Hester Musson
(read 22/12/2025)
4/5 ⭐️
‘A storm in the middle of October this far north? Yes, surely the work of the devil.’ – truly the perfect summary of North of Scotland.
I think it’s important to begin with a note that as soon as the words “the alienist” were uttered I imagined the Lachlan as Daniel Brühl in The Alienist.
This is my second books from Hester and this one is just as, if not more, gripping as The Beholders.
The rural Scotland/Edinburgh/London settings are perfect for a gothic tale of Victorian spiritualism, misogyny in professional (and especially medical) settings and grief in all of its forms.
The horror/supernatural elements are terrifying (I did sometimes regret reading this right before bed), the characters fascinating and the plot engaging.
It does lose its footing every now and again when it comes to pace but the story itself will keep you guessing enough to keep going, even at the slower points.
The Night Hag was published 26/02/2026.
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