'Tara Gould depicts an elegant but deeply heart-breaking tome that displays the links between motherhood and mental health. It’s disturbing but so very perfect. A totally original, emotionally charged short story.' – 4/5 star review by The Coy Caterpillar Reads
'Gould’s prose is beautiful, and her story feels like such an honest one, as she relates the everyday struggles of motherhood. Once the more sinister elements start to creep into the narrative – strange noises heard around the house, the baby being unable to settle – I was absolutely invested in the story.' – Kirsty Hewitt, NB Magazine
'A beautifully-written tale of a motherless girl growing up to become a mother struggling against her destiny.' – Anne Hill, Sussex Life magazine Must-Reads for May 2020
'Tara Gould depicts a mother suffering from post-natal depression with sensuous, visceral language. The protagonists' fatigue seeps into your bones as you read.' – Anna Burtt, VIVA Brighton
'This little gem of a book first caught my eye because of it’s cover and it’s enticing name; and I’m very pleased to say that it didn’t disappoint! The Haunting of Strawberry Water is powerful, creepy and deeply unsettling.With a tantalizing hint of the supernatural, I thoroughly enjoyed this eerie yet tense short story and look forward to reading more work by Tara Gould.' – Mrs Cooke's Books, Bookstagrammer
'Highly recommend. In the vein of Shirley Jackson but with a more languid approach that adds to the haunting tone. I can’t wait to read more by her!' – Contrary Reader, Instagrammer
'A novella that explores motherhood and postnatal depression, (with a nod to The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman). It’s dark in places and packs a punch.' – Bookish Steph, Instagrammer, 4/5 star review
'The Haunting of Strawberry Water is a rather chilling story of a mental breakdown, of dealing with the trauma that comes with being a new mother particularly with a lack of support, how difficult it can be to cope. I thought it was fabulous.' – Short Books and Scribes
'This haunting book focusing on motherhood and post-natal depression is small enough to slip into a pocket, yet the 48 pages really do pack an emotional punch. A ghost story with a difference, The Haunting of Strawberry Water slips into thoughts and throughly provokes feelings.' – Liz Robinson, LoveReading
'Elegant and profound, this is powerful nature writing as much as it is a compelling ghost story, and an expertly handled meditation on the prickly nature of intimate relationships.' – Hannah Vincent
'An eerily evocative snapshot of a young woman possessed by her own lost history, The Haunting of Strawberry Water takes what should be the most secure of bonds, the relationship between mother and daughter, and transports it to a new and terrifying landscape of the uncanny.' – Ian Breckon
'Tara Gould knows an essential truth, that ghosts exist in the darkness of the mind. And that sometimes those ghosts can exit the mind and take up residence in the world. They need to be both real, and unreal, at the same time. It is a difficult task to pull off, and Gould tackles it superbly. This beguiling and unsettling story has a very powerful effect on the reader.' – Jeff Noon
'A sensuous and strikingly visual story, this tale about motherhood is at once singular and universal. It taps into those equivocal feelings we all have about the conflicting burdens and joys of creating and supporting a tiny life, while showing us one woman's particular challenges. It is a ghost story which, even in these supposedly rational times, we completely fall into.' – Julia Crouch
