Characters it is impossible not to care about . . . this is storytelling at its very best' Daily Mail The characters, for me, felt stiff and unrealistic, and the dialogue was so clunky! So stilted and proper. I didn’t like any of the characters I had read about that far into the story, so I couldn’t imagine liking any of them at any point! And that’s not a good thing when the main character is actually supposed to be likeable… Thanks to J.A. Baker, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review* Fifteen year old twins Duncan and Maisy Mitcham are woken in the middle of the night only to discover that their mother is being taken away to an asylum. According to their father it's the best thing for her.

I don't know what else to say here right now. I liked how some things fell out, but the book felt a bit apart from things at times. I think it's because we were given more indicators that some big battle is coming up and I don't know how that is going to work with what we have seen come before. So, more cohesive, largely better-integrated supernatural elements, torture moved off-screen, emotional gravitas provided by Louis. What’s missing? I don’t know. Perhaps it can be put down to self-consciousness, that audience-focused writing I mentioned earlier, the feeling that this is an installment more than a work of self-motivated passion.Both creepy and dark … [it] will have you jumping at the creak of every floorboard,becauseif there’s one person that knows how to drag their reader into the darkness it’s Lisa Hall’ Lauren North, Dead Good Books

Such a different one from Lisa Hall and I loved it! Spooky and hook-y … Highly recommend. You’re all in for a treat this autumn’ Louise BeechAlso dead mothers, Angel’s fate, Louis and his unique values, Charlie and his daughters, rogue toys, sinister woods, trauma (and I don’t mean necessarily for the characters) brilliant writing, literary genius and well, that THING. The thing for which there is no name. There are some interesting themes that emerge from The Woman in the Wood. There are some dark topics covered within this novel. These include mental illness, loss, murder, abduction and cruelty. Although this novel is a crime based historical fiction story, there are some lighter moments. Friendship, first love, family bonds and belonging form the crux of Pearse’s latest book.

Charlie Parker continues to be a man who is troubled yet surviving. He has never gotten over the loss of his wife and daughter who were viciously murdered. He also has a daughter named Sam who lives with her Mother. Parker still loves Sam's mother but knows being with them puts them both in danger and this further adds to his angst and heartache. Charlie Parker is a private investigator who is often hired to solve cases which no one else can solve. He is often assisted by Louis and Angel but in this book, Angel is in the hospital. He has cancer and is awaiting surgery. Louis helps when he can but also needs to be with Angel both before and after his surgery.

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This tension filled thriller follows an author who after an accident has amnesia and doesn’t remember anything about their life before. Being a huge fan of Lesley and having read most of her books naturally I had high hopes for this one too. But the thing with reading so many books from an author...it gives you certain comfort and after so many read books (all of them great) you not only know what you're expecting but you expect magical hours being completely immersed in their book. What always happens to me when I read Lesley's books, happened again. I was completely absorbed in The Woman in the Wood and forgot all about my chores (oops) or even my needs (skipped both dinner & lunch so I can finish it, but my diet is very grateful for this). Once I started reading it, it was so bloody hard to put it down.

John Connolly lives in Maine USA, not unlike a certain Mr King and Mr Irving which are some of my favorite writers. He is not a native of the American soil but his writing seems to flourish on that soil. I think it’s the idea that events that quite often take place in psychological thrillers could realistically happen in real life (most of the time!). My father doesn’t come to me so much anymore, but when he does I’m no longer troubled. You know why? Because of you. Because I’ve seen things with you, experienced things that made me understand I wasn’t crazy, and I wasn’t alone. More than that, there’s a consolation to it, to all of this. I think that’s why I came up here tonight, and why I called you. If I lose Angel, I know I’ll find him again. I’ll tear this world apart before I do, and maybe I’ll die burning like my father burned, but that won’t be the end for Angel and me. He’ll wait for me on the other side, and we’ll go together into whatever waits. This I know because of you. I’ve hurt a lot of people, some that didn’t deserve what came to them and some that did, although the distinction meant nothing to me then, and doesn’t mean a whole lot now. I could have questioned what I did, but I chose not to. I have blood on my hands, and I’ll shed more before I’m done with this life, but I’ll shed it because I’m following a different path, your path, and I’ll sacrifice myself because I have to, because it’s my reparation. In return, I’ll be allowed to stay with Angel forever. That’s the deal. You tell that to your daughter next time you see her. You tell her to bring it to her god.” Set in 1960's England fifteen year old twins Duncan and Maisy have their lives torn apart when their mother is taken away and committed and their Father sends them to live in their Grandmother's house in The New Forest. Just in time for Halloween, but a creepy delight any time of the year, fans of psychological thrillers, supernatural stories, and domestic suspense are guaranteed to find The Woman in the Woods a hauntingly good read.J.A. Baker has definitely created great characters. Ones which tugged at my heartstrings at one point or another as the story unfolded. When an author fleshes them out so much, I always feel like I could know them in some way. These characters were exactly that! The Woman in theWoods pulses with a sinister energy that keeps you reading on. A proper nailbiter’ Mel McGrath Where was Duncan? Why wouldn’t he come home? Maisy knew he wouldn’t let her worry – he wasn’t that sort of boy. She decided to go to see the eccentric woman in the woods that Duncan had befriended. Perhaps she could help…