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The Thing in the Woods
In the woods of the Luke Miller State Park, north of Eastham, NJ, an urban legend lives in peace with nature. You don’t bother it and it will leave you alone. A simple rule to live by and one the park rangers enforce.
Unfortunately, Rick and Max don’t know this natural law, and when they come face to face with an immense monster, they react, and in a moment of panic, inadvertently shoot it.
Their actions set off a series of events that leaves Rich, his wife, Kara, Max, and the others fighting for their lives against a force that cannot be stopped. As things spiral out of control, Rich wonders if there’s any way to escape the thing in the woods.
Unfortunately, Rick and Max don’t know this natural law, and when they come face to face with an immense monster, they react, and in a moment of panic, inadvertently shoot it.
Their actions set off a series of events that leaves Rich, his wife, Kara, Max, and the others fighting for their lives against a force that cannot be stopped. As things spiral out of control, Rich wonders if there’s any way to escape the thing in the woods.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 7, 2022
1 person is currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 1, 2022
Oh, come on. Authors. Press. If you’re going to give out promotional ARCs for reviews, the least you can do is create a listing for these books on GR. So here I am again, performing a public service. Gratis. Yey, me.
Ok, let’s talk about the book now, since I’m the first one to rate and review it.
Another mediocre offering from Crossroads Press. But this one has Sasquatches. I love those guys and tend to read whatever I can find about them, though this one certainly left a lot to be desired. On the flip side, it’s short, 44K in word count, so maybe 165 pages or so.
The initial thoughts were, like, Noooice, Sasquatches in Jersey. Way to make Jersey interesting.
But no, the author seemed to have more interest in focusing on his bland and way uninteresting characters instead. Practically a marital drama of two couples – two sisters and their men – who clash over a camping weekend, because of some spousal abuse.
Then there’s another couple thrown in the mix, two criminals fleeing with cash. Cryptids and criminals…wink, wink, nudge, nudge, this thing is practically writing itself.
Well, Sasquatches stumble into this mess, because it is their land, after all, and the stupid campers (who were warned, mind you) are like, no, yikes, where are them guns at?
Yeah. This is a VERY American book. Everyone’s got guns and everyone’s trigger happy. They can’t wait to shoot, and they are definitely of the ask questions later variety.
It makes you really pity the Sasquatches for having to contend with these idiots. Although these idiots are supposed to be the presumably compelling protagonists.
Plus, the Sasquatches definitely do not get their fair share of page time. Instead, it’s way too much marital therapy and crap like that.
Overall, it’s just about entertaining enough in a distinctly low brow way. About as original as its title, which isn’t very. But, at least, it reads quickly. Thanks Netgalley.
Ok, let’s talk about the book now, since I’m the first one to rate and review it.
Another mediocre offering from Crossroads Press. But this one has Sasquatches. I love those guys and tend to read whatever I can find about them, though this one certainly left a lot to be desired. On the flip side, it’s short, 44K in word count, so maybe 165 pages or so.
The initial thoughts were, like, Noooice, Sasquatches in Jersey. Way to make Jersey interesting.
But no, the author seemed to have more interest in focusing on his bland and way uninteresting characters instead. Practically a marital drama of two couples – two sisters and their men – who clash over a camping weekend, because of some spousal abuse.
Then there’s another couple thrown in the mix, two criminals fleeing with cash. Cryptids and criminals…wink, wink, nudge, nudge, this thing is practically writing itself.
Well, Sasquatches stumble into this mess, because it is their land, after all, and the stupid campers (who were warned, mind you) are like, no, yikes, where are them guns at?
Yeah. This is a VERY American book. Everyone’s got guns and everyone’s trigger happy. They can’t wait to shoot, and they are definitely of the ask questions later variety.
It makes you really pity the Sasquatches for having to contend with these idiots. Although these idiots are supposed to be the presumably compelling protagonists.
Plus, the Sasquatches definitely do not get their fair share of page time. Instead, it’s way too much marital therapy and crap like that.
Overall, it’s just about entertaining enough in a distinctly low brow way. About as original as its title, which isn’t very. But, at least, it reads quickly. Thanks Netgalley.
October 27, 2024
Just a lot of squatchy fun. If you have a cryptid itch that needs to be scratched, this will hit the spot!
July 8, 2025
The thing in the woods are sasquatches. The things in the cabins are two married couples. One couple is boring and the other couple have domestic abuse issues. Another couple is introduced and they seem to be running from the mob. I mean it is Jersey after all. We can't have a Jersey book without the mob having some kind of introduction. A squatch gets shot and all hell breaks loose, only this hell is kinda boring and not in the least scary unless you're seven. It's a fast read and ok for a cryptid read.
June 30, 2022
This book had a great premise. Two couples get away for the weekend. One husband has issues with alcohol, the other with anger. A child disappeared in the same woods thirty years before, could the wild man of the woods be responsible? And what’s up with the couple in the next cabin?
Unfortunately, this novel is plagued by bad characterization, unrealistic dialogue, repetition, weird changes in direction, strange behavior and a lack of any tension or atmosphere.
The novel starts with Rich’s wife, Kara, worried about her sister Allison, who hasn’t been herself recently. Allison is married to Rich’s good friend, Max, and they hope to find out what’s going on with the other couple over the weekend. However, later in the novel Rich and Kara have known about Allison and Max’s marital problems for so long that Rich didn’t even go to their wedding because he didn’t think Max should marry Allison (what Kara thought of her husband bailing on her sister’s wedding isn’t mentioned).
The kid disappearing 30 years before on Rich’s scouting trip is never referenced after the start of the novel. Despite that trip being 8 year old Rich’s last happy time with his father, we are later told that Rich’s relationship with his father ended when he was 6 or 7 years old.
Near the end of the book there appears to be one ending and a couple of seconds later a different version of the same ending, and Rich’s broken leg disappears between versions (along with other continuity errors).
Issues like alcoholism and spousal abuse are handled with the subtly of a sledge hammer. The female characters are devoid of any agency and wait around for the male characters to do things. In one scene, the women and children are held captive by some bad people and I liked how the 13 and 9 year old children were tied up while the adults were left free (because kids are the ones you need to watch out for when you are holding people hostage at gun point). Despite being in a camp ground in New Jersey which doesn’t seem to be very far from civilization, Rich and Max feel it is their responsibility to solve all problems with their guns, and bury the bodies in the woods. I like that their solution to the possibility of a bear opening the locked door to their cabin at night is to move their food from the fridge to Max’s car. Probably my favorite part of the book was when Rich saw Bigfoot for the first time and envied him not having to pay a mortgage.
I liked the idea of Bigfoot in New Jersey. There is a theme of taking responsibility for your actions which appears at the end, and I think that could have been very interesting if it had been developed more.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Netgalley. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Unfortunately, this novel is plagued by bad characterization, unrealistic dialogue, repetition, weird changes in direction, strange behavior and a lack of any tension or atmosphere.
The novel starts with Rich’s wife, Kara, worried about her sister Allison, who hasn’t been herself recently. Allison is married to Rich’s good friend, Max, and they hope to find out what’s going on with the other couple over the weekend. However, later in the novel Rich and Kara have known about Allison and Max’s marital problems for so long that Rich didn’t even go to their wedding because he didn’t think Max should marry Allison (what Kara thought of her husband bailing on her sister’s wedding isn’t mentioned).
The kid disappearing 30 years before on Rich’s scouting trip is never referenced after the start of the novel. Despite that trip being 8 year old Rich’s last happy time with his father, we are later told that Rich’s relationship with his father ended when he was 6 or 7 years old.
Near the end of the book there appears to be one ending and a couple of seconds later a different version of the same ending, and Rich’s broken leg disappears between versions (along with other continuity errors).
Issues like alcoholism and spousal abuse are handled with the subtly of a sledge hammer. The female characters are devoid of any agency and wait around for the male characters to do things. In one scene, the women and children are held captive by some bad people and I liked how the 13 and 9 year old children were tied up while the adults were left free (because kids are the ones you need to watch out for when you are holding people hostage at gun point). Despite being in a camp ground in New Jersey which doesn’t seem to be very far from civilization, Rich and Max feel it is their responsibility to solve all problems with their guns, and bury the bodies in the woods. I like that their solution to the possibility of a bear opening the locked door to their cabin at night is to move their food from the fridge to Max’s car. Probably my favorite part of the book was when Rich saw Bigfoot for the first time and envied him not having to pay a mortgage.
I liked the idea of Bigfoot in New Jersey. There is a theme of taking responsibility for your actions which appears at the end, and I think that could have been very interesting if it had been developed more.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Netgalley. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
July 5, 2022
A fun ride!
Brought back memories of my childhood living in the woods of Pennsylvania! Remembered girl scouting and the campfire stories. Gave me a “Friday the 13th” vibe. I remember vividly going to the movies to watch it as a teen. Except, the bad guy in this story wasn’t Jason, it was Bigfoot!
Brought back memories of my childhood living in the woods of Pennsylvania! Remembered girl scouting and the campfire stories. Gave me a “Friday the 13th” vibe. I remember vividly going to the movies to watch it as a teen. Except, the bad guy in this story wasn’t Jason, it was Bigfoot!
December 28, 2022
An interesting novel that misses its mark early on but comes to a satisfying conclusion
For a full review, please go to https://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to https://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
July 25, 2022
Another great read from Gary Frank. I don't seem to see all that many Big Foot stories, and tend to enjoy them when I find one. Can't wait for more from Gary Frank. #TheThingintheWoods #NetGalley
March 13, 2024
Worst book I have read in a lot time. Boring, repetitive, inconsistent, and full of missed potential. The author is in desperate need of a rougher editor and a thesaurus
September 11, 2022
The book starts out strong, and we rapidly get into the “Cabin-In-The-Woods” creepiness, a subcategory of horror I really enjoy. Oh and there’s a big stinky creature lurking nearby.
One of the main issues I struggled to comprehend was the “meh” attitude of the characters when they find out one of them is abusing their spouse. It just didn’t seem realistic to me, granted I’ve also never been in that situation; if I found out my sister in law was getting smacked around we’d be outta there and getting her support asap! It feels bizarrely wrong that you’d want to keep camping in the face of domestic violence. This was a sticking point for me and I couldn’t enjoy the book as much as I initially had.
The Cryptid parts were interesting, there were a few other odd add-ins to the plot, like the criminals. Overall this was a decent, quick read. I definitely liked the Oilers reference, being an Edmontonian myself!
Thank you to NetGalley, Crossroad Press, & Gary Frank for a copy.
One of the main issues I struggled to comprehend was the “meh” attitude of the characters when they find out one of them is abusing their spouse. It just didn’t seem realistic to me, granted I’ve also never been in that situation; if I found out my sister in law was getting smacked around we’d be outta there and getting her support asap! It feels bizarrely wrong that you’d want to keep camping in the face of domestic violence. This was a sticking point for me and I couldn’t enjoy the book as much as I initially had.
The Cryptid parts were interesting, there were a few other odd add-ins to the plot, like the criminals. Overall this was a decent, quick read. I definitely liked the Oilers reference, being an Edmontonian myself!
Thank you to NetGalley, Crossroad Press, & Gary Frank for a copy.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews