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The Girl in the Woods
A deathbed confession has chilling consequences in this gripping novel of psychological suspense.
“I have to tell you something … I did something bad”.
Ever since her best friend Molly was murdered fifteen years before, Blair Butler has returned to her small hometown in the Pocono mountains as seldom as possible. Now she has been summoned home to see her terminally ill sister one last time – only for Celeste to make a shocking deathbed confession. Is it really true that the wrong man has spent fifteen years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit?
Having promised her dying sister that she would do her best to right the wrongs of the past, Blair sets out to discover what really happened that cold, wet November night fifteen years before: the night Molly’s battered body was found in the woods behind her home. But is Blair prepared for the shocking truth … ?
“I have to tell you something … I did something bad”.
Ever since her best friend Molly was murdered fifteen years before, Blair Butler has returned to her small hometown in the Pocono mountains as seldom as possible. Now she has been summoned home to see her terminally ill sister one last time – only for Celeste to make a shocking deathbed confession. Is it really true that the wrong man has spent fifteen years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit?
Having promised her dying sister that she would do her best to right the wrongs of the past, Blair sets out to discover what really happened that cold, wet November night fifteen years before: the night Molly’s battered body was found in the woods behind her home. But is Blair prepared for the shocking truth … ?
240 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2018
1938 people are currently reading
4994 people want to read
About the author
Patricia MacDonald
70 books557 followersLibrarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Patricia MacDonald is the author of several psychological suspense novels set in small towns. MacDonald grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut and has a master's degree from Boston College. Before writing her own novels she was a book editor and was once an editor for a soap opera magazine in New York. She is married to writer Art Bourgeau. They live in Cape May, New Jersey and have one daughter.
Her first novel, The Unforgiven, published in 1981, received an Edgar Award nomination from the Mystery Writers of America. Secret Admirer (1995) won the literary prize at the 1997 Deauville Film Festival in France, where MacDonald is consistently a number one bestseller. She’s also been awarded the prize for literature at the International Forum of Cinema and Literature in Monaco.
Patricia MacDonald is the author of several psychological suspense novels set in small towns. MacDonald grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut and has a master's degree from Boston College. Before writing her own novels she was a book editor and was once an editor for a soap opera magazine in New York. She is married to writer Art Bourgeau. They live in Cape May, New Jersey and have one daughter.
Her first novel, The Unforgiven, published in 1981, received an Edgar Award nomination from the Mystery Writers of America. Secret Admirer (1995) won the literary prize at the 1997 Deauville Film Festival in France, where MacDonald is consistently a number one bestseller. She’s also been awarded the prize for literature at the International Forum of Cinema and Literature in Monaco.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 575 reviews
June 21, 2019
Steadfast
After coming to visit Blair at her house, Molly is unceremoniously sent home alone by Blair's guardian, Uncle Ellis. Ellis is an unpleasant and bad-tempered character that clearly has issues showing just how hateful, uncaring and racist he is. Lumbered with two children to raise, he has become bitter and difficult, especially with his 13-year-old niece, Blair. That fateful night, Molly is murdered and her body dumped in the nearby woods before she ever reaches her own home. No-one knows for sure what happened, but a young black man, Adrian, is convicted of the murder based on the evidence that Molly’s phone was found in his car.
Fifteen years’ later, Blair’s sister Celeste is dying of cancer and on her deathbed reveals that she was with Adrian that night and she could have provided an alibi, but didn't. She claims that she and Adrian gave Molly a lift home and drove off leaving her at the bottom of her path. Celeste’s dying request of Blair is to put the record straight and help get Adrian (now Mohammad) released from jail. No-one has any interest in reopening the case, even if it means releasing an innocent man and finding the real killer. However, Blair made a promise to a dying sister and her conscience, sense of loyalty, family guilt and principles, all drive Blair forward to put the matter right.
The characters and their interactions all felt very real as the unravelling of the events of that night and potential other suspects, slowly and gradually materialise. This is a well written, believable plot where the natural investigation line, although at times extremely daunting and challenging, eventually bears fruit. The best approach to freeing Mohammad and finding justice is to find the real killer – but with that comes danger and that person may be closer than you think.
This was a really enthralling and captivating read that enables the reader to feel the frustration, guilt and determination Blair needs to resolve this crime. The ending finished well and wasn’t dragged out providing a great finish to a great plot.
I enjoyed this book and I'd recommend it. Many thanks to Severn House Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC version of the book in return for an honest review.
After coming to visit Blair at her house, Molly is unceremoniously sent home alone by Blair's guardian, Uncle Ellis. Ellis is an unpleasant and bad-tempered character that clearly has issues showing just how hateful, uncaring and racist he is. Lumbered with two children to raise, he has become bitter and difficult, especially with his 13-year-old niece, Blair. That fateful night, Molly is murdered and her body dumped in the nearby woods before she ever reaches her own home. No-one knows for sure what happened, but a young black man, Adrian, is convicted of the murder based on the evidence that Molly’s phone was found in his car.
Fifteen years’ later, Blair’s sister Celeste is dying of cancer and on her deathbed reveals that she was with Adrian that night and she could have provided an alibi, but didn't. She claims that she and Adrian gave Molly a lift home and drove off leaving her at the bottom of her path. Celeste’s dying request of Blair is to put the record straight and help get Adrian (now Mohammad) released from jail. No-one has any interest in reopening the case, even if it means releasing an innocent man and finding the real killer. However, Blair made a promise to a dying sister and her conscience, sense of loyalty, family guilt and principles, all drive Blair forward to put the matter right.
The characters and their interactions all felt very real as the unravelling of the events of that night and potential other suspects, slowly and gradually materialise. This is a well written, believable plot where the natural investigation line, although at times extremely daunting and challenging, eventually bears fruit. The best approach to freeing Mohammad and finding justice is to find the real killer – but with that comes danger and that person may be closer than you think.
This was a really enthralling and captivating read that enables the reader to feel the frustration, guilt and determination Blair needs to resolve this crime. The ending finished well and wasn’t dragged out providing a great finish to a great plot.
I enjoyed this book and I'd recommend it. Many thanks to Severn House Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC version of the book in return for an honest review.
April 15, 2021
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One of my long standing authors who often delivers a good satisfying thriller. And......she did it again.
I listened to this on audio as I’ve been way behind with my reading plans. This year and last year was my resolution to read more busting my backlist books and this is one of them.
A great thriller, it has a great plot, great characters and told so well.
If someone close to you told you they know a person who is in prison is innocent and they’d been serving their sentence for years what would you do?
What surrounds this statement is told so well you will get lost within the pages from start to finish.
July 4, 2019
A little girl dies on her way home from her best friend, Blair Butlers house. Fifteen years later, Blair returns to visit his dying sister, Celeste. Celeste reveals a secret on her deathbed. A secret that might have seen an innocent man go to prison. Blair sets out to find out exactly what happened the day Molly died.
Blair hires PI Tom Olson to help her find the truth and the person who murdered Molly. Blair had always blamed herself for the circumstances surrounding Molly's death. The pace is fast and the characters are believable. There are a few surprises along the way I liked the authors style of writing. A chilling and quite intense read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Black Thorn and the author Patricia MacDonald for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Blair hires PI Tom Olson to help her find the truth and the person who murdered Molly. Blair had always blamed herself for the circumstances surrounding Molly's death. The pace is fast and the characters are believable. There are a few surprises along the way I liked the authors style of writing. A chilling and quite intense read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Black Thorn and the author Patricia MacDonald for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2018
A little girl dies in the woods on the way home from her best friend's house. Years later, her best friend Blair Butler returns to her home town to see her dying sister. On her deathbed, her sister tells her a secret which sends Blair on a mission to find out what really happened to her friend all those years ago.
The plot of the book is pretty good; there is a good story and the author follows it through quite well with a couple of twists. Although I have to say I guessed almost straight away what the ending would be more or less, but there were a couple of little surprises. The background story of the protagonist, Blair, is also quite good. The story of her and her sister being brought up by their Nazi-loving, grumpy old uncle definitely brought some depth to the story.
However, for me that's where the depth begins and ends unfortunately. I found the writing to be a little bit stuttering and struggled to get into the author's style. I didn't really feel like any of the characters were brought to life; it was almost like getting a generic character card for each one and that's where it ended. The interaction between the characters was also strange because Blair was a little bit awkward, she is a loner and doesn't know many people in town, so there was no connection there. I didn't really see the point of setting her up with this new, important and successful job in the big city, only to have her pretty much ignore it completely, and it had nothing to do with anything whatsoever. It was just a character fail for me - I think I was meant to feel something for Blair but I just didn't really care about her at all.
All in all, it was an okay read, but it was a bit predictable and I wanted it to be a lot more tense and exciting. The story wasn't bad, but I wouldn't rush to read anything by this author again, and I wouldn't rush to recommend it to anyone.
The plot of the book is pretty good; there is a good story and the author follows it through quite well with a couple of twists. Although I have to say I guessed almost straight away what the ending would be more or less, but there were a couple of little surprises. The background story of the protagonist, Blair, is also quite good. The story of her and her sister being brought up by their Nazi-loving, grumpy old uncle definitely brought some depth to the story.
However, for me that's where the depth begins and ends unfortunately. I found the writing to be a little bit stuttering and struggled to get into the author's style. I didn't really feel like any of the characters were brought to life; it was almost like getting a generic character card for each one and that's where it ended. The interaction between the characters was also strange because Blair was a little bit awkward, she is a loner and doesn't know many people in town, so there was no connection there. I didn't really see the point of setting her up with this new, important and successful job in the big city, only to have her pretty much ignore it completely, and it had nothing to do with anything whatsoever. It was just a character fail for me - I think I was meant to feel something for Blair but I just didn't really care about her at all.
All in all, it was an okay read, but it was a bit predictable and I wanted it to be a lot more tense and exciting. The story wasn't bad, but I wouldn't rush to read anything by this author again, and I wouldn't rush to recommend it to anyone.
June 24, 2018
I wanted to slap Blair a bit too often.
July 12, 2018
DNF - 236 pages of repetition - how many times do we need to read how Molly was murdered or that Uncle Ellis was a racist? 1/3 of the way through I’m giving up before I fall asleep 😴.
August 7, 2019
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Blair Butler receives a phone call she was dreading. Her sister Celeste has just about lost her battle with cancer. She is now on hospice and Blair must travel to help settle her affairs, and that includes sorting out Celeste's young son's future. Blair barely makes it home in time. When she approaaches Celeste's bed, she hears a deathbed confession that rocks her to her very core.
When Blair was 13 years old, her best friend Molly was murdered and a man named Adrian Jones was convicted and has been in prison for years. Celeste tells Blair that Adrian is innocent and that another man has literally gotten away with murder.
Blair sets out to do two things. She desperately strives to exonerate Adrian, and she also tries to find the killer. Blair has no idea what secrets are about to be exposed and what danger she will soon be facing. For starters, the police do not take much stock in what Blair has to say, nor does Adrian or her mother. It appears to be a lost cause, but Blair is relentless.
So. Blair goes around the police by seeking the aid of a reporter named Rebecca Moore and even gets the help of a private investigator, Tom Olson. As a former police officer, Tom might really be able to help Blair. She wants justice served, not only for Molly's murder, but for the innocent man behind bars.
This was a fairly good story, and it went back and forth between the past and present. The history Blair and Celeste had, and how they came to live with their uncle was explored. However, when it came to getting close to discovering Molly's killer, there was an entirely different atmosphere and level of danger. This is my first read by Patricia MacDonald. I will definitely try another one of her books in the future.
Many thanks to Black Thorn and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
Blair Butler receives a phone call she was dreading. Her sister Celeste has just about lost her battle with cancer. She is now on hospice and Blair must travel to help settle her affairs, and that includes sorting out Celeste's young son's future. Blair barely makes it home in time. When she approaaches Celeste's bed, she hears a deathbed confession that rocks her to her very core.
When Blair was 13 years old, her best friend Molly was murdered and a man named Adrian Jones was convicted and has been in prison for years. Celeste tells Blair that Adrian is innocent and that another man has literally gotten away with murder.
Blair sets out to do two things. She desperately strives to exonerate Adrian, and she also tries to find the killer. Blair has no idea what secrets are about to be exposed and what danger she will soon be facing. For starters, the police do not take much stock in what Blair has to say, nor does Adrian or her mother. It appears to be a lost cause, but Blair is relentless.
So. Blair goes around the police by seeking the aid of a reporter named Rebecca Moore and even gets the help of a private investigator, Tom Olson. As a former police officer, Tom might really be able to help Blair. She wants justice served, not only for Molly's murder, but for the innocent man behind bars.
This was a fairly good story, and it went back and forth between the past and present. The history Blair and Celeste had, and how they came to live with their uncle was explored. However, when it came to getting close to discovering Molly's killer, there was an entirely different atmosphere and level of danger. This is my first read by Patricia MacDonald. I will definitely try another one of her books in the future.
Many thanks to Black Thorn and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 13, 2019
Blair's sister is dying. Blair thinks she is prepared for anything ...but she's wrong.
A gut-wrenching deathbed confession has Blair reliving a single night 15 years ago when her best friend, Molly, was brutally murdered and left in the woods.
But the confession means that the man who has been in prison for this murder may actually be innocent .. and the real killer is still out there.
This book reminded me of why I started reading this author many years ago. This is a well-written crime fiction .... the mystery itself is solid. There are no guns blazing, no high speed care chases, but the suspense is there all the same. The characters are finely drawn and memorable.
Many thanks to the author / Black Thorn Books / Netgalley for the freely given digital copy of this crime fiction, read and reviewed voluntarily. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
A gut-wrenching deathbed confession has Blair reliving a single night 15 years ago when her best friend, Molly, was brutally murdered and left in the woods.
But the confession means that the man who has been in prison for this murder may actually be innocent .. and the real killer is still out there.
This book reminded me of why I started reading this author many years ago. This is a well-written crime fiction .... the mystery itself is solid. There are no guns blazing, no high speed care chases, but the suspense is there all the same. The characters are finely drawn and memorable.
Many thanks to the author / Black Thorn Books / Netgalley for the freely given digital copy of this crime fiction, read and reviewed voluntarily. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
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May 30, 2018I had this book a couple weeks ago but couldn't finish it. I'm sick of stories with people dying of cancer and black guys being accused of murder. It's all so tired to me. That stuff goes on everyday but it doesn't mean I want to keep reading about it, because I don't.
I used to be a big fan of Patricia MacDonald but she hasn't written anything that truly grabbed me since Cast into Doubt.
I used to be a big fan of Patricia MacDonald but she hasn't written anything that truly grabbed me since Cast into Doubt.
July 9, 2019
I started off liking this book. I liked the premise--Blair hears her sister's deathbed confession that the man arrested for Blair's best friend's murder has been wrongly convicted and imprisoned for the past 15 years. Blair decides that it is her duty to get the man freed, but it isn't as easy as she thinks at first.
The narrative of this book is very uneven. Lots of stops and starts, although Blair is super smart and owns her own company she makes MANY terrible decisions that seem contrary to her purported intelligence.
And let me just mention that the book totally jumps the shark toward the end
There were so many plot holes--how this guy got convicted with no evidence was one of them. And so many non-issues just absolutely harped on--the uncle's Nazi collection, the fact that the convicted guy converted to become a Muslim and changed his name--totally no relevance yet mentioned over and over and over and over again.
This one just did not work for me at all. I have liked other books by this author so maybe this is a fluke.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
The narrative of this book is very uneven. Lots of stops and starts, although Blair is super smart and owns her own company she makes MANY terrible decisions that seem contrary to her purported intelligence.
And let me just mention that the book totally jumps the shark toward the end
There were so many plot holes--how this guy got convicted with no evidence was one of them. And so many non-issues just absolutely harped on--the uncle's Nazi collection, the fact that the convicted guy converted to become a Muslim and changed his name--totally no relevance yet mentioned over and over and over and over again.
This one just did not work for me at all. I have liked other books by this author so maybe this is a fluke.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
January 1, 2019
I don't understand all the 5 star reviews. This book isn't good. It's not well written and the characters border on caricatur-ish. I won't be reading any more of this author's books.
June 13, 2019
I like murder mysteries even if they occurred 15 years ago. Blair came back home to be with her sister Celeste in her final days. She hated her home town for 2 reasons her racist uncle and murder of her best friend Molly 15 years ago. Just before her death, Celeste revealed a secret, which had caused an innocent man to be incarcerated. Shocked at the injustice done, Blair went about trying to get the wrong corrected and in the process, find Molly's murderer.
My first book by Patricia MacDonald saw me cruising through my kindle at jet speed. The author's writing caused me to be immensely curious about the circumstances and what people remembered even after 15 years. Blair was a good amateur sleuth along with an ex-cop turned PI Tom who tried to get to the truth.
A few niggles caught my eye, minor discrepancies in the subplots were present. But they didn't really hamper the main investigation. Much better character development would have helped me connect to Blair more. I hope this series would continue so that I get to know more about them.
Overall, it was a gentle, fast read, just perfect for today when I am not well, and I needed something to distract my mind. It worked. On to my next book.
My first book by Patricia MacDonald saw me cruising through my kindle at jet speed. The author's writing caused me to be immensely curious about the circumstances and what people remembered even after 15 years. Blair was a good amateur sleuth along with an ex-cop turned PI Tom who tried to get to the truth.
A few niggles caught my eye, minor discrepancies in the subplots were present. But they didn't really hamper the main investigation. Much better character development would have helped me connect to Blair more. I hope this series would continue so that I get to know more about them.
Overall, it was a gentle, fast read, just perfect for today when I am not well, and I needed something to distract my mind. It worked. On to my next book.
January 9, 2019
Great audiobook! Kept my interest, but was also able to drive and not have to concentrate overly hard on what was being said etc.
Busy Blair receives a deathbed confession from her sister, and since it involves her preteen best friend, she feels obligated to make things right. The book follows Blair as she tries to unravel what really happened and who is to blame. Will definitely look for more work by the same author.
Busy Blair receives a deathbed confession from her sister, and since it involves her preteen best friend, she feels obligated to make things right. The book follows Blair as she tries to unravel what really happened and who is to blame. Will definitely look for more work by the same author.
April 29, 2023
This had nearly all the makings of a good thriller. The plot was so intriguing and the mystery pulled me right in. I wanted to know the final outcome. But some of the characters' decisions left me baffled. Some were a bit farfetched while others simply didn't line up with their personality.
June 27, 2018
I love Patricia MacDonald. Her characters are always complex and idiosyncratic. This book, however goes above and beyond her usual prose...and completely bowled me over.
The Girl in the Woods is an excellent book. My heart was literally racing at the end. My only complaint would be that she neededkbe more chapter to tie up Tom and Blair.
Other than that - amazing!!!
I would like to thank Patricia MacDonald, NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
The Girl in the Woods is an excellent book. My heart was literally racing at the end. My only complaint would be that she neededkbe more chapter to tie up Tom and Blair.
Other than that - amazing!!!
I would like to thank Patricia MacDonald, NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
April 10, 2023
Gripping thriller
Fantastic I loved everything about this book.
Fast pace, good plot, well defined characters and a good twist at the end. You're kept guessing who the killer is right until the closing chapters.
When Blair's friend Molly is killed as a child, a man is imprisoned but is he actually the killer.
This story has everything you'd expect from Patricia MacDonald and I highly recommend it.
Kerry Kennedy Author
Fantastic I loved everything about this book.
Fast pace, good plot, well defined characters and a good twist at the end. You're kept guessing who the killer is right until the closing chapters.
When Blair's friend Molly is killed as a child, a man is imprisoned but is he actually the killer.
This story has everything you'd expect from Patricia MacDonald and I highly recommend it.
Kerry Kennedy Author
March 29, 2020
Well this was a lot of fun - well, fun might not be the right word!
July 11, 2019
Blair's BFF, Molly was killed fifteen years ago at the age of thirteen. The man put in prison for it has maintained his innocence, and Blair is aghast when her sister confesses that she lied about being with him on the night of Molly's murder. Determined to get an innocent man out of prison, Blair begins to investigate what happened, but in doing so she stirs up things which were considered buried years ago.
I thought this was an engrossing read. It started off well, although it lost it a little towards the end, and Blair was a fairly sympathetic character. Too often female main characters are obnoxious rather than 'strong' but that wasn't the case here. The plot itself wasn't anything out of the ordinary but it worked rather well. Overall verdict: good read but probably wouldn't read it again. 3.5 stars
TWs mention of domestic violence, & brief sexual assault scene.
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Black Thorn, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
I thought this was an engrossing read. It started off well, although it lost it a little towards the end, and Blair was a fairly sympathetic character. Too often female main characters are obnoxious rather than 'strong' but that wasn't the case here. The plot itself wasn't anything out of the ordinary but it worked rather well. Overall verdict: good read but probably wouldn't read it again. 3.5 stars
TWs mention of domestic violence, & brief sexual assault scene.
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Black Thorn, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
June 6, 2023
Ça tournait un peu en rond au milieu, mais à partir du moment où l’action démarre, j’étais plutôt enthousiaste dans ma lecture!
C’est très américain, un peu invraisemblable… mais honnêtement, j’avais envie de ça! J’aime bien ce genre de thriller l’été. C’est simple, ça se lit super rapidement, plein de dialogues et la fin est plutôt prenante!
C’est très américain, un peu invraisemblable… mais honnêtement, j’avais envie de ça! J’aime bien ce genre de thriller l’été. C’est simple, ça se lit super rapidement, plein de dialogues et la fin est plutôt prenante!
January 3, 2024
Really enjoyed this book! Fast paced really good story line that keeps you interested all throughout the book!
June 13, 2019
Review to follow.
July 12, 2018
The Girl in the Woods by author Patricia MacDonald was a very twisty story. It is the story of Blair both before and after her move from home. At the age of 13, Blair's best friend Molly is murdered after her Uncle Ellis sends her home alone in the rain. Blair has always felt guilty about this situation. Uncle Ellis took the girls in after their mother died and he was not a very good guardian. he was bigoted, cheap, mean, and more. The only thing he did not seem to do was sexually or physically assault the girls. When Blair got the opportunity, she left, got a great education and started her own business. When she gets the call that her sister is now in hospice, she returns home to spend time with her in her last few days or weeks. Shortly before Celeste dies she whispers a confession to Blair that reveals that the man who has been in prison for 15 years for killing Molly is innocent. Blair is shocked and promises Celeste that she will do everything she can to free him. It is not easy to get those in authority to listen, believe, and become involved in freeing a convicted man. Blair realizes that it is up to her to find the real killer in order to keep her promise to Celeste. There are a lot of clues still out there and as Blair finds more and more information, the story takes several turns.
The characters in the story are all fascinating. Ellis Dietz, the crotchety uncle, is easy to dislike, until he does something that makes you think, maybe he is not all bad. The P.I. that Blair hires seems to not care about the case, but then does everything he can to help Blair. The newspaper reporter who starts off helping Blair, leaves her high and dry when it benefits her. Even Blair's young nephew has to make some pretty heavy decisions and as young people often do, takes a misstep along the way that could be very dangerous.
The Girl in the Woods by author Patricia MacDonald was a good story. I enjoyed the book not only for the psychological suspense but also for the questions it brought to my mind about the whole plot of the story. What would you do in this situation? The thing I did not like was that there were several themes that seemed to be taken from various stories and lumped together in this book. I did figure out who the murderer was early in the story, but not why. I liked this book and once I started reading I finished it quickly as I wanted to see what would happen next. Those who enjoy thriller/suspense stories, will enjoy this one. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
The characters in the story are all fascinating. Ellis Dietz, the crotchety uncle, is easy to dislike, until he does something that makes you think, maybe he is not all bad. The P.I. that Blair hires seems to not care about the case, but then does everything he can to help Blair. The newspaper reporter who starts off helping Blair, leaves her high and dry when it benefits her. Even Blair's young nephew has to make some pretty heavy decisions and as young people often do, takes a misstep along the way that could be very dangerous.
The Girl in the Woods by author Patricia MacDonald was a good story. I enjoyed the book not only for the psychological suspense but also for the questions it brought to my mind about the whole plot of the story. What would you do in this situation? The thing I did not like was that there were several themes that seemed to be taken from various stories and lumped together in this book. I did figure out who the murderer was early in the story, but not why. I liked this book and once I started reading I finished it quickly as I wanted to see what would happen next. Those who enjoy thriller/suspense stories, will enjoy this one. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
June 29, 2018
The Girl in the Woods is a quick and in many ways enjoyable read, but it is also annoying. The story revolves around Blair who is determined to free the man falsely convicted of murdering her best friend 15 years ago after her dying sister confesses to her that she could have vindicated him. A few complex characters, like the sister, who allows an innocent man to go to jail, and a Nazi-loving uncle, who MacDonald manages to make somewhat sympathetic, are strong points of the novel. But many other characters, including Blair, are run of the mill. The plot kept my interest, but was also at times exasperatingly unbelievable. Blair unconvincingly abandons her demanding business in a single-minded determination to hunt down the real killer. She could have let the private investigator she hires handle it, but, no, she has to accompany him on his investigation.
At the end Blair ridiculously confronts a man who is extremely suspicious, when she should have run off. After she’s captured by this low life, she manages to clobber him with a homemade weapon, but, for some reason, only once, allowing him to come at her again after he’s only briefly unconsciousness. The ending is also not very original, having lots of ties to the movie Room.
At the end Blair ridiculously confronts a man who is extremely suspicious, when she should have run off. After she’s captured by this low life, she manages to clobber him with a homemade weapon, but, for some reason, only once, allowing him to come at her again after he’s only briefly unconsciousness. The ending is also not very original, having lots of ties to the movie Room.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2023
This was honestly terrible. I’m unsure who was reviewing it but the story was bad, the characters and development were bad, the repetitive writing was also bad. Not one thing about this book was enjoyable. I finished it only to see the outcome but I wish I could get all those minutes back. The best way to describe this book is when a 7 year old wants to tell you a story about something and the story is about absolutely nothing but also took them 45 minutes to tell you. Not to forget the incongruities within the book, the things that don’t make sense: did the cell phone never ring and go to voicemail or was it ringing for the whole ringtone in a field? Is the child a toddler or is the child having full on conversations with adults like a 10 year old? Just awful
January 27, 2020
When there are very few characters in a novel it is VERY easy to pick out the murderer which takes most of the suspense away. I am pretty sure that the author had read Room by Emma Donoghue. Don't bother!
February 28, 2023
didnt enjoy this one at all. the ending is where it picked up, but it wasnt thrilling (to me).
May 24, 2018
The Girl in the Woods by Patricia MacDonald is a gripping mystery about a young woman's attempt to exonerate a man wrongly convicted of murder.
Blair Butler has come a long way from her small home town where she lived with her older sister Celeste and their bigoted uncle who raised them after their mom's death. Blair went on to college and owns a thriving business with two college friends. Celeste became a single mother and still lives with their Uncle Ellis Dietz. Blair has no choice but to return the small town where Celeste's battle with cancer is about to come to its sad conclusion. However, before she dies, Celeste makes a stunning confession to her about the murder of Blair's childhood friend, Molly Sinclair, who died fifteen years earlier. Now Blair feels like she has no choice but to act on this new information, but local police are in no hurry to re-open the case in which the killer has already been convicted and is serving out his prison sentence. Blair wants justice for her friend and she enlists the aid of private investigator Tom Olson to help her uncover the truth. However, a killer who has gotten away with murder for the past fifteen years will go to any lengths to stop Blair and Tom from unmasking his or her identity.
Blair has always blamed herself for the circumstances that led to Molly's death. Her business needs her attention but despite her best efforts, she cannot walk away from this new information. She does not waste any time informing the police about the details Celeste disclosed to her right before her death. When they refuse to re-open the case, Blair feels duty bound to investigate the case herself and she first teams up with a local news reporter to search for answers. When this arrangement quickly falls through, Blair is ready to concede defeat, but she cannot in good conscience leave town without trying one last time to find someone who can look into the case for her.
With no one else to turn to, Blair hires former cop and current private investigator Tom Olson to help her find Molly's killer. Tom is not exactly hopeful he can unearth the truth, but he nonetheless agrees to take the case. Blair's plans to leave town are once again scuttled when she does not trust Tom to follow through with his end of their bargain. With the new lead that Blair has uncovered, she and Tom resume their investigation and she notices a puzzling detail that takes the case in a very unexpected and shocking direction. Blair's curiosity then puts her harm's way and she is uncertain whether or not she can escape from an increasingly dangerous situation.
The Girl in the Woods is a fast-paced and absorbing mystery. Blair is a likeable and sympathetic protagonist who learns and grows from her unexpected experiences in her hometown. Savvy readers will most likely figure out the perpetrator's identity but Patricia MacDonald has a few surprises as the novel comes to an action-filled conclusion. A nice amateur sleuth mystery than fans of the genre will enjoy.
Blair Butler has come a long way from her small home town where she lived with her older sister Celeste and their bigoted uncle who raised them after their mom's death. Blair went on to college and owns a thriving business with two college friends. Celeste became a single mother and still lives with their Uncle Ellis Dietz. Blair has no choice but to return the small town where Celeste's battle with cancer is about to come to its sad conclusion. However, before she dies, Celeste makes a stunning confession to her about the murder of Blair's childhood friend, Molly Sinclair, who died fifteen years earlier. Now Blair feels like she has no choice but to act on this new information, but local police are in no hurry to re-open the case in which the killer has already been convicted and is serving out his prison sentence. Blair wants justice for her friend and she enlists the aid of private investigator Tom Olson to help her uncover the truth. However, a killer who has gotten away with murder for the past fifteen years will go to any lengths to stop Blair and Tom from unmasking his or her identity.
Blair has always blamed herself for the circumstances that led to Molly's death. Her business needs her attention but despite her best efforts, she cannot walk away from this new information. She does not waste any time informing the police about the details Celeste disclosed to her right before her death. When they refuse to re-open the case, Blair feels duty bound to investigate the case herself and she first teams up with a local news reporter to search for answers. When this arrangement quickly falls through, Blair is ready to concede defeat, but she cannot in good conscience leave town without trying one last time to find someone who can look into the case for her.
With no one else to turn to, Blair hires former cop and current private investigator Tom Olson to help her find Molly's killer. Tom is not exactly hopeful he can unearth the truth, but he nonetheless agrees to take the case. Blair's plans to leave town are once again scuttled when she does not trust Tom to follow through with his end of their bargain. With the new lead that Blair has uncovered, she and Tom resume their investigation and she notices a puzzling detail that takes the case in a very unexpected and shocking direction. Blair's curiosity then puts her harm's way and she is uncertain whether or not she can escape from an increasingly dangerous situation.
The Girl in the Woods is a fast-paced and absorbing mystery. Blair is a likeable and sympathetic protagonist who learns and grows from her unexpected experiences in her hometown. Savvy readers will most likely figure out the perpetrator's identity but Patricia MacDonald has a few surprises as the novel comes to an action-filled conclusion. A nice amateur sleuth mystery than fans of the genre will enjoy.
January 6, 2022
This book was OK. I felt that it lacked depth as well as character development. The plot was decent, however the ending was predictable and some chapters just dragged on with unnecessary filler sentences. I think this read is more a YA Thriller.
August 20, 2018
This was a quick quasi thriller. I figured out who the killer was relatively early, but wasn't expecting another twist in the book. It occupied me for a couple of hours. A decent read.
April 27, 2018
A chilling twisty turning thriller by Patricia Macdonald whose books I always enjoy.From the deathbed confession I have to tell you I di d something wrong I was drawn in could not put down,
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