Review of 'A Haunting at Venus Bay' by Julie Brooks

Review of 'A Haunting at Venus Bay' by Julie Brooks

Release date: January 6th, 2026

Publisher: Headline Review

REVIEW

Every book by Julie Brooks I have read, I’ve adored. She is such a brilliant story teller! Her plots, descriptions, characters, dialogue and settings are always exceptionally delivered. And in A Haunting at Venus Bay from page one I was captivated once again.

The flow of the scenes and heightened awareness of the environment are evident through the detailed descriptions. I was pulled in one hundred percent into her created world. Julie addresses all the senses so you get the full picture and experience. I was on that Victoria coast road with Cassie, following all that she viewed and was drawn in to her memories as well. These were happy experiences as a child when she visited the region during summer breaks with her family. Now that she is an adult and has returned to Australia, we learn what has brought her back. She has been living in London, England, working as an Interior Decorator but a relationship has gone bad. Broken hearted she wants to get as far away as possible from the scene. So she heads to a place where she felt loved, safe and had good times. And she wants to see her brother again who lives in Melbourne. So family is part of her motivation to head to Australia for a fresh start.

Cassie has purchased an old cottage near Venus Bay she has never seen. When she arrives and catches a glimpse of its poor condition, she is not too worried as this is what she does. Renovates interiors and is sure she can make this one special, too. But this house comes with other issues, besides needing an overhaul. One might say spiritual conflicts are happening on these premises. Her next door neighbour says little about it but Cassie is certain she knows more about the former owners and their peculiar past.

This story is told in two timelines and each are equally fascinating. They overlap not only in sharing the same Venus Bay setting, but the house itself has rumblings from the past affecting the present. They say if walls could speak, what tales they could tell. In this case, this place could share volumes of some very tragic happenings. But this house and its surrounds speak in ways you would never expect. There are long standing rumours. Locals say strange events have happened on the property. Cassie will soon find out for herself that these are not rumours. But are they real or imagined? Is there peculiar paranormal activity at large? And, if so, what is the reason behind it? And how will these strange occurrences affect her as the new owner? Although it will shake her senses and make her doubt all she once believed, this house and previous residents will haunt, lead and send her in directions she could never have imagined.

The past timeline paints a picture of Minna and her mother’s life. How they came from war-torn Europe and joined the fairgrounds. These showgrounds hosted agricultural shows, community events, markets and exhibitions. They offered entertainment, carnival rides and gave Fortune Tellers a chance to do their thing. And this is what Minna’s mother did. She even had a special mirror. And Cassie in the future gets to see what that did! But Minna’s story is a sad one. She meets Albert at one of these events and he asks her to marry him. She sees marriage as an escape from the awful treatment she received as an immigrant from Germany. Albert sees her as someone to work on his farm and provide children. But she does not know of his true intentions initially and thinks he ‘loves’ her. Her mother provides a number of warnings and asks Minna to reconsider but she is young and full of hope and dreams. One of those dreams is to be a writer. But once married, reality sets in and her life becomes hell. She sneaks in her writing and becomes published but her husband continues to torment her about her books. I won’t say any more but life for this woman was heartbreaking. Until something tragic happens…

This historical and present day mystery is steeped in atmosphere. There are plenty of paranormal activities to support suspicions: where the natural and supernatural seem to coexist and collide. Even the animals are affected! This deeply intriguing tale kept me glued to the pages. The pace is perfect and the tension gradually builds but snaps into action at the right time. I truly enjoyed this story and felt completely transported to the times and events. Plot wise and visually, it is riveting. Although there are unsettling topics of prejudice and spousal control, good things like love, release and healing are on the cards, too. I highly recommend  A Haunting at Venus Bay. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Julie and her publisher for a review copy.