The Woodcutter

by Stephanie Ellis

A tragic accident, shrouded in mystery, leads to a family reunion in the hidden village of Little Hatchet, located in the smothering shadow of GodBeGone Wood, the home of the mythical Woodcutter and Grandma.

Alec Eades rediscovers his bond with GodBeGone Wood and the future his father agreed to years ago as nefarious landowner Oliver Hayward schemes to raise money for the village by re-enacting part of the Woodcutter legend.

Old wounds are re-opened and ties of blood and friendship are tested to the extreme when the Woodcutter is summoned and Grandma returns.

Genres: Horror

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2023

About the author

Stephanie Ellis writes dark speculative prose and poetry and has been published in a variety of magazines and anthologies. Her longer work includes the novels, The Five Turns of the Wheel, Reborn and The Woodcutter, and the novellas, Paused and Bottled. Her new post-apocalytpic/sci-fi/horror novel, The Barricade is due out this year!

She is a Rhysling and Elgin nominated poet, co-authoring the poetry collection, Foundlings, with Cindy O'Quinn, Lilith Rising with Shane Douglas Keene and solo work Metallurgy.

She can be found at https://stephanieellis.org

Reviews

[Horror Reads]

I'm telling you, nobody writes folk horror like Stephanie Ellis. Her previous novels (Five Turns Of The Wheel and Reborn) are my top two favourites in that genre and I can happily add this to that list.

This novel balances a line between psychological mind-f*ck and extremely frightening folk horror. It does each of these perfectly and it's an absolutely none put downable read.

The legend of this montrosity known as the Woodcutter and his constant companion (known as Grandmother) is a very twisted and bloody reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood. But, in this case, the big bad wolf is a cute snuggly puppy in comparison.

And let's talk about names for a minute. The town this takes place in is a small village called Little Hatchet. The dark woods that border it is called GodBeGone wood. Is that not perfect names for a novel where you know bad things are about to happen?

Rituals, summonings, and secrets are the course of the day in this story. With characters that you'll love and abhorr, you're taken into this world, into these forsaken woods with them and you won't be able to stop reading. There's terror around every corner, something horrifying lurking at the boundaries.

But a "Holy crap I never saw that coming" twist will jolt you. Your perspective will shift and you'll see that, just like entering the wood itself, you don't know as much as you think you do! Because a sacrifice is needed and the revelation of who is to make this happen is a shock.

Yes this book contains it's fair share of blood and brutality and it works stunningly with the setting and characters but mixed with the psychological nuances throughout, this book stands above others. For a novel set in one small village it has the scope and range of something larger and that makes it so damn engaging.

I cannot recommend this enough. I will have no faith in the world if this book doesn't win some awards. Don't let it get under your radar!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher without consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Woodcutter” is a dark and twisted fiction, mixing historical lore, Christian devils and witches, and pagan beliefs of spiritual beings.

This starts out strong and I was captivated by the end of the first chapter. The set up for the characters and plot was very eerie and intriguing. Readers will find out the bloody history behind the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, Grandmother, the Wolf, and the titular Woodcutter.

Around the halfway mark, the story begins to get a bit jumbled. Suddenly a time jump takes us forward to Halloween (a bit jarring) and relationships between characters have developed that the readers have completely mixed. I kept thinking “is this real? No? Yes? Maybe? What?”, like the author was trying too hard to confuse the readers, throw red herrings out, and it felt like the thread of the tale had frayed badly.

The remainder of the story continued to feel “off” and just didn’t work for me. I’m still giving this 3 stars as it is a really great idea and for the first half of the book I enjoyed the read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Brigids Gate Press for a copy.

[Wayne Fenlon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admirable work. Truly. And much more accessible to me than many other folk horror tales out there.
This one pulls in ideas from kind of expected directions but it does so from a different angle, which I really appreciated. And it doesn't ever feel like it's ever reaching, either. A great read. I would say the first half of the book appealed to me more, though, but that's not to say it fell away. It's just a matter of taste here. And it needed to go somewhere, too. Which it did.
Anyways... I'm kinda stumbling over myself here, but all I'm saying is this is a really good read. Well worth your time.
I kind of wished I read it sooner, too... But then again... It's never too late to pick up a good book, is it?
PAUSED, the last book I read of Stephanie's, is probably still my favourite, but this one hits just the right amount of originality, too.
Highly recommended.
A solid four stars from me.

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Rounded down from 2.5)

This story has so much potential, but it falls apart for me on too many levels for me to enjoy it, unfortunately.

Let’s talk about what I liked. The whole idea is a fun one, pointing at folk horror, twisting it with fairy tales, and then combining it with a modern twist involving meta-awareness, faux ritual re-enactment, and online profiteering. Take these ideas and add a prodigal son, a haunted-feeling wood, and a whole bunch of unreliable narrators and there are so many possibilities. I really enjoyed the concept of the story, especially including the twists and turns right up through the end. The sources being played with, the ideas, the overall story? A lot of fun.

The execution, though, didn’t live up to that promise. The legends about the forest and the Woodcutter and the Grandma were far too muddled to be enjoyable. Yes, not everyone in the village knew the “real” history, and we were learning about it from unreliable storytellers, but the stories constantly collapsed on top of each other in ways that felt like the fault was not at the feet of our characters. There is definitely an intended element of psychological horror here, but this felt like unintended confusion, not authorial manipulation. The characters felt generic and flat, unfortunately. None of them felt fleshed out; what characteristics they were given were introduced right before they were needed for the plot. Especially our main character, we don’t know anything about the life he was living before the night he met his brother, and there was nothing about him that made him more than a generic warm body, I had no clue why I should root for (or against) him. There was nothing to connect to with any of these characters, and unlike the fun cannon-fodder characters of a slasher most of these characters we were supposed to feel something for, but they barely felt like anything. The plotting itself felt rushed and disorganized. The way time moves and jumps felt illogical, and it never felt like characters were making decisions that made any sense given their contexts. Yes, some characters were unreliable and various secrets and twists are revealed at the end, but that type wasn’t the source of characters’ bad decisions. It all felt like incredible plot conveniences, not anything that felt grounded in the reality being constructed here. In order for the finale to happen as it did there just needed to be unbelievable event after unbelievable event after unbelievable event, and it strained even horror-logic credulity. In addition to all of that, the writing just didn’t feel strong enough to carry this story. It wasn’t bad writing, but the way the POV moved from one paragraph to another sometimes, and some of the word choices and phrasing, they just felt a little clumsy. Sometimes it felt like really great short story writing that had to be stretched out and it couldn’t bear that weight.

Look, the story as planned was crazy ambitious. The way the story twists and turns on itself, the reveals that come at the end? They are really smart and fun, but they are hard to set-up and pull off. It is really challenging to plot out a story that has this type of ending combined with a psychological and folk horror amalgamation colored by numerous unrelatable narrators. I really do applaud the ideas of this story, but every idea feels like it made the author’s job harder and harder. I am here for every big swing the author took, but for me they just missed the mark. If you really like contemporary approaches to folk horror then you might find something to enjoy here, depending on how much you care about character development and world-building. The twists and turns at the end, as they layer one atop another, are fun too, when they come. The work to get there wasn’t worth the payoff for me, but your mileage might vary.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Brigids Gate Press, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Coy Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

With The Woodcutter, Stephanie Ellis solidifies her place as a master storyteller. A beautiful sylvan atmosphere, copious folk horror elements (you can't beat the name GodBeGone Wood), and characters that stoke a range of emotions, this is a novel to savor. Let it develop, absorb the language, get in that world, and the horrors will squirm through you all the better.

This is one her more frightening works, too, with the characters of the Woodcutter and Grandmother standing out as genuinely terrifying. Thick atmosphere. Terrific prose. And a satisfying horror-mystery to wrap the package.

[Jacob Cherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story of Folk Horror! 5/5

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Woodcutter by Stephanie Ellis is a horror novel about an old tale about a Woodcutter and Grandma who lived in a cottage in the woods.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Brigids Gate Press, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
The story of Grandma in the cottage in the woods, and the Woodcutter, were stories told to the youngsters of Little Hatchet from the time they could walk.  But these stories were more than just tales to entertain.  The residents of the area have followed certain procedures to ensure the safety of the village.  Some still believe.

Years ago, Grandma did, indeed,  exist, although the stories were a little extreme.  She was deemed a witch, and she lived in GodBeGone Wood, just outside the village.  They say she demanded six lives every six years. She would name the people she wanted, and her assistant, The Woodcutter, would knock on their doors on the Night of the Gathering, and take each person, who was never seen again.  The Woodcutter, will this giant axe was deemed a monster, and would not be denied.   Rumours said that the blood of the victims kept the pair young. But perhaps they had made a deal with the devil for long life.

Alec Eades discovers his ties to the area when Cameron knocks on his door.  Apparently this man was Alec's brother, who he had never heard of.  Cameron asks him for help.  He feared that their younger brother Vinnie was in trouble.  Alec apparently has a whole family he was unaware of.

Meanwhile, landowner Oliver Hayward has plans for the village.  He wants to re-enact part of the Woodcutter legend.  People are not impressed with Oliver, but there is a lot of money to be made for this village, and they are desperate.  They will do what they are told.

 

My Opinions:
Well, this was interesting.  Blending folk lore with unreliable narrators creates a rather wild tale of both supernatural and psychological horror.  Deception ran rampant.  Nothing was as it seemed, right to the end.

The characters, some likeable, but others not so much.  Yet they all had enough depth to keep them somewhat real.  Often you didn't know who to believe, which is what made you pay attention.

The actual plot was really good.  It felt like a strange take on Little Red Riding Hood.  The author definitely captured the scary woods, the local scary legend, and the closed-in feeling of the villagers.  She captured both their greed and their community cohesion, which in this case, may not have been a good thing.

Overall, this was a true horror novel.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

  

For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Woodcutter is a haunting tale of rural horror, but it's also more than that: a sharp yet subtle book about community, power, and the stories societies tell themselves to maintain order. On the surface, it traces the protagonist's return to the village of Little Hatchet, where GodBeGone Wood hides both mythical creatures and dark secrets. But beneath this veneer of folklore lies a pointed allegory: how fear, tradition, and collective memory shape social hierarchies and control human behavior.

Ellis crafts a world where the forest is both literal and symbolic: a living reflection of the village’s anxieties, prejudices, and unspoken moral compromises. The Woodcutter and Grandma, as mythic figures, serve not just as sources of fear, but as mirrors to the community itself with their arbitrary rituals, unexamined rules, and the consequences of blind adherence to tradition.

The narrative is careful, almost surgical, in its layering. The horror is never just supernatural; it is always also embedded in human cruelty, gossip, and the way communities punish difference and vulnerability. The critique itself always emerges in understated ways: the novel interrogates what it means to belong, the costs of conformity, and how history - either mythologized or forgotten - shapes identity and power dynamics.

What makes The Woodcutter resonate is its ability to balance the fantastical with the everyday. Alec’s struggles with grief, morality, and responsibility unfold alongside whispered legends and eerie woods. Ellis shows that the extraordinary, the supernatural, is inseparable from the mundane realities of social life: fear, ambition, jealousy, and the desire for control.

At its core, the book is about human behavior under pressure: how stories told and untold can enforce societal norms or expose their fragility. It’s a cautionary, eerie tale that asks readers to consider the systems and rituals we accept unquestioningly, and what we might lose if we never challenge them.

The Woodcutter is unsettling, intelligent, and quietly subversive. If anything, at times the allegorical layers can feel just slightly over-stuffed, hinting at more ideas than the story had room to fully explore. But if you appreciate horror that also reflects on social structures, morality, and communal myths, then this novel offers both chills and insight.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-done folk horror novel that had my head spinning toward the end. Engrossing and moody, I recommend this for anyone who loves a creepy lore tale with questions up until the very end.

[Scribble's Worth Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

With an enticing title, the award-winning author Stephanie Ellis, is back with another story that involves, as usual, unusual elements to bring terror to you. This time, we have a wood cabin, dark woods, a weird town with weird people, an absurd request and a looming promise of blood.

If you love suspenseful books, then you should burn the name Stephanie Ellis on your list of writers to check out, because she knows how to make you bite your nails, and The Woodcutter, along with her last book “Paused” are the proof of that, (read the review of Paused here).

Picture this: It’s a brand new day, and you hear an insistent knock on your door. You open the door, and there's someone that looks exactly like you. To add to the creepy factor the person doesn’t talk much and stares at you the whole time. How alarming would that be? Yeah.... Welcome to The Woodcutter by Stephanie Ellis.

By the 5th page, you will be enraptured in this book, and you won’t be able to quit it. I bet you on that.

Stephanie Ellis throws little crumbs for you to follow, but never in a straight line. You will have several unconnected angles on things. First, there's the mother, and her obsession about keep running away from where the main character was born, and telling him to never return. After you lose yourself with the questions, Stephanie Ellis will bring you another set of questions, and little to no answers. Nothing is what it seems in this novel, keep that in mind, mwhahahah.

If this was a regular novel, the answer to the question: "What is a priest doing in a haunted forest?" would be simple, but The Woodcutter is no regular novel. If you pay close attention, you will start to notice that these priests motives are darker than their attire.

As Stephanie Ellis tells this story, she uses the elements of the scenery to twist things and paint intentions. This is so well done, that after a certain point you realize that the environment is one of the main characters.

The woods are alive, whispering and longing the pulse and blood of people. You can feel it as you read, and at times, you can even imagine them closing in around you when you lose yourself in the narrative of Stephanie Ellis.

“Nature speaks to us in so many languages. Humans however refuse to listen unless it is in their tongue. So much is lost in translation.”

The tecnique of Stephanie Ellis is so remarkable that she is able to make this book claustrophobic! This is world class narrative! Masterful! Beautiful!

“A distant memory hovered briefly and then vanished before he could grasp it. He sipped at his wine and continued to look down at the wood, tried to superimpose the illustration over the landscape, imagine the screams of the villagers, the protestations of the priest. The despair of the mother. An old fairy tale? Perhaps. Perhaps not. When you dug deep you would often find strange things buried and forgotten … and true.”

The element of superstition is a big factor to the story. Stephanie Ellis brings a folkloric taste into the mix with allures to it and the traditions of this weird and small community. Without them, dark secrets will be revealed, and an enormous price will be paid to restore peace. It’s something super twisted and it takes a while for us to start to adjust, yet Stephanie Ellis never allows us to be comfortable, not even for a second.

“Easier to wash your guilt away by blaming the unseen Devil, rather than the one looking back at you in the mirror.”

In the first pages, you get to see or get an idea of who or what is The Woodcutter, but , as the book progresses, you ask yourself why there’s not an explanation, at least at first, about “Grandma”? Who is she? Why is she so feared?

The secrets between families are as tight as the family bonds themselves, and it seems like the whole town is in the conspiracy of keeping these secrets, lies and truths with them, hidden inside the village that is slowly dying. There’s a force that is trying to revive the town, but not to bring more life, to it, but to keep on the secrets, the rituals and the sacrifices to the "Old One".

The more you read, the more you get the feeling that this tale is based on a very familiar story (I won’t say which) and Stephanie Ellis, twisted it and added so many elements and creepiness to it that you cannot recognize it any further, unless... you pay very close attention. We say this as if there was a chance of you getting distracted from this book in the first place.

This book, although fascinating has a note to it that will having you want to slap some characters, and that is the disbelief in what their own eyes, bodies, and minds are telling them, until, the moment they get killed. The cope is hard on these ones, or... is it?

Stephanie Ellis once again proved why she is an award-winning author, with a plot twist so far-out, but so far out that nobody will see it coming. Don’t try to predict it, it’s useless, believe me, I tried. And not only that, but there’s one secret that she will keep on the back of EVERYBODY, that will silently reveal itself, as the mastermind of this entire story hides in plain sight. Once you find out who he/she is, you will say: “WHAT?! No freaking way that this person would plan all of these events at once”. That person played everybody and made everybody a fool, in order to make things right. OK, sure, the author hints that, but still, there’s no way to connect the dots, it’s impossible.

The Woodcutter is a thriller/horror folk novel that is wrapped in mystery and a heck of a read that will grip you, and you will find yourself hugging it back and searching for the answers in the pages. Yet, allow us to warn you once again: Nothing is what it seems, and you cannot undo the wrongs of your fathers. So, if you love thrillers, folktales, the macabre, the twisted retelling of a story that is so original but so original that you do not recognize it, then click here to get your copy of The Woodcutter by Stephanie Ellis. This is serious writing right here.

Pros:

World-class narrative!
Excellent description and manipulation of scenery
Excellent character building and development
Excellent suspense and mystery, seriously addictive
Goosebumps-creepy
Incredible plot-twists all around
Unpredictable plot and story
A super original retelling of a very known story to the point you won’t even recognize it
Insightful and full of philosophic challenges and dilemmas
Dark from start to finish.

Cons:

At times people were too dismissive of what they saw, even when they grew up in a ... unusual town, yet, it’s understandable if you factor in other things and contexts throughout the book

Favoritism Character: Reverend Chadwick

Lesson of the book: Tend and respect the woods

Cover Score: 8.9/10

Book Score: 9.1/10

[Catherine McCarthy]

The very start of this book read somewhat like a thriller, but it wasn't long before I was immersed in the world of The Woodcutter.
The sense of claustrophobia that comes with a village that hides its own history and shares it only with a chosen few really adds to the tension, and when accompanied by lots of secrets, rites and rituals the tale darkens a few more shades. I also loved the dark fairy tale feel that runs throughout, with Grandma's cottage as well as The Woodcutter himself, and then there are the names such as Little Hatchet and GodBeGone Woods. I mean, come on!
Expect twists and turns along the way, so that you're never quite sure who you should be rooting for.
In summary: A very well written folk horror tale that feels both nostalgic and modern at the same time.

[Carrie (scary.carrie.reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press for providing me with an eARC of this book!

This was my second time reading this author, and while I really enjoyed the first story I read by them, I was disappointed with this one. It had a lot of potential. I felt like it started out strong, but it quickly became muddled to the point that I lost interest in who was betraying who. Still, I kept reading because the central folklore interested me, and I wanted to know what was going to happen. The ending was somewhat satisfying, but for all the twists and turns and just plain confusing parts I had to read to get there, it kind of felt like too little, too late.

What I liked:

▪️ Folk horror

▪️ Remote village in the woods

▪️ Interesting folklore with Little Red Riding Hood ties

▪️ Kept me guessing


What I didn’t like:

▪️ The story is a little repetitive at times.

▪️ There were several plot points that I found confusing.

▪️ There were multiple times when characters made decisions that seemed to go against their own best interest/made no sense why they would do what they were doing. I found myself saying “but WHY?” a lot.

▪️ Most of the characters felt one dimensional to me. I didn’t feel connected to any of them. Honestly, I didn’t even hate the “villain” as much as I probably should have. I just felt indifferent.


Overall, I felt like this story was just okay. There were parts I enjoyed and others that I didn’t. The premise was really cool, but I wish it had been executed in a clearer way and with more character development. These are just my opinions, and your mileage may vary.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Review

I loved this story. The author did an incredible job of capturing the small town/village horror trope that showcases a local legend, a dark town secret, and the outsider caught in the middle. The tension and atmosphere the author was able to capture really honed in on the chilling nature of the townspeople and their secrets, as well as the mystery and haunting heart of the woods and the local legends that impact their surroundings.

To me, the heart of this narrative was in the pacing of the mystery and the twisted character development that starts early on. I felt a twinge of nostalgia at the beginning of the story, as a mystery caller in the middle of a stormy night for protagonist Alec made the story feel like an old 1920s Hollywood Horror film from Universal Studios. The twisted family dynamics that are at play thanks to these legends and the path that the mystery brings Alec on as each page is lifted and the shocking truth behind the Woodcutter is revealed kept me invested in this story.

The Verdict

Memorable, terrifying, and entertaining, author Stephanie Ellis’s “The Woodcutter” is a must-read horror novel to read this summer. The upcoming supernatural thriller will not only chill readers with the twists and turns the story takes but will have them shocked as the final fate of these characters is revealed in all its bloody glory.

[Romuald Dzemo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephanie Ellis' The Woodcutter is a novel that will appeal to thriller fans, horror lovers, and readers who are into suspenseful narratives. First off, the setting is intriguing. Readers are drawn into the world of the Woodcutter, no they will hardly find anywhere. You can already think about secrets aplenty, rituals, and more.

An accident leads a family to unite in a hidden village called Little Hatchet. Grandma and the mysterious Woodcutter live there. Alec Eades is about to rediscover his old bonds to a mysterious place and a future his father has always envisioned. When the Woodcutter is summoned and Grandma returns, tension ensues, secrets resurface, and loyalties are tested. This novel is permeated by a strong sense of mystery. Readers don't know what to expect. Plus, the setting itself is creepy. It is written as a character in its own right, a place that readers explore with a lot of apprehension. Overall, this was a wonderful read with intriguing characters and prose that is beautiful.

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this book completely blind, I only knew it was a horror and that was all. I wish I would have read the synopsis before getting into this one, because I’m not the biggest fan of folklore, myths or legend retellings. Or maybe I just haven’t come across one that I liked & that grabbed my attention…either way this one just wasn’t for me either. For me, it was just too slow, a little all over the place & it didn’t reel me in at all.

I really wanted to like this but right away, it was slow & just didn’t keep my attention. This is my first book by this author and I wasn’t a fan of the writing style, so this will probably be my last by this author as well. This also didn’t come across as “horror” to me. Maybe thriller or suspenseful is a better way to categorize this book, but definitely not horror, at least not in my opinion.

If you haven’t read this one yet, I’d say give it a chance because you may like this more than I did. Also, if you like folklore, myths or legend retellings then you’ll definitely enjoy this story!

[Kilgallen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one felt more like a thriller/ mystery than a horror. The storyline was well thought out and delivered some unexpected twists that kept me engaged. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and I fear that some character development was lost due to sheer numbers resulting in a number of characters whom felt very much alike and somewhat redundant. While I can see the folk story basis of this tale it was lacking the slow, atmospheric horrific dread that I've come to expect from folk horror, but if your looking for a twisty thriller this may be one you resonate with.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this title free of charge. I'm leaving an honest review voluntarily.

[AgoraphoBook Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Woodcutter 
Stephanie Ellis 

3.25 / 5

So this one was an interesting read. 

I think it has incredibly innovative ideas, and the books plot overall is just ... really friggin cool. 

For me, unfortunately it fell apart a bit in the execution. 

Now having said that, this is still a novel that I would recommend checking out. Especially if dark fantasy tinged with folk horror is your jam. Me and this story just didn't get along in the way I thought we would, but it's all about preference. And interpretation.

But one thing that I was consistently intrigued by was the voice of the author coming through. There's a certain way that Stephanie writes that's almost lyrical at times. Very poetic. 

[Kristal Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book I couldn’t put down. It was so twisted with the folklore.

[Corinne Pollard · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first The Woodcutter was a little tricky to get into with its drama, mystery and thriller aspects. But as the story progressed with its folklore tropes such as the legend of The Woodcutter and Grandma and the attempt to include an outsider into a secretive community, the more I found myself hooked, wondering what would happen next.
I loved the names of the settings like Little Hatchet and GodBeGone Woods, and they're the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the folkloric atmosphere. The horror crawls down your throat, resting like a lump you can't swallow, not until every ritual, summoning, and secret are divulged. Characters are unreliable, biased with their version of events, so you can't trust them. Their greed threatens to overtake the plot, but the terror of The Woodcutter, a reimagined and darker take on Red Riding Hood, overshadows everything. A good read to add to anyone's Folk Horror TBR List.