Just in time for spooky season! I grew up in Appalachia and it’s true what the say about the woods… if you heard something, no you didn’t. Jackal takes that instinct to a new level by exploring what happens when you do look, and it’s terrifying. Combine folklore with real life experience of missing women, and Jackal becomes a book that crawls under your skin and lingers long after you’ve read it.

The reason why I say I will not recommend this book to my audience is because, as a white person, I don’t think this is a book I can recommend to a mass audience. Although difficult to read, I appreciate the themes of racism and violence against black girls, because this is real life and Adams does not hold back. I do not want BIPOCs to read this book based on my recommendation and be traumatized by any of these themes. These are topics people need to decide for themselves if they want to read, and since it’s not my lived experience, I don’t feel as if I can help someone decide if they should read. look forward to recommending this book on an individual level, where I can give people a heads up for what to expect.

𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: Liz Rocher reluctantly goes back home to her small town for her best friend's wedding. Growing up as one of the only Black kids in school wasn't easy, and she's been avoiding a return to Johnstown for most of her adult life. During the wedding her goddaughter goes missing, and Liz starts digging up some old memories. In her attempt to find the girl, Liz begins to uncover some dark secrets of the town, and how, for years, Black girls have been going missing in the woods, and usually wind up dead. It's a race against time for Liz as struggles to fight her own demons, and those of the town.
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Erin E. Adams
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬: 336
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Thriller, Mystery, Horror
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: Yes!
𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭: Yes, easily
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝: Contemporary
𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:👻👻👻 1/2
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I absolutely loved this book. Adams has created an engaging mystery with fleshed out characters and a healthy dose of horror. There are a lot of moving pieces in this story, but the author manages to successfully combine a supernatural terror with the real-life horrors of racism and town segregation. Liz is an engaging character that makes a reluctant hero and amateur detective, and doesn't always stay one step ahead of the town villains. I highly recommend and will probably go buy the print copy when it comes out.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jackal is a book that defies all genres. A bit of horror, a bit of thriller, a bit of mystery, and a whole lot of suspense.

Liz returns home to Johnstown, PA to attend her best friend, Melissa's, wedding. She is dreading this journey as she promised herself never to return. Tasked with keeping an eye on Melissa's daughter, Caroline, at the wedding she is shocked to find that Caroline disappeared when she hit the bar for a drink.

Turns out that black girls have been disappearing on the summer solstice every year for the last thirty years and Liz is determined to not only find Caroline but to stop the monster that has been hunting them down after all these years.

"A man and his shadow live in the trees. When they walk in time both are pleased. If one calls your name, or the other tempts you off the path, you must ignore both, or face their wrath."

Such a juicy premise and beautifully written, so much so, that it pains me to say this story lost it's way in the end. To be clear, this is probably more so a *me* thing. For the first 70% this was a solid 4 star read but as the loose ends started coming together and the motivations made clear my vision of it all only got muddied up. I would have rather that the book kept it's footing on solid, realistic ground instead of going all woo woo weird. Again, this is most assuredly a me thing and I do believe that this will be a momentous success for Erin E. Adams. And it should be. For a debut this an amazing accomplishment. The fact that she discusses racism and classism all while crafting an intricate story that moves seamlessly though multiple genres earns my respect as a reader. The stunning cover alone will have readers far and wide grabbing this off the shelves of bookstores, libraries, and Amazon. So while this didn't quite hit my sweet spot I'd be remiss in denying the allure and creativity of this story. 3 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my complimentary copy.

This was a LOT to process and it was SO good. I wish I could experience this story all over again. A masterpiece in horror.


I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

The sprinkles of Kreyol in the text felt so natural and authentic, particularly in Liz's conversations with her mother. I loved how Erin Adams incorporated her Haitian-American culture into the main character. The slow build up of tension made it difficult to put down as the story becomes more complex. It gives "Get Out" vibes from the very beginning. However, about a little more than halfway, I found myself less interested in the story. I appreciate the symbolism and metaphors of the "evil in the woods", but only after I read the Author's note. Towards the end, I could see what she was getting at, but it felt a little cartoonish as the evils were revealed. However, don't get me wrong, I think that the message of this book is important and appreciated learning some of the history of the town where the book takes place. I just wanted to love it more at the end.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for sharing this upcoming thriller. This was great. I was initially attracted to the book because I was familiar with the setting (Johnstown, PA). It really exceeded my expectations. The resolution of the mystery was not exactly what I was expecting as I read and I did have a little issue with getting my head around some of the “woo-woo”/supernatural aspects of the conclusion, but aside from that, it was great. Recommended for anyone who likes thrillers and mysteries.

This book started as such a powerful story. The realism of Liz’s experience as a black girl and then woman in a small town was terrifying. The mixture of older stories added to the horror of the evil that was happening right under everyone’s noses. And it was just ignored.

I love a good supernatural / paranormal aspect but this book jumped there out of left field in the last third of the book. Maybe if there had been more connections earlier … but it just didn’t fit well.

Overall this was very intriguing! Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jackal was so good that I read it in two days! One thing I especially like about it was that the setting is based on the author’s hometown and some of the real events that happened in the town’s history.

The plot line was something fresh and different. The main character returns to her hometown and its unsettling woods and secrets and works to solve the mystery of what exactly is behind all the missing and murdered women from decades past.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was really glad I picked this one up! It was creepy, mysterious, and overall an excellent read!

I really enjoyed Jackal due to it being suspenseful and eye-opening. The first part of the book had me totally invested. I couldn't wait to get off work and read a couple of chapters, staying up past my bedtime. I admit near the end, I was slightly confused on a chapter or two, but it didn't stop me from liking the book, overall. Definitely, looking forward to reading more by this author.

Jackel is the debut mystery/horror book by Erin E. Adams. In this book, we follow Liz Rocher, a black woman living in New York City as she travels to her hometown for a wedding. When the bride’s daughter goes missing after the wedding, Liz starts digging into the town’s history and begins to unearth some secrets.

This book was a hard for me. While many reviews say the beginning is super fast paced and they got lost at the end, I feel quite to opposite. While there was nothing inherently wrong with the first half of this book, I didn’t find it compelling. This is a book I could put down for a few days and not feel inclined to pick it back up. However, I loved the second half. It went exactly in the kind of direction that I love in books like this. So I just think that depending on the reader you are, go into this book as blind as you can and just enjoy the process.

This book tackles some tough subjects in a way that felt both poignant and unobtrusive to the story. Nothing about the messages of this book felt to “in your face” as a reader but I feel like anyone who reads this book will get something out of it.

Racism and classism are among the top two subjects this book broaches but there are a lot more within the story. I really enjoyed my time reading this book. Like I said earlier, my biggest complaint is that I didn’t feel gripped for a chunk of this book. I think this is truly a wonderful achievement for a debut and I can’t wait to see what this author does next.

I would give this book 3.5 stars rounded up.

My congratulations extend out to Erin E. Adams for her mind-bending debut, Jackal. This horror novel has a very twisty storyline.

Synopsis:
Liz Rocher is back home for her best friend's wedding. During the wedding reception, the bride's young daughter Carolyn disappears. As the search for Carolyn intensifies, Liz discovers that several girls in her hometown are missing. Could this be a pattern? Are young girls being preyed upon by a crazed killer?

As is typical of the horror genre, Jackal requires readers to suspend disbelief to fully embrace the story. The author does a wonderful job describing life in a small town. The writing is strong and fleshed out. It contains some unexpected jaw-dropping plot twists. Check the trigger warning before proceeding. It contains graphic content and may not be suitable for everyone.

Jackal by Erin E. Adams is available on October 4th.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, (Bantam), for allowing me to review this chilling novel. Your kindness is appreciated.

What’s scarier? The myth of the man and his shadow lurking woods or the real life monsters hiding in plain site?

Couched in horror and small town myths, this book highlights the all too real issues of overlooked missing Black girls and the undertones of racism in our communities. It is an important story that should be mandatory reading for all.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Bantam Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Reeling from a breakup from her longtime boyfriend, Rocher returns to her Appalachian hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania for her besties wedding. Liz really hates coming back home for many reasons, but one of the main ones is because of a childhood incident in the woods- She’s blocked out the main details but the fear is still there.
Growing up, she was one of only 3 black kids in her school. Born to an African American father and Haitian mother, she never fit in with the white or the black kids. To top off, her mother is a highly educated physician in a very racist town.

Liz is a ball of anxiety going into this wedding and the only things that are giving her comfort are being there for Mel’s big day and spending time with her beautiful god daughter, Caroline. In her mind, she just needs to get through the next 2 days and then she can go back to New York. But then something terrible happens to delay her return home and her life is turned completely upside down.
Did you know that Johnstown, Pennsylvania was a place? Did you know that in 1889 there was a massive flood that claimed the lives of over 2000 people there?? Did you know that it was the worst flood of the 19th century in the US?? Did you know that in 1923 the mayor told all the Black people who had not lived in Johnstown for at least 7 years to leave???
I didn’t know ANY of these things before reading Jackal.
This was a story that was not only enjoyable but also fulfilling. I feel like I learned a lot and after reading the authors note, so much so that I was compelled to go online to continue reading more about the events that inspired this book.
I am not a huge fan of thrillers or murder mysteries, but I couldn’t pass this book up based on the synopsis!
So many times I thought I knew what the plot twist was going to be and who did what, but I ultimately gave up and just enjoyed the ride. I was totally not expecting the ending!
Part historical fiction, part thriller, part multi cultural interest …I really can see this book playing out on the big scream directed by Jordan Peele! It goes a lot deeper than just a mystery, there is substance there that really makes you think.

Thank you herbal key for this ARC

Liz returns home for a wedding and ends up involved in a missing child scenario which leads to many more missing black girls over the past years. This is a very haunting thriller that must be read to completion.

Great job on a debut book.

When a young black woman returns to the hometown she thought she would never see again she does so for a wedding but what should be a happy occasion ends in a nightmare. Her friend's daughter goes missing and Liz begins to hear rumors that it has happened before over the years with several girls missing. These other girls have all been found carved up and missing their heart. Liz starts digging too close to some and suddenly she is suspect. Since these other girls were black the police were not as interested in solving the cases. Is the boogyman hiding in the woods or is the monster hiding in plain sight. An intense thriller with a hint of the macabre and one wild debut.
My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

A masterful and haunting read.

I don’t go out of my way to read thrillers or horrors (because I’m a chicken) so I didn’t know what to expect with Jackal because I’m not well versed in the genre. But I wanted to read it since I first saw its beautiful cover. I finished this book in one day but it will take a lot more time to process it; that’s how deep it is. If this is what modern thrillers look then Jackal just made me a fan of the genre. The author's use of horror to make commentary on racism in America brings to mind the work of Jordan Peele. This book is highly bingeable, with a Black main character I found incredibly relatable as a Black woman, has fantastic folklore elements, and the mystery is perfectly plotted. And that the horror is completely steeped in reality makes it all the more terrifying.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this one early! I’ll be highly recommending this one!

This book in 3 words: Haunting. Poetic. Thoughtful.

Liz returns home - a rural, Appalachian town - where black girls continue to go missing. THAT IS YOUR SYNOPSIS IN 1 LINE BECAUSE YOU NEED TO GO INTO THIS ONE BLIND. I'm baffled that this is a debut; I'm already ready for her next book.

An interesting (but sadly realistic) interpretation of racism and class in America. Living in the fiction genre, this story felt so important and significant. This is such a visceral read and the whole thing is an entire experience. The writing style, which shifts and moves with the plot/pace of the book, furthers the experience for the reader - amazing. What an amazing literary device to tap into to really execute a story?!

I couldn't pin this one down - I was guessing up until the end (can't ask for much more than that),

Our main character, Liz, is mutli-faceted and complex. At times, my heart absolutely broke for her, and others I could feel her anxiety ripple through my skin. This is such a visceral read and the whole thing is an entire experience. The writing style, which shifts and moves with the plot/pace of the book, furthers the experience for the reader - amazing. What an amazing literary device to tap into to really execute a story?! Also really liked the supporting characters, and how it made Jackal feel like a short story collection (at times).

The author's note at the end is such an incredible bow on a great book. I loved learning a bit about the author's inspiration. Such a stellar addition. This. Book. Is. It. Going to be a big hit for fans of Get Out and those that are interested in monsters (who hide in broad daylight, not just underneath your bed).

Liz is coming home to her small, country town for her best friend’s wedding. Her plan is to get in for the wedding and turnaround and get right back out. But when her best friend’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing during the reception while Liz is supposed to be watching her, she decides to stay and do whatever she has to do in order to get Caroline back. And when Liz starts digging and realizes that little black girls have been going missing in this town for years—all around the same day of the year—she realizes this is not just a random kidnapping and the threat goes much deeper than she could’ve ever imagined. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but the description and the reviews were all good enough for me to request it through NetGalley, and I’m so glad I did! I was glued to this book, flipping through pages as fast as I could read them! I thought the author did a really good job of weaving racial issues throughout the story, making a strong case for how assumptions with race and class are relevant, no matter where you’re from. I wasn’t as crazy about the final explanation for how Caroline was taken and who was ultimately responsible, but I’ll leave that alone so as not to spoil it for other readers. This was definitely a great read, and I’ll be watching for more from this author in the years to come.

Special Note: Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jackal tells the story of a Black woman, Liz Rocher, who is returning to her hometown, Johnstown, PA, to attend the wedding of her childhood best friend, Mel. For decades, Black girls have gone missing from the town every summer, and the town lore says to beware of the shadow in the woods. When Mel's daughter, Caroline, goes missing, Liz is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.

As a Black woman from the Pittsburgh area, I'm familiar with Johnstown and also relate to growing up in a small town and being only one of a few other Blacks in the area, so when I read the synopsis of Jackal, I was immediately drawn to it. I was surprised by how touched I was by many parts of this book. Erin Adams' writing style really resonates with me and I look forward to reading more of her work.

The book kept me guessing who or what was responsible for the disappearances and I kept guessing wrong. I never saw the ending coming. This is a great book and I highly recommend it. Many thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

Liz Rocher returns to her small, predominantly white hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania for her childhood best friend’s wedding. Black girls have gone missing every summer for years, but when it’s her friend’s daughter who goes missing Liz is determined to find out the truth.

Originally I gave this book a 4.5, but upon further reflection I decided it was well worth it to bump my rating up to a solid 5⭐️. This book brought together multiple tropes that I love in the thriller/horror genre: small town secrets and a troubling history, paranormal folklore, and an investigative main character gone rogue. Liz’s best friend is white and is marrying a Black man, much to the dismay of her family members. When their biracial daughter goes missing like the other Black girls before her, Liz desperately tries to get her friend and her family to acknowledge the pattern, but faces pushback. This book brought all the suspenseful plot twists of your usual thriller, but also was deeply enmeshed with themes of racism, inequality, and class disparities. If you enjoy thrillers that center on a small town’s dark past with a dash of the paranormal, then this is definitely worth checking out.