What Grows in the Dark: A Novel By Jaq Evans

Marisa Crane praises this contemporary horror as "suspenseful and tender," a queer masterpiece. Brigit Weylan, a fraudulent spiritualist haunted by her sister Emma's death, returns to Ellis Creek to aid a search for missing teens. The investigation reopens wounds from sixteen years prior when Emma vanished, purportedly chased by a forest monster. Brigit's departure from Ellis Creek was an escape from trauma, but now she's forced to confront it.

Teaming up with Ian, her cameraman, Brigit delves into the unsettling case. Yet, eerie occurrences blur reality: trees manifest in her bedroom, familiar laughter echoes in the dark, and Emma's voice beckons from her phone. The parallels between the current investigation and Emma's fate grow undeniable.

As the sinister presence tightens its grip, Brigit grapples with the possibility that Emma's fears were valid. The monster Emma believed lurked in the woods might be real, and it seems to have been waiting for Brigit's return. With each revelation, the lines between past and present blur, thrusting Brigit into a terrifying journey of self-discovery and redemption.

Through atmospheric prose and haunting imagery, the novel explores themes of grief, guilt, and the supernatural. As Brigit confronts her past, she unravels long-buried secrets and confronts the darkness that has haunted Ellis Creek for years. In this gripping tale of horror and sisterly love, Brigit must confront the monster within herself to save those she holds dear. 📚❤️