A while ago I found a book called Stranger in the woods: A Tense Psychological Thriller on Amazon Kindle using the Kindle Unlimited subscription and thought I would give it a try based off the description. I read this book because I wanted a change in what I had been reading after finishing the Harbinger Series by Jeff Wheeler, which I discuss the first one here and the others are on here as well, but I would rather not bog you down with a bunch of links.
Stranger in the Woods is about the photographer Isla Wilson who takes a month long job in Scottland to photograph the family and property architect Alban McGregor and wife Jessica. Deep in the woods on their property is a chilling playhouse, which Isla learns that two years prior the McGregor’s daughter, Elodie, died after being kidnapped and taken there. Alban does not want to get rid of the playhouse and even has a picture of it on his wall. Being in contact with the family daily Isla gets the sensation that both Alban and Jessica have some awful secrets. The closer Isla comes to finding out answers about Elodie, the greater danger she encounters. When a dense cover of snow blankets the town Isla finds her chances of escaping the dangers limited.
This book was amazing and it kept me on the edge of my seat through the whole book. Throughout the book some of the information starts to lead you in the direction of certain people being responsible for the happenings of the young girl. You get to read the story from the point of view of the main character Isla Wilson as well as get glimpses as to the point of view of the young girl Elodie McGregor two years before Isla came to photograph the family. I felt as though every time you have a suspicion against someone, they end up doing something that makes you second guess your assumption.
This book I feel was amazingly written and I would definitely recommend it to many people. A really good thriller that keeps you guessing at what is going to happen next. I for one did not expect it to have the outcome it has towards the end. Anni Taylor did an excellent job of suspense and conclusion.
While there are a lot of characters throughout the book, it keeps wrapping around to a couple of important characters in the life of Elodie. While the book is mainly focused on Isla Wilson, the interactions of Elodie on the night of her kidnapping and the mystery surrounding what happened to her and who could have hurt her.
Not only do you see the mystery unfold about Elodie, you also witness an unexpected and eventful time in Isla’s life that she learns about the hard way as she is trying to unfold Elodie’s death.
When I finished reading Stranger in the Woods I decided to give One Last Child by Anni Taylor a try. Upon finishing it I read the second book, The Lullaby Man in the Talleman’s Valley Detectives series. Both of these books follow Detective Kate Wakeland as she tries to uncover the mysteries in her town. It all started when five very young children go missing from a picnic they are on while in the care of a nursery school. The children are kept for a few years before they are returned to their families, except for one, Kate’s granddaughter Ivy.
When the children were first taken Kate was not allowed to join the investigation since it involved her granddaughter and they feel there is a conflict of interest with her being on the case, but when the children start to return she will stop at nothing to find out what happened to her granddaughter.
All of the children are talked with over the course of the book and even though they tell the story all the same and have the same memories of celebrating each year. They do not fully understand the actions of the people who took them, as well as the fact that they keep saying Ivy is dead.
In the Lullaby Man Kate is helping her daughter work through the events of her daughter’s kidnapping as well as the events of her teenage years that had caused the rift between the mother and daughter. Kate is determined to find the man responsible for the hurt and stolen love of young girls.
When Kate’s daughter Abby was fourteen she had a teacher who was also called The Lullaby Man. The things Abby reveals leads Kate down dark, twisting tunnels they never thought would be in their small town.
I enjoyed reading both of these books through Amazon Kindle Unlimited and am patiently waiting for Anni Taylor to release the third book titled The Silent Town which is scheduled to come out October 14, 2021. If you have any interesting thrillers or books to recommend, please let me know in the comments. I would enjoy trying any new books, or discussing ones that we have read.
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