An insidious supernatural social horror story set in a small Rust Belt town.

 

We’re following Liz, a newly-single Black woman who has warily returned to her small, predominantly white hometown - just for 48 hours. Her best friend is getting married and she’s ready to support her & celebrate, but everything changes when the couple’s young daughter Caroline disappears into the woods during the festivities. 

 

Caroline isn’t the first young Black girl to disappear. And as Liz starts to investigate, she discovers a pattern of girls disappearing that’s longer & darker than she could have ever imagined. Liz has to find Caroline - and the truth - before it’s too late.  

 

The writing is gripping, and the journeys between past and present and mysterious narrators kept me engaged and eagerly theorizing. My heart was pounding during the moments of rising horror and I felt equal parts anguish and rage for Liz as she fought to uncover the truth.

 

Adams builds on reality - disappearances of Black women and girls are consistently ignored; small towns often cultivate jealousy, widen class divides, and kindle hatred of anyone perceived as an ‘other’ - and layers an additional level of monstrosity on top. It’s a thrilling blend of earthly mystery and otherworldly violence.

 

The tension, the trickery, the manipulation … it was all so captivating to me. The forest was its own character, and I felt the rising fear of what lurks in the dark alongside the Johnstown residents. Because the storytelling goes beyond the natural, I went back-and-forth with my instincts and theories. While I guessed some elements and corruption, others took me by surprise. 

 

The ending was SO cool. It was satisfying and theatrical while remaining a bit somber. Jackal will definitely stick with me!

 

CW: murder (of children), death, violence, gore, body horror, animal cruelty & death, racism (incl. slurs), classism, domestic abuse, sexual violence (off-page), alcohol abuse, kidnapping, eating disorder, fatphobia

 

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