Jackal by Erin E. Adams
I received a free copy of this eBook from Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.

Genre: Horror, Paranormal, Mystery/Thriller

You make like this book if you like:
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
True Crime
Us (Movie)
It Part I (Movie)

3.5 Stars: I liked it

Summary: Liz reluctantly comes home to her hometown in Johnstown, Pennsylvania after years away to attend her best friend’s wedding. While at the wedding, the happy couple’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing while Liz is watching her. Driven by grief and fear for Caroline’s safety, Liz is willing to do anything to find Caroline including confronting the town’s unsavory past.

Thoughts: I love looking at the symbolic meaning of a story, which is probably why I love Horror so much as a genre. Horror is a great vehicle to discuss societal fears and systemic injustice. This book explores a couple of different topics but the main theme revolves around the way missing and murdered Black girls cases are often forgotten and/or ignored. Prior to reading this book I had been listening to Black Girl Gone, a podcast that sheds light on overlooked cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls. I don’t think you necessarily need to have prior knowledge to read this book but after hearing several years worth of episodes from this podcast, it helped me to appreciate this book and its themes. The main character ends up unearthing decades’ worth of missing Black girls that go missing on the same day every year. While in the book it seems like that's super obvious and if someone who doesn’t even live in this town picks up on it, then it's a mystery that should’ve been solved a long time ago and that, of course, is the point. The fact that Black girls go missing on this day annually is not lost on the people who live there and it becomes a part of the town’s lore.

For the most part I did really enjoy this book. The author does a fantastic job of creating a tense and chilling atmosphere. However, I think the story would have benefitted from having the paranormal aspect of the story woven in sooner. For a good portion of the book it seems like the big bad could be anyone. I felt like it when it was revealed that the villain was supernatural, it was too far in. To be honest, I also didn’t completely understand the resolution to the story. Still, I’d be interested in reading something from this author again.

“Hate is active. Hate has drive. But love, like grief, is long and ever-changing.”

Liz Rocher hasn’t been back home in a long time. But her best friend is getting married and she can’t miss it. Liz was one of the few black girls in predominantly white Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and that made her an outsider. Her best friend Meg was always there for her so reluctantly Liz relents and agrees to be in her wedding.

During the reception, Meg’s daughter, Caroline disappears. The woods an ever-menacing force in this novel calls to Liz who is afraid of the forest. Searching for Caroline with the rest of the town, Liz notices a pattern of missing black girls going back many years. Everyone in town has heard the whispers of a mysterious man-beast that exists in the woods ripping its victims apart and leaving them without their hearts. And never answer if you hear your name being called. Never go off your path. Liz herself was a victim of these woods and has a scar to remind her.

Are supernatural elements at play or is this the evil doings of men or both? The story gets intense and crazy at the end.

A dark, creepy, suspenseful horror thriller.

Not many books scare me - or rather, creep me out, making me feel something in the shadows - but this one did. A truly thrilling read, I couldn't get it out of my head even if I wanted to!

This book was fantastic and perfect for a book club. I loved the blend of genres and exciting plot. The main character was fantastic and following her story was so interesting.

Erin E. Adams' debut novel, "Jackal," is such a strong entry into the thriller category that it defies categorization. It's a deep social commentary set in Appalachia, which is close to home for me.

This is the only type of horror that I can read, but it is the kind that haunts the most deeply. It's not the macabre, it's the insidious horror the seeps below the surface and hits on real issues of racism and the silencing of Black voices. This is not one to miss.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this one with me. Thoughts are my own.

It took me a while to get this one started, but once I did, I loved it! Definitely check this one out!

Woooow this one just absolutely blew me away! The writing and pacing were both phenomenal. The character work was beyond amazing. I really felt for the characters and they felt so real.

Jackal is the story of Liz, coming back to her hometown for the wedding of her best friend, when her best friend's daughter Caroline goes missing. Suddenly, Liz is unraveling a mystery that no one else wants to see: black girls have been disappearing every summer for the last 32 years. Can Liz find the truth in time to save Caroline?

This book was set in Johnstown, Pennsylvania which, while I've never been, I did grow up in a really similar Pennsylvania town. The setting was immediately so vivid to me because of that. Additionally, the discussions of racism in America especially hit home. Pennsylvania is not an unfriendly place, and we were a Union state, but racism is alive and well in PA, especially outside of the two main cities. Basically, everything about this scenario rang, sadly, true (except for the magical part of course.)

The only reason this didn't get five stars was for the reveal of Jack. I'm not sure why he was Anubis when you could have done something quite interesting with the mythology of the area or native animals, like the coyote. If set in Pennsylvania, make it related to PA! Despite this, I did really enjoy the final mystery reveal related to it.

Ultimately, I would recommend this as a magical realism horror with a bit of a mystery. It's timely, unique, and captivating.

Do NOT turn out the lights reading it. The best way to do so is to not read any of the synopsis as it will give it away! Great story , loved it

In the town of Jonestown, a haunting pattern has persisted for years, with the mysterious disappearances of black girls. This dark secret remains unspoken, but for Liz, the memory of what happened to her classmate, Keisha, after a high school party in the woods lingers as a relentless specter. Many years later, Liz reluctantly returns to Jonestown, summoned by the wedding of her closest friend, Meg. Yet, in the wake of the celebratory ceremony, an alarming event unfolds: Meg's daughter, Caroline, vanishes into thin air. It is at this moment that Liz embarks on an unsettling journey to uncover the chilling truth that has long plagued her hometown.

This novel defies easy categorization, blending elements of thriller, horror, dark fiction, and the paranormal. The atmosphere is rife with foreboding and tension, a constant presence from start to finish. While some suspension of disbelief is required, the story weaves in realistic aspects, enhancing its authenticity. The narrative oozes an eerie ambience, drawing readers into the encroaching darkness, where shadowy figures and enigmatic voices lurk. The setting itself becomes an indispensable character within the story.

One of the highlights is the multiple points of view, allowing readers to delve into the minds of the vanished girls and even the malevolent darkness that envelops them. These perspectives are skillfully crafted, providing a captivating depth to the storytelling. Furthermore, the narrative tackles substantial issues such as racism and poverty, adding layers of complexity to the plot. The mystery unfolds with unexpected twists and turns, leading to a conclusion that keeps readers in suspense until the very end. There are moments of heart-pounding intensity, making this a truly riveting tale.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, what a stunning debut. I absolutely loved this story and kept reading late into the night. I will read anything by this author. So good.

I absolutely LOVED Jackal. It terrified me and infuriated me, and held my interest the entire time. This was a very interesting take on the horror genre, and the ending was nothing that I could have ever expected. I would recommend this book to everyone.

This book was amazing, it felt like a jordan peele movie. it gave a good amount of horror mixed with racism which made it even more terrifying! i loved it wouldn’t change a thing about it

It's best to go into this one without reading too much about it (except for TW, of which there are a lot). It's the best parts of thriller and horror, with social commentary and an original story.
I had a hard time keeping the timelines straight, and there were a few too many characters to keep track of. But overall, this is a great debut, and I look forward to reading more from the author.

Jackal is an atmospheric read that pushes the boundaries of what horror should be.

I enjoyed so many things about this book. I really loved the atmosphere the author was able to convey. I also enjoyed the point of view of Jack. It was done so well. I felt for our character so much in this book. All the odds were stacked against her and she still prevailed.

I will say the ending of this book went a bit over my head. I’m still kind of confused on what Jack was and how that whole scene played out.

Overall I still really enjoyed this one. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a spooky read this fall.
3/5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

Liz left Johnstown, PA behind long ago but is called back to her best friends wedding. Johnstown is predominantly white and there are some underlying/not so underlying racial tensions in the town along with a history of missing black girls and a rhyme about the local woods warning people away.
This book started off as a typical serial-killer mystery that no-one bothered to connect the dots too until Liz's god-daughter goes missing the day of her parents wedding. Adams weaved stories from the view points of the missing girls, the presumed abductor and Liz together very well and had a nice paranormal twist at the end. I really enjoyed this book, it was a quick read that was hard to put down.

I adored every page of this and the only reason it gets 4.5 instead of 5 is because I figured out the bad guy way too soon. But everything about this is incredible and unsettling.

First of all, that cover is absolutely stunning. Second of all, I really enjoyed this supernatural horror thriller. It was such a fast read for me.

This book had striking imagery and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved it!!! I will be buying it for my horror shelf for sure!!

Jackal ~ Erin A. Adams
Horror / thriller
A young black girl goes missing I. A predominantly white town. Liz is home for a wedding and gets caught up in the mix as the brides daughter goes missing. I tahini it dead a well written book but I don’t think it was the book for me at the time. I give it three stars for the writing and execution, but it seemed a bit slow.