Dead Voices (Small Spaces Quartet)
New York Times bestselling author Katherine Arden returns with another creepy, spine-tingling adventure in the critically acclaimed Small Spaces Quartet.
Having survived sinister scarecrows and the malevolent smiling man in Small Spaces, newly minted best friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are ready to spend a relaxing winter break skiing together with their parents at Mount Hemlock Resort. But when a snowstorm sets in, causing the power to flicker out and the cold to creep closer and closer, the three are forced to settle for hot chocolate and board games by the fire.
Ollie, Coco, and Brian are determined to make the best of being snowed in, but odd things keep happening. Coco is convinced she has seen a ghost, and Ollie is having nightmares about frostbitten girls pleading for help. Then Mr. Voland, a mysterious ghost hunter, arrives in the midst of the storm to investigate the hauntings at Hemlock Lodge. Ollie, Coco, and Brian want to trust him, but Ollie's watch, which once saved them from the smiling man, has a new cautionary message: BEWARE.
With Mr. Voland's help, Ollie, Coco, and Brian reach out to the dead voices at Mount Hemlock. Maybe the ghosts need their help--or maybe not all ghosts can or should be trusted.
Dead Voices is a terrifying follow-up to Small Spaces with thrills and chills galore and the captive foreboding of a classic ghost story.
Having survived sinister scarecrows and the malevolent smiling man in Small Spaces, newly minted best friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are ready to spend a relaxing winter break skiing together with their parents at Mount Hemlock Resort. But when a snowstorm sets in, causing the power to flicker out and the cold to creep closer and closer, the three are forced to settle for hot chocolate and board games by the fire.
Ollie, Coco, and Brian are determined to make the best of being snowed in, but odd things keep happening. Coco is convinced she has seen a ghost, and Ollie is having nightmares about frostbitten girls pleading for help. Then Mr. Voland, a mysterious ghost hunter, arrives in the midst of the storm to investigate the hauntings at Hemlock Lodge. Ollie, Coco, and Brian want to trust him, but Ollie's watch, which once saved them from the smiling man, has a new cautionary message: BEWARE.
With Mr. Voland's help, Ollie, Coco, and Brian reach out to the dead voices at Mount Hemlock. Maybe the ghosts need their help--or maybe not all ghosts can or should be trusted.
Dead Voices is a terrifying follow-up to Small Spaces with thrills and chills galore and the captive foreboding of a classic ghost story.
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
Dead Voices follows Ollie, Coco, and Brian, our heroes from the last novel are caught in a trap when a family ski trip goes wrong, putting them in the crosshairs of one Mrs. Hemlock.
Storytelling
Let me begin with this: I am a thirty-one-year-old woman reading a book from the “kids” section of the bookstore. This book creeped me out. No, there were times I was frightened, reading this and suddenly very aware of all the creaks and groans my house makes.
Arden is a masterful storyteller.
After Small Spaces, Ollie, Coco, and Brian are still on edge after dealing with The Smiling Man. They still have nightmares of scarecrows and corn mazes. But they defeated him. Or did they? The Smiling Man does not like to be outsmarted or defeated.
By placing the kids in a new setting, they must contend with a haunted orphanage turned ski lodge and a blizzard keeping them locked in. Arden is incredible at building up the tension and atmosphere that makes the story chilling. From the level of detail to her use of texture in the storytelling, showing the readers the frostbitten girls, the way the animals shift position, and the dreadful Mrs. Hemlock herself, suck the reader into the story.
The reader knows something is off. They know there is a ghost running around hunting them. But what Arden does is keep the reader guessing about the return of the Smiling Man. He has a part to play here, making him even more devious than in the previous novel.
Characterization
Arden also switches things up with her narrative.
In Small Spaces, Ollie was the focused voice that drove the story. It was her against the Smiling Man. This time it isn’t just her voice moving the story forward.
In Dead Voices, the story begins with Coco. Here, readers learn about Coco, her family, and her wants and fears. This time, she gets to the hero alongside Ollie, rising to the occasion even if she is a little scared. Next, she challenges the Smiling Man, using her skills and brain power to solve the puzzle of the mirrors and find a way to release the ghosts keeping them trapped.
It keeps the story fresh and engaging, keeping that pace moving while switching things up so that it does not feel exactly like the first one.
Final Thoughts
Dead Voices is a thrilling sequel to Small Spaces. With a strong eerie, and chilling atmosphere, this book will make you a little scared of the mirror and those cold winter nights, no matter your age.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
Dead Voices follows Ollie, Coco, and Brian, our heroes from the last novel are caught in a trap when a family ski trip goes wrong, putting them in the crosshairs of one Mrs. Hemlock.
Storytelling
Let me begin with this: I am a thirty-one-year-old woman reading a book from the “kids” section of the bookstore. This book creeped me out. No, there were times I was frightened, reading this and suddenly very aware of all the creaks and groans my house makes.
Arden is a masterful storyteller.
After Small Spaces, Ollie, Coco, and Brian are still on edge after dealing with The Smiling Man. They still have nightmares of scarecrows and corn mazes. But they defeated him. Or did they? The Smiling Man does not like to be outsmarted or defeated.
By placing the kids in a new setting, they must contend with a haunted orphanage turned ski lodge and a blizzard keeping them locked in. Arden is incredible at building up the tension and atmosphere that makes the story chilling. From the level of detail to her use of texture in the storytelling, showing the readers the frostbitten girls, the way the animals shift position, and the dreadful Mrs. Hemlock herself, suck the reader into the story.
The reader knows something is off. They know there is a ghost running around hunting them. But what Arden does is keep the reader guessing about the return of the Smiling Man. He has a part to play here, making him even more devious than in the previous novel.
Characterization
Arden also switches things up with her narrative.
In Small Spaces, Ollie was the focused voice that drove the story. It was her against the Smiling Man. This time it isn’t just her voice moving the story forward.
In Dead Voices, the story begins with Coco. Here, readers learn about Coco, her family, and her wants and fears. This time, she gets to the hero alongside Ollie, rising to the occasion even if she is a little scared. Next, she challenges the Smiling Man, using her skills and brain power to solve the puzzle of the mirrors and find a way to release the ghosts keeping them trapped.
It keeps the story fresh and engaging, keeping that pace moving while switching things up so that it does not feel exactly like the first one.
Final Thoughts
Dead Voices is a thrilling sequel to Small Spaces. With a strong eerie, and chilling atmosphere, this book will make you a little scared of the mirror and those cold winter nights, no matter your age.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
Stars: 8/10
I will admit, this book originally annoyed me a lot. However, as time went on, I found myself enjoying it more than I thought I would.
The story was well-written in most parts, the charcters received long-awaited development, and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. The only flaws? The writing style was a bit annoying, as was the dual POV. But overall? I adored this book.
Coco finally got her time in the spotlight. She was the main character for most of the book, sharing the rest with Ollie. The reader was able to see her grow throughout the book unlike in the first installment, Small Spaces.
This sequel was well planned, too. I didn't see the plot twists coming (which I can't tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing) and it was overall an interesting story. It had all the horror and suspense of the first novel while going a step further and somehow being scarier, which I believe is due to the descriptions of the villains. Everything in this book was a step above Small Spaces except the slightly aggravating writing style.
Overall, this book was as great as the first one and I'm excited to read the series' third installment, Dark Waters. So far, this series has proved to be a delight for any age and I would highly recommend it as a starter horror series. And, who knows, you might even enjoy it as a long-time horror reader.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.