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The Woods
Two girls went down to the woods…
But only one came back
There's a lot from Tess's childhood that she would rather forget. The family who moved next door and brought chaos to their quiet lives. The two girls who were murdered, their killer never found. But the only thing she can't remember is the one thing she wishes she could.
Ten years ago, Tess's older sister died. Ruled a tragic accident, the only witness was Tess herself, but she has never been able to remember what happened that night in the woods.
Now living in London, Tess has resolved to put the trauma behind her. But an emergency call from her father forces her back to the family home, back to where her sister's body was found, and to the memories she thought were lost forever…
But only one came back
There's a lot from Tess's childhood that she would rather forget. The family who moved next door and brought chaos to their quiet lives. The two girls who were murdered, their killer never found. But the only thing she can't remember is the one thing she wishes she could.
Ten years ago, Tess's older sister died. Ruled a tragic accident, the only witness was Tess herself, but she has never been able to remember what happened that night in the woods.
Now living in London, Tess has resolved to put the trauma behind her. But an emergency call from her father forces her back to the family home, back to where her sister's body was found, and to the memories she thought were lost forever…
384 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2020
70 people are currently reading
4998 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
September 22, 2020
Two sisters go into the woods but only one comes out. The one left alive doesn't remember what happened. Two entwined families, other missing girls and well so much is included it is hard to follow what any of it means. Had trouble engaging as the story seemed to go round and round and by the time of the big reveal, I already had guessed most of what happened. Repetitive, and continuing drama, two things that made this a less than satisfactory read.
ARC from Netgalley.
ARC from Netgalley.
September 8, 2020
"Always her, never me. Even if she weren't in my dreams, her ghost would still be with me."
I DNFed The Woods twice because I just couldn't get into it before but I decided to push through and it was worth it in the end. It was heavier on the family drama with a bit of thriller here and there. Usually I don't like these kind of books because I feel cheated. You either go all out on thrillers or not at all. The thing that sucked me in this story was the characters themselves and their complex relationships with each other. I wouldn't enjoyed this as much if the characters were far from stellar. I sympathized some of them while the others I want to strangle. As for the ending, it was good. No crazy twist or whatsoever but still reasonable.
"It's no wonder I can't remember what happened-I've been running from everything that reminds me of that summer, living a life that isn't mine, that I never wanted."
I DNFed The Woods twice because I just couldn't get into it before but I decided to push through and it was worth it in the end. It was heavier on the family drama with a bit of thriller here and there. Usually I don't like these kind of books because I feel cheated. You either go all out on thrillers or not at all. The thing that sucked me in this story was the characters themselves and their complex relationships with each other. I wouldn't enjoyed this as much if the characters were far from stellar. I sympathized some of them while the others I want to strangle. As for the ending, it was good. No crazy twist or whatsoever but still reasonable.
"It's no wonder I can't remember what happened-I've been running from everything that reminds me of that summer, living a life that isn't mine, that I never wanted."
December 9, 2020
Wow I'm totally REELING!! Vanessa Savage, you have done it again! You have gutted me with yet ANOTHER genre defying, macabre, exquisitely well-written novel of two tragic sisters that will most likely haunt me for many months to come!! This is one of those incredible novels that is so hard to put down once you have started it, I had no choice but to continue reading, and I have no idea why I waited so long to do so! The book literally sad there in all its beauty on my bookshelf for months before I decided to give it a shot! I'm so thankful I decided to give it a go, because it's what my heart needed!
Honestly, this tale could be classified as a family drama, a love story, a psychological suspense, a thriller, and even a horror as it very much developed into a ghost story of sorts, and boy was I not expecting that! Needless to say The Woods is a story about one awful night when two sisters go deep into the woods and only one comes back out alive. Only Tess knows what happened to her 18 year old older sister Arabella that night, but she's blocked it out and can't remember any details of that night. Only years later when a family emergency calls her back to the family estate do bits and pieces of her memory SLOWLY come back to her. Why were she and Bella in the woods that night? Was Bella's death an accident or intentional? Was she yet another victim of the serial killer terrorizing the countryside and killing teenaged girls?? How are Bella's friends connected, if at all? These were just some of the elements and questions in this fantastic novel, but there was so much more than that and I highly recommend this to pretty much everyone! The novel jumps back and forth from 2008 when the tragic death occurred to the present, slowly unraveling revealing Tess's deeply buried memories. The anticipation almost drove me crazy, but I'm so glad I stuck it out because the final chapter blew me away! Savage is 2-0 for me, as I enjoyed her debut novel The Woman in the Dark immensely giving it 5 Stars as well. I absolutely cannot wait for her third novel!
Honestly, this tale could be classified as a family drama, a love story, a psychological suspense, a thriller, and even a horror as it very much developed into a ghost story of sorts, and boy was I not expecting that! Needless to say The Woods is a story about one awful night when two sisters go deep into the woods and only one comes back out alive. Only Tess knows what happened to her 18 year old older sister Arabella that night, but she's blocked it out and can't remember any details of that night. Only years later when a family emergency calls her back to the family estate do bits and pieces of her memory SLOWLY come back to her. Why were she and Bella in the woods that night? Was Bella's death an accident or intentional? Was she yet another victim of the serial killer terrorizing the countryside and killing teenaged girls?? How are Bella's friends connected, if at all? These were just some of the elements and questions in this fantastic novel, but there was so much more than that and I highly recommend this to pretty much everyone! The novel jumps back and forth from 2008 when the tragic death occurred to the present, slowly unraveling revealing Tess's deeply buried memories. The anticipation almost drove me crazy, but I'm so glad I stuck it out because the final chapter blew me away! Savage is 2-0 for me, as I enjoyed her debut novel The Woman in the Dark immensely giving it 5 Stars as well. I absolutely cannot wait for her third novel!
January 23, 2020
Two girls went into the woods but only one girl came back out. Ten years ago, Tess's older sister died. It was ruled a tragic accident. Tess was the only witness. But she has to go back to the family home. Back to face her memories that she thought were lost forever.
The author builds up the two sisters characters throughout the story. This is a well written, gripping, page turning and tense psychological thriller. The characters are well rounded and the plotline believable. At times, it can be quite a disturbing read. The ending is executed satisfactory.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group and the author Vanessa Savage for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The author builds up the two sisters characters throughout the story. This is a well written, gripping, page turning and tense psychological thriller. The characters are well rounded and the plotline believable. At times, it can be quite a disturbing read. The ending is executed satisfactory.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group and the author Vanessa Savage for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 8, 2020
Quick thoughts: Two sisters went to the woods, but only one came back alive. Ten years later, Tess is still trying to remember what happened to her sister. I enjoyed this atmospheric and well-written thriller that grabbed me from the very start.
Thank you the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Thank you the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
May 31, 2022
The striking cover instantly jumped out at me and in turn proved to be a great pick as my first experience from this author led to a gripping and tense read.
The plot follows Tess who has answered her father's plea of returning home as her step mother is dying.
It's here that Tess had discovered the body of elder sister Bella in the woods 10 years previously.
Traumatised so much by the event, Tess has no recollection of that night.
The narrative cleverly jumps between Now and Then as the various layers are revealed.
As the slowly suspenseful kept me hooked whilst they way Tess has had to deal with the fallout from the previous decade made for a tough but reverting read.
The plot follows Tess who has answered her father's plea of returning home as her step mother is dying.
It's here that Tess had discovered the body of elder sister Bella in the woods 10 years previously.
Traumatised so much by the event, Tess has no recollection of that night.
The narrative cleverly jumps between Now and Then as the various layers are revealed.
As the slowly suspenseful kept me hooked whilst they way Tess has had to deal with the fallout from the previous decade made for a tough but reverting read.
January 31, 2020
The Woods is the latest psychological thriller from writer Vanessa Savage and introduces us to Tess Cooper. Tess is a secondary school teacher residing in London when she receives an urgent call from her father back in the chocolate-box village of West Dean in the Vale of Glamorgan imploring her to come back home as her stepmother, Julia, is close to death. This terrifies Tess so much that she starts to have nightmares, become completely paranoid and hallucinate. She knew this day would come but had managed to sweep any thoughts of it aside pretty successfully until the dreaded phone call. The catalyst that led to her leaving a decade ago was her sister Bella’s death and to make matters worse it took place on her father and stepmother's wedding day. It was ruled as a tragic accident and although Tess woke up next to Bella’s lifeless body she had no idea what had happened and has not regained her memory of the events of the night in question since.
This is a compulsive, superbly plotted and thoroughly addictive read and Tess is the ultimate unreliable narrator making for a totally unpredictable story. It was much more chilling and disturbing than the synopsis suggests and the deliciously dark yarn builds the tension slowly over the course of the novel. The plethora of twists and turns were difficult to see coming and Bella’s death continues to be the focal point. I have read quite a few woods-based thrillers of late yet many of them fail to create the tense atmosphere Savage manages to conjure here. The woods seem so important to the book that they are almost a character in themselves and they created a sense of foreboding that ran throughout. The atmospheric descriptions of the scenery and the weather give me hope that Ms Savage can become a big name in the crime writing community. Many thanks to Sphere for an ARC.
This is a compulsive, superbly plotted and thoroughly addictive read and Tess is the ultimate unreliable narrator making for a totally unpredictable story. It was much more chilling and disturbing than the synopsis suggests and the deliciously dark yarn builds the tension slowly over the course of the novel. The plethora of twists and turns were difficult to see coming and Bella’s death continues to be the focal point. I have read quite a few woods-based thrillers of late yet many of them fail to create the tense atmosphere Savage manages to conjure here. The woods seem so important to the book that they are almost a character in themselves and they created a sense of foreboding that ran throughout. The atmospheric descriptions of the scenery and the weather give me hope that Ms Savage can become a big name in the crime writing community. Many thanks to Sphere for an ARC.
October 16, 2019
I started The Woods meaning to just see how it might shape up but then it seemed I’d barely taken a breath and I was done. Utterly addictive, totally compelling and beautifully plotted throughout.
The unreliable narrator trope has been popular for a while to differing standards – in Tess we have a classic example of how to do it really really well- she is unreliable and knows it- yet she is determined to uncover the truth. But is it a truth she can live with?
The group dynamic of fractured and reformed family is intensely involving, set during a Summer when a killer is on the loose. In present day the group return home to sit at the deathbed of one of their own- but old rivalries and half remembered events set up a collision course of repercussions..
It really is an excellent psychological thriller, atmospheric and disturbing both in character and event and the ending is perfectly done. Wonderful.
Highly Recommended .
October 12, 2025
#️⃣5️⃣5️⃣6️⃣ Read & Reviewed in 2025 🍩🧁
Date : 🗓️ Friday, October 10, 2025 🎁💐🍝
Word Count📃: 97k Words 🎉🍬✨
— !! 𖦹「 ✦ 🍪 Happy Birthday🎂 ✦ 」✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
My 31th read in "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!!! :DDDD 👏🍭🍨" October.
2️⃣🌟, yeah idk about this, this is pretty much common mystery already
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
Tess is the only witness in her older sister's tragic accident 10 years ago. In the present, her neighbors act suspiciously suspicious. Two girls get murdered and the killer wasnt found yet. This is essentially a pretty common psychological already and something that i don't find any of it too interesting as it seems that the plot is already overused and 'suspicious neighbors' are indefinitely i think that i've read too many times already. If you're used to this type of mystery i think you already guess what the ending would be. Yes this book is pretty predictable and even then it does things a little bit differently so small plus points to uniqueness for that. It is very repetitive and everything just goes around in circles especially with the information that is presented and given to the readers to piece out what is actually happening. The 'big reveal' is not really that big of a reveal after all and its boring from start to finish. You can compress this book to 100 pages shorter and it would still be the same thing, there are many filler conversations and many meaningless information scatter all throughout this book that is just a bore to read.
The family drama is there i guess. Dysfunctional families being dysfunctional and abusive, yep that's in here. It's not doing anything new though so that part of the book is still pretty uninteresting.
Date : 🗓️ Friday, October 10, 2025 🎁💐🍝
Word Count📃: 97k Words 🎉🍬✨
— !! 𖦹「 ✦ 🍪 Happy Birthday🎂 ✦ 」✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
My 31th read in "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!!! :DDDD 👏🍭🍨" October.
2️⃣🌟, yeah idk about this, this is pretty much common mystery already
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
Tess is the only witness in her older sister's tragic accident 10 years ago. In the present, her neighbors act suspiciously suspicious. Two girls get murdered and the killer wasnt found yet. This is essentially a pretty common psychological already and something that i don't find any of it too interesting as it seems that the plot is already overused and 'suspicious neighbors' are indefinitely i think that i've read too many times already. If you're used to this type of mystery i think you already guess what the ending would be. Yes this book is pretty predictable and even then it does things a little bit differently so small plus points to uniqueness for that. It is very repetitive and everything just goes around in circles especially with the information that is presented and given to the readers to piece out what is actually happening. The 'big reveal' is not really that big of a reveal after all and its boring from start to finish. You can compress this book to 100 pages shorter and it would still be the same thing, there are many filler conversations and many meaningless information scatter all throughout this book that is just a bore to read.
The family drama is there i guess. Dysfunctional families being dysfunctional and abusive, yep that's in here. It's not doing anything new though so that part of the book is still pretty uninteresting.
November 20, 2020
Almost exactly a year ago, I read Vanessa Savage's debut novel "The Woman in the Dark". Ever since then I've been eager to read more of her work.
This psychological thriller, set in an atmospheric locale on the borders of a forest in the Vale of Glamorgan, in Wales, proved to be another enjoyable read.
The novel explores themes of loss, jealousy, lies, secrets, sibling relationships, betrayal, and yes... murder. The author seems to have an innate knowledge and understanding of the insecurities of teenagers. Their mercurial mood swings, their crushes, and their angst.
I recommended this novel to anyone who enjoys thrillers with unstable characters who have grave and burdensome secrets.
This psychological thriller, set in an atmospheric locale on the borders of a forest in the Vale of Glamorgan, in Wales, proved to be another enjoyable read.
The novel explores themes of loss, jealousy, lies, secrets, sibling relationships, betrayal, and yes... murder. The author seems to have an innate knowledge and understanding of the insecurities of teenagers. Their mercurial mood swings, their crushes, and their angst.
I recommended this novel to anyone who enjoys thrillers with unstable characters who have grave and burdensome secrets.
September 28, 2020
So excited I got a chance to read The Woods. I hadn’t heard of this one but I’m so happy I picked it up. It had a thrilling premise which includes memory loss, murder, a dramatic group of friends, and the very creepy woods. The story surrounds Tess, who lost her sister when she was younger. Around that time there was an active serial killer who was killing girls in the area and was never found. Tess has memory loss about the time her sister died and when she goes home to see family, some of the memories start coming back. What follows is a twisted family drama with lots of creepy undertones.
Thoughts: This book was more of a family mystery than a thriller, but the woods setting was super creepy. I loved all the characters in this one and how they were all connected in different ways. There were a few stories to follow and it was interesting to see how they would all end up connecting. This book was so well-written and really kept my attention throughout the story. I thought there were some details that didn’t need to be added or that were overexplained, but overall I really enjoyed the journey this book took me on. 4-stars!
Thoughts: This book was more of a family mystery than a thriller, but the woods setting was super creepy. I loved all the characters in this one and how they were all connected in different ways. There were a few stories to follow and it was interesting to see how they would all end up connecting. This book was so well-written and really kept my attention throughout the story. I thought there were some details that didn’t need to be added or that were overexplained, but overall I really enjoyed the journey this book took me on. 4-stars!
January 31, 2020
I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
This book is a tense psychological thriller that keeps you guessing and trying to piece the story together after each page.
This is quite a dark read and quite disturbing in parts but I couldn't put it down.
The book goes back and forth between the present day and 10 years ago when the main characters sister died but was it an accident or was she murdered? Read and find out!
This book is a tense psychological thriller that keeps you guessing and trying to piece the story together after each page.
This is quite a dark read and quite disturbing in parts but I couldn't put it down.
The book goes back and forth between the present day and 10 years ago when the main characters sister died but was it an accident or was she murdered? Read and find out!
Want to read
September 30, 2020
August 21, 2020
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy.
This is the second book I've read by Vanessa Savage, having read and loved The Woman in the Dark last year. This author is absolutely going on my must-read list. There is just something about her writing that I find so compelling.
Once again, we have another completely atmospheric read that just pulled me right in. This latest book is so complex and with a host of characters, this one really kept me glued to the pages. What really happened to Tess's sister Bella all those years ago? Now that she has been called back to her childhood home, Tess is determined to get to the bottom of it. Problem is, she hasn't been able to remember the events of that night and she hasn't been able to sleep since she's been back. Can we rely on her to accurately give us details of what happened? But what about the others? Can we believe their accounts?
I loved the way this book was told. Right away, I was suspicious of everyone and it really kept me on my toes and made it hard to put the book down because I wanted to get to the bottom of things. Everyone involved had secrets of their own, which made it that much more difficult to point the finger.
This is such an addictive, unpredictable read and because Tess cannot remember the events of what happened the night Bella died, it causes her to be somewhat of an unreliable narrator. The rest of the cast of characters prove to be quite suspicious in their own right, and the setting, that of the woods, makes for such a creepy, atmospheric read proves to be quite foreboding in and of itself. The tension and suspense slowly builds with unexpected twists and turns that really keeping you on edge. It all combines to bring you to a stunning conclusion, one that I did not see coming at all! I loved every second of this book and highly recommend it.
You can see all my reviews at: http://alwayswithabook.blogspot.com
This is the second book I've read by Vanessa Savage, having read and loved The Woman in the Dark last year. This author is absolutely going on my must-read list. There is just something about her writing that I find so compelling.
Once again, we have another completely atmospheric read that just pulled me right in. This latest book is so complex and with a host of characters, this one really kept me glued to the pages. What really happened to Tess's sister Bella all those years ago? Now that she has been called back to her childhood home, Tess is determined to get to the bottom of it. Problem is, she hasn't been able to remember the events of that night and she hasn't been able to sleep since she's been back. Can we rely on her to accurately give us details of what happened? But what about the others? Can we believe their accounts?
I loved the way this book was told. Right away, I was suspicious of everyone and it really kept me on my toes and made it hard to put the book down because I wanted to get to the bottom of things. Everyone involved had secrets of their own, which made it that much more difficult to point the finger.
This is such an addictive, unpredictable read and because Tess cannot remember the events of what happened the night Bella died, it causes her to be somewhat of an unreliable narrator. The rest of the cast of characters prove to be quite suspicious in their own right, and the setting, that of the woods, makes for such a creepy, atmospheric read proves to be quite foreboding in and of itself. The tension and suspense slowly builds with unexpected twists and turns that really keeping you on edge. It all combines to bring you to a stunning conclusion, one that I did not see coming at all! I loved every second of this book and highly recommend it.
You can see all my reviews at: http://alwayswithabook.blogspot.com
August 19, 2020
There is an extremely sinister atmosphere permeating the pages of this haunting story,creeping through the book like the fog that creeps across the fields and spreads its misty blanket through the trees. Shrouding objects and making them appear otherworldly and unrecognisable. The winds whistling through the trees
whispering of long buried secrets,deceptions,lies and betrayals in a mesmerising story that has fingers that reach back into the past.
Ten years have passed since Tess Cooper left the small village of West Dean in the Vale Of Glamorgan where she grew up. In all that time she has had no contact with any of the group that she used to hang out with during her teenage years, Max,Lena Jack and Sean. Ten years since her sister Bella`s death on the night that their dad Joe married Jack and Sean`s mother Julia, a night that Tess has no memory of. Through all that time, Tess`s dreams have been haunted by the woods around West Dean where Bella`s body was found.
But now Julia is dying and Joe has begged Tess to return home and visit her step mother before she dies. When Max contacts Tess and offers her a lift,she feels that she has no choice but to return to her childhood home. But soon old animosities rise to the surface and Tess swiftly discovers that,sometimes,the past cannot be laid to rest. Why can't Tess remember what happened on that fateful night? Was Bella murdered or was her death a tragic accident? There are many secrets that have stayed hidden for many years and there are certain people who would prefer that they stayed that way.
The story is narrated from Tess`s point of view and has chapters that flip back and forth between now and the events in the past that led up to Bella`s death. I spent most of the book not liking any of the characters in either time frame but like any good thriller there was characters who were not who they appeared to be and by the time I finished the book I ending up changing my mind about one of the characters. I thought teenage Tess was a very annoying character for various reasons.Despite Bella also having her dislikable moments I did feel a lot of sympathy for her. She was trying to be a average teenage girl and have a bit of fun. I loved the setting for this story,I love books that feature woods and forests in the story. I think they add their own character and are both spooky and sinister even when you walk through them in broad daylight.
The woods is an extremely well written,tightly plotted debut thriller that had me hooked in from the first page and frantically turning the pages. Once I started reading this book,I honestly didn't want to put it down. This is definitely one of my favourite books of this year and I look forward to reading more books written by this talented author in the future. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
whispering of long buried secrets,deceptions,lies and betrayals in a mesmerising story that has fingers that reach back into the past.
Ten years have passed since Tess Cooper left the small village of West Dean in the Vale Of Glamorgan where she grew up. In all that time she has had no contact with any of the group that she used to hang out with during her teenage years, Max,Lena Jack and Sean. Ten years since her sister Bella`s death on the night that their dad Joe married Jack and Sean`s mother Julia, a night that Tess has no memory of. Through all that time, Tess`s dreams have been haunted by the woods around West Dean where Bella`s body was found.
But now Julia is dying and Joe has begged Tess to return home and visit her step mother before she dies. When Max contacts Tess and offers her a lift,she feels that she has no choice but to return to her childhood home. But soon old animosities rise to the surface and Tess swiftly discovers that,sometimes,the past cannot be laid to rest. Why can't Tess remember what happened on that fateful night? Was Bella murdered or was her death a tragic accident? There are many secrets that have stayed hidden for many years and there are certain people who would prefer that they stayed that way.
The story is narrated from Tess`s point of view and has chapters that flip back and forth between now and the events in the past that led up to Bella`s death. I spent most of the book not liking any of the characters in either time frame but like any good thriller there was characters who were not who they appeared to be and by the time I finished the book I ending up changing my mind about one of the characters. I thought teenage Tess was a very annoying character for various reasons.Despite Bella also having her dislikable moments I did feel a lot of sympathy for her. She was trying to be a average teenage girl and have a bit of fun. I loved the setting for this story,I love books that feature woods and forests in the story. I think they add their own character and are both spooky and sinister even when you walk through them in broad daylight.
The woods is an extremely well written,tightly plotted debut thriller that had me hooked in from the first page and frantically turning the pages. Once I started reading this book,I honestly didn't want to put it down. This is definitely one of my favourite books of this year and I look forward to reading more books written by this talented author in the future. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
May 28, 2022
I found this book a bit boring. It kept repeating the same things without going anywhere. I carried on reading as I wanted to know the ending but I was disappointed as like the rest of the book it was boring. I didn't like any of the characters and didn't find them believable
April 3, 2022
Full of twists
February 17, 2020
I seem to have a penchant for mysteries surrounding disappearances and murders in the woods. They tend to unsettle me and yet I still find myself gravitating towards them! Even though The Woods is atmospheric rather than creepy, it was still a wonderful story, and one I immensely enjoyed.
Tess and her sister went into the woods one day, but only one came back. Ten years later, Tess must return home to deal with the imminent death of her stepmother. What happened in the woods that day, ten years ago, and what was Tess' role in the tragedy, if any?
From the beginning, there is a very powerful and commanding atmosphere about this book. There’s a sense of disquiet that seeps from its pages into the reader’s mind. The woods themselves are a ominous presence over the story and characters, and I loved that Vanessa Savage gave them an identity of their own, just as though they were another character.
With past and present colliding to devastating effect, where The Woods really excelled was within its mystery. Tess was a remarkably unreliable narrator, and so ascertaining the truth was by no means straightforward. The result was that I genuinely had no idea where the plot was heading and I didn’t know which of Tess’ recollections to believe nor if her judgement was completely skewed regarding her relationships. Chilling in its intensity, addictive and twisty, this was an incredibly good read and the masterful storytelling of Vanessa Savage did not disappoint. Very highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Little, Brown Book Group UK/Sphere via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
Tess and her sister went into the woods one day, but only one came back. Ten years later, Tess must return home to deal with the imminent death of her stepmother. What happened in the woods that day, ten years ago, and what was Tess' role in the tragedy, if any?
From the beginning, there is a very powerful and commanding atmosphere about this book. There’s a sense of disquiet that seeps from its pages into the reader’s mind. The woods themselves are a ominous presence over the story and characters, and I loved that Vanessa Savage gave them an identity of their own, just as though they were another character.
With past and present colliding to devastating effect, where The Woods really excelled was within its mystery. Tess was a remarkably unreliable narrator, and so ascertaining the truth was by no means straightforward. The result was that I genuinely had no idea where the plot was heading and I didn’t know which of Tess’ recollections to believe nor if her judgement was completely skewed regarding her relationships. Chilling in its intensity, addictive and twisty, this was an incredibly good read and the masterful storytelling of Vanessa Savage did not disappoint. Very highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Little, Brown Book Group UK/Sphere via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
April 4, 2020
I had high hopes for this one but it just dragged. There isn't really enough happening to warrant the 400 pages and what little does happen seems to be stretched very thin. To be honest I just didn't care who killed Bella by the end, I was just glad to have finished. Strangely, I didn't feel that the woods were even described in any detail to make them seem scary or foreboding, there was little suspense in the book just a small scattering of events and a lot of weight placed on events 10 years previously. The book felt like a very thin soup rather than a thick satisfying stew, thin on plot, thinon charcterisation and thin on suspense and twists. I couldn't recommend it and think there are much better examples of the genre out there. Sorry but I won't be reading any more books by this author.
September 28, 2020
At first I had trouble keeping all the characters straight, because there were quite a few, and they all came with drama. But I quickly got sucked in and couldn't put this down. Loved it.
4.5 stars.
4.5 stars.
October 6, 2020
Two girls went in. Only one came out." That tagline is on the cover of Vanessa Savage's new book The Woods. And it opens up lots of paths that a story could take....
The two girls were actually sisters - Tess and Bella. They were found in the woods - Tess unconscious and Bella was dead. Tess has no memory of what happened - then or now, ten years on. She moved to the city and rarely ventures back home. It is only when her stepmother Julia is dying that she goes home to help her father. Well, that and the chance to escape the bit of trouble she's having at work.
Tess is a decidedly unreliable narrator. She has no memories of the past and she often can't tell if the ones she does have are reality. Now, I felt like I should be on her side - she's suffered many losses over the years. But, there's just something about her I didn't like. Her thinking is sometimes skewed and her actions are just a step off. More in some cases. Upon arriving at her childhood home, she discovers that Julia's sons have arrived as well, bringing with them two others that were part of Bella's circle of friends. Savage does a great job of creating some truly odious characters. Their actions and dialogue had me questioning everything. As the past is relived through Tess's memories and present day interactions, the reader will be hard pressed to decide who is telling the truth, who is lying and what actually happened that day in the woods. Everyone is a suspect over the course of the book.
The plot is one I've read before in various forms, but Savage does a good job putting her own spin on things. The relationships between the characters was very well done. And Tess's mental confusion as well. The final whodunit was as I suspected, but I still enjoyed the journey there.
The two girls were actually sisters - Tess and Bella. They were found in the woods - Tess unconscious and Bella was dead. Tess has no memory of what happened - then or now, ten years on. She moved to the city and rarely ventures back home. It is only when her stepmother Julia is dying that she goes home to help her father. Well, that and the chance to escape the bit of trouble she's having at work.
Tess is a decidedly unreliable narrator. She has no memories of the past and she often can't tell if the ones she does have are reality. Now, I felt like I should be on her side - she's suffered many losses over the years. But, there's just something about her I didn't like. Her thinking is sometimes skewed and her actions are just a step off. More in some cases. Upon arriving at her childhood home, she discovers that Julia's sons have arrived as well, bringing with them two others that were part of Bella's circle of friends. Savage does a great job of creating some truly odious characters. Their actions and dialogue had me questioning everything. As the past is relived through Tess's memories and present day interactions, the reader will be hard pressed to decide who is telling the truth, who is lying and what actually happened that day in the woods. Everyone is a suspect over the course of the book.
The plot is one I've read before in various forms, but Savage does a good job putting her own spin on things. The relationships between the characters was very well done. And Tess's mental confusion as well. The final whodunit was as I suspected, but I still enjoyed the journey there.
August 17, 2020
https://pm-alliance.com/overcome-proj...
Well, this was a twisted little number that worked very well for me. A mystery at its core it’s all about the tangled webs we weave particularly when families become overly involved in each other’s lives. A psychological thriller that makes for compulsive reading, made even more gripping by the unreliable narrator who keeps taking you round in ever decreasing circles as you go through the mill suspecting everyone of wrongdoing.
The story starts with an introduction to Tess. Tess lives in the city and is a teacher at secondary level. She’s not totally happy with her life choices, or enjoying her job, in fact she’s been in a spot of bother with one particular student before we even make her acquaintance. Then she receives a phone call and her life spirals from slightly dull and a little bit miserable to fear, apprehension and overnight hallucinations. Tess hasn’t been home for a good number of years but her step mom is dying and her father has called her to ask her to come back. She doesn’t relish the idea and in fact as soon as she starts thinking of home she begins to experience nightmares and apparitions.
Tess had a sister, Bella. Bella was the beautiful sister, enigmatic, full of personality – at least in Tess’s eyes – whilst she was the ugly duckling living in the shadows. In spite of that the two of them shared a close sisterly relationship although their closeness was starting to fracture as Bella began to enjoy a little more danger. Boys, alcohol, late nights and other escapades that shy Tess didn’t want to become involved with. Then, one evening Tess and Bella went for a late night excursion into the local woods and only one sister survived.
I really liked the way this begins. Everything feels fairly balanced in the opening pages yet as soon as Tess receives her phone call her life almost immediately takes a nosedive. She finds herself in deep trouble at work and there’s little choice for her other than to return home for her step mother’s last days. But, more than that, she starts to see her sister, not just in dreams either, but on a fairly regular basis and Bella is trying to tell her something.
Tess seems to go from bad to worse quite quickly. She’s not sleeping properly, she’s having terrible dreams when she does sleep and she even seems to be sleep walking. Her nerves are a bunch of frayed ends and to make matters worse she’s not the only one to return home.
When Bella was still alive the local ‘haunted house’, sat deep in the woods, was bought by a good looking couple who had two incredibly handsome teenage boys who immediately became the heartthrobs of this sleepy little village. Trouble followed on fleet feet. Jealousies, crushes, secrets and lies, in fact as the past is gradually laid bare it’s difficult to believe just how complex all the relationships involved really were.
The focus is on three families primarily and their interactions and past indiscretions are gradually revealed. At the same time, it seems that there was a killer on the loose all those years ago. A number of girls went missing, their bodies eventually found and speculation ran amok – that being said, Bella’s death was deemed a tragic accident. I really do have to hand it to the author for stunning me with the depth of intrigue and deceit. She manages to put everyone into the frame in fact I had a great time jumping around from suspect to suspect like a headless chicken as red herrings flew thick and fast.
The really winning element for me though was Tess and the way she spirals almost out of control. She’s more jumpy than frog soup in fact I think her suspicions jumped about almost, if not more, than my own. And she’s her own worst enemy really. She snaps at people, makes accusations and just takes silly risks that eventually make her a person of interest to the police – especially after – well, I can’t really say other than ‘the plot thickens’. Like a theatregoer at a Christmas production of Cinderella, I just wanted to scream at her – for goodness sake, have a good night’s sleep and get things into perspective.
On top of this all the revelations gradually show the characters in a different light so that you can never truly trust what you’ve already heard about them. Was Bella the beautiful and good sister or was she the village troublemaker. The family who move in, are they really as good as they seem? Even Bella’s father and step mom – they all have things that paint them in darker tones.
I enjoyed the setting too. Mostly we find ourselves in the woods with all the rustling trees, snapping branches and, of course, the long since abandoned house in the woods that everyone seems to be drawn to like flies to honey – or vinegar.
In terms of criticisms. Nothing much really. I think that this could have been tightened a little. I found myself, only momentarily, experiencing a brief feeling of repetitiveness – but, like I said, this was only a glancing thought.
Overall this is a very good, gripping in fact, psychological thriller. It had plenty of tension and the mystery was intriguing to read about, the history of the protagonist and her friends and family was revealed layer by layer until the core of the story was laid bare – then the author pulled the curtains on her big reveal. To an extent, in the cold light of day, it seemed obvious, in fact I’d guessed the culprit along the way – that is, of course I had, I suspected everyone along the way, sometimes more than once so obviously I was going to hit on the answer even if it wasn’t my final thought and I’d moved onto someone else. Basically, this novel is deceptive right to the end.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
Well, this was a twisted little number that worked very well for me. A mystery at its core it’s all about the tangled webs we weave particularly when families become overly involved in each other’s lives. A psychological thriller that makes for compulsive reading, made even more gripping by the unreliable narrator who keeps taking you round in ever decreasing circles as you go through the mill suspecting everyone of wrongdoing.
The story starts with an introduction to Tess. Tess lives in the city and is a teacher at secondary level. She’s not totally happy with her life choices, or enjoying her job, in fact she’s been in a spot of bother with one particular student before we even make her acquaintance. Then she receives a phone call and her life spirals from slightly dull and a little bit miserable to fear, apprehension and overnight hallucinations. Tess hasn’t been home for a good number of years but her step mom is dying and her father has called her to ask her to come back. She doesn’t relish the idea and in fact as soon as she starts thinking of home she begins to experience nightmares and apparitions.
Tess had a sister, Bella. Bella was the beautiful sister, enigmatic, full of personality – at least in Tess’s eyes – whilst she was the ugly duckling living in the shadows. In spite of that the two of them shared a close sisterly relationship although their closeness was starting to fracture as Bella began to enjoy a little more danger. Boys, alcohol, late nights and other escapades that shy Tess didn’t want to become involved with. Then, one evening Tess and Bella went for a late night excursion into the local woods and only one sister survived.
I really liked the way this begins. Everything feels fairly balanced in the opening pages yet as soon as Tess receives her phone call her life almost immediately takes a nosedive. She finds herself in deep trouble at work and there’s little choice for her other than to return home for her step mother’s last days. But, more than that, she starts to see her sister, not just in dreams either, but on a fairly regular basis and Bella is trying to tell her something.
Tess seems to go from bad to worse quite quickly. She’s not sleeping properly, she’s having terrible dreams when she does sleep and she even seems to be sleep walking. Her nerves are a bunch of frayed ends and to make matters worse she’s not the only one to return home.
When Bella was still alive the local ‘haunted house’, sat deep in the woods, was bought by a good looking couple who had two incredibly handsome teenage boys who immediately became the heartthrobs of this sleepy little village. Trouble followed on fleet feet. Jealousies, crushes, secrets and lies, in fact as the past is gradually laid bare it’s difficult to believe just how complex all the relationships involved really were.
The focus is on three families primarily and their interactions and past indiscretions are gradually revealed. At the same time, it seems that there was a killer on the loose all those years ago. A number of girls went missing, their bodies eventually found and speculation ran amok – that being said, Bella’s death was deemed a tragic accident. I really do have to hand it to the author for stunning me with the depth of intrigue and deceit. She manages to put everyone into the frame in fact I had a great time jumping around from suspect to suspect like a headless chicken as red herrings flew thick and fast.
The really winning element for me though was Tess and the way she spirals almost out of control. She’s more jumpy than frog soup in fact I think her suspicions jumped about almost, if not more, than my own. And she’s her own worst enemy really. She snaps at people, makes accusations and just takes silly risks that eventually make her a person of interest to the police – especially after – well, I can’t really say other than ‘the plot thickens’. Like a theatregoer at a Christmas production of Cinderella, I just wanted to scream at her – for goodness sake, have a good night’s sleep and get things into perspective.
On top of this all the revelations gradually show the characters in a different light so that you can never truly trust what you’ve already heard about them. Was Bella the beautiful and good sister or was she the village troublemaker. The family who move in, are they really as good as they seem? Even Bella’s father and step mom – they all have things that paint them in darker tones.
I enjoyed the setting too. Mostly we find ourselves in the woods with all the rustling trees, snapping branches and, of course, the long since abandoned house in the woods that everyone seems to be drawn to like flies to honey – or vinegar.
In terms of criticisms. Nothing much really. I think that this could have been tightened a little. I found myself, only momentarily, experiencing a brief feeling of repetitiveness – but, like I said, this was only a glancing thought.
Overall this is a very good, gripping in fact, psychological thriller. It had plenty of tension and the mystery was intriguing to read about, the history of the protagonist and her friends and family was revealed layer by layer until the core of the story was laid bare – then the author pulled the curtains on her big reveal. To an extent, in the cold light of day, it seemed obvious, in fact I’d guessed the culprit along the way – that is, of course I had, I suspected everyone along the way, sometimes more than once so obviously I was going to hit on the answer even if it wasn’t my final thought and I’d moved onto someone else. Basically, this novel is deceptive right to the end.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
March 5, 2020
Thank you Sphere for the review copy
Gripping, well-written, tense; everything you’ll expect from a psychological thriller.
I enjoyed every page.
Full review to come soon
Full Review
The Woods is the typical “girl goes back home to confront her demons” story but the familiarity of the plot did not ruin the story one bit and I’m still wondering how Savage managed to do that.
Tess Cooper is a 26 YO teacher living with a secret she can’t remember. 10 years ago, she and her sister, Arabella, went into the woods behinds their house; Arabella turned up dead and Tess couldn’t recollect what happened. A sudden call from her father requesting her presence at home opens up the can of worms and Tess goes on a quest to remember what happened.
In terms of spookiness, The Woods scores quite high. It wasn’t a typical horror movie kinda spookiness but somehow I could feel Tess’ fear and confusion throughout the book. Every time the woods or the ‘haunted’ Dean house came up, I legit felt chills.
Tess was a very unreliable and flawed narrator. I oscillated between rooting for her and wanting to slap sense into her, Yorùbá mother style but I also felt empathy for her.
She and every other teenage character from her past were battling their demons; trying to sort out their individual and collective issues.
Despite short but continuous encouragement from ghost Arabella, Tess didn’t grow much until the last few chapters when she started recovering her lost memories. This suggested that although she grew 10 years older, she was stuck in the head of 16 yo Tess.
There were cheesy parts of the book that made me roll my eyes but for the most part, the writing was ease to get into. I love that Savage didn’t give romance too much emphasis in the story.
Nowadays, books, regardless of their genre, try to discuss at least one relevant societal issue. Hence the fact that this is a psychological thriller didn’t stop Savage from doing the same. Issues like paedophilia, grooming and sibling rivalry formed the bedrock for the book.
In October 2019, I read an article on medium about a company that helps authorities nab creepy adults who groom young (preteen/teen) people online. This book taught me that even now, grooming isn’t exclusive to the Internet. Your ostensibly fancy neighbour could be a seasoned grimmer, a paedophile or worse: a serial killer.
Gripping, well-written, tense; everything you’ll expect from a psychological thriller.
I enjoyed every page.
Full review to come soon
Full Review
The Woods is the typical “girl goes back home to confront her demons” story but the familiarity of the plot did not ruin the story one bit and I’m still wondering how Savage managed to do that.
Tess Cooper is a 26 YO teacher living with a secret she can’t remember. 10 years ago, she and her sister, Arabella, went into the woods behinds their house; Arabella turned up dead and Tess couldn’t recollect what happened. A sudden call from her father requesting her presence at home opens up the can of worms and Tess goes on a quest to remember what happened.
In terms of spookiness, The Woods scores quite high. It wasn’t a typical horror movie kinda spookiness but somehow I could feel Tess’ fear and confusion throughout the book. Every time the woods or the ‘haunted’ Dean house came up, I legit felt chills.
Tess was a very unreliable and flawed narrator. I oscillated between rooting for her and wanting to slap sense into her, Yorùbá mother style but I also felt empathy for her.
She and every other teenage character from her past were battling their demons; trying to sort out their individual and collective issues.
Despite short but continuous encouragement from ghost Arabella, Tess didn’t grow much until the last few chapters when she started recovering her lost memories. This suggested that although she grew 10 years older, she was stuck in the head of 16 yo Tess.
There were cheesy parts of the book that made me roll my eyes but for the most part, the writing was ease to get into. I love that Savage didn’t give romance too much emphasis in the story.
Nowadays, books, regardless of their genre, try to discuss at least one relevant societal issue. Hence the fact that this is a psychological thriller didn’t stop Savage from doing the same. Issues like paedophilia, grooming and sibling rivalry formed the bedrock for the book.
In October 2019, I read an article on medium about a company that helps authorities nab creepy adults who groom young (preteen/teen) people online. This book taught me that even now, grooming isn’t exclusive to the Internet. Your ostensibly fancy neighbour could be a seasoned grimmer, a paedophile or worse: a serial killer.
October 19, 2019
This was one of those strangely compelling reads that unsettled from the off. Tess is haunted by memories of her sister. She is convinced the death was no accident, and her fear of the woods surrounding her old family home prevents her from visiting.
Details are slow to come by. Tess is shown to be struggling with her mental health from the outset, and we’re never quite sure what she recalls accurately and what is deliberately being concealed.
When she is given the news that her stepmother is close to death Tess knows she should visit. But her fear of what she remembers is a huge barrier. What we do know is her family is not a cohesive unit. She has had a problematic relationship with her stepbrothers for years, and her reluctance to look into what happened definitely makes us wonder what she’s hiding.
At its heart this was a story of complex relationships. There are numerous secrets and it’s only as we unravel them all that we can establish exactly what happened all those years ago when two girls went into the woods and only one came out.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this in exchange for my thoughts.
Details are slow to come by. Tess is shown to be struggling with her mental health from the outset, and we’re never quite sure what she recalls accurately and what is deliberately being concealed.
When she is given the news that her stepmother is close to death Tess knows she should visit. But her fear of what she remembers is a huge barrier. What we do know is her family is not a cohesive unit. She has had a problematic relationship with her stepbrothers for years, and her reluctance to look into what happened definitely makes us wonder what she’s hiding.
At its heart this was a story of complex relationships. There are numerous secrets and it’s only as we unravel them all that we can establish exactly what happened all those years ago when two girls went into the woods and only one came out.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this in exchange for my thoughts.
November 15, 2019
The atmosphere in this novel is something else. THOSE WOODS! the fascination held by the girls, the anticipation of why they go in and ho w they get there is exciting. The narrator is one of the girls who went in - she came out but her sister didn't. So starts the novel of then finding out what the surviving sister really does know about what went on in that forest.
The scene setting, descriptions and general creepiness are chilling. There's a sense of the unknown, a forest which has taken on very spooky qualities and everything is described very well - from the crunch of the leaves to the blanket of darkness even in day time.
Characters are well drawn and getting inside their heads is good. Oh just who is telling the truth?
I did find the novel overly long however and there's too much writing for the story if that makes sense. The setting does take over (which I did like) but the plot seems to drag. The ending was disappointing for me too but I feel if the novel had been shorter and more compact, this would have worked better .
So, not my cup of tea but the setting is chillingly good.
The scene setting, descriptions and general creepiness are chilling. There's a sense of the unknown, a forest which has taken on very spooky qualities and everything is described very well - from the crunch of the leaves to the blanket of darkness even in day time.
Characters are well drawn and getting inside their heads is good. Oh just who is telling the truth?
I did find the novel overly long however and there's too much writing for the story if that makes sense. The setting does take over (which I did like) but the plot seems to drag. The ending was disappointing for me too but I feel if the novel had been shorter and more compact, this would have worked better .
So, not my cup of tea but the setting is chillingly good.
December 15, 2020
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/12/15/...
To be honest, I think I expected a little more excitement from this mystery thriller, but it was still good where it counted. Darkly twisted and eerily disconcerting, this story had its fair share of intense, dramatic moments. Set in a small and closely-knit English village, The Woods by Vanessa Savage tells the tragic tale of two families, brought together and then torn apart by grief, lies, and scandal.
Although nearly a decade has passed since the mysterious death of 18-year-old Bella Cooper, the years have not made things any easier for her younger sister Tess, who had been found lying unconscious next to the body in the woods. In fact, the trauma had been so severe that she cannot remember much of anything from that night, and certainly nothing about the purported accident that extinguished the bright and shining life of her beautiful, beloved sister.
Now in her mid-twenties and working as a schoolteacher in the city, Tess would rather not dig up the past, but then one day, an unexpected phone call from her father turns her whole world upside down. Distraught, he informs her that Julia, her stepmother, is dying, and that he is hoping to get the whole family together for her one last time. Even though going home is the last thing she wants, Tess could hardly refuse her father’s request, knowing how much it would mean to him. Besides, she loves Julia, who has always been a kind and loving stepmom. It is her kids that Tess can’t stand.
Back in her hometown though, Tess soon discovers a lot more to contend with than Julia’s sons, Jack and Sean, as well as the insufferable friends they used to hang out with. Being so close again to the place where Bella died seems to have shaken loose some long-buried memories, and before long, she starts hearing her sister’s voice and hallucinating her presence as well. Convinced she is losing her mind, Tess is further shaken when the police are called to a grisly discovery in the neighboring property that used to belong to Julia’s family. What they find there prompts a fresh wave of questions over the circumstances surrounding Bella’s death, as well as the disappearances and murders of other teenage girls in the area that occurred around the same time.
Initially, there were several factors that made reading The Woods feel disorienting, the prime one being Tess’ memory loss paired with her reluctance to speak frankly about what happened the night her sister died. Our protagonist is an unreliable narrator, deliberately avoiding or obfuscating certain subjects that presumably would cause her great shame or guilt. A big chunk of the story was also told through flashback, and at times this back-and-forth switching of past and present narratives also brought on confusion. Readers must constantly stay on their toes to have any hope of following along.
At first, I also found our protagonist a bit off-putting. Tess was difficult to connect with, which was not entirely unexpected, I suppose, given her guardedness. However, on top of that, her character was often unpredictable, and there were many cases in the book of her reacting on impulse to situations in such a way that made it nearly impossible to feel bad for her, when so many of her problems were of her own making.
That said, despite my early struggles with this book, there’s no doubt in my mind that these “flaws” were deliberate. As we move into the second half of the novel, the story’s complex structure as well as the reasons for the Tess’ behavior become more apparent. The author gradually begins adding layers to the mystery, filling in the gaps in our knowledge. Relationships between various characters start to take on new significance as more dots are connected, and to be sure, if you are a fan of dark family dramas filled with secrets and suspense, you are going to love this book.
Like I said, overall The Woods felt more like a slow-burn mystery than an all-out thriller, but I didn’t mind too much—the building crescendo to the climax was well worth it. My only regret was that much of the conclusion was on the predictable side, and despite the plot’s many attempts at red herrings and strategic breadcrumbs to throw us off course, I wasn’t all that surprised by any of the ending revelations.
Still, none of this prevented me from enjoying The Woods. Vanessa Savage clearly knows a thing or two about writing mystery and suspense, and I would be happy to read more from her in the future.
To be honest, I think I expected a little more excitement from this mystery thriller, but it was still good where it counted. Darkly twisted and eerily disconcerting, this story had its fair share of intense, dramatic moments. Set in a small and closely-knit English village, The Woods by Vanessa Savage tells the tragic tale of two families, brought together and then torn apart by grief, lies, and scandal.
Although nearly a decade has passed since the mysterious death of 18-year-old Bella Cooper, the years have not made things any easier for her younger sister Tess, who had been found lying unconscious next to the body in the woods. In fact, the trauma had been so severe that she cannot remember much of anything from that night, and certainly nothing about the purported accident that extinguished the bright and shining life of her beautiful, beloved sister.
Now in her mid-twenties and working as a schoolteacher in the city, Tess would rather not dig up the past, but then one day, an unexpected phone call from her father turns her whole world upside down. Distraught, he informs her that Julia, her stepmother, is dying, and that he is hoping to get the whole family together for her one last time. Even though going home is the last thing she wants, Tess could hardly refuse her father’s request, knowing how much it would mean to him. Besides, she loves Julia, who has always been a kind and loving stepmom. It is her kids that Tess can’t stand.
Back in her hometown though, Tess soon discovers a lot more to contend with than Julia’s sons, Jack and Sean, as well as the insufferable friends they used to hang out with. Being so close again to the place where Bella died seems to have shaken loose some long-buried memories, and before long, she starts hearing her sister’s voice and hallucinating her presence as well. Convinced she is losing her mind, Tess is further shaken when the police are called to a grisly discovery in the neighboring property that used to belong to Julia’s family. What they find there prompts a fresh wave of questions over the circumstances surrounding Bella’s death, as well as the disappearances and murders of other teenage girls in the area that occurred around the same time.
Initially, there were several factors that made reading The Woods feel disorienting, the prime one being Tess’ memory loss paired with her reluctance to speak frankly about what happened the night her sister died. Our protagonist is an unreliable narrator, deliberately avoiding or obfuscating certain subjects that presumably would cause her great shame or guilt. A big chunk of the story was also told through flashback, and at times this back-and-forth switching of past and present narratives also brought on confusion. Readers must constantly stay on their toes to have any hope of following along.
At first, I also found our protagonist a bit off-putting. Tess was difficult to connect with, which was not entirely unexpected, I suppose, given her guardedness. However, on top of that, her character was often unpredictable, and there were many cases in the book of her reacting on impulse to situations in such a way that made it nearly impossible to feel bad for her, when so many of her problems were of her own making.
That said, despite my early struggles with this book, there’s no doubt in my mind that these “flaws” were deliberate. As we move into the second half of the novel, the story’s complex structure as well as the reasons for the Tess’ behavior become more apparent. The author gradually begins adding layers to the mystery, filling in the gaps in our knowledge. Relationships between various characters start to take on new significance as more dots are connected, and to be sure, if you are a fan of dark family dramas filled with secrets and suspense, you are going to love this book.
Like I said, overall The Woods felt more like a slow-burn mystery than an all-out thriller, but I didn’t mind too much—the building crescendo to the climax was well worth it. My only regret was that much of the conclusion was on the predictable side, and despite the plot’s many attempts at red herrings and strategic breadcrumbs to throw us off course, I wasn’t all that surprised by any of the ending revelations.
Still, none of this prevented me from enjoying The Woods. Vanessa Savage clearly knows a thing or two about writing mystery and suspense, and I would be happy to read more from her in the future.
April 27, 2020
'The Woods' by Vanessa Savage was a completely 'spur of the moment' purchase, however it's a purchase I'm thoroughly glad to have made and I won't hesitate in the future to read more from Savage, because this was... well, savage. When I saw the comments on the cover of this book claiming it to be 'compulsive', 'gripping' and 'creepy', I had a feeling it would fall into the category of books I really enjoy reading. I love anything twisted and grim, a little bit disturbing and macabre, and I certainly felt those vibes from this one.
In 'The Woods' by Vanessa Savage, readers are introduced to Tess. It becomes apparent rather quickly that Tess is a person with a tortured mind. Anxiety-ridden, and exhausted from rarely achieving a full night's sleep, the first couple of chapters instantly have readers questioning Tess's past, wondering what could have happened for her to be so tense and deeply reminiscent. It's when Tess answers a call from her father that the past begins to open up to the reader, and we begin the long and treacherous discovery of her history. Tess's step-mother, Julia, is home, and has only weeks left to live, and Tess's father requests that Tess come home, too. To say a final goodbye, and to be there when Julia passes. On the surface, and in her father's eyes, it's an emotional plea, one which would make Julia happy and fulfilled in her final moments, but for Tess, it's ultimately so much more than that. It's the opening of a door she's kept locked tight for years, and despite wanting to be there for her father and step-mother, it's clear that it's the very last thing Tess wants to do, and it's almost as if her mind cannot comprehend going home, not even in circumstances as heart-breaking as the approaching death of her father's wife. But of course, Tess does go home, and it's back in West Dean, the place she grew up, where she comes head to head with her past and can no longer shut it out.
Savage takes the reader back and forth between the past and the present, and I adore when a book is structured in such a way. I love the feel of tip-toeing between two completely different timelines. It's addictive, and such a brilliant way of allowing the reader a secret glimpse into what happened before. It allows us to build up a backstory in our mind, giving the characters a little more depth and realness, in turn making them all the more believable.
Savage is a brilliant writer, there's no question about that. Throughout the plot of this book, the atmosphere is dense with a nightmarish quality that really wraps itself around you and holds you captive till the very end. I think this is helped by how, in the book, Tess is plagued by dreams which leave her unable to distinguish between what's real and what isn't, and so this gives the book a sort of murky, ethereal characteristic that completely clouds around the characters and the situations that unfold later down the line. It dragged me under, and as Tess battled with her own mind, I felt almost suffocated by this cloud of uncertainty that followed her every move. Savage is skilled at making you feel everything that Tess feels; the confusion, the fear, the inability to know who to trust. I was seized by the author, forced to listen and watch as Tess dipped and dived beneath waves of trauma and disbelief, struggling to come up for air, struggling to find anything that felt real enough for her to put her faith in.
What I loved most about this novel though, was the exploration of the bond between sisters. It was stretched to its very limits in 'The Woods', and put under such extraordinary pressures, I was fascinated to watch how the characters would handle it. I found the scenes with Bella to be so deeply bittersweet to read, including those the reader will discover in the present. The secrets that lay between the girls, now women, broke my heart and I feel these moments added a certain tenderness to the story, which felt alien but very welcome amongst the many other situations which were unfolding. The characters were all very interesting, each with their own part to play in the past, as well as the present, and Savage explored the bonds between teenage friendships exceptionally well. I enjoyed watching Tess, Max, Lena, Jack and Sean come back together as adults, and being able to compare each of them to their younger selves.
All in all, 'The Woods' by Vanessa Savage was a deeply compelling, twisted and sinister thriller, tainted with an eerie, dream-like quality that was both haunting and bittersweet in its unravelling. I raced towards the final scenes of this novel, desperate to reach the conclusion which I became terrifyingly greedy for. Savage is a writer who I'd love to read more from so I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for news of her future releases. The Book Babe is awarding 'The Woods' by Vanessa Savage with a four of five rating. You won't be able to put this book down once you start it.
In 'The Woods' by Vanessa Savage, readers are introduced to Tess. It becomes apparent rather quickly that Tess is a person with a tortured mind. Anxiety-ridden, and exhausted from rarely achieving a full night's sleep, the first couple of chapters instantly have readers questioning Tess's past, wondering what could have happened for her to be so tense and deeply reminiscent. It's when Tess answers a call from her father that the past begins to open up to the reader, and we begin the long and treacherous discovery of her history. Tess's step-mother, Julia, is home, and has only weeks left to live, and Tess's father requests that Tess come home, too. To say a final goodbye, and to be there when Julia passes. On the surface, and in her father's eyes, it's an emotional plea, one which would make Julia happy and fulfilled in her final moments, but for Tess, it's ultimately so much more than that. It's the opening of a door she's kept locked tight for years, and despite wanting to be there for her father and step-mother, it's clear that it's the very last thing Tess wants to do, and it's almost as if her mind cannot comprehend going home, not even in circumstances as heart-breaking as the approaching death of her father's wife. But of course, Tess does go home, and it's back in West Dean, the place she grew up, where she comes head to head with her past and can no longer shut it out.
Savage takes the reader back and forth between the past and the present, and I adore when a book is structured in such a way. I love the feel of tip-toeing between two completely different timelines. It's addictive, and such a brilliant way of allowing the reader a secret glimpse into what happened before. It allows us to build up a backstory in our mind, giving the characters a little more depth and realness, in turn making them all the more believable.
Savage is a brilliant writer, there's no question about that. Throughout the plot of this book, the atmosphere is dense with a nightmarish quality that really wraps itself around you and holds you captive till the very end. I think this is helped by how, in the book, Tess is plagued by dreams which leave her unable to distinguish between what's real and what isn't, and so this gives the book a sort of murky, ethereal characteristic that completely clouds around the characters and the situations that unfold later down the line. It dragged me under, and as Tess battled with her own mind, I felt almost suffocated by this cloud of uncertainty that followed her every move. Savage is skilled at making you feel everything that Tess feels; the confusion, the fear, the inability to know who to trust. I was seized by the author, forced to listen and watch as Tess dipped and dived beneath waves of trauma and disbelief, struggling to come up for air, struggling to find anything that felt real enough for her to put her faith in.
What I loved most about this novel though, was the exploration of the bond between sisters. It was stretched to its very limits in 'The Woods', and put under such extraordinary pressures, I was fascinated to watch how the characters would handle it. I found the scenes with Bella to be so deeply bittersweet to read, including those the reader will discover in the present. The secrets that lay between the girls, now women, broke my heart and I feel these moments added a certain tenderness to the story, which felt alien but very welcome amongst the many other situations which were unfolding. The characters were all very interesting, each with their own part to play in the past, as well as the present, and Savage explored the bonds between teenage friendships exceptionally well. I enjoyed watching Tess, Max, Lena, Jack and Sean come back together as adults, and being able to compare each of them to their younger selves.
All in all, 'The Woods' by Vanessa Savage was a deeply compelling, twisted and sinister thriller, tainted with an eerie, dream-like quality that was both haunting and bittersweet in its unravelling. I raced towards the final scenes of this novel, desperate to reach the conclusion which I became terrifyingly greedy for. Savage is a writer who I'd love to read more from so I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for news of her future releases. The Book Babe is awarding 'The Woods' by Vanessa Savage with a four of five rating. You won't be able to put this book down once you start it.
October 17, 2020
This was a good creepy, psychological thriller! “Two girls went in, one one came out.” You know the two that went in, and you know the one who came out but you don’t know the why or who did what aspect. This was a good cat and mouse game of pointing the finger from one, to the next, to the next. This one definitely kept you wondering the whole way through.
A decade ago, Tess sister was found dead in the woods. She, to this day still believes it was murder, but the police closed her case as an accident. She fell down a small ravine and hit her head on a rock. Black and white. Cut and dry, case closed. But Tess has never been convinced that Bella slipped and fell on her own, that someone at least had a hand in helping her fall to her death at the very least. At the time there were other girls who were missing, and bodies that had turned up and a killer had not been found. Tess thinks Bella was one of the victims.
Tess has been informed that her step-mother does not have much time left, and it is time for her to come and visit and say her final goodbyes. Tess cannot stomach the thought of going back there, it will only dredge up that horrific night, and Tess has done a pretty good job of blocking it all out. Almost everything about that night is a big gapping black hole. The last thing she remembers is being at the wedding and kissing a boy, and someone carrying her up to bed. The champagne had all went to her head that night.
Tess comes to terms that it is the right thing to do, and goes back home. The nightmares become worse, her sleeping is all a mess and piece by piece that night slowly snakes it way back into Tess’ memory and with everyone back home, it’s creating animosity and hard feelings amongst all. Fingers are pointed, questions are asked and whispers of the truth are across the lips of those who were there that night.
Can Tess finally dredge up her memories of that night. What happened? Who was all involved, and why Bella. What really happened after the wedding? Who was the boy she kissed and why? What was she doing in the woods, and why did Bella take her there? So many questions, and so many missing answers. A body is also uncovered during this time, and that is all it takes for the police to bring that night back to the forefront of everyone’s lives.
Can the truth finally be sought? Will the killer of those girls finally be found out? Will the truth about the step-brothers emerge, or who their father truly was? Where is he anyways? The web of lies seems to become even more entangled with every question the police ask until finally Tess is forced to confront her memories.
Thank you to Grand Central publishing for the free book! This was a very good read, and with each chapter you finger pointed to the next suspect right along with Tess until it all finally unfolded. What was supposed to be a happy wedding day, turned into a nightmare with the death of a daughter, Tess’s sister.
A decade ago, Tess sister was found dead in the woods. She, to this day still believes it was murder, but the police closed her case as an accident. She fell down a small ravine and hit her head on a rock. Black and white. Cut and dry, case closed. But Tess has never been convinced that Bella slipped and fell on her own, that someone at least had a hand in helping her fall to her death at the very least. At the time there were other girls who were missing, and bodies that had turned up and a killer had not been found. Tess thinks Bella was one of the victims.
Tess has been informed that her step-mother does not have much time left, and it is time for her to come and visit and say her final goodbyes. Tess cannot stomach the thought of going back there, it will only dredge up that horrific night, and Tess has done a pretty good job of blocking it all out. Almost everything about that night is a big gapping black hole. The last thing she remembers is being at the wedding and kissing a boy, and someone carrying her up to bed. The champagne had all went to her head that night.
Tess comes to terms that it is the right thing to do, and goes back home. The nightmares become worse, her sleeping is all a mess and piece by piece that night slowly snakes it way back into Tess’ memory and with everyone back home, it’s creating animosity and hard feelings amongst all. Fingers are pointed, questions are asked and whispers of the truth are across the lips of those who were there that night.
Can Tess finally dredge up her memories of that night. What happened? Who was all involved, and why Bella. What really happened after the wedding? Who was the boy she kissed and why? What was she doing in the woods, and why did Bella take her there? So many questions, and so many missing answers. A body is also uncovered during this time, and that is all it takes for the police to bring that night back to the forefront of everyone’s lives.
Can the truth finally be sought? Will the killer of those girls finally be found out? Will the truth about the step-brothers emerge, or who their father truly was? Where is he anyways? The web of lies seems to become even more entangled with every question the police ask until finally Tess is forced to confront her memories.
Thank you to Grand Central publishing for the free book! This was a very good read, and with each chapter you finger pointed to the next suspect right along with Tess until it all finally unfolded. What was supposed to be a happy wedding day, turned into a nightmare with the death of a daughter, Tess’s sister.
February 3, 2020
There is something that is just innately unsettling about woods, especially the spooky and dark ones so whenever I see a book where a gloomy wood plays a role I am immediately interested. The Woods follows Tess, a young woman whose sister died at age 18 in mysterious circumstances. Tess has no memory of what happened that night in the woods that lead to her sister, Bella’s, death and when she is forced to return to her childhood home she starts to remember flashes which may lead to the truth about Bella’s death. However as Tess’s mental state becomes more and more discordant, she starts to question whether she can actually trust her own mind and instincts.
From the very beginning there is a very real and potent atmosphere to this book. There’s a sense of disquiet that leaks off the pages of The Woods and into the reader’s mind. The Woods themselves are a looming presence over the story and characters and I loved that the author managed to make them almost another character in a way, like a living breathing entity. I also enjoyed the fact that for most of this book I genuinely had no idea where the plot was heading. Because Tess has very little clarity surrounding what happened to both herself and her sister and cannot trust her own mind it puts the reader kind of in the same boat. I didn’t know how many of Tess’s recollections to believe or whether her judgement was completely skewed regarding her relationships. All of this uncertainty makes for a tense and chilling read. My only small issue is that the ending felt ever so slightly rushed and I would have liked a little more understanding of the consequences of the end reveal. However, overall, I found The Woods unsettling, creepy and continuously compelling.
From the very beginning there is a very real and potent atmosphere to this book. There’s a sense of disquiet that leaks off the pages of The Woods and into the reader’s mind. The Woods themselves are a looming presence over the story and characters and I loved that the author managed to make them almost another character in a way, like a living breathing entity. I also enjoyed the fact that for most of this book I genuinely had no idea where the plot was heading. Because Tess has very little clarity surrounding what happened to both herself and her sister and cannot trust her own mind it puts the reader kind of in the same boat. I didn’t know how many of Tess’s recollections to believe or whether her judgement was completely skewed regarding her relationships. All of this uncertainty makes for a tense and chilling read. My only small issue is that the ending felt ever so slightly rushed and I would have liked a little more understanding of the consequences of the end reveal. However, overall, I found The Woods unsettling, creepy and continuously compelling.
October 6, 2020
"My mind gets too busy, sending creeping thoughts down unwanted corridors, asking what, if and why and when... thoughts of death and blood and ghosts. And bones."
Ooh yea! This is just the book to kick off spooky season!
Thank you to Hachette Canada and Grand Central Publishing for my gifted copy for review.
Tess is on a downward spiral. She's been fired from her teaching job, her step-mother is dying, and she's haunted by her lack of memory of the night her sister Bella died a decade earlier.
The night of their father's wedding, teenaged Tess and Bella were in the woods near the ominous Dean House, after a few too many champagnes. Tess woke up to her sister dead beside her and no memory of the preceding events.
Present-day, Tess still hears from and sees Bella - are they nightmares, hallucinations, delirium from insomnia?
The Woods is author Vanessa Savage's second book and she wonderfully weaves a domestic suspense story with tension and atmosphere. It is told in two timelines, then and now, each with their own reveals. So many unreliable characters make for mysteries right to the very end.
If you like your reads creepy and tense but not gorey, check this one out for Spooky October! Recommended!
Ooh yea! This is just the book to kick off spooky season!
Thank you to Hachette Canada and Grand Central Publishing for my gifted copy for review.
Tess is on a downward spiral. She's been fired from her teaching job, her step-mother is dying, and she's haunted by her lack of memory of the night her sister Bella died a decade earlier.
The night of their father's wedding, teenaged Tess and Bella were in the woods near the ominous Dean House, after a few too many champagnes. Tess woke up to her sister dead beside her and no memory of the preceding events.
Present-day, Tess still hears from and sees Bella - are they nightmares, hallucinations, delirium from insomnia?
The Woods is author Vanessa Savage's second book and she wonderfully weaves a domestic suspense story with tension and atmosphere. It is told in two timelines, then and now, each with their own reveals. So many unreliable characters make for mysteries right to the very end.
If you like your reads creepy and tense but not gorey, check this one out for Spooky October! Recommended!
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