Release date: October 13 2022
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 408
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I bought a copy of this from my local Waterstones
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

In the midst of the woods stands a house called Lichen Hall.

This place is shrouded in folklore—old stories of ghosts, of witches, of a child who was not quite a child.

Now the woods are creeping closer, and something has been unleashed.

Pearl Gorham arrives in 1965, one of a string of young women sent to Lichen Hall to give birth. And she soon suspects the proprietors are hiding something.

Then she meets the mysterious mother and young boy who live in the grounds—and together they begin to unpick the secrets of this place.

As the truth comes to the surface and the darkness moves in, Pearl must rethink everything she knew—and risk what she holds most dear.

Review

C J Cooke is fast becoming my go-to author for fast paced gothic horror novels you can’t put down. The Ghost Woods tells the story of two women who travel to Lichen Hall, a remote estate in the Scottish Borders where unmarried women can go to give birth. When Pearl arrives in 1965, she soon learns all is not as it seems and there are some strange things going on. There she meets a mother and a young boy who live on the grounds of the estate and together they unravel a mystery darker than they ever imagined.

This is my fourth book from this author and yet again it is another compelling and captivating tale. This is a quick paced tale that really draws you in and you won’t be able to put this one down. This is probably my least favourite of the books I’ve read from this author, but it is still a compulsively readable tale and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is full of atmosphere and the setting is fascinating, but the story didn’t send shivers up my spine the way that her other books did. This story is at times quite sad and emotional and is much more focused on the characters than the dark and creepy moments.

Cooke always has a way of writing really compelling characters and that is certainly the case for Pearl and Mabel. I really liked them both and couldn’t help but root for them. The story has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and definitely went in some directions I didn’t expect. Cooke’s plots feel very inventive and fresh and I can never predict where her stories are going to go. The Ghost Woods is a cleverly plotted tale and if you’re looking for a story that will keep you turning pages long into the night, I’d highly recommend picking this one up.