Most people are wary of Shiny Creek Trail, located deep in the Green Mountains of Vermont. There are stories about hikers and hunters who have gone missing in the area, and rumors of a "man beast" seen in the same location. In 1917, a group of photojournalists head into the woods to capture a photograph of the legendary monster to skyrocket them to fame and fortune. What they find in the caves of the forest is far worse than any beast.
Silence in the Woods by J.P. Choquette puts an interesting twist on Bigfoot stories, adding an extra supernatural element. The story actually begins a few months after the trip to the woods with the main character, Paul, in an insane asylum and what happened on their adventure is slowly revealed in alternating chapters, focusing mostly on Paul and his wife, Jane.
I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction and I was a bit concerned that the language used would be hard to read because the novel takes place in 1917, but the dialogue sounded modern, which I enjoyed, but could be a problem for readers who are looking for something more authentic.
This is a fast-paced read that I read in one sitting (it's only 214 pages), and I recommend it for Bigfoot fans, or fans of supernatural thrillers in general. Silence in the Woods is the first book in the Monsters in the Green Mountains series.
Rating: 4/5
