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Buried in the Woods Below
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20 copies available
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Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden's The Housemaid, Riley Sager's The Only One Left and Alice Feeney's My Husband's Wife, this addictive psychological suspense-thriller is a must-read for anyone who loves dark secrets, isolated settings, and jaw-dropping twists.
SOME MEMORIES WERE NEVER MEANT TO STAY BURIED.
When Charlotte Hoffman's picture-perfect career implodes overnight, she retreats to the one place she swore she'd never return: Big Island, Minnesota. Home to her childhood best friend, Olivia Parker, and the place where her life first fell apart.
Eighteen years ago, tragedy struck, and Charlotte's blamed herself for that bloody night ever since. Now she's back, staying with the Parkers in their isolated lakeside home, surrounded by dark woods shrouded in mist and the decaying remains of a long-abandoned amusement park.
But something isn't right.
The Parkers' young twin girls whisper about ghosts in the trees. Threatening notes appear on doors. An old carousel screams in the wind. And every night the island claims another victim.
As Charlotte wades ever-deeper into danger, she can't shake the feeling that someone brought her back to the isolated island for a reason.
Someone who wants to finish what was started all those years ago.
SOME MEMORIES WERE NEVER MEANT TO STAY BURIED.
When Charlotte Hoffman's picture-perfect career implodes overnight, she retreats to the one place she swore she'd never return: Big Island, Minnesota. Home to her childhood best friend, Olivia Parker, and the place where her life first fell apart.
Eighteen years ago, tragedy struck, and Charlotte's blamed herself for that bloody night ever since. Now she's back, staying with the Parkers in their isolated lakeside home, surrounded by dark woods shrouded in mist and the decaying remains of a long-abandoned amusement park.
But something isn't right.
The Parkers' young twin girls whisper about ghosts in the trees. Threatening notes appear on doors. An old carousel screams in the wind. And every night the island claims another victim.
As Charlotte wades ever-deeper into danger, she can't shake the feeling that someone brought her back to the isolated island for a reason.
Someone who wants to finish what was started all those years ago.
352 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 1, 2026
About the author
Daniel G. Miller
9 books755 followersDaniel G. Miller is the USA Today bestselling and Edgar-nominated author of the Orphanage by the Lake mystery-thriller series and the Tree of Knowledge adventure series. His novels have been published in over fifteen different languages, and he currently serves as the President of the Florida Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America. When he’s not writing, he enjoys sipping sunset cocktails with his wife, watching NBA basketball, and singing off-key to his sons, not necessarily in that order. He currently lives in Delray Beach, Florida. He loves hearing from readers, so feel free to drop him an email anytime.
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June 11, 2026Sharp and surprising, Buried in the Woods Below hooked me from page one. Rich in atmosphere, with the past rotting around Charlotte, Daniel G. Miller takes us on a deft journey into friendship, the past, and why it's worth unearthing secrets.
April 20, 2026
This was such a solid, atmospheric thriller that completely pulled me in.
Charlotte returning to her hometown after years away already carries that uneasy tension, but setting it against an isolated lakeside house, dense woods, and an abandoned amusement park? It creates this constant sense that something isn’t quite right — and that feeling never really lets up.
The pacing is strong from the start, but what I really loved was how the final stretch kicked things up another notch. The last 30% moves fast, and I absolutely flew through it needing to know how everything was going to come together.
There are plenty of twists woven throughout. I did pick up on a couple early, but there were still enough surprises to keep me engaged, and the way it all builds into the ending made it worthwhile.
This leans into that eerie, slightly unsettling space between psychological thriller and something a little darker, with an unreliable edge that keeps you questioning what’s real and what isn’t.
Heathcliff 💔 not the sole reason this wasn’t a 5⭐️ for me, but it definitely played a part.
A really engaging, twisty read with a strong finish.
Charlotte returning to her hometown after years away already carries that uneasy tension, but setting it against an isolated lakeside house, dense woods, and an abandoned amusement park? It creates this constant sense that something isn’t quite right — and that feeling never really lets up.
The pacing is strong from the start, but what I really loved was how the final stretch kicked things up another notch. The last 30% moves fast, and I absolutely flew through it needing to know how everything was going to come together.
There are plenty of twists woven throughout. I did pick up on a couple early, but there were still enough surprises to keep me engaged, and the way it all builds into the ending made it worthwhile.
This leans into that eerie, slightly unsettling space between psychological thriller and something a little darker, with an unreliable edge that keeps you questioning what’s real and what isn’t.
Heathcliff 💔 not the sole reason this wasn’t a 5⭐️ for me, but it definitely played a part.
A really engaging, twisty read with a strong finish.
April 17, 2026
Oh wow… I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this!
Daniel has become an instant read author for me.
Charlotte is a successful woman who has had a lot of tragedy and trauma that haunts her.. She’s suspended from work, and her mother suggests she visits old friends on an island with bad cell service and no WiFi.. what could happen?
Thank you for the advance reader copy!
Daniel has become an instant read author for me.
Charlotte is a successful woman who has had a lot of tragedy and trauma that haunts her.. She’s suspended from work, and her mother suggests she visits old friends on an island with bad cell service and no WiFi.. what could happen?
Thank you for the advance reader copy!
July 13, 2026
Buried in the Woods Below, a psychological thriller
Charlotte is sort of "forced" into taking time off from work, since she hasn't taken any for a long time, and a workplace incident that needs a deeper review. As luck would have it, her childhood best friend Olivia's family has invited her to stay with them at their lake house on Big Island for the month. While Charlotte is not overly enthused, as she has lost touch with Olivia over the years, her mom convinces her to go. She also used to have a crush on Olivia's dad Eric, and isn't sure if that crush has dissipated over the years.
As soon as Charlotte arrives at the lake house, the red flags start flying in. If it were me, I am not sure I would have been convinced to stay, with no Wi-Fi, threatening letters left on the house, the creepy misty air, possibly evil twins, and eerie abandoned amusement park with screeching old rides and horrifying dolls, I would have hopped on the next boat out of there. But Charlotte decides to stay, her crush on Eric seems to be alive, and she also wants to catch up with Olivia.
With every chapter of this story, the mystery expands. Who is leaving threatening notes? The neighbor? How did Eric even get this house? And my biggest question of all, why does Charlotte stay as everyday gets weirder!? There are stories of ghosts on the island as well, and Charlotte starts to see and hear things at night, but when she goes outside, sees nothing. Add to all of that Eric's disturbing doll collection, and the fact that someone else from Charlotte's work life is also mysteriously staying on the island, it is too strange to not want to run!
I did not expect the ending at all, and I absolutely loved the unexpected reveal. You will have to read this story to learn the truth behind all of the goings on at Big Island.
Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press, Netgalley, and the author for a copy of this book!
Some fav quotes:
"After five minutes of weighing the pros and cons, one thing becomes abundantly clear: I need a drink."
"I shift my gaze and see Big Island rising like a specter from the water. But it’s not beautiful—it’s haunting."
"The promise of isolation feels more like entrapment now. The outside world can’t reach you here, but neither can help."
"I can’t help the sensation that I’ve entered the hotel from The Shining every time I see them."
"Now that I’m awake and half sober, it all seems so surreal."
Charlotte is sort of "forced" into taking time off from work, since she hasn't taken any for a long time, and a workplace incident that needs a deeper review. As luck would have it, her childhood best friend Olivia's family has invited her to stay with them at their lake house on Big Island for the month. While Charlotte is not overly enthused, as she has lost touch with Olivia over the years, her mom convinces her to go. She also used to have a crush on Olivia's dad Eric, and isn't sure if that crush has dissipated over the years.
As soon as Charlotte arrives at the lake house, the red flags start flying in. If it were me, I am not sure I would have been convinced to stay, with no Wi-Fi, threatening letters left on the house, the creepy misty air, possibly evil twins, and eerie abandoned amusement park with screeching old rides and horrifying dolls, I would have hopped on the next boat out of there. But Charlotte decides to stay, her crush on Eric seems to be alive, and she also wants to catch up with Olivia.
With every chapter of this story, the mystery expands. Who is leaving threatening notes? The neighbor? How did Eric even get this house? And my biggest question of all, why does Charlotte stay as everyday gets weirder!? There are stories of ghosts on the island as well, and Charlotte starts to see and hear things at night, but when she goes outside, sees nothing. Add to all of that Eric's disturbing doll collection, and the fact that someone else from Charlotte's work life is also mysteriously staying on the island, it is too strange to not want to run!
I did not expect the ending at all, and I absolutely loved the unexpected reveal. You will have to read this story to learn the truth behind all of the goings on at Big Island.
Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press, Netgalley, and the author for a copy of this book!
Some fav quotes:
"After five minutes of weighing the pros and cons, one thing becomes abundantly clear: I need a drink."
"I shift my gaze and see Big Island rising like a specter from the water. But it’s not beautiful—it’s haunting."
"The promise of isolation feels more like entrapment now. The outside world can’t reach you here, but neither can help."
"I can’t help the sensation that I’ve entered the hotel from The Shining every time I see them."
"Now that I’m awake and half sober, it all seems so surreal."
June 29, 2026
Buried in the woods below is a tale that haunts you till the very end.
This is my first novel by Daniel G. Miller, and I enjoyed every moment of it. It gradually crawls under your skin.
A psychological suspenseful thriller that has you riding the rollercoaster and having a wild experience. Which feels perfect for the setting.
I was sucked into the atmosphere, an old island, a former amusement park that’s buried in the woods, and haunting pasts, that’ll have people running away.
I didn’t know if this was going to be paranormal or just a very eerie story. Either way, I was left unsettled.
Charlotte returns to her old best friend’s hometown, the place she swore never to return, and things start to take off from there.
She’s filled with flaws, emotionally driven, but also with the sense to be in control. I found myself invested in her throughout the process.
The rest of the characters also had me intrigued and left me with my detective hat on.
Some of the revelations and twists felt a bit predictable, but I found it entertaining. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a psychological thriller, and as soon as things started rolling out, it just made so much sense. I’m still thinking about it.
I can definitely see it being brought to the big screen.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and the author for the e-galley! 🖤
This is my first novel by Daniel G. Miller, and I enjoyed every moment of it. It gradually crawls under your skin.
A psychological suspenseful thriller that has you riding the rollercoaster and having a wild experience. Which feels perfect for the setting.
I was sucked into the atmosphere, an old island, a former amusement park that’s buried in the woods, and haunting pasts, that’ll have people running away.
I didn’t know if this was going to be paranormal or just a very eerie story. Either way, I was left unsettled.
Charlotte returns to her old best friend’s hometown, the place she swore never to return, and things start to take off from there.
She’s filled with flaws, emotionally driven, but also with the sense to be in control. I found myself invested in her throughout the process.
The rest of the characters also had me intrigued and left me with my detective hat on.
Some of the revelations and twists felt a bit predictable, but I found it entertaining. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a psychological thriller, and as soon as things started rolling out, it just made so much sense. I’m still thinking about it.
I can definitely see it being brought to the big screen.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and the author for the e-galley! 🖤
July 1, 2026
i enjoy this authors writing, the book was very spooky and atmospheric. my only issues with this one is that i predicted the big “shock” very early on in the book and i wasn’t a big fan of the ending
May 4, 2026
4.0 ⭐️ Charlotte goes back to a family friend’s island home while taking a leave from work. However, vacation turns into survival as the people around her star disappearing and threatening notes appear on her door. The writing definitely made me feel trapped on the island with everyone as they navigated this mystery. This book has scandal, mystery, ghosts, isolation, and untrustworthy characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the early copy!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the early copy!
June 14, 2026
Overall; not a bad thriller but at times it seemed a little far fetched and it was a little predictable.
July 11, 2026
ARC review
This was a surprising thriller I didn’t expect. I had suspicions where it was going, but even with that knowledge was not let down by the ending. I was stunned and mesmerized watching this story unfold. Really well told, easy read, quick paced, a thriller that will keep you up at night.
We see charlotte who is having a bit of a life crisis, and decides to take a vacation and be helpful with old friends of the family. Once she arrives on Big Island strange things start happening. Noises at night, unusual shadows in the woods, etc.
As things start to unfold The Whodunnit keeps you guessing, but the final explanation will leave you shocked.
A masterclass of thriller writing, truly enjoyable to read. A one night book to devour.
Book has some triggers, but can’t say what without giving away key plot twists.
This was a surprising thriller I didn’t expect. I had suspicions where it was going, but even with that knowledge was not let down by the ending. I was stunned and mesmerized watching this story unfold. Really well told, easy read, quick paced, a thriller that will keep you up at night.
We see charlotte who is having a bit of a life crisis, and decides to take a vacation and be helpful with old friends of the family. Once she arrives on Big Island strange things start happening. Noises at night, unusual shadows in the woods, etc.
As things start to unfold The Whodunnit keeps you guessing, but the final explanation will leave you shocked.
A masterclass of thriller writing, truly enjoyable to read. A one night book to devour.
Book has some triggers, but can’t say what without giving away key plot twists.
July 15, 2026
Thank you Netgalley and poisoned pen press for the digital ARC!! This one was okay it just drug out a little for me and was a little predictable.
July 19, 2026
I would give this 3.5 stars. I guessed part of the twist early on in the book and I loved the atmosphere of the setting. I felt a lot of it just didn’t play out well. It could be that I expected more from some of the reviews I had seen.
August 2, 2026
An isolated island...that used to be an amusement park?? Yeah, I'm reading that every single time.
Charlotte was such an interesting character to follow as she tried to navigate life after being suspended from her job. I loved slowly watching everything unravel while trying to figure out what was really going on. This ended up being the perfect mix of revenge and psychological suspense. The atmosphere was easily my favorite part!
I did pick up on the twist before it was revealed, but not until pretty close to the end, and honestly it didn't bother me. The suspense getting there was more than enough to keep me entertained. Also...I need this as an audiobook immediately because I just know it would be INTENSE with the right narrator.
Charlotte was such an interesting character to follow as she tried to navigate life after being suspended from her job. I loved slowly watching everything unravel while trying to figure out what was really going on. This ended up being the perfect mix of revenge and psychological suspense. The atmosphere was easily my favorite part!
I did pick up on the twist before it was revealed, but not until pretty close to the end, and honestly it didn't bother me. The suspense getting there was more than enough to keep me entertained. Also...I need this as an audiobook immediately because I just know it would be INTENSE with the right narrator.
August 1, 2026
I was excited for this ARC since I have already read two of his other books, "The Orphanage by the Lake" and "The Red Letter". Those two were great mystery thrillers and "Buried in the Woods Below" met my expectations.
The pacing was steady and nothing felt rushed. I liked the way the story kept building and adding to the suspense. The main character, Charlotte is an accomplished consult who takes a vacation to the home of her best friend from childhood. The home is one of a few on an isolated island. Strange and dark things start happening.
If you have read his other books or books by John Marrs or Alice Feeney, this fits right in with them. It is a psychological thriller and was an enjoyable read. I look forward to anything else Daniel Miller writes.
I do have one spoiler though:
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The pacing was steady and nothing felt rushed. I liked the way the story kept building and adding to the suspense. The main character, Charlotte is an accomplished consult who takes a vacation to the home of her best friend from childhood. The home is one of a few on an isolated island. Strange and dark things start happening.
If you have read his other books or books by John Marrs or Alice Feeney, this fits right in with them. It is a psychological thriller and was an enjoyable read. I look forward to anything else Daniel Miller writes.
I do have one spoiler though:
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June 14, 2026
Buried In The Woods Below by Daniel G. Miller is a suspenseful, psychological thriller about Charlotte who has recently experienced a major issue at work that forces her to take some time off. She decides to take up an offer to return to her hometown to spend time with her old childhood friend, Olivia and her parents, The Parkers and their 8 year old twins.
During her stay in their newly purchased home in Big Island, strange things start to happen immediately. Charlotte was told of an old tale that there is a ghost lurking in the area near an old abandoned carousel. The ghost belongs to a little girl that allegedly fell off the carousel years and years ago. This brings back memories of a tragic incident that occurred years back with her and Olivia at an amusement park. There is atmospheric tension that continues to build up as notes are left at the Parkers door warning them to go away. Charlotte also starts believing that she is seeing the rumored ghost and she starts hearing things.
Overall the story was good. It was a slow burn at the beginning but it all started weaving together nicely. The ending is not at all what i was expecting. I definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys psychological thriller books! Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press. All opinions are my own.
During her stay in their newly purchased home in Big Island, strange things start to happen immediately. Charlotte was told of an old tale that there is a ghost lurking in the area near an old abandoned carousel. The ghost belongs to a little girl that allegedly fell off the carousel years and years ago. This brings back memories of a tragic incident that occurred years back with her and Olivia at an amusement park. There is atmospheric tension that continues to build up as notes are left at the Parkers door warning them to go away. Charlotte also starts believing that she is seeing the rumored ghost and she starts hearing things.
Overall the story was good. It was a slow burn at the beginning but it all started weaving together nicely. The ending is not at all what i was expecting. I definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys psychological thriller books! Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Buried in the Woods Below” by Daniel G. Miller is one of those thrillers that starts out feeling eerie and atmospheric and then slowly spirals into something deeply unsettling and genuinely messed up in the best way possible. This book has major “read with all the lights on” energy, especially once the twists start hitting. Before getting into this book, I do want to provide a content warning for an unexpected dog death.
The story follows Charlotte Hoffman, who returns to Big Island, Minnesota after years away, carrying a mountain of guilt, trauma, and unresolved issues. Right away, Charlotte feels like a complicated and messy main character. She’s dealing with the fallout of a traumatic accident involving her best friend, a deeply unhealthy relationship with alcohol, and childhood scars from growing up with an alcoholic father. She’s also been suspended from work after defending herself from a coworker’s assault, which immediately made me root for her despite all her flaws.
But the real star of this book is the atmosphere. Big Island feels like its own living nightmare. You’ve got dense woods, an isolated lakeside house, threatening notes, creepy dolls, whispering twins, strange noises at night, and an abandoned amusement park with a carousel that basically screams into the wind. The entire setting feels damp, cold, and haunted even when nothing outright supernatural is happening. Miller absolutely nails that cozy-creepy vibe where everything feels quiet and beautiful right before something horrible happens.
The pacing is more of a slow-burn psychological unraveling than nonstop action, but the tension keeps tightening chapter by chapter. The alternating timelines between Charlotte’s past and present worked really well because you slowly start piecing together just how unreliable Charlotte actually is. There’s this constant feeling that something is very wrong, not just with the island, but with Charlotte herself. The flashbacks, violent thoughts, and buried secrets all build this growing sense of dread that honestly had me side-eyeing everyone.
I will say, seasoned thriller readers may figure out one of the major twists fairly early because there are definitely clues planted throughout the story. But honestly? Even when I suspected where certain things were going, the full reveal still landed hard because of how dark and emotionally twisted everything became. And this reveal is extremely dark, which was unexpected for me.
One thing I really appreciated was how the book explored motherly love in a pretty disturbing way. Charlotte’s mom is fiercely protective to the point where it becomes unhealthy, constantly shielding Charlotte from consequences and cleaning up her messes no matter what. Their relationship added such an uncomfortable emotional layer underneath the thriller elements.
That said, there were a few things that didn’t fully work for me. Charlotte’s long-running crush on Olivia’s married father was weird and not in a particularly compelling way. Some of her choices were frustrating, especially early on, and there are moments where the book leans heavily into her instability without always balancing it perfectly. Also, as stated earlier, huge content warning for an on-page dog death that was sudden and upsetting.
But overall, this book absolutely hooked me. The deeper it got into Charlotte’s fractured mind and the island’s buried secrets, the harder it became to stop reading. The ending goes very dark, and the epilogue especially recontextualizes everything in such an unsettling way. It’s the kind of ending that makes you sit there afterward like “well, that was horrifying.”
Overall, “Buried in the Woods Below" is a creepy, twisty psychological thriller packed with unreliable narration, isolated gothic atmosphere, buried trauma, and mounting dread. If you love thrillers where the setting feels alive, the main character might be unraveling, and absolutely nobody feels safe by the end, this one is definitely worth picking up.
“Buried in the Woods Below” by Daniel G. Miller is one of those thrillers that starts out feeling eerie and atmospheric and then slowly spirals into something deeply unsettling and genuinely messed up in the best way possible. This book has major “read with all the lights on” energy, especially once the twists start hitting. Before getting into this book, I do want to provide a content warning for an unexpected dog death.
The story follows Charlotte Hoffman, who returns to Big Island, Minnesota after years away, carrying a mountain of guilt, trauma, and unresolved issues. Right away, Charlotte feels like a complicated and messy main character. She’s dealing with the fallout of a traumatic accident involving her best friend, a deeply unhealthy relationship with alcohol, and childhood scars from growing up with an alcoholic father. She’s also been suspended from work after defending herself from a coworker’s assault, which immediately made me root for her despite all her flaws.
But the real star of this book is the atmosphere. Big Island feels like its own living nightmare. You’ve got dense woods, an isolated lakeside house, threatening notes, creepy dolls, whispering twins, strange noises at night, and an abandoned amusement park with a carousel that basically screams into the wind. The entire setting feels damp, cold, and haunted even when nothing outright supernatural is happening. Miller absolutely nails that cozy-creepy vibe where everything feels quiet and beautiful right before something horrible happens.
The pacing is more of a slow-burn psychological unraveling than nonstop action, but the tension keeps tightening chapter by chapter. The alternating timelines between Charlotte’s past and present worked really well because you slowly start piecing together just how unreliable Charlotte actually is. There’s this constant feeling that something is very wrong, not just with the island, but with Charlotte herself. The flashbacks, violent thoughts, and buried secrets all build this growing sense of dread that honestly had me side-eyeing everyone.
I will say, seasoned thriller readers may figure out one of the major twists fairly early because there are definitely clues planted throughout the story. But honestly? Even when I suspected where certain things were going, the full reveal still landed hard because of how dark and emotionally twisted everything became. And this reveal is extremely dark, which was unexpected for me.
One thing I really appreciated was how the book explored motherly love in a pretty disturbing way. Charlotte’s mom is fiercely protective to the point where it becomes unhealthy, constantly shielding Charlotte from consequences and cleaning up her messes no matter what. Their relationship added such an uncomfortable emotional layer underneath the thriller elements.
That said, there were a few things that didn’t fully work for me. Charlotte’s long-running crush on Olivia’s married father was weird and not in a particularly compelling way. Some of her choices were frustrating, especially early on, and there are moments where the book leans heavily into her instability without always balancing it perfectly. Also, as stated earlier, huge content warning for an on-page dog death that was sudden and upsetting.
But overall, this book absolutely hooked me. The deeper it got into Charlotte’s fractured mind and the island’s buried secrets, the harder it became to stop reading. The ending goes very dark, and the epilogue especially recontextualizes everything in such an unsettling way. It’s the kind of ending that makes you sit there afterward like “well, that was horrifying.”
Overall, “Buried in the Woods Below" is a creepy, twisty psychological thriller packed with unreliable narration, isolated gothic atmosphere, buried trauma, and mounting dread. If you love thrillers where the setting feels alive, the main character might be unraveling, and absolutely nobody feels safe by the end, this one is definitely worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"Buried in the Woods Below" by Daniel G. Miller is a suspense thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It tells the story of Charlotte Hoffman, who reluctantly makes her way back to her Minnesota hometown on Big Island after a tough time at work. But as she settles in, she starts to suspect that someone has come after her, seeking revenge for a terrible event that happened years ago. The book explores mental health challenges, grief, and hidden truths, especially for a couple of its characters. After a picture-perfect career in the city falls apart, Charlotte Hoffman flees back to the one place she swore she would never return: Big Island, Minnesota.
Charlotte finds herself staying with her childhood friend, Olivia Parker, in a secluded lakeside house. The house is nestled among a thick, misty forest and the crumbling remnants of an old amusement park that hasn't been touched in ages. Eighteen years ago, something terrible happened on the island, and Charlotte has been haunted by guilt ever since. As soon as she arrives, strange things start to happen. There are threatening notes left on her doors, and the whispers of the park's past and the ghostly figures in the trees seem to come to life. As more people on the island start disappearing, Charlotte has to figure out how to escape a dangerous web of secrets. She's starting to understand that her return wasn't just a random event, but part of a plan by someone who wants to make her pay for what she did in the past. Daniel G. Miller's novel, "Buried in the woods," is a masterful blend of suspense, mystery, and supernatural elements that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
The author's ability to create a compelling narrative and evoke a sense of unease is truly remarkable. As readers delve deeper into the mystery, they uncover secrets that challenge their perceptions. Miller's writing style is both engaging and thought-provoking, leaving readers with a sense of wonder and curiosity. The vivid descriptions of the setting and the haunting atmosphere contribute to the overall suspense and tension of the novel. Although characters may assign blame, Daniel G. Miller encourages readers to contemplate whether the tragedy warrants culpability. Is truth or grief at the heart of a plan set by Eric, a man whose grief is obvious. Dive into Buried in the Woods by Daniel G. Miller—a thrilling new thriller packed with suspense, drama, and ghosts. The question is left by Miller of is their truly blame to issue or is it a case of tragedy where the character Eric can’t face the difference between a horrible accident and murder? Read to see your own view of the ending.
Charlotte finds herself staying with her childhood friend, Olivia Parker, in a secluded lakeside house. The house is nestled among a thick, misty forest and the crumbling remnants of an old amusement park that hasn't been touched in ages. Eighteen years ago, something terrible happened on the island, and Charlotte has been haunted by guilt ever since. As soon as she arrives, strange things start to happen. There are threatening notes left on her doors, and the whispers of the park's past and the ghostly figures in the trees seem to come to life. As more people on the island start disappearing, Charlotte has to figure out how to escape a dangerous web of secrets. She's starting to understand that her return wasn't just a random event, but part of a plan by someone who wants to make her pay for what she did in the past. Daniel G. Miller's novel, "Buried in the woods," is a masterful blend of suspense, mystery, and supernatural elements that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
The author's ability to create a compelling narrative and evoke a sense of unease is truly remarkable. As readers delve deeper into the mystery, they uncover secrets that challenge their perceptions. Miller's writing style is both engaging and thought-provoking, leaving readers with a sense of wonder and curiosity. The vivid descriptions of the setting and the haunting atmosphere contribute to the overall suspense and tension of the novel. Although characters may assign blame, Daniel G. Miller encourages readers to contemplate whether the tragedy warrants culpability. Is truth or grief at the heart of a plan set by Eric, a man whose grief is obvious. Dive into Buried in the Woods by Daniel G. Miller—a thrilling new thriller packed with suspense, drama, and ghosts. The question is left by Miller of is their truly blame to issue or is it a case of tragedy where the character Eric can’t face the difference between a horrible accident and murder? Read to see your own view of the ending.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Buried in the Woods Below is an upcoming suspense thriller, pulling us to Big Island, where the past is desperate to come back up. After a work altercation forces her into a vacation, Charlotte Hoffman finds herself returning to her Minnesota hometown. Only, the trip proves to be far from comforting. Charlotte had sworn she would never go back; the novel starts off eighteen years before, detailing a traumatic event with her childhood best friend, Olivia Parker.
Now, the Parker family has invited her back to their remodeled lakeside home to help watch their eight year old twin daughters. However, the renovations do not hide the island's past and the old remains of an abandoned amusement park. As soon as Charlotte arrives, they find a threatening note on the front door. Whats worse is that Charlotte cannot completely shake the idea that a ghost who died at the amusement park is back for her.
Being back with the Parkers allows Charlotte to reconnect with Olivia, but also makes her remember how large a crush she had on her father. As the days continue, a new victim seems to pop up left and right. Obviously, the killer is still out there, but everyone is left wondering who it could be. Does someone want revenge for the past or are they trying to keep the island for themselves?
This novel flew by though it largely seemed to lack direction. In a way, this made it all the more disorienting and eerie. I never knew if I should focus on the ghost element or the idea of one of our characters being the killer. I did suspect certain pieces of the grand reveal though not its entirety. By the end, we don't even know if we can trust our narrator, Charlotte. The island setting was a strong point, made all the more intriguing because the Big Island Amusement Park was truly a destination on Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, that operated from 1906 to 1911. Though the plot did not fully capitalize on this setting, failing to encompass it as much as it could have.
As a whole, the novel read quickly despite some slow points that proved irrelevant. I think there were some ends that failed to be properly tied up for the sake of keeping the pace quick. The epilogue did not give me much sense of resolution. I also wanted more explained of the various flashbacks. Charlotte proved to be an interesting narrator, the only character that really bore much significance. Rating this as a thriller, I would say it delivered in keeping readers on their toes. I cannot say it was highly memorable, but stands as an exciting and worthwhile read.
3.5/5 stars
Thank you to Daniel G Miller, Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this advanced copy!
Publication date: Sep 1, 2026
Now, the Parker family has invited her back to their remodeled lakeside home to help watch their eight year old twin daughters. However, the renovations do not hide the island's past and the old remains of an abandoned amusement park. As soon as Charlotte arrives, they find a threatening note on the front door. Whats worse is that Charlotte cannot completely shake the idea that a ghost who died at the amusement park is back for her.
Being back with the Parkers allows Charlotte to reconnect with Olivia, but also makes her remember how large a crush she had on her father. As the days continue, a new victim seems to pop up left and right. Obviously, the killer is still out there, but everyone is left wondering who it could be. Does someone want revenge for the past or are they trying to keep the island for themselves?
This novel flew by though it largely seemed to lack direction. In a way, this made it all the more disorienting and eerie. I never knew if I should focus on the ghost element or the idea of one of our characters being the killer. I did suspect certain pieces of the grand reveal though not its entirety. By the end, we don't even know if we can trust our narrator, Charlotte. The island setting was a strong point, made all the more intriguing because the Big Island Amusement Park was truly a destination on Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, that operated from 1906 to 1911. Though the plot did not fully capitalize on this setting, failing to encompass it as much as it could have.
As a whole, the novel read quickly despite some slow points that proved irrelevant. I think there were some ends that failed to be properly tied up for the sake of keeping the pace quick. The epilogue did not give me much sense of resolution. I also wanted more explained of the various flashbacks. Charlotte proved to be an interesting narrator, the only character that really bore much significance. Rating this as a thriller, I would say it delivered in keeping readers on their toes. I cannot say it was highly memorable, but stands as an exciting and worthwhile read.
3.5/5 stars
Thank you to Daniel G Miller, Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this advanced copy!
Publication date: Sep 1, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
3.50 / 5.00
Charlotte is a badass b gunning for a top position at her firm until an unfortunate run-in with a colleague sends her out on suspension. She decides to get some space by joining her former best friend, Olivia, and her family on a vacation to a remote island in Minnesota. Charlotte and Olivia were inseparable until an accident at the fair drove a wedge between them. Eighteen years later, Olivia is exactly how Charlotte remembers… but nobody else seems to be quite the same. With a potential murd3rer on the loose, who can Charlotte trust?
This book didn’t quite hit for me. I loved that it was set in Minnesota, but at times it felt like the author was trying too hard to prove his Minnesotan roots. The story itself was very slow-burn and I found myself annoyed that so far into the book Charlotte was still hiding what happened at work and also a lot of her past. I feel like some earlier reveals, or a more completed picture of the past would have helped build the suspense for me.
In some ways, the book was pretty predictable (I guessed one of the main twists very early on), but in others, it kept me guessing to the end. With her shrouded past, I kept wondering how reliable of a narrator Charlotte was (and you know I love a good unreliable narrator!). All that being said, I would give this author another chance as long as the book was set in a state other than Minnesota. I think you’ll enjoy this book if you like a slow-burn thriller and don’t mind sifting through a very detailed account of daily life to get to the “good stuff.”
This book had me singing “Hazard” by Richard Marx. The song is a murd3r-mystery told from the POV of a main suspect - the deceased’s boyfriend. While we get some closure and a big reveal at the end of Buried in the Woods Below, Hazard leaves the mystery to get under the skin of the listener. “No one understood what I felt for Mary / No one cared until the night she went out walking all alone.” Charlotte has some misplaced feelings of her own that cloud her vision to a potential suspect right in front of her. “I swear I left her by the river / I swear I left her safe and sound.” When troubling details of Charlotte’s past come to light, she’s left defending herself against accusations that could just ruin her future. Find out how it all plays out for Charlotte and the Parkers when you read Buried in the Woods Below.
3.50 / 5.00
Charlotte is a badass b gunning for a top position at her firm until an unfortunate run-in with a colleague sends her out on suspension. She decides to get some space by joining her former best friend, Olivia, and her family on a vacation to a remote island in Minnesota. Charlotte and Olivia were inseparable until an accident at the fair drove a wedge between them. Eighteen years later, Olivia is exactly how Charlotte remembers… but nobody else seems to be quite the same. With a potential murd3rer on the loose, who can Charlotte trust?
This book didn’t quite hit for me. I loved that it was set in Minnesota, but at times it felt like the author was trying too hard to prove his Minnesotan roots. The story itself was very slow-burn and I found myself annoyed that so far into the book Charlotte was still hiding what happened at work and also a lot of her past. I feel like some earlier reveals, or a more completed picture of the past would have helped build the suspense for me.
In some ways, the book was pretty predictable (I guessed one of the main twists very early on), but in others, it kept me guessing to the end. With her shrouded past, I kept wondering how reliable of a narrator Charlotte was (and you know I love a good unreliable narrator!). All that being said, I would give this author another chance as long as the book was set in a state other than Minnesota. I think you’ll enjoy this book if you like a slow-burn thriller and don’t mind sifting through a very detailed account of daily life to get to the “good stuff.”
This book had me singing “Hazard” by Richard Marx. The song is a murd3r-mystery told from the POV of a main suspect - the deceased’s boyfriend. While we get some closure and a big reveal at the end of Buried in the Woods Below, Hazard leaves the mystery to get under the skin of the listener. “No one understood what I felt for Mary / No one cared until the night she went out walking all alone.” Charlotte has some misplaced feelings of her own that cloud her vision to a potential suspect right in front of her. “I swear I left her by the river / I swear I left her safe and sound.” When troubling details of Charlotte’s past come to light, she’s left defending herself against accusations that could just ruin her future. Find out how it all plays out for Charlotte and the Parkers when you read Buried in the Woods Below.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Charlotte and Olivia were childhood best friends until a tragic accident when they were twelve changed everything. Charlotte's family moved away, and the two lost touch. Years later, Charlotte receives an unexpected invitation to spend the summer on the remote island where Olivia and her family live, helping to care for their eight-year-old twin daughters.
It sounds like the perfect chance to reconnect... doesn't it?
Yeah... absolutely not.
This book had me hooked from the very first page. An invitation from your childhood best friend's family to stay on an isolated island? Red flag. A house with a dark past where the previous owner may have been murdered? Bigger red flag. Creepy anonymous notes appearing on the door? I'm already on the ferry home.
And then there are the twins.
Nope.
Absolutely. Fucking. Nope.
Those girls felt like they'd wandered straight out of a Stephen King novel. The moment they started speaking in unison, I would've been packing my bags and swimming back to the mainland if I had to. Kids in horror books already make me nervous... creepy twins? That's a hard pass.
To make matters even more complicated, Charlotte has never quite gotten over her childhood crush on Olivia's dad... who has apparently grown into a full-blown DILF. Baby girl, leave that married man alone. Nothing says "this will end well" quite like unresolved feelings, an isolated island, sinister warnings, poisoned dogs, and someone clearly wanting you gone.
The tension builds brilliantly throughout the story, with each chapter adding another layer of unease. I loved how unsettling everything felt without relying on constant action. You know something is very, very wrong and you just don't know who to trust.
I worked out one of the major reveals involving Olivia fairly early on, but the rest of the twists? They completely caught me off guard. Every time I thought I knew where the story was heading, it pulled the rug out from under me.
This was my first book by this author, and it definitely won't be my last. Creepy atmosphere, constant tension, plenty of twists, and enough "absolutely not" moments to keep me side-eyeing every isolated island from now on.
🩸 The Panic Verdict: This is why I don't accept random invitations. Fiction continues to validate my life choices.
It sounds like the perfect chance to reconnect... doesn't it?
Yeah... absolutely not.
This book had me hooked from the very first page. An invitation from your childhood best friend's family to stay on an isolated island? Red flag. A house with a dark past where the previous owner may have been murdered? Bigger red flag. Creepy anonymous notes appearing on the door? I'm already on the ferry home.
And then there are the twins.
Nope.
Absolutely. Fucking. Nope.
Those girls felt like they'd wandered straight out of a Stephen King novel. The moment they started speaking in unison, I would've been packing my bags and swimming back to the mainland if I had to. Kids in horror books already make me nervous... creepy twins? That's a hard pass.
To make matters even more complicated, Charlotte has never quite gotten over her childhood crush on Olivia's dad... who has apparently grown into a full-blown DILF. Baby girl, leave that married man alone. Nothing says "this will end well" quite like unresolved feelings, an isolated island, sinister warnings, poisoned dogs, and someone clearly wanting you gone.
The tension builds brilliantly throughout the story, with each chapter adding another layer of unease. I loved how unsettling everything felt without relying on constant action. You know something is very, very wrong and you just don't know who to trust.
I worked out one of the major reveals involving Olivia fairly early on, but the rest of the twists? They completely caught me off guard. Every time I thought I knew where the story was heading, it pulled the rug out from under me.
This was my first book by this author, and it definitely won't be my last. Creepy atmosphere, constant tension, plenty of twists, and enough "absolutely not" moments to keep me side-eyeing every isolated island from now on.
🩸 The Panic Verdict: This is why I don't accept random invitations. Fiction continues to validate my life choices.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was my first time reading a Daniel G. Miller novel, and I can already tell it won’t be my last.
Buried in the Woods Below pulled me in almost immediately. From the opening chapters, I had this constant feeling that something wasn’t quite right, and that unsettling atmosphere stayed with me throughout the entire book. Every chapter made me want to keep reading just one more.
The story switches between the past and the present as Charlotte returns to her hometown to visit her childhood best friend, Olivia. I loved how the dual timeline slowly revealed pieces of the puzzle instead of giving everything away at once. It kept me guessing from beginning to end.
One of my favorite parts was the eerie atmosphere. The dark woods, strange happenings, ghostly whispers, and the lingering question of whether the supernatural was actually real—or simply a product of fear and trauma—made the story incredibly immersive.
Charlotte is definitely a flawed protagonist. While I sympathized with everything she had been through, there were moments when her choices frustrated me, especially in the way she treated Carlos. That emotional distance added another layer to the mystery and made her feel like a realistic, complicated character.
The suspense builds steadily throughout the novel. Just when I thought I had figured someone out, another revelation completely changed my perspective. I found myself questioning every theory I’d come up with.
The pacing was fast enough to keep me engaged, and the tension only grew stronger as the story progressed. By the final chapters, I genuinely couldn’t stop turning the pages.
And that twist… I did not see it coming. It completely caught me off guard and made me rethink everything I’d believed up until that point.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with eerie settings, layered characters, and twists that keep you second-guessing yourself, I’d definitely recommend picking this one up.
This was my first time reading a Daniel G. Miller novel, and I can already tell it won’t be my last.
Buried in the Woods Below pulled me in almost immediately. From the opening chapters, I had this constant feeling that something wasn’t quite right, and that unsettling atmosphere stayed with me throughout the entire book. Every chapter made me want to keep reading just one more.
The story switches between the past and the present as Charlotte returns to her hometown to visit her childhood best friend, Olivia. I loved how the dual timeline slowly revealed pieces of the puzzle instead of giving everything away at once. It kept me guessing from beginning to end.
One of my favorite parts was the eerie atmosphere. The dark woods, strange happenings, ghostly whispers, and the lingering question of whether the supernatural was actually real—or simply a product of fear and trauma—made the story incredibly immersive.
Charlotte is definitely a flawed protagonist. While I sympathized with everything she had been through, there were moments when her choices frustrated me, especially in the way she treated Carlos. That emotional distance added another layer to the mystery and made her feel like a realistic, complicated character.
The suspense builds steadily throughout the novel. Just when I thought I had figured someone out, another revelation completely changed my perspective. I found myself questioning every theory I’d come up with.
The pacing was fast enough to keep me engaged, and the tension only grew stronger as the story progressed. By the final chapters, I genuinely couldn’t stop turning the pages.
And that twist… I did not see it coming. It completely caught me off guard and made me rethink everything I’d believed up until that point.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with eerie settings, layered characters, and twists that keep you second-guessing yourself, I’d definitely recommend picking this one up.
July 29, 2026
Buried in the Woods below is a psychological thriller unlike any I’ve read before…and I have read a lot of them. The setting played a key role in this book, being on a sparsely populated island that also housed an abandoned amusement park had it giving some gothic vibes that added to the sense of unease throughout the book.
Our main character Charlotte is a consultant for a big Chicago area consulting firm, but as the story opens she’s being encouraged to take some “time off” by her boss after some sort of “incident” with a partner. Charlotte chooses to spend some time with her mother and with the Parkers, a family from her childhood, but the last time she saw the Parkers as a child was after her best friend Olivia fell off the ferris wheel and was seriously injured. At her mothers urging Charlotte pushes aside worries of awkwardness and takes the Parkers up on their offer to visit.
Once on the island though things immediately feel “off” when there is a threatening note nailed to the Parker’s front door saying “LEAVE, OR ELSE”. Charlotte is there to help Eric Parker care for their 8 year old twin girls while his wife is out of town, and the twins are not your normal 8 year old girls…they definitely gave off “The Shining” vibes in my opinion.
One thing that becomes evident very fast is that on Big Island, nothing really is as it seems and Charlotte can’t shake the sense of unease that constantly plagues her…especially once people start turning up dead. I have to say this book had one of the most surprising endings I have read in a while, and I love it when I'm totally blindsided by the ending of a thriller!
I really enjoyed this book and gave it four stars. There were a couple of loose ends that weren’t really tied up, and that’s why it wasn’t a 5-star read, but it was very close, and I will definitely be checking out Daniel G. Miller’s other books.
I’d like to thank the author and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#BuriedintheWoodsBelow #NetGalley #PoisoinedPenPress
Our main character Charlotte is a consultant for a big Chicago area consulting firm, but as the story opens she’s being encouraged to take some “time off” by her boss after some sort of “incident” with a partner. Charlotte chooses to spend some time with her mother and with the Parkers, a family from her childhood, but the last time she saw the Parkers as a child was after her best friend Olivia fell off the ferris wheel and was seriously injured. At her mothers urging Charlotte pushes aside worries of awkwardness and takes the Parkers up on their offer to visit.
Once on the island though things immediately feel “off” when there is a threatening note nailed to the Parker’s front door saying “LEAVE, OR ELSE”. Charlotte is there to help Eric Parker care for their 8 year old twin girls while his wife is out of town, and the twins are not your normal 8 year old girls…they definitely gave off “The Shining” vibes in my opinion.
One thing that becomes evident very fast is that on Big Island, nothing really is as it seems and Charlotte can’t shake the sense of unease that constantly plagues her…especially once people start turning up dead. I have to say this book had one of the most surprising endings I have read in a while, and I love it when I'm totally blindsided by the ending of a thriller!
I really enjoyed this book and gave it four stars. There were a couple of loose ends that weren’t really tied up, and that’s why it wasn’t a 5-star read, but it was very close, and I will definitely be checking out Daniel G. Miller’s other books.
I’d like to thank the author and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#BuriedintheWoodsBelow #NetGalley #PoisoinedPenPress
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
SOME MEMORIES WERE NEVER MEANT TO STAY BURIED.
📖 Buried in the Woods Below by Daniel G. Miller
Genre: Mystery Thriller / Psychological SuspensePub Date: September1,26
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
🌟🌟🌟💫
Thank you to @NetGalley and @PoisonedPenPress for the ARC!
This book pulled me in from the very first incident. After her career collapses, Charlotte Hoffman returns to Big Island, Minnesota the place she's spent eighteen years trying to forget. Staying with her childhood best friend's family in their isolated lakeside home, she's forced to confront the tragedy that has haunted her for years.
But something isn't right on the island. The Parker twins whisper about ghosts in the woods, threatening notes appear on doors, and an old carousel screams in the wind beside a long-abandoned amusement park. As danger grows and the island claims more victims, Charlotte begins to suspect that someone wanted her back and they're determined to finish what was started all those years ago.
The atmosphere was the star of this book for me. Misty woods, an abandoned amusement park, eerie whispers, threatening notes, and a constant feeling that something isn't right... everything felt spooky and unsettling. The island setting genuinely gave me chills.
I was especially creeped out by the obsession woven into the story. It added an extra layer of discomfort and made some scenes feel genuinely disturbing.
I'll be honest I guessed the killer and most of the major twists pretty early on. The mystery wasn't difficult for me to solve, but I was still invested enough to keep reading because I wanted to see how everything would play out.
If you enjoy creepy isolated settings, dark secrets, haunting memories, and atmospheric thrillers, this one might be for you.
#BuriedintheWoodsBelow #DanielGMiller #NetGalley#PoisonedPenPress .BookReview .ThrillerBooks .MysteryThriller .PsychologicalThriller .ARCReader .Bookstagram
📖 Buried in the Woods Below by Daniel G. Miller
Genre: Mystery Thriller / Psychological SuspensePub Date: September1,26
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
🌟🌟🌟💫
Thank you to @NetGalley and @PoisonedPenPress for the ARC!
This book pulled me in from the very first incident. After her career collapses, Charlotte Hoffman returns to Big Island, Minnesota the place she's spent eighteen years trying to forget. Staying with her childhood best friend's family in their isolated lakeside home, she's forced to confront the tragedy that has haunted her for years.
But something isn't right on the island. The Parker twins whisper about ghosts in the woods, threatening notes appear on doors, and an old carousel screams in the wind beside a long-abandoned amusement park. As danger grows and the island claims more victims, Charlotte begins to suspect that someone wanted her back and they're determined to finish what was started all those years ago.
The atmosphere was the star of this book for me. Misty woods, an abandoned amusement park, eerie whispers, threatening notes, and a constant feeling that something isn't right... everything felt spooky and unsettling. The island setting genuinely gave me chills.
I was especially creeped out by the obsession woven into the story. It added an extra layer of discomfort and made some scenes feel genuinely disturbing.
I'll be honest I guessed the killer and most of the major twists pretty early on. The mystery wasn't difficult for me to solve, but I was still invested enough to keep reading because I wanted to see how everything would play out.
If you enjoy creepy isolated settings, dark secrets, haunting memories, and atmospheric thrillers, this one might be for you.
#BuriedintheWoodsBelow #DanielGMiller #NetGalley#PoisonedPenPress .BookReview .ThrillerBooks .MysteryThriller .PsychologicalThriller .ARCReader .Bookstagram
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and to Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this book and provide honest feedback. I tend to love thrillers and this book didn’t disappoint. It was filled with twists and turns that I totally did not expect.
The story focuses on Charlotte, a young woman who had a hard time growing up, with bullying in school and a difficult homelife. This tale is told in two-time frames, when Charlotte was a little girl and then when she became a young woman. When she was a child, Charlotte had no friends until Olivia arrived in town and she couldn’t believe that Olivia would want her, awkward and unpopular Charlotte for a bestie. They did everything together as children including sleepovers and hiking in the woods. On a trip to the amusement park, they were on the ferris wheel together and Olivia fell from the top car. The incident was declared an accident and life went on.
As a young woman, Charlotte is working for a company called Winthrop and Co. a consulting business and loves her job. However, there was an incident with a colleague called Vivek and she is suspended for a month until the company investigates the incident. She accepts an invitation to live with Olivia’s family on Big Island to help with their 8-year-old twins. This is when the trouble begins. Neighbors and family members are not who they seem, and some are brutally murdered during Charlotte’s stay. Charlotte takes it on herself to find the murderer. It is important to note here that Charlotte has had a crush on Eric, Olivia’s dad, ever since she was a child.
As stated above, there are many twists and turns, and the reader winds up suspecting all the people that Charlotte suspects as the story progresses. The characters were well drawn, and the descriptions of the woods and the lake were eerie and frightening. This was an unputdownable book, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes thrillers!
The story focuses on Charlotte, a young woman who had a hard time growing up, with bullying in school and a difficult homelife. This tale is told in two-time frames, when Charlotte was a little girl and then when she became a young woman. When she was a child, Charlotte had no friends until Olivia arrived in town and she couldn’t believe that Olivia would want her, awkward and unpopular Charlotte for a bestie. They did everything together as children including sleepovers and hiking in the woods. On a trip to the amusement park, they were on the ferris wheel together and Olivia fell from the top car. The incident was declared an accident and life went on.
As a young woman, Charlotte is working for a company called Winthrop and Co. a consulting business and loves her job. However, there was an incident with a colleague called Vivek and she is suspended for a month until the company investigates the incident. She accepts an invitation to live with Olivia’s family on Big Island to help with their 8-year-old twins. This is when the trouble begins. Neighbors and family members are not who they seem, and some are brutally murdered during Charlotte’s stay. Charlotte takes it on herself to find the murderer. It is important to note here that Charlotte has had a crush on Eric, Olivia’s dad, ever since she was a child.
As stated above, there are many twists and turns, and the reader winds up suspecting all the people that Charlotte suspects as the story progresses. The characters were well drawn, and the descriptions of the woods and the lake were eerie and frightening. This was an unputdownable book, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes thrillers!
July 14, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Daniel G. Miller for the chance to read this early!
I enjoyed this book a lot. It had a fun feel to it. Honestly the thought of being stuck on an island with no cellphone service or WiFi, limited contact from the outside world, it sounds peaceful to me. I suppose if you add in a ghost story, an old abandoned amusement park, and creepy neighbors dead set on scaring you with threatening notes, it wouldn’t be as peaceful!
I found the book to be creepy! The old porcelain dolls and the fortune telling machine were spooky to imagine. Not to mention a bad storm that essentially cuts you off from the rest of the world, that’s scary.
The book is about a woman named Charlotte who goes to an island for a vacation. She has been suspended from work because of an incident involving another coworker, so her mother tells her that her childhood best friend’s family, Olivia, have a home on an island in the middle of a lake.
While there she is spending time with Olivia; her father, Eric; and her younger twin sisters, eight year old Emma and Penelope. Olivia’s mother, Laelyn, is leaving for a resort, and Charlotte is there to help watch the young girls while she is gone. They also have a dog named Heathcliff.
There is some bad blood between Charlotte and Laelynn because when Charlotte and Olivia were twelve, Olivia fell from a Ferris wheel. It’s clear from the beginning that Laelynn thinks it’s Charlotte’s fault.
I found I did not really like Charlotte, but I didn’t mind the outcome of the book. I did guess part of the twist, but overall I liked it. I found it hard to put down.
This was my first book by this author. I do have another book in my TBR I need to get to by him. I can’t wait! Whenever I start a new author I get excited. Especially when I end up liking the writing style, which means now I just want to read all their books!
I enjoyed this book a lot. It had a fun feel to it. Honestly the thought of being stuck on an island with no cellphone service or WiFi, limited contact from the outside world, it sounds peaceful to me. I suppose if you add in a ghost story, an old abandoned amusement park, and creepy neighbors dead set on scaring you with threatening notes, it wouldn’t be as peaceful!
I found the book to be creepy! The old porcelain dolls and the fortune telling machine were spooky to imagine. Not to mention a bad storm that essentially cuts you off from the rest of the world, that’s scary.
The book is about a woman named Charlotte who goes to an island for a vacation. She has been suspended from work because of an incident involving another coworker, so her mother tells her that her childhood best friend’s family, Olivia, have a home on an island in the middle of a lake.
While there she is spending time with Olivia; her father, Eric; and her younger twin sisters, eight year old Emma and Penelope. Olivia’s mother, Laelyn, is leaving for a resort, and Charlotte is there to help watch the young girls while she is gone. They also have a dog named Heathcliff.
There is some bad blood between Charlotte and Laelynn because when Charlotte and Olivia were twelve, Olivia fell from a Ferris wheel. It’s clear from the beginning that Laelynn thinks it’s Charlotte’s fault.
I found I did not really like Charlotte, but I didn’t mind the outcome of the book. I did guess part of the twist, but overall I liked it. I found it hard to put down.
This was my first book by this author. I do have another book in my TBR I need to get to by him. I can’t wait! Whenever I start a new author I get excited. Especially when I end up liking the writing style, which means now I just want to read all their books!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one absolutely nailed the atmosphere.
An isolated island, abandoned amusement park, dense woods, creepy notes, strange noises in the middle of the night... Daniel G. Miller created the kind of setting that constantly made me feel like something was lurking just out of sight. I never knew if this was going to turn into a psychological thriller, something paranormal, or a mix of both, and that uncertainty kept me turning the pages.
Charlotte is an interesting main character. She's carrying a lot of guilt and trauma from her past, and being forced back to her hometown means she's also forced to confront everything she's spent years trying to leave behind. I liked that I was never completely sure whether I could trust what she was seeing or remembering.
The biggest strength of this book is definitely the atmosphere. The abandoned amusement park, the eerie island, and the feeling of isolation made it easy to get pulled into the story. Once the final third hit, I flew through it because I needed to know how everything was going to come together.
My biggest issue was that I figured out one of the major twists fairly early on. There were still a few surprises along the way, but the big reveal didn't have the impact I was hoping for because I'd already connected the dots. I also wasn't completely sold on the ending, which kept this from being a higher-rated thriller for me.
Overall, this was a creepy, fast-paced psychological thriller with a fantastic setting and plenty of suspense. Even though it wasn't the most shocking thriller I've read, it kept me entertained from beginning to end, and I'll definitely be reading more from Daniel G. Miller.
If you enjoy isolated settings, unreliable narrators, creepy small-town secrets, and atmospheric psychological thrillers, this one is worth picking up.
An isolated island, abandoned amusement park, dense woods, creepy notes, strange noises in the middle of the night... Daniel G. Miller created the kind of setting that constantly made me feel like something was lurking just out of sight. I never knew if this was going to turn into a psychological thriller, something paranormal, or a mix of both, and that uncertainty kept me turning the pages.
Charlotte is an interesting main character. She's carrying a lot of guilt and trauma from her past, and being forced back to her hometown means she's also forced to confront everything she's spent years trying to leave behind. I liked that I was never completely sure whether I could trust what she was seeing or remembering.
The biggest strength of this book is definitely the atmosphere. The abandoned amusement park, the eerie island, and the feeling of isolation made it easy to get pulled into the story. Once the final third hit, I flew through it because I needed to know how everything was going to come together.
My biggest issue was that I figured out one of the major twists fairly early on. There were still a few surprises along the way, but the big reveal didn't have the impact I was hoping for because I'd already connected the dots. I also wasn't completely sold on the ending, which kept this from being a higher-rated thriller for me.
Overall, this was a creepy, fast-paced psychological thriller with a fantastic setting and plenty of suspense. Even though it wasn't the most shocking thriller I've read, it kept me entertained from beginning to end, and I'll definitely be reading more from Daniel G. Miller.
If you enjoy isolated settings, unreliable narrators, creepy small-town secrets, and atmospheric psychological thrillers, this one is worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Buried in the Woods is the kind of thriller that wraps its fingers around your nerves from the first chapter and never quite lets go. There’s a thick, eerie stillness to Big Island—mist curling through the trees, the lake holding its secrets, the abandoned amusement park decaying like a memory you’d rather not revisit—and Daniel G. Miller uses that atmosphere beautifully. You can almost feel the damp chill settling into your bones.
Charlotte’s return home is soaked in regret and unresolved grief, and the novel leans into that emotional weight without ever slowing the tension. She’s brittle, haunted, and trying so hard to outrun a past that clearly isn’t finished with her. The Parkers’ lakeside home, with its whispering twins and creaking shadows, becomes the perfect pressure cooker for everything she’s been avoiding.
What really elevates the story is the way the island itself feels complicit. Threatening notes, ghostly murmurs in the woods, the carousel screaming in the wind—it’s all wonderfully unsettling, blurring the line between memory and menace. Every chapter tightens the sense that Charlotte isn’t just being watched; she’s being lured.
As the danger deepens, the book becomes a clever tangle of guilt, obsession, and long‑buried truths. Miller keeps the pace sharp, the reveals well‑timed, and the emotional undercurrent surprisingly tender beneath all the dread. By the time the past finally catches up, it feels both inevitable and devastating.
Dark, atmospheric, and deliciously tense, Buried in the Woods is a gripping descent into the shadows we think we’ve left behind—and the ones that never really let us go.
With thanks to Daniel G Miller, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Charlotte’s return home is soaked in regret and unresolved grief, and the novel leans into that emotional weight without ever slowing the tension. She’s brittle, haunted, and trying so hard to outrun a past that clearly isn’t finished with her. The Parkers’ lakeside home, with its whispering twins and creaking shadows, becomes the perfect pressure cooker for everything she’s been avoiding.
What really elevates the story is the way the island itself feels complicit. Threatening notes, ghostly murmurs in the woods, the carousel screaming in the wind—it’s all wonderfully unsettling, blurring the line between memory and menace. Every chapter tightens the sense that Charlotte isn’t just being watched; she’s being lured.
As the danger deepens, the book becomes a clever tangle of guilt, obsession, and long‑buried truths. Miller keeps the pace sharp, the reveals well‑timed, and the emotional undercurrent surprisingly tender beneath all the dread. By the time the past finally catches up, it feels both inevitable and devastating.
Dark, atmospheric, and deliciously tense, Buried in the Woods is a gripping descent into the shadows we think we’ve left behind—and the ones that never really let us go.
With thanks to Daniel G Miller, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Buried in the Woods Below
by Daniel G. Miller
Publish Date Sep 01, 2026
Premise:
When Charlotte Hoffman's picture-perfect career implodes overnight, she retreats to the one place she swore she'd never return: Big Island, Minnesota. Home to her childhood best friend, Olivia Parker, and the place where her life first fell apart.
Eighteen years ago, tragedy struck, and Charlotte's blamed herself for that bloody night ever since. Now she's back, staying with the Parkers in their isolated lakeside home, surrounded by dark woods shrouded in mist and the decaying remains of a long-abandoned amusement park.
But something isn't right.
The Parkers' young twin girls whisper about ghosts in the trees. Threatening notes appear on doors. An old carousel screams in the wind. And every night the island claims another victim.
As Charlotte wades ever-deeper into danger, she can't shake the feeling that someone brought her back to the isolated island for a reason.
Someone who wants to finish what was started all those years ago.
Review:
Buried in the Woods Below is a thrilling, spine-tingling read that is highly recommended for fans of isolated-setting suspense. While it may suffer from slight pacing lags in the middle and somewhat familiar tropes for seasoned thriller readers, the atmospheric dread and the final, jaw-dropping twist make it a very worthwhile and entertaining page-turner.
Daniel G. Miller deserves high praise for the effortless transitions between young Charlotte’s past and her present-day reality. The alternating timeline builds suspense without ever disrupting the pacing of the story.
Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Daniel G. Miller for providing me with an ARC to review.
by Daniel G. Miller
Publish Date Sep 01, 2026
Premise:
When Charlotte Hoffman's picture-perfect career implodes overnight, she retreats to the one place she swore she'd never return: Big Island, Minnesota. Home to her childhood best friend, Olivia Parker, and the place where her life first fell apart.
Eighteen years ago, tragedy struck, and Charlotte's blamed herself for that bloody night ever since. Now she's back, staying with the Parkers in their isolated lakeside home, surrounded by dark woods shrouded in mist and the decaying remains of a long-abandoned amusement park.
But something isn't right.
The Parkers' young twin girls whisper about ghosts in the trees. Threatening notes appear on doors. An old carousel screams in the wind. And every night the island claims another victim.
As Charlotte wades ever-deeper into danger, she can't shake the feeling that someone brought her back to the isolated island for a reason.
Someone who wants to finish what was started all those years ago.
Review:
Buried in the Woods Below is a thrilling, spine-tingling read that is highly recommended for fans of isolated-setting suspense. While it may suffer from slight pacing lags in the middle and somewhat familiar tropes for seasoned thriller readers, the atmospheric dread and the final, jaw-dropping twist make it a very worthwhile and entertaining page-turner.
Daniel G. Miller deserves high praise for the effortless transitions between young Charlotte’s past and her present-day reality. The alternating timeline builds suspense without ever disrupting the pacing of the story.
Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Daniel G. Miller for providing me with an ARC to review.
May 21, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️
*Buried in the Woods Below* has a strong eerie atmosphere right from the beginning, and that was probably my favorite aspect of the book. There’s a quiet, unsettling tone running throughout the story that immediately pulls you in and gives the setting a creepy, isolated feel that works really well for this type of thriller.
This was my first time reading Daniel G. Miller, and overall I did enjoy his writing style. It’s very readable and moves quickly, though at times it felt a little more “young adult” in tone than I was expecting. I’m not sure if that’s typical of his work overall or just specific to this book, but it did slightly affect how immersed I felt in the story.
The mystery itself kept me engaged enough to want to continue, but I unfortunately figured out one of the major twists fairly early on. Because of that, the bigger reveal didn’t land with quite the impact I think it was intended to have, and I found myself a little underwhelmed by the ending overall.
That said, I don’t think this is a bad book at all — it just ultimately wasn’t the right fit for me personally. I think readers looking for a lighter, fast-paced thriller with an eerie atmosphere may enjoy this more than I did. However, if you’re hoping for a deeply layered, intensely twisty, darker psychological thriller, this may not completely satisfy that expectation.
Overall, while this one didn’t fully wow me, I still appreciated the creepy vibe and enjoyed getting introduced to Daniel G. Miller’s writing. I’d still be open to trying another book by him in the future.
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press & NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
*Buried in the Woods Below* has a strong eerie atmosphere right from the beginning, and that was probably my favorite aspect of the book. There’s a quiet, unsettling tone running throughout the story that immediately pulls you in and gives the setting a creepy, isolated feel that works really well for this type of thriller.
This was my first time reading Daniel G. Miller, and overall I did enjoy his writing style. It’s very readable and moves quickly, though at times it felt a little more “young adult” in tone than I was expecting. I’m not sure if that’s typical of his work overall or just specific to this book, but it did slightly affect how immersed I felt in the story.
The mystery itself kept me engaged enough to want to continue, but I unfortunately figured out one of the major twists fairly early on. Because of that, the bigger reveal didn’t land with quite the impact I think it was intended to have, and I found myself a little underwhelmed by the ending overall.
That said, I don’t think this is a bad book at all — it just ultimately wasn’t the right fit for me personally. I think readers looking for a lighter, fast-paced thriller with an eerie atmosphere may enjoy this more than I did. However, if you’re hoping for a deeply layered, intensely twisty, darker psychological thriller, this may not completely satisfy that expectation.
Overall, while this one didn’t fully wow me, I still appreciated the creepy vibe and enjoyed getting introduced to Daniel G. Miller’s writing. I’d still be open to trying another book by him in the future.
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press & NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
July 10, 2026
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This is my third book by Daniel G. Miller, and once again, he completely nailed the character development. The story follows Charlotte, a 30-year-old woman whose life has imploded, forcing her to return to the one place she swore she’d never go back to: Big Island, Minnesota. It’s the site of a tragic event from 18 years ago that she still blames herself for. Staying at an isolated lake house surrounded by dark woods and a decaying, abandoned amusement park, Charlotte quickly realizes something is seriously wrong—and people are starting to die.
Honestly, the characters were the absolute highlight for me. Miller has an incredible knack for tapping into the female psyche, and I was drawn to Charlotte immediately. Even the secondary characters—the Parker family, Charlotte’s mom, and the super creepy neighbor, Russ—were so vivid. Plus, Big Island itself felt like its own living, breathing character. The setting provided this eerie, almost supernatural atmosphere that completely made the story.
The pacing was fantastic—never a slow burn—and the last third of the book was so action-packed I practically flew through it. It’s a true psychological thriller with plenty of twists that kept me guessing who was guilty until the very end.
Why not 5 stars? Charlotte made a few frustrating choices that had me shaking my head, and one specific decision felt a bit weird and uncomfortable.
⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Domestic abuse, suicide, bullying, and the death of a parent, child, and animal.
Overall, a gripping, atmospheric read!
My Rating: 4/5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#BuriedInTheWoodsBelow #DanielGMiller #NetGalley #ARCReview #ThrillerBooks #Bookstagram #PsychologicalThriller #SuspenseReads #BookReview
This is my third book by Daniel G. Miller, and once again, he completely nailed the character development. The story follows Charlotte, a 30-year-old woman whose life has imploded, forcing her to return to the one place she swore she’d never go back to: Big Island, Minnesota. It’s the site of a tragic event from 18 years ago that she still blames herself for. Staying at an isolated lake house surrounded by dark woods and a decaying, abandoned amusement park, Charlotte quickly realizes something is seriously wrong—and people are starting to die.
Honestly, the characters were the absolute highlight for me. Miller has an incredible knack for tapping into the female psyche, and I was drawn to Charlotte immediately. Even the secondary characters—the Parker family, Charlotte’s mom, and the super creepy neighbor, Russ—were so vivid. Plus, Big Island itself felt like its own living, breathing character. The setting provided this eerie, almost supernatural atmosphere that completely made the story.
The pacing was fantastic—never a slow burn—and the last third of the book was so action-packed I practically flew through it. It’s a true psychological thriller with plenty of twists that kept me guessing who was guilty until the very end.
Why not 5 stars? Charlotte made a few frustrating choices that had me shaking my head, and one specific decision felt a bit weird and uncomfortable.
⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Domestic abuse, suicide, bullying, and the death of a parent, child, and animal.
Overall, a gripping, atmospheric read!
My Rating: 4/5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#BuriedInTheWoodsBelow #DanielGMiller #NetGalley #ARCReview #ThrillerBooks #Bookstagram #PsychologicalThriller #SuspenseReads #BookReview
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh, Daniel... why did you do this to me AGAIN?!
Just when I thought I had everything figured out, you went and pulled the rug right out from under me. Now, don't get me wrong, I did manage to piece together one part of the mystery, and I was feeling pretty proud of myself... and then Daniel G. Miller looked at my theories, smiled, and basically said, "That's cute."
Cue me sitting there thinking, "WTH?!" (in the absolute best way possible).
Buried in the Woods Below is another masterclass in keeping readers guessing. The twists are smart, the pacing never lets up, and every time I thought I was one step ahead, another surprise was waiting around the corner.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the characters. They felt incredibly real, and the way they were written made it easy to become invested in each of them. Their backstories weren't just there for the sake of character development, they were woven seamlessly into the mystery itself, making every revelation and the final payoff that much more satisfying.
Daniel G. Miller has officially become one of my auto read authors. Every book reminds me why I love psychological thrillers so much, and I honestly can't wait to see where his career takes him next because I'll gladly keep following every twist, turn, and mind bending story he writes.
A huge thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this incredible book ahead of its publication. It was an absolute pleasure!
Make sure to be on the lookout for Buried in the Woods Below when it's released on September 1st! You won't want to miss this one!
Just when I thought I had everything figured out, you went and pulled the rug right out from under me. Now, don't get me wrong, I did manage to piece together one part of the mystery, and I was feeling pretty proud of myself... and then Daniel G. Miller looked at my theories, smiled, and basically said, "That's cute."
Cue me sitting there thinking, "WTH?!" (in the absolute best way possible).
Buried in the Woods Below is another masterclass in keeping readers guessing. The twists are smart, the pacing never lets up, and every time I thought I was one step ahead, another surprise was waiting around the corner.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the characters. They felt incredibly real, and the way they were written made it easy to become invested in each of them. Their backstories weren't just there for the sake of character development, they were woven seamlessly into the mystery itself, making every revelation and the final payoff that much more satisfying.
Daniel G. Miller has officially become one of my auto read authors. Every book reminds me why I love psychological thrillers so much, and I honestly can't wait to see where his career takes him next because I'll gladly keep following every twist, turn, and mind bending story he writes.
A huge thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this incredible book ahead of its publication. It was an absolute pleasure!
Make sure to be on the lookout for Buried in the Woods Below when it's released on September 1st! You won't want to miss this one!
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