to emerge in any genre in recent years. She lives in Texas.

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Superb storytelling and gripping suspense once again from the author who puts Patricia Cornwell in the shade. Cow Lady realizes that their plot against the State Senate is in deadly earnest, but she can’t see why she should do anything about it. Who’d believe her, anyway? Only the journalist covering the lives of her bag-lady companions – Molly Cates.

Pitched as The Haunting of Bly Manor meets House of Salt and Shadows, All the Dead Lie Down is a title with a romantic gothic plot line that immediately grabbed my attention when I noticed it on NetGalley. However, this book unfortunately ended up not being for me. While the book feels quite slow overall, I appreciated its easy prose and enjoyed reading from the main character’s point of view. McCauley skillfully wrangles haunting atmosphere, anticipatory tension, and macabre humor to cultivate a slow-boiling thriller couched in a decades-old mystery. The sweet connection between Marin and Evie is solid and affirming, providing levying contrast to occasional moments of gruesome imagery and outright horror." — Publishers Weekly BLY MANOR meets MEXICAN GOTHIC in this haunting romance about a dark family lineage, the ghosts of grief, and the lines we’ll cross for love. A great way to start off spooky season early! (If I'm being honest, I've been in a spooky mood all year, but let's say that this is my official entryway into Halloween-time). The two best things about this book are its setting and its characters. I hate cold, muddy, windy, rainy environments, and yet, more than anything, I want to spend some time at Lovelace House. Something about McCauley's writing made this objectively horrible home seem enticing and cozy. I also want to fall in love with the eldest daughter of some odd, eerie family whose children I'm babysitting, as the two of us run around the dark hallways of this terrifying mansion, while we steal kisses in the shadows of the night: is that really too much to ask?I think this is a perfect book for those who want to dip their toes into horror, and for those who like a healthy balance between a dark aesthetic and moments of hope and levity. Overall, I feel like the synopsis didn’t match what the novel actually delivered and I was expecting something much more atmospheric and creepy. All The Dead Lie Down might be something I’d recommend to a reader who had never read in the paranormal realm before but other than that, I’d say skip this one. Nobody knows that within the gun lobby lurks a band of extremists who believe that the bill will work against them. And that the right to bear arms is more important than any other, including the right to live. I do highly recommend this to fans of gothic horror and haunted houses. It was a fast read and I easily finished it in two days. I will be keeping my eye out for more books from this author. In the heat of the Texas summer, there are few cool places for the homeless to hide. Cow Lady guards her patch with grim ferocity, until one evening, when strange men arrive and talk of guns and gas.