A Forest, Darkly

Sourdough Universe

by A.G. Slatter

Perfect for fans of Ava Reid and Lucy Holland, this is a page-turning dark fantasy of persecuted witches, snatched children, twisted magic, changelings and the sins that bind.

Set in the multi-award-winning author's acclaimed Sourdough universe, this standalone story sits alongside previous novels, including All the Murmuring Bones and The Briar Book of the Dead.

Deep in the forest lives Mehrab the witch, quietly battling her demons. One evening, a young woman arrives at her door pursued by god-hounds, who wish to destroy all those practising magic, and Mehrab’s solitary existence is disrupted. Together they forge a cure for their isolation with heartbreaking consequences... Meanwhile, in the local village, children begin to disappear. Sinister offerings appear on Mehrab’s doorstep, and a dark power pursues her through the trees. As the villagers turn hostile and the god-hounds close in, Mehrab finds herself at the centre of a struggle to save the soul of the forest, the life of an old love – and her own new-formed family. 
Set in Slatter’s bewitching gothic Sourdough universe, this is a haunting, gripping tale written with wit and heart. A book to both savour and devour.

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Witches, Gothic, Adult, Fiction, Audiobook

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 10, 2026

About the author

AKA Angela Slatter

Angela Slatter is the author of All The Murmuring Bones (Titan Books, purchase links below). That will be followed by The Path of Thorns in 2022. Both are gothic fantasies set in the world of the Sourdough and Bitterwood collections.

In February 2021, Tartarus Press published The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales, the third mosaic collection in the Sourdough world series. In March 2022, The Bone Lantern (a novella set in the Sourdough world) will be published by Absinthe Press (an imprint of PS Publishing).

Angela is also the author of the supernatural crime novels from Jo Fletcher Books/Hachette International: Vigil (2016), Corpselight (2017) and Restoration (2018), as well as ten other short story collections, including The Girl with No Hands and Other Tales, Sourdough and Other Stories, The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings, A Feast of Sorrows: Stories, and The Heart is a Mirror for Sinners and Other Stories. Vigil was nominated for the Dublin Literary Award in 2018.

Angela is represented by Meg Davis of the Ki Agency in London: meg@ki-agency.co.uk

She has won a World Fantasy Award, a British Fantasy Award, a Ditmar, two Australian Shadows Awards and seven Aurealis Awards.

Angela’s short stories have appeared in Australian, UK and US Best Of anthologies such The Mammoth Book of New Horror, The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, The Best Horror of the Year, The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror, and The Year’s Best YA Speculative Fiction. Her work has been translated into Bulgarian, Chinese, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Polish, French and Romanian. Victoria Madden of Sweet Potato Films (The Kettering Incident) has optioned the film rights to one of her short stories (“Finnegan’s Field”).

She has an MA and a PhD in Creative Writing, is a graduate of Clarion South 2009 and the Tin House Summer Writers Workshop 2006, and in 2013 she was awarded one of the inaugural Queensland Writers Fellowships. In 2016 Angela was the Established Writer-in-Residence at the Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers Centre in Perth. She has been awarded career development funding by Arts Queensland, the Copyright Agency and, in 2017/18, an Australia Council for the Arts grant. She teaches for the Australian Writers’ Centre.

She is also the author of the novellas, Of Sorrow and Such (Tor.com) and Ripper (in Horrorology: The Lexicon of Fear).

Reviews

[Marquise · Rating 4 out of 5]

How many books with witches living on the edge of a dangerous wood have you read? Probably many, and even if you haven’t, maybe from just looking at blurbs you already know what to expect. The witch is maybe young or young-looking, and very pretty, and there’s usually a “witch hunter” or a demon or a shapeshifter that’s prohibitively hot and sassy and is after her for the same reason cats go after mice.

Gone are the days of the witch in Hänsel and Gretel. And I, for one, find that replacing one fairy tale trope for another modern fairy tale trope that’s not even part of the traditional lore isn’t my idea of improvement.

So when I do pick up a book with a witch protagonist, it must have something worthwhile to offer. In the case of this book, the blurb wasn’t selling me anything out of the ordinary, I took it up on A. G. Slatter’s name alone.

I’ve said this before: the author reminds me of another Angela for how she writes and weaves fairy tales and folklore into her stories in a way that makes them read both familiar and different at the same time, very immersive and atmospheric. That was my impression when I first found her work in an anthology years ago, by now she’s had enough experience and has polished her own style to be different to Angela Carter’s. Some similarities remain, and I’m glad for it, but Slatter is her own distinct flavour of fairy teller.

What does A Forest Darkly offer that’s different to the legion of witch-in-a-dark-wood stories out there? Oh, the answer is easy: Mehrab.

More in my release day review here.

I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Me, My Shelf, & I · Rating 5 out of 5]

AG Slatter gets it. I read this book last month and I'm still finding myself randomly thinking about it (affectionate). These are exactly the witchy vibes I want when I pick up a witch book.

This was a beautiful story about resilience and independent women forming a life in a world not shaped for them, surrounded by a foreboding forest filled with ghouls lurking just beyond the borders, waiting for you to slip up just once so they can grab hold of you.

As ever, AG Slatter's prose is gothic and evocative and hauntingly beautiful. New life and harvest alongside death and decay. The fog has tendrils but the hearth is warm. It slots neatly into the Sourdough Universe and makes vague allusions to events and characters in other books, but is wholly a standalone in this world of witches and trickster beings of the forest.

e-book notes:
I feel like I give every book in this universe that I eyeball read 5/5 stars, but less so for those I first read via audiobook. So even though I'm very much an audiobook reader at this point in my life, something about AG Slatter just seems to hit different when read physically. I'll probably skip the audio when it comes out and definitely recommend picking her books up to eyeball read, if you can.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan for granting me an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[lookmairead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m feeling emotionally fragile with the news lately. You too? 👀 It’s been harder to focus and read for joy/escapism.

Fun fact– the four times characters asked if another character was okay, none of them were their last words or were brutally murdered. Life is weirder than fiction. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Let me refocus. Because even though our grumpy, no nonsense FMC witch, Mehrab, would agree (and she’s seen some crazy & dark ish in the forest)– I don’t want to take away from Slatter’s latest installment in the Sourdough Universe.

Turning to my comfort authors feels like a solid strategy. Slatter knows how to hold my attention and heart.

3 Reasons to Read:

- You like your FMC’s to be older (but just as feisty), found family & second (third 👀🤞) chance romances

- You loved the folk lore in Greenteeth (Molly O’Neill) & you liked the world building in The Drowned Woods (Emily Lloyd-Jones)

- You can handle bittersweet endings (that will make you ponder what Slatter will dream up next in this world and how they are connected).

Another solid win in my TBR book-

I’m not exactly sure if there is a recommended order to read these books. They stand on their own, 100%- but you’ll find nerdy joy connecting them as you read more in the collection.

I am delighted to receive this ARC- Thank you Netgalley & Titan Books. Book is out 10 Feb 2026!

[Azhar · Rating 3 out of 5]

glad i could revisit this world (absolutely immersive & oh so fascinating) but even more glad i can leave. same issues i find across the few of slatter’s works i’ve read shows its ugly face here too.


thanking netgalley & the publishers for the ARC.

[Tammy - Books, Bones & Buffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The nitty-gritty: A witchy, feminist fairy tale told with dazzling style and wit, A Forest, Darkly is full of unique magic and irresistible characters.

It’s been several years since I read A.G. Slatter’s All the Murmuring Bones, and I can’t believe I waited so long to once again experience Slatter’s uniquely magical storytelling. A Forest, Darkly is set in the author’s Sourdough Universe, although you do not need to read any previous books to enjoy this one. This is a gorgeously written, magical story that seamlessly blends fairy tales, mythology, emotional moments, humor and tension, and even romance.

Mehrab is a witch who lives deep in the forest, just outside the village of Berhta’s Forge. In her fifties, Mehrab enjoys her mostly solitary life and uses her magic and potions to help the villagers with their various ailments. But one day her peaceful life is upended when her friend Fenna brings a young girl named Rhea to stay with her. Rhea is also a witch and can conjure fire, but she’s being pursued by god-hounds after an altercation with a royal suitor went sideways.

Mehrab isn’t keen on taking on a foster, but Rhea clearly needs her help, and so the two settle in, although at first their personalities clash. Rhea is headstrong and curious, and Mehrab insists on obedience. Although the townsfolk appreciate Mehrab’s talent for healing, there are some who would burn a witch at the stake given the chance, and Rhea must stay out of sight until the danger of being caught is past.

And then a child in the village disappears, and Mehrab is called upon to help find her. When more children vanish she realizes the disappearances might be connected to an entity in the forest who has been tracking her.

A Forest, Darkly is a fiercely feminist story and full of wonderful female characters. Mehrab is intelligent, resourceful and cares deeply for those she loves. She’s also a woman of a certain age who acknowledges her age but doesn’t want to be defined by it. Slatter’s short Author’s Note explains that she wanted to write about a woman going through menopause to show that life shouldn’t end because of it. Slatter touches on themes like motherhood, pregnancy and sex, all of which have affected Mehrab in one way or another throughout her life. Many of the female characters are witches with powers the men don’t possess, and Slatter perfectly captures the sense of sisterhood these women share. Lurking just beneath the surface, though, is the possibility of danger and death. Women with too much power are feared and must be dealt with.

Slatter mixes fairy tale elements with mythology in some fascinating ways. There are strong nods to Little Red Riding Hood, as well as mentions of mermaid lore and other mythologies. Forests and trees play an important part in the story, and it’s no accident that a tree dominates the cover. Not only is Mehrab protected by the forest—many villagers are afraid to enter it—but she honors an entity called the Green Woman whose likeness is carved into doorframes for even more protection. One of my favorite elements is when Mehrab shows Rhea how to create a "summer husband." I won’t go into detail because it’s such a unique part of the story and I don’t want to spoil too much, but let’s just say it involves a tree, magic and particular attention to, let’s just say, representing the male genitalia just right! Oh how I loved this subplot, which is full of not only humor, but so much unexpected angst and emotion. 

A sense of dread and danger permeates the story, as Mehrab is constantly trying to hide from villagers and the supernatural entities she finds in the forest. The missing children plot worked well, especially since it eventually leads to one of the more shocking twists. There are even elements bordering on horror, but don't let that scare you away. This is quite the layered story with a lot going on, but I loved every second of it, and Slatter is a genius at tying everything together at the end.

I also loved how emotional A Forest, Darkly is. There is a bit of romance between Mehrab and a blacksmith named Faolan, and Slatter gives us flashbacks into what happened between them in the past and how they are able to come together in the present. And I have to go back to the summer husband once more, because there’s a sort of love triangle going on with Mehrab, Rhea and the husband. To say things don’t end well with them is an understatement! This whole storyline is full of heartbreak, although I ultimately loved the way the author resolved things at the end.

I’ve barely scratched the surface—I haven’t even talked about half the characters, and so much more happens than what I’ve mentioned in this review. I loved the hopeful ending and the sense that Mehrab might be starting a new adventure. Grab this immediately, you won’t want to miss it!

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

[Jamedi]

rtc

[Christine]

A Forest, Darkly is my first read by A.G. Slatter. I am a devout horror reader who is slowly branching out to other genera and this was described as fantasy with horror.

The story brings you, and is focused on, multidimensional characters that have hardships with haunting pasts. The characters show the struggles between self desires and the choices set before them. These are strong elements I enjoy as a reader. I shy away from most fantasy due to it being a superior do-no-wrong hero who saves the world. This gives none of this and its refreshing! I'm human and I want to relate to the characters! The writing has good flow and the author doesn't constantly repeat herself like so many do so often recently. Not for beginners and not for casual readers. This author writes to those of us who are avid readers for sure.

Merhab is a quiet witch who lives in the woods outside of a village back when witches or women with great thought and independence were looked down on. Merhab tends to the people of this small village regardless of the history of the women in her position before, and the ones who wish her ill now. They come to her in the end when nothing else works and she accepts them anyway. One day she is given a young woman to be set in her care as she is also a witch and now is hiding from her past as well. Together they learn and grow.

Horrible things begin to happen in the village and Merhab again offers her aid, but will it be to her death?

The journey is set all within this village area and its surroundings. The time period is well represented, and the fantasy part is more raw with the help of horror. I really enjoyed this read and getting to know the characters. The story kept me interested for the length of the book and the ending was rewarding and left the reader to contemplate choices for the characters as well.


"... ,stone circles where magic more ancient than memory sleeps until it's woken, places where older gods wait, grown still and stiff with passing time, forgetful of their purpose." 3%

"And when you've done dark deeds, you might attract dark things." 14%

"There's a fine line between respect and fear, and it's the work of a lifetime to maintain the balance." 16%

"...-all failure teaches something, and humility is valuable for a witch to learn; without it, you might think yourself a god, and that way lies madness." 21%

"Try not to think about the old tales of witches sealed inside sacred oaks and set alight." 32%

"A child who became a murderer rather than a victim - and that's a heavy burden, for women are taught to be victims first." 50%

"The sense of oneness, of being enclosed in meat again, is very distinct." 82%

[Jody Blanchette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m completely new to this author, and it appears I’ve picked up a book within a series. Maybe it’s not really a series, it’s a world that stretches between books, called The Sourdough Universe. So, while I know im missing bits from other books, I did enjoy this book. It’s a rich dark fantasy book, with a captivating female healer as the main character. Mehrab has the reputation of a witch, which is sort of accurate, but she’s more than that.
Mehrab is the story. It’s her survival in the woods alone, and her gifted hands that help a village. It’s also about a bunch of village children going missing, and her getting the blame. Mehrab works with her gods to find them, while she is hunted. She is an aging woman who just wants to rest, but is driven help no matter what. I absolutely loved her.
I don’t read alot of fantasy books, but I really did enjoy this story. It was full of heart, and showed that it’s never too late to make changes.

[Allison Romeo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.6 rounded up to a 4!

I really enjoyed this, being something different than my normal reads. This is my first book by the author, but I am intrigued by anything with witchcraft and mysterious happenings in the forest.

I was excited to see an older FMC who is still feisty, and I loved reading about all of the spells she crafted through the book. This book was dark/gothic/creepy but I didn't feel it ever really crossed over into horror.

If you like a bittersweet ending, this is for you. I didn't give it a higher rating just because there were parts that had trouble holding me attention, but it could always be a me thing.

Thank you to Titan for sending me an early copy!

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grab anything and everything from the Sourdough universe, which this book takes place in. Can definitely read as a stand-alone, but I’d suggest checking out the other books too.

Mehrab’s a powerful witch, but she had found peace and calm in the local village. Until something starts taking the children and Mehrab’s forest is no longer safe. She takes on a young witch, Hannah as an apprentice and they try and unravel the secrets of that’s stalking the children of the village.

I love this world of witchcraft, god-hounds, old forest gods. Everything comes together in a mix of horror and fantasy.

[Venneh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slatter writes the perfect books to read as the snow and cold of February settle into you. Here we get a gothic fantasy series that focuses on the traditions of the wise women of the villages, the encroaching male authority of the church, and the shadows of the forest they grow up in, and how things can go wrong no matter how well you're intending to act. There are some great moments involving green women and the old gods of the forests, and a woman trying her best to do her best in what can best be described as a deeply shitty situation. Comes out in February, preorder now and queue this for a cold winter evening.

[Jennifer Leckie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully told fairy tale - just right. I loved every bit of it. An aging witch, a younger one running from those who hunt witches, seeking her protection. Something mysterious and gruesome in the forest... magic folk familiar enough to remind us of old stories but freshly realized with a very satisfying backbone.

[Ian Mond]

You can find my review of this wonderful novel in the March 2026 edition of Locus.

[Zara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 bumped up to 4

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think on the other long-form AG Slatter book I said I didn't like it. This one, though, I greatly enjoyed. I would read a sequel, and it seems there is unfinished story here..??

[Nathalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witch Mehrab lives deep in the woods, just living her life and battling her own problems. The villagers don’t want to have a lot to do with her, except when they need her help in case of sickness or pregnancy. When a friend comes to her house and brings her a young girl who is on the run, her life is disrupted. When children start disappearing in the village, Mehrab has to try and protect herself, Rhea and the forest.
▪︎
This was my second book by this author (even though I still have unread ones on my shelf) and again, she hits the mark! Slatter is a master in writing haunting and creepy stories. A Forest, Darkly reads a bit like a gothic fairytale without the big horror tropes (but do expect some monsters, some of them from the human kind).

Are you looking for some creepy folklore with strong female characters, immerse yourself in the Sourdough Universe! You will not be disappointed.

This book is part of the Sourdough Universe but can be read as a standalone.
A Forest, Darkly will be out February 10th.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this courtesy of NetGalley.

The short version is that I like everything Slatter writes, and this was no exception. If you're interested in reading complex characters, fascinating worldbuilding and plots that feel familiar and then go in entirely unexpected directions, with a "this feels like a fairytale but WOAH" vibe, then she is definitely one for you to look out for.

This is very loosely a version of Red Riding Hood, but I promise you have absolutely no idea what's going on with any of the characters from my having said that. The central figure is a witch - I could say she's a good witch, but that's way too patronising and shallow and, well, inaccurate. She's trying, ok? She's not a witch who's looking to eat children. There are, though, a significant number of children in the book, to whom some unpleasant things do happen. There's also a blacksmith, and some non-humans, and a forest.

Mehrab, the witch, has been getting on well enough in her little cottage in the forest, far away from any signifiant towns. The nearest village is also far enough away that getting there requires a conscious choice, and anyone coming to her is doing so deliberately. One day, Fenna - the woman who brought Mehrab herself to this cottage, and who has brought other girls to stay there over the years - brings Rhea to her: the girl is a witch, and is on the run. Part of the novel is about Mehrab and Rhea figuring out how to be around each other.

A mother and father arrive at the cottage soon after Rhea; their little girl went missing a few days ago, and they ask for Mehrab's help to find her - but she has no luck. And then the girl arrives home some weeks later... but seems to be different. Part of the novel is about figuring out what's going on with Ari, and other children too.

Mehrab's past is very mysterious; she gives little away to Rhea, or the reader. The gradual revelation of why she was herself on the run when Fenna brought her to this forest, and why she makes the particular choices she does, is a thread running through the entire novel.

I loved everything about this novel.

The novel is within Slatter's Sourdough universe, but there is absolutely no need to have read anything that comes before; there's reference to a couple of characters from other novels but they're very much just as background, in the way that a complex world will always have background. However, if you're already a fan, REJOICE! It's always good when there's a new one.

[Samantha (Reading_Against_Noise) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bewitching gothic tale - oh A.G. Slatter those are the magic words for this reader. This story has everything I love: fairytale threads woven into dark fantasy, a touch of horror, flawed and wonderfully messy characters, and even moments of unexpected humor. Just… ah, so good.

Thank you to Netgalley and Titan Books for this arc

[Chewable Orb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Forest, Darkly by A.G. Slatter
4.35 rounded down to 4🔮🔮🔮🔮orbs
Pub. Date: Feb. 10, 2026
Titan Books

The hidden world within the platter… A Thanksgiving meal…

💡 Orbs Prologue: As the dreamlike state enters my mind, I absentmindedly grab my silver cutlery and prepare to feast. The gold-foiled rimmed plate wards off any intrusion from the dog currently begging for an evening snack. A dark green canvas of broccoli shades the canopy. Mehrab the witch trots the chestnut-colored horse onto a nearby path paved with a creamy mashed-potato feel, softly covered by a blanket of freshly fallen snow. Drops of the witch's blood, the deep crimson red of the tart cranberry sauce, drop into a shaded pond murky with sediment, similarly to brown gravy pooling into large circles next to a stack of beans like logs ready to be burned for warmth. Mehrab looks within the mirror in search of answers to the missing children of Berhta’s Forge, the neighboring village. Ironically, the freshly sliced turkey resides on the outskirts of the landscape, light and dark, day vs. night, and good vs. evil. What lies beneath the surface, below, burrowed deep into the crevices of the forest’s soil?

🔩 Nuts & Bolts: A wise woman lurks on the fringes of Berhta’s Forge. She is reluctantly needed for assistance in times of distress by the town’s folk. Mehrab is her name, and although she understands the trepidation of these people, one might wonder if it slightly irks her to the core. One rather drab morning, Mehrab’s world is suddenly upended like a tree whose roots reach out for the sky. Rhea is her name, and Fenna, Mehrab’s friend, has asked Mehrab to foster the young girl. After hearing Rhea’s traumatic story, Mehrab agrees to help. Rhea’s witchlike abilities have seen her on the run like a white hare escaping the hunting nature of the aristocrats she has “harmed.” Author A.G. Slatter waves a wand-shaped twig onto the fibrous paper, and a ghastly tale takes diaphanous form from the coldest of shadows. An old fable has come back to this land, in search of something more permanent. Children go missing only to be replanted anew, yet somehow changed; readers are forced to assess the dangerous situation through Mehrab’s eyes. As the many parallels run deep between Rhea and Mehrab, a beautiful tree stands tall, ripe with poisonous fruit. The question remains, will you take a bite, dear reader?

👍 Orbs Pros: Extremely moving! So much emotion is stirred in a pot like a witch's brew. Slatter’s mastery of her craft left me wanting more. The exquisite prose lies in wait, clip-clopping along like massive hoofs reverberating along the pathways of a misty unease. A fabulous female protagonist! Mehrab will guide you; her savvy, trained eyes lead readers on a wondrous journey and keep you safe!

👎 Orbs Cons: Perhaps around the 3/4 mark, the pace slowed some for me. Thankfully, however, the story picked up momentum and answered all the needed questions by its conclusion.

Highly Recommended! I am 2/2 with A.G. Slatter novels so far. The first being my successful readthrough of The Cold House, which introduced a more standard horror trope, whereas A Forest, Darkly is a bit more whimsical and fairytale-like. If you are a lover of romance, ill-fated love, and strong female characters, you will wholeheartedly love this book!

💡 Orbs Epilogue: The trapped pockets of air within the decadent chocolate cake caught my eye, unlit holes of a world unexplored, like caves built by long-forgotten entities. A warm steam clouded my glasses as I took a swig of glogg, something surely Mehrab the witch might offer to her occasional visitors. Separating my food, the fork draws through tender morsels quite like a horse-drawn hoe, with its many crevasses lying in wait for planting and subsequent harvesting. Like the hand of the gods, I twist the top of the black pepper shaker. Unleashing a hailstorm of dark granules upon the plate, adding further confusion and flavor to this fascinating story. Abruptly interrupted from my trance, a small cough seizes my attention. Across the table, my mother’s concerned eyes connect with mine as she quietly whispers, “I appreciate your love of dreaming, but please stop playing with your food, Orb!”

Many thanks to the publisher, Titan Books, for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Lynn Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2026/02/02/re...
My Five Word TL:DR Review: To Put it Simply – Brilliant

I loved A Forest, Darkly. I would go even further and say this is my favourite Slatter book so far – but, I seem to have that feeling every time I read her latest work, she just gets better and better. This author is definitely my catnip and A Forest, Darkly is just what I’m in the mood for at the moment. A wonderful concoction of dark forests and witches with a boost provided by folklore, fae and the mystery of missing children, all wrapped up in a fairytale style with hints of Little Red Riding Hood. To be clear though. This is an adult fairytale, it’s dark and serious in places and certainly not a story to read to little ones. I would also mention that although this is set in the Sourdough universe this can be read as a standalone.

So, this story starts off with Mehrab. Mehrab has a history, things in her past that she ran away from and doesn’t like to dwell on. She ran far, far from home and ended up in a small cottage, tucked into the forest, not too deep to be at risk from anything too dark and not too near to the bordering village to have them watching her. It’s the perfect spot, and Mehrab has her life in order. Until two things happen almost simultaneously and cause upset, not to mention becoming the catalyst for change. Firstly, Rhea ventures deeper into the forest one day, chasing a rabbit, and becomes trapped. Clearly, something lured her in and if it wasn’t for her quick wits she could have been stuck there waiting for whatever might appear. Secondly, an old friend visited and brought with her a young woman, also running away from home and needing shelter. Mehrab takes in Rhea and becomes, begrudgingly at first, her mentor. Now, as this is playing out, it turns out that a number of children have gone missing from the village, some have been returned but seem not so much themselves any more.

What I loved about this.

Well, firstly, it’s beautifully dark, tantalisingly twisty and perfectly witchy. I love the way Slatter writes women.

They’re just so real – by which I mean, they’re not perfect. Mehrab is grumpy, curmudgeonly and yet alternatively wise and thoughtful. She sometimes takes her own sweet time to come round to an idea but she eventually gets there. Rhea is young. She’s impulsive and stubborn but she does listen and she takes pride in Mehrab’s praise. The two go well together and start to forge a firm bond. In fact one of the really enjoyable aspects of this is the ‘found family’ feel as Mehrab gradually seems to gather more lost sheep into her flock.

The setting is great. We obviously spend a great deal of time in the forest and the writing is so evocative. There are dark and twisted elements but also beauty and it’s all tempered by the warm cosy cottage. Meanwhile, in the village, people are starting to become scared. Their children are being taken and although they’re being returned – they’re different. On top of this there is the persistent fear that things are beginning to change. Folklore and religion don’t sit well together at this time and witches and wise women are hunted. Given that both Mehrab and Rhea are running from mistakes you can feel that it’s only a matter of time before they become ensnared. Mehrab is starting to feel the itch to move on but she is also desperate to salvage the mystery of the missing children.

Then we have a dark entity, a horned hunter who seems to be stalking Mehrab, for reasons unknown. She’s taking as many precautions as she can but there’s a dark ominous feel to the story like it’s only a matter of time before this creature succeeds.

Finally, I loved the imagination. The Sourdough universe is full of all sorts of wild and wonderous critters and A Forest, Darkly is no exception. We have a shadow creature of the Wild Hunt, changelings, critters that live in the lakes, green women, summer husbands and much more.

I absolutely adored this book, I wish I hadn’t read it so that I could have the pleasure of reading it for the first time again and I have no hesitation in recommending.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

My rating 5 of 5 bewitching stars

[Lori S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a few of AG Slatter's earlier books and none have disappointed yet. The latest title adds to the list of great stories from the Sourdough Universe. Our main character, Mehrab, is a middle-aged witch who has made a few mistakes in her time but has also helped many people too. She's spent a long time in the forest, mostly keeping to herself aside from when she is helping the locals. She is asked to take on a young witch and she does so reluctantly. But over time, the two develop a rapport and some mutual respect. There's something happening to the local children. First one disappears and comes back changed after a couple of months. Another goes missing and then a few more. The ones who return always come back changed. The local town expects Mehrab to work it out and solve the mystery. And yet, they also feel very uncertain of her and keep their distance in many ways.

There is so much to like about this book. Firstly, we had our protagonist, a middle-aged witch. She's not perfect but she goes on the best she can and often sacrifices much. She's got a history that is mostly hidden for much of the story. Even at the end, there is some mystery about her. It's nice to have an in-between age for our heroine. Not young and innocent and not old and wizened. She experiences many of the same things any non-witches might.

There are creatures causing disruptions but it's uncertain what they are. There's also the concept of "summer husband" that Mehrab has where she creates a male companion to help with the heavy workloads of summer. I find the idea really fascinating, especially as there are hazards to this sort of magic.

The book has a slightly creepy feel much of the time, giving it a slightly gothic feel but I wouldn't call this a gothic novel. More a magical novel with some dark themes. I didn't find myself on edge through the entire story but there were hints of it at various points. I will admit I spent some of the book wondering what it was all about, but I really adored the last part of the book, and it firmly had me loving this story and the characters in it.

Overall, this was a wonderful read and I rate it 4.25 stars. I would like to thank Netgalley and Titan Books for providing a free advanced reader copy. I have provided my feedback voluntarily.

[Autumn Brimm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Titan Books for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think I said this in my last review of an A.G. Slatter book but this was not my first book by this author and it certainly won't be the last. A Forest, Darkly is was the kind of story that captures your attention on the very first page and doesn't let go until well after you're finished. One of the things I admire most about this was the combination of gothic and cozy vibes. The way the author created such a macabre story despite cozy and comfortable vibes. It's like this book was a huge beast with sharp, gnashing teeth and I willingly walked right into its maw for a cozy night by the fire.

The plot follows Merhab the witch as she takes in Rhea, a woman with magic needing a place to hide. The way the two women found family together was disturbing yet endearing. Found family is one of my favorite tropes and this story does it so well. Then Merhab finds out that children have been going missing in the nearby village. Merhab works to discover who and what has been taking the children and why, only to find herself in the middle of a dangerous situation with some sort of powerful, unknown entity. The plot twists were shocking and impossible to see coming. And what an ending! I won't say more about the plot to avoid spoilers but it was just amazing. The characters in this novel were so well written. While some of the minor characters were flat and bland, the main cast was incredibly complex. Merhab stayed a mystery most of the story. We learn she is strong willed and powerful but also kind and empathetic. And when her background was revealed I cried. It has been so long since a book has had me in tears but I sobbed. It honestly broke my heart. Getting to see Rhea grow was lovely. The woman she became is someone she should be proud of have become. And little Tieve, what a brave little girl!

This book releases February 10th so if you're a fan of strong female characters, gothic vibes, creepy forests, and cozy found family then you need to give this a read! If you like this also check out the other standalones in the author's Sourdough Universe series!

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Forest, Darkly is pure A.G. Slatter - a lush, shadow drenched dark fairytale steeped in folklore and gothic unease. The forest breathes with menace and beauty in equal measure, its atmosphere haunting and utterly immersive with a subtle edge of horror that seeps in through moss, shadow and half remembered stories. This is a landscape shaped by old magic, solitude and the slow accumulation of secrets.

Mehrab is a phenomenal and deeply refreshing protagonist. A middle aged witch at the centre of a fantasy novel feels quietly radical, and Slatter makes full use of that perspective. Mehrab is wise and capable but also prickly, resentful, envious and very human - still wrestling with old grudges, complicated emotions, and the physical and emotional realities of aging and menopause. It’s a sharp, compassionate reminder that fantasy heroines don’t have to be young, carefree or untouched by time to be compelling. Experience has weight here and it matters.

The evolving relationship between Mehrab and the young witch Rhea is one of the book’s greatest pleasures. Slatter beautifully balances their similarities and contrasts, setting youthful beauty and wilfulness against hard won knowledge and restraint to explore aging, mentorship and connection across generations. Their dynamic feels intimate, messy and deeply real, grounding the magic in emotional truth.

The pacing has an almost witchy slice of life quality, lingering over seasonal change, daily rituals and the quiet rhythms of Mehrab's solitary life disrupted. Witchcraft is depicted with texture and delight, rooted in practice, habit and consequence, while an underlying mystery steadily steadily tightens its grip. Both the fate of the missing children and Mehrab’s own past thread tension through the quiet moments and unfolds with satisfying reveals.

Fans of Slatter’s work will find everything they love here but newcomers can step easily into this standalone entry in the Sourdough Universe without feeling lost. I closed the book hoping fiercely that this won’t be the last we see of Mehrab. She’s the kind of character who lingers and her story is far from finished.

My thanks to Titan Books for the arc

[Ginger of Horror · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walking the same path every day, you stop seeing the individual trees. They blur into a green wall, a background to your thoughts. A.G. Slatter’s A Forest, Darkly does the opposite. It forces you to see each trunk, each root, each shadowed hollow in its dark, fairy-tale woods. It’s a story that understands magic isn’t about flashy bursts of light, but about the slow, stubborn persistence of growth in rotten places. The quiet magic of survival.

The novel centres on Mehrab, a witch whose life is past its supposed prime. She is menopausal, settled into the grinding rhythms of a solitary cottage life, her power woven into the daily tasks of mending bones and brewing remedies. Her peace is fractured by two arrivals: Rhea, a young woman fleeing fanatical hunters, and a creeping dread from a nearby village where children are vanishing. Slatter, a master of dark fantasy, uses this not for a simple chase but to examine the weight of a life lived differently. This is a story about protection, legacy, and the exhausting, necessary work of building a family from the scraps the world leaves behind.

The book’s core triumph is Mehrab herself. In a genre crowded with young heroines discovering power, Mehrab’s strength is seasoned, hard-won, and deeply relatable. She is pragmatic, often grumpy, and profoundly tired. Her magic is less about wonder and more about utility, a tool for survival and a burden she manages. This perspective is the novel’s beating heart. Watching her cautiously open her hardened life to protect Rhea provides a profound emotional anchor. Their evolving relationship, this found family, feels earned through shared fear and small, domestic acts of care, not destined by prophecy.

Slatter’s world-building operates with this same textured, lived-in quality. The forest is a true character, teeming with folklore creatures and ancient rules. Concepts like the “summer husband”, a magical construct for labour and companionship, are brilliantly inventive, speaking volumes about loneliness and need with a single, eerie detail.

Read the full review here

https://gnofhorror.com/a-forest-darkl...

[M. K. French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mehrab the witch lives in the forest alone. When a young woman fleeing the godhounds for possessing magic seeks help, Mehrab lets her in and agrees to teach her how to control her magic. In the local village, children are disappearing. If they return at all, they are changed. Mehrab finds offerings on her doorstep and shadows in the trees as the villagers turn hostile and the godhounds close in. It's up to Mehrab to save the soul of the forest and save her newfound family.

A Forest, Darkly is a standalone novel within the world of "All the Murmuring Bones" and "The Briar Book of the Dead." If you read those, you'll recognize references to Lodellan and the Briar Witches, but otherwise it's not necessary. This book has to do with Mehrab, a witch who has lived on the outskirts of the village for over twenty years, gathering herbs, making potions, and healing others when she can, yet still isn't trusted. Several women have come to her for help conceiving, and are quick to ignore her otherwise. It keeps her safe, so she tends to ignore it. Rhea comes through a network of women saving witches from being killed, and Mehrab takes her in as an apprentice as things start getting odd in the woods.

The book proceeds at a steady pace, drawing us into the rhythm of the village and Mehrab's cottage just outside the woods. A trap, kids getting taken and returning wrong, shadows shifting in the trees, and the strange offerings are pieces of unease sprinkled through the first half; the children going missing aren't all at once, so nothing seems to tie them together at first. In time, the missing children, shadows, and the history of the town come together and make sense. The final quarter of the book has the most intense action, the story threads pulling together, and then the solution that only Mehrab can solve. Women in menopause still have power and purpose, and the knowledge they have can protect future generations. This book certainly shows this, and I was especially pulled into the finale.

[Reneaue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Titan Books and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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A Forest, Darkly is a well-written gothic fantasy centered around Mehrab, a solitary witch living deep within the Great Woods.

"Such a beauty a woman has when her autumn's upon her. Silver beginning in the temples, lines of laughter and pain to show the life she's lived, carrying a little more fat to help through hard times - and oh, that temper!"

Her quiet life is disrupted when she is asked to provide sanctuary for a young witch named Rhea, purportedly escaping a zealous suitor. Though Mehrab values her solitude, Rhea’s stubbornness stirs memories of her own youth. But fostering an untrained witch comes with its own challenges, especially when the nearby village is gripped by fear. Children are vanishing, and something ancient and watchful stirs in the forest, with a particular interest in Mehrab.

Slatter weaves a tale rich in macabre, mystery, and magic with a dark and foreboding atmosphere populated by fantastical creatures and eerie legends. The setting evokes Celtic mythology, with haunting figures like the Green Women and the Horned Hunter of the Forest.

Secrets lie buried in the pasts of both Mehrab and Rhea, and there is a delicate balance between the witches and towns folk. A balance that is threatened by the arrival of the God Hounds; set on creating a furor over the witches' hand in the village's strange happenings.

If you're looking for a grounded gothic fantasy that avoids modern tropes, this is a standout. While it carries a dark tone, I wouldn't classify it as horror. Reading this gothic fairytale won’t leave you unsettled. Instead, it feels like a tapestry of folklore and nested stories, perfect for curling up with before bed.

[Candi Norwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read most, if not all, the published books in A. G. Slatter’s Sourdough Universe, and A Forest, Darkly is my favorite so far.
As a cranky middle-aged lady with witchy tendencies of my own, I felt a kinship with Mehrab, and her honesty (with us, at least, through the first-person narration) about her negative as well as positive traits made her likable (probably against her will).
Mehrab hints at a dark, glorious past, but our time with her is spent in her small cottage on the edge of a forest near a small village where the townsfolk at once fear her and rely upon her for not only tinctures and teas but also serious healing as Mehrab can draw upon her power to actually knit together muscle, bone, and blood vessels.
Her relatively peaceful existence is interrupted by a myriad of events, some related and some seemingly coincidental, but all of which lead to upending her home and life, from a sinister something stalking her to a young refugee witch to a reunion with an old lover, nothing will be the same again.
There is so much in this book that I loved: Mehrab’s professed disdain for other people (balanced by her kindness - which she would never admit to - in healing and caring for them), myths around green men (and women) and other forest beings, changelings and doppelgängers, and, perhaps most importantly and the only slight spoiler I will spoil, the dog does not die.
I also like how Slatter slows down the pace sometimes and, in Mehrab’s voice, ponders big questions or shares stories and legends. She has done similar things in her previous works, to varying degrees of success, but it was a perfect balance in A Forest, Darkly.
She also left this wide open for us to hear not only the next chapter but perhaps some past chapters in Mehrab’s life, and I am ready for all of it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the review copy for my unbiased opinion.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Tower Books and A.G Slater for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a quiet, unsettling fantasy that leans toward mood and atmosphere. It drops you into a strange forested world where danger feels constant but often unspoken yet familiar, and that sense of unease never really lifts. Plot-wise, this isn’t a book driven by twists or big revelations but tension coming from uncertainty, isolation, and the slow realisation that survival may depend on understanding the forest rather than escaping it.

The main character is very believable and I felt a connection to her in some of her ways and thoughts, not because she’s heroic or impressive, but because she felt very real when faced with a place that doesn’t make sense and doesn’t feel safe. I found it to be strongly focused on inner thoughts which helps ground the story and makes for an emotional read. There’s an overwhelming feeling that the world operates by rules the we aren’t allowed to understand. The world building is one of the book’s strongest points. The forest itself feels alive, watchful, and hostile without being described in excessive detail.

There’s two stories going on at the same time. The first mainly concentrates on Mehrab and Rhea and their personal journey with each other and the trials they face both with each other and together. The second involves missing children and a force which feels ever present throughout the book and binds the two together wonderfully.

The story asks for patience, and it won’t suit those looking for clear answers or a neat resolution. What it does offer is a strong sense of place and a creeping, psychological kind of fear that stays with you after you finish. An excellent read that kept me glued to the pages while filling my imagination with wonder. This is one of those rare books that deserve more than 5 stars..

[dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Thank you to Netgalley and Titan Books for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5

In the burgeoning "fairytale retelling" genre, witches and witchy women are abundant. The youthful maiden and the old crone are common contrasts, as are the "dark"/ugly and "light"/beautiful sisters. A.G. Slatter upends these tropes, not by eliminating the witch protagonist but by centering on an older, disgruntled female witch—one who is not pure nor evil but somewhere snugly in between.

I appreciated the sheer range of folkloric elements and entities introduced. There are changeling children, godhounds, "summer husbands" (which reminded me of golems from Ashkenazi Jewish folkloric tradition, though I am not sure if they are related), and other magical but mundane happenings, all framed by the encroachment of religion, the patriarchy, and distrust of one's neighbors.

I hesitate to call this novel "gothic," despite its promotion as such. The undercurrents of the story are pervasively dark and unsetting, but never did I feel frightened. The plot also felt meandering, which diminished the urgency of the characters' situations. I was never compelled to give up on completing the novel, but neither was I driven to reach the end.

Mehrab's complexity pleasantly surprised me. Although undeniably isolated, her fondness for Rhea, the young woman she takes into her care, and her slowly revealed prior relationships with nearby townspeople, gave her far-reaching roots. Her strong will and gruffness did not come at the expense of her empathy or generosity. Rhea, too, was not as affected or helpless as she was set up to be, and her and Mehrab's familial love for one another blossomed beautifully.

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark folk fantasy with witches, magic, dark forests and dark deities.

I enjoyed this quite a bit and Mehrab is definitely the main reason why. I really liked her as the main character. Older, snarky but caring, brutally honest with herself - her voice came out loud and clear for me, and I love when that happens. Rhea was also great fun - she grows so much as the story progresses.

The story itself was interesting - the world-building was solid and the story was thrilling, though it did take me a few pages to get into it mostly because I kept re-checking if it really was a standalone novel (it really is, but it is a part of a greater world which has already been explored in other books). The side characters felt fully fleshed out and the horror elements worked for me as well. The side story told by Mehrab towards the end of the book really creeped me out in the best way possible (it reminded me how wonderfully creepy good fairy tales can be).

The only thing I struggled with was the lack of urgency in the first half. The story meandered quite a bit, which normally I am ok with since I like when stories are allowed to breathe, but here with the specific events that take place I felt that the characters were unusually slow to act and it made things a bit frustrating. The action really picks up at the two-thirds mark though.

Overall, recommended to anyone who likes darker folk-inspired female-led horror/fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.