Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick

This is my stop on the blog tour for Jennifer Killick’s novel Dread Wood with The Write Reads. This novel aimed at younger readers is a bloody good read and the right level of scary and suspense for me. I’m not a great fan of horror or scary but ‘middle grade’ is my limit and this is written with the right level of suspense and creepiness to keep you turning those pages and hoping against all odds that Angelo, Hallie, Gustav and Naira get through their ordeal in one piece.

There’s a creepy school, creepy dark woods on the grounds, and creepy caretakers. And poor Angelo, Hallie, Gustav and Naira have to attend detention on a Saturday. Could there be anything worse? As the students enter the school grounds they are greeted by a creepy as heck caretaker, who locks the gates behind them. Their teacher, on detention duty is as perky as ever and really wants Angelo, Hallie, Gustav and Naira to make the most of being in detention. However, when the teacher is dragged underground right before their eyes, they all have to work together to survive. As they try to make sense of everything, they encounter further horrors in the shadows which get meaner and scarier and they uncover hideous and shocking truths. The big question they ask? Why does the caretaker whistle the tune, Itsy Bitsy Spider?

Angelo, Hallie, Gustav and Naira may not be friends, only classmates, and don’t revel in being in detention with each other but they really do bond together. This is often a cliche, a group of misfits coming together to overcome adversity, but Jennifer writes it in a way that’s believable and relatable.

What I loved about this novel is the thought that went into writing a story that’s more than a straight forward ‘kids get detention and are chased by a monster.’ It has background that provides a foundation that’s build upon why the kids are in detention. Providing this solid back story when put into context gives you some delightful twists. Everything is linked. This is why I loved it.

The writing is seamless moving from moment to moment at a pace that is heart pounding and gave me a rush of excitement. The action kicks off straight away. The language is perfectly on point and despite the tense and creepy mood, there’s splashes of humour littered throughout that provided some light relief.

Was I scared and creeped out? Yes. Did I read this novel and find myself itching all over? Yes. Jennifer Killick, you’ve made me want to reach for the second instalment even if its with a tentative hand.