First published 2004
Dr. Michael Cayle packs up his Manhattan life and moves his wife and young daughter to Ashborough, a quiet New England town where he plans to join an established medical practice. The family settles into what appears to be an idyllic small town existence, far from the stress and chaos of city life. Cayle believes he has found the perfect place to raise his daughter and strengthen his marriage. But Ashborough harbors sinister forces that the newcomer doctor cannot yet perceive. Something malevolent dwells in the dense forests surrounding the town, something the locals know about but refuse to discuss. As Cayle becomes more involved in the community, he begins to sense that his neighbors are hiding crucial information about the true nature of their seemingly peaceful home. The woods call to him with an ancient and terrible presence that threatens everything he hoped to protect by moving his family away from the city.
Genres: mystery, horror, supernatural, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, sinister-town-secrets
Setting: Ashborough, Manhattan, New England
Period: Contemporary
384 pages · Paperback · Leisure Books
Content warnings: violence