Wicked Jenny

by Matt Hilton

This eerie tale sees a group of men haunted by one traumatic event from their childhood. They thought they'd moved on . . . but someone - or something - won't let them!

'Ginny Greenteeth comes for the naughtiest boys and girls . . . and from what I hear you've been very, very bad.'

1988: 13-year-old Andy Miller and his four friends become witnesses in the brutal murder of their classmate Melanie Bishop, and the severe beating of her sister, Poppy, at a decommissioned flooded railway line they call the frog ponds. The boys lead the police to a suspect, a vulnerable older boy who later commits suicide while on remand for the attacks - his guilt never proven. Their guilt ingrained on them forever.

Now: Carl Butler's body is found beside the now gentrified frog ponds - and the lives of Andy, Brian, Johnny and Gavin start to unravel. Is the hag-like woman terrorizing their reality the grown-up Poppy set on revenge? Or something else . . . something steeped in childhood nightmares? As the friends try to piece together and understand what's happening to them, they can't stop the spiralling fear that the truth is something altogether scarier than a mere cautionary tale . . .

For those who love spooky fairy tales with a twist - this first in a new series will not disappoint!

Genres: Horror, Adult, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 7, 2025

About the author

Matt Hilton worked for twenty-two years in private security and the police force in Cumbria. He is a 4th Dan blackbelt and coach in Ju-Jitsu. He lives in Cumbria with his wife and son.

Matt is the author of the best-selling Joe Hunter thriller series, as well as standalone horror thrillers and short stories that have appeared in a number of collections and anthologies. Matt's first novel - Dead Men's Dust - was a Sunday Times best-seller and was shortlisted for the ITW New Novel Award 2009.

Reviews

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guilt, secrets, the passage of time, regret and murder!

1988: A group of friends (Carl, Andy, Gavin, Brian, Johnny) taunt and tease sisters Melanie and Poppy at the Frog Ponds. Later Melanie is found dead and her sister, Poppy, has been severely beaten. The group of friends point the finger at an older boy, but was he responsible????

Present day: Carl's body has been found at Frog Ponds. The remaining friends try to piece together what is happening as they begin to have questions about what is happening to them....

I enjoyed how this book showed how secrets and guilt affect people. How certain things from our past stay with us and haunt us. Ever do something in your younger years and wish you had never done it or at least handled it differently? I thought this was handled nicely in this book.

This book is a fast read which has an eerie and creepy vibe. It also has a shocking twist at the end which I did not see coming. This was an interesting book told in two timelines that while I enjoyed, I didn't love it. Wicked Jenny did deliver on atmosphere, guilt, tension, and creepiness.

Thank you to Severn House and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖

[Court Zierk · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️s

My childhood friends and I did a whole lot less chucking of things at one another and blowing into frog’s asses than this group. That much I know. Maybe we were doing it wrong. Who knows?

I love a good “throw a mystic evil into a group of childhood friends, watch hell break loose, and then bring them back together as adults to battle the same mystic evil” tale, but this one just wasn’t for me. This boys will be boys story felt adolescent and fatuous, and I couldn’t connect with the writing style or the characters. They all felt very two dimensional to me, and I didn’t care what happened to any of them.

Thank you NetGalley and to Severn House for the ARC, and for allowing me the opportunity to provide an honest review, but this author and I don’t move on the same wavelength.

[Erin Clemence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: Jan. 7, 2025

Author Matt Hilton has introduced a new level of spooky-urban-legend-come-to-life with his novel, “Wicked Jenny”, which will instantly appeal to fans of Stephen King and C.J. Tudor.

In 1988, thirteen-year-old Andy Miller and his friends, Carl, Brian, Johnny and Gavin, are the only witnesses to the brutal murder of their classmate and attempted murder of her sister. They lead police to the town eccentric who, while awaiting trial, kills himself in his cell. Now, years later, the friends reunite again when one of their own is found murdered in a way that is eerily familiar to the murder from years ago. But with the only suspect dead, it isn’t possible. Unless you believe the local legend about Ginny Greenteeth, the entity who lives in the ponds and pulls “bad boys and girls” to their deaths.

Right away, “Wicked Jenny” reminded me of “It” and “The Body”, with the group of misfit young boys who witness a murder and are reunited again when the same crime occurs to one of their own. The haunting, downright creepy “Ginny Greenteeth” urban legend brought on C.J. Tudor. Since I am a huge fan of both authors, I knew that Hilton’s “Wicked Jenny” would deliver on the scares.

Told in alternating timelines, in 1988 and the present, Andy is the primary protagonist, although the other boys/men (depending on the timeline) take their turn, too, and their narrations are clearly marked, which I always appreciate.

From the beginning I was left speculating where this novel was going to take me. Would it veer toward the paranormal, bringing the urban legend of Ginny Greenteeth to life? Or would it be a murder story, where a serial killer used the urban legend to cover their tracks? Hilton couldn’t go wrong either way and yet he somehow managed to find a way to tell the story that was both, and also neither, bringing about an ending that was deliciously unexpected.

Hilton is a horror novelist known for his Joe Hunter thriller series, but I’m embarrassed to say that “Wicked Jenny” was the first time I’ve heard of Hilton. I loved the creepy vibe Hilton hits with, as well as the suspenseful murder storyline and the supernatural figure created from sticks, leaves and pond detritus. “Jenny” was terrifying from the first pages, and I highly recommend horror readers check out Matt Hilton. I definitely will be on the hunt for his past (and future) novels.

[Dutchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1988, five friends spend their time roughhousing around as well as doing some very unpleasant things to frogs in a very uninhabited, marshy area where they can do as they please. During one of these excursions, they stumble across two other female classmates, Melanie and her sister Poppy. The boys are not very nice to the two girls at all. They make fun of them and then eventually go on their way. Unbeknownst to the boys , Melanie and Poppy are severely attacked after they leave. Fast-forward to present day where we are re-introduced to the five boys all grown up, of course tragedy strikes again, which brings them all together and in turn has them revisiting their past. Who was involved in the current and past tragedy? Could the legend of Ginny Greenteeth, a supernatural being that is connected to the pond, be the culprit?

As the plot advances, I was asking myself: Could this just be something as simple as a human murderer or really a supernatural entity that is involved. The book does a great job of putting both into play. I really enjoyed the chapters of the past even though I didn’t really get a good vibe that these friends were as close as what they were intended to be. Carl did not seem to fit in with a group at all. However, it was still enjoyable to watch them interact and then how it all played out once tragedy struck. I actually preferred the 1988 timeline over the present. I just felt that some of the present chapters in regards to figuring out both tragedies felt overused. What I did like about the present day was the angle of Poppy. I wish there would have been more time devoted to her. I also really enjoyed the ending. I just felt getting there took too long. Overall, I definitely liked this book and how it turned out. It was just missing a little bit in the middle to connect it all fluidly. I would certainly recommend if you enjoy the coming of age mixed with a bit of supernatural.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

[Horror Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a supernatural water witch, murders, and the secrets between friends. A group of five boys encounter another boy with a hammer near a creek in the woods. When a female schoolmate is found bludgeoned to death and her sister left in a coma, they inform the police about what they saw.

Now, as adults, one of them is found near the same location murdered under the same circumstances. And something seems to be haunting the remaining four. Is it a warning or something else?

This novel is great at keeping the biggest secret until the end and I didn't see it coming. We go back to the past and the present as their lives are horrifically changed as this creature appears to be stalking them relentlessly. They all have things kept hidden but there's one which changes everything.

Part supernatural story and part murder mystery, this book keeps you guessing and gives you the chills as this creature starts to appear to people close to the men as well. I recommend this one.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great! The ending was unexpected and the writing is well done and draws you in. The characters are unique and I was invested in how this was going to end. This is a great dark story and one I would recommend! Special Thank You to Matt Hilton, Severn House and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read that I thought was decent. It centers on a group of boys who were embroiled in a murder mystery as young teens when it seems like the past is coming back to get them 30-ish years later. The book alternates between POVs and flashes back from past to present.

I didn’t mind the alternating POVs but I didn’t think the characters had very distinctive voices- I wish I had gotten to know them better. I liked the mystery and their quest to track down the person from their past that they thought might be responsible. I definitely had to suspend my disbelief at some of the supernatural happenings but I thought it was pretty cool, and the twist at the end definitely surprised me.

All in all, while maybe not super memorable, this was still a decent read overall. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Netanella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three solid stars for a well written, engaging horror story/murder mystery. The story has a "Stand By Me" or "It" vibe - a group of young kids get in trouble, and fast forward to adulthood and they get to relive their traumatic childhood events. Here, five boys bullying two sisters by the frog ponds leads to the death of one of the sisters and the bludgeoning of the other - years later, the boys are being hunted down by a bog woman who may be the surviving sister, or maybe Jenny Greenteeth, or maybe just mass psychosis. Either way, the guys are having a rough time coming to terms with their past.

I enjoyed the story and thought it was a solid read. My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity.

[Milt Theo · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's a solid story here, of the -by now quite familiar- "IT"/"Stand By Me" type (a group of kids have a nasty experience, one which comes back to bite them as adults, in supernatural dressing), but the bland and mostly descriptive writing made it very hard for me to get into the book: for some, this writing style is easy and unchallenging; for me, the constant first person-third person changing of POVs tired me out, the flashbacks interrupted the flow right when the pacing was getting good, and I could not relate to the characters at all. I finished the book merely out of curiosity. It's supposed to be the first in a series, and it shows: loose ends and a rather unoriginal twist set the background for what's to come and entice the reader to come back for the next volume. Unfortunately, this type of writing isn't for me.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

half horror and half murder mystery. i guessed the twist half way in, and some of the other plot points, but the lead up to it was fun, i guess?? the writing itself i didn't have a problem with. it was easy to read, it flowed. the chapters were short enough to breeze through. the story didn't really go in a way i was expecting but that was the disappointing part.

my biggest complaint was that none of these characters were likable. like at all. and the way the women were written was high key annoying. If i had been so invested already I might have stopped.

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Hilton enthuses his new novel with tropes from several subgenres I had feared lost to modern day writers of horror.
Here is the creeping dread of the great folk horror stories of the 1970s and 1980s with echoes of the early (better?) novels of Stephen King and James Herbert but there are also influences from Algernon Blackwood, Ramsey Campbell and Dennis Wheatley. Does anyone else remember the shivering thrill of turning the first few pages of their newest Guy N. Smith terror tale? You won't be disappointed here!
What a stark reminder the author gives one of just how obnoxious we all were in our early teenage years and how sometimes the past is sure to come back to haunt us.
Spine-tingling terror crackles around the well-drawn characters as the plot twists and turns till a blood-bathed denouement.
I eagerly await the next novel in this series.

[ems_booknook · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an eARC from NetGalley of this, and I was super excited that more horrors are coming onto the app. However, I wouldn’t say I was overly a fan of this one.

I found myself quite bored throughout and I did actually struggle with this one. Maybe it was the younger POV, the jumping between timelines, maybe it’s the writing style, I’m honestly not even sure what about this didn’t grip me, which is a shame because I was so keen for it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free e-arc via NetGalley

I love a good horror novel and the idea of a dual 1980’s/present day timeline drew me in. Unfortunately, the book was just not great. The writing style felt childish and the book moved slowly. It was just boring in the end.

[Niko Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Gritty, Fast-Paced Thriller with a Sinister Edge

Wicked Jenny is the kind of book that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go. Matt Hilton crafts a pulse-pounding thriller laced with psychological darkness, small-town secrets, and a protagonist who’s more haunted than heroic. It’s a chilling ride—taut, atmospheric, and just twisted enough to keep you second-guessing everyone on the page.

The titular Jenny is an enigma—a ghost story, a warning, a legend that refuses to die. As the story unfolds, Hilton blurs the line between folklore and reality, and that’s where the novel really shines. The tension is palpable, and the pacing rarely falters. You can practically hear the wind howling through the pages.

What keeps this from being a perfect five-star read is that a few character motivations feel a little underdeveloped, and some plot threads wrap up a bit too neatly. But overall, it’s a gripping read with a cinematic quality that would translate perfectly to screen.

Fans of dark thrillers with a supernatural tinge—think Sharp Objects meets The Blair Witch Project—will find Wicked Jenny a compelling addition to their shelves. Just don’t read it alone at night.

[Neon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House publishing for the opportunity to read the e-ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

'Wicked Jenny by Matt Hilton'.

"This eerie tale sees a group of men haunted by one traumatic event from their childhood. They thought they'd moved on . . . but someone - or something - won't let them!"

Publish Date: January 07, 2025.

Four stars (4 out of 5 stars).

This story starts in 1988 with thirteen-year-old Andy, Carl, Brian, Gavin, and Johnny when they become 'witnesses' to the death and mutilation of one of their classmates.

Now their friend Carl, as an adult, is found dead in the same frog ponds that the dead Melanie was found all those years ago.

I wasn't sure about this novel, at first, because it started off really slow for the first half. However, once it got going it didn't settle down until the very last page. This plot is full of twists and turns and creepy descriptions. Although I wasn't scared at any point, I did find myself on the edge of my seat a few times.

This would be a good book for anyone who likes a few chills while trying to figure out the murder.

4 stars.

[Shayla Stover · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was original and the twist was nice but for some reason it was so tough to get through. The back and forth dialogue between characters was all over the place and never really grasped me. I'm glad I finished it and the ending was good but that middle was rough.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good supernatural horror. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it in the beginning. The story starts off when these boys are young and acting like a bunch of punks. They use some British slang and I didn’t know what the heck they were talking about sometimes. Eventually, the story got more interesting and parts of it really creeped me out. I loved the supernatural elements and the unsettling atmosphere. It was so interesting to read about the lore of Wicked Jenny, who I later realized is a real figure in English folklore.

The story is told in the past and present timelines. I thought the events that take place in the present were more interesting than what happens in the past. The parts that took place in the past kind of made the story drag for me.

I liked the mystery, and there’s a twist that I didn’t really see coming, so that was cool. I liked the ending.

I would recommend this book to fans of supernatural horror.

3.5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC of this book via NetGalley for review.

[Enita · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a surprise! This hidden gem caught my eye at the library. I had never heard of it before, but the premise intrigued me. I loved that it took place in the 80s. I thought it was really fun getting the perspective of dumb teenage boys. The twist was so shocking and totally caught me off guard. I'm very happy I picked this up!

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

AH MAN

If we could do decimal ratings, that would make a WORLD of difference

So close to being a full 5 stars but that twist towards the end that I was literally 3 pages away from last night did not do it for me

I mean, it fits REALLY well with the story, but I was kinda hoping for something else, you know?

Very good tho. Will have to read more.

[Tam Sesto · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book turned out to be a nice surprise. The author wrote interesting characters and a plot with a creepiness that wove in and out of the plot as the story divided itself between two time periods. The writings flow was steady with some surprising reveals.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are
my own.

[Katie Lovinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a free electronic ARC of #wickedjenny in exchange for an honest review. This story follows multiple POVs of a group of men who were friends as lads that come together later in life because one of their friends has died mysteriously. It took a little bit to get used to the multiple POVs but once the story got going I found it quite engaging and could not put the book down! The writing was downright hysterical at times (I laughed out loud at some of the jokes) and was quite disturbing at other points. If you want a good paranormal murder mystery that keeps you guessing who the killer is, pick this fun read up!

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wicked Jenny, by Matt Hilton, a group of grown men come together when one of their childhood friends Carl is found beaten to death next to the frog pond. it’s the same frog pond where in 1988 foster sisters Michelle and Poppy were found beaten Michelle was dead, and Poppy was disfigured and mute. ever since their childhood, they feared the wicked Jenny that would come out of the swamp and drag bad children into its depths never to let them go so when the guys or at least some of them start getting phone calls telling them they’ve been a bad boy, coupled with other strange events they have no idea what’s going on. since her sister‘s murder and her vicious attack, Poppy has lived nonverbal with just making grunting sounds but now a doctor Chow has come and is trying new methods to get her to at least be able to speak. The book mainly focuses on Andrew Miller, but goes from his friends to Poppy into the past with his abusive overbearing mother. in the end, it all comes together to make for one superior horror read. From the gritty Erie feeling the book gives to the great storyline in a wham Bam thank you ma’am ending with the mic drop. this book is definitely going on my list of best books I’ve ever read which now I think his six books on that list this being the sixth. This was so super good. It was just, uh… so good!#NetGalley, #SeverenHouse, #MattHilton, #WickedJenny,

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book entertaining as well as frightening. The story begins as a coming of age horror story where young life was taken by a supposed ‘evil’ person. Years go by and now one of the friend group has been murdered. This brings the group back together. Unbeknownst to the group someone has been able to master astral projection. when the group starts having harrowing experiences they begin to blame a childhood story known as ‘Wicked Jenny’ as the culprit. Other members of the friend group become frightened as more unexplained things continue to happen. I really enjoyed how the author was able to keep the twist under wraps. The reader is led to believe there are supernatural factors involved with this story of murder. Learning about brain injury and how maybe other senses can be harnessed was quite informative. The reader is left wondering what really happened.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one! Kept me reading and excited to see the end. I didn’t quite guess the twist either. A nice blend of classic thriller with supernatural elements.

Andrew and his boyhood friends were “almost” witnesses to a horrific crime when they were younger. After the murder of one of their group, they reunite as adults and uncanny events occur. Are they all seeing the almost dead girl from their past? Has she recovered and moved back to town?

Coming of age horror with a spin on the folk horror story of Ginny Greenteeth.

[Jay Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Green Jenny or Wicked Jenny, an urban legend brought to life in this terrifying story of murder, deception and death.
It’s an addictive read that causes the reader many a shiver and a desire to leave the light on!
The ending is simply petrifying and shocking in equal measure, literally left me gasping for air.
Have you been a bad boy?
Well, keep looking over your shoulder because something may be coming to get you!
Thoroughly gripping and well deserving of a 5 star rating.
Highly recommended.

[Kath · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my second book by this, most prolific, author. He usually writes in series and although I still haven't managed to sneak in any of his series books onto my "read" shelf, I do now have a few languishing on my tblt (to be listened to) waiting their turn.
So... back in 1988 we first meet 13 year old Andy Miller and his four friends - Brian, Johnny, Gavin and Carl - as they are mucking around playing in a place locally knows as the frog ponds (you'll see why in nasty (imo unnecessarily graphic detail). There they come across classmate Melanie and her sister Poppy, exchange some banter, and then the two groups go their separate ways. Shortly after that meeting, Melanie is dead and Poppy severely injured. There is also, in the vicinity another older boy who is related to one of Andy's friends and the boys decide that, despite this, they need to tell the Police about his presence. Long story short, he is arrested but sadly kills himself whilst on remand. The case, however, is closed.
Meanwhile, back in the present and Carl's body is found at the Frog Pond, close to where Melanie died. This has a devastating effect on the four remaining friends and their lives start to unravel, beginning with them seeing things. It appears they are all being targeted. They come together to mourn their friend and all realise that they are going through similar things. Coming to the conclusion that it must be either Poppy taking revenge for her sister, Melanie back from the dead, or Ginny Greenteeth, a local legend...
Where I did enjoy this book, and at no point ever contemplated putting it down, it wasn't really anything new that hasn't been done before. I can't really go into much detail without spoiling things but if you read prolifically in this genre you will recognise much of what happens. Not this it wasn't well plotted and entertaining, it just didn't leave me with the satisfied feeling that I prefer when I turn the last page. The story was well plotted and executed, acted out by credible characters, with little waffle or padding so it got on with itself very well. All things I love about a book. It wasn't however scary or tense for me which I think would have added to the spark it was lacking.
All that said, it did give me respite from life which is a big deal to me and was well written enough not to put me off the author in the future. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

[Suesyn Zellmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m sure this will be compared to works by authors like Stephen King, but I can’t agree. Because I actually enjoyed this story! Like most kids back in the 1980s, Andy and his teenage friends loved exploring the woods, running around, and getting into mischief. But they never imagined that the female classmates they teased at their local pond hangout would become victims of a horrible crime. Now it’s over three decades later and it’s all coming back to them. Literally.

One of Andy’s friends, Carl, is found brutally beaten to death by a canal. Suddenly, all four of the remaining friends start having visions and experiencing things they can’t explain. But it’s not just them, their wives and partners are also being haunted by the same nightmarish entities. That keeps them from believing it’s all in their heads, but they can’t all be hallucinating or going mad…or can they?

It’s not like the killer from back then is pursuing them - he committed suicide before he could be prosecuted. He was the only suspect and his suicide cemented it for any doubters. So Andy and his friends' only theories lean towards the supernatural. A swamp creature, astral projection, you name it, they consider it. If it wasn’t for the physical proof of the creature they all see, it could easily be explained as an unknown murderer and the story wouldn’t veer towards the paranormal. But the ending is more logical and based on reality than the reader expects, and I appreciated that. It’s too easy to just blame it on a ghost or creature, this author seamlessly blends reality into the uncanny.

I wasn’t surprised by the ending; the author gave a bit too many clues throughout the book, but it didn’t keep me from enjoying it. It's a fun tale that evokes just the right amount of nostalgia and horror. It’s also the first in a series and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

[Kathryn Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 2.5/5

Matt Hilton’s Wicked Jenny begins with an intriguing, spooky setup: a group of childhood friends—Andy, Carl, Johnny, Brian, and Gavin—are dealing with the violent death of one of their own. The dynamics between the boys, particularly with Carl as a sadistic bully, set the stage for an unsettling tale of revenge and mystery. However, the story struggles to maintain its momentum, with uneven pacing and shallow character development detracting from its potential.

While the eerie atmosphere and supernatural elements offer some thrills, they often veer into corny territory. The pacing is especially problematic, starting off slow and only picking up around the halfway mark. Even then, the spooky moments fail to fully immerse the reader, often feeling more like a distraction than a core part of the story.

The biggest drawback is the cast of unlikable characters. Andy, who takes center stage, is a particularly frustrating protagonist. The dialogue is frequently misogynistic, and every female character is written in a reductive, negative light. This choice makes it difficult to invest in the narrative or care about the unfolding mystery. Moments that should deepen the plot instead reinforce the flat, unsympathetic nature of the characters. Even the female character POV chapters have poorly written perspectives, which reduce the emotional impact of their stories unfolding.

By the end, Wicked Jenny feels more like a missed opportunity than a compelling read. Its mix of slow pacing, unlikable characters, and an underwhelming resolution leaves little impact, though it may still appeal to readers looking for a light, spooky diversion. For those seeking a gripping or satisfying revenge story, this one falls short.

I am deeply grateful to NetGalley and Severn House for this opportunity to read a digital ARC and provide my honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moving back and forth between 1988 and present day, this book tells the story or 5 men who, at the age of 13, accused a developmentally disabled boy of the brutal murder of a classmate, Melanie, and the beating of her adopted sister, Poppy. That same boy commits suicide while in police custody, his guilt or innocence never proven. The police assume his guilt and never pursue the matter and the boys eventually mostly drift apart.

Almost 20 years later on those same boys is brutally murdered near the same spot along the river and the rest of the group begins to be terrorized by a hag-like creature from their childhood. Parents used to tell their children to be good or "Ginny Greenteeth" would drag them into the river. Is Ginny Greenteeth the one after the boys/men now? Can they figure out the truth before more of them die?

I was hoping for a suspenseful thriller, and got what felt like a hastily thrown-together hodge-podge of random POVs. I don't mind switching up the POV in a story, but going from third person to first person and back again depending on the character was bizarre. Also, some characters got multiple chapters and other just got one. It became a little jumbled, trying to decide which ones were important to pay attention to and which ones were red herrings. I admit that I didn't figure out who dunnit before the reveal, which is unusual for me and bumps the book from 2 stars up to 3. The fact is, I was mostly bored while I read and never had trouble putting the book down and picking up something else. This just wasn't my cup of tea, despite the fact that I'm normally a big fan of suspense, mysteries, and thrillers.

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

1988 - a group of 5 young teenage boys (Andy, Carl, Brian, Johnny. & Gavin) are down at the local frog ponds when they become witnesses to the vicious attack on two girls. Poppy is left fighting for her life & her sister Melanie is killed - both felled by brutal blows from an object. The boys tell the police that they saw an older boy, Ian, hanging out there at the same time & he was carrying a hammer. Ian is arrested but before he can be tried, he commits suicide, & his guilt is never proven.

Now: almost 40 years later, the friend group have mainly drifted apart, but they are brought back together when Carl is murdered whilst walking home from the pub. His body is found in the same area as the girls were found. After his death, the other 4 start to experience strange occurrences. Is it local legend Ginny Greenteeth or is it a grown-up Poppy hellbent on revenge for not coming to their rescue? Whatever or whoever it is, they know that the friends have all got secrets & that they have been "very, very bad."

The storyline alternates between the past & the present so we start to see what happened back in 1988 bit by bit, & the narrative also cycles between several of the characters but the reader mainly hears from Andy. The boys were not particularly nice teens, especially to frogs. As the story progresses you get the feeling that there's something not quite right with what you are being told. No spoilers so I won't say more than that. There's a paranormal element to the story as well which works quite well, although the ending was a little strange. Overall I thought it was a solid horror tale with a creepy undertone.

TWs: (major) violence, murder, injury detail. (moderate).suicide, sexual content, animal cruelty.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Severn House, for the opportunity to read an ARC.