December 1, 2022
As a Black woman, Liz Rocher didn't have an easy time growing up in predominantly white Johnstown, PA, but she reluctantly returns to her hometown for her best friend Mel's wedding. Mel's special day turns tragic, however, when Caroline, Mel's daughter and Liz's goddaughter, goes missing. Liz stays in Johnstown to help with the search, but soon discovers that there's a darkness lurking in her hometown. It lives in the woods. It takes Black girls, and it may have taken Caroline. Liz soon realizes that she must either find Caroline and bring her home, or let that darkness consume them both. Adams weaves a rich tapestry of multiple character dynamics with Johnstown's sordid past. William DeMeritt's sinister yet clinically detached narration provides the perfect juxtaposition with narrator Sandra Okuboyejo's emotionally nuanced portrayal of protagonist Liz. Listeners may feel that a supernatural antagonist is almost unnecessary, as Adams's depiction of Johnstown and its undercurrent of prevalent and persistent racism is antagonist enough. VERDICT Adams's debut brims over with both supernatural and real-world terrors. A complex and strikingly told story that will appeal to fans of Jordan Peele, Octavia E. Butler, and Victor LaValle.--James Gardner
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