This is a really brilliant debut novel from Adams, to have something this good straight off the bat has moved her straight into my immediate purchase author list. The story has some unsettling folkloric elements, snippets of crime thriller, and creepy woods horror - what more could you want?! The chapters told from the 'shadow in the woods' perspective took me a little while to understand but once it clicked I was keen to find out what he was and his story. The layered meanings from the towns saying 'if you saw something, you didn't' alluding to both the darkness in the woods and the police and community continually ignoring the decades of Black girls going missing. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. I loved Liz, the MC, her journey from escaping to the big city to returning to her hometown following the break-up of an abusive relationship. It contrasts starkly with her best friend's wedding that she is plunged into immediately on arrival, we follow her as she attempts to process not only the trauma from her fiancé, but also her friend's missing daughter, her fractured relationship with her mother, and her clouded high school memories that are pushing to the surface. Adams has approached the writing of her characters and of their many different forms of trauma in such a considered and real way, it's resulted in a strong horror novel that will no doubt propel her onto great things in the world of horror writing.

A masterclass in suspense, this book delves into one town's history through the mystery of a missing little girl and a rumour of something in the woods. It is beautifully written, with a haunting plot. A thoroughly brilliant book overall!

This is a superb new horror novel - it's so well written and plotted that it's hard to believe it's a debut, and I absolutely devoured it. Jackal is a twist on Appalachian folk horror, focusing on Liz as she returns home to a town where young Black girls have been murdered or disappearing for years. When her best friend's daughter is taken Liz tries to unravel the mystery and confront both herself and the secrets of her home town. This is a truly fantastic novel, focusing on the everyday horror of reality as much as the shadows that lurk in the forest, and it's the perfect read for this time of year as the nights are drawing in. I was given a copy of this in exchange for my honest review (thank you!) and I genuinely loved it - I can't wait to see what Erin E. Adams writes next!

This is the perfect example of a page turner. Erin blended the thriller, horror and social commentary elements so seamlessly that you were horrified but hooked. I will read anything Erin E. Adams puts out in the future, straight into the auto-buy authors list you go.

A great example of 'there's a reason I don't return to my home town'. This is an eerie, tense and atmospheric read that's ideal for the long, cold nights ahead. Expertly blending thrilling horror and social commentary, there's something about this one that will appeal to a variety of readers. The ending wasn't my favourite, it felt a little disjointed compared to the rest of the book, but it was still an enjoyable read that I recommend to most horror/thriller fans.