A Box Full of Darkness

You and your siblings get a supernatural invite straight from the ghost of your long-missing brother, asking you to return to your long-abandoned childhood home. Would I pack a bag? No way! But the Esmie siblings head back to the creepiest house in Fell, New York, ready to dig up secrets that have been gathering dust for nearly twenty years.

Thanks to the author and Berkley Publishing for providing this ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The characters shine. Violet is a ghost whisperer. Vail keeps everyone grounded, and Dodie is the skeptic. The sibling banter is sarcastic, messy, and real. It’s a haunted family reunion. Every page feels like a favorite dysfunctional family tackling Scooby-Doo mysteries—with real show more monsters.

The plot is eerie and suspenseful: a mysterious drowning, a dead girl by the tracks, a vanished brother. Simone St. James has a knack for wrapping mysteries, hauntings, and family drama into one twisty package. And yes, if you’re a fan, you’ll catch a sly reference to that infamous motel from one of her other books!

There are chills, thrills, and witty dialogue. While not my favorite of hers, if you want something creepy, clever, and full of family secrets, get “A Box Full of Darkness” on January 20. St. James always entertains.

#ABoxFullOfDarkness #SimoneStJames #NetGalley #BerkleyPublishing #CapCut show less

I loved The Sun Down Motel, so to see the brief reference to the hotel in this book was great. Simone knocks it out of the park again with this newest offering. I started and finished the book in the same day.

There is nothing like the landscaper calling to tell you, they have seen your dead brother, and he said to tell you "Come Home." This will definitely get your attention. I was hooked instantly. The siblings, Violet, Vail, and Dodie are interesting. Although out of the three siblings, it is Violet that is the more interesting. She can see and interact with the dead.

The three siblings need to figure out what happened to their brother, Ben before it is too late. Three went into the house but only two will come out.

Fans of Simone show more are going to devour this book like I did. It is a MUST read! The whole time I was reading this book, it was like a movie playing in my head. I could definitely see this book being turned into a movie. The suspense just kept building as the story progressed. This story ends on a high note, just like it started. show less

St. James is the rare author who writes ghost stories that I enjoy reading. Normally, I am not a fan of ghost mysteries, as I usually find them too deus ex machina. In the end, the ghost usually provides the information the detective or seeker needs to resolve the conflict of the story, most often after causing the conflict of the story. It makes my eyes roll. This still happens in St. James ghost stories, but somehow I don't mind. I have no idea why; I just don't. She also includes romance, which I usually hate. Again, I don't mind the romance in the plotting of her stories. I don't know why; I just don't. (There is minimal romance in this outing.) This still holds true for Box Full of Darkness.

The story takes place in Fell, NY. It's show more also the setting for St. James' book The Sun Down Motel. As I stated in my review of Sun Down Motel, I live in the fictional Fell, NY. I can place myself in all the places she describes with no difficulty. She understands the rural ruin of post-industrial, small-town upstate New York and the complex relationships between its natives and the places they both love and hate in equal measure.

The ghost of the story is introduced in the first chapter as a beloved member of the Esime family, Violet, Vail, and Dodie. They mysteriously lost their brother Ben during a night of snowfall and grief.

In addition, Violet saw ghosts of all kinds during her life in Fell, and her ability did not wane after she moved away. As a child, Vail was tortured with alien visits during the night, and his obsession with them continued well into his adulthood. Dodie was plagued with vivid nightmares of water.

After growing into adulthood, they have all moved on with their lives and moved well away from the house of their childhood in Fell, NY, until their little brother Ben calls them home.

What follows is a brutal fight with an unknown force, and the siblings fight to understand what happened to their brother. The mystery unfurls slowly as they find bits and pieces of their lives in town records, the house, old and new friends, and resurfacing memories.

What I didn't like:

This is a personal rant, so I've hidden it under a spoiler.
You don't live in Long Island; you live on Long Island.

Long Island isn't a formally designated place name. You don't say, "I live in Commack, Long Island." You say, "I live in Commack, NY." You can say, "I live on Long Island in Commack."

I've been seeing it more and more, and it's irritating the heck out of me. I don't care what pedantic Redditors say. Stop it. My grammar is terrible, but I'm not publishing a professional document.

This is a huge spoiler, so don't click on it if you plan to read the book. Seriously, it gives away a major part of the ending.

Seriously, this is a gigantic spoiler.
The lack of a clear resolution regarding their parents. What were they - Exactly? They surely didn't believe that Ben was their son.

Their fate was revealed at the beginning, and they definitely weren't mentally healthy, but it doesn't explain why they allowed their children to suffer when they clearly understood at least part of what was happening in their house. Both parents allowed the torture of their children to continue into adulthood. Their mother never talked about it, nor did she talk to them about why their father abandoned them. She behaved as if Ben was her real child. More disturbing, the entire community behaved as if Ben was real, searching for him when he went missing, etc.

The kid showed up as a six-year-old, and nobody noticed this or wondered where he came from until the siblings decided to solve the mystery of his disappearance? Okay. Strange, but I'm gonna go let it ride. Ghost stories gonna ghost.

Overall, I loved the book. The mystery was well hidden, and the resolution was exciting and well plotted. I loved the characters, and I related to their flaws and their personal troubles. The difficulties in their lives were well written, but I expected no less from St. James.

I wish it hadn't taken so long to read it, but it's been a busy month. Hopefully things will calm down soon and I can pick up the pace of devouring books. show less

A BOX FULL OF DARKNESS is another creepy-good gothic tale from Simone St. James. In the late '80s, three siblings return to their abandoned childhood home in the strange town of Fell, New York, when the ghost of their missing brother summons them home.

This one had me hooked from the beginning. The mystery surrounding their brother was so good — unique and emotional, and the paranormal elements fit perfectly into the story. The siblings' family drama was also intriguing, though I was left with some questions regarding their toxic parents.

I would highly recommend this spooky thriller if you enjoyed the vibes of THE SUN DOWN MOTEL. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of this book. Thoughts are my own.

I did not realize going into this one that it is set in the same town as The Sun Down Motel, which I have yet to read. But rest assured, A Box Full of Darkness is a stand alone novel.

The Esmie siblings hoped to never return to their childhood home, but they have long been haunted by the disappearance of their six year-year-old brother Ben.

While not a fast-paced book, I did find myself completely immersed in A Box Full of Darkness. All three of the siblings live relatively isolated lives, not letting anyone get close to them. They aren't particularly close themselves, barely in touch until they reunite at the house with the common goal of finding out what happened to Ben. Dodie, of the three seems to be the most successful in terms of show more career; she is a well sought after hand and hair model. She only does first dates, not seconds, and lives in a tiny apartment. Vail has spent his entire life trying to understand what happened to his brother. He avoids relationships and earns his living as a UFO investigator, without real roots anywhere. Violet cleans the houses of the recently deceased for a living, a job she takes comfort in because she does not have to interact too much with other people. On the downside, she sometimes see ghosts. It was her ability to see ghosts that landed her in a psychiatric ward for a time and ruined her marriage. Her daughter wants little to do with her, and she doesn't blame her.

With alternating chapters told from the perspective of each sibling, the reader gets a first hand account of the grief, pain and self-blame the characters are experiencing. Vail, Dodie, and Violet are not the easiest people to get along with, I imagine, but I found it easy to care about them and want them to find sort of peace. Their childhood was a difficult one, their brother's disappearance notwithstanding. Their parents were neglectful and they were often left to their own devices. They never talked about the nightmares they each suffered with each other growing up, the ones that seemed all too real. As the Esmie siblings put their heads together and start to dig into the history of their childhood home and the surrounding neighborhood in hopes of finding some link to their brother's disappearance, they find themselves up against a malevolent force that is out to get them.

This was as creepy and eerie as one would hope from a novel like this. The characters have suffered so much in their lifetimes. There were several side characters that play a part in the novel who play important roles in the novel, either actively involved or in supporting roles. One I admit I was suspicious of for a time. As much as I enjoyed this book, there were aspects of the story I felt were too convenient and others I wish had been explored more. Perhaps not my favorite of the author's work, but still a very satisfying read just the same. show less

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James is a multi-POV horror story that leans more toward emotional depth than outright terror. If you’re expecting jump scares or spine-chilling moments, this might not fully satisfy that craving. I went in with high expectations, hoping for a more intense horror experience.

That said, the character development is undeniably strong. Vail, Violet, and Dodie are all distinctly crafted, each with unique personalities and emotional layers. The author clearly invested significant research and effort into shaping them with care. However, the narrative feels heavily centered on defining these characters, sometimes at the expense of the central plot. The actual horror storyline seems to fade into the show more background. By the time the climax arrives, it feels somewhat rushed, as though the story hurries to tie everything together instead of delivering a powerful final impact. show less

Strange things happen in Fell, New York. A mysterious drowning at the town’s roadside motel. The unexplained death of a young girl whose body is left by the railroad tracks. For the Esmie siblings—Violet, Vail, and Dodie—the final straw was the shocking disappearance of their little brother.

Let me start with…I was not happy with this ending. It just did not seem to fit. But it is still a 5 star read. The sinister and the ghostly vibes are off the charts.

Violet, Vail and Dodie are each so different in the way they approach the “return” of their little brother Ben. This just adds to the creepiness. And let me tell you, this author takes you on a ride you won’t soon forget.

I am trying very hard not to give a spoiler show more away…JUST READ IT!

Need a creepy novel to keep you up at night…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received novel from the publisher for a honest review. show less