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Jackal
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Mystery & Thriller (2022), Nominee for Readers' Favorite Debut Novel (2022)A young Black girl goes missing in the woods outside her white Rust Belt town. But she’s not the first—and she may not be the last. . . .
It’s watching.
Liz Rocher is coming home . . . reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward and passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the bride’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing—and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood.
It’s taking.
As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: a summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She’s seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man and was later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart missing. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can’t be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town’s history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls.
It’s your turn.
With the evil in the forest creeping closer, Liz knows what she must do: find Caroline, or be entirely consumed by the darkness.
It’s watching.
Liz Rocher is coming home . . . reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward and passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the bride’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing—and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood.
It’s taking.
As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: a summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She’s seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man and was later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart missing. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can’t be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town’s history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls.
It’s your turn.
With the evil in the forest creeping closer, Liz knows what she must do: find Caroline, or be entirely consumed by the darkness.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2022
826 people are currently reading
89241 people want to read
About the author
Erin E. Adams
3 books1,002 followersErin E. Adams is a first-generation Haitian American writer and theatre artist. She received her BA with honors in literary arts from Brown University, her MFA in acting from The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program, and her MFA in dramatic writing from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. An award-winning playwright and actor, Adams has called New York City home for the last decade. Jackal is her first novel.
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January 19, 2024A chilling supernatural mystery set in Rust Belt Appalachia, Jackal introduces us to Liz Rocher, a second generation Haitian-American who has returned home reluctantly from New York City to her mostly white Pennsylvania rural community for her best friend's wedding. Anyone who has ever moved away and then returned to their childhood town will appreciate Liz's feelings of discomfort, but her homecoming quickly goes from bad to nightmarish.
Liz grew up knowing that the woods on the edge of town had a sinister reputation. Every child learns nursery rhymes about a "man and his shadow" who lurk there, and who will sometimes call your name. If you hear your name, don't answer. If you think you see something in the woods, no, you didn't. Move on. Never think about it. Liz made herself believe this was just a fable, but real terrible things have happened in the woods. A series of young Black women have gone missing over the years, some of whom turned up later, dead and brutally disfigured. Somehow, the town always manages to write these off as random tragedies: falls, animal attacks, etc. But Liz lives with the memory of the night in high school when she almost became one of those disappeared girls . . . and she has a shadowy memory of seeing something dark with teeth.
When another child goes missing, Liz feels directly responsible. Soon she is plunged into a dangerous quest to find out the truth about the woods and the murderous force that dwells there.
To me, the book shares some common ground with the films of Jordan Peele and the novels of Colson Whitehead, both of whom so effectively tap into the Black experience in America and turn it into psychological/supernatural horror. Jackal ratchets up this concept by looking specifically at the violence done to generations of young Black women, embodying this reality in one specific town, facing a specific, if nebulous, force of evil. It is chilling to think something is out there in the woods, taking and murdering Black women. It is even more chilling (and totally believable) that the entire town has conspired for generations to keep this from becoming news -- writing off the murders as accidents over and over again, until Liz realizes how deep the conspiracy goes and refuses to remain silent.
Who can she trust? Just about no one, perhaps not even herself. This is a great mystery, with a large cast of believable, fully human characters who are each suspicious in their own way. I found it a quick and engaging read, and will be putting future books by Erin E. Adams on my TBR radar!
Liz grew up knowing that the woods on the edge of town had a sinister reputation. Every child learns nursery rhymes about a "man and his shadow" who lurk there, and who will sometimes call your name. If you hear your name, don't answer. If you think you see something in the woods, no, you didn't. Move on. Never think about it. Liz made herself believe this was just a fable, but real terrible things have happened in the woods. A series of young Black women have gone missing over the years, some of whom turned up later, dead and brutally disfigured. Somehow, the town always manages to write these off as random tragedies: falls, animal attacks, etc. But Liz lives with the memory of the night in high school when she almost became one of those disappeared girls . . . and she has a shadowy memory of seeing something dark with teeth.
When another child goes missing, Liz feels directly responsible. Soon she is plunged into a dangerous quest to find out the truth about the woods and the murderous force that dwells there.
To me, the book shares some common ground with the films of Jordan Peele and the novels of Colson Whitehead, both of whom so effectively tap into the Black experience in America and turn it into psychological/supernatural horror. Jackal ratchets up this concept by looking specifically at the violence done to generations of young Black women, embodying this reality in one specific town, facing a specific, if nebulous, force of evil. It is chilling to think something is out there in the woods, taking and murdering Black women. It is even more chilling (and totally believable) that the entire town has conspired for generations to keep this from becoming news -- writing off the murders as accidents over and over again, until Liz realizes how deep the conspiracy goes and refuses to remain silent.
Who can she trust? Just about no one, perhaps not even herself. This is a great mystery, with a large cast of believable, fully human characters who are each suspicious in their own way. I found it a quick and engaging read, and will be putting future books by Erin E. Adams on my TBR radar!
June 13, 2022
I wrote this book because I needed it in the world. I love it. 5 stars.
I’ve lived with this story all my life and actively wrote it for 2 1/2 years. I loved it enough to put it out in the world. It’s ambitious in a way that only books are allowed to be. After reading it forward, backward, and sideways, for the last time, I can confidently say that JACKAL is just as beautiful inside as it is outside.
Every day I’m shocked and delighted by who loves this book and who it resonates with. I hope the readers who need this story find it.
After posting this, I will continue to avoid this page. This is a space for readers and I want to respect that.
Warnings below:
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CW: Violence. Racism. Child death. Body Horror. Domestic violence. Gore. Alcohol abuse. Eating disorder. Animal death. Kidnapping. Off-page rape. Off-page violence against children.
I’ve lived with this story all my life and actively wrote it for 2 1/2 years. I loved it enough to put it out in the world. It’s ambitious in a way that only books are allowed to be. After reading it forward, backward, and sideways, for the last time, I can confidently say that JACKAL is just as beautiful inside as it is outside.
Every day I’m shocked and delighted by who loves this book and who it resonates with. I hope the readers who need this story find it.
After posting this, I will continue to avoid this page. This is a space for readers and I want to respect that.
Warnings below:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
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CW: Violence. Racism. Child death. Body Horror. Domestic violence. Gore. Alcohol abuse. Eating disorder. Animal death. Kidnapping. Off-page rape. Off-page violence against children.
September 10, 2023
This exquisite, horrifying, unconventional story about the fear, anger, violence, racism, hate, inequality, poverty, class differences is exemplary masterpiece ! This book is different from any other mash up of horror and thriller stories you’ve read before! This is not just a typical scary story makes you check the monster under your beds. This is about real life monsters hiding behind shadows, feeding by people’s own fears, their good hearts, their insecurities to become a part of the community!
Once upon a time, Liz Rocher was a young black girl, outcast, unique, introvert, looking at the stars to find her way at the darkest time of the night. She looked in the eyes of the real monster and let him attack her. She couldn’t save her friend from becoming another victim of the monster’s massacre. So she finds the easiest way for herself: running away, trying to build a new life in big city.
Now at the age of thirty, Liz is coming to her home, invited to her best friend Mel’s wedding party. Mel who is banned from her family for choosing a black man, getting pregnant from him. But now her family seems like get used the marriage idea with Garrett, building a relationship with their granddaughter Caroline.
Liz is train wreck, breaking up with her fiancée after tragic incident, gained weight, cut her hair, wearing a wig, swore not to take a step into the woods. But now she’s forced to attend the ceremony take place in the center of the woods. That means she has to face her fears.
But she has every right to stay away from the woods because there’s something sinister hiding to hunt black little girls on every summer of solstice since 1985! Now little Caroline is missing! The officers take the DNA and fingerprints of Liz to pin violent incidents occurring in town on her!
She has to face her fears, looking in the mirror to see her true self: she has a target on her back but she has to fight against the biased opinions of townies to help the black mothers who has been grieving for their daughters!
But what if there’s something more terrifying hiding in the darkness that she cannot have enough power to fight against!
The epic, heart throbbing, jaw dropping ending, the thought provoking, mind numbing storytelling blew my mind away!
I’m giving my five stay away from the woods unless you want to deal with a monster with big teeth stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine- Bantam for sharing this amazing digital
reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
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Once upon a time, Liz Rocher was a young black girl, outcast, unique, introvert, looking at the stars to find her way at the darkest time of the night. She looked in the eyes of the real monster and let him attack her. She couldn’t save her friend from becoming another victim of the monster’s massacre. So she finds the easiest way for herself: running away, trying to build a new life in big city.
Now at the age of thirty, Liz is coming to her home, invited to her best friend Mel’s wedding party. Mel who is banned from her family for choosing a black man, getting pregnant from him. But now her family seems like get used the marriage idea with Garrett, building a relationship with their granddaughter Caroline.
Liz is train wreck, breaking up with her fiancée after tragic incident, gained weight, cut her hair, wearing a wig, swore not to take a step into the woods. But now she’s forced to attend the ceremony take place in the center of the woods. That means she has to face her fears.
But she has every right to stay away from the woods because there’s something sinister hiding to hunt black little girls on every summer of solstice since 1985! Now little Caroline is missing! The officers take the DNA and fingerprints of Liz to pin violent incidents occurring in town on her!
She has to face her fears, looking in the mirror to see her true self: she has a target on her back but she has to fight against the biased opinions of townies to help the black mothers who has been grieving for their daughters!
But what if there’s something more terrifying hiding in the darkness that she cannot have enough power to fight against!
The epic, heart throbbing, jaw dropping ending, the thought provoking, mind numbing storytelling blew my mind away!
I’m giving my five stay away from the woods unless you want to deal with a monster with big teeth stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine- Bantam for sharing this amazing digital
reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
blog
September 2, 2022
2.5 stars, rounded down
This mystery about black girls going missing in Johnstown, a small mostly white city in western Pennsylvania started strong. But it went off the tracks for me, maybe because I expected one thing and got another. This started off as a four star book and ended at two stars.
Liz Rocher is returning home to Johnstown for the wedding of a friend. One of the few black girls in her class, she had fled Johnstown and rarely returned. Something had happened to her in the woods as well, leaving her leery of the forest. When her friend’s mixed race daughter goes missing at the wedding, Liz begins her own investigation. And finds that young black girls have been going missing for a while.
Adams creates a dark, tension filled background. She paints a vivid picture of the racism embedded in the town’s culture. Half way through the story, it begins to veer towards a horror vibe. And then the ending was so over the top for me, I lost all interest. This might work for fans of Stephen King, but it just didn’t work for me. I hate horror stories. I expected this to just be a mystery, but it’s a supernatural convoluted nightmare. I was totally confused by the ending.
Warning - there are graphic scenes of violence.
My thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this book.
This mystery about black girls going missing in Johnstown, a small mostly white city in western Pennsylvania started strong. But it went off the tracks for me, maybe because I expected one thing and got another. This started off as a four star book and ended at two stars.
Liz Rocher is returning home to Johnstown for the wedding of a friend. One of the few black girls in her class, she had fled Johnstown and rarely returned. Something had happened to her in the woods as well, leaving her leery of the forest. When her friend’s mixed race daughter goes missing at the wedding, Liz begins her own investigation. And finds that young black girls have been going missing for a while.
Adams creates a dark, tension filled background. She paints a vivid picture of the racism embedded in the town’s culture. Half way through the story, it begins to veer towards a horror vibe. And then the ending was so over the top for me, I lost all interest. This might work for fans of Stephen King, but it just didn’t work for me. I hate horror stories. I expected this to just be a mystery, but it’s a supernatural convoluted nightmare. I was totally confused by the ending.
Warning - there are graphic scenes of violence.
My thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this book.
May 24, 2023
“What’s it like living up on the mountain where you don’t have to worry about this? Maybe all of us should move uptown, and when they start stealing white kids and eating their hearts, someone will finally give a shit!”
In Jonestown, black girls have been mysteriously disappearing for years. It's something most people don't talk about. But Liz is still haunted by what happened to her classmate, Keisha, after a high school party in the woods. Years later, Liz reluctantly returns to Jonestown to attend the wedding of her best friend, Meg. After the ceremony, Meg's daughter, Caroline, vanishes, and Liz begins to discover the disturbing truth of her hometown.
This novel was so unique and genre-defying. Thriller, horror, dark fiction and paranormal. The vibe was ominous and tense, from beginning to end. While you definitely need to suspend your belief, there were some super realistic aspects in this story as well. The narrative oozes atmosphere, and you really feel the darkness closing in. We see shadowy figures and hear unknown voices. The setting is an integral part of the book.
I really enjoyed the multiple points of view. In addition to Liz, we are also able to peek inside the minds of the lost girls and even the darkness itself. They were written in such a captivating way. The story also introduced serious issues, such as racism and poverty. The reader learns the history behind the small town and the injustices experienced by the girls. The use of media excerpts to convey the attitude of the town was fantastic.
‘Jackal’ was a thrilling, eerie, and emotional read that had me questioning the motives of everyone, even the main character. There are so many layers to this story. It kept me guessing until the end.
Highly Recommend
“When your past exists in shadow, you seek your home any way you can”
In Jonestown, black girls have been mysteriously disappearing for years. It's something most people don't talk about. But Liz is still haunted by what happened to her classmate, Keisha, after a high school party in the woods. Years later, Liz reluctantly returns to Jonestown to attend the wedding of her best friend, Meg. After the ceremony, Meg's daughter, Caroline, vanishes, and Liz begins to discover the disturbing truth of her hometown.
This novel was so unique and genre-defying. Thriller, horror, dark fiction and paranormal. The vibe was ominous and tense, from beginning to end. While you definitely need to suspend your belief, there were some super realistic aspects in this story as well. The narrative oozes atmosphere, and you really feel the darkness closing in. We see shadowy figures and hear unknown voices. The setting is an integral part of the book.
I really enjoyed the multiple points of view. In addition to Liz, we are also able to peek inside the minds of the lost girls and even the darkness itself. They were written in such a captivating way. The story also introduced serious issues, such as racism and poverty. The reader learns the history behind the small town and the injustices experienced by the girls. The use of media excerpts to convey the attitude of the town was fantastic.
‘Jackal’ was a thrilling, eerie, and emotional read that had me questioning the motives of everyone, even the main character. There are so many layers to this story. It kept me guessing until the end.
Highly Recommend
“When your past exists in shadow, you seek your home any way you can”
February 18, 2025
Even though she is returning to her hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, as a successful adult, Liz Rocher is still filled with trepidation. Her memories of her time there fill her with anxiety.
Growing up a bit of an outcast, the one person she could always rely on was her best friend, Mel. Now Mel is getting married and has asked Liz to be part of her special day.
Mel and Liz have remained close over the years and Liz is even the godmother to Mel's daughter, Caroline. When it comes to visits though, it's always them going to see Liz in the city; same with Liz's Mom.
It's her turn to show up this time, so she does. It feels strange to be back; doesn't seem like a lot has changed. Her Mom is certainly full of the critiques straight away.
At the wedding, Liz is discomforted by the woodsy venue. The local woods, the subject of dark legends and a frequent player in Liz's nightmares, are part of her worst memories from Johnstown.
In spite of the location, Liz is enjoying spending quality time with Caroline. It's sort of on her to keep an eye on the girl while Mel and her new husband entertain at the reception.
Sometime between dessert, dancing and dodging awkward conversations, Liz loses site of Caroline. She begins searching, asking everyone if they have seen the little girl, but no one has. Starting to panic, Liz enters the edge of the woods. She's scared.
After finding a frightening bit of evidence, Liz comes to the conclusion that Caroline is gone. She needs help. A full search party is assembled.
Liz is devastated. How could this happen? The incident is reminiscent of another horrible night back when Liz was in high school. A night when another girl went missing in the woods from a party; Keisha Woodson.
Even though she had only planned to stay in town for a couple of days, Liz can't leave now. She has to stay until Caroline is found. Whatever the outcome, she needs to help. She needs to be here.
In an effort to help find the girl, Liz begins asking around regarding Keisha's disappearance. Perhaps the two cases are related. What she finds is that Keisha wasn't the first. She also finds a very distinct pattern, all black girls, missing from the woods, directly around the summer solstice.
Will Liz be able to figure out who, or what, is taking the girls, and find Caroline before it's too late?
Jackal impressed me. It's hard to define, it's quite unique. I would describe it as a thoughtful work of Dark Fiction with heavy Social Horror components. The writing style has a stream of consciousness quality to it, that honestly, I'm not normally crazy about, but it really fit here.
It's not a super straight-forward story, it does require some effort on the part of the Reader, but I feel like for those who are willing to put in some energy, it will leave a mark.
Liz was a well-developed character. It took time to get to know her, but it would be hard not to feel for her and her experiences. I also felt like her character growth was paced well throughout.
The overall tone reminded me of The Other Black Girl, in that the entire build-up of the story is laced with a certain uneasiness; like you know something sinister is going on just beyond your line of sight.
I love that feeling. The ominous feeling of the developing mystery and the building of tension as the conclusion approaches.
It did sort of lose me a bit towards the end. I'm still a little confused on a couple of things and maybe in those instances would have preferred a more definitive outcome. However, this is 100% personal preference.
I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys Social Horror, or Dark Fiction in general. The topics explored, the over-arching mystery and compelling main character, all combine to make Jackal a stirring debut.
Thank you to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm really looking forward to reading more from Erin E. Adams!
Growing up a bit of an outcast, the one person she could always rely on was her best friend, Mel. Now Mel is getting married and has asked Liz to be part of her special day.
Mel and Liz have remained close over the years and Liz is even the godmother to Mel's daughter, Caroline. When it comes to visits though, it's always them going to see Liz in the city; same with Liz's Mom.
It's her turn to show up this time, so she does. It feels strange to be back; doesn't seem like a lot has changed. Her Mom is certainly full of the critiques straight away.
At the wedding, Liz is discomforted by the woodsy venue. The local woods, the subject of dark legends and a frequent player in Liz's nightmares, are part of her worst memories from Johnstown.
In spite of the location, Liz is enjoying spending quality time with Caroline. It's sort of on her to keep an eye on the girl while Mel and her new husband entertain at the reception.
Sometime between dessert, dancing and dodging awkward conversations, Liz loses site of Caroline. She begins searching, asking everyone if they have seen the little girl, but no one has. Starting to panic, Liz enters the edge of the woods. She's scared.
After finding a frightening bit of evidence, Liz comes to the conclusion that Caroline is gone. She needs help. A full search party is assembled.
Liz is devastated. How could this happen? The incident is reminiscent of another horrible night back when Liz was in high school. A night when another girl went missing in the woods from a party; Keisha Woodson.
Even though she had only planned to stay in town for a couple of days, Liz can't leave now. She has to stay until Caroline is found. Whatever the outcome, she needs to help. She needs to be here.
In an effort to help find the girl, Liz begins asking around regarding Keisha's disappearance. Perhaps the two cases are related. What she finds is that Keisha wasn't the first. She also finds a very distinct pattern, all black girls, missing from the woods, directly around the summer solstice.
Will Liz be able to figure out who, or what, is taking the girls, and find Caroline before it's too late?
Jackal impressed me. It's hard to define, it's quite unique. I would describe it as a thoughtful work of Dark Fiction with heavy Social Horror components. The writing style has a stream of consciousness quality to it, that honestly, I'm not normally crazy about, but it really fit here.
It's not a super straight-forward story, it does require some effort on the part of the Reader, but I feel like for those who are willing to put in some energy, it will leave a mark.
Liz was a well-developed character. It took time to get to know her, but it would be hard not to feel for her and her experiences. I also felt like her character growth was paced well throughout.
The overall tone reminded me of The Other Black Girl, in that the entire build-up of the story is laced with a certain uneasiness; like you know something sinister is going on just beyond your line of sight.
I love that feeling. The ominous feeling of the developing mystery and the building of tension as the conclusion approaches.
It did sort of lose me a bit towards the end. I'm still a little confused on a couple of things and maybe in those instances would have preferred a more definitive outcome. However, this is 100% personal preference.
I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys Social Horror, or Dark Fiction in general. The topics explored, the over-arching mystery and compelling main character, all combine to make Jackal a stirring debut.
Thank you to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm really looking forward to reading more from Erin E. Adams!
August 17, 2022
Jackal is a book that defies all genres. A bit of horror, a bit of thriller, a bit of mystery, and a whole lot of suspense.
Liz returns home to Johnstown, PA to attend her best friend, Melissa's, wedding. She is dreading this journey as she promised herself never to return. Tasked with keeping an eye on Melissa's daughter, Caroline, at the wedding she is shocked to find that Caroline disappeared when she hit the bar for a drink.
Turns out that black girls have been disappearing on the summer solstice every year for the last thirty years and Liz is determined to not only find Caroline but to stop the monster that has been hunting them down after all these years.
"A man and his shadow live in the trees. When they walk in time both are pleased. If one calls your name, or the other tempts you off the path, you must ignore both, or face their wrath."
Such a juicy premise and beautifully written, so much so, that it pains me to say this story lost its way in the end. To be clear, this is probably more so a *me* thing. For the first 70% this was a solid 4 star read but as the loose ends started coming together and the motivations made clear my vision of it all only got muddied up. I would have rather that the book kept it's footing on solid, realistic ground instead of going all woo woo weird. Again, this is most assuredly a me thing and I do believe that this will be a momentous success for Erin E. Adams. And it should be. For a debut this an amazing accomplishment. The fact that she discusses racism and classism all while crafting an intricate story that moves seamlessly though multiple genres earns my respect as a reader. The stunning cover alone will have readers far and wide grabbing this off the shelves of bookstores, libraries, and Amazon. So while this didn't quite hit my sweet spot I'd be remiss in denying the allure and creativity of this story. 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my complimentary copy.
Liz returns home to Johnstown, PA to attend her best friend, Melissa's, wedding. She is dreading this journey as she promised herself never to return. Tasked with keeping an eye on Melissa's daughter, Caroline, at the wedding she is shocked to find that Caroline disappeared when she hit the bar for a drink.
Turns out that black girls have been disappearing on the summer solstice every year for the last thirty years and Liz is determined to not only find Caroline but to stop the monster that has been hunting them down after all these years.
"A man and his shadow live in the trees. When they walk in time both are pleased. If one calls your name, or the other tempts you off the path, you must ignore both, or face their wrath."
Such a juicy premise and beautifully written, so much so, that it pains me to say this story lost its way in the end. To be clear, this is probably more so a *me* thing. For the first 70% this was a solid 4 star read but as the loose ends started coming together and the motivations made clear my vision of it all only got muddied up. I would have rather that the book kept it's footing on solid, realistic ground instead of going all woo woo weird. Again, this is most assuredly a me thing and I do believe that this will be a momentous success for Erin E. Adams. And it should be. For a debut this an amazing accomplishment. The fact that she discusses racism and classism all while crafting an intricate story that moves seamlessly though multiple genres earns my respect as a reader. The stunning cover alone will have readers far and wide grabbing this off the shelves of bookstores, libraries, and Amazon. So while this didn't quite hit my sweet spot I'd be remiss in denying the allure and creativity of this story. 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my complimentary copy.
November 9, 2022
“I don’t have a good heart. I have a broken one.”
I was hooked okay. This is one of those books that know how to get you initially interested and stay that way for a while. In terms of being interested till the end, that can be debatable because I’m not too sure how I feel about that one.
As the story progresses, it touches on several really sensitive issues, so I really felt like I cared about the characters and wanted to know more and more about them. What started to shift my opinion of the book were the supernatural elements that it had. For the majority of the story, I was confused if there were indeed any supernatural elements so that uncertainty didn’t really feel right. Overall though, really good storytelling, including the twists, reveals, and creativity.
I was hooked okay. This is one of those books that know how to get you initially interested and stay that way for a while. In terms of being interested till the end, that can be debatable because I’m not too sure how I feel about that one.
As the story progresses, it touches on several really sensitive issues, so I really felt like I cared about the characters and wanted to know more and more about them. What started to shift my opinion of the book were the supernatural elements that it had. For the majority of the story, I was confused if there were indeed any supernatural elements so that uncertainty didn’t really feel right. Overall though, really good storytelling, including the twists, reveals, and creativity.
April 9, 2023
3.5 stars
Jackal is a tough book to rate. I liked it enough, but my feelings for it never strayed beyond the like zone.
It's the debut novel of Erin E. Adams, and for a debut, it really is a solid read. It’s well written, engaging, and suspenseful, even while I found other aspects of it lacking.
The problem lies in the fact that Jackal wants to be a horror novel but reads too much like a thriller. Here’s the basic premise –
Liz, a young Black woman, returns to her predominately white hometown in Pennsylvania for her best friend’s wedding. But when the couple’s daughter, Caroline, disappears from the reception, Liz notices similarities in Caroline’s case to that of Liz’s classmate who went missing years ago. Soon, Liz uncovers a dark secret: young Black girls have been disappearing from the town for years. Some have never been found; others are later discovered in the woods, their bodies mutilated. Liz, of course, then takes it upon herself to find Caroline before it’s too late.
Typical thriller fare, isn’t it? Where the horror kicks in, though, is through the use of graphic imagery and the introduction of an evil, folkloric presence in the forest.
But there isn’t enough horror in the novel to satisfy me. I wanted mores shivers, more scares, more creep factor, and instead I got … more thriller stuff.
Jackal just never hit the right spot.
My sincerest appreciation to Erin E. Adams, Bantam Books, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
Jackal is a tough book to rate. I liked it enough, but my feelings for it never strayed beyond the like zone.
It's the debut novel of Erin E. Adams, and for a debut, it really is a solid read. It’s well written, engaging, and suspenseful, even while I found other aspects of it lacking.
The problem lies in the fact that Jackal wants to be a horror novel but reads too much like a thriller. Here’s the basic premise –
Liz, a young Black woman, returns to her predominately white hometown in Pennsylvania for her best friend’s wedding. But when the couple’s daughter, Caroline, disappears from the reception, Liz notices similarities in Caroline’s case to that of Liz’s classmate who went missing years ago. Soon, Liz uncovers a dark secret: young Black girls have been disappearing from the town for years. Some have never been found; others are later discovered in the woods, their bodies mutilated. Liz, of course, then takes it upon herself to find Caroline before it’s too late.
Typical thriller fare, isn’t it? Where the horror kicks in, though, is through the use of graphic imagery and the introduction of an evil, folkloric presence in the forest.
But there isn’t enough horror in the novel to satisfy me. I wanted mores shivers, more scares, more creep factor, and instead I got … more thriller stuff.
Jackal just never hit the right spot.
My sincerest appreciation to Erin E. Adams, Bantam Books, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
July 26, 2022
Liz Rocher leaves the city to return home where she grew up for a wedding. Johnston, Pennsylvania, is a predominantly white town, so as a Black woman, it never felt as welcoming as it could. She braces herself for underhanded comments, dons the peach bridesmaid’s dress, and attends the wedding, which is surrounded by woods. Her best friend from high school, Mel, has a nine-year-old daughter with Garrett, who is black. Garrett and Mel are getting married that night, and their half-black daughter goes missing. It’s not the first time a Black girl has disappeared. The cops always made it sound like an accident or that the girl was promiscuous and ran away. But the more Liz learns, the more she realizes that this happens every spring equinox and there seems to be something ritualistic about the removal of the hearts (once the body was found).
I really enjoyed the first part of this novel. The writing is good, and I appreciate the relationship with Liz and her mother, who started to worry about Liz’s marriage prospects the moment she turned 25 (she’s 32 now) and gives her a hard time about putting on a few pounds after an ugly breakup that Liz doesn’t reveal the truth about. What didn’t work for me was some aspects of the second half of the book. Parts confused me. I wasn’t sure how much I was supposed to take as metaphoric or what was real. I believe there are plenty of evil people, so what other kind of monsters on earth do we need? I normally consider myself a strong reader, but this made me feel stupid for not getting it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES OCTOBER 4, 2022.
I really enjoyed the first part of this novel. The writing is good, and I appreciate the relationship with Liz and her mother, who started to worry about Liz’s marriage prospects the moment she turned 25 (she’s 32 now) and gives her a hard time about putting on a few pounds after an ugly breakup that Liz doesn’t reveal the truth about. What didn’t work for me was some aspects of the second half of the book. Parts confused me. I wasn’t sure how much I was supposed to take as metaphoric or what was real. I believe there are plenty of evil people, so what other kind of monsters on earth do we need? I normally consider myself a strong reader, but this made me feel stupid for not getting it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES OCTOBER 4, 2022.
February 12, 2023
Really fascinating and original supernatural horror/thriller. I’d LOVE to read more from this author.
Read
January 11, 2023A compelling thriller with horror elements. The main character, Liz, returns to her hometown for the wedding of her best friend. The familiar setting brings back painful memories of a night in the woods when a friend of hers went missing. On the night of the wedding, her best friend's own daughter goes missing in the woods. Liz was the last one to see her and feels responsible. The deeper Liz gets into the investigation, the more the past catches up to the present.
I enjoyed the setup as Liz gets reacquainted with old friends and makes new ones. Once the conflict is introduced, in classic thriller form, everyone becomes a suspect and you can't help formulating theories as to what's happening. But this one will surprise you. Erin E. Adams definitely goes in an unexpected direction. I wasn't sure how I felt about some of the big reveals, but I enjoyed the journey to get there. I will read more by this author for sure.
I enjoyed the setup as Liz gets reacquainted with old friends and makes new ones. Once the conflict is introduced, in classic thriller form, everyone becomes a suspect and you can't help formulating theories as to what's happening. But this one will surprise you. Erin E. Adams definitely goes in an unexpected direction. I wasn't sure how I felt about some of the big reveals, but I enjoyed the journey to get there. I will read more by this author for sure.
July 31, 2022
”Being a black girl is inhabiting a cruel riddle: Your beauty is denied but replicated. Your sexuality is controlled but desired. You take up too much space, but if you are too small, you are ripped apart. Despite the wash of it, there’s one thing you can always count on whiteness to do: destroy a threat.”
Jackal by Erin Adams is a creative and hard to put down horror/thriller about a small Appalachian town where black girls are going missing in the woods.
If you are a fan of social horror, this is a must read. It is not a secret that black women go missing in this country all the time without anyone caring what happens to them. This book built upon our horrifying reality in a way I haven’t quite seen it done before.
The first half was a bit slow, but once it got to 40/50% I couldn’t put it down. The short chapters definitely helped with this!!
The main character was smart and complex and flawed and I loved her.
The writing was excellent and I’m so impressed that this was a debut novel! I loved the combination of both metaphorical and literal storytelling all wrapped up into one.
There were a few aspects (definitely not the overall ending) that I did find a bit predictable.
Almost every time I read a book with a cool ending I want MORE and this was no different. There was so much buildup and tension, and once we got to the end it wrapped up pretty quickly.
This book was everything I love about black horror and I can’t wait to see what else Adams comes up with in the future.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Jackal by Erin Adams is a creative and hard to put down horror/thriller about a small Appalachian town where black girls are going missing in the woods.
If you are a fan of social horror, this is a must read. It is not a secret that black women go missing in this country all the time without anyone caring what happens to them. This book built upon our horrifying reality in a way I haven’t quite seen it done before.
The first half was a bit slow, but once it got to 40/50% I couldn’t put it down. The short chapters definitely helped with this!!
The main character was smart and complex and flawed and I loved her.
The writing was excellent and I’m so impressed that this was a debut novel! I loved the combination of both metaphorical and literal storytelling all wrapped up into one.
There were a few aspects (definitely not the overall ending) that I did find a bit predictable.
Almost every time I read a book with a cool ending I want MORE and this was no different. There was so much buildup and tension, and once we got to the end it wrapped up pretty quickly.
This book was everything I love about black horror and I can’t wait to see what else Adams comes up with in the future.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
September 14, 2022
I’m going with 3 1/2 stars rounded down. I’m not sure what I thought I was getting myself into, but it seemed to me that this couldn’t decided if it was a mystery/thriller or a horror novel. Which is fine, but for me it threw off the atmosphere. I had trouble getting into this one.
Liz is your bitter and scared main character who left their racist hometown for better pastures and never looked back and then comes back only to get tangled in a huge chain of kidnappings/murders.. My main problem is Liz isn’t very likable. And I don’t even want to get into her supposed best friend. The real horror story was how she was treated by Mel.
The bad creepy thing was creepy enough I guess, I just wasn’t scared of it. So as a mystery, I was very into figuring out who was taking the girls, but then there was this creature thing… So as a horror story, I wasn’t super into it. I’m more into Stephen King or Josh Malerman. So that may just be me.
I don’t feel like I can really recommend this one, but I’m sure there will be lots of people who will really enjoy this.
Thanks so much to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Erin Adams for the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Liz is your bitter and scared main character who left their racist hometown for better pastures and never looked back and then comes back only to get tangled in a huge chain of kidnappings/murders.. My main problem is Liz isn’t very likable. And I don’t even want to get into her supposed best friend. The real horror story was how she was treated by Mel.
The bad creepy thing was creepy enough I guess, I just wasn’t scared of it. So as a mystery, I was very into figuring out who was taking the girls, but then there was this creature thing… So as a horror story, I wasn’t super into it. I’m more into Stephen King or Josh Malerman. So that may just be me.
I don’t feel like I can really recommend this one, but I’m sure there will be lots of people who will really enjoy this.
Thanks so much to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Erin Adams for the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.
December 23, 2022
I was really surprised to see all the divisive reviews because I loved it so much!! It reminded me of like a supernatural Karin Slaughter book. An amazing slow burn with a compelling, complex main character.
October 16, 2022
After mulling this one over for a few days, I'm giving it all the stars!
A young black woman returns to her hometown for her best friend's wedding. She's returning as a completely different woman, as she's fleeing a recent breakup. Once back in Johnston, PA, she's confronted by the dark woods. Woods she has feared since she was nearly taken by something in them as a child. Now, her best friend's daughter has disappeared into those same woods. Will she ever be found again? What happened to all the other young black girls that have disappeared into those same woods? You'll have to read this to find out!
Evil in a small town is one of my favorite horror tropes, yet this is not really a horror book; I prefer the term dark fiction. There are some grizzly scenes, that's for sure, but I found this novel to be about much more than the horrors in the woods. There's racism, both in full-out-assault form, but also in the average every day form-the obstacles and prejudices that are built right in to our very fiber as a nation. There are the small town jealousies and gossip; all the things that make up small town life in America.
JACKAL is not easily categorized, but after reading a few other reviews I feel like where most people got turned off was the exact point where I got turned on. Trying to unravel this mystery was tough, so when the action of the denouement got started, my eyes were glued to the page. This is the point where a lot of books go south for me, but with JACKAL, I loved finally discovering what was going on, even it was a bloody fever dream of inner thoughts and outward actions. I feel like this one really delivered.
A thoughtful novel, wonderfully written and packing a punch, I think Erin E. Adams is an author to watch. If her debut is this good, imagine what she might write for us next!
Highly recommended!
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
A young black woman returns to her hometown for her best friend's wedding. She's returning as a completely different woman, as she's fleeing a recent breakup. Once back in Johnston, PA, she's confronted by the dark woods. Woods she has feared since she was nearly taken by something in them as a child. Now, her best friend's daughter has disappeared into those same woods. Will she ever be found again? What happened to all the other young black girls that have disappeared into those same woods? You'll have to read this to find out!
Evil in a small town is one of my favorite horror tropes, yet this is not really a horror book; I prefer the term dark fiction. There are some grizzly scenes, that's for sure, but I found this novel to be about much more than the horrors in the woods. There's racism, both in full-out-assault form, but also in the average every day form-the obstacles and prejudices that are built right in to our very fiber as a nation. There are the small town jealousies and gossip; all the things that make up small town life in America.
JACKAL is not easily categorized, but after reading a few other reviews I feel like where most people got turned off was the exact point where I got turned on. Trying to unravel this mystery was tough, so when the action of the denouement got started, my eyes were glued to the page. This is the point where a lot of books go south for me, but with JACKAL, I loved finally discovering what was going on, even it was a bloody fever dream of inner thoughts and outward actions. I feel like this one really delivered.
"Danger didn't need a place to hide, it preferred to fester. First it would smile and bring you German chocolate cake. Then it would wait out in the open on your front porch until it felt good and ready."
A thoughtful novel, wonderfully written and packing a punch, I think Erin E. Adams is an author to watch. If her debut is this good, imagine what she might write for us next!
Highly recommended!
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
February 22, 2024
3.75 stars
When Liz comes home for her best friends wedding, everything turns into a nightmare when her best friends child goes missing in the woods during the reception. Determined to find Caroline, Liz begins researching and unearthing the pattern of young black girls going missing in the woods in her town. The closer she gets to answers, the more danger Liz is in...
This is definitely one of those books that when you finish it, you need to think on it a bit. I didn't realize going into it there would be some horror elements, which I was still okay with but at times pushed my limits in terms of gore description. I do think the horror elements made the book that much scarier because in a way they were actually very believable. I thought Liz was a very interesting character who didn't always make the right choices but was really just doing her best with the information she had. This is a book I won't forget for a long time.
When Liz comes home for her best friends wedding, everything turns into a nightmare when her best friends child goes missing in the woods during the reception. Determined to find Caroline, Liz begins researching and unearthing the pattern of young black girls going missing in the woods in her town. The closer she gets to answers, the more danger Liz is in...
This is definitely one of those books that when you finish it, you need to think on it a bit. I didn't realize going into it there would be some horror elements, which I was still okay with but at times pushed my limits in terms of gore description. I do think the horror elements made the book that much scarier because in a way they were actually very believable. I thought Liz was a very interesting character who didn't always make the right choices but was really just doing her best with the information she had. This is a book I won't forget for a long time.
July 10, 2024
Liz Rocher is going home to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, for a wedding. She isn’t thrilled, as her memories of the place aren’t great. She also just got out of an abusive relationship, and isn’t excited about telling her old friends about it.
Caroline, the daughter of the newlyweds, disappears into the woods during the wedding while Liz is watching her. Liz does some research, and finds out that Caroline isn’t the first young Black girl to go missing. In fact, Black girls have been going missing from Johnstown on a yearly basis for years.
Jackal is a mystery of a very dark nature, dipping in and out of horror. Is there something supernatural going on in the woods?
This is a good book for fans of the darker side of the mystery genre. I found myself thinking about The Silence of the Lambs a lot while I was reading it.
Jackal is a great mystery that isn’t for the faint of heart.
-Mike M.
Caroline, the daughter of the newlyweds, disappears into the woods during the wedding while Liz is watching her. Liz does some research, and finds out that Caroline isn’t the first young Black girl to go missing. In fact, Black girls have been going missing from Johnstown on a yearly basis for years.
Jackal is a mystery of a very dark nature, dipping in and out of horror. Is there something supernatural going on in the woods?
This is a good book for fans of the darker side of the mystery genre. I found myself thinking about The Silence of the Lambs a lot while I was reading it.
Jackal is a great mystery that isn’t for the faint of heart.
-Mike M.
November 27, 2022
I was immediately into this book. I kept thinking to myself 'the title of the book has a bigger meaning." That thought process really added to my reading experience. This is not an enjoyable book because of the content. However, it is a great example of how tricksters show up in your life and plot against your down fall. Especially if you are a Black woman. This book speaks volumes to the many missing and murdered Black and Indigenous girls that are harmed everyday in America.
This link below is Liveshow book discussion of Jackal!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRiOz...
This link below is Liveshow book discussion of Jackal!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRiOz...
July 2, 2022
I am going to be brief with the synopsis because the less you know going into this one, the better!
The story centers around Liz Rocher a 30-something black female who currently lives in the NYC. Liz is returning to her predominantly white hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania for her best friend's wedding. After the wedding, the bride's young daughter goes missing. When Liz was in high school one of her classmates Keisha, who was also a black girl disappeared in the woods and was found murdered a week later. What is happening to all these young black women in the woods?
Jackal grabbed my attention in the beginning and I enjoyed seeing how the story developed.
The writing was beautifully written and filled with important themes of racism, and classism. I loved the fact that this story addresses the lack of attention on women of color that are missing.
After the halfway point this book took a strange turn. I kept wondering if these things were really happening or if Liz was experiencing psychosis. The ending left me baffled. I'm not sure if something symbolic happened that I just didn't get or what but I ended up rereading the last few chapters and I'm still not sure what happened.
Either way, don't let my lack of imagination dissuade you from picking this one up. Overall I enjoyed this one and I believe that a lot of readers will enjoy this one as well. Erin E Adams did a brilliant job at crafting Jackal and I look forward to reading whatever she writes next.
Jackal by Erin E. Adams will be available on October 4. Many thanks to Bantam Books and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
The story centers around Liz Rocher a 30-something black female who currently lives in the NYC. Liz is returning to her predominantly white hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania for her best friend's wedding. After the wedding, the bride's young daughter goes missing. When Liz was in high school one of her classmates Keisha, who was also a black girl disappeared in the woods and was found murdered a week later. What is happening to all these young black women in the woods?
Jackal grabbed my attention in the beginning and I enjoyed seeing how the story developed.
The writing was beautifully written and filled with important themes of racism, and classism. I loved the fact that this story addresses the lack of attention on women of color that are missing.
After the halfway point this book took a strange turn. I kept wondering if these things were really happening or if Liz was experiencing psychosis. The ending left me baffled. I'm not sure if something symbolic happened that I just didn't get or what but I ended up rereading the last few chapters and I'm still not sure what happened.
Either way, don't let my lack of imagination dissuade you from picking this one up. Overall I enjoyed this one and I believe that a lot of readers will enjoy this one as well. Erin E Adams did a brilliant job at crafting Jackal and I look forward to reading whatever she writes next.
Jackal by Erin E. Adams will be available on October 4. Many thanks to Bantam Books and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 16, 2023
I’m so sad that this is one of the last books I’ll get to read in 2022 because it let me down in so many ways it was shocking.
To start, the author wrote about Blackness in an extremely bizarre way in my opinion. It was written from a borderline voyeuristic way wherein which Black people connect with each other via hair (Liz and Caroline and Liz and Keisha), and the ways they connect with whiteness is various stages of assimilation and worship.
Liz is the chosen token who willingly ignores her Blackness because she can, and buys into the notion of there being “good” and “bad” Black people, neighborhoods, and experiences, completely ignorant of things such as the Tulsa massacres???? She is the least likable main character of all time, I found her completely insufferable and strange and irredeemable and on her way to being Candace Owens-esq if she had not left her small town for the big city early enough. She’s a “good Black person” with education, who speaks French (but looks down on and intentionally forgets knowing how to speak Creole), has a great job, and lusts after white men full time.
All the white side characters are relentless racists whom the author tries to allow to subvert this lens to view them through by making them all be generally nice people™️ who are ~mysterious~ but always nice to Liz. There is no accountability for the racism in this book, it’s simply shown and then discarded as quickly as it’s shown. Liz’s self-hatred is not explored in this book, but we learn about her visceral, animalistic attraction to and connection with a white man she couldn’t land as a teenager (but was mercifully able to as an adult because she’s a good, different Black person) for literal pages.
Don’t even get me started on the end. It’s like the author just tossed everything at the ceiling of the most chaotic clown car and drove it off the cliff. I’m still not even certain of the supernatural element of this story because it didn’t make sense. I kept waiting for this to become a story that redeemed the lives of the lost Black women, but the most powerful moment was having a child say their names? There was no pay off for me, but I also feel like this book is aimed at white guilt and white passivity and not Black solidarity or affirmation. There was sometimes pages of exposition that could have been dialogue, but instead we got paragraphs and paragraphs of words and words and thousands of fragmented sentences that had only four to five words in them, which made for an abrupt, fragmented reading experience.
And although the cover features a beautiful dark-skinned woman, there is really no mention of the hue or shade of any of the Black women in this book, other than to highlight how Liz blushes and turns red, which, if you’re Black, you know only certain hues of Blackness are with very specific undertones able to achieve that. So having a dark skinned woman on the cover felt exploitative to me, because there’s no connection.
I’m so heartbroken that I felt so disconnected from this book. It pains me to review a Black woman’s novel this way. I don’t think I’ll revisit this author in the future, but it’s clear that she knows a lot about a lot of things, so maybe that will connect with some people and this story will come full circle for them in a way that makes sense and is satisfying.
Not me though.
1/5 ⭐️’s
To start, the author wrote about Blackness in an extremely bizarre way in my opinion. It was written from a borderline voyeuristic way wherein which Black people connect with each other via hair (Liz and Caroline and Liz and Keisha), and the ways they connect with whiteness is various stages of assimilation and worship.
Liz is the chosen token who willingly ignores her Blackness because she can, and buys into the notion of there being “good” and “bad” Black people, neighborhoods, and experiences, completely ignorant of things such as the Tulsa massacres???? She is the least likable main character of all time, I found her completely insufferable and strange and irredeemable and on her way to being Candace Owens-esq if she had not left her small town for the big city early enough. She’s a “good Black person” with education, who speaks French (but looks down on and intentionally forgets knowing how to speak Creole), has a great job, and lusts after white men full time.
All the white side characters are relentless racists whom the author tries to allow to subvert this lens to view them through by making them all be generally nice people™️ who are ~mysterious~ but always nice to Liz. There is no accountability for the racism in this book, it’s simply shown and then discarded as quickly as it’s shown. Liz’s self-hatred is not explored in this book, but we learn about her visceral, animalistic attraction to and connection with a white man she couldn’t land as a teenager (but was mercifully able to as an adult because she’s a good, different Black person) for literal pages.
Don’t even get me started on the end. It’s like the author just tossed everything at the ceiling of the most chaotic clown car and drove it off the cliff. I’m still not even certain of the supernatural element of this story because it didn’t make sense. I kept waiting for this to become a story that redeemed the lives of the lost Black women, but the most powerful moment was having a child say their names? There was no pay off for me, but I also feel like this book is aimed at white guilt and white passivity and not Black solidarity or affirmation. There was sometimes pages of exposition that could have been dialogue, but instead we got paragraphs and paragraphs of words and words and thousands of fragmented sentences that had only four to five words in them, which made for an abrupt, fragmented reading experience.
And although the cover features a beautiful dark-skinned woman, there is really no mention of the hue or shade of any of the Black women in this book, other than to highlight how Liz blushes and turns red, which, if you’re Black, you know only certain hues of Blackness are with very specific undertones able to achieve that. So having a dark skinned woman on the cover felt exploitative to me, because there’s no connection.
I’m so heartbroken that I felt so disconnected from this book. It pains me to review a Black woman’s novel this way. I don’t think I’ll revisit this author in the future, but it’s clear that she knows a lot about a lot of things, so maybe that will connect with some people and this story will come full circle for them in a way that makes sense and is satisfying.
Not me though.
1/5 ⭐️’s
October 2, 2022
It’s watching.
Liz Rocher has returned to Johnstown, Pennsylvania to attend her best friend's wedding. On the night of her wedding, Mel's (Melissa) daughter, Caroline has gone missing. All that remains is fabric covered in blood.
As the search begins, Liz remembers her teenage years in Johnstown, when Keisha Woodson, the other black girl in school walked into the woods and never returned. Her body was found with the heart missing but the case went cold. Now, Caroline's daughter is missing. Liz can see the connection - summer night, nighttime, a party in the evening. What is more alarming is that other girls have been taken over the years. All were black girls.
Now Liz is on a quest to find Caroline before it is too late. What is happening to the young girls? What happened to them and why?
This is a book which readers are going to love or feel just so-so about. I loved the beginning of the book. I was drawn in and there were parts that I could not read fast enough. Then I got to the 60-70% mark, and I wasn't quite feeling the love anymore. The writing was still good. But the later part of the book just didn't work as well for me. If I said why, I would be giving away a spoiler. It's a shame as the book has a lot going for it, but then it no longer worked for me. I sat thinking "what did I just read?" I'm good at suspending disbelief but found I struggled with it in this book.
What the author did excel at was creating the tension and uneasy feel of the characters in and near the woods. The I thought-I-saw-something-over-there but upon looking closer there is nothing there- must have been my imagination feel/experience. Adams was adept at creating scenes which will having the hair stand up on the back of your arms. I also must give her props for creativity.
Although my enjoyment went down toward the end of the book, I look forward to what Erin E. Adams writes next.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Liz Rocher has returned to Johnstown, Pennsylvania to attend her best friend's wedding. On the night of her wedding, Mel's (Melissa) daughter, Caroline has gone missing. All that remains is fabric covered in blood.
As the search begins, Liz remembers her teenage years in Johnstown, when Keisha Woodson, the other black girl in school walked into the woods and never returned. Her body was found with the heart missing but the case went cold. Now, Caroline's daughter is missing. Liz can see the connection - summer night, nighttime, a party in the evening. What is more alarming is that other girls have been taken over the years. All were black girls.
Now Liz is on a quest to find Caroline before it is too late. What is happening to the young girls? What happened to them and why?
This is a book which readers are going to love or feel just so-so about. I loved the beginning of the book. I was drawn in and there were parts that I could not read fast enough. Then I got to the 60-70% mark, and I wasn't quite feeling the love anymore. The writing was still good. But the later part of the book just didn't work as well for me. If I said why, I would be giving away a spoiler. It's a shame as the book has a lot going for it, but then it no longer worked for me. I sat thinking "what did I just read?" I'm good at suspending disbelief but found I struggled with it in this book.
What the author did excel at was creating the tension and uneasy feel of the characters in and near the woods. The I thought-I-saw-something-over-there but upon looking closer there is nothing there- must have been my imagination feel/experience. Adams was adept at creating scenes which will having the hair stand up on the back of your arms. I also must give her props for creativity.
Although my enjoyment went down toward the end of the book, I look forward to what Erin E. Adams writes next.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
July 20, 2022
I was excited by this ARC. The best thing I can say about it is that Adams writes lyrical, elegant prose that keeps me turning pages. This is pretty rare to achieve in and of itself, so kudos.
I picked this book out of the ARC pile because of the subject matter - murdered girls? Racially motivated? Our lone protagonist must solve the mystery? Only to be confused by the tonal whiplash on these opening pages. I think the structural technique of focusing on the stories of the murdered girls is nice, and Adams' voice and range shines most in these passages. It shows that she's capable of more than the majority of this prose: which feels fluffy, washed out, and unoriginal. I've noticed some other reviews pointing out Liz's "self hatred" - I didn't get that. I got anxious, self-conscious, and secretive. I guess it's a change from the "strong female protagonist" Hollywood is throwing around, but she's no less two-dimensional. Granted, I wasn't gripped enough to finish the book, and maybe she changes, but I'm not interested enough in the starting point to be invested in that change. When I'm on chapter five and we're still talking about the bar at a wedding, I start skimming.
Billed as Gillian Flynn, reads like AJ Finn. I'm bored by the slow build and the cheap tricks used to create "suspense" - being in the character's perspective, but not telling me about her breakup, not telling me about Nick, not telling me what happened in the woods - coupled with cheap "scares" of mice, loud noises, and homeless people (????????), it feels like something out of the Donald J. Maas playbook, and it's not eloquent. While I'm not expecting the book to start off like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, considering that prologue, I was expecting a lot more from this opening than what I got - middling Marian Keyes, at best. Mom's critical, it's annoying to see high school friends again, she's gained weight - I'm like, this book is going to be sold for $27? With that cover? This book does not feel like that cover. It feels like a bait and switch. Even as I'm flipping through the ending, the prose is not living up to the subject matter - or even the title. Maybe it's the character I'm not engaged with, but the voice whiplash between the accounts of murder and Liz is just... not working for me.
Finally, something that bugged me - so far, aside from the cops ruling the missing heart in the prologue as animal activity, the most pensive critique of America is about how we're separate from the immediacy of death, and that her Haitian mother had to kill her own chickens for dinner. Where my father's family had to behead their own chickens in the exact area of Pennsylvania she is writing about. When I was expecting Adams to deliver a thoughtful rumination on race in America, I'm really not impressed with what she managed to cover.
Edit: Ok, come back after I've read the end. To say the supernatural horror elements come out of left field is an understatement. This won't appeal to the women's fic audience it opens with or the supernatural horror audience it ends with, and anyone looking for a satisfying solution to the gripping thriller that it's billed as will be left going, "what?"
Thanks to Penguin Random House for sending the ARC to my indie bookshop.
I picked this book out of the ARC pile because of the subject matter - murdered girls? Racially motivated? Our lone protagonist must solve the mystery? Only to be confused by the tonal whiplash on these opening pages. I think the structural technique of focusing on the stories of the murdered girls is nice, and Adams' voice and range shines most in these passages. It shows that she's capable of more than the majority of this prose: which feels fluffy, washed out, and unoriginal. I've noticed some other reviews pointing out Liz's "self hatred" - I didn't get that. I got anxious, self-conscious, and secretive. I guess it's a change from the "strong female protagonist" Hollywood is throwing around, but she's no less two-dimensional. Granted, I wasn't gripped enough to finish the book, and maybe she changes, but I'm not interested enough in the starting point to be invested in that change. When I'm on chapter five and we're still talking about the bar at a wedding, I start skimming.
Billed as Gillian Flynn, reads like AJ Finn. I'm bored by the slow build and the cheap tricks used to create "suspense" - being in the character's perspective, but not telling me about her breakup, not telling me about Nick, not telling me what happened in the woods - coupled with cheap "scares" of mice, loud noises, and homeless people (????????), it feels like something out of the Donald J. Maas playbook, and it's not eloquent. While I'm not expecting the book to start off like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, considering that prologue, I was expecting a lot more from this opening than what I got - middling Marian Keyes, at best. Mom's critical, it's annoying to see high school friends again, she's gained weight - I'm like, this book is going to be sold for $27? With that cover? This book does not feel like that cover. It feels like a bait and switch. Even as I'm flipping through the ending, the prose is not living up to the subject matter - or even the title. Maybe it's the character I'm not engaged with, but the voice whiplash between the accounts of murder and Liz is just... not working for me.
Finally, something that bugged me - so far, aside from the cops ruling the missing heart in the prologue as animal activity, the most pensive critique of America is about how we're separate from the immediacy of death, and that her Haitian mother had to kill her own chickens for dinner. Where my father's family had to behead their own chickens in the exact area of Pennsylvania she is writing about. When I was expecting Adams to deliver a thoughtful rumination on race in America, I'm really not impressed with what she managed to cover.
Edit: Ok, come back after I've read the end. To say the supernatural horror elements come out of left field is an understatement. This won't appeal to the women's fic audience it opens with or the supernatural horror audience it ends with, and anyone looking for a satisfying solution to the gripping thriller that it's billed as will be left going, "what?"
Thanks to Penguin Random House for sending the ARC to my indie bookshop.
January 15, 2023
Being a black girl is inhabiting a cruel riddle: Your beauty is denied but replicated. Your sexuality is controlled but desired. You take up too much space, but if you are too small, you are ripped apart. Despite the wash of it, that's one thing you can always count on whiteness to do: destroy a threat.
As commentary on the lives and bodies of black women and girls, this book strikes home with surgical precision. As a mystery thriller with some supernatural horror underpinnings, it didn't quite hit the mark.
I never quite found myself liking Liz as a character, and as she became more and more like thriller main characters I really dislike reading about (has deep trauma that she always runs from, often self-medicates with alcohol or drugs, investigates in a way that has people disbelieving them or thinking they did it because of how much of a mess they are at life and/or investigating) I found it harder to enjoy the mystery aspect of the story itself.
This book was strongest in the chapters that followed the missing and murdered girls. Adams was at her best when writing these vignettes, focusing on flashes of their lives as both young girls and young black girls.
For a debut, this felt messy in places but also incredibly strong. I'll absolutely be keeping an eye out for what she has coming up next.
December 1, 2024
Jackal is a unique tale with a mixture of real life and supernatural villains.
The author executed the feeling of the woods well. My favorite parts were within those trees and the creature that lived there. I liked Liz. She was a strong protagonist but she made some annoying choices, especially when it came to the people around her. The human villain was interesting too. I wish we could have gotten to understand them more.
Very enjoyable. I'll read more from this author.
The author executed the feeling of the woods well. My favorite parts were within those trees and the creature that lived there. I liked Liz. She was a strong protagonist but she made some annoying choices, especially when it came to the people around her. The human villain was interesting too. I wish we could have gotten to understand them more.
Very enjoyable. I'll read more from this author.
November 18, 2022
I hate to do it because I love the premise, but this is an absolute miss for me. So many issues, plotting, structurally, the weird shift at the end. The first half was good, but it didn’t just jump the shark it jumped the whole aquarium.
September 17, 2022
Hold on! What in the "HELL" did I just read?
Did I also read this is supposed to be Adam's debut novel?
There is no way this is the work of a newcomer; someone is pulling our leg. Adam's position is that of a true "WORDSMITH."
Jackal is an experience unsurpassed by any other you may have encountered.
Let us begin:
32-year-old Liz Rocher is returning to her hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, for her best friend Mel's wedding. Liz has not returned to Johnstown in 15 years and had no intentions of ever returning. Then Mel called with her news that she was getting married and nothing could keep Liz from being there for Mel. Nor the chance to see her beautiful nine-year-old goddaughter Caroline, Mel's daughter.
To Liz's shock and dismay, Mel tells her that the wedding will be held outside, in the woods. Near to where the body of the girl they went to H.S. with years ago was found. It is also a place where Liz has gotten a deep scar on her wrist, and she can't fully recall precisely what happened. Liz is still apprehensive about the woods but has a pep talk with herself and proceeds to remind herself she's only there for 48 hours.
The wedding guests are in full swing when Liz is supposed to be watching Caroline but gets distracted by Chris (a guy she had a crush on in H.S.), who is working as the bartender. Chris is one of the few people that remember Liz and begins to converse with her until they are interrupted by his ex Lauren.
Liz excuses herself and goes back outside; when she looks for Caroline, she doesn't see her. Liz frantically looks all over, asking everyone, until she gets the courage to look where Caroline was last. (Playing near the woods.) It takes all of her strength to step foot into those woods, but for Caroline, she would do anything. When Liz goes in, at first, she sees nothing until she steps further in, and that's when she sees Caroline's torn dress with blood on it. Immediately the wedding is no longer a wedding but now a mother frantic looking for her child.
Liz is taken to the station, where she is swabbed for DNA and fingerprinted since she was the one who found Caroline's torn dress. While there, she befriends one of the officers named Doug, who becomes an invaluable source of information to her.
A couple of days go by, and the police have still not found any leads to Caroline's whereabouts when the knowledge sets in for Mel. Mel pulls Liz into the woods out of earshot of others and asks, "They aren't really looking for Caroline because she's a brown girl, are they?" Liz is stunned by Mel's question but knows she's probably right. Because had Caroline's father not been black, she probably would have been found already. But since Mel is her best friend, she doesn't want to let her know what she's thinking.
Liz vows to Mel that she will do everything possible to get her goddaughter back and bring her home.
The mother of their classmate Keisha, Denise, tells her that her daughter didn't die of an accident like they say she did.
That if Liz really wants to know what happened, she needs to meet the others. Liz is baffled, not knowing what Denise is talking about because it's daytime, and clearly, she's drunk. Denise tells her to meet her at the Church in the morning Downtown.
Doug, however, has news that Keisha didn't die from an accident, that whoever did this cut her in a certain way and removed her heart.
The next day Liz goes to the Church, and she is met with the most shocking revelation. Five women are there, each with a different story to tell.
However, they all share the same time frame, June, and the first day of the summer solstice. As the meeting ends,
Liz speaks to the youngest of the group, named Kylie.
Kylie tells Liz, "You ever just get that feeling like something bad is about to happen? Like you just know when it's the end?"
And that's where I must leave you, my fellow readers.
Believe me; there is so much that will BLOW YOUR MIND!!
Adam's inimitable writing style is astonishing. Her word-building is stellar, and her descriptive, spellbinding feel of the woods made you believe the warnings.
Adam's characters within the town felt true to life. You could feel the hostility exuding from them, especially Nick.
However, you could also feel a certain cowardice from Garret and Dr. Rocher. (With Dr. Rocher, I could understand because she was older, Garrett I could not.)
Adams shares a story rich in historical non-fiction but also in racism, classism, and, most importantly, the lack of attention when women of color go missing.
What if Caroline had been white? Do you think it would take over 48 hours to get the police to respond thoroughly?
How does a wild animal perfectly excise a heart in that fashion with Keisha? Yet it's ruled an accident because she's black?
Why is it that the police don't put any actual manpower into looking for women of color who go missing?
So what!
Do they think they just up and want to be missing?
These are just things to ponder.
Adam's afterword was incredibly informative, not only about her city but also about her life. Especially the part of a predominantly white neighborhood; however, mine wasn't like hers, and I was 5 hours away like Liz in NYC. Only this was in the '70s when you would have thought it would have been how she describes her time.
I went to Catholic School in the Bronx and was the only black child from pre-k to second grade. The funny thing is I never noticed it until I moved and looked at a picture of my communion years later.
That's how it should be. Who cares what color each other is?
Because when you're in the morgue, nobody gives a damn what color you are
.
We only have two ways to go, cremation or in the ground.
"SUPERB!!!!!"
JE NE SAIS QUAI
"SIMPLY BRILLIANT"
"BEST OF 2022"
"YOU DID THAT, GIRL!"
Thank you, NetGalley/Erin E. Adams/Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine.Bantam/ For this mesmerizing eArc for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.
Did I also read this is supposed to be Adam's debut novel?
There is no way this is the work of a newcomer; someone is pulling our leg. Adam's position is that of a true "WORDSMITH."
Jackal is an experience unsurpassed by any other you may have encountered.
Let us begin:
32-year-old Liz Rocher is returning to her hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, for her best friend Mel's wedding. Liz has not returned to Johnstown in 15 years and had no intentions of ever returning. Then Mel called with her news that she was getting married and nothing could keep Liz from being there for Mel. Nor the chance to see her beautiful nine-year-old goddaughter Caroline, Mel's daughter.
To Liz's shock and dismay, Mel tells her that the wedding will be held outside, in the woods. Near to where the body of the girl they went to H.S. with years ago was found. It is also a place where Liz has gotten a deep scar on her wrist, and she can't fully recall precisely what happened. Liz is still apprehensive about the woods but has a pep talk with herself and proceeds to remind herself she's only there for 48 hours.
The wedding guests are in full swing when Liz is supposed to be watching Caroline but gets distracted by Chris (a guy she had a crush on in H.S.), who is working as the bartender. Chris is one of the few people that remember Liz and begins to converse with her until they are interrupted by his ex Lauren.
Liz excuses herself and goes back outside; when she looks for Caroline, she doesn't see her. Liz frantically looks all over, asking everyone, until she gets the courage to look where Caroline was last. (Playing near the woods.) It takes all of her strength to step foot into those woods, but for Caroline, she would do anything. When Liz goes in, at first, she sees nothing until she steps further in, and that's when she sees Caroline's torn dress with blood on it. Immediately the wedding is no longer a wedding but now a mother frantic looking for her child.
Liz is taken to the station, where she is swabbed for DNA and fingerprinted since she was the one who found Caroline's torn dress. While there, she befriends one of the officers named Doug, who becomes an invaluable source of information to her.
A couple of days go by, and the police have still not found any leads to Caroline's whereabouts when the knowledge sets in for Mel. Mel pulls Liz into the woods out of earshot of others and asks, "They aren't really looking for Caroline because she's a brown girl, are they?" Liz is stunned by Mel's question but knows she's probably right. Because had Caroline's father not been black, she probably would have been found already. But since Mel is her best friend, she doesn't want to let her know what she's thinking.
Liz vows to Mel that she will do everything possible to get her goddaughter back and bring her home.
The mother of their classmate Keisha, Denise, tells her that her daughter didn't die of an accident like they say she did.
That if Liz really wants to know what happened, she needs to meet the others. Liz is baffled, not knowing what Denise is talking about because it's daytime, and clearly, she's drunk. Denise tells her to meet her at the Church in the morning Downtown.
Doug, however, has news that Keisha didn't die from an accident, that whoever did this cut her in a certain way and removed her heart.
The next day Liz goes to the Church, and she is met with the most shocking revelation. Five women are there, each with a different story to tell.
However, they all share the same time frame, June, and the first day of the summer solstice. As the meeting ends,
Liz speaks to the youngest of the group, named Kylie.
Kylie tells Liz, "You ever just get that feeling like something bad is about to happen? Like you just know when it's the end?"
And that's where I must leave you, my fellow readers.
Believe me; there is so much that will BLOW YOUR MIND!!
Adam's inimitable writing style is astonishing. Her word-building is stellar, and her descriptive, spellbinding feel of the woods made you believe the warnings.
Adam's characters within the town felt true to life. You could feel the hostility exuding from them, especially Nick.
However, you could also feel a certain cowardice from Garret and Dr. Rocher. (With Dr. Rocher, I could understand because she was older, Garrett I could not.)
Adams shares a story rich in historical non-fiction but also in racism, classism, and, most importantly, the lack of attention when women of color go missing.
What if Caroline had been white? Do you think it would take over 48 hours to get the police to respond thoroughly?
How does a wild animal perfectly excise a heart in that fashion with Keisha? Yet it's ruled an accident because she's black?
Why is it that the police don't put any actual manpower into looking for women of color who go missing?
So what!
Do they think they just up and want to be missing?
These are just things to ponder.
Adam's afterword was incredibly informative, not only about her city but also about her life. Especially the part of a predominantly white neighborhood; however, mine wasn't like hers, and I was 5 hours away like Liz in NYC. Only this was in the '70s when you would have thought it would have been how she describes her time.
I went to Catholic School in the Bronx and was the only black child from pre-k to second grade. The funny thing is I never noticed it until I moved and looked at a picture of my communion years later.
That's how it should be. Who cares what color each other is?
Because when you're in the morgue, nobody gives a damn what color you are
.
We only have two ways to go, cremation or in the ground.
"SUPERB!!!!!"
JE NE SAIS QUAI
"SIMPLY BRILLIANT"
"BEST OF 2022"
"YOU DID THAT, GIRL!"
Thank you, NetGalley/Erin E. Adams/Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine.Bantam/ For this mesmerizing eArc for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.
November 11, 2023
“Myths are as much a part of the slipstream of Black life as joy. Yes, Black folks are masters of joy. Trauma isn’t the only thing carried in DNA. Blackness, like any Golden Fleece, is both a birthright and what lies at the end of a quest.”
Jackal is one of the most extreme examples of how a poor ending can completely ruin an otherwise strong book. I knew going in, that this was met with mixed reviews upon release. Up until about the 85% mark, I was truly confused as to why: the writing was strong, the social commentary was well done and the mystery kept me engaged. Then the final 50 pages just lost the plot…
Synopsis:
Liz Rocher is coming home . . . reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town with a bloody history in more ways than one. Every couple of years, a young black girl has gone missing in the woods surrounding the town, only to be found brutally murdered some time later. This pattern has repeated for as long as Liz can remember, but police take no interest in the cases.
When Liz’s returns for a weekend back in Johnstown, in order to attend her best friend’s wedding, she braces herself for passive-aggressive reunions. She didn’t brace herself for another disappearance. Yet when the bride’s daughter Caroline becomes the next black girl in line to go missing, Liz takes it upon herself to find out what is really going on in the underbelly of her hometown, and who or what is to blame for these horrific disappearances.
What I loved:
As mentioned: I was fully on board for the first 250+ pages. Adams’ strong writing created a tense atmosphere of claustrophobia in this small town community, where the undercurrent of racism and prejudice create a constant sense of unwelcomeness. It makes perfect use of one of my favourite tropes: a main character having to return to their hometown, and experiencing the deep-rooted effects of their upbringing here, despite thinking they’ve gotten out.
Racism, classism, and the injustices of the Justice-system, especially within American culture, are strong themes here. To me, as a non-American, reading about these topics is fascinating and frightening, despite not being personally relatable. I cannot speak to the accuracy of the representation, but based off own-voice reviews I’ve read, it was well done.
The book had me truly on edge, because of how realistic this lingering sense of mistrust, superstition and grudge felt. All the more disappointing when the ending didn’t evoke that same feeling.
What I didn’t love:
It’s almost impossible for me to explain how poorly done this ending was without spoiling it, but I’ll try my best anyway. In short; it boils down to a reveal and climax that felt rushed, out of left field, and ultimately mismatched with the style and themes of what came before. Light spoilers ahead, major ones under the spoilertag
Throughout the story, both natural and supernatural threats are hinted at, so I would’ve been fine with either ending, since proper foreshadowing was present. It was the way in which the ending was presented that ruined the story for me. It felt extremely exposition-heavy. The reveal of the identity of the killer is followed by a scene of an almost “villain-monologue”, in which they explain their motivations, background and MO in detail. The delivery feels so clunky and artificial that it breaks down the power off what came before.
Then there’s the issue of the reveal not matching the rest of the story. As mentioned: I would’ve been fine with either a supernatural-, natural- or combined explanation. But fucking . Absolutely nothing in the story (either culturally, thematically or plot-wise) even remotely pointed there.
Jackal is one of the most extreme examples of how a poor ending can completely ruin an otherwise strong book. I knew going in, that this was met with mixed reviews upon release. Up until about the 85% mark, I was truly confused as to why: the writing was strong, the social commentary was well done and the mystery kept me engaged. Then the final 50 pages just lost the plot…
Synopsis:
Liz Rocher is coming home . . . reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town with a bloody history in more ways than one. Every couple of years, a young black girl has gone missing in the woods surrounding the town, only to be found brutally murdered some time later. This pattern has repeated for as long as Liz can remember, but police take no interest in the cases.
When Liz’s returns for a weekend back in Johnstown, in order to attend her best friend’s wedding, she braces herself for passive-aggressive reunions. She didn’t brace herself for another disappearance. Yet when the bride’s daughter Caroline becomes the next black girl in line to go missing, Liz takes it upon herself to find out what is really going on in the underbelly of her hometown, and who or what is to blame for these horrific disappearances.
What I loved:
As mentioned: I was fully on board for the first 250+ pages. Adams’ strong writing created a tense atmosphere of claustrophobia in this small town community, where the undercurrent of racism and prejudice create a constant sense of unwelcomeness. It makes perfect use of one of my favourite tropes: a main character having to return to their hometown, and experiencing the deep-rooted effects of their upbringing here, despite thinking they’ve gotten out.
Racism, classism, and the injustices of the Justice-system, especially within American culture, are strong themes here. To me, as a non-American, reading about these topics is fascinating and frightening, despite not being personally relatable. I cannot speak to the accuracy of the representation, but based off own-voice reviews I’ve read, it was well done.
The book had me truly on edge, because of how realistic this lingering sense of mistrust, superstition and grudge felt. All the more disappointing when the ending didn’t evoke that same feeling.
What I didn’t love:
It’s almost impossible for me to explain how poorly done this ending was without spoiling it, but I’ll try my best anyway. In short; it boils down to a reveal and climax that felt rushed, out of left field, and ultimately mismatched with the style and themes of what came before. Light spoilers ahead, major ones under the spoilertag
Throughout the story, both natural and supernatural threats are hinted at, so I would’ve been fine with either ending, since proper foreshadowing was present. It was the way in which the ending was presented that ruined the story for me. It felt extremely exposition-heavy. The reveal of the identity of the killer is followed by a scene of an almost “villain-monologue”, in which they explain their motivations, background and MO in detail. The delivery feels so clunky and artificial that it breaks down the power off what came before.
Then there’s the issue of the reveal not matching the rest of the story. As mentioned: I would’ve been fine with either a supernatural-, natural- or combined explanation. But fucking . Absolutely nothing in the story (either culturally, thematically or plot-wise) even remotely pointed there.
November 2, 2022
I was going to chide myself for not reading the synopsis, something I am very prone to doing, but the synopsis actually does not provide any kind of insight about where this story goes.
It's about missing kids. Specifically, missing Black kids. Specifically, missing Black girls. Every year around the same time, a Black girl goes missing, and sometimes the bodies are found, sometimes they aren't, but any body that's found is missing its heart.
But Liz doesn't realize any of that yet, when at her best friend's wedding, her best friend's daughter goes missing. She just wants to find Caroline before it's too late. But the most investigating she does, the more missing girls she uncovers.
But the 'why' of it is what my major disconnect is. I was shocked to find out
Finding out the people behind the disappearances felt anticlimactic to me - I think we were supposed to feel a certain kind of way when we found out, but I did not feel the connection required to make me feel
Naturally I find the commentary on missing Black girls to be important. It's often made very clear that missing minorities do not matter in any capacity to a lot of authorities in comparison to white children. There can even be speculation that they finally cared about Caroline's disappearance in droves because she was mixed, her mom was white, and her white uncle was a cop. There was also a support group of sorts that Liz went to and met all the people who were missing their Black girls over the years. It was good to see all the Black women banding together and finding community in a place where people did not always make them feel welcome.
This book just didn't do it for me, but I wish I would have been better prepared for the tone, because I probably just could have avoided trying it. I'm glad to have more diversity in all genres so I'm definitely glad this book exists, and I think if you're a little less strict on what you like in a mystery/thriller, you may be closer to the audience for this story.
It's about missing kids. Specifically, missing Black kids. Specifically, missing Black girls. Every year around the same time, a Black girl goes missing, and sometimes the bodies are found, sometimes they aren't, but any body that's found is missing its heart.
But Liz doesn't realize any of that yet, when at her best friend's wedding, her best friend's daughter goes missing. She just wants to find Caroline before it's too late. But the most investigating she does, the more missing girls she uncovers.
But the 'why' of it is what my major disconnect is. I was shocked to find out
Finding out the people behind the disappearances felt anticlimactic to me - I think we were supposed to feel a certain kind of way when we found out, but I did not feel the connection required to make me feel
Naturally I find the commentary on missing Black girls to be important. It's often made very clear that missing minorities do not matter in any capacity to a lot of authorities in comparison to white children. There can even be speculation that they finally cared about Caroline's disappearance in droves because she was mixed, her mom was white, and her white uncle was a cop. There was also a support group of sorts that Liz went to and met all the people who were missing their Black girls over the years. It was good to see all the Black women banding together and finding community in a place where people did not always make them feel welcome.
This book just didn't do it for me, but I wish I would have been better prepared for the tone, because I probably just could have avoided trying it. I'm glad to have more diversity in all genres so I'm definitely glad this book exists, and I think if you're a little less strict on what you like in a mystery/thriller, you may be closer to the audience for this story.
August 12, 2022
My congratulations extend out to Erin E. Adams for her mind-bending debut, Jackal. This horror novel has a very twisty storyline.
Synopsis:
Liz Rocher is back home for her best friend's wedding. During the wedding reception, the bride's young daughter Carolyn disappears. As the search for Carolyn intensifies, Liz discovers that several girls in her hometown are missing. Could this be a pattern? Are young girls being preyed upon by a crazed killer?
As is typical of the horror genre, Jackal requires readers to suspend disbelief to fully embrace the story. The author does a wonderful job describing life in a small town. The writing is strong and fleshed out. It contains some unexpected jaw-dropping plot twists. Check the trigger warning before proceeding. It contains graphic content and may not be suitable for everyone.
Jackal by Erin E. Adams is available on October 4th.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, (Bantam), for allowing me to review this chilling novel. Your kindness is appreciated.
Synopsis:
Liz Rocher is back home for her best friend's wedding. During the wedding reception, the bride's young daughter Carolyn disappears. As the search for Carolyn intensifies, Liz discovers that several girls in her hometown are missing. Could this be a pattern? Are young girls being preyed upon by a crazed killer?
As is typical of the horror genre, Jackal requires readers to suspend disbelief to fully embrace the story. The author does a wonderful job describing life in a small town. The writing is strong and fleshed out. It contains some unexpected jaw-dropping plot twists. Check the trigger warning before proceeding. It contains graphic content and may not be suitable for everyone.
Jackal by Erin E. Adams is available on October 4th.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, (Bantam), for allowing me to review this chilling novel. Your kindness is appreciated.
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