Out Of The Woods by Gregg Olsen is the story of Shasta Groen, a survivor of the serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan but also generational poverty and abuse. At eight years old, Shasta is kidnapped along with her brother and abused in every conceivable way by Duncan inside the Lolo National Forest for 47 days. The book is a harrowing read as it recounts Shasta’s sexual abuse in gruesome detail and is perhaps not appropriate for a reader unable to cope with such material. There is a purpose to the candor, though, and that is to show exactly what this child suffered and how she was able to manipulate Duncan to enable her own survival.

The book, which is written with the cooperation and input of Groen herself, is a response to a questioning with which many survivors are woefully familiar. It starts the same “why didn’t you …” and ends differently filling in details of our various traumatic experiences. I have experienced this questioning myself as a survivor and felt the anger build inside me that this second guessing evokes. It’s why I loved Olsen’s response paraphrasing Groen’s feelings on the subject: “And really, unless a person had been there, they had no right to say a simple word challenging her choices.”

I survived. Shasta Groen survived. She survived a merciless serial killer who killed most of her family. She did what she had to do — which was in her case making her abuser and would-be murderer feel loved and understood. And in turn, she lived to tell her tale and, sadly, to have to answer insensitive questions by those who have never had to figure out how to live through something like what she did in those woods.

Olsen offers a nuanced look at what it is to survive that is not for the faint of heart. This is a complicated tale of what it is to struggle with life for decades after a trauma. If you have the strength to read this book, you will definitely expand your empathy for survivors. As a survivor, I feel represented in Olsen’s depiction in a way that I rarely have in such third-person accounts. There is an acknowledgement that is rare in these accounts that we may never really be out of the woods.

This is a gripping and haunting story of a horrific crime that shook a small community to its core. This tragic case offers readers both the facts and the emotional weight behind them.
What stands out most to me is Olsen’s ability to humanize those involved without sensationalizing the crime. He gives a voice to the survivors and family members with care, making their pain, strength, and resilience feel incredibly real.
The reason this isn't a full five-star read is that at times, the pacing falters slightly, particularly when covering background details or side characters that don’t directly impact the main story.
For fans of true crime who appreciate empathy over shock value, Out of the Woods delivers a chilling yet respectful account of a case that lingers long after the final page.

I just finished another book by Gregg Olsen that I loved. Out of the Woods is available now! Pick it up!

This was an interesting and heartbreaking read. I'm always interested in reading about true crime and this one was even hard for me to get through; not because it was a bad read but because to the story behind the book. I think it was a good read.

Out of the Woods by Gregg Olsen, published by Thomas & Mercer, is a raw and gritty read.
Shasta Groene is a heroine who's through a lot and has the scars to prove it.
Her story is a heartwrenching, literally unputdownable to read. This is a full length, stand alone, crime thriller, mystery of its finest, 5 stars.

I wasn’t aware when I requested it that this was a true story. What Shasta experienced is beyond imagination. That she survived alone is phenomenal. Her life’s journey after is filled with ups and downs, some of them self inflicted and some by other people taking advantage of her. It shows a remarkable strength on Shastas part. This is not an easy book to read but the story is so compelling you can’t stop turning the pages. Thank you to net galley for the opportunity to read this book.

Out of the Woods cuenta la impactante historia real de Shasta Groene, una niña de ocho años que sobrevivió a uno de los crímenes más espeluznantes de Estados Unidos. Tras ser secuestrada durante 48 días por un asesino en serie, Shasta logró escapar y convertirse en símbolo de fortaleza. Sin embargo, esta obra no se enfoca solo en su rescate, sino en lo que vino después: el trauma, las recaídas, los errores y su lucha constante por rehacerse. A través de una narración profundamente humana y descarnada, Gregg Olsen nos ofrece el retrato íntimo de una mujer marcada por la tragedia, pero también por una inquebrantable voluntad de sanar.

Fue difícil terminarlo, tuve que tomarme varios descansos e intercalarlo con una lectura más liguera.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This may be Olsen’s best work yet, which is really saying something. This author always delivers hard hitting accounts with a strong emphasis on the survivor’s perspective and this book continues that admirable approach. In doing so, Olsen highlights the truth of trauma and the fact that recovery is not a linear process. What Shasta experienced is beyond imagining, but it really happened. It is a horror story of the worst kind because of its truth. To know such things have happened is hard and Olsen does not let the reader shy away from any of it. A very disturbing book, but very important.

I didnt realize this came out today!

I wanted to leave this review before the archive date.

This book is next level dark and scary but is also written in a way that is easy to follow.

It’s super dark though. I may need to pick it back up when I’m more in the mood for a true crime horror read.

Thank you for this ARC! I appreciate the opportunity to leave honest feedback voluntarily.