The Box in the Woods

The Box in the Woods

YA thriller
"Murder is wrong, of course. Stevie's future was predicated on
that fact. She wanted to solve murders, not commit them. To solve
them, you had to understand why they occurred. Motive. That was the
key..."
Maureen Johnson's The Box in the Woods is my favorite kind of
chiller. Although I love ghost stories and sometimes enjoy a
spillover into thriller/fantasy hybrid, I'm very partial to those
books in which the peril and horror lie in the hearts and minds of
flesh and blood people. This book honors this premise beautifully and
turns a kitschy theme (murder at summer camp) into anything but.
Amateur sleuth Stevie Bell is home for what she thinks will be a
boring summer. Only she's contacted by a wealthy entrepreneur,
Carson, offering her and her best friends jobs at a summer camp he's
purchased. These won't be typical jobs. Stevie is to solve a
multiple homicide that took place...
...decades ago. On a long ago 1978 July morning the camp
director heard a scream and discovered the mutilated body of one of
her counselors, Eric, the pot supplier for the camp. Pot as in then
illegal substance, not something for campers to decorate. Three other
counselor cadavers were discovered in the woods: Todd, the mayor's son
who might have previously gotten away with murder, Diane, his
girlfriend whom parents advised kids to avoid, and, surprisingly,
Sabrina, honors student and library volunteer, the girl incoming high
school students were told to emulate.
There were theories. Where pot was involved some thought it was
a drug deal gone bad. Others conjured up a serial killer. But
evidence was overlooked and everything that could be botched was
botched in the investigation. So the murder remained a cold case.
Carson is planning to make a podcast about the murders and the
renewed investigation Stevie is going to conduct. He sees his
documentary as a potential cash cow. What could possibly go wrong?
How about the fact that many of the people who lived in the
small town very much connected with the camp have never gone away.
What if one was involved with the original homicides? What if this
person is desperate, willing to stop at nothing to make sure that
evidence that might implicate them never comes to light?
If a spine chilling mystery is just your cup of tea pack your
bags for camp and join Stevie and her crew.
On a purrrsonal note, yesterday I took advantage of a UMaine clinic to
get my COVID booster shot. Where I'm an older person and in a job
with high levels of public contact the shot was an imperative. I'd
gotten permission to be late to work. Where I don't drive this was an
opportunity I couldn't pass up. Much to my surprise, our student
diners were really excited that I got the booster, and not because I
did it to help protect them. Because it can protect me. I'm someone
they really like and respect and don't want to lose. How cool is that?
Today I woke up feeling like I'd gone a few rounds with a grizzly
bear. Everything that can ache does. And acts like getting dressed,
usually a no brainer, are challenging. The biggest challenge will be
getting to campus, working my shift, and getting back home. If
calling in sick was an option I'd take it. But where we're really
short staffed and I'm not contagious...
(Jules)
I wish she could stay home where I could take care of her. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the people who arranged for and
conducted the clinic.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway


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