The Ghost Woods: The perfect new 2022 gothic historical novel you won’t be able to put down
£2.80
‘Haunting’ Sara Sheridan
‘Intriguing, atmospheric, thought-provoking’ Alexandra Bell
‘Beautifully crafted, thrilling and atmospheric’ Rebecca Netley
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 is 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.
Praise for The Ghost Woods . . .
‘Cooke has mixed the darkness of reality with a magical realism that will have you gripped’ Woman & Home
‘This chilling gothic tale is the perfect choice for a book club . . . atmospheric’ Prima
‘Original and compelling, The Ghost Woods is a beautifully written, chilling tale that will stay with the reader long after the book is finished’ Elizabeth Lee
‘[C.J. Cooke is] a master of the feminist gothic!’ Katherine May
’The Ghost Woods rattles along, with a twisty plot that defies expectations right from the start . . . highly enjoyable’ Sally Hinchcliffe
‘An eerie gothic thriller’ Samantha Downing
‘Deliciously unsettling, strangely believable’ Carly Reagon
‘With a great plot, this suspenseful and compelling story touches on the difficult history of women in mid-20th-century Scotland’ Candis
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Additional information
| Publisher | HarperCollins (13 Oct. 2022) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| File size | 2347 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Screen Reader | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Not Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 408 pages |
by walnlal
As described
by Jan Loughran
I really enjoyed this, came with a nice twist that I wasn’t expecting and very good ending
by Jess
A thoroughly absorbing and remarkable story showing quite amazing imagination. Often dark and always creepy. A very worthwhile and enjoyable read.
by Jan Loughran
Bought as new but when I started reading it I noticed there were 2 pages corners folded in halfway through the book?! That is vandalism in my world, bookmarks are a thing! Story is great so far, only a few chapters in though!
by Amazon Kunde
I really wanted to love this book, it had so much potential but, unfortunately, the writing and character building didn’t at all work for me.
It definitely had its moments, when the story came to life and hooked me but mainly it was very distant and just rambled on. There was a lot of tell and no show and the characters were so bland to a point that it was hard to tell them apart.
The story was intriguing, I loved the background with the fungus. However, again the execution didn’t do it for me. It felt clunky and there were sooo many unresolved things and inconsistencies (sometimes in the same paragraph) that I’m wondering if the editor just skimmed through the pages.
Sadly, all in all this only amounts to two stars for a book I wouldn’t recommend.
by Juliet
I found this well written but a little strange
and not too keen on the characters or storyline. Probably not my favourite.
by V. O’Regan
‘The Ghost Woods’ is C.J. Cooke’s third gothic novel in a thematic trilogy. Having enjoyed both of Cooke’s previous novels, ‘The Nesting’ and ‘The Lighthouse Witches’, I was delighted to read this latest, especially given its evocative title and stunning cover.
Close by ancient woodlands on the Scottish Borders stands Lichen Hall, a sprawling 16th-Century manor. These woods are shrouded in local folklore with tales of ghosts, witches, fairy queens, and of a child who is not quite a child. A spooky setting indeed.
In the opening chapter we are introduced to 17-year-old Mabel Haggith, who in May 1959 is confused when told by her GP that she is pregnant. A mother and baby home is considered the best course of action. However, Mabel has no idea of how this happened and believes that she has ghosts inside her.
In September 1965 22-year-old Pearl Gorham arrives at Lichen Hall. Her stay there has been organised by her parents so that she can give birth and have her child discreetly adopted.
t’s not long until she begins to suspect that the owners, the Whitlocks, are hiding something. Then Pearl meets a mysterious mother and child living in the grounds. There are clearly many mysteries to be uncovered. No further details to avoid spoilers.
The narrative is divided into two timelines. Mabel’s ‘Then’ and Pearl’s ‘Now’. Mabel’s timeline progresses through the years, eventually coming to 1969.
This was a very atmospheric novel, evoking the claustrophobic environment of Lichen Hall as well as the haunted woods. It genuinely caused me to have chills up my spine.
In addition to the folk horror of ancient curses and sinister things lurking in the woods, Cooke addresses the proliferation of mother and baby institutions during the 20th Century and the policing of women’s bodies that sought to repress and control women. I appreciated her incorporation of social issues in a manner that was well integrated into her narrative, referencing it alongside local legends.
She addresses whether such issues belong in a Gothic novel in her closing Author’s Note: “For me, the gothic is exactly the space to explore darkness of any kind, and the practice of othering is one of the darkest corners of human history.” I fully agree.
Overall, a lyrically written and genuinely creepy gothic novel perfect for the season.
Highly recommended.
by VictoriaLouise
I thoroughly enjoyed this book…. I bought it with no hesitation since I loved The Lighthouse Witches too.
Looking forward to reading the next!