The Forest of Missing Girls is a haunting, slow-burn thriller that expertly weaves together family secrets, small-town legends, and the kind of creeping dread that lingers long after dark. Lia Gregg is a compelling protagonist—vulnerable but determined—as she’s forced to confront not just the terrifying woods of her childhood, but also the secrets her family has long buried.

The atmosphere is one of the book’s strongest points. The forest feels like a character in its own right: mysterious, menacing, and thick with generations of fear. The tension builds steadily as Lia begins to untangle the truth behind the disappearances, and the sense of unease never fully lets up.

Some plot elements are a bit familiar if you read a lot of psychological thrillers, and a few reveals are more predictable than shocking. But the emotional stakes, especially around Lia’s relationship with her sister and mother, give the story real depth and heart.

This is a perfect read for fans of dark, twisty mysteries with a supernatural edge and strong female leads. It’s not just about what’s hidden in the woods—it’s about what we’re afraid to face in ourselves.

The premise of "The Forest of Missing Girls" immediately drew me in and once it did, it didn't let go.

The book was written in such a creepy, atmospheric way, that I felt like I was there. There were so many mysteries within the book and twists at every turn. The characters were well-developed with a lot of depth within the backstories. The pacing was excellent, I kept turning pages long after I should have stopped. There was a lot of suspense built up throughout the book and it kept me guessing until the very end.

Highly recommend adding this to your TBR for the perfect fall read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was my first book by this author but it absolutely did not disappoint!!! There were twists that were executed SO well, the plot, characters, everything about this book I loved. I look forward to more books by this author. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an early copy

Haunting, immersive, and disturbingly beautiful—The Forest of Missing Girls by Nichelle Giraldes is a chilling descent into generational trauma, fractured identities, and a forest that seems to breathe, watch, and remember.

From the very first page, Giraldes lures you into a world where every tree hides a secret and every shadow could be something more. The setting is alive—lush and eerie, like nature itself is complicit in the horrors that unfold. It’s the kind of book that makes the hair on your arms rise, not just from what’s happening, but from what might be lurking just out of sight. If you love a good murder mystery wrapped in gothic dread and psychological unease, this one’s for you.

At its core, this story follows Lia, a woman returning to her small, secret-laden hometown after a failed stint in LA. Her homecoming isn’t just about heartbreak—it’s about confronting the weight of family expectations and the dark history of the forest that borders her childhood home. When her younger sister’s best friend vanishes without a trace, Lia is drawn into a mystery that stretches far beyond this single disappearance.

What makes this novel stand out is Giraldes’s striking use of dual POVs—one grounded in Lia’s search for answers, the other a more enigmatic voice that slowly reveals itself. The structure keeps you on your toes, constantly reevaluating what you think you know. I absolutely loved the mystery of the second perspective; it added a fresh and brilliantly executed layer that gave me chills.

The writing style is lyrical yet raw, blending dark fairytale elements with modern psychological horror. There’s a quiet brutality to the storytelling—some scenes are deeply disturbing, visceral in a way that lingers. And while there are subtle sci-fi undertones, they’re woven in so seamlessly that even non-genre fans won’t feel out of place. Think Blair Witch meets Frankenstein, with just a whisper of botanical horror.

Giraldes doesn’t shy away from heavy themes either—this is a novel that deals with the horrors women carry in their bodies and bones. From unrealistic expectations to generational trauma, mental illness, and the often invisible violence of being shaped into someone else’s image, it’s all here, wrapped in mystery and metaphor.

Overall, The Forest of Missing Girls is an evocative, skin-crawling thriller that blends mystery with myth, horror with humanity. It’s a forest you won’t forget—and one you may think twice about walking into again.

Perfect for fans of:
• Atmospheric, small-town mysteries
• Creepy forests that feel alive
• Slow-burn horror with emotional depth
• Supernatural suspense with real-world trauma
• Unreliable narrators, dual timelines,

The ending…🤯 I need to know more! Book 2?

Highly recommended! Just, not before bed!

A great book for a weekend, that you cannot put it down. Nature, love all blended with the society's rules for women that never fade, leading to a mystery where you sometimes suspect a character, the development revealing the suspect til the end.

" I was unnatural, formed from the unwilling sacrifice of others. Like Frankenstein's monster, I was a creature composed of parts."

I enjoyed this book.
The story starts out slowly and the slow pace is maintained throughout the book. The slowness was not a problem for me because it’s the kind of story that crept up on me and before I knew it I could not put it down.
Think a beautiful Frankenstein's monster with a family, an enchanted forest and one very nasty doctor. Sisterhood, friendships, broken relationships, unfulfilled lives, murder and a whole lot of themes can be found right there in the mix.
The story is excellently written. The descriptions of the forest made it feel vibrant and alive with such vivid details.The main character is well fleshed out and when she finds herself in that last scene I was on her side cheering her on.
A great read.

oh. my. god.

this book is AMAZING! i was completely enthralled. the plot was so good. and let’s be real.. nichelle’s writing was just so captivating. the twists were executed so well. ugh. i need everyone to read this!

This was hands down one of the most twisted, unexpected books I’ve ever read. The plot was straight up wild. It was so so well written and I absolutely fell in love with the characters and atmosphere. This book falls into a category pushing the supernatural realm but it is done very realisticly.
Such a fast paced suspenseful read. I could not put this down. And the ending 🤯
Brilliant

Very Shelley-esque. Less of a thriller than I expected, but a good, tense read, with a few interesting elements. 3.5 stars rounded up.

When Lia leaves LA and returns to her family home, she hopes to outgrow the fear of the woods surrounding them. The woods appear more sinister than usual when a friend of Lia’s sister disappears from their back garden. Does Lia’s mother know more about this than she is letting on? Can the trees really be hiding secrets, secrets that might bring Lia closer to danger than she ever imagined?

The premise of this book was appealing and from the beginning the description of the woods emphasised the eerie background ‘The forest felt alive, like a wild animal—unpredictable, uncontrollable, something that could kill me without a second thought’.

Lia’s determination to seek out answers whilst being blocked in parts by her critical mother plays a consistent role in this book. It was a slow burn and some repetition in places which I felt took away parts of the payoff at the end. I feel there could have been more character background in places, partially from the missing girls scenes which could have answered some questions (of which I had many!). Overall, this was a mix of thriller, some horror and a little folklore/sci-fi so quite different to what I would normally read, but an enjoyable one that kept my interest nevertheless.

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A girl is coming back home to a small town after breaking up with her boyfriend. She feels like a failure, not because of the break up or because of the discovery that LA is not for her, but because of her perfect Mother who will be once again disappointed in her. Or so she believes. In a strange way, she also missed the nature and the forest that surrounds their home. It's the same forest she grew up in, taking walks in with her mother and sister. The same forest she is very much afraid of. The same forest where the girls have gone missing regularly in the last decades never to be found again.

After her teen sister's best friend is gone form their backyard, their lives turn upside down trying to figure out what happened and how is their Mother involved. At the same time we get the first glimpse into the memories of one of the missing girls... or many of them.

The story is spun perfectly and you will love it if you are a fan of spooky, supernatural thrillers, truly crazy scientists, a horror involving a cottage in the woods and the forest that is more alive than the regular forests are. And then there is also the horror of unrealistic expectations placed on women and the horror of generational trauma with all the pressure, mental issues, violence and feelings of failure that comes with it.

Without spoilers, this is all I can say, but I do recommend this book with all my heart. Despite the subjects, the fairytale like horror makes this one a very cozy read for me.

Love love love. So well written, and the ease into the reveal was incredible. The forest has always been a place where I feel home, I can feel it in my bones- so this book was just perfect. The right amount of suspense and gore. Unputdownable. 4.5 stars.

I really appreciated being able to be an arc reader for this book!! This book was a little outside of my comfort zone, but wanted to give it a chance! While it wasn’t a favorite, it was an interesting read for sure. I found it a little slow at times, but for the most part it was pretty engaging.

I enjoyed this one it was super creepy more horror than thriller and I was totally here for it
I found the character interesting with so many layers
I liked the uniqueness of this one too
Was such a good read

Review posted to Goodreads:
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
This book was so creepy and not the standard mystery/thriller I was expecting. It veered into horror with some fantasy-ish elements, reminding me a bit of A History of Wild Places. The pacing and storytelling were a bit slow at times but I otherwise enjoyed it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this ARC! I love this book! I really loved the take on this book when it came to the missing girls. When I found out who the girls were I did not expect that at all and it really caught me by surprise which is really hard for a book to do for me. The forest was so full of life that it really captivates you. This book was phenomenal and I really recommend it to anyone that is thinking about reading it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read the arc of this book!

This book was what i wanted and so much more. If you’re looking for a dark mysterious book with hints of fantasy this is for you!
The descriptions of the forest in this book left me genuinely spooked with the changing paths and moving trees. The main character was also so realistically written, wanting to appease her mum while still wanting to rebel and following her P.O.V was very enjoyable.
I will say that i thought i knew exactly where this story was going in the beginning and the twists left me speechless. The sisterly bond throughout this book also warmed my heart, you got to see all the different parts of being a sister and i was really moved by that.

It didn’t take me long to finish this book. I loved it. The haunting atmosphere and the way the book keeps you guessing was great. This book was gripping all the way through! The book is dark yet wholesome.

**First Person ARC Review: *The Forest of Missing Girls* by Nichelle Giraldes**

I tore through *The Forest of Missing Girls* in a single night, completely ensnared by its eerie atmosphere and relentless suspense. From the very first chapter, I felt like I was holding my breath—pulled into a world that feels both beautifully poetic and deeply unsettling.

What really got to me was the emotional undercurrent running through the story. It’s not just about a mystery—it’s about grief, memory, and the terrifying ways in which trauma can echo through time and place. The forest setting felt alive, almost sentient, and the way the author infused the landscape with dread was masterful. Every rustling branch, every shadow felt like it was hiding something just out of reach.

The protagonist’s voice rang with raw vulnerability and fierce determination. As she dug into the disappearances—girls who vanish without a trace—I found myself caught between wanting her to uncover the truth and fearing what that truth might be. The relationships in this book are layered and emotionally fraught, especially the protagonist's connection to her sister, which added a gut-wrenching weight to the narrative.

There were moments I felt truly haunted—not just by the mystery, but by the emotions it stirred up. This book lives in that liminal space between horror and heartbreak, where the monsters might be hiding in the woods… or living in the aftermath of what’s been lost.

*The Forest of Missing Girls* is lyrical, chilling, and emotionally rich. It lingers like a ghost—quiet, but impossible to ignore.

**Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.**

2.5 rounded up.

I WANTED to like this so so badly, but the writing style felt overly picturesque in strange ways that kept throwing me out of the story, especially at the start with SO many different mentions of the forest. Maybe this one just wasn't for me.

I was also a little thrown off by the sudden change from what I thought was going to be a horror/thriller to a sci-fi kind of story.. But if that's your thing? Absolutely go and give this a try!