Preview
  • My Darling Dreadful Thing

  • A Novel
  • By: Johanna van Veen
  • Narrated by: Jess Nesling
  • Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (63 ratings)

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My Darling Dreadful Thing

By: Johanna van Veen
Narrated by: Jess Nesling
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Publisher's summary

Goodreads Most Anticipated Horror of 2024

Spirits are drawn to salt, be it blood or tears.

Roos Beckman has a spirit companion only she can see. Ruth—strange, corpse-like, and dead for centuries—is the light of Roos' life. That is, until the wealthy young widow Agnes Knoop visits one of Roos' backroom seances, and the two strike up a connection.

Soon, Roos is whisked away to the crumbling estate Agnes inherited upon the death of her husband, where an ill woman haunts the halls, strange smells drift through the air, and mysterious stone statues reside in the family chapel. Something dreadful festers in the manor, but still, the attraction between Roos and Agnes is undeniable.

Then, someone is murdered.

Poor, alone, and with a history of 'hysterics', Roos is the obvious culprit. With her sanity and innocence in question, she'll have to prove who—or what—is at fault or lose everything she holds dear.

"A Sapphic seance of preternatural proportions, My Darling Dreadful Thing summons a stunning new literary voice to be reckoned with. Johanna van Veen reaches beyond the veil to conjure up a gothic shocker like no other."—Clay McLeod Chapman, author of What Kind of Mother and Ghost Eaters

©2024 Johanna van Veen (P)2024 Tantor
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+
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What listeners say about My Darling Dreadful Thing

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Everything about this book was exceptional. I did not expect what happens!

I would love to see a series with this type of storyline. Maybe not this specific one but others with spirit companions.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Sapphic ghosts? Count me in.

From page 1 I was captivated. The relationship between these women crescendos early but builds to a darling love I will think of often.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

loved the interpretation of spirits in this book.

I was drawn in from the very start and devoured this book. The story was just so fascinating and the narration was perfect.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing a beautiful story

An amazing gothic mystery novel. I had only a little bit of an idea of what the novel would be about but if you're a fan of Anne Rice or any other classic gothic novels you will love it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I took a chance on something outside my wheelhouse and was incredibly surprised!!!!

Details both introspective and pleasantly articulated, without the overbearing nuances some authors waste pages on, pulled me into this story immediately. The author didn't hesitate, through long winded narratives, to deliver the odd circumstances of the main character right away, quickly giving her immediate depth. Changes in perspective with forward jumping glimpses into consequence offered another layer toward the story's climax. I usually delve into the realms of science fiction or fantasy with a splash of horror every now and then, so this wasn't precisely outside my purview but I was surprised how quickly I became engrossed in this book. I very highly recommend "My Darling Dreadful Thing" to anyone looking for a good read and/or listen!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Bleak and Heartwarming

The narrator did a lovely job. The story was excellent. I enjoyed very much. Would recommend

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great pacing, beautiful prose and imagery

Honestly this is worth reading/listening to. It’s definitely full of body horror and if you’re not a fan of tragedies maybe sit this one out.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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I loved it!

I really enjoyed this book! I was pleasantly surprised by it. I would read another by this author.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Heartbreakingly beautiful

This isn’t a horror story, but a love story. I really enjoyed how the author portrays spirits and how it is they come about, the companionship, relationships between human and spirit. The narrator done a wonderful job with all the characters. The author did such a great job as well with her descriptions of everything that I felt like I was part of the story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The main character was written so well.

Pleasantly dark. The plot of this book is very well written. The narrator does a great job. I will look for more of her readings.

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