This Wretched Valley

Buckle up, buttercups, because we’re about to dive into Jenny Kiefer’s debut novel, This Wretched Valley. If you’re a fan of creepy wilderness horror, you’re in for a treat. And if you’re not, well, maybe this will scare you into becoming one. Kiefer’s book serves up a heaping portion of dread, terror, and just enough gore to keep your stomach churning long after you’ve closed the book.

So, picture this: You’re in the Kentucky wilderness. It’s cold, it’s dark, and your group is as lost as a fart in a fan factory. You’ve got Clay, a PhD student with a rock-hard (ha!) mission to discover a new cliff face using some fancy LIDAR technology for his dissertation. He ropes in his climbing buddy Dylan, who’s trying to show more make it big as a rock-climbing influencer with a shiny new sponsorship. Dylan brings along her boyfriend, Luke, and their dog, Slade. Completing the quartet is Sylvia, Clay’s research assistant. They’re all set to put their names on the map by climbing this untouched cliff face. What could possibly go wrong, right? Everything. Everything could go wrong.

Let’s get into the thick of it. These poor saps get to the wilderness and, surprise, surprise, the locals are like, “Nah, dude, you don’t want to go there. People don’t come back.” But of course, our fearless group is too smart to listen to these rustic warnings. They think, “We’ve got GPS! We’ve got modern technology! We’ll be fine!” Spoiler alert: they’re not fine. Not even close.

The creepy vibes start early with the dog, Slade. Now, let’s be real: if your dog, who usually loves the outdoors, starts acting like he’s seen the ghost of his doggy ancestors, you should pack it up and head home. But no, these geniuses decide to ignore Slade’s obvious distress and push on. The forest itself seems to have a mind of its own, and it’s not a friendly one. Paths start looping, the GPS goes haywire, and the air gets so thick with tension you could cut it with a butter knife.

Once they reach the cliff face, things go from bad to worse. Weird injuries, time distortions, and the kind of arguments that make you want to strangle your best friend with a climbing rope start piling up. It’s like the forest is playing its own twisted game of Survivor, and these four are the unwilling contestants. And let’s not forget the lovely addition of the valley’s history—filled with tales of hallucinations, rotting harvests, and good old-fashioned murder. It’s like the forest has a grudge against humanity, and these four are its latest targets.

The characters? Well, they’re exactly the type of people you’d expect to ignore every single red flag nature throws at them. Clay’s obsessed with his dissertation, Dylan’s got influencer fever, and Sylvia’s just trying to get through the trip without throttling anyone. Luke, poor guy, just wants to support his girlfriend and find his damn dog. They’re all ambitious and driven, which is usually great, except when you’re dealing with an evil forest that’s determined to chew you up and spit you out.

Kiefer does a bang-up job of building the tension and creating an atmosphere that’s both eerie and claustrophobic. The valley feels alive, a character with a malevolent intent that keeps you on edge. The dog’s gone missing, people are seeing things that shouldn’t be there, and injuries pile up faster than bad Tinder dates. And just when you think it can’t get worse, it does.

Now, let’s talk about the inspiration behind the madness: the Dyatlov Pass incident. If you’re not familiar, this is the 1959 event where nine Russian hikers died under mysterious and gruesome circumstances in the Ural Mountains. It’s got everything: unexplained injuries, missing body parts, and a whole lot of theories ranging from yeti attacks to government conspiracies (see the spoilers section later for more). Kiefer takes this real-life mystery and spins it into her own horror story, making you wonder just what the hell is lurking out there in the woods.

For all its strengths, This Wretched Valley does have a few bumps in the trail. The characters, while serviceable, aren’t exactly the type you’ll shed tears over. They’re more like horror movie fodder—there to scream, bleed, and make dumb decisions. The pacing can be a bit uneven at times, with some parts dragging on while others rush by in a blur of panic and confusion. And while the ambiguity of what exactly is haunting the valley adds to the terror, it can also leave you feeling like you’re missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.

But hey, if you’re here for the chills, the thrills, and the “what the hell just happened” moments, then this book delivers in spades. The gore is plentiful, the scares are well-executed, and the atmosphere is thick with dread. Kiefer knows how to make you squirm, and she doesn’t shy away from the grotesque. The scenes are visceral, with descriptions so vivid you’ll feel like you’re right there in the muck with the characters.

So, what’s the final verdict? This Wretched Valley is a solid entry into the wilderness horror genre. It’s got all the makings of a great scary story: an isolated setting, a group of ambitious yet oblivious characters, and an evil force that’s as relentless as it is mysterious. Kiefer’s writing is sharp, her pacing keeps you on edge, and the scares are real enough to make you reconsider that next camping trip. Just remember, always trust your dog. If he’s freaking out, it’s time to get the hell out of Dodge. show less

Prepare for a rollercoaster ride into the unknown with "This Wretched Valley" by Jenny Kiefer—a book that took me by surprise in more ways than one. While I'm not one to care much about rock climbing, this novel proved to be more than just a tale of daring ascents. It turned out to be genuinely scary, delving into the psychological terror of being driven to pursue something so intensely that it might lead to your own demise.

The story revolves around four ambitious climbers embarking on a hike into the depths of the Kentucky wilderness, seeking the thrill of conquering an untouched cliff face. Little do they know that seven months later, only three mangled bodies would be discovered. Kiefer weaves a bone-chilling narrative inspired by show more the infamous Dyatlov Pass incident, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

What struck me the most was the sheer terror of the characters' compulsion to achieve the unattainable, even at the risk of their lives. The book raises haunting questions about the nature of their deaths—were they mere accidents or the result of something more sinister?

The characters, although not particularly standout, serve their purpose in unraveling the mystery. I found myself initially irritated by the constant rock climbing jargon, but as the plot unfolded, I realized it was a deliberate choice that added depth to the narrative. Kiefer successfully creates an atmosphere that immerses the reader in the climbers' world, making their fate all the more visceral.

As the suspense builds, the story takes unexpected turns, leaving you questioning whether the climbers were victims of foul play, cannibalism, or something even more malevolent. The disappearance of Dylan, the protagonist, adds another layer of intrigue, with followers reporting disturbing livestreams and elusive sightings.

Despite my initial reservations about the rock climbing focus, "This Wretched Valley" turned out to be a fun and gripping read that I devoured in just two days. Kiefer masterfully blends survival horror with elements of mystery, leaving readers with an unsettling sense of the unknown. If you're a fan of Alma Katsu or intrigued by the mysterious Dyatlov Pass incident, this novel is sure to keep you captivated from start to finish. show less

This book was a lot of fun. Gory nasty fun, real gross. I'm a re-reader and this will go on the list of things I'd pick up again.

I love being able to see things authors are passionate about in their writing! Climbing was very obviously a big part of this novel, but it wasn't bogged down with technicalities. That and readers didn't need to have any prior knowledge of the sport to follow along/understand things.

I'm going to try and be vague about things here so as not to spoil anything,
I really like how the valley effected all of them differently! A great way to divide and conquer! I caught a cool parallel with two sets of deaths, all I'll say is dog is to baby as ...

I do have to say, something was missing for me? Or off? I can't quite show more put my finger on what didn't sit right. But whatever it was wasn't enough to keep me from having a good time. Maybe after further processing I'll edit the review?
BUT
I'd love to see this as a movie? It was extremely cinematic. It got a liiiiiiitle long and flowery at the end, it could have been tightened up maybe? But I'm being nitpicky.

I'll more than happily read anything else Ms. Kiefer decides to grace us with!

One note, if you're one of those people that can stomach gore but not vomit (like me, although it's okay in print) lots of upchukin' in this book. show less

Clay, Dylan, Sylvia and Luke, along with Luke's dog, spend a day trekking through the wild woods of Kentucky to reach a previously undiscovered rock. Clay and Sylvia are going to use this discovery in their dissertations, while Dylan, an up-and-coming rock climber who has just gotten an equipment sponsorship, is thrilled at the chance to put it on social media, name routes, and be the first to climb it. Luke is along because he's Dylan's boyfriend.
With a forest full of weird flora and a lack of the normal fauna expected in Kentucky, the group experiences strange phenomena. Luke's dog disappears, the GPS equipment doesn't work, and attempts to backtrack to the car fail. What little they have is being vandalized at night.

I'm keeping this show more review vague because I don't want to give too much away, but the author has done a very good job in building an isolated atmosphere, with the group having no choice but to rely on each other, even when they shouldn't. show less

As if I needed a reason to avoid going out in the woods...

This is a story about 4 hikers who go out into the woods of Kentucky and never come out. It gets it's inspiration from the Dyatlov Pass incident, something lovers of unexplained mysteries will be familiar with.

I enjoyed the book immensely, the characters were well drawn and the setting was creepy. I found myself very tense while reading it.

I did have a few issues with the pacing at the end of the book and the overuse of certain words and phrases. The words "raw," "bile," "acid/acidic/acidly," and "vomit" were used way too much. It wasn't offensive, they were just overused to the point where I started keeping count every time I came across one in the text. Also, phrases like, show more "she/he felt anger/bile/tension/nerves/vomit at the back of her/his throat" were too prevalent.

Otherwise, the book was a scary treat. Plus, any book that has a quote from William S. Burroughs as its epigraph is off to a good start.

**ARC provided by Edelweiss+** show less

Fantastic debut novel, beautifully written, polished and tense. I can definitely see the comparisons to The Blair Witch Project, Yellowjackets, and Alma Katsu's work, and it also reminded me a bit of Adam Nevill's The Ritual--though of course all of those comparisons are more about mood than the story itself. A really enjoyable read, and I can't wait for this to come out in January and reach more readers!

Super fast-moving and gory adventure horror set in a valley which essentially is a giant pitcher plant! It's probably more of a 3-star read, but I added an extra one because of how easy and nasty of a read it was. Looking for a bleak and nasty adventure horror? Here it is!