Silence in the Woods by J.P. Choquette #BookReview

What Castle Rock does for Maine, Monsters in the Green Mountains does for Vermont.

In 1917, four friends and photojournalists set out in the woods looking for answers. Why have so many hikers and hunters gone missing in the area of Shiny Creek Trail?

The two couples anticipate a great adventure, one they’ll tell their kids about someday. No one imagines the evil lurking in a remote cave. A horrifying discovery leaves one person dead and two others missing.

Two months later, Paul, one of the four, returns to the forest to find his wife. But will he find her before someone—or something—finds him?
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Title: Silence in the Woods | Author: J.P. Choquette | Publisher: Scared E Cat Books | ASIN: B07P5FM2T5 | Genre: Horror | Language: English | Triggers: None | Rating: 4 out of 5 | Source: Received a free copy from the author

Silence in the Woods wraps you in a tale of mystery and tension. There’s much to like about this horror novel. It contains a nefarious entity, a creature with yellow eyes, and an ancient evil. This fast-paced read kept me glued to the pages.

The character work in this book is perfection. Paul Rogers is committed to a hospital for the insane after a camping trip gone wrong. His wife, and two of their friends, are missing and he’s determined to break free and find them. What happens as he goes on his journey creates an arc of determination and grit as he persists in his rescue. He’s convinced his wife, Jane, is alive and he’ll do anything to find her.

Jane’s arc felt realistic, which is a testament to how well written of a character she is. She starts a bit more reserved than the others in the group, but evolves into a survivalist bad ass, filled with courage and grit.

The book weaves between the past and present with ease. It’s a well-paced novel that will suck you in from the beginning with it’s mystery and drama. I loved the yellow eyed creature and how its reveal changed the mood of the story.

My only criticism lies in the big reveal. The characters summarize all the mysteries a bit too early in the story, and we’re left with a sunken feeling as the story continues to play out without as much tension. But this wasn’t enough to make me dislike the book and I’ll be reading the rest of the series.

You can find this book at many retailers via clicking on the appropriate link on Goodreads; however, in the spirit of supporting literacy programs, we would like to point out that you may be able to purchase this book through BetterWorldBooks.