The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry is the ultimate ode to 1980’s paranormal horror. Stranger Things meets The Brothers Grimm, this nostalgia filled, small town murder mystery has just the right amount of eeriness to keep the reader on their toes. Henry builds upon her early successes with twisted tales and takes it one step further in her latest novel, creating her own killer fairy tale with its own dark consequences.

In sleepy Smiths Hollow, the bodies of two girls are found torn apart in someone’s backyard. Lauren isn’t so sure that local police will catch the killer, especially since no one was charged with the murder of her own father just one year earlier. When Lauren starts to have visions of the two murdered girls, the countdown begins to the next killing, and the corruption that lays beneath the surface of the town threatens to break her world wide open. With a good dose of suspense and a dash of magic, The Ghost Tree is set to be a big hit, especially for fans of Practical Magic and The Wicked Deep.

One of the key strengths of this book is its use of tone. Henry masterfully crafts a wholesome narrative through the use of multiple perspectives, clearly capturing the essence of the character in the first few lines of their chapters. The reader is introduced to new information through a variety of different perspectives, with each chapter adding something new to the story. We see important themes addressed in this way, from coming-of-age storylines, to racism in the 80’s, to the internal struggle between what is right and what is ‘justified’. Through this use of tone, the story quickly gains momentum, building towards the ultimate climactic point in such a way that makes it hard to put down. And while you may be forgiven for thinking this novel is middle grade from the initial first chapter, beware: the intended audience is adult. The coming chapters will prove this, as the author switches from Lauren’s perspective to the killer’s, and to a handful of others, as the mystery of Smiths Hollow is slowly pieced together.

Henry also does an amazing job of discussing prejudices present both within her 1980’s setting, and within society today. We see one character who is trying to manage an eating disorder, alongside overcoming slut shaming. Another character represents old, harsh prejudices towards her American-born Mexican neighbours—the comparative nature of having this woman’s chapters followed by said neighbour’s chapters showcases just how bigotry and deep-set her views are. There is also a terrific moment when the novel highlights the supposed threat of independent women, stating:

‘Spinsters are witches, and old women are witches, and single women are witches because they simple must be. Women without men must be up to no good.’ – Christina Henry.

And speaking of witches, another noteworthy aspect of The Ghost Tree is the fairy tale element intertwined throughout. Smiths Hollow is no ordinary town, and the hidden folklore at its centre definitely adds to the atmospheric setting of the story. When the town’s secrets begin to unfold, Henry’s strength in storytelling really begins to show.

So, if you’re looking for an eery, atmospheric, fast-paced novel, try The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry. Combining real-world issues with well-written folklore, Henry is bound to capture the hearts of fantasy readers as she explores what it is to be human in a town that has made a deal with the devil.

This was such a well done spooky novel. The writing and the way that Henry built up the chilling atmosphere reminded me a lot of Shirley Jackson’s works. I loved how we saw the various points of views from multiple characters that kept us wondering until the very end how things would turn out. I’d recommend this book in a heartbeat to anyone who loves a chilling tale or who wants something that reminds them of Stranger Things but in a more realistic setting with a curse that seems very plausible.

I am obviously in the minority here, but I just did not like this book.
I was expecting more horror and the parts that I could get behind and enjoy were not until the last 10% of the book and so it did not redeem itself early enough.

The whole premise behind this book is that two girls are killed and found torn apart, but right away it appears that the town is starting to pretend it never happened. Just like they didn't seem to care that Lauren's father was killed similarly last year.

I was truly expecting more horror or mystery from this book, and while there are some potentially paranormal/magical elements, they were not the focus. The everyday lives of the people living in this small town were.

This book was full of different POVs from different people in the town and most of them were insufferable. We had:
Lauren, a grieving 14-year-old who, let's face it, is annoying and sort of a brat but is one of the better POVs in the book.
A mom who constantly compared her kids to each other and hated on her teenage daughter constantly.
A 15-year-old girl who is obsessed with losing her virginity going so far as to say that she "saw her hymen as a burden that she wanted to be rid of as soon as possible," and "He would be able to tell that she was a virgin because her virginity would be in the way."
And an old woman who finds the girls' bodies who is the BIGGEST racist ever and I hated being in her mind.

I really wanted to DNF, but the book read pretty quickly. I thought that the 1985 time period as the setting made the book a bit better, but I just could not stand the characters in it.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Most often, in horror, the journey is about uncovering what, exactly, is creating the terror. In Christina Henry’s THE GHOST TREE we know, almost from the beginning, what’s causing the grisly murders in Smith’s Hollow and why. In less skilled hands, that would make for a less than spooky story. In Henry’s, however, the are still plenty of uncertainty and creeping dread to be had as evil breaks its usual pattern and runs unfettered through the woods, the town, and memory.
Perfect for 2020’s upcoming spooky season.

The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry is a modern day fairy tale set in the 80's. A town is cursed by a monster that lives in the woods is it a serial killer or something more. This book is creepy it is a combo of the original Pied-Piper tale, that lead children away with his tune, and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow in a totally 80's world. I've read a lot of books about the 80's recently, and I feel this book nailed the grime and dirt of the 80's; the rampant smoking underage, the cool cars, the mischief of parents letting kids run wild through the neighborhood, and the torn/ripped jeans. The Ghost tree had a great opening scene that carries the book, there's clever writing about the curse on the town and the towns people. I wanted a little bit more from this novel than I got, I thought the present day body count was too low for this type of story. I would like to thank Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced copy. The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry is published on 9-8-20.

The Plot: The quiet town of Smiths Hollow has a murder, not an ordinary murder, but bodies of two young girls ripped apart, with only their heads remain. The police investigating the murder go through the motions but seem to soon forget, as well as the woman that discovered the bodies. Not all forget the one's that remember say it's not July yet. Alex a police officer who recently moved to the town notices how the town forgets and investigates the crime making a horrific discovery, that a young woman dies every year in July, it is currently June. Alex makes the discovery that a woman didn't die last year but a man with his heart ripped out. Lauren and David are the children of Joe who died last year of getting his heart ripped out. Lauren and David both have physical reaction when both the girls are murdered like they can feel it, and a trance went over it. Lauren and David are the key to stopping this monster in the woods.

What I Liked: The story is great, Christina Henry is so good at coming up with high concept ideas and this story is no exception. I love the 80's vibe, this story did it really subtile and not in your face with it like a lot of books. I liked the towns reaction to outsiders and the curse in general. The backstory was cool and really thought out. I did like the power hungry mayor that knows everything but has his own interest at hand. I loved David the best character, with his cool psychic visions and predictions. The supernatural element the book nails. I like the climax a lot, it was action packed.

What I Disliked: the love interest for Lauren, Jake. Jake is in college and has recently turned 18, Lauren is 13 and about to start high school. Jake says lines like I've been into you for a long time, which is super creepy. I could not get behind this love interest at all. I was disappointed that only a couple murders happen, when there could have been way more, there's a pretty good finally that finally has some death but too little too late.

Recommendations: I recommended Alice by Henry with a 3 str rating which I rarely ever do, but it looks like I'm going to do it again. I'm barely going to recommend this one, it's a great idea, even it I think the execution could have been a lot better. The story had an epic potential but it just didn't reach that level. If you like stories in the 80's then you will like this one. If you like stories about small towns with big secrets then this might be the story for you. I rated The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry 3 out of 5 stars. I'm going to keep reading Henry we're gonna totally connect one day I just know it, I still get excited for her ideals on books she has written like The Girl in Red, apocalyptic Red Riding Hood, I have to check that out!

3-3.5 STARS

The Ghost Tree is a solid horror novel that's strongest ingredient is in the creepy, small town vibe it gives off. Smith's Hollow is definitely not a place I'd like to visit, as it is filled to the brim with creepy children, grisly murders, some witchy hullabaloo, and has a serious The Stepford Wives thing going on. While the unsettling atmosphere was 5 star worthy, I had a few personal issues with the fact that this story relies heavily on the blood and gore with a touch of supernatural to cement its place in the horror genre. I would have liked a little more subtle, growing dread type of suspense, because what we get is graphically violent, but not what I would refer to as "scary". Overall, an enjoyable, if not slightly long, dark novel that I could see becoming a long running series featuring the wonderful cast of kids.

The Ghost Tree is not a reimagining like Christina Henry's other work like Alice or The Lost boys though, with a bit of imagination, it does give off Sleepy Hollow vibes. Instead, she gives us a coming of age story with a young female protagonist in a small town horror setting. There's a folkloric feel idling behind this beautiful eerie cover. Set in the 1980s, the story revolves around teenage Lauren, though this is not a nostalgic tale leaving you fondly recalling those days. This is an account of monsters, violence, and a curse laid on a provincial town and all its residents.

Lauren seems to be your typical teenager. Afraid that she is being left behind by her best friend in favor of boys and makeup, Lauren is still grieving the death of her father the year before. The Ghost Tree in the forest has always been their place to meet but since Miranda has other interests, Lauren goes alone, and while there she has frightening visions of the two girls recently found in pieces in a neighbors yard. Languidly, what's unraveled is a grim narrative of the secret the residents of this small town have been maintaining unknowingly for years.

There's no denying that Henry has beautiful prose. There's a moment in which Lauren's grandmother tells the story about three witches during the town's early days. Spellbinding and captivating, it definitely shows that the author's strong point as a narrator lies in recreating fairytales. While the rest of the story was intriguing, it didn't appeal as strongly as this section. Not to say it didn't have its merits, but there's nothing better than that ethereal fairytale aura woven viva voce.

Henry's narrative ebbed and flowed like a backwoods creek—sometimes quietly burbling along and at others racing white-capped over stones. This mystery is one that doesn't make sense until it suddenly does. It's that "ah-ha" moment where you realize everything was perfectly orchestrated to lead to that moment. The ending redeemed any slower qualities the book may have had, giving a gratifying confrontation and conclusion, bringing the curse full circle.

Holding on to her dark fantasy roots, Christina Henry delivers a brutal dose of nostalgia with her 1980s throw-back small town horror novel The Ghost Tree. Lauren is about to turn 15, and her life has been difficult lately. Her mom has been on her case about every little thing, her best friend Miranda is more interested in boys than hanging out at the Ghost Tree in the woods like they used to, and, oh yeah, Lauren’s dad was brutally murdered in those same woods a year ago. But her life is about to get a whole lot harder when the dark curse that has a tight hold on their small town of Smith’s Hollow starts to go off the rails and things get even more dangerous and terrifying than they already were.

Henry does an amazing job revealing the dark underbelly of small town life. As someone who grew up in a small town, the world Henry builds is very realistic and all the more terrifying for it. Smith’s Hollow feels so much like my own small home town. The woods we would play in, the rumors about witches and big scary houses, the annual festival and fair days every summer, the relationships you would have with everyone else in town, the politics unique to small town life...but I hope my small town was never in the clutches of a centuries old curse that delivered carnage and terror in exchange for prosperity.

There are many twists and reveals throughout The Ghost Tree that will keep you on your toes. Henry includes a rich mythology, and while there certainly are many moving parts and increased complications in her narrative, she succeeds in keeping a very tight plot. Her writing style is exciting and intimate, making you very invested in the story and characters.

The Ghost Tree felt a bit like Stephen King’s IT in that Lauren is faced with the dark events of her childhood and her coming of age. And the way that hate works as an infection and a tool of dark supernatural forces throughout the town feels a lot like Pennywise to me (in the best way). And I feel I must mention that fans of Stranger Things will surely enjoy this book. This was my first Christina Henry read, and I cannot wait to dig into her other series!

This book had a great premise! I thought the writing was very good and the story well fleshed out. It read a bit younger than I was expecting though. If this would have been written for an older audience it could have been truly terrifying, but as it was, I still really enjoyed it. Loved the fairy tale aspect woven throughout. I will definitely check out more from this author!

3.5 stars

What a perfect spooky read that kept me turning the pages! I really love Christina Henry and knew i had to read this one! Once again she didn't disappoint! Thank you for this e arc!

Woowee that was a suspenseful horror read.
Creepy woods, a child who know things, mysterious deaths, lack of memories, family history, curses, witches and him, who is him ?!? This tale was twisted so well I really had no idea if “it” was really real or was it was a, What I don’t know. Every mystery was revealed a bit then retracted a bit so I was left with barely a guess and a lot of goosebumps. Suspense plus horror plus a coming of age all while it is going down ! I was glued to the pages, lost sleep and avoided my family to read this and don’t regret it. :P Wait till you see how it is at the end. My mind was blown, never saw that.
Trigger alert, some seriously nasty racial slurs and evil characters
I received a copy from the publisher for an honest review

A witches' curse, a monster hiding in the forest of a small town, and a secret that could destroy many if it comes to the light. This novel was a page-turner!

The Ghost Tree slowly develops without once dulling in storytelling. Christina Henry does a great job of keeping the reader not just invested in this tale, but truly entertained. There are moments that border on creepy—almost scary—and it leads us, bit by bit, into show just how wrong and twisted the history of this town is, along with most of its residents.

There are many details here, and many lines that interconnect—it makes for a rich world. Every time that I thought I had a handle on things, a new twist would be added to keep me on my toes. The myth of the witches' three and how the curse came to be that centers around the missing girls was one of the surprises that I was not expecting, but it was perfectly slipped into the folds of these pages and once it was known, not only did things fall into place but it was the pivotal moment when the entire lie that had been kept over this town started to unravel.

I don't know if it was the 1980s-setting, or the fact that David (who was precious, and such a gift) reminded me slightly of Danny, but I got a Stephen King vibe a few times and I was very much digging it. The Ghost Tree, however, has its own voice and its own style as well, not to be mistaken.

Lauren makes for a lead that, as the teenager that she is, made me feel all the angst that her age defines. She's unwilling to do and be who she finds herself to be, but pushes past that selfishness to help others when she realizes the importance of her role. The one fault that jumped out at me was at the very end, during Lauren's showdown with the monster of the ghost tree. Yes, as the scene describes, it happens far too fast and though I don't exactly want to make the suffering last, things evolved and finished easier than all the pain inflicted on everyone warranted.

All in all, however, there was a mysterious and unnatural ambiance during the whole book that made it that much easier to slip into the world and become part of the story. Despite the dark nature of The Ghost Tree, it's a deeply entertaining book to read.

This has been the third book by Henry that I’ve read and I’m starting to notice a pattern. When I first heard about this book, it sounded like something I would love. Girls going missing and a monster in the forest, all happening in a small town? It was my kind of thing.

The thing I enjoyed most about this book was how it followed around the different characters in the town. I loved seeing things through their perspectives and it felt like I definitely got to learn more about the world they all lived in this way. It’s also one of the things that I love about Henry’s work. Her writing just flows so smoothly that it’s really easy to get lost in the pages and not realize how much time has passed.

The one thing I do wish was that it hadn’t ended as quickly as it did. Either that or I was expecting a different ending? I definitely noticed it before when I first read ‘The Girl in Red’ and again with ‘Alice’. It definitely left me wanting more and feeling like the story wasn’t yet over.

How creepy! This book has a wonderful mix of witches, beasts and magic. As we read through the story, we find out about a strange witches curse on the town and how things are starting to go wrong.

I do have to say, that the beginning was a little slow for me, that's why I gave the book 4 stars, but once I got into the middle of the story, I couldn't put it down. I also have to bring up the fact that the "Karen" in the story got bitch slapped and it was very satisfying, so thank you for that Christina Henry.

The characters were all wonderful. They each play a part in the story and they play it well.

I've been a fan of Christina Henry's books for a while and this was a great read.

My review will go live on the Book Confessions blog on 9-1-20.

DNF'ed at 25%.

I was excited for a good, distracting supernatural horror read. Unfortunately, THE GHOST TREE too frequently ejected me from its story world with clunky writing and too familiar characters.

The author belabors every point in a way I find frustrating. Every page seemed to have a "hey, did you catch that? Lemme say it again..." section. I *want* to work a little while reading a story. There's no subtlety here, though—it's mostly just "telling".

The atmosphere doesn't build in a way that feels natural. Again, it feels like I'm being *told* it's creepy, but the author calls attention to those moments rather than letting them happen and layer for the reader. Also, the bare-bones "creepy small town" trope is carrying a LOT of atmospheric weight here. But the setting doesn't feel lived in or contain a real sense of time and place.

The POV head-hops in a way that makes me think the author creates scenes like you would in a movie or TV show. It gives more angles to view the world/events, but it makes the characters feel like sketches with a few primary traits. They seem familiar, but flat. Speaking of familiar...

When the mayor was introduced, I immediately thought of two screen characters — the mayors from JAWS and season 3 of STRANGER THINGS. Different settings, similar motivations.

And then, just one page later, we get the THE GHOST TREE's mayor's reflection on seeing JAWS at the drive-in, and how they identified with the film's mayor as sympathetic, with their attempt to keep the town's economy alive. (!!!)

It felt like a shortcut, piggybacking on an established pop culture character rather than making this one a person on their own. And it's *so* on-the-nose. I was surprised it made it past an editor.

In general, (what I read of) GHOST TREE lacks its own identity. The mash-up of other stories and creators—however accidental or unintentional—is too apparent. Stephen King and Stranger Things, certainly. Perhaps some of the 90s work of John Saul? The teenage characterizations and drama remind me of Megan Abbott (though more reminiscent of the lackluster DARE ME, rather than her brilliant THE END OF EVERYTHING).

The author has some strong turn of phrase here-and-there. Beyond the issues above, Henry is clearly a competent writer. The character of Lauren is easy to identify and sympathize with.

I expect some readers will find this a quick-and-easy supernatural scare-fest. Which is great—if it works for you, excellent.

For me, though, it's too clunky and obvious, missing a true hook to keep me invested.

As always, YMMV.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with a copy of The Ghost Tree in exchange for an honest review!

Content Warnings: Racism, Blood, Gore

The Ghost Tree is my first time reading a book from Christina Henry & although I only rated this a three-star, I can tell you that I do enjoy their vibes. It's a female-protag coming of age story? Count me in. Also, I'm here for the spooky -- something that the author clearly delivers on.

Meet me by the old ghost tree.


In general, The Ghost Tree was fine, I don't have too many complaints and I definitely have some compliments. I started this book off strong & then, I just.. kinda.. fell off.

There are a lot of characters in The Ghost Tree and the chapters alternate between exploring each of these characters. I really loved how Christina Henry did this; the multiple characters don't cause confusion and the chapters flow seamlessly together. Very cohesive, very good. Of course, there are some characters I cared about more than others, such as the main character's younger brother who seems to know everything that's going on in the town, even when he's nowhere near.

The Ghost Tree has some pretty gruesome murders & holy wow, was I shook reading this. I'm honestly a gore fan so this was absolutely perfect for me.

There's a heavy mystery aspect in The Ghost Tree & the author tries to throw you off by making another character look suspicious. There are plot twists galore.

It was all fun & games in the beginning of the read, but as I continued flipping pages and started figuring out what was happening, the story started to feel like it was dragging. Although, major props for the last 20% of this book. We're down with a good SHOWDOWN.

Clearly, I found some good when it came to The Ghost Tree & I can see this being well-loved by many.

The Ghost Tree is not my favorite work from Christina Henry, but it is a well-written tale told from two very different points of view. One is a teenager named Lauren, who is more involved in the happening around the small town than she could ever imagine, whilst dealing with getting her period for the first time as well. The other is Officer Lopez. Lopez is a transplant from Chicago who came with his wife and extended family for a new start away from the violence and general freneticness of a large city.
Henry doesn't shy away from social commentary in The Ghost Tree. A good section of it is devoted to a small town's intolerance of outsiders and the change that they seem to bring, spearheaded by one particular stubborn (redacted) that can't understand that correlation is not causation. Some of the scariest parts of this novel are in reading about large groups of people falling prey to group think and engaging in behavior that should simply be no longer acceptable but is.
But that's not all there is too it. A portion of the novel is also a coming of age tale as we watch Lauren not only go through the grossness that is a period for the first time, but alsoo watch as she learns about relationships and accepting that not all friendships are forever things. I think Henry does a good job of mixing the mundane parts of growing up well with the supernatural death and bloodshed that's going on.
And then there's the mystery and magic. Who is doing it? Who is involved? How the hell is this happening? It was a wise decision to write part of the novel from an 'outsider' POV, not only because it works for the restrictions that Henry laid for this world, but also became someone from the inside simply could not have told the tale in it's entirety.
But there are some aspects of The Ghost Tree that I think keep it from reaching it's full potential. One particular character serves primarily as a 'mystical voice' and, y'all, it's just overdone. We need to move away from that particular type of character doing the things that they do. It's a trope that is so tired it really needs just... laid to rest.
It took me a while to get invested in The Ghost Tree, but I never really considered DNFing it. Or skimming. (A bit surprising given my recent attention span and the fact that the book is over 400 pages long.) While this isn't a book that I can shout about from the rooftops, I do recommend it if you're looking for a good, solid, if not particularly breathtaking story.

This is a haunting tale with a chilling and intriguing legend as backstory. The way the entire town collectively behaves to guard its own interests adds to the uneasiness caused by the undercurrent of dread that every resident feels but can't quite identify.

The interview with the author for the podcast adds more to the rich world building for this story.

I love this author, but found this recent novel to be a bit slow paced. I loved the book description and initially, I was very taken by the plot and pacing. But the pacing never really picks up and I found my excitement levels dropping quickly at about 1/3rd of the way through. I don’t want to give anything away, so I will leave this one short and sweet= it’s a good novel, but quite slow..

The star of The Ghost Tree, is definitely the creepy small town vibe where the town of Smith Hollow almost takes a life of it's own, an entity if you will and it is quite clear from the very beginning, that this mysterious town is not right and definitely not your typical small town.

With strange happenings, mysterious murders and town people that just quite aren't right, this is very reminiscent of a town you very well could encounter in a Stephen King novel. Creepy residents and all.

Sadly like most of King's latest books, this novel too relies on blood, guts and gore to make it “scary” instead of actual spooky, look over your shoulder, get chills and want to leave the lights on at night horror.

While this was at times suspenseful and downright cringe worthy with the murders, it sadly lacked the scary ghost story I was so hoping it would be. It sometimes dragged on and on and I couldn't wait for the chapter to end and numerous times had to put it down simply because I lost interest in it.

In fact, the best part about this book were the creepy children (their abilities) and again, the very town itself. The ending was somewhat redeeming but again, this just sadly wasn't what I was hoping it would be but not a bad read by any means.