A phone call late at the night turns Wyatt’s ordered world upside down. A former Marine who served in combat, Wyatt has traded in his uniform for the hallowed halls of academia. The late-night call comes from Thomas Sigmund (Siggy), one of the guys Wyatt served with overseas. Siggy has overdosed and is calling to say goodbye. He hangs up not revealing his whereabouts. A panicked Wyatt calls another old Marine buddy, Doc, who intuits where Siggy is – at the grave of a fallen comrade. Doc proceeds to get him help and Siggy survives. but Wyatt and Doc don’t know for how long. Not knowing what else to do, they take Siggy and head to the North Maine Woods where their former squad leader, Crossman, has a cabin. Crossman had sent out an email some time before advising that he would be up there, out of touch, for a while. However, he invited any members of his old squad to join him if they wished. It seems, on the surface, a good place to take Siggy – isolated and remote – with no drugs readily available. However, all is not peaceful and serene in the north woods and, thus, these three former comrades-in-arms begin on a journey that will take them into hell and back.

The North Woods was a fantastic read. A real page-turner, I could not put it down. Author Hoover has created a crew of characters whose angst, fellowship, and loyalty is remarkably portrayed. Yes, there is a horror in the North Woods, but there is also horror lurking in the minds of these three men – a horror borne from a brutal and meaningless war. Will they all survive? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

The North Woods comes most highly recommended by this reader and I have to say it is the best novel read so far this year. 

I want to thank the publisher, BlackPit Publishing, for providing me, as a voting member of the Horror Writers Association, with a free copy of this novel in consideration of a Bram Stoker Award.