What They Find in the Woods

by Gary Fry

When Dr. Matthew Cole supervises Chloe Linton’s university research on a 16th Century warlock named Donald Deere, he is sceptical. Surely it’s just a local legend intended to scare people. But as Chloe develops her research, Matthew becomes embroiled in sinister events. They are both are drawn into woodland where Donald Deere was supposed to reside. And what they find might tear apart their minds.

Genres: Horror

120 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2016

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT THEY FIND IN THE WOODS, by Gary Fry is a story that entwines a centuries old folktale with a clinical University Professor. As part of his job as a Professor at the University of Leeds, Dr. Matthew Cole is expected to assist and supervise students with their research projects. When Chloe Linton comes to him with her idea, his interest was immediately piqued.

Chloe wants to study the legends that surround the town she and her mother had recently moved to--legends of a 16th century warlock known as "Donald Deere".

"There's just something about such material: folklore, myths, and the like--that instantly grabs our attention, isn't there?"

In the midst of the research concerning a mythical being who was said to be able to get any woman to sleep with him, Dr. Cole suddenly finds his routine life disrupted by thoughts of being with his student, Chloe. In fact, the more they uncover about Donald Deere (whose reputation seemed to start up anew after the second World War), the stronger his mental conflict grows. Matthew tries to regain control of his emotions by thinking of his long-time wife, Rose: ". . . my heart ached for her--for the warmth and comfort she'd always provided, as well as all the safety and reliability in my life."

Perhaps one of the best elements in this novella is shown in the contrast between Dr. Cole's sterile, academic life verses the wild and free woodlands inhabited by the promiscuous "Donald Deere". The same could be said of Cole's state of mind: the unchanging, reliable "right" way, as opposed to the temptation he finds himself facing with young Chloe. Before she came along to lead him into this legend, Dr. Cole regarded lust and sex with a clinical detachment:

". . . passion was little more than an irrational force, a destroyer of our respectively small worlds."

As the two of them are driven to unearth the truth behind the myth, they are unprepared for what they actually find in those shunned, whispered about woodlands.

For very often, there is an all too real factual basis that these folklores and legends are based on.

Some of them, never die out completely.

Recommended!

*I received an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.*

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professor of Psychology Matthew Cole is supervising a research project being worked on by Chloe Linton, a student who has chosen him for reasons he doesn’t know (or ever find out). She is investigating the case of a local legend, Donald Deere, an apparent man (who might even be part of the woods he lives in) from the 16th century who seduced local women and stole away their shared children. Chloe is supposed to be writing about the psychological aspects of the case but, as time goes on, Dr Cole begins to suspect she believes the legend is true. Told as a found-document - Dr Gary Fry discovered Dr Cole’s notes on his old office computer - this presents everything from Matthew’s point of view, allowing the reader to interpret as much from the story as Cole himself, who is often almost an unwitting observer, does. Under pressure at home to perform, wrong-footed by Chloe’s apparent sexual interest in him and disturbed by the mounting evidence that there may just be something in the Deere legend, Cole’s carefully controlled and understated life begins to unravel in a very believable way. The writing is excellent, mounting the suspense without anything apparently happening until you find yourself racing through the story as it builds to a genuinely frightening climax. The characterisation is solid, with Cole’s perception of Chloe and his wife Rose painting vivid, if at times contradictory, pictures and there’s a good sense of academia’s rules and regulations that feel right (as they should, coming from Fry). My one quibble would be that, on occasion, the sheer formality of Cole’s writing seems to hark back to the 30s and 40s, which often feels out of step with both him and the thoroughly modern backdrop of the story. But that’s a minor issue, this is a well-constructed, well told tale of slowly developing horror that works an absolute treat. Very much recommended.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this tale of investigative folklore and local legend. It is written flawlessly and reminded me of weird tales and stories from authors long gone and those who still respect and use the English language to its fullest.
The story was familiar in its lay out, the found material, as well as modern and novel and full of wonderful imagery.

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars.

I am tempted to call Gary Fry a "throwback" to a more traditional, introspective style of horror writer. It is loosely in the style of Blackwood, Machen and especially Ramsey Campbell that pulls you in with its atmosphere and innuendo rather than bludgeoning you over the head with scares and gore. That doesn't mean it doesn't scare you. It just means the scares creep up on you, and maybe long after the last word is read.

In What They Find in the Woods. Professor of Psychology Matthew Cole is supervising the research project of a young female student, Chloe Linton. She has chosen to explore a local legend about Donald Deere, a warlock from the 16th century that could seduce and conquer any woman he wanted. The tale goes on to say that he still lives in the local woods.. Chloe's project is supposed to be on the psychological aspects of the legend as it still affects the residents of the area yet Professor Cole starts to suspect his pupil really believes the legend is true. Add to that, the problem that Professor Coles' usually solid academic demeanor is being overshadowed by his attraction to his beautiful student.

And there is where we get that connection to the other writers I mentioned. His story is full of sexual tension but it hints rather than yells. The real conflict is between Cole's professional and civilized demeanor and the wild and primitive sensuality laying wait in the "myth" of Donald Deere. The story is told in the first narrative of Professor Cole. That narration appears to be fairly straight forward clearly laying down the supernatural aspects of what may be happening. Yet i can't help thinking Cole is not as reliable as he appears and is obscuring how much of his change in yearning comes from the supernatural and how much is from his own dark id.

That is why I like this story. It is straightforward in one way yet lends itself to the reader's interpretation. It makes you think. It reminds me most of Ramsey Campbell, who dealt with similar themes in the same introspective style. I also think it has a less clear connection to Arthur Machen's own pantheistic sensuality and decadence in his tales.

Overall, What They Find in the Woods is a good novella with both a psychological twist and a deep feeling of supernatural unease. It will appeal to the horror fan who likes their scares subtle and on the intelligent side.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great installment to this novella series. I love that while each seems to have a dark spin to their content, the nature of the stories themselves couldn't be more different.

What They Find In The Woods is centered around a particular piece of local folklore and the exploration of the legend by a young graduate student and her advisor.

This book does a nice job creating a story around a spooky folk tale as well as exploring the psychological phenomenon surrounding it. As the relationship between the teacher and student grows more complicated and his life begins to come apart at the seams, the story becomes an interesting look at how obsession can take over our lives.

If I had one complaint about the book, I actually wish it had been a bit longer. I would have liked to have seen more exploration of this universe and these characters.

Otherwise, fun and entertaining.

[Timothy Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, well written tale. More elaborate review to come.