Review Detail

If you’re looking for a fast-paced mystery filled with twists and turns set in a Caribbean island then readers should add this to their reading list. It Waits in the Forest follows the story of Selina who tries to navigate her grief and regain normalcy after her mother is left in a coma. The strange tales of strange occurrences of St.Virgil have always been something that Selina has tried to ignore. When people start to go missing she starts to believe that there may be more than what’s going on beyond the surface. Selina teams up with her ex-boyfriend Gabriel and turns her desperation into determination to get justice for her parents and discover the truth.

From the very beginning of this story, readers will be hooked into the plot just as I was. Dass’s writing is detailed and gripping, pulling the readers into Selina’s world of a tropical wonderland and the supernatural beings that seem to haunt its residents and tourists alike. It was an immersive experience, seeing the landscape through my very eyes and also racing along the action-packed scenes of imminent danger.

The folklore aspect added to the intensity of the sometimes eerie moments of the novel as Dass describes creatures that are your worst nightmare. What makes the mystery aspect so intriguing is the message of “be careful of what you wish for” as many characters are put through a personal test of resilience. Readers also see just how far some people are willing to go to get what they want even at the cost of others.

The mystery aspects were written well and I loved how it unraveled throughout the story. Dass gives clues here and there but ultimately twists and turns are really what make the suspense work so well for this novel. Rather than just a mystery this novel is ultimately an adventure which is exciting and full of uncertainty (in the best way).

Dass has crafted a story that allows the reader to get lost within its pages very easily and I can’t wait to read more of her works.