Why Did God Make the Tree?
A Patrick Denny Novel
by Tammy Gregg
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Pub Date Jan 14 2026 | Archive Date Aug 27 2025
Cemetery Hill Publications | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
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Description
Within the boundary between reality and nightmare, a psychiatrist confronts the dark mysteries of his patients’ minds—and his own.
Something isn’t quite right in Waylingbrooke, New Hampshire. Beneath the shadow of the town’s red brick watch tower, Dr. Patrick Denny—once a successful horror novelist—returns to his former profession of psychiatry, seeking solace in the quiet routines of Everston Psychiatric Hospital. Instead, he finds himself challenging the institution’s rigid reliance on medication as he guides his patients through the labyrinth of their minds: Samantha, an insomniac haunted by her parents’ deaths; Michael, who believes he’s living inside one of Patrick’s stories; and Amelia, a catatonic woman lost for decades in the dark forest of her psyche.
In his attempt to untangle the mysteries of their troubled minds, Patrick finds that his own tormented past begins to bleed into his present, and the macabre storyteller that still dwells within him threatens to emerge. As stories seem to birth stories and reality loses its edges, Patrick must question whether his return to psychiatry offers deliverance or signals his final descent into madness.
Why Did God Make the Tree? stands as a haunting literary exploration of consciousness, with three interconnected parts where surreal dreams and stories-within-stories illuminate the nature of identity. Following in the Gothic tradition of Shirley Jackson and Henry James, Gregg’s evocative debut rewards patient readers with its layered complexity and dreamlike psychological depth, challenging our assumptions about sanity, reality, and the power of the stories we tell ourselves to survive.
A Note From the Publisher
Hardcover (9798992327106) April 15, 2025
eBook (9798992327120) January 14, 2026
Cover Art Design by David Rines
Hardcover (9798992327106) April 15, 2025
eBook (9798992327120) January 14, 2026
Advance Praise
“A mystifying but endlessly absorbing tale blending surreality and issues of mental health . . . surprisingly cohesive, thanks in large part to the author’s deliberate pacing and unambiguous transitions.”
—Kirkus Reviews
"Compelling debut . . . explores madness, devil worship, human monstrosity, and the way stories and nature affect our own conscious reality . . . [Gregg] weaves these braided tales into a psychological procedural best suited for readers who relish humane scares over vivid gore . . . [and] toys with expectations throughout, favoring suggestion and mystery over spoon-fed exposition, trusting readers . . . to feel their way through the murk.”
—BookLife Reviews, Editor’s Pick
“A journey through madness, love, and self-forgiveness in a modern-day gothic ghost story elevated by wit, rich characters, and proliferating mysteries . . . A master storyteller, Gregg implants exposition into the midst of powerful emotion . . . [and] deftly holds mirrors up to real-life horrors in this twisted, dark and deeply immersive tale.”
—BlueInk, Starred Review
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Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9798992327113 |
| PRICE | $17.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 306 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Sarah J, Reviewer
Review: Why Did God Make the Tree? by Tammy Gregg
🌳 Overview
Tammy Gregg’s Why Did God Make the Tree? is a haunting modern gothic that blurs the lines between psychological unraveling and supernatural dread. The novel follows Patrick Denny, a former horror novelist who retreats to a seemingly tranquil New England town, only to find himself ensnared in a labyrinth of nightmares, fractured memories, and unsettling truths. Gregg crafts a narrative where reality and delusion tangle like roots beneath an ancient tree, exploring themes of madness, redemption, and the ghosts we carry within.
✨ Key Strengths
🧠 Psychological Depth – Patrick’s descent into (or confrontation with?) madness is rendered with visceral precision, making readers question what’s real.
👻 Gothic Atmosphere – The novel drips with eerie small-town dread, where every shadow feels like a half-remembered nightmare.
✍️ Wit Amid Darkness – Gregg balances bleak themes with sharp, unexpected humor, offering respite without dulling the story’s edge.
🌲 Symbolism – The titular tree becomes a potent metaphor for buried trauma and the tangled nature of truth.
⚠️ Considerations
🌀 Narrative Ambiguity – Those who prefer clear-cut resolutions might find the deliberate ambiguity frustrating.
📖 Niche Appeal – Fans of cerebral horror will revel in this, but readers seeking action-driven plots may feel adrift.
⭐ Score Breakdown (0–5 Stars)
✍️ Prose & Style → ★★★★☆ (4/5)
🌑 Atmosphere & Tension → ★★★★★ (5/5)
🎭 Character Complexity → ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
⚡ Thematic Resonance → ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Overall: ★★★★ (4.3/5)
A gnarled, beautiful nightmare—where the roots of the past strangle the present.
🎯 Perfect For Readers Who Love
📖 Psychological horror à la House of Leaves or The Silent Patient
🌙 Modern gothic with a literary edge
🔄 Stories where memory is both prison and key
🙏 Gratitude
Thank you to NetGalley and Tammy Gregg for the advance review copy. Why Did God Make the Tree? lingers like a fever dream—unshakable and profoundly unsettling.
(Note: Review based on an uncorrected proof; final publication may vary.)
Jenn M, Reviewer
The book is in 3 sections: the Tower, the Monster, and the Tree. Each focuses on a different story (or case) with a common hero and themes. Our hero is a psychiatrist with alternative therapeutic ideas for his troubled patients. We explore the world through the eyes of the doctor and the alternative world seen through the eyes of the patients. The characters are complex and there is more lurking between the lines.
Based on the description, I was a bit worried that the book would be too dark for me. But though the stories explore dark topics of the troubled psychiatric patients - and their sometimes equally troubled doctor - the book does not tip over into horror.
The stories are vivid but the author doesn't spell out everything. You'll be tempted to re-read sections to find the meaning. At times, I wanted more. The author seemed to skip major events in the timeline or interleave events. But looking back, I generally had enough information to piece together what happened. Just ride the plot line with a stream of consciousness.
True mystery readers may find the book a bit frustrating. While the stories are compelling, there is not a clean "wrap-up". In many ways this book is about perspective. You have to use your imagination and discover the meaning for yourself.
This would be a great read for a book club. Lots to discuss!
Reviewer 1690341
Without a doubt, this has been the best book I’ve read so far this year. "Why Did God Make the Tree?" is a psychological thriller that completely drew me in - surprisingly so, since I don’t typically gravitate toward darker, more macabre stories. The author does a great job of exploring the human psyche, and the interwoven narratives create a truly compelling experience. Dr. Patrick Denny, the protagonist, has a tragic past and a layered, intricate life that made him fascinating to follow. I’m already eager to see where his story goes next. The other characters are impressively well-developed, especially given the book’s relatively short length (by today’s standards, anyway). In fact, this would be my only complaint - the book was over too soon :)
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