Blood on the Trailhead:

by Charlotte Zang, Alex J. Knudsen

When the mutilated body of a young boy is discovered in Devil’s Cradle State Park, the quiet town of Lost Grove finds itself on edge. Locals blame a wild animal. The media calls it a tragedy. But Chief of Police Seth Wolfe feels an old fear stirring. Just months prior, he stood over a body marked with the same wounds that left more questions than answers.

Just outside town, a local teen stumbles on strange, twisting glyphs scorched into the trees, eerily similar to those once studied by an Indigenous academic researcher who disappeared just years earlier. Desperate for answers, she turns to a friend with family ties to the Wiyot Nation, only to be warned some things are better left buried.

When a local teenager goes missing, town meetings turn ugly, campers cancel in droves, and the pressure mounts with each bloodied trail. On the eve of the county fair, Seth is faced with the burden of an old case threatening to resurface and unravel his career, along with the rising dread of a community coming apart.

Because what waits in the forest isn’t just an echo of the past. It’s hunting again.

445 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2025

About the author

Charlotte Zang has three previously published books; Satan’s In Your Kitchen (a romantic comedy between a handsome carpenter, a charming ditz and Satan), Consuming Beauty (a diary of a young woman and a beastly man) and Blooding (a horrific story of monsters and the occult). The fantasy trilogy, Trust of the Magdrid, is complete and currently in the editing phases. She fully believes in fairy tales, magic and following your dreams.

If someone tells you there is no happily ever after, they’re lying.

Consuming Beauty has been adapted into a short film as has one of her short stories. She is a fan of science fiction and fantasy, loves all things kawaii, and collects journals she’ll never write in. She lives in Southern California with three loyal hounds, some impartial cats and her very own vampire husband. When she’s not writing she enjoys gardening, watching a good movie (or a bad one), reading all sorts of genres and cooking ridiculously scrumptious nibblies.

Reviews

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood on the Trailhead is a haunting, slow-burn mystery that tangles horror, folklore, and small-town secrets into a story that seeps under your skin. It opens with an archaeologist’s quiet curiosity and ends in something much darker, something that feels both ancient and alive. The book’s plot threads stretch across Devil’s Cradle State Park, where strange glyphs, a missing child, and old wounds converge. The story blends investigative suspense with mythic terror, pulling you through the redwoods and into the dark pulse of the land itself.

The writing is lush and eerie, with that grounded sense of place that author's Zang and Knudsen do so well. They write forests the way others write cities, every root and shadow alive with intent. The pacing is steady, sometimes deliberately slow. When the horror hits, it lands hard, not with cheap shocks but with creeping inevitability. I found myself both enchanted and unsettled by how human the story felt, even when it slipped into the supernatural. The grief, guilt, and obsession in these characters are raw. Sometimes the dialogue feels almost too clean, but that’s balanced by the way silence and atmosphere carry the emotion.

What really struck me was how the story handles belief, scientific, spiritual, and everything in between. It doesn’t force explanations. It lets mystery exist, and that takes confidence. The book asks you to trust your instincts, even when they’re wrong. There were moments I felt real affection for the characters, especially the flawed ones who keep searching for truth when it’s obvious the truth is going to hurt. The story gave me that same uneasy calm as walking through an empty parking lot after dark, knowing you’re probably fine but not quite believing it.

I’d recommend Blood on the Trailhead to anyone who loves mysteries with a side of folklore and a heavy dose of unease. It’s perfect for readers who like their horror thoughtful, their detectives damaged, and their endings not too tidy. If you enjoy stories that make you linger on the last page before closing the book, this one’s worth every step into the woods.

[merlin513 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was super excited when Amazon sent me a notice that Charlotte Zang & Alex Knudson had a new book in the Lost Grove series available, and it did NOT disappoint!

Following the events in the opening duology, ‘Blood on the Trailhead’ follows our intrepid group of teens and adults lives in the town of Lost Grove. The kids are all graduated and enjoying their last summer together before going their separate ways. Some to colleges across the country, others choosing to stay more local.

Seth Wolfe has taken over as the Chief of Police for Lost Grove and is continuing his relationship with town librarian Story Palmer. The Orbriallus Institute is still functioning and attempting to repair the damage done by disgraced former director Dr. Neil Owen and his illicit human research.

The new incidents arising are centered on Devil’s Cradle National Park and the ‘cursed forrest’ surrounding Lost Grove. Delving into tribal lore and cryptic glyphs located in the forrest, I guarantee you won’t guess where ‘Blood on the Trailhead’ leads you.

Super stoked with this new chapter and waiting patiently for the next outing in my new favorite ‘Twin Peaks’ township!!!

I enjoyed these books so much I bought actual physical books to put on my favorites shelves. : )

[Christian Sia · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Blood on the Trailhead, Zang and Knudsen deliver a gripping mystery intertwined with supernatural horror, set against the majestic, eerie backdrop of Humboldt Bay’s wilderness. Hannah Albrecht’s archaeological pursuits collide with real-world tragedies, as glyphs and legends seem to influence deadly events. The narrative shifts seamlessly between past and present, creating a layered, immersive experience. The vivid descriptions of the redwoods, caves, and overgrown trails evoke a haunting, almost sacred atmosphere. The characters’ depth and the authors’ crisp prose heighten the emotional stakes—whether it’s Hannah’s relentless curiosity or Chief Wolfe’s suspicions. The story’s tension escalates with gore, spectral visions, and ancient secrets, culminating in a tense, unsettling climax—a must-read for fans of atmospheric horror and mystical mysteries.

[Ruffina Os · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood on the Trailhead is an intense, gripping novel that will appeal to fans of horror and psychological suspense. This narrative thrives on its exploration of archaeology, folklore, and horror in the lush wilderness of California’s Humboldt Bay. Hannah Albrecht’s quest to uncover ancient glyphs becomes intertwined with a series of grisly events (disappearances, animal attacks, and spectral visions) that hint at something far darker. You are gripped from the first page and have to read on, on edge, wondering what happens next. There are supernatural elements at play, and some lines of investigation might awaken something even more sinister. The authors vividly paint the setting, capturing the mystical feel of redwood forests and hidden caves, creating a tense, immersive mood. Characters are complex and memorable, and the storyteller is top-notch.

[Tina Lincoln · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Mixture
Kids will be kids... right? However, when a child goes missing, and then to add fuel to the fire of both adults and children trying to find him, much, much more happens!
Starting with a warning of sorts from the Wiot Tribe, an Indigenous Nation from there.. Some things are better left buried... Like unknown creatures!
There is an annual fair that raises money for the town, and it turns into something truly terrifying!
You must read to know and understand! I could not put the book down!
Thank you both, Charlotte Zang & Alex J. Knudsen, for sharing a Wonderful Story!
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Callum Lambart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping, atmospheric mystery that blends folklore, suspense, and emotional depth into a haunting journey through Lost Grove’s darkest secrets.

[Angela Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Great!

This is a great read! I love this series! It has everything, talented writing, great characters, lots of mystery. I hope there will be another book soon!