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kathleenabby's review
dark
5.0
In the Dark of the Grove is an e gaging horror mystery with a M/M romance subplot.
đź“– Kyle never wanted to return home after he was kicked out of his parent's house. But after his father's death, he has no choice. He comes home to find a secret note hidden in his father's old typewriter and the people in this small town are acting stranger than usual toward him.
đź“š I was was hooked from the start and the way the tension and mystery was slowly built up was fantastic. My favourite thing about this is the fact I didn't know what was coming. I could see there was something extremely wrong in this town and it was eerie but not what. When the pieces came together it fits the narrative perfectly but I love how this had me guessing right up until the end.
The Characters are great and well freshed out with plenty of representation. There are characters to love and hate but all are engaging.
I love how this explored that small town mentality especially through the pov of a queer man. It also goes into themes such as greed, childhood trauma and bigotry and I think it was done really well.
For me this is my favourite kind of horror, one that reflects human nature. Because to me people are scarier than anything else. I highly recommend 🙌🏻
đź“– Kyle never wanted to return home after he was kicked out of his parent's house. But after his father's death, he has no choice. He comes home to find a secret note hidden in his father's old typewriter and the people in this small town are acting stranger than usual toward him.
đź“š I was was hooked from the start and the way the tension and mystery was slowly built up was fantastic. My favourite thing about this is the fact I didn't know what was coming. I could see there was something extremely wrong in this town and it was eerie but not what. When the pieces came together it fits the narrative perfectly but I love how this had me guessing right up until the end.
The Characters are great and well freshed out with plenty of representation. There are characters to love and hate but all are engaging.
I love how this explored that small town mentality especially through the pov of a queer man. It also goes into themes such as greed, childhood trauma and bigotry and I think it was done really well.
For me this is my favourite kind of horror, one that reflects human nature. Because to me people are scarier than anything else. I highly recommend 🙌🏻
jprindfleisch's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
In the Dark of the Grove by Jon Wesley Huff is an excellent blend of queer representation, American Gothic ambiance, and a narrative that kept me reading the entire book in one sitting. Huff skillfully draws you into the unsettling atmosphere of Essen, Indiana, a town shrouded in mystery in the dark heart of America's heartland.
Huff's atmospheric writing pulled me smack dab into the Midwest, to a town that feels intriguingly off-kilter. And that ending, though it could have benefited from more foreshadowing, delivered a fun twist that had me racing through the last pages.
This book is a must-read for fans of Americana horror, particularly those seeking queer representation within the genre. In the Dark of the Grove is definitely a standout addition to the horror landscape.
Huff's atmospheric writing pulled me smack dab into the Midwest, to a town that feels intriguingly off-kilter. And that ending, though it could have benefited from more foreshadowing, delivered a fun twist that had me racing through the last pages.
This book is a must-read for fans of Americana horror, particularly those seeking queer representation within the genre. In the Dark of the Grove is definitely a standout addition to the horror landscape.
mikefromarkansas's review against another edition
4.0
This book starts as a mystery. Kyle comes home after a tragedy to find a hidden note in his father’s typewriter. He doesn’t want to be here. Being rejected by his parents when they found out he is gay to being mistreated by his teacher when he was a young man. But he finds himself back reconnecting with old friends and making a special new one. In the end he discovers a big secret being held in this small town in Indiana. The story climaxes with truth being revealed. The horror of the situation is too much to handle and Kyle has to fight for his life as he knows it.
This is an excellent mystery, thriller, horror novel. The story is fast paced and exciting. I never would have guessed the ending. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good horror story with a little bit of spicy romance.
This is an excellent mystery, thriller, horror novel. The story is fast paced and exciting. I never would have guessed the ending. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good horror story with a little bit of spicy romance.
starslang's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
entazis's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Discover the Dark Heart of America’s Heartland.
Essen, Indiana never felt like home to Kyle Thomas. Now, as he returns fifteen years after he was kicked out for being gay, he finds it stranger than ever. His novelist father, days after releasing his newest book—Dunbar’s Grove—committed suicide. And most people think his father’s book was a thinly-disguised confession to the murder of Kyle’s mother years before.
A mysterious note in his father’s old typewriter points to a secret the town is keeping. How did this little town in the middle of nowhere get so much money? What does the elite Minty Green Club have to do with it?
Kyle decides to put his investigative journalist skills to the test, reconnecting with old friends and running into old foes. The closer he gets to the town’s secrets, the fewer people he can trust and the more every trail seems to lead to the mysterious grove of trees outside of town.
Essen, Indiana never felt like home to Kyle Thomas. Now, as he returns fifteen years after he was kicked out for being gay, he finds it stranger than ever. His novelist father, days after releasing his newest book—Dunbar’s Grove—committed suicide. And most people think his father’s book was a thinly-disguised confession to the murder of Kyle’s mother years before.
A mysterious note in his father’s old typewriter points to a secret the town is keeping. How did this little town in the middle of nowhere get so much money? What does the elite Minty Green Club have to do with it?
Kyle decides to put his investigative journalist skills to the test, reconnecting with old friends and running into old foes. The closer he gets to the town’s secrets, the fewer people he can trust and the more every trail seems to lead to the mysterious grove of trees outside of town.
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