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The Flayed One & The Journal of H.D. Wards
At seventeen, Mia Rose Ellis is haunted by a tragic summer and painful secrets. Seeking refuge in the forest behind her house, however, she finds two things that change a rotten corpse and an archaic journal filled with horrifying tales. As Mia begins to read the eerie stories of a terrifying, malicious creature, she begins to realize the forest surrounding her house is more dangerous than she could've imagined.
The Journal of H. D. It comes at night, when the world is a dusty, quiet ball of forgotten memories. When the horrific creature known as The Flayed One comes for you, make no mistake. You will not be saved.
These are the last known words of H. D. Wards, a teenage boy living in the town of Cedarcrest in the 1970s. Legends in the town talk of strange disappearances in the Redwood Forest, a dark wood at the edge of the town. Ward's body was never found, but this journal was uncovered in the forest in the year 2020 by a visiting teenager.
This flesh destroying monster had been the thing of legends for locals, but Ward's horrifying account details strange nightly visits, terrifying flesh maladies, and a chilling fight for survival.
Contains mature themes.
The Journal of H. D. It comes at night, when the world is a dusty, quiet ball of forgotten memories. When the horrific creature known as The Flayed One comes for you, make no mistake. You will not be saved.
These are the last known words of H. D. Wards, a teenage boy living in the town of Cedarcrest in the 1970s. Legends in the town talk of strange disappearances in the Redwood Forest, a dark wood at the edge of the town. Ward's body was never found, but this journal was uncovered in the forest in the year 2020 by a visiting teenager.
This flesh destroying monster had been the thing of legends for locals, but Ward's horrifying account details strange nightly visits, terrifying flesh maladies, and a chilling fight for survival.
Contains mature themes.
- GenresHorror
1 pages, Audio CD
Published June 28, 2022
3 people want to read
About the author
L.A. Detwiler
29 books303 followersL.A. Detwiler is the USA TODAY Bestselling thriller author of The Widow Next Door with HarperCollins UK and several other chilling page-turners. Her novel The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter was awarded the bronze medal for thrillers by Readers' Favorite and also translated into Polish. Her novels are noted for their dark, emotional depth and realistic portrayals of haunting topics.
During her final year at Mount Aloysius College, she started writing her first fiction novel, Voice of Innocence, which was published in 2015. She has numerous sweet romances published under Lindsay Detwiler. She has also written articles that have appeared in several women’s publications and websites.
L.A. Detwiler is a high school business teacher and writer in her hometown of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. She taught high school English for ten years and also was an adjunct professor. She lives in her hometown with her husband, Chad. They have six cats and a Great Dane named Edmund (He appears in all of her current works; her late mastiff, Henry, is in the earlier novels). When she isn't training Edmund or writing, she is usually rewatching Outlander, drinking coffee, or buying makeup.
Connect with L.A. Detwiler on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok @ladetwiler
During her final year at Mount Aloysius College, she started writing her first fiction novel, Voice of Innocence, which was published in 2015. She has numerous sweet romances published under Lindsay Detwiler. She has also written articles that have appeared in several women’s publications and websites.
L.A. Detwiler is a high school business teacher and writer in her hometown of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. She taught high school English for ten years and also was an adjunct professor. She lives in her hometown with her husband, Chad. They have six cats and a Great Dane named Edmund (He appears in all of her current works; her late mastiff, Henry, is in the earlier novels). When she isn't training Edmund or writing, she is usually rewatching Outlander, drinking coffee, or buying makeup.
Connect with L.A. Detwiler on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok @ladetwiler
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 11, 2025
Kinda amazing to be the second person to review this. I thought this was okay. Hempel really narrates it well and helps bring the scariness up a notch. If only the writing were a bit more tense and terrifying. Still happy to have listened to it. I'd give 3.5 stars.
February 18, 2025
My Review of The Flayed One
So, I have to be honest—I didn’t finish this book. I got to Chapter 28 before I had to call it quits, and here’s why.
A creepy sanatorium, an escaped patient, and deep dark woods? Yes, please! But despite the eerie setup, the execution kinda fizzled. The creature? Hard to picture. The main character? Meh. Her bond with her Nanna? Sweet, but the only thing that felt real. The one moment that got me? The creature creeping into her bedroom—your safe space? Not anymore.
Mia Rose also read way younger than she was supposed to be, which made it even harder to connect with her. The only time she felt genuine was in her relationship with her Nanna—that moment where she wouldn’t leave until her Nanna passed? That hit differently.
But overall? The premise was solid, but the book lacked oomph. I found myself waiting for something more that never quite came. Maybe the ending changed everything, but from where I stopped, I don’t think I missed much.
Did you finish it? If you stuck it out, tell me—does it get better? Did I miss a mind-blowing twist? Let me know!
So, I have to be honest—I didn’t finish this book. I got to Chapter 28 before I had to call it quits, and here’s why.
A creepy sanatorium, an escaped patient, and deep dark woods? Yes, please! But despite the eerie setup, the execution kinda fizzled. The creature? Hard to picture. The main character? Meh. Her bond with her Nanna? Sweet, but the only thing that felt real. The one moment that got me? The creature creeping into her bedroom—your safe space? Not anymore.
Mia Rose also read way younger than she was supposed to be, which made it even harder to connect with her. The only time she felt genuine was in her relationship with her Nanna—that moment where she wouldn’t leave until her Nanna passed? That hit differently.
But overall? The premise was solid, but the book lacked oomph. I found myself waiting for something more that never quite came. Maybe the ending changed everything, but from where I stopped, I don’t think I missed much.
Did you finish it? If you stuck it out, tell me—does it get better? Did I miss a mind-blowing twist? Let me know!
April 6, 2025
Very interesting concept with a unique creature. I didn't click with Mia-Rose the main character. Her internal monologue was not realistic for a young girl. The author is a good writer, with a beautiful use of language, but I don't think it worked for the main character. I also wanted the Insane Asylum to feature a lot more!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews