Emily’s dad returned home from the war different. Suffering post-traumatic stress disorder after accidentally killing a civilian in combat, he is prone to flashbacks and, at times, violent outbursts. So when one night he returns from the woods near their house carrying a local girl dead in his arms, and unable to remember if he killed her or not, he is immediately charged with her murder. But Emily is not convinced that he did it and seeks out the dead girl’s boyfriend, Damon, who is struggling with his own secrets from that fateful night.

Following on from her magnificent debut novel Stolen, Lucy Christopher has once again created a compelling and unique mystery with The Killing Woods. The woods provide the perfect dark backdrop for this brilliant thriller, looking into the world of teens and the frightful ways they get their kicks. For ages 15 and up.

Katherine Dretzke