The Killing Woods

During ALA Midwinter, I picked up a number of books that I wouldn’t normally read in the hopes of adding to my reader’s advisory repertoire.  This was one of those books – I don’t watch scary movies and don’t like reading scary books, especially right before falling asleep, but after putting it off for the past month and a half, I decided I’d better read it and get it over with.  Now that I’m finished, I have to say I really enjoyed the suspenseful nature of the story and think that a lot of teens will love this book.

Emily’s dad is accused of killing one of Emily’s fellow students, but she knows that he couldn’t have done it.  But what could have happened in the woods behind her house that night?  Emily seeks out the murdered girl’s boyfriend Damon for answers about that night.  Told in alternating chapters the story is interwoven between Emily and Damon as each begins to learn more about what happened that fateful night.

The story is extremely suspenseful, I almost couldn’t read fast enough to flip the pages to find out what happened.  The story also incorporates a soldier’s PTSD in Emily’s father as he tries to cope with flashbacks that leave him exhausted and confused.  Emily has to traverse the difficult road of high school, all the while trying to prove her father’s innocence.  This is a gripping story – perfect for teens looking for something suspenseful with a little mystery as well.

Check out the book trailer from the publisher, Chicken House!  Learn more about Lucy Christopher by visiting her website!

Title: The Killing Woods
Author: Lucy Christopher
Publisher: Chicken House
Publication Date: 2014 (US)
Page Number: 384 pgs.