No One Leaves the Manor by Kelly McWilliams
Four girls enter Greystone Manor. The house has other plans.
Pre-Reading Thoughts
A 1920s manor house, a mysterious inheritance competition, and a building that may or may not be alive? That’s already an excellent setup for gothic horror. I’m expecting secrets, creeping dread, and the kind of unsettling atmosphere where you start to suspect the house itself might be watching.
Post-Reading
As I thought… This is a deeply atmospheric horror story, full of creeping tension and unsettling details - flickering lights, shifting walls, and things lurking just out of sight in the darkness. Greystone Manor itself feels like a character, constantly watching and subtly warping reality around the girls trapped inside. The 1921 setting adds another layer of tension, particularly as the story acknowledges the racism and social pressures of the time.
It surprised me by… …how complex the unfolding mystery becomes. At times the narrative can feel a little confusing, as the girls struggle to understand what the house is doing and why they were invited there in the first place. But the explanations do arrive, and when they do everything clicks into place in a really satisfying way. It’s absolutely worth sticking with the story through those moments of uncertainty, because the ending pulls the threads together beautifully.
Music Pairing
🎵 Featured Song: “Control” – Halsey 🎶 Vibe Album: If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power – Halsey 🎧 Artist Recommendation: Florence + The Machine (for dramatic, gothic intensity)
Vibe Check
Colour Palette:Â Midnight black, tarnished silver, oil-lamp gold Soundtrack:Â Echoing footsteps and distant whispers Season:Â Late autumn storms Mood:Â Uneasy, suspenseful, haunting Scent:Â Dusty velvet, candle smoke, and damp stone
Tarot Pull
The Tower – Sudden revelations, collapsing illusions, and truths that cannot be ignored. The Tower reflects the chaos and terror inside Greystone Manor, where the girls are forced to confront secrets - both their own and the house’s - whether they’re ready or not.
For Fans Of
Book: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
TV/Film: The Haunting of Hill House (for haunted-house dread and unraveling mysteries)
