"She wondered where the boy's mother was-whether she was fighting for him or even looking for him. And then she thought of Elam and of Mathew, and how a person could be lost and still not missing, or else missing and not lost-and how she wasn't sure which of those was worse."

Fellow readers, this debut is really something special. I know that the slow burning mystery isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if you enjoy character driven mysteries that are deliciously atmospheric and filled to the brim with heart-wrenching emotion, you won't find a 2020 release that does it better than Before Familiar Woods by Ian Pisarcik. I'd like to give you a little context about the structure of this novel, because I think it will help some friends decide if this book is one you'd like to dive into, but as always the spoilers will be left at the door. If I haven't hammered down this point thoroughly enough, this is a slow burning mystery, not a thriller, which seems to be a confusing marketing ploy used over the past few years to sell more books.

"I only want to sit with you. That's all I ever want. To be sitting next to you."

*deep breath* Ok, so this is a novel that jumps around between the past and the present. The book opens with a glimpse at Mathew and William's last night alive, and aside from the final chapter, we get nothing else from their POV. The past scenes help paint the picture of what happened to the boys and are one part of the mystery that drives the suspense of the novel. It's worth noting that, while brief, the scene describing how they are found in death is extremely graphic and disturbing. It is possible to skip this scene, as the details are not mentioned again, and how their bodies are found aren't entirely necessary to the concluding details, but they are relevant. The present narrative is when the boys' fathers go missing, along with the arrival of an Iraq veteran named Milk in town. His story and Ruth's (the mother of Mathew and wife of Elam) intertwine and come together at the climax of the story.

The beauty of this story isn't really either mystery, although they are well done and we receive more closure than I expected going in, but it's the intricate detailing in the setting and sense of small town placement that truly shines. I felt the temperature drop all around me as I read the descriptions of crunching snow in Vermont, I could practically smell the fresh mountain air as I metaphorically flipped the pages, and I could certainly feel each and every character's sorrow as they tried to live their lives after being touched by unspeakable tragedy. In my heart of hearts, I know that losing a child is my deepest fear, and the care and development that the author put into invoking a sense of empathy from the reader is nothing short of astonishing. While the action in this book is saved mostly for the final 20%, I couldn't help but feel the entirety of the book was a page turner in its own way. There are so many things I'd like to mention in my review, but I think I'll leave it here and implore you to please give this book a chance if this type of fiction is your jam. Highly, highly recommended, as this is a tale I won't soon forget, and will most definitely be in my Top 10 reads of 2020.

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.

Content Warning:

Sexual assault, sex trafficking, pedophilia, homophobia, murder, child neglect, substance abuse.