Minnie's Fiction Addiction

👀 First impressions:
If you’re looking for a book that truly earns its place on your Halloween reading list, Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt is it. This haunting novel blends folklore and modern life in a way that feels both timeless and terrifying. Set in the seemingly peaceful town of Black Spring, it follows residents who live alongside the ghost of a seventeenth-century witch, Katherine van Wyler. Her eyes and mouth are sewn shut, and she roams freely through homes and streets, a silent, horrifying reminder that the town’s curse never sleeps.

But what makes Hex especially chilling is how Heuvelt modernises the ghost story. The townspeople use an app to monitor the witch’s movements, enforcing curfews and secrecy to protect their secret from outsiders. It’s a fascinating and eerie mix of old-world superstition and digital-age paranoia.

✅ What I Liked:
The concept is absolutely brilliant. Heuvelt’s world-building feels disturbingly plausible, showing how fear can become part of daily life when people convince themselves it’s “normal.” The blend of ancient curse and modern surveillance hits hard, especially in an era when everything is recorded and shared.

The atmosphere is perfectly autumnal, claustrophobic, eerie, and full of creeping dread. The witch herself is unforgettable, more terrifying for her silence than any act of violence. I also loved how Heuvelt uses her as a mirror for the town’s moral decay. The real monster isn’t Katherine, it’s the community’s complicity and cruelty.

❎ What I didn’t Like:
The final act veers sharply into chaos and violence, which might be too much for readers who prefer slow-burn tension. The tone becomes darker and more disturbing, but it fits the book’s descent into madness. Hex isn’t cosy horror; it’s the kind that leaves you unsettled long after you turn out the light.

📚 Why You Should Read This Book:
Because it’s perfect Halloween reading, haunting, clever, and packed with atmosphere. Hex is what happens when The Crucible meets Black Mirror, a story that explores how easily fear and power can corrupt even the most ordinary places.

💭 Final Thoughts:
Hex is a masterclass in modern horror. Thomas Olde Heuvelt redefines what it means to live with a curse, reminding us that evil doesn’t just haunt, it adapts. Read it by candlelight, on a stormy night, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself checking the corners of your room before bed.

🛍️ Where to buy
To buy your own copy click HERE and HERE

Final Rating ★★★★ – A chilling and thought-provoking Halloween read that blends folklore and modern fear with unforgettable precision.