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The Edge of the Woods
Not yet published
Expected 3 Aug 27The unmissable new thriller from the USA Today bestselling master of edge-of-your-seat reading and screenwriter of Netflix Original movie, The Weekend Away.
Two survivors. One killer?
After narrowly escaping a serial killer, Isla has rebuilt her life. She has a devoted husband, two beautiful children, and a career helping other women survive the kind of trauma she knows all too well. The past is a locked box – until a girl is found with eerily familiar injuries, running down the verge of the very same highway where Isla was saved.
These wounds were meant to have died with the man who gave them to her. But as Isla begins to unravel the girl’s story, the lines between memory and reality blur. Is this a copycat? A cruel coincidence? Or could the man who once hunted her still be out there?
To protect her family – and herself – Isla must confront the truth she buried. Because some monsters never really disappear…
Two survivors. One killer?
After narrowly escaping a serial killer, Isla has rebuilt her life. She has a devoted husband, two beautiful children, and a career helping other women survive the kind of trauma she knows all too well. The past is a locked box – until a girl is found with eerily familiar injuries, running down the verge of the very same highway where Isla was saved.
These wounds were meant to have died with the man who gave them to her. But as Isla begins to unravel the girl’s story, the lines between memory and reality blur. Is this a copycat? A cruel coincidence? Or could the man who once hunted her still be out there?
To protect her family – and herself – Isla must confront the truth she buried. Because some monsters never really disappear…
416 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 27, 2026
About the author
Sarah Alderson
27 books2,906 followersHaving spent most of her life in London, Sarah quit her job in the non profit sector in 2009 and took off on a round the world trip with her husband and princess-obsessed daughter on a mission to find a new place to call home. After several months in India, Singapore, Australia and the US, they settled in Bali where they lived for five years.
She finished her first novel, Hunting Lila (winner of the Kingston Book Award), just before they left the UK, wrote the sequel on the beach in India and had signed a two book deal with Simon & Schuster by the time they had reached Bali.
A third book, Fated, about a teenage demon slayer, was published in January 2012.
The Sound, a thriller romance set in Nantucket, was published in August 2013 and this was followed by the critically acclaimed Out of Control in May 2014.
Her first non-fiction book - CAN WE LIVE HERE? - based on her blog of the same name, was published in August 2015 by Blink.
She also writes New Adult romance for Pan Macmillan (UK) / Simon & Schuster (US) under the pen name Mila Gray.
You can find Sarah on facebook and at www.sarahalderson.com or follow her blog at www.canwelivhere.com
She finished her first novel, Hunting Lila (winner of the Kingston Book Award), just before they left the UK, wrote the sequel on the beach in India and had signed a two book deal with Simon & Schuster by the time they had reached Bali.
A third book, Fated, about a teenage demon slayer, was published in January 2012.
The Sound, a thriller romance set in Nantucket, was published in August 2013 and this was followed by the critically acclaimed Out of Control in May 2014.
Her first non-fiction book - CAN WE LIVE HERE? - based on her blog of the same name, was published in August 2015 by Blink.
She also writes New Adult romance for Pan Macmillan (UK) / Simon & Schuster (US) under the pen name Mila Gray.
You can find Sarah on facebook and at www.sarahalderson.com or follow her blog at www.canwelivhere.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 25, 2026
Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me this free advance copy, and I’m writing this review honestly and without bias.
Another masterclass in descriptive narrative from the wonderful Sarah Aldersen. The setting is perfect and the author creates a wonderful dark atmosphere, in this twisty read that keeps you guessing until the end. And. That. Ending - a fantastic curveball that was totally unexpected. Wonderfully written and flows nicely between past and present with the focus on Isla as she tries to solve the mystery of her past. A gripping read and another winner from this talented author. 4.5⭐️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 rounded up
Once the name Isla Lindaloff is infamous as she’s the survivor of a serial killer, deceased James Altman. Now she’s Isla McGrane, she’s married, has two children and a good job as a clinical psychologist. She’s coping as well as she can but when a Jane Doe is brought into her hospital unit, the circumstances are startlingly similar to hers. The victim has similar injuries, is catatonic and the situation brings back horrific memories and so it all comes to the surface again. Her family believes she’s unravelling but is it a horrible coincidence, a copycat or do the police arrest the wrong man years ago? Just because Isla seems paranoid does not mean she’s wrong. Once he hunted her, could he be hunting her again? She thought she’d buried the monster but they never fully disappear.
This is an easy to read novel from Sarah Alderson with the writing flowing well, especially from past to present. The pacing is good, there’s plenty of tension and suspenseful moments with a few characters who make me grit my teeth either in frustration or some anger. The author does a very good job of conveying Isla’s understandable fragile state of mind and her desperation to find answers which makes her very determined whatever the cost.
However, there are some inserts which I don’t find
particularly authentic as they seem too reasoned, measured with not enough panic - but that’s just my opinion!!
The ending is a good one. It does come a bit out of left field but it doesn’t altogether surprise me as I figure there is a connection somewhere along the line. The ultimate ending is very chilling- now that is a shocker! Well played!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Avon Books UK for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Once the name Isla Lindaloff is infamous as she’s the survivor of a serial killer, deceased James Altman. Now she’s Isla McGrane, she’s married, has two children and a good job as a clinical psychologist. She’s coping as well as she can but when a Jane Doe is brought into her hospital unit, the circumstances are startlingly similar to hers. The victim has similar injuries, is catatonic and the situation brings back horrific memories and so it all comes to the surface again. Her family believes she’s unravelling but is it a horrible coincidence, a copycat or do the police arrest the wrong man years ago? Just because Isla seems paranoid does not mean she’s wrong. Once he hunted her, could he be hunting her again? She thought she’d buried the monster but they never fully disappear.
This is an easy to read novel from Sarah Alderson with the writing flowing well, especially from past to present. The pacing is good, there’s plenty of tension and suspenseful moments with a few characters who make me grit my teeth either in frustration or some anger. The author does a very good job of conveying Isla’s understandable fragile state of mind and her desperation to find answers which makes her very determined whatever the cost.
However, there are some inserts which I don’t find
particularly authentic as they seem too reasoned, measured with not enough panic - but that’s just my opinion!!
The ending is a good one. It does come a bit out of left field but it doesn’t altogether surprise me as I figure there is a connection somewhere along the line. The ultimate ending is very chilling- now that is a shocker! Well played!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Avon Books UK for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4. 5 stars which I will gladly round up to 5.
The Edge of the Woods is a dark and gripping read from start to finish and you will be turning those pages as quickly as you can.
The book is terrifying at times and you will be holdiing your breath and hoping for the best for the girls.
When a Jane Doe who is badly injured is found running along the side of the road , memories for Isla come back with a vengenace.
She starts seeing the monster that did the same to her but is it her memories resurfacing or can he really be alive.
The pace is relentless, the tension is palpable as Isla tries desperatley to search for answers.
Sarah Alderson leads the reader down that twisted path that has your heart racing and you gasping at the jaw dropping twist.
The Edge of the Woods is totall bingeable and one book you wont soon forget.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK/Avon the privilege of reading and reviewing The Edge of the Woods.
The Edge of the Woods is a dark and gripping read from start to finish and you will be turning those pages as quickly as you can.
The book is terrifying at times and you will be holdiing your breath and hoping for the best for the girls.
When a Jane Doe who is badly injured is found running along the side of the road , memories for Isla come back with a vengenace.
She starts seeing the monster that did the same to her but is it her memories resurfacing or can he really be alive.
The pace is relentless, the tension is palpable as Isla tries desperatley to search for answers.
Sarah Alderson leads the reader down that twisted path that has your heart racing and you gasping at the jaw dropping twist.
The Edge of the Woods is totall bingeable and one book you wont soon forget.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK/Avon the privilege of reading and reviewing The Edge of the Woods.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Edge Of The Woods is a standalone thriller featuring Boston psychologist Isla. Having rebuilt her life after being abducted, she takes comfort in knowing her captor is dead. But then a young woman comes into her hospital with identical injuries to her own in very similar circumstances. Is this the same killer? A copycat?
Isla investigates, her mental health deteriorating as she seeks the truth, and her family fears the obsession is taking over. But is Isla actually onto something?
The twin narrative runs in the present and gives some detail of Isla's captivity. It's dark and in places a difficult read, but gripping. My one qualm is that the eventual revelation comes from nowhere. It's not an entirely satisfactory ending to a very good novel.
Isla investigates, her mental health deteriorating as she seeks the truth, and her family fears the obsession is taking over. But is Isla actually onto something?
The twin narrative runs in the present and gives some detail of Isla's captivity. It's dark and in places a difficult read, but gripping. My one qualm is that the eventual revelation comes from nowhere. It's not an entirely satisfactory ending to a very good novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve been a fan of Sarah Alderson since The Cabin In The Woods and couldn’t wait to read this.
Isla works as a trauma counsellor on an ER ward, a patient comes in with injuries that remind her of her own, when she escaped the captivity of a twisted serial killer. Her captor was convicted and died in prison, is there a new Monster on the hunt?
It blends captivity thriller, a hunt for the killer and reinvesting old crimes with ever increasing pressure on Isla as she neglects work, her husband and children in her obsessive hunt. Very tense, dark and addictive.
I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK
Isla works as a trauma counsellor on an ER ward, a patient comes in with injuries that remind her of her own, when she escaped the captivity of a twisted serial killer. Her captor was convicted and died in prison, is there a new Monster on the hunt?
It blends captivity thriller, a hunt for the killer and reinvesting old crimes with ever increasing pressure on Isla as she neglects work, her husband and children in her obsessive hunt. Very tense, dark and addictive.
I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK
June 26, 2026
Simply unputdownable!
This book had me in a chokehold from the very beginning and I couldn't read it fast enough.
The absolute only bad thing was that it ended.
5 STARS!!! Cannot recommend this one enough!!
This book had me in a chokehold from the very beginning and I couldn't read it fast enough.
The absolute only bad thing was that it ended.
5 STARS!!! Cannot recommend this one enough!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 4 ⭐️
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