With IN THE WOODS SOMEWHERE, Sam Evans has penned a fabulous thriller set in a wintery landscape of backroads, small towns, bars and woodlands. Her tale begins with a compelling 911 call, which is picked up by the protagonist Stevie Diaz, who works as a call hander for the service. Stevie recognises the voice on the other end of the line and listens in horror while events transpire beyond her reach.
Stevie as a character is so well defined, I actually felt pretty emotional reading her inner monologue as actions unfolded, whether defined by her, or controlled by her, or not controlled by her. She is headstrong and resourceful. Throughout this book she has many wonderful moments of astute observation, like describing how another character appeared to have their own gravitational effect in the way their dark eyes absorbed light, like a giant astronomical object. Stevie, the character, in this book, feels very special.
Evans has delivered a book with a beautifully naturalistic, conversational first-person delivery that I really warmed to. Seriously, it was a real treat to read, and to experience the story in this way. One particular layer of the story is a poignant depiction of a marriage under strain. It packs a punch because it felt so very real. Beyond this, as a reader, I spent a good proportion of the novel analysing the interactions between all the characters for clues about who might have orchestrated the diabolical event that punctuated the opening pages.
There’s a wonderful denouement, that applauds Stevie’s resourcefulness, and delivers a good deal of satisfaction. We really root for her, and I’m pleased to see that Sam Evans has released a follow up featuring Stevie Diaz called DOWN BY THE WATER.