A Light at the End of the Woods

by Carrie Brownell, Joe Hox (Illustrator)

How much risk should a person take to protect someone who has been dead for centuries? Siblings Alice and Henry are about to find out when they head to the country with their parents for a summer holiday. The cottage the family rents near the childhood home of Lady Jane Grey is nothing like their house in Oxford, not least because it appears to harbour a maze of secrets. Alice, Henry, and their parents are determined to unravel the puzzles that have been placed in their path. But when an old woman with a mysterious past begins haunting the family’s every move, they have second thoughts about continuing their holiday.

This family adventure about resilience, courage, and duty in the face of adversity brings past and present together in a swirl of intrigue. The children and their parents are running out of time to make a decision that could have far-reaching effects. And someone is determined to stop the family at all costs.

Genres: Middle Grade

358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 8, 2025

About the author

Carrie lives in N. Idaho with her husband and five children. She loves books and travel most of all and is more than unusually obsessed with the royal family. She loves dabbling in words, but writes very bad biographical sketches of herself.

Her favorite genre is Middle Grade fiction and is exciting to releasing her own novel, Island of Stars, on August 30, 2024.

Reviews

[Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Light at the End of the Woods is a beautiful and cozy middle grade/YA novel with elements of church and British history, family adventure, and whimsical and oftentimes humorous settings.

The Williams family goes on a holiday at a remote cottage in a village several hours outside of their home in Oxford. The father is witty and intellectual, the mother is warm and kind (and a worrier), the son is energetic and boisterous and the daughter is bookish and shy. When they keep hearing references to Lady Jane Grey, combined with mysterious visits from a creepy old woman, they begin to wonder just what kind of family holiday this will turn out to be.

I enjoyed the interactions between the family. They felt realistic and light. The story goes back and forth between narratives concerning historical Jane and the present day. There is a lot of dialogue which makes the book very fast paced. This is a great book for anyone interested in the Reformation/Church History, British monarchs, or family relationships.

The book has themes of light overcoming darkness (Post Tenebras Lux) and of darkness not having power over those who belong to the Light. What a great message and it was really well woven throughout the story.

The illustrations also really make this a compelling experience too!

I received this book from the publisher and these opinions are my own.

[Haleigh DeRocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful story.

[Luminous Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

“… you need to hold onto the light that is within you and remember that darkness in any form cannot prosper in that light.”

About the Book:
✨ Historical Fantasy meets cozy mystery.
✨Themes of resilience, courage, duty, and perseverance.
✨ Secrets, mysteries, history, myth, and legend.


🕰️ Siblings Alice and Harry head to the country with their parents for a relaxing summer holiday. But when they arrive at their rented cottage, near the childhood home of Lady Jane Grey, strange things begin to happen. They stumble upon a maze of clues and riddles, and keep encountering a mysterious old woman who seems to watch the families' every move. As the past and present collide, they must unravel the mystery before it’s too late.

🗝️ What I Loved:
This is a family adventure where the past, present, legend, and fact come together in an intriguing swirl that will keep you reading long into the night to find out what happens next! The characters were wonderful, and I loved seeing positive parent figures in this story, as well as a family that faced adversity and suspenseful situations together.

One of my favorite aspects of this story is the overarching theme of light overcoming darkness. The characters, especially Alice, learn that there will be times in life when we are faced with darkness, but when we hold on to the light and what we know is right, darkness cannot prevail.
Such a beautiful and encouraging reminder for readers of all ages!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

What a delight! The last book I read had unfortunately put me into a reading slump, but Carrie Brownell's new book "A Light at the End of the Woods" thankfully pulled me right out of it. I was drawn in from the beginning by this story of a family taking their summer vacation in a Tudor cottage full of mysteries. History plays heavily into this story, particularly the life of Lady Jane Grey. (Don't feel as if you need to go into the story knowing all about her, but if you're like me, you'll finish the book wanting to read even more about her life!) As someone who's interested in English history and the monarchy, I found it fascinating.

Carrie did a great job of intertwining history with modern day. Another thing she does really well is her portrayal of genuine characters and positive family dynamics!

This book felt like a perfect read for October or November. It is a mystery at heart, and it does have a slightly creepy vibe at times due to one particular character (well maybe more than one towards the end...) Highly recommend checking it out!!

(I received a copy of this book from Book Monkey Press in exchange for an honest review.)

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

While an enjoyable read, I feel like this story could have been a little shorter. The story seemed to repeat scenes frequently which gave the impression that the story wasn’t progressing. My own failing is, as with many dual timeline reads for me, I wish there was more of Lady Jane’s story. I was so invested in her story even though I knew how it was destined to end and I wanted more! We all choose favorites in the dual timeline game I think.

I love that there are two parents in the home and actively involved in their kids lives. It did seem to make some of the plot unbelievably to me due to the repeated intruder issues that should have been greater causes for alarm and abandonment of the holiday for the sake of safety in my mind. But that’s purely personal opinion.

Overall an intriguing read, with lovely imagery throughout and with enough of a dabble in a vague historical figure to make you want to know more! Also the illustrations will always be most welcome.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie P (Because My Mother Read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy for review.

This was a really charming middle grade story full of adventure, some history, and a bit of magical realism. It follows a family of four that travels on a summer holiday to rent a cottage near the childhood home of Lady Jane Grey. But unexpected things start happening and they uncover puzzles to solve, a mysterious old woman, and surprising discoveries.

I am always in for puzzle solving plot lines and that aspect was really fun as well as the interweaving of real history. I enjoyed the author's note at the end to learn even more of the historical elements. I also really appreciated that the adventure was a family affair. So often the parents are out of the picture for all of the main storyline in books like this and it was nice to see them all in it together. I know as a parent I wouldn't want to be sidelined for all the fun haha.

The book also has some illustrations sprinkled throughout which added a great touch!

[Chautona Havig · Rating 5 out of 5]

That I would enjoy this book was never a question. No doubts. Filled with facts and lore regarding Lady Jane Grey (I learned a few things I hadn't known), puzzles, and a delightful family (not all perfect!), and just a hint of spooky vibes, the story takes you on twists and turns. Occasionally, I was totally lost at what was going on--but I wasn't alone. The characters were just as confused as I was. We worked together to figure out odd riddles, strange things an equally strange lady says, and... all the things. Looking forward to reading the next offering by Carrie Brownell. EEEP!

If you love Elizabeth Goudge's "The Little White Horse," this might be a good choice for you--all the history we love from Goudge, added to matter-of-fact faith, combined with a bit of magical realism (both of which are also Goudge-like).

[Debra Ann French · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in a reading slump, then this book came along and retrieved my interest back to reading a good clean mystery family book.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come along with the Williams family as they finally get their holiday away and are swept up in the adventure of a lifetime.
Robert and Helen and their children, Alice and Henry, drive off to a small town to enjoy some much needed time away. What they didn't expect was a mysterious visitor, puzzles to solve, an unplanned 5k*, and a lifetime of memories.
I couldn't put this book down. Wonderful family relationships, emotion and academics, history, and a little bit of spooky suspense make for a story worth reading and rereading. Finally, I am starting to gather a set of middle grade/YA novels by living authors that I can hand to patrons and friends without all the disclaimers!!! I'm thrilled to add this to my shelves.
I'm not normally a fan of dual perspective but the separate story of Lady Jane Grey added so much to the overall experience. The descriptions made for a clear mind picture of the locations. While family relationships can either get ugly or overly saccharine, the Williams navigate tension and frustration with love and kindness. Brownell did a fantastic job providing suspense, clever puzzles, and mixing history, legend, and modern day people. The illustrations by Joe Hox add yet another dimension to an already complex book.
This book was sent to me by the publisher, BookMonkey press, in exchange for an honest review. I happily give it 5 stars, a place on my shelf, and a couple extra copies for gifts.

*estimated distance for dramatic purposes

[Raeme Eby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story felt like the books I devoured as a kid (such as "The Famous Five") and was so charming and beautiful; the descriptions are vivid and each character so clearly developed! I loved that each member of the Williams family was a part of the story, especially since it's been a while since I read a book that included the whole family as main characters. It intertwined history with a compelling mystery story, and the ending tied everything up so nicely, both with the Williams' story and Lady Jane Grey's.