Jackal by Erin E. Adams #bookreview

Thank you Random House Publishing Group/Netgalley #partner, for the advanced copy of Jackal in exchange for my honest review. 

Publisher: Bantam Books

Published: October 4, 2022

 

Summary

A young Black girl goes missing in the woods outside her white Rust Belt town. But she’s not the first—and she may not be the last. . . .

It’s watching.

Liz Rocher is coming home . . . reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward and passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the bride’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing—and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood.

It’s taking.

As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: a summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She’s seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man and was later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart missing. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can’t be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town’s history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls.

It’s your turn.

With the evil in the forest creeping closer, Liz knows what she must do: find Caroline, or be entirely consumed by the darkness.

 

My thoughts:

This was a book that once I heard a few other bookstagrammers rave about, I knew I had to read it and I immediately requested it. It totally delivered and then some and for a debut novel, I’m beyond impressed. This is one author who will definitely be on my must-read list for sure.

This is the type of horror book I like – one that is combined with other genres and that is exactly what we have here. It’s a mash-up of horror, mystery, thriller and a little supernatural and I could not have loved it more. I ended up binge-reading this one because I found myself completely caught up in the story. It’s atmospheric and suspenseful and had me on the edge of my seat not knowing where things were heading or if anyone could be trusted.

This is the type of book that is best to go into blind, so I’m not going to give too much away but I will say that I loved how the author was able to weave racism, classism, sexism and substance abuse into this story. It’s such a layered, unique story that really would make for a great bookclub pick if your bookclub likes these types of books. It definitely is one to read during this time of year, though – those spooky, creepy vibes are there the whole time!

And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the author’s note which has stayed with me ever since I’ve read it. As if this book wasn’t haunting enough, to read the notes that the author included just made this book so much more impactful. We read about monsters in horror books all the time, but what about the real monsters in everyday life? The people that make vile decisions because they have money and feel they have the right to do so? What really happened in Johnstown during the great flood is just awful.

I absolutely loved this book and cannot recommend it enough. It will definitely be one of my top reads of the year and I will for sure be telling everyone to read it. And I cannot wait to see what comes next from this author…she is one to watch for sure!