A review by what_heather_loves
The Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

"Did I dream it all? Or was my mind playing tricks on me? Things always seem different in the dark, especially a dark forest in the dead I night. Even more so an ancient wood that is full of gnarled, ghostly trees...
The truth is, I want to believe that I dreamed it all, I really do. It would be a hundred times easier than the alternative...A ghost, and unlike any ghost I've ever seen depicted in a film, or read of in a book.
Something unspeakably evil is stalkjng the grounds of Lichen Hall."

This historical and gothic thriller is set in two time-frames (1959 and 1965) in fictional Lichen Hall, in the Scottish borders. Protagonists Mabel and Pearl are pregnant and unmarried and have come to stay to give birth and have their babies adopted. There's an ancient woodland with spooky folkore, ever-encroaching fungus and creepy Mrs Whitlock to contend with, as the women's stays become a nightmare. Tackling themes of motherhood, patriarchy and slavery, it's beautifully written, making the characters feel real. I found it atmospheric and ominous, recommended in particular to fans of Laura Purcell and Stacey Halls.
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