Blue Cliff, Virginia is a small town where the locals are always there for one another, as long as you are not an outsider. It is also a town with a huge generational superstition about the Hickory man haunting the woods and killing children. The towns people all seem to believe and live their lives by this old fairy tale. Five years ago 3 children disappeared and were eventually found dead in the woods. But instead of a supernatural beast, Jasper Clinton, an outsider, was quickly captured and convicted of these hideous crimes.
Now present day, Cheyenne Ashby receives a call from an old family friend requesting that she return back to Blue Cliff after being gone for five years because her mentally ill mother's health is declining. Upon her return she learns that Jasper Clinton has been released from prison due to some new evidence that proves his innocence and immediately after a local boy went missing. She soon reunites with her two best friends from childhood Jack and Natalie. The three of them begin their own investigation into what really happened 5 years ago, in a rush to figure it out before it is too late for the missing child.
I love creepy stories based on superstition and supernatural, especially when it involves a forest and/or small town, so I was very excited to read this one. This is definitely a slow burn, but I did enjoy getting to know all the characters thru Cheyenne's and Natalie's view points. I couldn't stop listening because I felt so invested I had to know what happened. But then there is the big reveal but there is still like two hours left of the book. I felt like at this point it was just a waste and dragged on and on. The very end of the epilogue was different, but I could have done without the other 20 percent or so. The narrator did a nice job but I often forgot if I was listening to Natalie or Cheyenne and got confused. I think two different narrators for this would have been a better choice. All in all I was pretty impressed with this as a debut thriller and look forward to reading more from this author.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Katherine Greene for allowing me to listen to an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

5 out of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

When Cheyenne Ashby returns to the small Appalachian town her family has lived in for generations she finds that she can't escape her past and the secrets it holds so well. Cheyenne doesn't want to return to her hometown that she left in such a hurry or the Mother she fled from but she has no choice when her Father figure calls her and tells her she is needed.

Three missing children, folk lore, old friends and lost love all weave into a captivating and dark tale. Angie Hickman was an absolutely wonderful narrator.

I enjoyed most of this story, I thought it was quite atmospheric and creepy. The descriptions of everything really sold the story. However, I found this book to be quite predictable. I guessed who did it from the moment the character was introduced. It was too easy to figure it all out even just by the way the character was described. Also, wasn't a fan of the narrator and her overly dramatic southern accent.

Because I only enjoyed certain elements of this book, this one sits low on would recommend list.

I was immediately intrigued reading the synopsis for this book, and I'm glad I read it!

It is the perfect "spooky season" read, and I loved the audio narration. I highly recommend the audio version of the book. It had plenty of twists and turns, and while the ending was somewhat obvious, I still enjoyed this creepy read!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media & Katherine Greene for an audio arc of The Woods Are Waiting. This review is wholly my own and may not be reproduced, except for quotations.

"Cheyenne Ashby knows the dark and disturbing history of her hometown of Blue Cliff, Virginia, all too well. It’s why she left. Growing up deep within the woods with her eccentric mother, Constance, she was raised on the unusual customs and generational superstitions linked to the local legend of an evil entity that haunts the forest.

Five years ago, the bodies of three children were found in the woods. It was a man—not a mythical beast—named Jasper Clinton who was convicted of these heinous crimes. For five years the town breathed just a bit easier with a real-life monster behind bars.

But when another child goes missing, Cheyenne and Natalie are determined to discover the truth and uncover the town’s dangerous secrets rooted in its terrifying past.

The two women must confront the reality of the superstitions they always believed in and their town’s complicated connection with who—or what—lives in the woods."

This one was a bit of a let down. It was extremely similar to many other "boogeyman" stories. The Hickory Man was no different. The pacing of the story was good and the characters were good, but the plot and especially the "twist" ending (which I had figured out from almost the very beginning) were a huge letdown. Any reader who typically reads suspense/thrillers will have this one figured out quickly. I didn't NOT like it - I just didn't really like it either. It just goes onto my like of "meh" books for the year.

Generously giving 3 Stars.

We have another debut here! I am amazed that these ladies created some Appalachian folklore. I thought for a minute that they took on an already established character from this rural folklore and made a story from it. So I looked up Appalachian folklore, because they do have some interesting ones, but this was not one. So my first impression was pretty impressed that they created this creepy lore with an equally creepy children's rhyme.

That being said, the story was a bit slow, we have some relationship issues that we focus on and what not and we have some extreme prejudice that is focused on in the story. We also hear a lot about modern day "witch hunts" because well we want to catch a killer. The real story is about a group of friends (Cheyenne, Jack and Natalie) who lived through a group of murders 5 years before and then fell out and are back together and trying to figure out the new child murder.

We have two POVs, Cheyenne and Natalie, and they are pretty much the same person with different experiences. They talk the same, and think the same, there isn't really much character differentiation written for the childhood friends. Cheyenne's mom is kind of at the center of the town drama, she seems to be a bit...not sane...but she has the Ashby family legacy to uphold. She makes herb wreaths, crystals, and poppets to keep the town safe from the Hickory Man. The whole town both believes and disbelieves in the Hickory Man, so they carry old silver coins and keep dirt in their shoes to keep the Hickory Man from nabbing them. People avoid the woods alone and at night. Cheyenne left town because her mom was too much to handle. She came back because the sheriff calls her and says her mom is off the edge...then comes back and complains the entire time about everything. Children are being murdered but your mom is a little off the rails...Then these friends who haven't talked in 5 years are thick as thieves and like nothing ever happened.

There are red herrings that are presented are pretty obvious and the child killer is fairly obvious. The biggest gripes I have would be the pacing. It is so slow and dragged out with little to no action or suspense. Then we get to the climax and the villian goes on this 5-million hour confession monologue and spells out the why, the how, the history, the plans, I mean everything. I think all of that could have been apart of the buildup instead of the epic monologue. The whole Ashby history would have been amazing to see and the build up of the origins of the Hickory Man. That, IMO, was where this story would have excelled. I do not think the story was bad at all but it was not everything it could have been. There was a lot of creepy elements. The woods were definitely a major character and written really well to up the anxiety of the reader. The narrator did a good job, but again it was hard to tell the difference between POVs. Overall, it was entertaining little thriller.

3.5/5 stars.

This is a review of the audiobook. The narrator’s voice was a little jarring at first and this almost stopped me from listening. However as I got used it it, I found it was actually perfect for the setting. The Appalachian dialects gave an added element to the story’s setting. The storyline itself was a thriller style murder mystery spanning decades. The disappearance of young children mixed in with local mythology of the Hickory Man created a spooky element. Told between alternating chapters from the two main characters, the author creates an excellent tale of distrustful characters and the mass hysteria that can develop in small populations.

Overall, this was an extremely atmospheric read. The descriptions of the settings put me in the mood for crisp autumn days. I particularly enjoyed the superstitions that were woven into the history and daily interactions of the setting as well. I'm a sucker for anything with a hint of the supernatural, and this felt like it lived and breathed folklore in a way that I enjoyed.

For me, the book moved slowly. This allowed for the reader to really get to know the characters and the setting, building a sense of investment in the plot. At the same time, I found myself underwhelmed at times due to the slow pacing. Regardless, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys atmospheric world-building and slow burning development--nothing is revealed too quickly or too easily! Also, the audiobook version has a fantastic narrator whose voice really adds to the telling of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to experience this book early in return for my honest opinion.

I never knew nursery rhymes could be terrifying….and then I listened to this book. I will never think of nursery rhymes the same.

This is an atmospheric, suspenseful book set in the Appalachian region of Virginia. The small town and woods create a very tense environment.

Children in the area have all been warmed about the Hickory Man. He takes children. Something isn’t right.

Three children have been found dead and the man blamed for their deaths on a technicality and how a fourth has gone missing.

Cheyenne and Natalie are trying to figure out what happened before it’s too late…..will they succeed?

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This debut novel is a total thrill ride! I was pulled in from the very first words and couldn't stop!

Told from two different perspectives, telling their own stories that lead to the culmination that had my heart racing and teeth clenching. It is a slow(er) burn than I expected, but I believe the back end of the book makes up for the journey.

Cheyenne and Natalie are such a good, real representation of friendships tested by life and distance. However, it was a bit dulling to hear them both discuss the same things from their perspectives rather than alternating chapters where each moves the plot along. But not so much that it made me stop reading because Natalie's perspective and story is just as important.

Set in the Appalachians, I will say I was expecting a bit more of the culture to be interwoven in the story. They got the whole "mystery in the woods" vibe and I was rooting for it, but outside of that, there is very little consideration of the setting. So while the novel was creepy and eery, there was a part of me that couldn't be fully immersed because it could be ANY woods, not Appalachian woods (yes, there is a difference - iykyk.)

Overall, I devoured this book whole and only stopped reading because of work. It is an excellent debut and I look forward to and would gladly read another novel by the author without question.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audio ARC.

Angie Hickman did a remarkable job portraying the different characters in this twisted, dark novel. I loved her voice for Constance! It made me smile every time Hickman voiced her dialogue.

This story was enjoyable. I didn’t find it scary, but you might!

3.5 Stars For The Woods Are Waiting by Katherine Greene

Cheyenne has returned to her home in the Appalachian Mountains after being away for several years, only to find that it's happening again. "It" being the kidnapping and murder of the town's children. Now she's dealing with the aftermath of all the broken relationships she left in her wake, including the one with her mother who is the local town crazy. Who is killing these kids? Surely it isn't actually the Hickory Man, Blue Cliff's version of the Boogeyman.

This book was a slow burn for me. As someone who lives in the Appalachian Mountains herself, I loved the vibe of small town isolation as well as the dark undercurrent of supernatural urban legends you feel. I did feel at times the ending was a little too easy to predict, and there were a few characters in the book that were too stereotypical 'bad guy but not guilty' for me.

However, I did enjoy the storyline and would definitely read something else from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for gifting me with this audiobook for my honest review.

Thank you so much to @netgalley for the chance to review The Woods Are Waiting. This was incredibly creepy - and for many reasons! The folklore, the deaths, the strained relationships all added such depth to the story!

Years ago, the bodies of three missing boys were found in the woods - with the killer bow behind bars. Cheyenne returns to her hometown, full of strange traditions, when another child goes missing. There are tales of an evil entity in the woods, and Cheyenne sets out to solve this mystery.

This was gripping! Very fun and twisty. Excellent narration on the audiobook.

The dark atmosphere, slow burn pacing, well-built characterization piqued my interest. I didn’t want to put it down! Absolutely a solid read for lovers of slow burn, scary, mysteries with supernatural vibes! The character sketching of Cheyenne and Natalie. I liked how they were strong women who didn’t shy away from tough talk or tough decisions or even tough actions. It was a refreshing change to see such women at the helm of a contemporary mystery rather than the usual whiny protagonists we encounter. At the same time, there were certain things in their situation that were impossible to accept. Natalie’s blindness to her fiancé’s attitude towards her was too farfetched to believe. Then again, her pov is mostly useless and more focused on her personal issues than on the central mystery. Her character development had a lot of wasted potential. The book was a bit slow, but it still had my attention. The audiobook, clocking at almost 10 hrs, is narrated by Angie Hickman. Mixed feelings about the experience. While I appreciate her attempt at providing a different voice/accent for each character, some of the accent's kind of drove me nuts. It was a good listen, i believe this is these authors first read hopefully the next will be a little better not so slow paced.

I absolutely LOVED this one. It reminded me very much of Gillian Flynn's novels, which is such a thrill. I was excited when she started a publishing company because I am always in search of books that did what hers did. So many thrillers written by and starring women purport to be just like Gillian Flynn or Ruth Ware--so much so that the description doesn't mean anything to me anymore. But this one really delivers! I love the atmosphere and setting. The spooky story element is very effective, and I truly couldn't tell through most of the story whether or not it would end up supernatural. The narrator has a wonderful accent as well. I tore through this and cannot recommend it highly enough.

I enjoyed this audio book, more towards the middle to the end. The beginning was a little slow and picks up once you get through the history of the characters. I enjoyed it more then I thought I would, small town, creepy history and family legacy. I was surprised at one thing at the end. No spoilers here, you will have to read the book. I will keep an eye out for more books by Katherine Greene and thank you to NetGalley for the ARC/Audio.

A solid small town multi-generational mystery! I had no idea where this was going to go, and was thoroughly shocked by the big reveal.

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This was an incredible whodunnit but with local lore and creepy woods. It definitely gives a small town vibe with slight Slenderman or some other cryptid lore. The characters were well developed, complex and relatively easy to relate to. The plot moved along quickly and I never saw the twists coming! If you love a good thriller, and want to get hyped for Spooky Season then I highly recommend The Woods Are Waiting.

The Woods Are Waiting
Katherine Greene
What determines fact from superstition. Blue Cliff is a small town in Virginia. Call it rumor, superstition or fact everyone is afraid of the Hickory Man. Legend has it he takes children. For generation after generation mothers and fathers have warned their children to stay away from the woods. There is even a nursery rhyme written about the Hickory Man.
Cheyenne Ashby escaped Blue Cliff and her mother Constance five years ago but a phone call drug her back to the small town, her mother, Constance and the house deep in the woods where she was raised. Perhaps her mother was mentally ill or maybe she was wiser than the other town folks. She taught her daughter how to stay safe by following what we would call an old wife’s tales such as putting dirt in your shoes and carrying silver coins. Constance knew how to use poppets, crystals, salt, herbs to keep people safe.
When Jasper was arrested and convicted of killing three children the town took a deep breath and felt safe again. The man was later released on a technicality. Another child is missing. Cheyenne and her best friend Natalie are determined to find the truth. Three children disappear every five years.
The beginning is slow with the atmosphere slowly building; the ending is also slow. The point of view is told through Cheyenne and Natalie. The setting and the atmosphere are creepy. Jack and Cheyenne develop a bit of a romance. The pair fit well together. Something seems strange about this story the whole town is mourning the loss of another child and yet they do not go looking for the murderer. Why is anyone still living in Blue Cliff?
The clues as to whodunit are there throughout the tale but will you pick up on them. This is a spooky, bizarre, eerie, and unnerving tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC! This started off slow and I wasn’t intrigued. The characters fell flat and while I’m usually excited to read book set in my home state this one wasn’t doing it for me.