My Two Cents: DARKROOM PHANTOMS by Valerie B. Williams

Although set in the early 1900s, "Darkroom Phantoms," the upcoming historical horror novel by Valerie B. Williams, tells a story that's in many ways still timely and relevant today. In it, Caroline McAllister works alongside her husband, Andrew, in their thriving photography business. It's an unusual profession for a woman of her time, and even more so considering when Caroline views her subjects through the lens of her antique camera, she is able to see ghosts. It's a gift she's had since childhood, but one that went dormant for many years. Thus, when spirits begin appearing to her again, and in particular, the ghostly image of a mysterious woman, she suspects she's being contacted for a reason. When she learns that years earlier, Andrew and a group of his close-knit friends had been in the company of a woman who tragically drowned, she realizes the victim may be the enigmatic figure she keep seeing. And as the truth of that terrible accident slowly comes to light -- seeming not so accidental at all -- Caroline discovers the drowning victim's ghost may be seeking vengeance on the those she deems responsible, including Caroline's own husband.

"Darkroom Phantoms" is a charming and well-written mystery. There's no gore or jump scares, but plenty of ghostly phenomena and intrigue. Caroline is a clever, resourceful, and capable sleuth, and as she learns more about the spectral woman and its intentions, she also learns more about Andrew -- and herself. How well do any of us really know those we are closest to, even love?

As a history buff, I especially enjoyed the setting of this story. During this time period, post-mortem photography was popular, and family members often posed with deceased loved ones to preserve one last commemorative portrait together. It seems like a morbid tradition to us now, but through Caroline's viewpoint, Williams reflects on how it often served to bring closure to grieving families. In the time period in which the story is set, Prohibition has yet to occur, but through a subplot in which Caroline and her friend pretend to be newspaper reporters working on a story about the dangers of alcohol, Williams reveals the socio-political and moral arguments that helped facilitate the "tee-totaler" movement in American society. She's clearly done her homework, and "Darkroom Phantoms" presents a unique historical perspective, in addition to a chilling supernatural mystery.

If you're looking for slashers, masked killers, final girls, or the walking dead, this isn't the book for you. But if you appreciate a quieter kind of horror, one in which the dead whisper in riddles and it's up to the living to unravel the meanings, and a heroine who comes into her own much as the women of her time found societal empowerment, then "Darkroom Phantoms" should be at the top of your "must read" list.

"Darkroom Phantoms" releases December 1, 2026. It's available for preorder here.