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From the Hollow
Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities—a collection of gothic history, strange traditions, haunted places, forgotten folklore, dark symbolism, and the stories hidden behind art and books.
Here you’ll find ancient festivals, eerie legends, Victorian oddities, supernatural inspiration, book reviews, collector features, and the beautifully strange details that shape my worlds. From haunted Pittsburgh to poisonous gardens, from ravens and roses to old rituals and whispered ghost stories, this is where mystery, history, and art meet.
If you love gothic atmosphere, dark fiction, and the allure of the unusual, you’re in the right place.
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Book Review: Not a Word by Linwood Barclay
After a string of books that simply weren't for me, Not a Word by Linwood Barclay was a refreshing change of pace. The story opens with Reece making a horrifying discovery: his parents are dead in their bedroom, and what initially appears to be a clear-cut murder-suicide quickly raises more questions than answers. As inconsistencies begin to emerge from the crime scene, Reece is forced to reconsider everything he thought he knew about his parents—and whether the secrets they
Aug 292 min read
Book Review: The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen
The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen is an intriguing mystery that moves between different timelines, gradually revealing the secrets surrounding a group of young women who disappeared decades ago. The story alternates between the present and the 1960’s, when four women at a prestigious university become subjects in an experimental parapsychology program led by a scientist convinced he is on the verge of a groundbreaking discovery. Then, the women vanish, and the entire progr
Aug 152 min read
Book Review: Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little
Sometimes you need a book that isn’t quite as heavy—a fast-paced thriller with a compelling main character, enough twists to keep things interesting, and the kind of story that makes for perfect summer reading. Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little fits that category. Juno Hardwick is a fighter. At least, that’s who she used to be. Once a rising star in national security policy, her life took a sharp turn after the death of her father. Now she’s living in Los Angeles, spen
Aug 42 min read
Book Review: The Whisper Man by Alex North
I bought The Whisper Man by Alex North when it was first released in hardcover, read the opening chapter… and then, like too many books on my shelf, it quietly slipped into my TBR pile for far too long. I finally picked it up again during a break between ARCs while I was working through older unread books—and I can honestly say my only regret is not finishing it sooner. The story follows Tom Kennedy and his young son Jake, who move to the town of Featherbank after a personal
Jul 62 min read
Book Review: Hope Rises by David Baldacci
If you’ve been hearing recommendations to read David Baldacci for years and haven’t taken the plunge yet, Hope Rises might be the push you need—though fair warning, you’ll want to start with Nash Falls first. Hope Rises picks up exactly where its predecessor leaves off, throwing readers right back into the fractured world of Walter Nash, now living under the alias Dillon Hope. What makes this sequel so compelling is how seamlessly Baldacci continues Nash’s transformation. T
Apr 142 min read
Book Review: Secrets You Can’t Keep by Debra Webb
Secrets You Can’t Keep is my second time reading Debra Webb and the third book in the Vera Boyett series , and once again she proves she knows exactly how to pull readers into a tightly woven mystery without leaving anyone behind. One of the things I appreciate most about Webb’s writing is her commitment to accessibility. You don’t need to have read the earlier books in the series to follow this one. The story stands firmly on its own, yet the subtle breadcrumbs about Vera’s
Dec 13, 20252 min read
Book Review: Empty Boxes by Robin Acton
Empty Boxes by Robin Acton delivers a tightly paced mystery rooted in the grit and shadows of Pittsburgh’s underbelly. When crime reporter Rita Locke begins investigating the murder of a funeral director, she doesn’t expect to find empty coffins—or uncover a far-reaching conspiracy that stretches far beyond western Pennsylvania. What starts as a local crime quickly expands into an international web of danger, deception, and medical intrigue that leads her all the way to a Ca
Nov 18, 20251 min read
Book Review: Nash Falls by David Baldacci
Nash Falls introduces readers to Nash — a man who seemingly has it all. Intelligent, disciplined, and successful, he’s climbed to the top of Sybaritic Investments through sheer determination. With a wife, daughter, and a stable, comfortable life, Nash appears to be living the dream. But that illusion shatters after his estranged father’s funeral, when the FBI shows up in the middle of the night with an impossible request: infiltrate his own company to expose a massive money-
Nov 11, 20252 min read
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