Et cetera : What We're Reading: Blood on Her Tongue

I don’t usually gravitate toward audiobooks, but 'Blood on Her Tongue' by Johanna van Veen completely pulled me in—and a huge part of that was the narrator. If the voice doesn’t click for me, I struggle to stay engaged, but this one absolutely delivered.

Set in 1887 Netherlands, this gothic horror follows twin sisters Lucy and Sarah, whose reunion quickly turns unsettling. As Sarah falls mysteriously ill after assisting with the autopsy of a somewhat preserved bog body, the story spirals into something deeply eerie—blurring the line between illness, possession, and something far more sinister.

There’s a strong undercurrent of historical fear around “women’s hysteria,” especially toward intelligent, unconventional women, which adds a chilling layer to the narrative. And woven into all of that is a subtle sapphic thread that deepens the emotional tension.

If you love gothic horror with psychological twists, creeping dread, and a touch of vampiric mystery, this one is worth a listen. This title currently has 3.79 on Goodreads.

Happy reading (or listening), friends!

~Heather