If you're looking for a dark, atmospheric thriller that will keep you turning pages late into the night, Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna Van Veen might just be your next must-read. In this chilling read, Van Veen weaves together suspense, complex characters, and haunting prose that lingers long after the final page. In this review of Blood on Her Tongue, I’ll share my thoughts on what worked, what surprised me, and why this book deserves a spot on your TBR if you love psychological thrillers with a literary edge.
Title: Blood On Her Tongue
By: Johanna Van Veen
Genre: Horror
Pages: 368
Release Date: March 25th, 2025
Rating: ★★★★☆
Summary from Goodreads:
"I'm in your blood, and you are in mine…"
The Netherlands, 1887. Lucy's twin sister Sarah is unwell. She refuses to eat, mumbles nonsensically, and is increasingly obsessed with a centuries-old corpse recently discovered on her husband's grand estate. The doctor has diagnosed her with temporary insanity caused by a fever of the brain. To protect her twin from a terrible fate in a lunatic asylum, Lucy must unravel the mystery surrounding her sister's condition, but it's clear her twin is hiding something. Then again, Lucy is harboring secrets of her own, too.
Then, the worst happens. Sarah's behavior takes a turn for the strange. She becomes angry… and hungry.
Lucy soon comes to suspect that something is trying to possess her beloved sister. Or is it madness? As Sarah changes before her very eyes, Lucy must reckon with the dark, monstrous truth, or risk losing her forever.
Review:
Johanna van Veen's "Blood on Her Tongue" is a compelling gothic horror novel that masterfully intertwines themes of sisterhood, madness, and the supernatural. Set in the atmospheric backdrop of 1887 Netherlands, the story follows Lucy as she endeavors to save her twin sister, Sarah, from a mysterious affliction linked to an ancient bog corpse. Van Veen's evocative prose immerses readers in a world brimming with eerie tension and vivid imagery, making the novel both unsettling and captivating. While some readers might find the detailed body horror elements intense, they serve to enhance the narrative's chilling impact. Overall, "Blood on Her Tongue" is a dark, visceral, and deliciously disturbing tale that feels like a brand new 19th-century classic, bristling with gothic horror and mounting dread.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
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