The Haunting of Ashburn House

About This Audiobook

Darcy Coates delivers a gothic nightmare in *The Haunting of Ashburn House*, a novel that marries the claustrophobic dread of Shirley Jackson with the slow-burn dread of *The Turn of the Screw*. The story follows Verity, a woman who inherits a crumbling Victorian estate—and the nightmares that come with it. From the first chapter, Coates locks you into a world where the living and the dead are bound by a curse no one can name, let alone escape. The house itself is a character, its creaking floors and shifting shadows as much a threat as the ghostly figures lurking beyond the door. If you love horror that simmers with psychological unease rather than cheap scares, this is your kind of nightmare.

Narrator Eva Kaminsky elevates the experience with a voice that’s equal parts honeyed Southern charm and icy dread. Her pacing is deliberate, drawing out the suspense like a slow unraveling of dread, while her versatility—soft whispers for Verity’s inner monologues, guttural growls for the spirits—makes every encounter feel visceral. The production is pristine, allowing the eerie atmosphere to breathe without distraction. This isn’t a story that relies on jump scares; it’s a story that worms its way into your mind, leaving you paranoid about every creak in your own home long after the final word."

"review": "I went into *The Haunting of Ashburn House* expecting another generic haunted house tale, but Coates’ atmospheric prose and Kaminsky’s hypnotic narration turned this into one of my favorite horror audiobooks of the year. Kaminsky’s performance is a masterclass in tension-building—her voice crackles with a mix of dread and melancholy, perfectly capturing Verity’s desperation as her world unravels. The way she shifts between roles—sometimes playful, sometimes monstrous—keeps you guessing about who (or what) you’re listening to next.

That said, the story’s middle act drags slightly; the backstory of the Ashburn family, while richly detailed, occasionally stalls the momentum. And while the ending is satisfyingly bleak, it may leave some listeners wanting a bit more resolution. Still, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise masterful audio experience. If you’re a horror fan who prefers slow-burn dread over slasher-style terror, this is a must-listen—and Kaminsky’s narration alone is worth the price of admission.