The Haunting of Lavender House

One of my most anticipated books just came out this week: The Haunting of Lavender House by Natalie Kikić. This Gothic novel is set on a small island in Croatia. In 2026, following the death of her mother, Petra has learned that her grandmother is still alive. So she travels to Croatia for the first time to spend time with her. But right away, Petra senses people in town don’t like her, and she starts having strange nightmares. Is her family cursed, like the locals say? In 1895, Magdalena is a healer, following in the footsteps of her late mother. When the heir to the local lavender business asks for her help in saving his mom, Magdalena can’t refuse. But if she fails at healing the older woman, Magdalena may become even more ostracized than she already is.

What I Liked:

• Croatian folklore. Petra’s family is reputed to be cursed, and their loved ones tend to die young. Some say that what haunts them is a mora, literally a “nightmare,” appearing as a woman to disturb their dreams. When Petra starts experiencing vivid nightmares and sleep paralysis, it seems to fit with this idea of a mora haunting them. Why is her family cursed like this? And moreover, how can they finally break the curse?
• Croatian culture and language. I’ve only read one other book set in Croatia (Girl at War), and I was curious to learn more about this country. From their history to their cultural beliefs to a good amount of Croatian language spoken by the characters, I enjoyed getting a sense for Croatia and, more specifically, for the (fictional) island community here.
• Dual timeline. Sometimes, dual timelines can feel uneven. But in The Haunting of Lavender House, both work so well! I loved following Petra in 2026, navigating family secrets and feeling out of place with her limited Croatian. But equally, I loved following Magdalena in 1895, trying to prove herself to her community and getting into an impossible situation. There were some parallels between the timelines, but they worked seamlessly together and each ultimately stood on its own.
• Who’s a monster? Who’s the victim or the villain? These are the questions asked as we dive into the real reasons behind the mora haunting Petra’s family line. Wrongs are committed, feminine rage is unleashed, but when do you say enough is enough?

Final Thoughts

The Haunting of Lavender House is a captivating and beautifully written novel that straddles historical fiction, Gothic horror, and horroromance. The Croatian setting and folklore make it stand out even more. I’m craving more horror like this, set in Eastern Europe and highlighting different cultures. This was an excellent debut, and I’m excited to read more from Natalie Kikić.

Special thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy The Haunting of Lavender House here – it’s available as a hardcover, ebook, and audiobook.

The Haunting of Lavender House by Natalie Kikić
Audience	Adult
Genre	Gothic Horror
Setting	Croatia
Number of Pages	320
Format I Read	Audiobook & Ebook (NetGalley ARCs)
Original Publication Date	2026
Publisher	Park Row

Official Summary

“Sensual, foreboding, and tense, this atmospheric tale teases dread from every corner of its sunlit setting, making it impossible to put down—a perfect sinister read.”
—Lidija Hilje, USA TODAY bestselling author of Slanting Towards the Sea

A crumbling home surrounded by lavender fields. A decades-long curse. A nightmare from Croatian folklore with a thirst for blood. The Lost Apothecary meets The Hacienda in this multigenerational, haunting gothic saga set on the Adriatic Sea.

2026. All Petra has inherited are tales of loss. Which is why, after her mother’s passing, she is shocked to learn that her grandmother is not dead like she’s always believed, but alive and living on Tolba, a small island in Croatia. Desperate to find her last surviving family member, Petra ventures to her ancestral home, famed for its sprawling lavender fields. While she’s happy to be reunited with her grandmother, rarely does a night go by that Petra doesn’t lose herself to vivid nightmares and the dizzying sense that something—or someone—is always watching in Lavender House.

1895. Whore. Sinner. Witch. No matter how many people Magdalena heals, the rumors persist. So, when she’s asked to help the matriarch of Lavender House, she seizes the opportunity to rehabilitate her reputation. As Magdalena races against time to heal the ailing woman, she finds herself unexpectedly falling for the son of her greatest enemy, the man responsible for her ostracization. But are true love and acceptance possible for a woman who has always lived on the margins?

Back in the present, Petra finds it increasingly difficult to ignore the rumors plaguing her family: that a mora, a spirit from Croatian folklore, haunts Lavender House for revenge. As the sole heir to Lavender House, Petra must discover the truth of her inheritance, or else fall prey to the same curse that claimed her family.

Through the intersecting stories of Petra and Magdalena, Natalie Kikić’s gorgeous debut asks us to consider the lengths to which we go to belong, the cost of choosing love, and what it really means to be a monster.

For readers who love:

• Multigenerational family stories
• Folklore and myth
• Sarah Penner, Isabel Cañas, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• Gorgeous, sweeping prose
• Haunting tales of love