The Hanging Tree

Point Horror Unleashed

by Paul Stewart

Trees are sacred, roads are the devil's work. That's why Willow joins the protest against the Bridgemorton bypass. Camped out beneath an ancient oak, though, she's suddenly not so sure...

There's something demonic about the oak. Terrible images of hanged bodies and burning witches haunt Willow. Protestors plummet from the tree's branches or die from fear amongst its roots. Then Willow is shown the most hellish vision of all. An almighty reckoning is nigh...

Genres: Horror, Young Adult, Childrens

214 pages, Paperback

First published June 19, 1998

About the author

Paul Stewart is a highly regarded author of books for young readers – from picture books to football stories, fantasy and horror. Together with Chris Riddell he is co-creator of the bestselling Edge Chronicles, which has sold more than three million copies and is available in over twenty languages. They have also collaborated together on lots of other exciting books for children of all ages. The Far-Flung Adventure series includes the Gold Smarties Prize Winner Fergus Crane, and Corby Flood and Hugo Pepper, both Silver Nestle Prize Winners. Then there are the Barnaby Grimes books, two Muddle Earth adventures, and the sci-fi Scavenger and fantasy Wyrmeweald trilogies. For younger readers there is the Blobheads series, while for the very young, Paul has written several picture books, including the Rabbit and Hedgehog series, In the Dark of the Night and, his latest, Wings.

Other authors by this name disambiguation Note:
Paul Stewart - business and management books

Reviews

[Chelley Toy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my book club that I run on Instagram where we revisit Point Horror and other books from our childhood - @talespointhorrorbookclub

Tagline - Rooted in evil ……

Memorable For - An evil ancient oak tree!

Blurb -

Trees are sacred, roads are the devil’s work. That’s why Willow joins the protest against the Bridgemorton bypass. Camped out beneath an ancient oak, though, she’s suddenly not so sure...There’s something demonic about the oak.

Some Thoughts -

Willow and her family arrive on camp to protest against the Bridgemorton bypass, along with other protesters they are going to set up camp in the woodland and the trees to save them from@being chopped down by the developer. But Willow senses something strange with the big ancient oak tree her family have settled next too and when strange occurrences and deadly visions start to happen, all seemingly related to the tree, Willow and her new beau Kyle from the posh part of town decide to take matters into their own hands and investigate. What they discover shocks them to their core and has been going on for centuries!

Other highlights include a love interest built like a wrestler and loves his food, a frustrating parent, family dynamics, historical flashbacks, ghosts and deadly visions.

So many Final Destination vibes!

This was our second Point Horror Unleashed for the book club and it was another great addition to the series!

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seem to remember really liking this one. Also I was more scared of the cover than the book and had to put it face down when I wasn't reading it!

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Willow and her family are eco warriors travelling around the country in an old caravan. This time it’s a new bypass through an ancient woodland but as they pitch up away from the main protester camp in the shadow of an enormous old oak tree strange visions haunt them. Her little brother Blue is playing with boys who live in the tree, her stepdad sees something that frightens him to death and Willow has vivid dreams of past horrors. Something evil haunts the woods and none of them may live to tell the tale.

Oh this is a goodie, far more supernatural than regular Point Horror books and I love it. Ancient power, grisly deaths, powerful evil and horror unleashed. These were the UK versions of the Point books and feel very British, steeped in history and viscerally macabre. The atmosphere is charged and eerie, the forces relentless and ancient.

Very much in the tradition of Hammer and Tales of the Unexpected, you know something bad is coming and you fear for the characters. Does anyone survive? Read and find out, it’s a hell of a ride!

[Robyn Drummond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah I'm still shivering. Very good description enough not to bore you but enough to make you shiver and shake under the covers. Gery Vud!

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willow, her mother, her step father and her half-brother Blue are protestors fighting the good fight against various environmental threats. They join an encampment in the woods to try and prevent the building of the Bridgemorton Bypass. However, the old oak tree they camp under is no ordinary tree. Willow and her posh totty boyfriend Kyle from private school may save the tree from the road... but who will save them from the evil tree??

This book is incredibly easy to read. I really enjoyed it as a trip down memory lane, and a reminder of history. Kyle's 'Mega Base' is hilarious, fitted out with top of the range 90s computers and fax machines. He even has the Internet! I think I did read this one when I was younger, but I would have been at University already when the Unleashed series came out. This book was so familiar though, that I think I must have picked it up as a break from my course literature classics, or maybe I read it in summer. The other person from history this book brings to mind as you read is Swampy, of protestor fame, because of the tunnels and treehouses.

Its a really nice example of a British late 90s point horror, and the ending is a hoot too. A definite recommendation from me on this one.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and quick read in the Point Horror Unleashed collection. I am enjoying reading these books. The ones I've read so far have been set in England and have more mature content than the earlier Point Horror series.
This book is about Willow, a 17 year old girl who travels around the country with her family, protesting various environmental issues. When they arrive at Marvis Ridge and set up camp underneath the sprawling branches of a vast oak tree, Willow soon realises that there is something very wrong with the tree.
The ending to this book really took me by surprise and was totally unexpected.

[Georgina Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, a good read for an unleashed point horror, it was fun 😊

[Layla]

I think this book was the best horror book I've ever read. I love how Willow's views on Kyle changed throughout the book.