Predatory Natures coming July 8th from Delacorte Press; 432 pages
About the Author: “Amy Goldsmith is the author of THOSE WE DROWN, which was a Barnes & Noble YA Book Club selection, OUR WICKED HISTORIES, and the forthcoming PREDATORY NATURES. She has a lifelong love of all things spooky and lives on the Sussex coast with her family and beloved whippet” (Bio from author’s Goodreads).
Find Amy Goldsmith on the following platforms:
Lara Williams boards The Banebury, a luxury train and her last chance at reinvention after a disastrous year as a stewardess. Determined to leave the past behind—even with her ex-best friend Rhys now her coworker—she’s thrown off course when two strange carriages filled with rare, mesmerizing plants are added to the train. Their mysterious caretakers, siblings Gwen and Gwydion, claim it’s for research, but Lara senses something otherworldly growing among the leaves. As the plants begin haunting her dreams, Lara realizes escape isn’t so simple. To move forward, she’ll have to face the past—and uncover the secrets threatening to swallow her whole. As the train approaches its destination Lara wonders whether the journey was worth the risk, the memories and the mystery she is being forced into.
Predatory Natures is a dark, atmospheric thriller that blends botanical horror with a locked-room mystery aboard a luxury train. While the relationship between Lara and Rhys isn’t the emotional centerpiece nor at the forefront of the story, which was pleasant to see considering the genre, their tense dynamic added an engaging layer to the story. I, as someone who loves reading romance, enjoyed that the story was more rooted in suspense than romance. Fans of eerie imagery and prose and sinister secrets will find plenty to love in the lush, creeping horror of the mysterious plant carriages and the lies shrouding them. The pacing is brisk—maybe a bit too brisk near the end as I was still left with some questions—but the chilling tone and haunting setting made it hard to put down. Though Lara can be a frustrating narrator, her emotional struggles and the past she’s trying to outrun feel real and are especially engaging with the past and present narrative. With vivid writing and a unique premise, Amy Goldsmith delivers an imaginative and creepy tale perfect for fans of thrillers, killer plants, and confined settings. A great choice for horror lovers—especially if you’re reading it on a train this summer!
Predatory Natures releases on July 8th, 2025.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Delacorte Press for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Vanshikha Vij, Pine Reads Review Writer