Title: Cadbury House
Author: Holly Knightley
Pages: 196
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery
Death can only come for those he hears, and he can’t hear the dolls.
Finch Bannister suffered from a fever when she was a little girl and since then she has been different. She believes she swallowed a bird cage with two birds in it, leaving her to battle a deformity that only she can see, and the same goes for the spirits in Cadbury House. When Chet Cadbury moves in next door after the death of his grandmother, they are forced to come to terms with the secrets buried in the hope chest at the top of the stairs. They find out the hard way that some secrets, once unearthed, can never be buried again, but people, on the other hand, can be.
Cadbury House is the fourth book in the Knight Time Houses series. If you like mystery thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat, then you will love this page turner.
Each novel is a standalone and can be read in any order.
Buy Cadbury House today and find out if it is possible to cheat Death.
Evening, brave bookworms 🌙
I’m back with another review and this one absolutely delivers.
I had the privilege of receiving an ARC of Cadbury House from Holly Knightley herself, and I have to say, she is just as lovely as her writing is haunting.
I went into this one excited, and it did not disappoint. It’s a relatively quick read, though life (and mom duties) stretched it out a little for me; squeezed between nap times and daily chaos. But every chance I got to return to it, I completely devoured chapter after chapter. This is one of those stories that pulls you right back in, no matter how long you’ve been away.
Cadbury House is a beautifully strange blend of light horror and something far more sinister lurking just beneath the surface. It’s not your typical haunted house story, there are layers here, twists you don’t see coming, and an atmosphere that feels… off in the best way.
The characters are where this story really shines.
Finch was, without question, my favourite. She’s unhinged in a way that feels intentional; peculiar, unapologetic, and deeply complex. There’s a thread of body dysmorphia woven into her character that adds depth rather than defining her, and her unsettling attachment to the dolls only heightens the eerie tone of the story. Her “gift,” born from childhood illness, adds another layer of intrigue. As pieces of her past are revealed – dark, tragic, and haunting, you can’t help but be drawn deeper into her world. And then there’s Chet… her childhood crush, a small flicker of warmth in an otherwise chilling narrative.
Scarlet, her sister, is far more difficult to pin down. On the surface, she’s composed, responsible, protective and the kind of person who seems to hold everything together. But something about her feels too perfect. Too controlled. There’s an underlying tension that makes you question everything about her. As the story unfolds, you’re left wondering… who is really unraveling here? Finch? Scarlet? Or both?
And then we have Chet or “Chester the Molester” as Finch so fondly calls him. Returning to Cadbury House after his grandmother’s death, he inherits not just the home, but everything that comes with it. Having stayed away since childhood due to a traumatic event, his return stirs memories he’s long buried. At first, he’s grounded, stable, even happy, but the house has other plans. As the past resurfaces, so do his feelings for Finch, and his grip on reality begins to shift. With Finch’s help, things start to make sense… or at least, a version of sense that fits within the walls of Cadbury House.
And the dolls.
NOPE! Absolutely not!
A generational collection, altered to resemble family members, meant to ward off Death… or perhaps trap it. They are DEEPLY unsettling, and their presence alone adds a suffocating tension to the story. Whether it’s voodoo, witchcraft, or something far more psychological, I’ll let you decide, but either way, they will stick with you. They definitely gave me the chills.
Everything builds toward an ending that genuinely caught me off guard. It was carefully set up, but you don’t see it until the very last moment and when it hits, it hits! A twist that feels earned, surprising, and incredibly satisfying.
This was my first Holly Knightley read, and I can confidently say I’m a huge fan. Her ability to balance unsettling horror with emotional depth has secured her a spot on my ever-growing TBR (which, let’s be honest, is already out of control).
If you love eerie atmospheres, morally complex characters, and stories that linger long after the final page, keep this one on your radar.
Cadbury House releases July 15, 2026 and definitely one to watch for! 🖤
Hope you enjoyed the review and as always…
Meet you after dark.
💀Your cozy-macabre book bestie
Beneath the Book Light 