Not really my cup of tea. I am grateful to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy, but this is not a book I requested nor would I have chosen it for myself.

Jane and TJ decide to attend their high school reunion, coming face-to-face with old classmate turned stalker Lincoln. Unspoken words fester between them of an incident that happened twenty years ago in the local woods, when Evie vanished and they were the last three people to see her alive. Since then the trees have whispered, "she is here"... what will happen now that they are all back? Keeps you turning the pages and guessing, with twists and turns and a sci-fi theme. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

For me this was a bit of an odd one- not quite what I was expecting and not where I thought the book was going- almost sci-fi rather than thriller in places.
That said, as you get further into the book (and the thicket) and the details start to emerge what seems out of this world becomes explicable, albeit still quite hard to believe.
There are a couple of twists where you think "oh- that is the reality" only pages later to think "or is it" so although you may have sussed out the intricacies of the relationships and the small town attitudes early on the writing style keeps the pages turning so that you can feel vindicated in your assumptions by the time the truth comes out!
Overall a great read but definitely one to approach with no presumptions on style or genre!

Wow!!! Wow!!!! Wow!!! This book is a total page turner and will keep you guessing with every page. Halfway through I thought I had it figured out and then BAM! The ending floored me... I just loved this book. If you are looking for a good mystery with twists and turns then you will enjoy this. It is a great mystery full of suspense, lies, deceit, and amazing characters. Highly recommend!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. It’s not what I was expecting to be honest. The first chapter was great and had me wanting more but as I read on I wondered where this story was going. Didn’t think too much of the main characters in this story, to me they where immature considering their age. Good storyline but just wasn’t for me.

This was definitely one of the odder books I've read, much more sci-fi than I expected. Jane and her cousin TJ return to their hometown to attend a twenty year class reunion, but also to kick start the new book TJ is writing. Jane is her agent and has been promising her boss that the story is finished, when in reality, it hasn't been started. Neither woman is looking forward to the trip home, as there are unpleasant memories from their childhood that they'd both rather forget. Jane has also been relentlessly obsessed over by an old classmate named Lincoln for years, and she dreads crossing paths with him.

They also fear returning to the area known as The Thicket, a forest where people vanish without a trace. They spent much of their youth here, surrounded by friends and a strange, psychedelic fungus that plays a starring role in this story. When the characters are under its influence, the reader doesn't quite know what to believe. When Jane & TJ's teenage friend, Evie, disappeared one night, they were all high except for Lincoln, who saw The Thicket cover the girl in webbing and absorb her. Yes, he's the one who was completely sober.

So you're never really sure if large chunks of the action taking place are real or hallucinations. If you're a fan of sci-fi, I guess this is part of the appeal? I'm definitely not, so it just creates a lot of frustration. I'd been hoping everything would have logical explanations, but that's far from the case. I would recommend reading this if you enjoy the unexplained and endings left wide open for interpretations. Otherwise, I'd steer clear.

This book was disturbing and genius all at the same time!!! I whizzed through it in 2 evenings!!! Absolutely gripping

In the very best way...

Um, what??

This book is so unique, so atmospheric and so intelligently written that I found myself captivated. I couldn't stand to walk away from it and I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It is my pleasure to write an honest review.

I thought this was going to be more of a mystery with a current storyline and one based on the past. It was confusing at times, funny at times and a bit to much horror/science fiction for me. so not a favorite. while others might like it, i had to force myself to read it and was disappointed after the effort

She Never Left is a somewhat weird book, and definitely not the book I was expecting, based on the blurb. It’s less mystery, and more mossy, swamp-like sci fi.

The book follows TJ and Jane, two cousins who have made a name for themselves writing, far from the small town in which they grew up. When a 20-year anniversary takes them back there, they find themselves confronting that one night years ago, when their best friend went missing.

Oh, and Jane’s stalker.

So here we come to what was tricky for me. I didn’t want to be reading from Lincoln’s POV. It’s just a preference when it comes to mystery/thrillers. I don’t want to read POVs of killers, or stalkers, or any such like. So I really didn’t enjoy the parts of the book that centred on Lincoln (and somewhat skimmed them besides).

The rest of the cast though, were a bit more enjoyable to read about. Messy and human, they were, a lot of them, somewhat fucked up. But they were arguably trying their best, and they did make for a compelling read in that respect.

As for the plot—well, I mentioned how I found it not quite what I was expecting. I’d come into the book expecting something more like a classical cold-case mystery. Only to find there wasn’t actually any investigating, a lot of drugs trips, and a sudden reveal at the end that the book was a lot more science fiction-y than anticipated. None of which was a bad thing, necessarily. I felt it could have been more tightly plotted, it’s true—a lot of Jane and TJ’s time in Ketchum was spent… wandering around not doing a whole lot—but it was a readable enough book, and a fairly good way to pass a few hours.

So if you’re looking for that kind of creepy horror-sci fi thriller, then I’d point you in the direction of this one.

Ideal for fans of genre-crossing psychological thrillers that include unexpected humour. Beautifully written prologue.
With thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Nice and creepy, just the way I like them. It's one of those that will get under your skin and keep playing on your mind even after you finished reading. Really well written and nice and fast paced to keep you intrigued and plenty twists to keep you guessing. Would definitely recommend, especially for a dark winters evening!!

2.5 stars

I felt a bit lost from the start of this book,almost as if I'd skipped a chapter,and should have known who everyone was and their relationship to one another.
Exciting at times,at others,I just had to wonder what on earth the characters were doing.

Suspenseful and atmospheric, this really drew me in with its captivating premise and spine tingling intro... I had to read on! The writing is very assured and the story had unexpected twists and turns.... I’ll be looking out for more from this author. A cosy yet chilling read!

This book was sent to me by Netgalley on Kindle for review. Although I really enjoy psychological mysteries, this one was just too dark for me. The author is good at the craft of writing, but I could not get into the story. Others might love this one. The characters ARE intriguing and following their story is challenging...what will they do next?

The Woods Are Whispering…
But what exactly are they saying? Away from their hometown of Ketchum, cousins and co-writers, Jane and TJ have a new life amidst the skyscrapers of Chicago. They have immersed themselves in a new start, not returning home since the disappearance of Evie. Evie, who disappeared seemingly without trace into local woodlands. When they agree to return for a school reunion, for their part hoping for creative input, someone or something is waiting. Intriguing, tense and sharply written suspense with a suitably atmospheric small town backdrop.

I received an advance copy of, She Never Left, by CM Harris. I think I would of liked this book better, if it did not have the f word in it so often. The main characters are so immature, time has not changed them for the better.