For me, the biggest joy of being a book blogger and a Bookstagrammer is discovering new authors and forming connections with them. This could not be truer about meeting Susan McCauley and having the privilege of reading her heartbreakingly haunting novel, The Raven, before its release.
About Susan McCauley
Susan (Basso) McCauley is a screenwriter and award-winning author of books for children, teens, and adults. Susan fell in love with writing, theater, and film when she was eight years old. That passion inspired her to receive a B.A. in Radio-Television with a minor in Theater from the University of Houston, an M.F.A. in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California (USC), and an M.A. in Text & Performance from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and King’s College in London. Susan also studied acting at Playhouse West with Robert Carnegie and Jeff Goldblum (Wicked, Jurassic Park, Independence Day) in Los Angeles.
While in London, her stage adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s “The Nose” was performed at the Arts George Bernard Shaw Theatre; and scenes from her play The Prisoner: Princess Elizabeth were performed under the watchful eye of the Tower Historian and Beefeaters at HMS Tower of London. It was in London that Susan was reminded of her love of fiction, and the first seeds of what was to become her Ghost Hunters novel series were planted in her mind.
Since returning to the U.S., Susan has had several short stories published in various anthologies, and her screen adaptation of “The Cask” was made into an award-winning film. Before publication, her fantasy novel, Merlin’s Apprentice: The Mage, was nominated for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Joan Lowry Nixon Award. Susan now has nine novels, one novella, and one picture book in publication, many of which have appeared on the Horror Writers Association (HWA) list of Recommended Works. Additionally, Susan’s exciting middle grade Ghost Hunters series has won numerous awards and is in development for television. Her forthcoming gothic horror novel, The Raven (September 2026), is also in development for film. (Source: https://www.sbmccauley.com/about.html)
The Synopsis
Set against a bitter, death-shadowed winter, this multiple-POV gothic horror novel follows Martin Blake, a humble cobbler desperately struggling to keep his family afloat. His already strained household reaches a breaking point when his wife’s uncle—the parish rector—forces him to take in four orphans from London.
As unimaginable grief and a devastating secret weigh on Martin, his grip on reality begins to fracture. With ravens gathering and phantoms closing in, Martin is forced to make an agonizing choice: keep a life-altering promise to his wife, or surrender to the madness slowly consuming him.
Atmosphere & Setting
At under 200 pages, this novel punches well above its weight class, evoking every chilling emotion you could want from a classic gothic tale. The author’s descriptive work is nothing short of masterful. The atmosphere is so vivid and oppressive that I was instantly pulled into the Blake family’s cabin, could almost feel the bitter cold, and picture the bleak surroundings as if I were living there alongside them.
“This novel is a masterclass in how gothic horror—and its underlying moral weight—should be crafted.”
Character Dynamics & Themes
Martin’s character arc is an absolute study in psychological complexity. Raised under the heavy thumb of religious dogma, he is driven by a deep obsession with duty, loyalty, and doing what is right. At times, his actions make him seem like the villain of his own story; a guilt he agreed to shoulder himself, even while knowing where the true evil lies. Yet, beneath his rapid descent into madness lies an immensely tender heart. Through every hallucination and trial, his love for his wife, Susanna, remains his anchor to humanity.
Then there is Elliot, Susanna’s uncle and the parish rector. (Fair warning: his character warrants some heavy trigger warnings.) Elliot is a terrifyingly realistic embodiment of corrupted power; a man willing to trample every moral boundary to achieve his goals and reach the higher ranks he dreams of. He represents the subtle, structural rot of the world, contrasting sharply with the supernatural horrors creeping around the edges of the narrative.
Final Verdict
Spooky, deeply moving, and intensely atmospheric, this book is a must-read. It showcases exactly how to balance gothic dread with a profound moral core without losing its pacing.
A huge thank you to author Susan McCauley for letting me read the ARC of her haunting tale!
Recommended for: Fans of atmospheric gothic horror, psychological character studies, short-but-haunting reads, and stories centered on family secrets and tragic fallibility.
(Jojo’s Verdict: Shelf it!)
From Jojo’s bookshelves to yours, with love!
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