Heather and Lesley’s lives had changed beyond belief during the boiling hot summer of 1976. A fatal mistake had turned the two girls’ entire lives upside down and both of their worlds had been upended. Heather and Lesley tried hard to leave the events of that summer behind them, but even after all these decades, the devastating repercussions of that particular day continue to linger and cause them both no end of trauma and strife.

More than forty years later and Lesley is now a writer who is practically a recluse. She lives with her dog and barely has any human interaction, but with a book to sell and money being rather tight, she agrees to give a talk at the local library. Lesley notices a pale-looking woman at the talk and something about her immediately makes her feel unsettled. Could this woman be a connection from her past? And might her presence in her life signal the beginning of yet another traumatic chapter for Lesley?

This was my first book by J.A Baker and it won't be my last! I found this to be a page turner from beginning to end. I devoured this as I became entrenched with Heather and Lesley's stories. I devoured this in a day!

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for access to this ARC in exchange for my review.

I cannot fault JA Baker, I’ve read soooo many of the authors books and they are ALWAYS a treat, never repetitive and just fab, this is intricately plotted thriller that had me guessing until the very end. Gripping from start to finish

I love a book that involves books and this one is about an author who lives in the woods. I also loved how it involved a dog in the storyline. Great characters.

This was a slow burn that was atmospheric and sent shivers up my spine. This is a very dark psychological thriller & the woods in question almost felt like another character. Something to sink your teeth into.

The Woman In The Woods is written by J A Baker. This is the first book that I have read by this author, and it will not my last. I was drawn into the book immediately and could not put it down. There are so many twists and turns that my heart was pounding continuously throughout the whole story.

The writer suffers from amnesia from a hit and run - and lives in the woods with her old German Shepherd, Whisky. Someone is watching the writer. Someone who recently got out of prison and is watching the writer and their every move.

The book is told through two perspectives - and are easy to follow. The author has written some memorable characters and a suspenseful story line.

Thank you to the author, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own,.

The woman in the woods by J A Baker was another excellent book. I was gripped from the beginning till the end and I found it hard to put it down, especially as its full with great twists and turns throughout that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. I loved it. Plus, I wanted to know more about the main character who is a writer. She lives in the woods with her old dog called Whiskey who is her old faithful companion. This is where she feels safe in her cottage in the woods, where no one knows her or her real name. She feels at peace and safe from the real world outside the woods. No one can hurt her and Whiskey because she knows the real world can be so cruel especially of they ever found out what happened in the summer of 1976, when she made a terrible mistake.

But, then I see her again. I see her pale, white face. Watching me. Taunting me. And then the notes begin to appear. I know who you really are…..........and I know what you did.

All of a sudden, the walls of my cottage feel like a prison, the peaceful woods around me a maze that will trap me forever.

Who is this woman?

What does she want?

So many questions paralysing me with fear. But, One thing I do know. She must be stopped. and will stop! It has to stop!

This is why I live alone in the woods so no one can find me and know where I live!!

Big Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I love J.A. Baker books and her new novel, The Woman in the Woods does not disappoint. Tense, suspenseful and gripping doesn't even begin to describe this fabulous psychological thriller as the main character must be one of the most unreliable narrators I have ever come across.

The main character is an author who lost her memory after a hit and run, which might be a blessing in disguise as she has a very dark secret in her past. A secret that somebody knows and rather than simply threatening to reveal the secret, she wants retribution. The simmering tension and increasing sense of unease feels like a cat playing with a mouse before it goes in for the kill.

As the past is gradually revealed, I felt sick to my stomach at the mindless crime committed. It does give you food for thought as it's an often debated subject about whether children should be given a second chance after they have committed a crime. They don't have the experience to understand the consequences of their actions but a crime is a crime. Everyone deserves a second chance, or do they?

Dark, disturbing and incredibly tense, The Woman in the Woods really got under my skin and at several points really made my skin crawl. It's another corker of a psychological thriller from J.A. Baker and a recommended read.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I am safe here, in my cottage in the woods where no one knows me or my real name. All is peaceful and calm and the real world can’t hurt me – because I know how cruel it can be.

But then I see her again. I see her pale, white face. Watching me. Taunting me. And then the notes begin to appear.

I know who you really are… I know what you did…

All of a sudden, the walls of my cottage feel like a prison, the peaceful woods around me a maze that will trap me forever.

Who is this woman? What does she want?

Does she know what happened during that boiling hot summer of 1976 when I made my terrible mistake. And if so, how?

So many questions paralysing me with fear. One thing I do know.

She must be stopped.

This was a good book! The ending for me was a little anticlimactic but still worth the read. It kept me guessing the whole book. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Three young girls with considerably different backgrounds are brought together by desperation, boredom, and power. Little did they know their lives would all change in an instant during that one hot summer.

Revenge is best served cold and she’s waited 40 years to do it. The woman who ruined her pitiful life is living large and it’s time for payback.

The tension builds as threatening notes are left and stalker vibes are felt in this game of cat and mouse between a woman who doesn’t want to be found and a woman trying to find herself. Who will survive?

If you enjoy creepy, unpredictable psychological thrillers with loads of suspense and shocking twists, give this book a try.

Thank you to Ms. Baker for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

The woman in the woods is told from two different perspectives, the writer who lives alone with just her dog whiskey for company. She has no interest in human interaction and when she does go out it’s only to the library where she gets her book signed. Things aren’t clear for the writer as when she was younger she was involved in a hit and run and has now been left with amnesia as a result from this.

Whilst the writer is signing copies of her book she spots a pale looking woman just watching her, she barely says a word and as she leaves she slips a note into the writers hand. Could this pale faced woman be the key to unlocking the secrets of her past.

Then there is Heather who hadn’t long been released from prison, we learn a lot about Heather and her life growing up, she was neglected by her parents and had a very difficult upbringing. Now that heather is out of prison she wants to build a new life for herself, she has changed her name and is trying her best to move on however she is watching the writer, and not only is she watching but she wants revenge.

Although I liked the woman in the woods there was just something I couldn’t put my finger on, sadly I wasn’t hooked right from the start and this made it slightly harder to read, however there were still plenty of exciting bits which grabbed my attention and made me want to keep reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review, which I must apologise for as it is late, somehow this one just slipped through the net.

This is a very dark psychological thriller & the woods in question almost felt like another character - foreboding & claustrophobic.

This is told from two POVs - one in the past & the titular character in the present. It’s the scorching summer of 1976 & three teenagers are bored; they decide on a course of action which leads to two deaths & a murder arrest. Forward to the present & a woman is receiving notes claiming to know her history, of which she says she has no memory.

I found this quite a slow read but I couldn’t put it down. A compelling urgency to understand the characters spurred me on, although I couldn’t empathise with either of them. Some chilling twists sent me in the wrong direction completely. The mark of a good read.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it will definitely not be my last.

I was hooked in by this authors style of writing right away, the mystery drawing me in page after page.

I wanted to know all about The Writer and who she was and what exactly happened in the Summer of 1976 and why?.

This was an edge of your seat thriller that kept me guessing all the way through, I’d highly recommend this to all thriller lovers.

I've read and enjoyed several of Baker's before, so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed by The Woman in the Woods.

The cleverly plotted thriller is narrated from several POV one the woman in the woods and the other from the perspective of a child.

It's moderately paced and there's plenty to hold your attention. It's suspenseful, creepy - cottage in the woods anyone - and delightfully dark, right up my street!

I really enjoyed The Woman in the Woods, it's twisty, compelling and has a bucketful of red herrings to keep you on your toes.

4.25⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Publication date ~ August 30, 2023
Page Count ~ 312 (50 chapters)
POV ~ dual 1st & single 3rd
Featuring ~ dual timeline ~ now & 1976, brutal murder, stalking, revenge

The Writer lives secluded in the woods with her old German Shepherd, Whisky. She only goes out to do talks and book signings at the local library. She suffers from amnesia as a result of a hit and run.

Heather (yay for my name) changed her name to Mary when she got out of prison. Now she's out for revenge and watching The Writer's every move.

We know something horrific happened in the Summer of 1976, but we don't know exactly what for quite a while. Poor, neglected Heather narrates what goes down and led her to prison term. You can't help but feel sad for her upbringing.

Whisky was the most reliable and friendliest of the bunch. A faithful companion. Always ready for a walk, or a treat, or to take a nice long snooze in his bed after exploring the woods. There was a heart pounding moment at the beginning when he was missing and we feared harm, but he was perfectly fine.

Overall, a nice fast paced thriller with some suspenseful, edge of the seat, moments. If you like stalkers out for revenge then you'll probably enjoy this one.

This was such a dark thriller that pulled me in instantly. I love the double POVs and the slow burn build up to that roller-coaster of an ending. The twists had me doubting what the truth actually was. I loved the unreliable angle with the main character as it created a constant seed of doubt. The way the book ended has made desperate for a sequel I just need more and that is testament to @jabakerauthor writing.

Creepy, hypnotic and terrifying, The Woman in the Woods is the chilling new thriller by J A Baker.

Heather and Lesley’s lives had changed beyond belief during the boiling hot summer of 1976. A fatal mistake had turned the two girls’ entire lives upside down and both of their worlds had been upended. Heather and Lesley tried hard to leave the events of that summer behind them, but even after all these decades, the devastating repercussions of that particular day continue to linger and cause them both no end of trauma and strife.

More than forty years later and Lesley is now a writer who is practically a recluse. She lives with her dog and barely has any human interaction, but with a book to sell and money being rather tight, she agrees to give a talk at the local library. Lesley notices a pale-looking woman at the talk and something about her immediately makes her feel unsettled. Could this woman be a connection from her past? And might her presence in her life signal the beginning of yet another traumatic chapter for Lesley?

When Lesley begins receiving anonymous notes, she knows that the woman she had seen at the talk is responsible. But what does she want from her? And why is she targeting her? Lesley knows that she must do whatever it takes to stop this woman. But does she know who she is taking on? Lesley’s past has finally caught with her, but is she ready for the fight of her life? Or is this a battle that will end up costing her dear?

You can always rely on J A Baker for an exhilarating rollercoaster ride and she has done it again with The Woman in the Woods. Unsettling, chilling and deliciously twisted, this dark and disturbing read will have you jumping out of your skin and looking over your shoulders weeks after you’ve finished reading it.

An unpredictable thriller that delivers on all counts, The Woman in the Woods is classic J A Baker.

I wrote in my review of the authors last book that it was her best…..I am writing it again,this is now the authors best book 😎
I love a book that has an author as one of the main characters and always look for any insider info or feelings re their work and interactions with us readers…this book has all these combined with a whole massive story that encompasses the past,secrets,lies,murders and intrigue….the list is endless,it is as always filled with fabulous descriptive writing and although covers the past and present done so in a way that was not confusing
There is also trickery afoot so beware!
A really good full on thriller that had everything to make it a perfect one for me

FOR BLOGTOUR

A thouroghly enjoyable physcological thriller that I won't forget any time soon! I think everyone will be able to relate to Heather and Lesley as children just trying to fit in. I thought it was brilliant writing one of the main characters as a author as a avid reader it's always interesting to get into the minds of a author. I was gripped from page one and had no idea where the author was going to go with the story so it kept me eagerly flipping the pages until the very best ending. I think this is the best one I have read from J.A. Baker.

It seems every time I read a book by JA Baker I think it is the best one I have read so either she is getting better or I just love every freaking book she writes. It’s probably a combination of both. A woman with a secret a woman in hiding but every secret will come to the light… Right? She has quickly become one of my favorite thriller authors in this book is a great example of why. I want to thank Boldwood books and Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

For whatever reason it took me ages to get into this book, I kept picking it up but then laying it back down. But once I found my groove after a couple of chapters I was hooked. 

Who is the woman in the woods? Why is her past such a mystery and who keeps showing up at her book talks? This book is a bit of psychological mind bender, told from the POV of two people - Heather in the past during the summer of 1976 and the present day. We can see that something terrible had happened that summer that ruined many lives but when the reveal finally made the pages I was shocked and felt sick to my core, the build up to it still didn't prepare me for what I was reading.

Despite taking a while to get into this was a great read and one I couldn't put once I got hooked.

4 stars