Description

‘Haunting’ Sara Sheridan

‘Intriguing, atmospheric, thought-provoking’ Alexandra Bell

‘Beautifully crafted, thrilling and atmospheric’ Rebecca Netley

In the midst of the woods stands a house called Lichen Hall.

This place is shrouded in folklore – old stories of ghosts, of witches, of a child who is not quite a child.

Now the woods are creeping closer, and something has been unleashed.

Pearl Gorham arrives in 1965, one of a string of young women sent to Lichen Hall to give birth. And she soon suspects the proprietors are hiding something.

Then she meets the mysterious mother and young boy who live in the grounds – and together they begin to unpick the secrets of this place.

As the truth comes to the surface and the darkness moves in, Pearl must rethink everything she knew – and risk what she holds most dear.

Praise for The Ghost Woods . . .

‘Cooke has mixed the darkness of reality with a magical realism that will have you gripped’
Woman & Home

‘This chilling gothic tale is the perfect choice for a book club . . . atmospheric’ Prima

‘Original and compelling, The Ghost Woods is a beautifully written, chilling tale that will stay with the reader long after the book is finished’ Elizabeth Lee

‘[C.J. Cooke is] a master of the feminist gothic!’ Katherine May

‘The Ghost Woods rattles along, with a twisty plot that defies expectations right from the start . . . highly enjoyable’ Sally Hinchcliffe

‘An eerie gothic thriller’ Samantha Downing

‘Deliciously unsettling, strangely believable’ Carly Reagon

‘With a great plot, this suspenseful and compelling story touches on the difficult history of women in mid-20th-century Scotland’
Candis

Publisher Review

'Wonderful! [C.J. Cooke is] a master of the feminist gothic!' Katherine May 'Original and compelling, The Ghost Woods is a beautifully written, chilling tale that will stay with the reader long after the book is finished' Elizabeth Lee 'It's no surprise that C.J. Cooke has done it again. She is the queen of gothic thrillers and never fails to amaze me with her writing. The Ghost Woods is an eerie, timely story and an instant classic of the genre' Samantha Downing 'Beautifully crafted, this thrilling and atmospheric read had me racing to the very satisfying end' Rebecca Netley 'A haunting and gothic deep dive into danger' Sara Sheridan 'Deliciously unsettling, strangely believable' Carly Reagon 'Original, moving . . . A twisty gothic thriller' Anne Wyn Clark 'I loved The Ghost Woods . . . the perfect chilly read' Nina Pottell 'Hauntingly spellbinding. Once again C J Cooke combines history, horror and heart to bring us a mysterious tale wrapped in eerie magic' N.J. Simmonds 'Intriguing, atmospheric, thought-provoking and just the right amount of creepy' Alexandra Bell Praise for C.J. Cooke: 'Wonderfully atmospheric and compelling' Rosamund Lupton 'This ghost story is a perfect mix of propulsive plot and shivers-up-the-spine spookiness' Good Housekeeping 'A compelling story' Kate Sawyer 'Seething with gothic menace ... interweaves myth, superstition and history in a way which feels strikingly relevant and gripping' Caroline Lea 'Gothic at its best' Rhiannon Ward 'Beautifully crafted' Constance Sayers 'Surprising and inventive' Sarah Burton 'Like a lighthouse roving atmospheric waters, its secrets are revealed glimpse by tantalising glimpse' Cari Thomas 'Nordic folklore, snowy landscapes, and an ever-turning screw of tension - a fun, gothic treat' Kirsty Logan 'A taut, scary thriller that winds the suspense so tightly you can barely breathe' Simone St. James