It Watches in the Dark by Jeff Strand
4/5
ARC via Netgalley

This was my first Jeff Strand read and, from my understanding, his first novel for this age range. I absolutely want to read his adult work now, because this, for being a middle grade story, was pretty terrifying at times. There were a few moments where I was cringing or rolling my eyes and wanting to move on, however I am obviously not the market age for this, and that likely has a lot to do with that feeling, so I don’t really fault the story or let that impact my review since overall I think this would be something middle grade horror fans will enjoy. Although it is horror, it does have comedic moments throughout, though I would suggest this not be a title to start with for a kid just starting to be interested in the genre. This may need to be saved for those who have a few Goosebumps or Scareville books read first because the scares start off pretty quick and don’t let up.

Read if you like: want to be scared, (light on the)comedic horror, sibling dynamics

This is a great middle grade horror! Chock full of preteen protagonists who will warm your heart and spooky towns with secrets and fast-paced action. If you're fans of IT or Goosebumps or Katherine Arden's MG books, you will absolutely enjoy this creepy, scarecrow-infested book!

Book Review: "It Watches in the Dark" by Jeff Strand

Rating: 4 Stars

As someone who loves a good spooky tale, "It Watches in the Dark" by Jeff Strand did not disappoint. From the moment I laid eyes on the colorful and eerie cover, I knew I was in for a chilling ride. Jeff Strand masterfully weaves a story that grips you from the start and doesn't let go until the very end.

The story follows twins Oliver and Trisha as they navigate a series of terrifying events after seeking help in a remote village following their father's accident. The tension builds steadily as the twins uncover the sinister secrets lurking beneath the surface of the seemingly idyllic town, all under the watchful eye of the menacing scarecrow.

What makes this book stand out is the author's ability to create a palpable sense of dread and unease throughout the narrative. Each eerie event is expertly crafted to keep readers on the edge of their seats, wondering what dark turn the story will take next. As the twins' situation grows increasingly dire, you can't help but feel a sense of urgency and fear right alongside them. The author skillfully escalates the tension, making each twist and turn more unsettling than the last. The gradual unraveling of the town's dark secrets keeps you hooked, eagerly turning pages to uncover the chilling truth behind the scarecrow's ominous presence.

For fans of spooky middle-grade novels, "It Watches in the Dark" is a must-read. Jeff Strand's storytelling prowess shines in this creepy tale that will appeal to anyone who loves a good scare. So, if you're looking for a spine-tingling read that will keep you up at night, look no further than this gripping and atmospheric book.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

I’ve been enjoying MG books more lately but this was maybe a bit too far from my comfort zone. I do like MG and YA; I think I’m fairly particular, however.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for granting me this E-ARC.

This was a great creepy middle grade book. Perfect for fans of Small Spaces by Katherine Arden as it gave those kinda vibes.

This was fun to read about twins and how they navigate through a stressful and hard time togwhen they don’t have that twin telethaphy thing going on.
I actually feel like this would be a great to show as it is just one twist and turn after another But in the best way where it completely keeps you engaged and wanting to read,

A brother and sister get stuck in a spooky town when their father is injured. There is a big freaking scary scarecrow that seems to be keeping the town in check. Kids just want to get their dad and go home but it's not that easy. This was a decent spooky middle grade.

🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃

It Watches in the Dark is a fantastically-tense Spooky Middle Grade story, and the first book in the all-new Eek! series by veteran Horror author, Jeff Strand. I was immediately drawn to this book because of the cover. How devilishly-divine is that scarecrow!? It's giving me all the Autumnal vibes that I cherish in my every day life.

Jumping into this one, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I ended up enjoying it so much. The writing is fluid and engaging, with eerie Horror imagery throughout. I loved how quickly it kicked off, and never let up.

In this story, we follow twins, Trisha and Oliver. At the start of our tale they are on a canoe trip with their Dad, which is something they do often. On this particular trip through, they hit a series of unexpected rapids and their Dad is injured, knocked unconscious. Not knowing exactly what to do, the kids tie up to the first dock they find and go ashore in search of help.

They end up coming across a tiny town in the woods, Escrow, population 999. Everything about the place seems a little odd, but beggars can't be choosers, right? The twins seriously need to find their Dad help. They meet a few townspeople, who though strange, seem to be willing enough to help, and they're adults, they have to know what they're doing.

Their Dad is retrieved and taken to the local medical center, but from there the kids are kept away from him. Germs and all that. Oliver and Trisha are left to their own devices and the more time they spend in Escrow, the more their senses tell them to beat feet out of there. Perhaps it's the enormous creepy scarecrow sitting sentinel in the town square that's giving them that feeling. It seems to be watching them and the townspeople are obsessed with it, talking about it like it's a living being.

As dark approaches, the kids are feeling panicked. They want to leave. They do not want to spend the night in Escrow, but they can't move their Dad on their own. The townspeople become more threatening and it suddenly feels imperative to escape. Will the kids be able to figure out a way to rescue their Dad and flee Escrow together, or will this be the end of the road for one, or all, of them?

It Watches in the Dark is a super solid Spooky Middle Grade read. I would definitely recommend this to any Reader who enjoys Middle Grade Horror. It does have a sort of Goosebumps charm to it, but was creepier than that, really. Especially the initial chapters. I appreciate how Strand set-up this spooky town. It was definitely getting under my skin.

The more the kids interacted with the residents of Escrow, the more tense and stressed out I felt. I just wanted them to run away, but they couldn't after their Dad was taken to the medical center. They didn't want to abandon him, of course, and they were still wanting to trust these adults so much.

Oliver and Trisha were great too. I liked that they worked together and appreciated each others strengths, instead of just fighting all the time, as siblings tend to do in fiction.

Overall, I found this extremely entertaining. I think Strand did a great job of making this punchy, with plenty of action and spookiness on every page. I already have an early copy of the next book in the series, Nightmare in the Backyard and I'm excited to get to it!

Thank you to the publisher, SOURCEBOOKS Kids, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was such a fun read; very well done!

It Watches in the Dark was a spine-chilling read that I thoroughly enjoyed. This story felt like Goosebumps, but scarier.

12 year old twins, Oliver and Trisha, are canoeing with their dad on the river when the rapids cause their canoe to capsize, knocking their dad unconscious. The twins rush to get help and find a strange town hidden away, where the residents are very odd and seem to worship a giant creepy scarecrow. Oliver and Trisha’s dad is taken to the town’s medical center and the twins are forced to stay the night. Why is this town so strange and what’s the deal with the scarecrow in the center of the village? Will the twins survive the night?

I was so immersed in this story that I read this in a day. I loved the strange town and the eerie atmosphere throughout the story. This was an entertaining read and I definitely recommend this book to lovers of spooky middle grade.

First in a new Series, EEK!, by comedy/Horror author Jeff Strand, this story is aimed at Middle Graders....in fact the intrepid and brave protagonists are fraternal twins aged 12. But I find both the cover and the story very unsettling, and actually deeply perturbing. It's very well done, make no mistake; the plot is riveting, "can't-stop-reading" level. Even though Horror, coming-of-age [sooner than wished], occasionally gory, occasionally violent [with individuals who qualify as seriously disturbed], at heart it still seems to be a Mystery, and any way I turn the kaleidoscope in my head, I still classify this as Mystery. I also know I won't soon forget and will undoubtedly expect Nightmares. [Shudder]

I’ve read and listened to many of Jeff Strand’s novels over the years. I feel he’s greatly under appreciated, at least among my friends who claim to enjoy horror novels. He has his own unique style and voice when it comes to horror. He’s not really all that shy when it comes to brutality and gore, lol. So when I saw his name on a middle grade novel, I actually had to check twice to make sure that is was in fact the Jeff Strand I was already familiar with. And I was more than thrilled to find out it was.

So was Jeff able tone things down enough for a younger audience and make the jump to middle grade? Yes, yes he was. And yet this is still quite clearly a Jeff Strand novel. First off I will say he changed up his usual style in terms of making it read more like a book aimed at a younger audience. I don’t mean that in a negative way, it’s just that middle grade books tend to have a certain softer, easier to read voice. (I’m not sure I’m explaining what I mean all that well, but trust me style wise it feels geared toward younger readers.) As for content…it’s vintage Strand. We are talking seriously creepy.

It was supposed to be a fun family trip. Twins Oliver and Trisha are on a camping trip, canoeing down river when things go wrong. This opening chapter does a great job of introducing us to Oliver and his sister and giving us a real sense of their strengths, weaknesses, and mindsets. When an accident on the river leaves their father hurt/unconscious, the two of them leave him in the canoe secured to a dock and head down a wooded path that leeds them to a small village. Right from the moment we come across the first of the villages residents you know something is way off about this place, but what can they do they need help. Everyone we meet in the village is ‘off’, and the way they talk and comments they make only serve to stress the twins more than put them at ease. And then there is the giant scarecrow in the center of town. It’s absolutely massive, not to mention creepy as all get out, and they townsfolk revere it, referring to it as the village guardian. It’s not long before Oliver and Trisha realize this likely wasn’t the place to seek help. They’d love to just run away, but they can’t do that without their father, who may be in way more danger than they original thought.

This was such a fun, creepy tale. I’d definitely say this is way more intense than your typical R.L. Stine book, and while it may be a bit much for those truly young readers, I loved it and have no doubt the majority of budding horror readers will as well. I don’t know if Jeff has plans for more middle grade horror books, but if he does I’ll be more than happy to go along for the ride. I’d like to thank SOURCEBOOKS Kids, Sourcebooks Young Readers, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of It Watches in the Dark.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3Y82Z300OR6M/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I’ve been in some small towns where everyone seems to notice I’m not from around there and it’s unsettling. This book captured that feeling perfectly, and then from there it just got creepier! I couldn’t put this book down! My students are always asking for creepy stories so I can’t wait to purchase this to add to the class library. I think it’ll be a hit.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for letting me read and review this book.

I was looking for a book to get my kids into a goosebumps style book. This was better written with more depth to character and world building
Although a children's scary book I enjoyed reading it for my kids over 2 nights.
It kept them entertained enough to stay off of their electronics at night

It Watches in the Dark is quick, fun, and scary. It's visceral without being gory. It's short without skimping on the development of the narrative. I enjoyed it and believe that young horror fans will, also.

My first thought after finishing this middle grade book was that it was perfect as an introductory story to the horror genre.
One thing most horror readers and writers have in common is that they read or saw that one story that made them fall in love with the genre. I had a few friends in my formative years who saw the same movies I did (and later read the same books), but none of them were drawn to the genre as I was. I did not have access to any GOOSEBUMPS books, so it was not a gradual thing for me.
When I was 13, I saw PET SEMATARY and I was hooked. From there, I devoured every book written by King I could get my hands on. The friends who saw it with me did not have the same reaction, most of them preferring action over horror.
Which is why I think the target audience for this genre will be drawn to it whether they realize it or not, but it might be best to get their reaction before you throw the heavier stuff at them.
If you are a parent and you want to find out if your child is drawn to this genre, this is the book I can recommend. It has all the necessary elements to make a scary story without being too graphic and gory. Throw in some humor to ease the tension and you get something that talks on a level that is age appropriate.

5 Stars.

"It Watches in the Dark" offers a gripping premise with the potential for spine-tingling suspense. The narrative hooks readers with its tale of survival and mystery as twins Oliver and Trisha navigate treacherous waters and stumble upon an eerie village. The tension mounts steadily as they encounter the enigmatic scarecrow and the village's ominous warnings. The author effectively builds a sense of foreboding, keeping readers on edge. However, the resolution feels rushed, and some plot elements lack depth, leaving questions unanswered. Overall, while "It Watches in the Dark" delivers a thrilling journey, it falls short of reaching its full potential, earning it a three-star rating.

It Watches in the Dark by Jeff Strand is a middle grade horror about twins lost in a truly bizarre village that is looked over by a giant scarecrow. I have read Strand's work as an adult horror writer where he's known for his comedy and going to the extreme. As a fan of his work, I wanted to check it out. It Watches in the Dark has some bizarre characters, some dark humor, and a good final twist, and where this story doesn't go to the extreme it goes to places other children's books will not. The story took a little while to get going for me the twins took a while to like, but I eventually got there. The scares include being trapped, getting held against your will, getting eaten by ants (I loved this scene), being thrown on roofs, Being eaten by multiple big creatures, and a being entering your mind making you harm others. The ending is wild and I loved every minute of it. There's a twist that I should have seen coming but I did not that is totally great and very in the horror/Twilight Zone vein. The scene made me laugh out loud in a good way because of what was happening. I really liked the ending but had some issues with the character's actions and I really wanted a history of the scarecrow which we did not get. I thought the story could have added more humor there's some but I wanted more. The story felt like it was a cross between Goosebumps and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. I read this Advanced Reader's Copy thanks to Netgalley and Source Books Young Readers for the free book. It Watches in the Dark by Jeff Strand is published on April 2, 2024.

Plot Summary: Two twins Oliver and Trisha celebrate their 12th Birthday with their dad with a 5 day canoe trip down the river in Missouri. An accident happens on the trip that knocks out the father, and the kids look for help the go down the river until they find an old dock. The kids only see a forest after the dock, but don't see anywhere else and follow a trail that leads to a small town. Who can help their dad? The kids aren't allowed in the hospital and have to spend a day in the weird town that has a giant Scarecrow in the center that they feel is creepy and watching them. Everybody in town is very thankful for the scarecrow and doesn't think it is creepy at all. The kids get yelled at and told they are ungrateful when they don't finish a huge ice cream sundae, the mayor makes a deal with the kids to see their dad, they have to sit in front of the scarecrow for one hour, which they do but are horrified when they hear a voice asking them do violence to each other. When they finally get to see their dad he has an outrageous amount of wires hanging out of him. The kids are told they have to stay the night but plan to escape with their dad as Trisha steals the key to the hospital. when they do escape the house they were staying the night, they notice something the scarecrow is not where it was, and is actively moving around looking for them.

What I Liked: The dark humor about the mayor, the owner of the diner, and various townspeople who see the world as one way, and these kids are rude. The kids and the fire ants scene is great. How vicious the scarecrow is when he throws them and goes through buildings to find them. The twist with all the wires in the dad was a good one. The final twist in the story was amazing and made me so happy as a horror fan. I liked the conversations with the mayor, he was so odd and easily offended to have all this power. The case scenes with the scarecrow.

What I Disliked: The action took a long time to start the scarecrow doesn't move until after 50%. Trisha felt older than 12. The actions of Belinda made no sense at all. The scarecrow is inconsistent as well, he had so many chances to kill the kids through the townspeople but does not say anything.

Recommendation: This story has a great twist that makes it worth it. The pace was a little slow for a Jeff Strand novel that usually has a rapid pace. I will barely recommend this story. I have read a lot of Goosebumps books and I would say this book is better than half of them. the novel brings the scares when things get going.

Rating: I rated It Watches in the Dark 3.4 out of 5 stars. My Favorite Jeff Strand novel is Wolf Hunt, and A Bad Day for Voodoo is a very entertaining book books are not for children.

It Watches in the Dark is a new middle grade novel about twins who end up at a mysterious village when their father is injured while canoeing. At the center of this village is a huge scarecrow and the village seems to act very weird. Things get even weirder when the sun goes down!

I liked this book. It was an action packed middle grade that was very creepy. This would be a perfect read for Halloween. There were definitely some intense parts (for children they will be intense) but the story wasn't overly scary. It reminded me of Goosebumps, which I love! I loved the sibling relationship and them teaming up together to get home.

My only complaint is that I wish we had a bit more backstory for the kids. The book jumped right into the action but I would've liked just a bit of backstory. I think kids will definitely like this one since it is so full of action and just the right amount of creepy!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was a blast from start to finish. It was quick, it was fun, it was creepy. What I loved the most about it was the ridiculous adults, who gave me Series of Unfortunate Events vibes. That series is one of my favorite of all time, and anything that reminds me of ASOUE is a huge win in my book.

This book follows a pair of twins who are on a canoe trip with their dad. They get in some trouble and dad is knocked unconscious, so the twins look for help. They stumble upon a super weird village (which felt very much like The Village), which is protected by a huge scarecrow. The adults are also really strange and pretty much hold the kids hostage while trying to save their dad. There are weird rules, an omniscient enemy and twists and turns throughout. This would be great for reluctant readers or younger readers who are reading at a more advanced level. I had a blast reading it!

This was such a great read I cannot wait to recommend this to others, it kept me hooked till the end and i think it was the right amount of spooky for this age group. Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids for providing me with this eArc.

Another great read from Jeff Strand. His stories always have great plots, great pacing, and great characters. Seems to never miss. Can't wait for more.