The Woods are Waiting was another book about someone coming back to their hometown and things going being just the same. Cheyenne did that. She comes back and the woods are still the same. They are still taking children. You have your people who are happy to see her. You have your people who are mad at her for the sin of leaving. You have a crazy family she’s trying to escape. The premise was done before. But it was done in a creepy enough way to be enjoyable.

Interesting small town murder story, but a warning that this is very slow paced. If you don't mind books like that, then this could be a good fit for you.

Creepy, with good atmosphere and a nicely drawn small town setting where children have gone missing for years. In that way it reminded me a little of The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda.

Interesting, and will keep an eye on this debut author!

📚 ARC Review 📚

Title: The Woods Are Waiting
Author: Katherine Greene
Genre: Thriller
Published: 11the July 2023

My thoughts

Well this was one hell of a creepy read by new to me author Katherine Greene. I was drawn in by the blurb as I love books that revolve around folklore and superstition.

Keep silver in your pockets,
Walk with dirt in your shoes,
Or he’ll poke your eyeballs from their sockets,
And boil your bones in stew.

Stay away from the hickories,
Stay away from the trees,
Don’t sing, don’t shout, don’t run about,
Or he’ll never let you leave.

Watch out for his rough fingers,
His eyes as red as blood,
Whisper a prayer, you’ll need them there,
As he pulls you into the mud.

The children of Blue Cliff were brought up singing macabre nursery rhymes. They always carried silver coins, had dirt in their shoes and would never to venture into the woods alone. If they did they would be taken by The Hickory Man, just as children had been taken before. Cheyenne has returned to Blue Cliff after suddenly leaving town 5 years ago. She's drawn back as another child has gone missing.

The story is told from the POVs of Cheyenne and Natalie who are old childhood besties but haven't seen each other since Cheyenne up and left town five years ago. There are also flashbacks to childhood memories which build up a history of how it was growing up in this town.

I loved the slow burn of this mystery. The scenes in the woods felt oppressive, eerie and atmospheric. I would definitely have stayed away from the trees if I lived in this town. Some of the characters were fairly oppressive too!

There some lovely twists as you would expect from a thriller but some were little predictable. The ending was was satisfying though and I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a copy to read and review.

If you are looking for a slightly creepy story that is not too scary, look no further. The atmosphere is eerie and sinister and you keep asking yourself is there something supernatural in the woods or is it something even more disturbing.

Blue Cliff is a rural village with a long history of missing children. The families there are a tight knit community and they look out for each other. They all know about the obscure figure of the Hickory Man who roams the woods and sometimes gets bloodthirsty and snaps children away. Cheyenne Ashby fled the village years ago. She belongs to a family whose task it is to protect the people of the Hickory Man. Chey’s Mum throws herbs wherever she goes and gives handmade protection symbols to everybody she meets. When a child goes missing again Chey is called back to Blue Cliff to look after her mother who clearly can’t cope anymore with it. There she has to face her old friends she left behind and the dark history that surrounds Blue Cliff – and her family.

This book is a slow burner. The tension builds up slowly but it increases from chapter to chapter. The setting is claustrophobic and just enough spooky to keep you on toes without being afraid to put the lights out at night. I grew up in a city and always was a bit afraid of walking in the woods alone. And after reading this book I will stay afraid of it. You never know who or what is lurking inside.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the chance to read an advance copy of The woods are waiting by Katherine Greene. This was a creepy read, that kept me reading. The pacing was a bit slow, and in some parts a bit predictable, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Special thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This book had a creepy feeling to it. Steeped in nursery rhymes and the local legend of The Hickory Man who takes children.

Basically, The Hickory Man kills children
When Natalie vcomes back to town to help her ailing mother, she is steeped in mystery and creepiness. It's perfect for the fall or maybe I thought that bc of the cover. Creepy but if you're looking for terrifying, the scare factor is low on my totem pole. Still, the story was ok!

Just another book I was looking forward to reading that was kind of disappointing. It reminded me of a few other book I had read recently that I enjoyed more, unfortunately.

This chilling story centers around a small community in rural Virginia where children have been being taken and murdered on and off for close to one hundred years. Local folklore talks about the Hickory Man and suggests he will take the children if they venture into the woods alone and off the set path. When yet another child goes missing, the small community is thrown into an uproar.

There are three friends who are now grown that all have memories of what they believe to have been close encounters with the Hickory Man when they were younger. But yet, one of them fights the belief that it's real and wants to find a logical explanation while the others feel that the folk tales may have more credence that they want to admit. The entire town is in chaos and looking for someone to blame and at this point, anyone is fair game.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The narration was fairly good. When the narrator went to do Cheyenne's mother's voice, it always sounded like she was screeching and was difficult to listen to. When the narrator was doing the main voices and so forth, all was fine. The story itself was setup well for an audiobook. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the audiobook and ebook. I voluntarily chose to review them and the opinions contained within are my own.

The pacing of this book was slow to start. Cheyenne Ashby comes back to her small hometown after 5 years away at the request of the police chief to help her mother who is struggling with the recent disappearance of a young boy. She is wary to come back knowing her eccentric and superstitious mother is the talk of the town. Constance Ashby believes in the local legend of the Hickory Man and does her best to protect everyone from his evil ways. We also get the POV of Natalie, Cheyenne's best friend that has stayed when Cheyenne left without a word to anyone.

There is a lot of buildup and drama, and then at just past the halfway point the creepiness and suspense starts. I felt like the reveal was a bit predictable, but it was good and fit with the creepy town. Another good re-telling of the boogeyman in the woods.

If you're a fan of spooky, atmospheric reads that gradually build suspense, look no further. This book offers a setting that is both claustrophobic and haunting, making it a perfect addition to your autumn reading list. While the narrative occasionally becomes repetitive, as we hear similar things from multiple points of view, the pacing picks up significantly around the 60% mark, delivering a thrilling ride.

Although I found the identity of the villain to be predictable, their monologue felt somewhat disjointed and unbalanced compared to the rest of the story. Nevertheless, this book is a definite win overall. I'm eagerly anticipating the author's next release, curious to see what captivating tale she will weave next. Don't miss out on this engaging read that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

The Woods are Waiting is a slow burning spooky read perfect for fall. The setting is claustrophobic and creepy and becomes as much a character as Cheyenne and Natalie. The book is written from dual viewpoints which can feel repetitive at times but the story really takes off around the 60% mark. The Woods are Waiting is a thrilling debut to add to your spooky tbr.

The Woods are Waiting is an atmospheric small-town thriller steeped in ritual and superstition.

Cheyenne Ashby hasn’t been back to her hometown in 5 years where she left her mother, friends and boyfriend. When her mother’s health deteriorates, she’s called back to the town that believes there’s an entity called the Hickory Man who is responsible for the death of local children spanning many years. Another child has gone missing and Cheyenne has to come to terms with what’s really going on in her hometown.

At times claustrophobic and unsettling, this is a book I couldn’t put down! Perfect amount of spookiness and unpredictability. I really loved the idea of the urban legend of the Hickory Man and all the superstitions that the town believed. The characters are also great – you really felt these childhood friends had a lot of history together.

The Woods are Waiting is a great book to pick up in the fall – it’s got the perfect vibes for Halloween (I mean, just look at that cover!!)

I love the creepy ominous feel of this book. The scary nursery rhymes and the lore of the town is fantastic. Cheyenne comes back to her old town when the police chief tells her she needs to take care of her mother. She belongs there, he says. After coming home and reconnecting with her best friends from childhood, children in the town start to go missing again. Something that the town is know for. Why is the hickory man back now? And what secrets from the town will be uncovered? This is a an entertaining book and the story idea is great. I wish it had more.. it left me asking questions and wanting more details and depth.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Dreamscape Media for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the debut book by Katherine Greene, a best friends writing duo, and wonderfully narrated by Angie Hickman - 4 stars!

Cheyenne is back in her hometown of Blue Cliff, Virginia, to check in on her eccentric mother, Constance. The town of Blue Cliff has a long history of missing children from the woods and parents have come up with superstitions to keep their kids safe. Five years ago, three children went missing and Cheyenne found one of them. A local boy, Jasper, was charged and jailed for the crimes but released when new information surfaced. He's back and another child has disappeared. Cheyenne and her childhood friends are determined to discover the truth.

I love a creepy story set in the woods and this debut novel checks those boxes in spades! The opening nursery rhyme is enough to send chills up your spine. This was a slow burn mystery with supernatural elements and enough creepy characters to keep you guessing to the end! Great debut and anxious to read more from this duo!

Good debut thriller. It started off a little slower than I would’ve liked but the story was great especially the ending.

I loved the Gothic folklore of this story, the atmosphere was extremely creepy. I really enjoyed the mystery and the lore behind The Hickory Man. The small town vibes were they protect there own and have so many secrets! The mystery of who is taking the kids and why really had me curious and there seemed to be so many options of who felt sketchy! I was convinced I knew but I had no idea! I really enjoyed the friendships that formed and seeing how they were all dealing with the trauma of the events of the town and the spells and actions of Cheys mom. I found the things she was doing so interesting and had me super interested in The Hickory Man.


Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for my gifted copy.

A delightfully creepy thriller! Hickory Woods is a character in it's own right because so much of the story is tied around or within its depths. The fascinating and complex cast of characters invites the reader to learn more. I wasn't able to put this book down!

The Woods are Waiting by Katherine Greene is a highly recommended debut mystery.

Blue Cliff, Virginia, has a dark history pointing at the Hickory Man living in the woods preying on children. Children are taught to put soil from the woods in their shoes and carry silver coins to ward off the Hickory Man, but there is also a history of this not working. Cheyenne Ashby left five years ago without warning after three children were found dead in the woods. A local man went to prison for it, but doubts remain.

Now Cheyenne is called to return home and help her mother, Constance, who lives in a cabin in the woods and is busy trying everything she knows to ward off the evil she sees coming. Another child has disappeared, which is what prompted her frantic activity. Cheyennes friend, Natalie, is still in town and the two are determined to discover what is really happening.

This is a solid debut mystery with a creepy something-is-in-the-deep-dark-woods plot element. Cheyenne and Natalie are not about to fall for the local rumors when looking for the answers to the latest missing child, as well as the truth about the previous three missing children. Greene does a respectable job of creating suspense and developing her characters while presenting local superstitions and the fear running rampant in the small town.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

My first from this talented author and for a debut thriller, I'd say she did a darn good job! Katherine Greene takes us on a journey that is full of mystery and surprises. I found myself wondering right along with Cheyenne Ashby just who might be waiting in the woods, despite her 5-year absence from Blue Cliff, Virginia. We get snippets of memories she can't seem to shake when she was a young child and her besties were Nat Bartlett and Jack Taylor. They had innocent escapades in the mysterious woods surrounding Cheyenne's house yet there was always something haunted about those woods especially when children would suddenly disappear and were later found deceased.

No one could blame Chey's sudden departure from her childhood home but now that she was lured back to help with her overly superstitious mother, she's full of doubt and regret that she not only hurt those she left behind so abruptly but that she's back in this stifling small town. What follows is the tale of 3 reunited friends who are bound and determined to figure out the many riddles of the forest and to prove once and for all that there is not a fantastical creature who harms little children. But what Chey, Nat and Jack don't count on is what they find when backed up against a proverbial wall and the dreaded truth about those they once held dear in their hearts.

As one who doesn't usually figure out the answers to these types of stories, I found this book a bit easier for this old brain to navigate. And although I wasn't completely shocked as to what unfolds, I will say that Greene gives us more than enough to be taken aback at all that is revealed wrt Chey's family and all the secrets prior generations held. It's a wild ride for sure with poignant moments sprinkled throughout to make this more than just a thriller.

I wouldn't hesitate to read more from Katherine Greene, more than satisfied with how The Wood Are Waiting concluded especially with the little bit of further mystery tossed in right at the very end. A great beach read for the summer of 2023, I happily give this book a solid 4 stars!

Children are warned for years to stay out of the woods in the remote town of Blue Cliff at the foot of the Appalachian mountains. The tales of the imposing Hickory Man are synonymous throughout generations. When he kills he kills in three's.
Cheyenne left the town a few years ago but is summoned by Chief Hickman as another child has gone missing, she needs to return to care for her eccentric mum who lives in a cabin in the woods. Despite being older though the threat of the Hickory man is still there.
I found this a slow burn novel with creepy undertones, very descriptive of the fear of the claustrophobic woods and small Town mentality. This would make a perfect movie to be shown at Halloween