Horror
Saint Mercy House
by Ernesto H Lee
2
Readers
1
Reviews
5
Avg rating
About the book
Ireland, 1964. When Father Michael Byrne is sent to Saint Mercy House, a remote institution for orphaned children and unmarried mothers in rural County Cavan, he hopes the quiet posting might offer him the chance to leave the mistakes of his past behind. Yet there are things about Saint Mercy House that trouble him almost from the beginning, small inconsistencies and unanswered questions that might easily be dismissed were there not so many of them, and as Michael begins to look more closely at the lives of those entrusted to its care, he finds himself drawn towards secrets that some would prefer remained undisturbed. He's kept silent once before, when speaking out might have cost him everything, and has lived with the consequences ever since. This time, though, he must decide how much the truth is worth.
Synopsis
Ireland, 1964. When Father Michael Byrne is sent to Saint Mercy House, a remote institution for orphaned children and unmarried mothers in rural County Cavan, he understands that the posting is intended to give him something he badly needs: a quiet place to put the mistakes of his past behind him. At first, the house appears to offer exactly that, but Saint Mercy House has its own ways of keeping quiet. Children whisper a strange rhyme after dark, names disappear from registers without explanation, and young women leave suddenly for new lives nobody can quite account for, while questions about those who have gone are met with the same careful assurances and closed doors. Then Michael begins hearing something inside the walls, three faint knocks followed by a pause, repeated patiently in the darkness. The more he tries to understand the place, the more he finds himself drawn into a history nobody in the surrounding village seems willing to discuss, and towards the unsettling possibility that the silence surrounding Saint Mercy House has been maintained for far longer than anyone is prepared to admit. Yet Michael has kept silent once before, when speaking out might have cost him everything, and he has lived with the consequences ever since, so this time, walking away may prove harder. Because some houses keep secrets, and Saint Mercy House has had a long time to learn how to keep those who discover them.
Want to read this early?
Join The Early Shelf to request an advance copy and share your honest review.
Reader reviews
Kelly
This book is atmospheric, unsettling and genuinely creepy in a way that slowly gets under your skin rather than relying on constant shock! The “Tall Mother” rhyme that the children whisper to each other was such an effective and haunting detail. I loved the way the story creates fear through uncertainty. Strange things happen but there is always just enough of a believable explanation to make you question what is really going on. The scene involving the locked door and Father Michael trying desperately to understand what is happening behind it genuinely stayed with me. There are so many small details throughout the story that gradually build this incredible sense of dread. I also really appreciated the depth given to the characters, particularly the women and Michael himself. His guilt and past choices add another emotional layer to the story. This is the kind of horror that doesn't just scare you while you're reading it, it lingers afterwards. Dark, atmospheric and beautifully unsettling. Definitely a five star read for me!
Author thank-yous & replies
From the author to Kelly
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my book, and for leaving such an amazing review. I'm so glad that you enjoyed it. Have a lovely weekend. Thanks again. Ernesto H Lee
2 Oct 2026