Review of THE GIRL IN THE WOODS by Patricia MacDonald

As a fan of Patricia MacDonald for years, I really looked forward to this latest psychological suspense, and I must say that I was not disappointed. This was the story of two sisters who were sent to live with their very bad-tempered uncle after the death of their mom. Ellis didn’t want the girls there and made it clear that he considered them a burden. When Blair had her friend Molly over for a visit one day after school, everything goes very badly. Ellis sends Molly home, in the rain and through the woods and Molly is murdered. The murderer is behind bars, or that is what everyone thinks until Celeste, Blair’s sister, confesses on her deathbed that she could have given Yusef an alibi but was too afraid of Ellis to do that. So the wrong man is in prison and Blair spends the rest of the book trying to find who the real murderer is so that Yusef can be freed. After fifteen years, Blair faces a real challenge and enlists the help of PI Tom Olson. Following the clues is a twisted trail through the woods and into the lives of people who have moved on. Blair feels guilty because of Molly’s death and is absolutely determined to find the real killer. Her quest endangers her and the ending is a really stunning surprise. I really enjoyed this book and know that fans of MacDonald and others who love suspense will enjoy it as well. It does deal with the mature topic of abuse.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”