From the Woods

November 9, 2020
A camping trip takes a sinister turn in this fast-paced but surprisingly mild horror novel from Greene (Gnarled Hollow). Fiona and Jill fell into an uneven friendship as teens, with Jill as the leader and Fiona as the doormat, and their dynamic is unchanged as adults. Jill ropes Fiona and married couple Carole and Sara into a two-week backpacking trip in a protected Colorado forest, but instantly resents their trail guide, Roz—with whom Fiona is instantly smitten—for telling her what to do. Tensions rise when mysterious noises and carvings in the trees lead Roz to suggest they turn back after their first day camping. Jill refuses, pressuring everyone to continue hiking. But the farther they go, the clearer it becomes that someone is out there with them, lying in wait. As Fiona’s friends are incapacitated one by one, it falls to her to escape the woods and save the day. It’s a joy to see Fiona come into her own, and her romance with Roz adds a sweet counterpoint to the darker elements. The motivations of the women’s pursuers, however, remain frustratingly undefined. Still, the nonstop action and vivid depictions of the wilderness keeps the pages turning. This won’t keep anyone up at night, but it makes a satisfying diversion.