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The Wind in the Woods: A Novel
THE WIND IN THE WOODS will take you into Tiger Morrison’s world of inspiring young minds with the wonders of nature; his daughter’s commitment to hike the Blue Ridge, never suspecting that a serial killer is stalking her; and the overly protected nine-year-old, Alvin Magee’s, heart-warming discovery of freedom and responsibility in a place apart from his adult world. Charismatic widower, Tiger Morrison, spent a lifetime saving children from nature-deficit disorder, only to find himself in the fight of his life to protect his undisturbed world from the land grab waging in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. He’s fighting to win Katie Warlick too, but she can’t forgive him for not wanting her the way she wanted him twenty years ago.
252 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Rose Senehi
13 books72 followersContemporary fiction writer, Rose Senehi, is noted for weaving historical data into her romantic thrillers. FALLING OFF A CLIFF is a story of two women a generation apart and from two different worlds who are driven by passion to heal no matter what dangers they have to face. In the 1920s, Lula Mae clings to a doctor woman as they gallop horseback all over the steep, harsh Blue Ridge Mountains. In the 60s, Nurse Holly travels the same mountain paths to reach the ill and search for the mother she's never known. CATCHING FIRE, awarded the 2019 Historical Book Award by the NC Society of Historians, Inc., tells of the heroism displayed by hundreds of firefighters to extinguish the horrific Party Rock Fire that raged through the mountains surrounding Lake Lure, NC. Woven throughout this tale of two firefighters in love, yet, torn apart by swirling suspicions and mistrust, is the story of a family struggling with its past in the frightening present. CAROLINA BELLE, A Love Story, is her eighth novel and takes place in an apple orchard in Hendersonville, NC. Read this novel, and you'll never look at an apple the same way again. Among her seven "stand-alone" novels that take place in the Southern Blue Ridge are "Dancing on Rocks," winner of the 2014 Indi-Reader Discovery Award for Popular Fiction, "Render Unto the Valley," awarded the 2012 IPPY Gold Medal for Fiction--Southeast., "In the Shadows of Chimney Rock", a finalist for the SIBA 2009 Book of the Year Award, and "The Wind in the Woods", a finalist for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Award. All of her novels are part family saga, part mystery, and part love story.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 14, 2010
Author Rose Senehi moved from Upstate New York to the Carolinas in 1996, and is known for weaving environmental themes into her plots. Her title, In the shadows of Chimney Rock, was nominated for the 2009 SIBA Book Award by the Southern Independent Bookseller's Alliance. Other titles include: Windfall, Shadows in the Grass, and Pelican Watch.
Charismatic widower Tiger Morrison has spent a lifetime operating a youth camp in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. His one regret is letting Katie Warlick, his cook and friend at camp, go years before. Recently having broken off a long-time relationship with Liz, and with Katie going through a divorce, it seems as if fate is opening the door for them again. It would also appear as if his daughter Sammy may find her true love in fellow camp director, Patrick. Amidst the busy life at Camp Green River, one boy stands out from the rest, as little Alvin learns lessons in freedom. But this season is unlike all others. Tiger is in the fight of his life to save the precious Blue Ridge from land developers who could care less what their plans will do for the beauty around them. Plus, there is a killer lose, and he's coming closer to home than anyone suspects.
This book is listed as a romantic suspense, but is really more appropriate as women's fiction with romantic suspense elements.
There were quite a few things about this book that stood out as bothersome, which may be more personal preference than anything. First being that every character in the book had a point of view, vastly taking away the emotion of the main characters. Second, the romance involved was secondary to major events in the present, without any time for the characters to recover. It moved too swiftly to be realistic. Third, the suspense angle really had no bearing on the plot until the end. It felt like a side-note. In saying that, I understand the author's intention of emphasizing the dangers in hiking alone, basing this off actual events, but it didn't work for me. Perhaps involving the child, Alvin, or threats to Sammy earlier, but not as is.
What I loved about this book is that it takes you back to childhood and all the carefree possibilities life has ahead. Those tight-knit youth camps and all the friendships forged. This is also an author who knows her setting. The scenery jumps out at you and grabs hold, allowing you to feel, taste, smell, hear, and see everything portrayed. I also stand by the environmental message of what land developing can do to a beautiful ecosystem if we humans aren't careful.
Kelly Moran,
Author and Reviewer,
Bookpleasures
Charismatic widower Tiger Morrison has spent a lifetime operating a youth camp in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. His one regret is letting Katie Warlick, his cook and friend at camp, go years before. Recently having broken off a long-time relationship with Liz, and with Katie going through a divorce, it seems as if fate is opening the door for them again. It would also appear as if his daughter Sammy may find her true love in fellow camp director, Patrick. Amidst the busy life at Camp Green River, one boy stands out from the rest, as little Alvin learns lessons in freedom. But this season is unlike all others. Tiger is in the fight of his life to save the precious Blue Ridge from land developers who could care less what their plans will do for the beauty around them. Plus, there is a killer lose, and he's coming closer to home than anyone suspects.
This book is listed as a romantic suspense, but is really more appropriate as women's fiction with romantic suspense elements.
There were quite a few things about this book that stood out as bothersome, which may be more personal preference than anything. First being that every character in the book had a point of view, vastly taking away the emotion of the main characters. Second, the romance involved was secondary to major events in the present, without any time for the characters to recover. It moved too swiftly to be realistic. Third, the suspense angle really had no bearing on the plot until the end. It felt like a side-note. In saying that, I understand the author's intention of emphasizing the dangers in hiking alone, basing this off actual events, but it didn't work for me. Perhaps involving the child, Alvin, or threats to Sammy earlier, but not as is.
What I loved about this book is that it takes you back to childhood and all the carefree possibilities life has ahead. Those tight-knit youth camps and all the friendships forged. This is also an author who knows her setting. The scenery jumps out at you and grabs hold, allowing you to feel, taste, smell, hear, and see everything portrayed. I also stand by the environmental message of what land developing can do to a beautiful ecosystem if we humans aren't careful.
Kelly Moran,
Author and Reviewer,
Bookpleasures
April 10, 2010
Finished this one on the plane and really enjoyed it. Reminded me of the summer I was a counselor at Camp Ton-a-wandah right there in the same area. Good story. Quick read.
September 8, 2025
There is a killer loose in the
Pisgah forest but before he can be caught there must be old and new loves started or renewed. We must be introduced to summer camp as so many have experienced in Western North Carolina. I live in this beautiful area so it was fun to actually know most if not all the locales in the book. Not the most exciting mystery since we know who the killer is but definitely a pleasant book to while away a few hour
Pisgah forest but before he can be caught there must be old and new loves started or renewed. We must be introduced to summer camp as so many have experienced in Western North Carolina. I live in this beautiful area so it was fun to actually know most if not all the locales in the book. Not the most exciting mystery since we know who the killer is but definitely a pleasant book to while away a few hour
May 24, 2025
After Rose Senehi visited our book club to share about Carolina Belle, I decided I had to read more of her books. This one drew me in right away, knowing the area, the camps, the environmental concerns with over-development, and the real-life story of Gary Hilton, serial killer that reached our area a number of years ago. I enjoyed the writing style as well.
July 1, 2010
Is it a romance? Is it a thriller? Is it an environmental tale? No, it’s all three! The Wind in the Woods by Rose Senehi is a gripping family saga set in North Carolina's Green River Valley, where a serial killer is stalking hikers.
Charismatic widower Tiger Morrison has spent a lifetime saving children from nature-deficit disorder, only to find himself in the fight of his life to protect his undisturbed world from land-grabbing developers in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. He's also fighting to win Katie Warlick, but she can't forgive him for not wanting her the way she wanted him 20 years ago. While Tiger is involved in the struggle to save his camp, his daughter, Sammy, is trying to find her place in the clannish realm of summer youth camps. As she searches for her identity, she never suspects that a serial killer is stalking her.
Although flagged as a romantic thriller by its publisher, this is probably a little misleading; rather The Wind in the Woods can be described as a thriller that also contains a love story. The juxtaposition of the violent, stalking sociopath Gary Skinner with that of the beauty of the Green River Valley and the goodness of Tiger make this novel an interesting, if sometimes challenging read. Some may be uneasy with the descriptions of cruelty to both humans and animals, especially if they are expecting a straightforward romance. But rather than detract from the love story, the evil personified by Gary Skinner acts to underline the necessity of love in our lives, be it family love, romantic love and even our love for the beauty of nature.
The serial killer plotline is convincing and well-drawn. Senehi used the real life tale of 61-year-old serial killer Gary Michael Hilton as the basis for her portrayal of Gary Skinner. In deference to his victims’ families, Senehi has changed the name and location of “his” attacks, which are described so vividly in her novel. There are some truly chilling moments when she describes his preparations to go “hunting”.
And Senehi is also just as convincing when writing about the joy of interacting with nature through camping. Woven through her story is the 100-year-old history of summer youth camps in the Hendersonville/Brevard section of Western North Carolina (which has the highest concentration of summer camps in the United States) and her descriptions of the tight-knit youth camps where friendships are forged will bring back many readers’ fondest childhood camp memories. Senehi also uses the story of Tiger’s camp to underline the environmental issues that are affecting similar camps in North Carolina today.
The Wind in the Woods is Rose Senehi’s fifth novel, and the second in a series that take place in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Her fourth novel, In the Shadows of Chimney Rock, was nominated for the 2009 SIBA Book Award by members of the Southern Independent Bookseller’s Alliance as the Best in Southern Literature for the year.
Contemporary fiction writer, Senehi, is noted for weaving environmental themes into her plots. A resident of Chimney Rock, North Carolina and Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, she moved from Upstate New York in 1996. Her other novels include: Pelican Watch, Windfall, and Shadows in the Grass. For more information about Rose Senehi visit her website at www.rosesenehi.com
Charismatic widower Tiger Morrison has spent a lifetime saving children from nature-deficit disorder, only to find himself in the fight of his life to protect his undisturbed world from land-grabbing developers in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. He's also fighting to win Katie Warlick, but she can't forgive him for not wanting her the way she wanted him 20 years ago. While Tiger is involved in the struggle to save his camp, his daughter, Sammy, is trying to find her place in the clannish realm of summer youth camps. As she searches for her identity, she never suspects that a serial killer is stalking her.
Although flagged as a romantic thriller by its publisher, this is probably a little misleading; rather The Wind in the Woods can be described as a thriller that also contains a love story. The juxtaposition of the violent, stalking sociopath Gary Skinner with that of the beauty of the Green River Valley and the goodness of Tiger make this novel an interesting, if sometimes challenging read. Some may be uneasy with the descriptions of cruelty to both humans and animals, especially if they are expecting a straightforward romance. But rather than detract from the love story, the evil personified by Gary Skinner acts to underline the necessity of love in our lives, be it family love, romantic love and even our love for the beauty of nature.
The serial killer plotline is convincing and well-drawn. Senehi used the real life tale of 61-year-old serial killer Gary Michael Hilton as the basis for her portrayal of Gary Skinner. In deference to his victims’ families, Senehi has changed the name and location of “his” attacks, which are described so vividly in her novel. There are some truly chilling moments when she describes his preparations to go “hunting”.
And Senehi is also just as convincing when writing about the joy of interacting with nature through camping. Woven through her story is the 100-year-old history of summer youth camps in the Hendersonville/Brevard section of Western North Carolina (which has the highest concentration of summer camps in the United States) and her descriptions of the tight-knit youth camps where friendships are forged will bring back many readers’ fondest childhood camp memories. Senehi also uses the story of Tiger’s camp to underline the environmental issues that are affecting similar camps in North Carolina today.
The Wind in the Woods is Rose Senehi’s fifth novel, and the second in a series that take place in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Her fourth novel, In the Shadows of Chimney Rock, was nominated for the 2009 SIBA Book Award by members of the Southern Independent Bookseller’s Alliance as the Best in Southern Literature for the year.
Contemporary fiction writer, Senehi, is noted for weaving environmental themes into her plots. A resident of Chimney Rock, North Carolina and Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, she moved from Upstate New York in 1996. Her other novels include: Pelican Watch, Windfall, and Shadows in the Grass. For more information about Rose Senehi visit her website at www.rosesenehi.com
May 7, 2012
Initially I had some difficulty getting into “The Wind in the Woods.” While the book’s author, Rose Senehi, does have solid writing skills; her particular style did not immediately reach out and suck me in. In Senehi’s defense there are several plots intertwined throughout “The Wind in the Woods.” Once all the characters were introduced and once the plots merged into a cohesive story; Senehi’s novel was able to garner my interest and hold my attention.
Moving on to the book: “The Wind in the Woods” is a romantic thriller set around the Green River Valley which is located in North Carolina. The book’s main players are Tiger Morrison, a charming and charismatic widower. Tiger’s beautiful daughter, who unbeknownst to anyone, including herself, is being stalked by a serial killer, and finally the nine-year-old Alvin Magee who is happily learning lessons about freedom and responsibility.
Tiger owns a children’s camp he built in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Every summer he opens this camp in order to share wonders from the pristine land surrounding it with the kids. His love for these mountains causes him to take on the real estate developers who are intent on buying a large parcel bordering his. Tiger understands that if this sale happens the developers will have no remorse whatsoever about the damage they will inflict upon the surrounding area. Somehow he has to come up with an exorbitant amount of money in order to buy the land himself until he can get a conservationist group involved.
Alvin is one of the camp’s kids and at first glance he is completely out of his element. He’s skinny; he wears glasses and his mother is too overprotective. However, he does a phenomenal job of making up for whatever he’s lacking with sheer determination and spunk. He loves the camp and because of his experiences there he learns about himself and about the man he will become.
All in all I found “The Wind in the Woods” to be a decent read. Senehi does write well and she does pay attention to detail although I did feel the story started off too slowly. I enjoyed the environmentalism throughout the book and I definitely appreciated that while part of this novel included a sociopath Senehi was kind enough to leave out the majority of gruesome details.
(Reviewed in association with Rebecca's Reads).
Moving on to the book: “The Wind in the Woods” is a romantic thriller set around the Green River Valley which is located in North Carolina. The book’s main players are Tiger Morrison, a charming and charismatic widower. Tiger’s beautiful daughter, who unbeknownst to anyone, including herself, is being stalked by a serial killer, and finally the nine-year-old Alvin Magee who is happily learning lessons about freedom and responsibility.
Tiger owns a children’s camp he built in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Every summer he opens this camp in order to share wonders from the pristine land surrounding it with the kids. His love for these mountains causes him to take on the real estate developers who are intent on buying a large parcel bordering his. Tiger understands that if this sale happens the developers will have no remorse whatsoever about the damage they will inflict upon the surrounding area. Somehow he has to come up with an exorbitant amount of money in order to buy the land himself until he can get a conservationist group involved.
Alvin is one of the camp’s kids and at first glance he is completely out of his element. He’s skinny; he wears glasses and his mother is too overprotective. However, he does a phenomenal job of making up for whatever he’s lacking with sheer determination and spunk. He loves the camp and because of his experiences there he learns about himself and about the man he will become.
All in all I found “The Wind in the Woods” to be a decent read. Senehi does write well and she does pay attention to detail although I did feel the story started off too slowly. I enjoyed the environmentalism throughout the book and I definitely appreciated that while part of this novel included a sociopath Senehi was kind enough to leave out the majority of gruesome details.
(Reviewed in association with Rebecca's Reads).
February 28, 2010
If you live in Western North Carolina, if you have ever been to a summer camp, if you have children of your own, or if you have ever been in a relationship, then this is a MUST read book. Set in Henderson County NC and centered on life in and around a popular local summer camp , Ms. Senahi has crafted a beautiful combination of thriller and love story backed with the foundation of solid local history. This novel will not disappoint!
March 1, 2010
I am ready for summer in the mountains again. I learned a bit about the area, summer camps and some of the inherent problems of growth. A wonderful story taken from the headlines of the day and lessons from the past.
January 3, 2012
There were some redeeming parts to this book, but it felt so disjointed to me! I believe the author was trying to keep the suspense level high, but, unfortunately, I felt like there were pages from the book missing!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews