Call Off the Dark

by Hallie Shepherd

A haunting, atmospheric debut thriller with a love story at its heart, following a feisty young woman caught between her husband and a mysterious stranger who disturbs their off-grid life in rural Washington.

Helen and Tyler were soulmates, a couple with a storybook beginning and an enduring bond, until Tyler’s sudden murder shattered her world. Numb with grief and desperate for escape, Helen impulsively marries Wade—a near stranger—and goes off-grid with him to a farmhouse in rural Washington, far from her polished Seattle existence.

By day, Helen, who definitely wasn’t built for canning food and sewing dresses, contemplates setting her garden on fire. By night, she faces down insomnia and PTSD with her collection of poems by Plath and Poe—and daydreaming about her past with Tyler. But the routine of her “trad wife” life is broken when an unexpected traveler Isaac, Wade’s broodingly mysterious brother.

Wade is stunned—Isaac died in a horrific farm accident years ago—and he quietly insists to Helen they are in danger. Helen isn’t sure what to believe. Has Isaac truly come back from the dead? Is Wade manipulating her fragile grip on reality? Or is her mind turning against her? As her suspicions close in from every side, Helen must navigate a maze of secrets, grief, and uncertainty—where trusting the wrong person could be fatal.

A stunningly original debut, Call Off the Dark blends a heart-piercing love story, immersive psychological drama, and spine-tingling thriller, resulting in a multilayered, transportive narrative that reminds us of the magic in human connection and that our truest partners in life can keep us tethered to the world, even from the grave.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 22, 2026

About the author

Hallie Shepherd is an author, screenwriter, actor, and producer. Her debut novel, Call Off the Dark, blends psychological suspense, gothic tension, and a deeply felt love story at its core.

Originally from a tiny town in the Pacific Northwest, Hallie grew up running around in the woods, shooting “short films” with her friends on a video camera, and writing a weekly column for the county newspaper.

Her background in film and television influences her love of cinematic novels that balance pacing and atmosphere, as well as storytelling that moves between genres rather than staying inside a single box. Her favorite books are those with gray-area complexity that reveal both darkness and light.

Hallie now lives in Los Angeles with her filmmaker husband, where she continues writing stories for both page and screen.

Hallie’s Website
Follow Hallie on Instagram

Reviews

[Trisha]

oooh this one sounds good!! Pub date: 09/2026

** ARC REC"D THANK YOU! **

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Gabby Hurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and Hallie Shepherd for gifting me with this ARC to review. Despite me taking a minute to get into the story, I really ended up liking it!

Liked:

-Helen is a very painful ball of grief. I felt so bad for what she had to go through with witnessing Tyler die and watching the future she’d planned with him die too. Despite me not losing a significant other, I did lose my dad as a teenager and I related so much to the pain, anger, emptiness, and sadness that Helen was going through. I’m glad that she’s now able to fully process her grief and start letting go so she can learn to live again.

-supernatural elements are our friends. I always enjoy a good mystery with some supernatural elements thrown in the mix. I think the author added the right amount of it in the story. If it leaned more towards supernatural I don’t think it would’ve worked well with the whole story of Helen processing her grief funny enough.

-flashback moments. I truly did love seeing Helen and Tyler’s love story bloom. Sometimes you just find the right person and it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to you. They deserved so much more time with each other, but I think it really does reinforce the idea of living everyday like it’s your last, because we don’t know when death is going to come for us in the end.

Disliked:

-it was a slower start. I don’t mind that typically as long as there is at least some interest in dialogue or something going on between characters. Wade and Helen were really like two people living around each other, not with, if that makes sense. Until Issac showed up I didn’t know if I was going to end of liking this story as much as I did.

[Steve Edholm · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I am honest, I requested this because it was in Horror and no one writes about Washington state, I had to see what Hallie said about our great PNW.

The book follows Helen as she is trying to run from her past to the safety of the woods hours from Seattle. It is here that the simple life she claims to have wanted is interrupted by her new husband’s brother which she didn’t know existed. A brother in which Wade claims is dead. Is Issac dead or is Wade manipulating her? And will Tyler ever show her a sign from beyond the grave?

It’s been days since I finished this one and I am still not fully sure what I think of this book. I really loved the flashbacks to Helen’s time with Tyler. It’s a stark and jarring contrast to the life Helen has with Wade. I feel like the horror/thriller aspect of this book took too long to get going. There was a sprinkling of stuff early on, but until Wade finally opens up about things, I just didn’t like the main story.

I think the story gets better as it gets going, but the slow start didn’t help me. I think part of me not knowing where the town was and questioning if the author knew about Washington took some of it out of me (honestly until they get to Bellingham I wasn’t sure about the Washington knowledge, but shout out for dropping knowledge on WWU, GO VIKINGS!).

I think overall it was a good book, not one I would ever pick up again, but it’s not just my style really. I was the wrong audience for this sadly.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

[Tara Dawes · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 (seriously Goodreads give us half stars)
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and all opinions are 100% my own.

Going into this story I expected a pretty straightforward domestic suspense/thriller but this book ended up being so much more. It’s a beautiful exploration of grief and loss but there are also very strong horror elements. I read a lot of horror and it takes a lot for a scene in a book to creep me out but there were a few scenes in this one that really did. The author also did a good job with keeping me guessing as to what was real, was someone crazy/imagining things or was it more straight forward.

I think the timeline flashbacks were also incredibly effective and helped us to understand Helen and her loss more, it also resolved certain thriller avenues the book could have taken by showing us Tyler’s murder and the after of it.

As for the reasons this didn’t get a five, I felt the pacing was a little slow near the beginning (I wanted Isaac to show up a little sooner) and I would have liked a little more of a flash forward at the end to show us Helen a year or two down the line. But these are mainly small quibbles and overall I will strongly be recommending this book.

[TheDorkSide13 📖📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars Rounded up for characters a debut author.

The characters immediately draw you in, making it difficult to decide which storyline you’re more invested in—the past or the present. Both timelines are intriguing in their own way, and the way they unfold keeps you curious about how everything will ultimately connect. The narrative does a good job of building interest early on, pulling the reader into the characters’ lives and motivations.

While I didn’t completely love the overall story, I did appreciate how it kept me questioning the plot and wondering where things were headed. The author slowly reveals pieces of the mystery, encouraging the reader to keep turning the pages to uncover the truth. Even when I wasn’t fully invested in the direction of the story, the sense of curiosity remained strong enough to keep me engaged.

I wouldn’t necessarily categorize this book as a thriller. Instead, it feels more like a mystery with moments of suspense woven throughout. The tension is more subtle than intense, focusing on uncovering secrets and understanding the characters rather than delivering constant high-stakes action. Readers who enjoy character-driven mysteries with dual timelines may find this an engaging and thought-provoking read.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Britney Ireland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Call of the Dark

Following the devastating loss of Tyler, Helen makes a radical choice, abandoning the vibrant city life she once cherished to join Wade in a secluded, remote location—a place intentionally detached from the rhythm of the world. For months, she exists in near-total isolation, seeing no one but Wade. Yet, the ghost of her past remains; her heart still aches for Tyler, sending silent, desperate pleas for a sign of his return.

The delicate balance of their isolated existence is shattered with the sudden arrival of Issac, Wade's brother. His presence acts as a catalyst, forcing Helen to confront the life she has chosen and the desires she has repressed. As her grip on reality begins to fray, she questions her sanity and, in turn, the stability of Wade's own mind. The narrative expertly builds a suffocating tension, blurring the lines between grief, isolation, and paranoia. The emotional intensity escalates until a final, unexpected twist fundamentally reshapes the entire story. This pivotal moment elevates the novel, cementing its status as a compelling five-star read.

Highly recommended for readers who appreciate deeply psychological thrillers and character-driven suspense.

[Rebecca Knight sasek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an advanced copy from NetGalley.

This story is a haunting blend of grief, isolation, and the unsettling ways the past refuses to stay buried.

Helen’s life shatters when she loses the love of her life, and the novel doesn’t shy away from the rawness of that grief. In her desperation for stability, she clings to Wade—a man who offers comfort but not necessarily understanding. Their quick remarriage feels less like a fresh start and more like a fragile patch over a deep wound.

From that moment, the narrative shifts into a slow, creeping dread. The remote setting amplifies every shadow, every whisper, every doubt. The supernatural element doesn’t overwhelm the story—it deepens it, revealing how grief can distort judgment and how loneliness can invite danger.

This is a good solid 4 for me.

[Wine + Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hooked from chapter one! Helen is such a well-crafted character—relatable and grounded!

The author does a fantastic job switching between timelines, balancing Helen’s past with Tyler, and her present life with Wade. The timeline switching was done at the perfect times to help progress the story by showing Helen's love with Tyler, and how it brought her to be with Wade.

As the story unfolds, the tension builds—especially once Wade’s brother enters the picture. It creates this constant sense of unease where you’re questioning everything: Is something supernatural happening? Is Helen unraveling? Or is Wade manipulating both her?

Overall, the writing is beautiful—filled with vivid metaphors and subtle nods to Poe that add a poetic, eerie layer to the story. A compelling, well-written read that keeps you guessing.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

[Dayana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and all opinions are 100% my own.

This book is a must-read for anyone seeking a surprise of deep character dynamics and unexpected horror or paranormal elements.

The narrative unfolds from one narrator’s perspective across various non-linear timelines, creating a seamless and captivating reading experience.

Initially, I found myself considering not reading the whole Book; the writing was quirky and sentence structures different from what I normally
Read.

It also had me questioning the reliability of the narrator and the reality of the events. However, I persevered, and I’m glad I did because the story truly picks up after a while. It was a great read!

[Sarah Harney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to William Morrow for an ARC of Call Off the Dark via NetGalley.

I devoured this book in 24 hours and honestly cannot believe it is a debut! The writing was sharp and beautiful, and the pace of the story really kept me on my toes. GoodReads, the blurb, and many of the other early reviews classify this book as a thriller...IT ISN'T! This book is a bit of mystery, a bit of horror, a lot of paranormal, and more than anything a case study in grief. Readers who go into the book expecting a thriller may end up disappointed, but I think anyone who can go in open-minded in terms of genre will be wowed like I was. I'll be on the lookout for more titles from this author!

4.5 stars rounded up.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨️Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

I went into this totally blind and had no idea what to expect and I am so glad that I did.

This is a tragic and twisted thriller about a young woman, Helen and her overall life. What you will find is a lot of twists and turns, an amazing main character in Helen, and some of the best nail biting anticipation of what may happen next.

Helen is such a unique main character, she really was not what I expected when you first meet her to where she ends in the finale. I found her mind to be a fascinating protagonist in the story, it really was a character in itself with her experiences and thoughts. Overall this was a great thriller that kept me on my toes.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did feel like this book has a little bit of everything.

This is a book with lots of complicated characters that are going through some dramatic and complicated situations.

I did expect to enjoy this book more, it sounded super fascinating and fast-paced to me.

I think the thing that threw me off was that the spookiness took quite a while to get started. I was expecting more from the start. And the start was a bit slow too, so that added to this.

I really like this cover. There's something really intriguing and striking about it to me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honst review!