Title: The Empty Cradle

Author: Lisa Rookes

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Publisher: Orion

Publication Date: 14th August 2025

Rating: 4.5/5

Cover:

Summary:

Amy is certain her husband, Joel, is committed to their future. It’s his dream of starting a family that keeps them trying for a baby, despite setback after setback. So when Amy discovers Joel is having an affair with her best friend, she’s devastated.

Reeling, she escapes to a crumbling cottage in a remote Yorkshire village, a place she’d once imagined turning into a warm, welcoming home. At first, she feels like an outsider, but then a group of local women draw her into their book club. Before long, they’ve made themselves part of her life. And her home.

Then the strange things begin. Amy wakes one night in the fields with no memory of getting there. Her new surveillance camera captures shadows creeping around her house. And then Amy discovers she’s pregnant.

To Amy, the pregnancy feels like a twisted joke, but the book club is thrilled. And while Amy tries to tell herself it’s all in her head, the women’s interest doesn’t always feel safe. Is it Amy they’re really interested in? Or her baby?

Review:

The Empty Cradle was a satisfyingly creepy read from start to finish. There is a real feeling of dread that permeates every page, add in a large dose of sinister folklore and you have a compelling and shocking story that is very difficult to put down. I’m a huge fan of all things folklore, especially folklore with a darker twist to it and this fit the bill perfectly – as Amy is drawn into a circle of women who seem to be very interested in her when she moves to a small Yorkshire village after a huge betrayal involved her husband and best friend. Once Amy discovers that she is actually pregnant these women become even more invested in her life and strange/sinister things begin to happen to Amy and those around her. I don’t want to say much about the plot, for fear of giving too much away but I can promise there are numerous horror-tinged twists and turns that make The Empty Cradle a spine-chilling reading experience. The themes of pregnancy, folklore including changelings, witchcraft and faeries, history and long held traditions and beliefs all work perfectly in a psychological horror setting to create a strong atmosphere of tension. The Empty Cradle would honestly be an ideal reading choice for Spooky Season – which is fast approaching. Highly recommended. 

★★★★.5 

Thank you so much to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for inviting me on this tour and organising it. I kindly received a copy of the book from the publisher. My review is entirely my own honest opinion.

Buy the book:

Waterstones | Amazon