top of page
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.
Search
Book Review: Chain Reaction by Lee Child and Andrew Child
If you're looking for a good mystery with plenty of intrigue and a protagonist who knows how to get things done, Chain Reaction delivers exactly what you'd expect from a Jack Reacher novel. Reacher is called upon by General Susan Turner, who needs help investigating the brutal murder of a member of her team. With trust in short supply and danger lurking at every turn, Reacher heads to Summertown, Colorado, a remote and unusual place hiding more than a few secrets. What follow
Oct 242 min read
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: Erebus-13 by David Wellington
I didn’t realize when I picked up Erebus-13 that it was actually the third book in David Wellington’s Red Space trilogy. The good news is that Wellington does a solid job of writing this installment in a way that allows readers to follow the story without feeling completely lost if they haven’t read the previous books. The story follows Petrova and her crew as they face the release of Erebus, an ancient entity of pure darkness threatening humanity and the galaxy itself. What
Jul 141 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: A Place to Die For by A. M. Strong & Sonya Sargent
A Place to Die For is a psychological suspense novel that blends eerie apartment-building horror with a slow-burning mystery. The story follows Jordan and her fiancé Sam, who move into the historic Glendale co-op in Boston after a devastating personal loss. At first the building feels like a stroke of luck—beautiful, prestigious, and full of old-world charm. But the longer Jordan spends alone in the apartment, the more unsettling things become. The building itself is easily
Mar 172 min read
bottom of page