What do you think?
Rate this book
Who's Out There
Inside Marburg State Park lies the remains of Camp Southwoods, where four counselors were slain twenty-six years ago. Their murderer, Douglas Lee Carver, has become a local boogieman with a chilling nursery rhyme attributed to his name. Locals believe the now-abandoned camp is haunted.
Ranger Colt Mitcham, leader of the Ranger Rescue Unit for Marburg State Park, has no time for ghost stories. He has real-world problems to worry about - the person vandalizing the grounds, a local man who's disappeared inside the park, and making sure his team secures the park before the rapidly approaching blizzard unleashes hell across the land.
But when a member of Colt’s team is found murdered, Colt begins to wonder if the tales about Camp Southwoods are true. Has Carver returned? Or is someone else out there? Someone with an axe to grind against Colt and his team, hoping to use the urban legends as a cover for their crimes and keep what really happened at Camp Southwoods three decades ago from being exposed.
Ranger Colt Mitcham, leader of the Ranger Rescue Unit for Marburg State Park, has no time for ghost stories. He has real-world problems to worry about - the person vandalizing the grounds, a local man who's disappeared inside the park, and making sure his team secures the park before the rapidly approaching blizzard unleashes hell across the land.
But when a member of Colt’s team is found murdered, Colt begins to wonder if the tales about Camp Southwoods are true. Has Carver returned? Or is someone else out there? Someone with an axe to grind against Colt and his team, hoping to use the urban legends as a cover for their crimes and keep what really happened at Camp Southwoods three decades ago from being exposed.
- GenresMystery
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 19, 2026
About the author
Westley Smith
7 books134 followersWestley Smith is the author of the thrillers Some Kind of Truth, They Came at Night, and In the Pale Light. In the Pale Light landed on IngramSpark’s #1 pre-order charts in the mystery, thriller, and hard-boiled detective category.
Writing since he was ten, his first short story, “Off to War,” was published nationally at sixteen. His short stories have recently appeared in On the Premise and Unveiling Nightmares. He was the runner-up contestant in the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine’s Mysterious Photograph Contest, and his short story Winter Reflections was chosen as a finalist for Crystal Lake Publishing's Shallow Waters short story contest. He also had a short story, The Security Guard, in the horror anthology Hospital of Haunts, which hit #1 on Amazon.
Westley also authored two self-published horror novels, Along Came The Tricksters and All Hallows Eve.
He lives in southern Pennsylvania with his wife and two dogs.
Writing since he was ten, his first short story, “Off to War,” was published nationally at sixteen. His short stories have recently appeared in On the Premise and Unveiling Nightmares. He was the runner-up contestant in the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine’s Mysterious Photograph Contest, and his short story Winter Reflections was chosen as a finalist for Crystal Lake Publishing's Shallow Waters short story contest. He also had a short story, The Security Guard, in the horror anthology Hospital of Haunts, which hit #1 on Amazon.
Westley also authored two self-published horror novels, Along Came The Tricksters and All Hallows Eve.
He lives in southern Pennsylvania with his wife and two dogs.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 21, 2026
An isolated and claustrophobic read, you won’t want to put this book down. Might also want to read this one with the lights on - or not.
They’re only stories. Or at least that’s what people love to tell themselves, because believing them to be real is something no human brain can comprehend. But when the Rangers go into the forest looking for a criminal, they realize they have bigger problems - because soon, members of the team begin to find one dead body after another.
I absolutely loved this one. Part survive the elements part figure out what’s happening here, there wasn’t a dull moment. It’s an engaging and gripping read. The rangers are up against the clock and this makes the stakes that much higher.
I also enjoyed the writing and pacing, just as much as I loved the mystery. Smith’s writing is engaging and makes you want to keep turning the pages until there’s no more pages to turn.
This one will get your heart racing - that’s a promise! I can confirm that everything being said about this book is true.
They’re only stories. Or at least that’s what people love to tell themselves, because believing them to be real is something no human brain can comprehend. But when the Rangers go into the forest looking for a criminal, they realize they have bigger problems - because soon, members of the team begin to find one dead body after another.
I absolutely loved this one. Part survive the elements part figure out what’s happening here, there wasn’t a dull moment. It’s an engaging and gripping read. The rangers are up against the clock and this makes the stakes that much higher.
I also enjoyed the writing and pacing, just as much as I loved the mystery. Smith’s writing is engaging and makes you want to keep turning the pages until there’s no more pages to turn.
This one will get your heart racing - that’s a promise! I can confirm that everything being said about this book is true.
March 9, 2026
Review time for Who’s Out There by Westley Smith!
Okay this story here is so full of action, fear, lust for revenge that the reader is captivated from the start!
First off The characters are so memorable, each one of them you are drawn too, some positive and some negative! What pulls the reader in is this Author KEEPS YOU GUESSING till the very end!
Holy crap as the pages are so white in snow and furious blizzards BUT the plot is colorful in every way! Betrayal cuts deep! Loyalty is there BUT yet, strung out like a dope fiend searching for the NEXT HIT!
Secrets are buried! Yet some are in layers being revealed page after dang page! The Terror is real because the KILLER is on the edge, raging to Kill, with any means necessary.
The CAMP MASSACRE is haunted with murders, deaths that bring a wicked reality to the Rangers working around it.
Bring forth the bitter cold as well as the bitterness emanating from one’s so traumatized they will stop at nothing. Every turn to escape is a LOSS 😱 every attempt to escape is beyond a miracle!
The past hits the present so hard that it collides with rage, malice and treacherous paths that the reader FEELS. You will be there my friend, the reader, lost in the wicked revenge, desperately trying to climb out of the snow, the cold and frost bite. Your mind will be trying to find a way out for the Rangers as some solidly stick together in love, support and as a team!
What’s screwed up is the cold lies and frozen bitterness. Horror hits every page as the Innocent hold on precariously, from the cliffs and towers, a last cigar, heat from a warm stove and holding on to a team member as their eyes become glassy with death.
They think of their loved ones back home as the weapons hit with blood 🩸 and bone.
Five stars ⭐️ as this book is so dang intense! Horrific and tragic as deception falls like the snow, inches upon inches, feet upon feet of pure malice.
All because………
Westley Smith never disappoints at all. This story pulls you in and drowns you in OMG moments as it all spirals out of control.
What we have here Readers is an exceptional fast paced, action packed read of abuse, trauma, and how the Wicked sort themselves out in gruesome scenes and maniacal laughter.
What we hold at the end is loyalty and a bitter aftermath.
Okay this story here is so full of action, fear, lust for revenge that the reader is captivated from the start!
First off The characters are so memorable, each one of them you are drawn too, some positive and some negative! What pulls the reader in is this Author KEEPS YOU GUESSING till the very end!
Holy crap as the pages are so white in snow and furious blizzards BUT the plot is colorful in every way! Betrayal cuts deep! Loyalty is there BUT yet, strung out like a dope fiend searching for the NEXT HIT!
Secrets are buried! Yet some are in layers being revealed page after dang page! The Terror is real because the KILLER is on the edge, raging to Kill, with any means necessary.
The CAMP MASSACRE is haunted with murders, deaths that bring a wicked reality to the Rangers working around it.
Bring forth the bitter cold as well as the bitterness emanating from one’s so traumatized they will stop at nothing. Every turn to escape is a LOSS 😱 every attempt to escape is beyond a miracle!
The past hits the present so hard that it collides with rage, malice and treacherous paths that the reader FEELS. You will be there my friend, the reader, lost in the wicked revenge, desperately trying to climb out of the snow, the cold and frost bite. Your mind will be trying to find a way out for the Rangers as some solidly stick together in love, support and as a team!
What’s screwed up is the cold lies and frozen bitterness. Horror hits every page as the Innocent hold on precariously, from the cliffs and towers, a last cigar, heat from a warm stove and holding on to a team member as their eyes become glassy with death.
They think of their loved ones back home as the weapons hit with blood 🩸 and bone.
Five stars ⭐️ as this book is so dang intense! Horrific and tragic as deception falls like the snow, inches upon inches, feet upon feet of pure malice.
All because………
Westley Smith never disappoints at all. This story pulls you in and drowns you in OMG moments as it all spirals out of control.
What we have here Readers is an exceptional fast paced, action packed read of abuse, trauma, and how the Wicked sort themselves out in gruesome scenes and maniacal laughter.
What we hold at the end is loyalty and a bitter aftermath.
March 30, 2026
If Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” were set at Camp Crystal Lake.
Who’s Out There by Westley Smith is a riveting, suspense-filled thriller with a brooding atmosphere, incipient terror, and hints of supernatural interference that had me in its grip from the start. The result is what you’d get if Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap were relocated to Camp Crystal Lake, the setting of the film Friday the 13th. I enjoyed every minute of it.
The story unfolds from multiple points of view as a massive snowstorm bears down on the region, and the ten rangers on duty try to button down the park before the roads in and out become impassable. However, a man with a grudge against the state park has gone missing there, and his father arrives looking for help locating him across the acreage that used to belong to their family. As the storm worsens, the rangers are stranded, and one by one they are being picked off in the same way the camp counselors at the shuttered state-run lakeside summer camp on the park property were more than two decades earlier.The main characters are the recently appointed supervising ranger, Colt Mitcham, and his subordinate and secret girlfriend, Ranger Josephine “Joey” Walsh. Colt takes his responsibilities to his people very seriously and takes many risks to ensure they are safe. However, each murder becomes a personal failure, even as the evidence quickly points to one of the rangers being the killer.
The book maintains an exciting, suspenseful pace, and I found it hard to take a break (or even want to!) I felt like I couldn’t trust any of the characters to be who they appeared to be, and even though clues were sprinkled throughout the action, I was never sure they meant what they seemed to imply. Luckily, I was able to read this book from start to finish in one day because I don’t think I could have slept without knowing how it all worked out and who would be left standing once the storm blew over.I recommend WHO’S OUT THERE to readers of thrillers, suspense, and mild horror.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.
April 2, 2026
If you hear the rhyme, you’re out of time. 🪓❄️
I just finished Who's Out There by Westley Smith, and let’s just say I’ll be keeping my doors locked and my hiking boots retired for the foreseeable future. If you love a slasher that feels like a cross between Friday the 13th and a high-stakes survival thriller, this one is for you.
The Vibe: I was immediately sucked into the eerie atmosphere of Marburg State Park. We follow Ranger Colt Mitcham, a no-nonsense leader who treats local urban legends about the Camp Southwoods Butcher with total skepticism. But when a massive blizzard rolls in trapping his team in the woods and bodies start dropping, those ghost stories suddenly feel way too real.
What I Loved!
The Setting: There is nothing scarier than being hunted in a whiteout snowstorm. Smith writes about the cold so well I actually reached for a blanket while reading.
The Mystery: Is the original killer, Douglas Lee Carver, back from the grave? Or is someone using the legend to bury a thirty-year-old secret? I kept flipping back and forth on my theories until the very end.
The Pace: It starts as a grounded procedural and quickly spirals into a claustrophobic nightmare.
Final Verdict: This is a gritty, atmospheric popcorn read. It’s fast-paced, bloody, and does a fantastic job of blending a cold-case mystery with modern-day survival horror. Just don't read it alone in the woods!
✨️Thank you, Partners in Crime Tours and Westley Smith, for sharing Who's Out There with me!
I just finished Who's Out There by Westley Smith, and let’s just say I’ll be keeping my doors locked and my hiking boots retired for the foreseeable future. If you love a slasher that feels like a cross between Friday the 13th and a high-stakes survival thriller, this one is for you.
The Vibe: I was immediately sucked into the eerie atmosphere of Marburg State Park. We follow Ranger Colt Mitcham, a no-nonsense leader who treats local urban legends about the Camp Southwoods Butcher with total skepticism. But when a massive blizzard rolls in trapping his team in the woods and bodies start dropping, those ghost stories suddenly feel way too real.
What I Loved!
The Setting: There is nothing scarier than being hunted in a whiteout snowstorm. Smith writes about the cold so well I actually reached for a blanket while reading.
The Mystery: Is the original killer, Douglas Lee Carver, back from the grave? Or is someone using the legend to bury a thirty-year-old secret? I kept flipping back and forth on my theories until the very end.
The Pace: It starts as a grounded procedural and quickly spirals into a claustrophobic nightmare.
Final Verdict: This is a gritty, atmospheric popcorn read. It’s fast-paced, bloody, and does a fantastic job of blending a cold-case mystery with modern-day survival horror. Just don't read it alone in the woods!
✨️Thank you, Partners in Crime Tours and Westley Smith, for sharing Who's Out There with me!
March 19, 2026
Who's Out There is my first-ever book by Westley Smith, and he knocked it out of the park. The book is the prefect cross between a slasher and a closed circle mystery, and it had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved how you didn't know who to trust and how everyone was a suspect.
Marburg State Park, once home to a summer camp that was defiled by murder, has a serious problem. A blizzard is bearing down on them, and the park rangers are trapped in the park as someone starts sabotaging their equipment. Slowly, the rangers are being picked off one by one, just like what happened at the summer camp.
Who's Out There left a trail of bodies in its wake. I ended up making a list of everyone who died and their causes of death in order to keep up with the death toll. The author had me rooting for each of these characters, only for them to be murdered a few pages later. And you know what, I absolutely ate it up.
Who's Out There had so many twists and turns. The ending had my jaw on the floor. Normally, I'm really good at guessing the big bad in stories, but not this one. The big reveal had me completely shocked.
Overall, I can't recommend Who's Out There enough. So far, it is my top read of 2026.
Many thanks to Westley Smith and Partners in Crime Tours for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
Marburg State Park, once home to a summer camp that was defiled by murder, has a serious problem. A blizzard is bearing down on them, and the park rangers are trapped in the park as someone starts sabotaging their equipment. Slowly, the rangers are being picked off one by one, just like what happened at the summer camp.
Who's Out There left a trail of bodies in its wake. I ended up making a list of everyone who died and their causes of death in order to keep up with the death toll. The author had me rooting for each of these characters, only for them to be murdered a few pages later. And you know what, I absolutely ate it up.
Who's Out There had so many twists and turns. The ending had my jaw on the floor. Normally, I'm really good at guessing the big bad in stories, but not this one. The big reveal had me completely shocked.
Overall, I can't recommend Who's Out There enough. So far, it is my top read of 2026.
Many thanks to Westley Smith and Partners in Crime Tours for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 3, 2026
Who's Out There by Westley Smith is a mystery about an abandoned Camp, Camp Southwoods where 4 counselors were murdered 26 years ago. The killer has a reputation and no one goes to the camp as they believe it is haunted. Ranger Colt Mitcham is in charge of the state park that the camp is in and is having many issues to deal with before the incoming blizzard. He doesn't care about the so called 'haunted' camp. I loved this book so much as it was an isolated character alone in the woods with a very small group of people helping him. I love the characters, love the plot, love the slasher like vibes of the abandoned camp(very Friday the 13th like!) and I mean just wow! The Rangers are slowly being killed off one by one as the blizzard is incoming and Colt is left trying to figure out what is happening in the state park and in his woods. I love Westley Smith and his books are just some great writing overall. He keeps the readers lost and guessing until the very end of the book!
April 1, 2026
MY THOUGHTS:
Leave it to Westley Smith to keep me up way past my bedtime, reading late into the night. The next morning, I actually had to go back and reread a few pages just to make sure I remembered everything correctly!
I saw another reviewer say this is the most suspenseful book she’s read in a long time—and honestly, I might have to agree. This may be the most suspenseful book I’ve read… since his last one - They Came at Night!
Character development? Let’s just say… don’t get too attached to anyone. That’s all I’m going to say about that.
What a ride this book was, an absolute rollercoaster! Intense, edge-of-your-seat suspense on every single page. It just never lets up. It pulls you deeper and deeper in, all the way through to a very horrifying but satisfying ending. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
I am already eagerly awaiting his next book. Safe to say, I’m a fan for life!
I voluntarily posted this review after receiving an e-copy of this book from Partners in Crime Tours. Thank You!
Leave it to Westley Smith to keep me up way past my bedtime, reading late into the night. The next morning, I actually had to go back and reread a few pages just to make sure I remembered everything correctly!
I saw another reviewer say this is the most suspenseful book she’s read in a long time—and honestly, I might have to agree. This may be the most suspenseful book I’ve read… since his last one - They Came at Night!
Character development? Let’s just say… don’t get too attached to anyone. That’s all I’m going to say about that.
What a ride this book was, an absolute rollercoaster! Intense, edge-of-your-seat suspense on every single page. It just never lets up. It pulls you deeper and deeper in, all the way through to a very horrifying but satisfying ending. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
I am already eagerly awaiting his next book. Safe to say, I’m a fan for life!
I voluntarily posted this review after receiving an e-copy of this book from Partners in Crime Tours. Thank You!
March 13, 2026
4.3
*Thank you to Partners in Crime Tours for including me on this tour!
Abandoned, counselors, legend…
Colt has been the leader of the rescue unit at Marburg State Park for 6 months now.
A winter blizzard is beginning, which will trap the rangers. Colt & his team are dealing with park vandalism, a disappearance, and securing the park before the storm hits in full force.
And then one of his team is found murdered…
And problems will escalate…
This book is a closed-door slasher/survival thriller and crime thriller. A sense of “no help is coming” is apparent as the storm worsens.
Lots of possible suspects and motives. A survival storyline- the ending was a surprise! The audience & characters alike won’t be sure who to trust. Characters will have to “navigate a setting where appearances are deceptive.”
Confidence will erode.
Certainty will crumble.
Reality will blur.
Whodunnit???
Note: some violence (But it is a survival thriller)
*Thank you to Partners in Crime Tours for including me on this tour!
Abandoned, counselors, legend…
Colt has been the leader of the rescue unit at Marburg State Park for 6 months now.
A winter blizzard is beginning, which will trap the rangers. Colt & his team are dealing with park vandalism, a disappearance, and securing the park before the storm hits in full force.
And then one of his team is found murdered…
And problems will escalate…
This book is a closed-door slasher/survival thriller and crime thriller. A sense of “no help is coming” is apparent as the storm worsens.
Lots of possible suspects and motives. A survival storyline- the ending was a surprise! The audience & characters alike won’t be sure who to trust. Characters will have to “navigate a setting where appearances are deceptive.”
Confidence will erode.
Certainty will crumble.
Reality will blur.
Whodunnit???
Note: some violence (But it is a survival thriller)
March 14, 2026
Get ready for a wild ride,
There's an urban legend, deep in pennsylvania southwoods camp.
A storm like you've never seen. there's no way out no exits lives at stake.
Friends, coworkers sometimes turning on each other. Because not knowing who's doing what can really mess with you.
Hidden skeletons because everyone has two sides.
Simply intense. Phenomenonal intriguing.
What's out there whos out there. you really dont want to know. no one is safe.
This was absolutely freaking phenomenal.
This is one of those books. I could read again. i could also see this book being a lifetime movie. It's that good.
This authors books are absolutely phenomenal.I highly recommend him and his work. This is the second book i've read of his.
There's an urban legend, deep in pennsylvania southwoods camp.
A storm like you've never seen. there's no way out no exits lives at stake.
Friends, coworkers sometimes turning on each other. Because not knowing who's doing what can really mess with you.
Hidden skeletons because everyone has two sides.
Simply intense. Phenomenonal intriguing.
What's out there whos out there. you really dont want to know. no one is safe.
This was absolutely freaking phenomenal.
This is one of those books. I could read again. i could also see this book being a lifetime movie. It's that good.
This authors books are absolutely phenomenal.I highly recommend him and his work. This is the second book i've read of his.
March 28, 2026
This is the most suspenseful novel I have read in some time. The body count is high as the murderer just keeps coming and keeps outwitting the good guys. The danger is severe, right up until the very last scene. It is sort of a locked room murder mystery as the park is closed off from any contact with the outer world. The villain has to be one of the people in the park and Smith deftly brings suspicion on nearly every one of them. He is also good at creating and describing the monumental snow storm causing even more danger and suspense. The murders are a bit gruesome so this novel is not for the weak of heart. It is a good book for readers who like heart pounding suspense.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent review.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent review.
March 26, 2026
Who’s Out There by Westley Smith is a fast paced thriller that you will not be able to put down. This author will take you on a wild ride of urban legend, murder, revenge and some deep trauma all wrapped around a major debilitating snow storm that will continue to haunt you long after you are finished. Past and present come together and the stories will surprise you! A well written story from start to finish! I highly recommend this author! I have some of his other books but this is my favorite!!
March 22, 2026
This book was absolutely jammed pack with suspense. I’m pretty sure my blood pressure kept creeping up as my page count did. Locked room thrillers are not usually my favorite, but this one was super atmospheric, which I do enjoy. I wish the book included a map, I think that would have been useful in better understanding the story. The twists were believable, although the plot as a whole was not. I loved how the author ended the book!
April 17, 2026
Psychological Thriller/Winter Horror
Westley knows how to tell a story and keep you on the edge of your seat. You think you will know the killer from the start.....but you will be wrong. This book has it all urban legends, lies and deceit, murder and revenge. A complex story of survival. It's twisty, dark and suspenseful. Don't plan on falling in love with the characters (like I did) no one is safe. And that ending 😪😫
Westley knows how to tell a story and keep you on the edge of your seat. You think you will know the killer from the start.....but you will be wrong. This book has it all urban legends, lies and deceit, murder and revenge. A complex story of survival. It's twisty, dark and suspenseful. Don't plan on falling in love with the characters (like I did) no one is safe. And that ending 😪😫
March 24, 2026
This page-turner kept me guessing the whole time! The characters were all so well defined and the landscape described so clearly that I felt shivers just reading about the weather conditions. This story is going to stay with me for a long time.
March 24, 2026
A masked killer is hunting the rangers of Marburg State Park but they don’t know it. As a winter storms brings its worst the rangers are trying to solve vandalism and find a missing person. Then the bodies start adding up.
It is a very quick read that I read in a day. As the rangers try to find the missing person and prepare the park for the winter storm they spread themselves out across the park. They only have their radios for communication and the storm is hindering the effectiveness of them, along with radios found smashed. This book is for fans of 1990’s thriller movies such as Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. It is not gory or graphic and the setting of a cold winter storm adds an extra layer to the story.
It is a very quick read that I read in a day. As the rangers try to find the missing person and prepare the park for the winter storm they spread themselves out across the park. They only have their radios for communication and the storm is hindering the effectiveness of them, along with radios found smashed. This book is for fans of 1990’s thriller movies such as Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. It is not gory or graphic and the setting of a cold winter storm adds an extra layer to the story.
February 24, 2026
This was my first book by Westley Smith and damn, he pulled me in so hard I’m now committed to reading his entire library.
"Who’s Out There" didn’t just entertain me; it got under my skin. The isolation, the pounding weather, the creeping sense that something is moving through the dark… I felt every bit of it. Westley traps his characters and the reader in a storm so vicious it feels alive, then drops the a kįļler into the dark with them.
Westley sets the backdrop so vividly that I could picture every scene. The storm isn’t just weather—it’s a living, breathing threat, and he uses it to crank the tension until it’s almost unbearable. I could see the snow, feel the cold, and hear the wind clawing at the walls, fantastic!!
Onto the paranoia; it's delicious. I was questioning every motive, every shadow, every relationship. Was the kîlłer someone they trusted? Or a stranger slipping through the chaos? Each chapter tightened the noose, and I found myself second‑guessing everyone right alongside the characters.
By the end, I was fully invested, fully stressed, and fully impressed. If you love thrillers that trap you and make you doubt every single person on the page, "Who’s Out There" absolutely delivers.
February 27, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
This was my first book by Westley, but definitely won’t be my last.
We follow a group of park rangers that get stranded during a massive blizzard, meanwhile the park is closed to everyone except whoever or whatever is wandering around killing people.
This book will keep you on your toes guessing what will happen next. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, another ice axe comes down and changes everything.
Has little Dougie Carver escaped? Is it the ghosts of the camp counselors? Is it some unhinged copycat obsessed with the past?
Pick up the book to find out Who’s Out There.
This was my first book by Westley, but definitely won’t be my last.
We follow a group of park rangers that get stranded during a massive blizzard, meanwhile the park is closed to everyone except whoever or whatever is wandering around killing people.
This book will keep you on your toes guessing what will happen next. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, another ice axe comes down and changes everything.
Has little Dougie Carver escaped? Is it the ghosts of the camp counselors? Is it some unhinged copycat obsessed with the past?
Pick up the book to find out Who’s Out There.
February 28, 2026
Brutal, claustrophobic, and ice-cold with tension, it keeps you side-eyeing every shadow and questioning who’s really hunting whom.
May 7, 2026
This was my first Westley Smith read and won’t be my last. I loved the plot twists. I loved the scene at the fire tower. Kept you guessing right up to the very end and beyond. Just imagine reading this while on a camping trip at a state park
Now the real question is…
Is Colt really dead? Or is he going to wake up in a hospital ICU with Joey by his side?
Now the real question is…
Is Colt really dead? Or is he going to wake up in a hospital ICU with Joey by his side?
March 26, 2026
☑ Creepy cover
☑ Pennsylvania state park bracing for a wicked winter storm
☑ Abandoned kids’ camp with a horrific history
I’ll admit it: I definitely judge a book by its cover, and after being drawn to the creepy cover of WHO’S OUT THERE by Westley Smith, my interest was piqued. Then, I read the synopsis: a Pennsylvania state park that houses the remains of a sinister summer camp; an impending epic snowstorm; a ghostly and ghastly murderer on the loose. MORE interested! These checkboxes filled, I jumped in and by page three, I was hooked. My advice for anyone who’s interested in reading WHO’S OUT THERE is to clear the calendar because it’s a page-turning thrill ride…but one where you don’t really trust the ride operator to get you out unscathed.
In the years I lived in Pennsylvania, I visited lots of glorious state parks, so my memories along with the excellent descriptions written by author Westley Smith, carried me back. (Bonus: one of my favorite PA parks, Ohiopyle, even got a mention.) Smith adds a looming wicked winter storm and a missing person to the mix, and readers are immediately immersed in the setting.
Where Smith’s writing shines in WHO’S OUT THERE is detailing the winter storm, which is totally believable in its power and intensity (especially since that part of the US just suffered a similar snowfall). He uses just the right dose of figurative language to create some evocative scenes, and that plus the ever-intensifying storm really ratchet up the suspense and anxiety. Like near-frozen flies on the wall, readers watch the horrors unfold because no matter how loudly we yell DON’T DO THAT, the characters just don’t listen.
Careful readers will notice subtle clues the author provides that help point to the guilty, but he’s also clever at misleading readers, tugging us this way and that, creating distrust of nearly every single character. WHO’S OUT THERE has a good-sized cast (well, it does at the beginning. HA!), so I jotted down names to keep everyone straight. This was convenient for my sleuthing because as the body count quickly stacks up, I crossed names off the list and could narrow the suspects. (Warning: the murders are particularly violent and gruesome, but they’re not overly graphic in depictions.) By the end, I wasn’t shocked by the whodunit (well, I was half-shocked: well-done, Mr. Smith), but I was shocked by the depth of the whydunit. Holy guacamole. It’s complicated.
From an editing perspective, WHO’S OUT THERE would have benefited from additional work. There are more errors and typos than I’m comfortable with in a final copy, and fine-tuning would have helped because some character and killer actions don’t make sense, with some scenes bordering on providing deus ex machina solutions. There’s also considerable need for readers to suspend their disbelief and just roll with the story without getting caught in the details, but roll we do! I was flipping pages at a furious pace to find out how things would turn out.
I am certain that readers will enjoy the fast-paced madness of WHO’S OUT THERE. Sure, it provides readers with a bit of a Scooby-Doo-like, big-picture explanation, but who doesn’t love Scooby Doo (rhetorical)? Besides, the unconventional and satisfying conclusion of WHO’S OUT THERE is refreshingly different from the expected or what we’ve all read in other thrillers. Again, well done, Mr. Smith. Well done.
This full review and more special features on Hall Ways Blog.
☑ Pennsylvania state park bracing for a wicked winter storm
☑ Abandoned kids’ camp with a horrific history
I’ll admit it: I definitely judge a book by its cover, and after being drawn to the creepy cover of WHO’S OUT THERE by Westley Smith, my interest was piqued. Then, I read the synopsis: a Pennsylvania state park that houses the remains of a sinister summer camp; an impending epic snowstorm; a ghostly and ghastly murderer on the loose. MORE interested! These checkboxes filled, I jumped in and by page three, I was hooked. My advice for anyone who’s interested in reading WHO’S OUT THERE is to clear the calendar because it’s a page-turning thrill ride…but one where you don’t really trust the ride operator to get you out unscathed.
In the years I lived in Pennsylvania, I visited lots of glorious state parks, so my memories along with the excellent descriptions written by author Westley Smith, carried me back. (Bonus: one of my favorite PA parks, Ohiopyle, even got a mention.) Smith adds a looming wicked winter storm and a missing person to the mix, and readers are immediately immersed in the setting.
Where Smith’s writing shines in WHO’S OUT THERE is detailing the winter storm, which is totally believable in its power and intensity (especially since that part of the US just suffered a similar snowfall). He uses just the right dose of figurative language to create some evocative scenes, and that plus the ever-intensifying storm really ratchet up the suspense and anxiety. Like near-frozen flies on the wall, readers watch the horrors unfold because no matter how loudly we yell DON’T DO THAT, the characters just don’t listen.
Careful readers will notice subtle clues the author provides that help point to the guilty, but he’s also clever at misleading readers, tugging us this way and that, creating distrust of nearly every single character. WHO’S OUT THERE has a good-sized cast (well, it does at the beginning. HA!), so I jotted down names to keep everyone straight. This was convenient for my sleuthing because as the body count quickly stacks up, I crossed names off the list and could narrow the suspects. (Warning: the murders are particularly violent and gruesome, but they’re not overly graphic in depictions.) By the end, I wasn’t shocked by the whodunit (well, I was half-shocked: well-done, Mr. Smith), but I was shocked by the depth of the whydunit. Holy guacamole. It’s complicated.
From an editing perspective, WHO’S OUT THERE would have benefited from additional work. There are more errors and typos than I’m comfortable with in a final copy, and fine-tuning would have helped because some character and killer actions don’t make sense, with some scenes bordering on providing deus ex machina solutions. There’s also considerable need for readers to suspend their disbelief and just roll with the story without getting caught in the details, but roll we do! I was flipping pages at a furious pace to find out how things would turn out.
I am certain that readers will enjoy the fast-paced madness of WHO’S OUT THERE. Sure, it provides readers with a bit of a Scooby-Doo-like, big-picture explanation, but who doesn’t love Scooby Doo (rhetorical)? Besides, the unconventional and satisfying conclusion of WHO’S OUT THERE is refreshingly different from the expected or what we’ve all read in other thrillers. Again, well done, Mr. Smith. Well done.
This full review and more special features on Hall Ways Blog.
April 2, 2026
A snowstorm with total whiteout conditions.
A state park, Marburg State Park to be exact, that needs to be evacuated.
The abandoned Southwoods Park that has a dark history attached to it.
Childhood memories – some good, some bad.
Coworker relationship dynamics – can you really trust them?
The characters – Colt and Joey, Flint, Dusty, Porter, Amos, Tripp, Wyatt, Rumor (yes, Rumor that’s his name) and his father Darryl, Douglas Lee Carver, Maynard Barrett.
I never do this, but I kind of felt myself savoring this tale because while I wanted to know the who, what, when, where, and why, I also didn’t want it to end … it’s a pretty dark read, in my opinion, but I think that is what makes this author’s work worth waiting for. I have to wonder how he can pull these images out of his imagination. I liked all the ‘red herrings’ that were planted, leading the reader down one path, but then the path veered to the left and then the right. The ‘big’ reveal brought it all together.
There is so much more to this tale than just whiteout conditions, a park needing to be evacuated with seemingly no way to escape, the deep-seated history associated with said park, and the dude who shows up in a skeleton mask. Also involved are coworker relationships involving many trust issues, especially considering the truths that are slowly revealed. If you are a reader who likes to classify genres, I think I would put this one in the psychological horror category … I mean can you imagine trying to escape a park and running into roadblocks at every turn … and I’m not just talking about fallen trees.
I do want to warn more sensitive readers that some of the scenes depicted throughout these pages are disturbing. I’ve said this before about this author, but he is a master at describing scenes that will make you keep the lights on at night, and maybe avoid state parks … in a snowstorm. One example in this tale – The blood on her face is like frozen syrup stuck to her skin, stiff and tacky. Can you even imagine?
A state park, Marburg State Park to be exact, that needs to be evacuated.
The abandoned Southwoods Park that has a dark history attached to it.
Childhood memories – some good, some bad.
Coworker relationship dynamics – can you really trust them?
The characters – Colt and Joey, Flint, Dusty, Porter, Amos, Tripp, Wyatt, Rumor (yes, Rumor that’s his name) and his father Darryl, Douglas Lee Carver, Maynard Barrett.
I never do this, but I kind of felt myself savoring this tale because while I wanted to know the who, what, when, where, and why, I also didn’t want it to end … it’s a pretty dark read, in my opinion, but I think that is what makes this author’s work worth waiting for. I have to wonder how he can pull these images out of his imagination. I liked all the ‘red herrings’ that were planted, leading the reader down one path, but then the path veered to the left and then the right. The ‘big’ reveal brought it all together.
There is so much more to this tale than just whiteout conditions, a park needing to be evacuated with seemingly no way to escape, the deep-seated history associated with said park, and the dude who shows up in a skeleton mask. Also involved are coworker relationships involving many trust issues, especially considering the truths that are slowly revealed. If you are a reader who likes to classify genres, I think I would put this one in the psychological horror category … I mean can you imagine trying to escape a park and running into roadblocks at every turn … and I’m not just talking about fallen trees.
I do want to warn more sensitive readers that some of the scenes depicted throughout these pages are disturbing. I’ve said this before about this author, but he is a master at describing scenes that will make you keep the lights on at night, and maybe avoid state parks … in a snowstorm. One example in this tale – The blood on her face is like frozen syrup stuck to her skin, stiff and tacky. Can you even imagine?
May 7, 2026
Ooh, this was a plot I could sink my teeth into. The synopsis read like a combination of Friday The 13th, A Nightmare On Elm Street and a modern mystery. I’d read other books by Westley Smith and loved them so I was rubbing my hands together excitedly.
Ranger Colt Mitcham, cool name, was centered in the real world. His focus was on what’s happening at Camp Southwoods, which used to operate in Marburg State Park. Someone had been vandalizing the old campground, a man had gone missing in the park and a life threatening blizzard was approaching fast. Colt gathered his team and raced to get things sorted out before the storm hit. Then a member of his team was murdered and he began to think maybe the myth was tied to some or all of the instances.
I read this at blistering speed. Only took a couple of short breaks. The plot was so good, my excitement had me laser focused and the character development had me connected. And the ending…. brace yourself. I should have. I was so off the mark, in the best way possible.
I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.
Ranger Colt Mitcham, cool name, was centered in the real world. His focus was on what’s happening at Camp Southwoods, which used to operate in Marburg State Park. Someone had been vandalizing the old campground, a man had gone missing in the park and a life threatening blizzard was approaching fast. Colt gathered his team and raced to get things sorted out before the storm hit. Then a member of his team was murdered and he began to think maybe the myth was tied to some or all of the instances.
I read this at blistering speed. Only took a couple of short breaks. The plot was so good, my excitement had me laser focused and the character development had me connected. And the ending…. brace yourself. I should have. I was so off the mark, in the best way possible.
I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.
March 16, 2026
Buckle up buttercup - from beginning to end the dead body count continues to rise as the pages turn. This book has all of the elements that we thriller/horror readers love - imminent weather challenge, masked killers, an urban legend. camp set revenge narrative, survival horror and slasher elements - and an unknown killer who is relentless, thorough, and will stop at nothing to finish the job. One thing I can tell you is it is never quite clear whether the threat is a returning killer, a copycat, or something even stranger. Hang on for dear life readers. You will enjoy this one.
April 19, 2026
Who’s Out There by Westley Smith pulled me in fast. The abandoned camp setting, the storm, and that constant feeling that something isn’t right created a really tense atmosphere. I loved how it kept me guessing—everyone felt suspicious at some point.
There were a couple moments that stretched believability a bit, but honestly, it didn’t take away from how gripping it was. Once it picked up, I didn’t want to put it down.
If you like fast-paced thrillers with a creepy, isolated vibe, this one’s definitely worth the read.
There were a couple moments that stretched believability a bit, but honestly, it didn’t take away from how gripping it was. Once it picked up, I didn’t want to put it down.
If you like fast-paced thrillers with a creepy, isolated vibe, this one’s definitely worth the read.
April 29, 2026
The first few chapters took a while to get into with all the characters introductions but after that, I was able to distinguish who was who. From the start it draws you in, keeps you guessing without revealing too much. The devastating snowstorm is the perfect cover for a crime. I felt like I was there with the characters as they went through an array of emotions and experiences. A great book with lots of twists and turns. Who can one trust? Is the murderer one of them or an outsider? Can they reach the highway to make it to the police station? Will the brutal storm and sub zero temperatures wipe them out instead?
March 15, 2026
A ghost survival story that had me using every detective skill that you can possibly imagine and I still had no idea who or what it was. There are plenty of suspects and motivation factors to consider. The atmosphere is a haunting blizzard and I jumped out of my skin more than once. It's a serious case of who dunnit? And will help arrive or will we more likely be stranded by the storm. The ending is totally out of this world surprisingly not what I expected.
April 7, 2026
My adopt an author for April was Westley Smith – Who’s Out There.
What a completely gripping, edge of the seat thriller. I couldn’t guess what was going to happen next, it was one surprise after another. Compelling, scary, freak me out story.
What a completely gripping, edge of the seat thriller. I couldn’t guess what was going to happen next, it was one surprise after another. Compelling, scary, freak me out story.
April 3, 2026
More gore than I typically read. Ending sucks.
April 5, 2026
Such a Great read. Finished it in days. Wes is his own kind of writer. Lots of good twists and turns in this book. Wasn't what I was thinking and that is GREAT!!!!!
May 8, 2026
Never saw that ending coming! Great book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews