The Woods

We Used to Live Here meets The Amityville Horror in this haunting novel about Alice, a frustrated wife and grieving mother whose life is turned upside down when she moves her family into a secluded house sheltered by ancient woods.

After the devastating death of her teenage daughter Lucy, Alice and her family need a fresh start. Their home in the city is full of painful reminders of what they've lost, and Alice is worried about the mental health of her other two children, Quinn and Polly, and the state of her marriage. So when she accidentally discovers a gorgeous, renovated bungalow nestled in the shadow of lovely old woods with a FOR SALE sign at the curb, Alice immediately emails the estate agent for a viewing. She can't believe the list price--until the agent discloses the history of the house.

Years earlier, a woman named Justine Gordon murdered her family there, claiming they were imposters and that her real family had been taken by the woods. Undeterred by the sad story, Alice makes an executive decision as the chief breadwinner. Though neither of her kids are happy to leave their friends behind, her mother Beverley thinks the granny flat in the backyard is cramped, and her husband Geoff, a failed novelist, can't put down the bourbon long enough to help the family unpack, Alice prevails. As her family reluctantly settles in, the cracks in their relationships become more pronounced. And when inexplicable things start happening, including sightings of strange figures in the yard, and Geoff vanishing into the woods one night and returning hours later wearing different clothes and remembering nothing, Alice must confront the possibility that her refuge may be her undoing. Is her menopausal mind playing tricks on her, or is there something ancient and malevolent in the woods?

Author: Jessica Hamilton
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 08/25/2026
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9781668236369

About the Author
Jessica Hamilton was born in Australia but grew up in Canada. She has lived and worked in the Czech Republic, Taiwan, India, and Japan. She studied writing at the Humber School for Writers as well as George Brown College and has published two thrillers, What You Never Knew and Don't You Dare. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, son, and daughter.