Deep In the Forest by Erina Reddan

Publisher's Synopsis

‘Urgent. Come tomorrow. Can’t wait any longer.’

Charli Trenthan plans to leave her hometown of Stone Lake. But when she receives a cryptic message from a member of the Sanctuary, a conservative closed community nestled in the forest, she is determined to find answers.

A gruesome discovery soon lands Charli in hot water with the police, but how is the Sanctuary connected? As she digs deeper, dark secrets are uncovered and the fight to prove her innocence turns into a fight for her life.

A gripping thriller with a shocking conclusion that will leave you spellbound, Deep in the Forest raises questions about who we trust and why.

My Review of Deep In the Forest by Erina Reddan

Right from the start there’s a pastoral gothic feel to Deep In the Forest, provided by a strongly presented setting and a sense of being completely surrounded by danger. The mood is set early and we witness a relentless build up of tension in a story of suspense that plays on our suspicion of people who are considered to be “different”.

Charli Trenthan is a virtual outcast within her own small town thanks to the local police sergeant who holds a grudge against her, making her life a misery. She’s still mourning the death of her mother, killed by a hit and run driver. She’s also an extremely talented book binder and deals with the outside worries by throwing herself into her work, creating a significant anniversary book for the local closed community that goes by the name the Sanctuary.

She lives in a large old house on an isolated property that sits on the edge of the forest. The isolation is both a positive and a negative, providing her with much sought after privacy but it also leaves her feeling vulnerable when strangers visit. All of this puts her in close proximity to the Sanctuary, to the deep sections of the forest and the nearby lake and any dangers that may be hidden in the surrounding area.

A disturbing discovery while walking through the surrounding forest draws Charli to the Sanctuary. She feels she must somehow get past the gates that lock the general public out and even though her work on the group’s book provides her with an access, getting the people inside to talk to her proves difficult.

There’s something about closed off religious groups, also routinely known as cults, that draws suspicion and this is no different for the town of Stone Lake. The Sanctuary brings money into the town through its artisanal produce and it rehabilitates kids who’ve been living on the streets hooked on drugs. At least, that’s the public face that’s presented.

But, of course, there’s more to this group than meets the eye and Charli, with the help of two invaluable friends, strives to discover the truth about them. And, just like when you poke an ants nest with a stick, the results can be swift and unpredictable.

From a sedately paced beginning, the story builds steadily in momentum and provides a tension-filled finish. I can’t say I was particularly surprised with the direction it took, nor was the reveal of the villain of the piece a shock.

But what I enjoyed was the growth of Charli, she played the amateur detective part with aplomb and managed to overcome some pretty major hurdles along the way. No doubt, she’s going to polarise opinion because she’s in no way the most decisive of people, nor is she a particularly great judge of character. She was fortunate to be guided by her aunt Gigi and her neighbour Amra who both proved to be a breath of fresh air each time they entered the picture.

The dramatic and oft-times frustrating cult novel has been done in numerous ways in the past. Erina Reddan takes us on a slightly different route and there are interesting moments here, mainly because we are constantly on the outside looking in and relying on the observations of someone who is prone to becoming frozen by emotion. It all makes for a tension-filled ending.