Ravens and black crows have often been seen in supernatural tales as omens or harbingers of death. In Native American lore, they were looked upon as representing the eternal ethos of time, with the ability to see past, present and future all at once.

It is through the eyes of a raven that the action of Sarah Pinborough’s WE LIVE HERE NOW begins. This is the ideal representation for a gothic horror novel that is filled with symbolism, supernatural imagery, and secrets involving memory and the passage of time. Additionally, for fans of classic horror, there are more than a few Edgar Allan Poe references in the narrative, including the appearance of the ravens.

"WE LIVE HERE NOW never disappoints from start to finish and provides enough frights, along with an incredibly unique finale, to please all fans of gothic horror and countless other readers."

The first incident we witness involves a raven mourning its partner, who is lying dead within Larkin Lodge. As it flies away, it recognizes that something has awakened within this haunted place, and new life will be there soon. That prediction comes to fruition in the form of Emily and Freddie Bennett, who have purchased the eerie house on the moors to escape life in London and a recent accident that nearly cost Emily her life.

Still walking with a cane and both physically and mentally unsteady, Emily suffered a fall on the hiking trail with Freddie and two other couples while vacationing in Ibiza. She barely survived and must deal with the fallout of serious sepsis that continues to impinge on her memory and overall thought process. You can only imagine what this will do to someone who is now moving into a very haunted house!

Upon arriving at Larkin Lodge, Emily says, “I guess we live here now,” not realizing how eerily prophetic that statement will turn out to be. Pinborough, who is an expert at gothic horror and psychological thrillers (BEHIND HER EYES is a classic), pulls out all the stops here. As a result, the narrative is never dull and rarely predictable.

Emily and Freddie have their friends over as soon as possible for a Ouija session. It is quite creepy and scares everyone, especially with the message of “Find It” that keeps coming up. When they speak with the local vicar about the property, the only information he shares that might give some explanation to the strange occurrences is that Larkin Lodge was built on a crossroads. In ancient times, it was where suicides were buried, often after being beheaded and staked to the ground so that their souls could not travel on to the afterlife. It’s chilling stuff, but it’s enough to make Emily think twice about what she's experiencing that might not be related to her sepsis diagnosis.

Emily goes seeking out the previous residents of Larkin Lodge, and each case brings on more curious stories --- from the old woman in the retirement home who may have killed her husband to the local painter and his wife who seem to be hiding something about their marital issues, which began while they were living there. Emily also notices a change in Freddie and fears that he may have surrendered to his gambling addiction, which nearly cost them their marriage years earlier.

Larkin Lodge continues to reveal itself little by little to its new owners, and Freddie even considers allowing his wife to go mad so he can be rid of her and not have to worry about his own vices. The answers Emily gets only sends her deeper down the rabbit hole, and all are not welcoming. WE LIVE HERE NOW never disappoints from start to finish and provides enough frights, along with an incredibly unique finale, to please all fans of gothic horror and countless other readers.