Turn Off the Light

A Novel

Two women living centuries apart are bound by the same dark secret in this haunting novel that "upends everything you think you know about ghost stories" (Jennifer McMahon, author of The Winter People).

"A delightful twist on both the haunted-house and beach-read genres." —Carissa Orlando, author of The September House

The Devil enters through doors left open…

On the isolated Eastern Shore of Virginia, Edith is a healer, a woman of knowledge—and a woman watched. Shadows move where they shouldn't. Whispers creep through the dark. Terrified she has opened her home to the Devil, Edith makes a desperate choice.

Claire doesn’t believe in ghosts—until she returns home to care for her dying father and finds her childhood house… listening. As one sleepless night bleeds into the next, she becomes convinced something is stirring beneath the floorboards. Something that has waited a long time to rise.

Is the house haunted? What compels this lurking darkness? As the danger mounts, Edith and Claire will discover they'll need each other to survive. But they are separated by four hundred years. And time is running out for them both.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"A delightful twist on both the haunted house and beach-read genres, Turn Off The Light will keep you guessing, turning pages, and cheering on the heroines until the very end!"—Carissa Orlando, author of The September House

"Part thriller, part supernatural tale, Turn Off the Light upends everything you think you know about ghost stories. Jacquie Walters shows us how the past, present and future are entwined, how a house can hold memories, and how it’s possible for two women, centuries apart, to save each other. A haunting and unforgettable read!”—Jennifer McMahon, author of My Darling Girl

“A wonderfully written thriller.”—Daisy Pearce, author of Something in the Walls

“Dark, smart, and hypnotic, Walters’ sophomore novel is its own kind of enchantment. Turn Off the Light slips between centuries with the assurance of a writer in full command, from a contemporary haunting to a 1600s witchy fever dream. A spiritual successor to The Haunting of Hill House, it delivers that same slow-creeping dread that nestles right under your skin. If garbage disposals didn’t scare you before, they’re about to.”—Stephanie Wrobel, author of The Hitchcock Hotel

“After her phenomenal debut Dearest, Walters delivers a visceral horror that weaves two timelines four hundred years apart into one stunning, unexpected collision. The scares hit hard, but it's the threads of humor, womanhood, and fierce female friendship that make this unforgettable.”—C. J. Cooke, author of The Last Witch

"Walters threads the past and present together with precision and dread. Turn Off the Light is a chilling, time-twisting story that crawls under your skin and stays there—unsettling, relentless, and impossible to forget!"—Marie Still, author of Bad Things Happened in This Room

Praise for Dearest

I absolutely loved this!

The story was very well put together and I had no idea which way it was going to go. The dual timelines were really captivating and I really enjoyed both main characters. I think the author did an outstanding job narrating the book she wrote and I want her to narrate more books haha.

Haunted house 🏠

​They say the Devil enters through open doors, but after reading Turn off the Light, I’m tempted to bolt the windows and never look at a floorboard the same way again.
​The Vibe
​This isn't just your run-of-the-mill "things that go bump in the night" ghost story. It’s a masterfully woven dual-timeline thriller set on the isolated Eastern Shore of Virginia. We follow Edith, a 17th-century healer living under the heavy, suspicious gaze of her community, and Claire, a modern-day skeptic returning home to care for her dying father.
​Why It Works
​The Character Depth: The development here is immense. Walters doesn't just give us "scared women"; she gives us complex, breathing humans grappling with grief, isolation, and the terrifying realization that they aren't alone.
​The "Dual" Thrill: Usually, in dual timelines, I find myself favoring one over the other. Not here. Switching between Edith’s 400-year-old terror and Claire’s modern insomnia kept the suspense at a fever pitch.
​The Subtext: My favorite part? The deep dive into how "healing" became "witchcraft." The book brilliantly highlights how that stigma hasn't really left us—it just changed clothes.
​The Takeaway
​At its core, this story is a testament to the fact that a "witch" is often just a woman who refuses to conform—someone strong, independent, and unapologetically different. It’s a haunting reminder that women have been protecting women across centuries, even when separated by four hundred years of history.
​Final Verdict: Read it with the lights on. Or, if you’re feeling brave, turn them off... but don't say I didn't warn you about the floorboards.

Enjoyed unexpected Twists

I enjoyed the unexpected twists and turns this book took. Such a satisfying ending. Loved it.