A British-Columbia based thriller, set deep in the interior of the Pacific Northwest, on a remote forested island decimated by the closing of the local mill. As the remaining villagers attempt to find a means to survive, poaching of magnificent old-growth trees, many of them hundreds (or even thousands) of years old, becomes a devastating (and dangerous) problem for ranger Ben and his eco-minded wife Piper.

When Ben suddenly and mysteriously disappears, the ongoing search for his body begins to feel desperate to Piper and her stepson Noah, as they struggle for closure in a chaotic rescue setting rife with peril, ghost sightings, a mysterious bushman stalker known as the “Green Man”, an ominous and brutal tree poacher, and a cinnamon grizzly bear - already used to the taste of human food.

Rich with atmosphere and drenched with suspense, this is a well-written, creepy, taut tale, - one that will get under your skin as Piper and Noah (and the intrepid reader) hang on, desperate to see Ben’s story through to its final and emotional conclusion.

A great big thank you to #Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts provided are my own.

3.5
This one was good! I liked the BC setting with the dark woods reading it was very atmospheric! I could picture it so well! Our FMC was so strong I really loved her. I didn’t find the twist predictable at all and devoured it one sitting. I don’t want to say to much so it won’t be given away, but I’d you’re looking for a small town missing person in the dark deep woods with lots of loveable and not loveable characters coming together in a time of need read this one.

I received a free copy of The Almost Widow from Netgalley and HarperCollins Canada in exchange for an honest review.
The forest is a dangerous place—especially in winter—even for those who know its trees and paths like second nature. Piper knows she’s being watched, but there are more dangerous things than the bushman out in the forest. Her husband, Ben, goes missing and after days of searching despite the swiftly approaching winter, is presumed dead. Refusing to give up, Piper continues her search despite the dangers.
I LOVE THIS BOOK. The Almost Wife, Anderson-Dargatz’s last book, was a thrilling ride from start to finish and The Almost Widow is just as good, if not better. I did see the finale coming a bit more in this book, but there was just enough question remaining to make me rush towards the end. I highly recommend Gail Anderson-Dargatz’s thrillers.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

This was a fast paced thrill ride. Was it my favourite? No but I did read it in one sitting. I would pick up more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gail Anderson-Dargatz and HarperCollins Canada for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I really didn’t know what to expect with this one because I went in totally blind. I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out but I didn’t really care. The writing kept me so interested in what was going on and I enjoyed the twists in the ending.

This page-turner is set. In the giant cedar forests of British Columbia. Tree poachers are removing these massive beauties. Ben, a natural resource officer, sets out on a Saturday, in an attempt to find the culprits. When a snowstorm hits and he doesn’t return, his wife, Piper, calls for help.

Thank you Harper Collins CA for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Love the cover and interesting concept. My first from this author.

I really enjoyed this pulse-pounding thriller that sees a wife determined to find her missing husband even when the search and rescue teams have given him up for dead. The Canadian bush setting was great in this book, I liked learning more about that culture and the drone, feral bear and mysterious crazy man in the woods all kept me guessing!

There was an interesting paranormal element to the book too that I enjoyed with the wife being able to see visions of her husband and get 'feelings' that kept her looking for him. Recommended for fans of books like The first husband by Laura Dave and great on audio narrated by Erin Bennett. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Almost Widow is the kind of character driven mystery thriller that will keep you glued to the page right through to the wild conclusion of this story.

I loved the unique premise of this plot, which includes a forest ranger going missing after investigating ancient tree poachers, his wife whose convinced he’s still alive and refuses to give up the search despite the increasingly bad weather conditions of the forest they’re searching, and a cast of rough-edged, unknowable suspects from the small town where they all live.

While definitely more character driven mystery than wild thriller, this book still serves up intense atmosphere, twists and turns and a delightfully surprising ending.

I super enjoyed this one, and it is a great addition to spring reading lists.

Thank you @harpercollins for the copy! @gailandersondargatz I cannot wait to see what you come up with next!

The Almost Widow by Gail Anderson-Dargatz is a suspense/thriller novel set in a rural community in British Columbia.

When Piper's husband Ben doesnt return after a day in the forest hunting tree poachers, she is forced to confront her worst fears.

This atmospheric novel is full of trauma, resilience, love and perseverance.

Delighted to include this title in the May edition of Novel Encounters, my regular column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

Gail Anderson-Dargatz’s trademark style has been described as “Pacific Gothic” - and I’d agree!

Set against the backdrop of small-town BC, the author relies on her intimate knowledge of the setting to give readers an authentic glimpse into the delicate balance between a wilderness existence and the inevitable development/gentrification. The interplay with the small isolated community and eager developers/protectionists creates tension and brings to light an all too common problem here in the Pacific Northwest. Anderson-Dargatz highlights the atmospheric, spooky and ghostly; all common descriptors given to this isolated locale by those who’ve been lucky enough to experience it. There’s a real sense of foreboding in every sentence and her characters add to the atmosphere with every interaction. We get to see how the ‘almost widow’ experiences the woods and see how her state of mind is altered by this setting and weather. In addition to being a talented writer and mentor, Anderson-Dargatz’s knowledge of small-town BC life has added to the success of this story.

Patience is needed on the reader’s part while the author paints the backstory. Once this is done, the plot gains momentum as the mystery unfurls. Anderson-Dargatz’s gothic tropes are as well developed as her characters and readers will find themselves caught up in Piper’s quest to find Ben.

I was frantically trying to finish this book before it got dark because I knew any sound I heard while alone in the house would put my anxiety over the top. I had to know if Piper’s instincts were reliable or it something sinister was at play. It certainly had me questioning how long and how far I’d go to find my husband if he was lost in the wilderness and all professional help was ‘calling it a day.’

I was gifted this book by Harper Collins Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The Almost Widow is story of Piper, Ben and their son Noah. Piper’s world gets turned upside down when Ben doesn’t return from the site he was investigating. Piper doesn’t feel that Ben is dead, she strongly feels that he’s alive, but injured in the forest. Will they eventually find Ben or has he perished?

I didn’t get into this book until I was about 70% done.

The first half of the book was very descriptive and slow for me. The characters were interesting but didn’t have me captivated. I really only started caring about what was happening near the end of the novel. I’m happy I finished the book and enjoyed the ending.

*** Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Thank you Invitd, Netgalley and Gsil Anderson-Dargatz for the ARC of The Almost Widow.

Someone is watching Piper, and she thinks she knows who it is: the bushman. But there’s more than one danger lurking in this temperate rainforest. Poachers are taking down old growth trees and jeopardizing plans for a park, a project Piper is passionate about. When she pressures her husband, Ben, a natural resources officer, to identify the culprits, he takes his drone into the wilderness to track them down. And then, just as a snowstorm hits, he goes missing.

Refusing to believe her husband is gone, Piper begins a desperate search for him, one that continues long after the rescue team has given up. But as she begins to uncover what really happened to Ben, Piper is pursued by a stalker who may have taken her husband’s life and now threatens to take hers.

This is a wilderness thriller . As a Canadian, I found the writing very authentic. The book was haunting and I really enjoyed the pace of it.
3.5 out of 5⭐️

Dark, haunting, beautiful and captivating, “The Almost Widow” by Gail Anderson-Dargatz took me by complete surprise and did a number of my emotional heart strings .. in the best way a thriller could!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Piper is part of a community in her small town in British Columbia that is fighting for the protection of its old growth forest from the town’s loggers and tree poachers. However, many of the townspeople are not happy with this protection group and soon enough Piper begins receiving threats and intimidation to back down from the cause.

Her husband Ben is a Natural Resources Officer and he sets off deep into the forest to set up a drone to try to keep an eye on the offenders. But then he does not make it home for dinner 🤔! As a wild snowstorm approaches, Piper starts to spiral! IS Ben in horrible danger?? And is she next??

This emotional and tense story follows a wife’s DESPERATE search for her missing husband. The snow storm and the forest atmosphere creates a LOOMING effect on you while you are reading that is just perfect! I am always down to read anything with a Canadian setting and I can totally picture the forests of BC and what could be lurking within the trees 🌲

Thank you kindly to Harper Collins Canada, Gail Anderson-Dargatz and Netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on May 9, 2023!

I am always excited to read a new book from Gail Anderson-Dargatz, and The Almost Widow didn't disappoint. Everything about it was enjoyable: the rural British Columbia setting, the complex characters, the gripping plot, and the way it all came together in a satisfying way in the end. I'll be recommending this one widely.

Thanks very much to NetGalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Almost Widow releases May 9, 2023

<i>“Each time he went into the wilderness alone, the same thought entered my mind: This could be it. This might be the last time I see him alive.”</i>

An atmospheric and chilling one-sitting read — I can easily see this thriller becoming a limited tv series!

Set in a small fictional town in Canada, this story spans one week and starts out in a forest where the main character Piper has this eerie and spine tingling feeling that someone is watching her. Is it the Bushman? Or is it just her imagination?

Along with some others, Piper is a contributor to a Park Proposal that would keep the integrity of the old-growth forest in their community. However, they’re facing pushback from long-standing residents in the town — loggers, mill workers, and tree poachers.

The day after she gets yet another graffiti threat on her truck, her husband Ben treks out to find proof that Owen (the man they’re suspicious of) has been poaching trees. Only, Ben doesn’t make it home in time for dinner like he said he would, and a snow storm is already making significant headway. Since there’s already limited cell service where they live, getting in touch with him is an unlikely probability.
What happened to Ben? And will they find him in time before hypothermia has a chance to set in or he encounters a bear (both literal and metaphorically)?

This had a slower start, but once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down! I really enjoyed the direction this story went in and the many themes it touched on.
Not sure if cozy is the correct word to use here, but the small intimate setting was really immersive and had you keeping an eye on every character mentioned in case they were the possible villain.
There was also the element of having an unreliable narrator as Piper had frequent nightmares, some past trauma, and started to see ghosts/figments of her imagination soon after Ben went missing.

CW: mentions of an alcoholic and physically abusive parent (both in the past and currently for a side character) as well as past parent/spouse death due to cancer, mental health/grief, and a mention of a past suicide attempt.

As a resident of BC like the author, I can easily see where the inspiration struck for this, which made it all the more enjoyable! I definitely recommend this to those that like an outdoorsy/environmental type thriller.

Instagram post will be posted and linked soon!

4.5 stars!

I want to first mention that having lived in BC, Canada my whole life, this book was really special. It took place in a small remote community in BC and the setting was so incredibly descriptive that, combined with my memories of visiting family every year in a small town in BC, it truly felt magical!

The beginning is a bit slow as the backstory is unfurling and you’re learning about different relationships between the characters, as well as just getting to know the characters themselves. However, it soon picks up speed and becomes absolutely unputdownable.

This thriller is an enjoyable and propulsive read. It was hard to put it down and turn off the light at night!

The characters were great — varied, flawed, three dimensional, and believable. Anderson-Dargatz skilfully reveals how her characters’ pasts impact their present actions. The author’s compassion and empathy makes her characters — even the not-so-nice ones — like real people we can believe in and, ultimately, root for.

The novel is also very much of its location — a small town in the British Columbia wilderness — which I LOVED! The landscape was both familiar and surprising, both beautiful and terrifying. And the story’s set in winter, which brings its own terrors. Environmental concerns and clashes infuse the story, without it ever feeling even the tiniest bit preachy.

I enjoyed the various interwoven threads of the story and how they all came together at the end. I did not predict the ending and it surprised me in all the right ways.