In the Woods They Wait

A park ranger in Devil’s Den becomes obsessed with the case of a missing child–a case that mirrors the disappearance of her own brother, whom she lost in the woods many years ago–and the possibility that both were taken by something vicious and unnatural that lives deep in the Ozarks.

“As much about navigating the labyrinths of guilt and hope as it is surviving the Ozark wilderness… fleet-footed, compulsively readable, haunting, and monstrously satisfying.”–Nat Cassidy

Fifteen years ago, Audrey Figg’s little brother, Benny, vanished on a family vacation to Devil’s Den state park, a day that split her life in two. Now, Audrey is a park ranger in the very same woods with expertise in wilderness search and rescue. Audrey has found a rhythm to her days: training new rangers, tending to injured hikers, protecting the backcountry, and still, searching.

When a little girl, Ivy, suddenly goes missing on the trails, Audrey can’t help but notice the similarities to her own brother’s case. As Audrey widens the scope of her search, she begins to believe Ivy wasn’t merely lost; it looks like she was taken by something–and maybe Benny was too. Yet the closer Audrey comes to answers, the more old memories push to the surface. Audrey is haunted not only by her brother’s loss, but a terrible secret from that day. A secret she has never shared with anyone.

Utterly absorbing and disquieting, In the Woods They Wait is an enthralling page-turner, one that asks how far you would go for a sense of closure–and what would you be willing to face to get it.

“Runs heavy with tension, authentic characters, and twists I never saw coming.” –Rob Hart

Author: Carrie Lee South
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Published: 09/22/2026
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9780316608985
Language: English