Poison Wood: A Novel

Poison Wood by Jennifer Moorhead is a very highly recommended investigative mystery. This continues the story of crime reporter Rita Meade from Broken Bayou but it can be read as a standalone novel. It surprised me how much I ended up enjoying Poison Wood.

Rita Meade learns that a skull has been found on the property of the Poison Wood Therapeutic Academy for Girls which was located in the Kisatchie National Forest in central Louisiana. The home was closed in 2002 when a young girl went missing and was presumed dead, which Rita remembers well. As a teenager Rita was sent to Poison Wood by her father, who was a judge and she was there in 2002. Many of Rita's classmates were also the offspring of powerful, influential families.

A man show more confessed and was convicted for the murder of the missing girl but the discovery of a body in Florida changes everything. The body is identified as that of the missing teen, but the woman has been living under another name. Rita is back in the area because her father had a heart attack. Her old roommates Katrina and Summer also happen to be back in the area. While there Rita begins to investigate the mysteries surrounding Poison Wood along with the identity of the skull. She's not officially working on the case as a reporter, but she is still working hard to uncover information.

This well written, atmospheric investigative mystery starts out interesting and gets incrementally better with each turn of the page. The pace is even at first and then quickly becomes fast-paced while the narrative is more compelling and intense. In-between present day action are journal entries from their time at Poison Wood written by the teens under pseudonyms. There are actually multiple mysteries going on and, although you might have predictions, the final denouement is not predictable.

Rita is a complex, fully realized character with both strengths and weaknesses. She's shown as an adult and successful reporter but also as a daughter with a complicated relationship with her father. The rest of the characters are also portrayed as complex individuals. All the interactions between characters are well done and realistic, which helps keep interest high in the narrative. The investigation follows clues and discoveries logically. I'll be looking forward to Moorhead's next book.

Poison Wood is a great choice for those who enjoy investigative mysteries. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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Atmospheric mystery thriller and family drama.

Ambitious and successful crime reporter, Rita Meade, goes home when a skull is found in the Louisiana forest on the grounds of the now-shuttered Poison Wood Therapeutic Academy for girls, where she was once a student. That discovery coincides with Rita flaming out in her job because she didn’t disclose her association with a woman who had contacted her for an interview related to the school and was subsequently found deceased on the beach in Florida. In addition, as secrets about Poison Wood and its troubled former students and staff are revealed, the corrosive nature of lies is revealed.

Rita Meade is a strong protagonist and her personal connections to the murder and likely killer show more increase the tension and suspense as she relentlessly pursues answers while no longer allowed to be a reporter on the story. There are lots of little mysteries that need to be addressed and I liked the detail and hints provided in the diary entries of journals found on the grounds. There are lots of characters and many suggestions of impropriety in the school and in what looks like a coverup and false imprisonment because of entitlement, privilege, and wealth. Definitely kept me guessing until a satisfying conclusion. This is the second book featuring this character but it can be read as a standalone without any difficulty.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also reading along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Sophie Amoss, did an excellent job of maintaining a good pace and enhancing the atmosphere of the psychological thriller. She gave distinctive voices to all the characters including appropriate accents. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the story and created an immersive experience. show less

Poison Wood is the second book that features this main character, but can definitely be read as a standalone. I enjoyed the creepy elements to this story that was more mystery based rather than horror based, and thought the descriptions were quite good as I felt like I could picture myself being right there. And while I enjoyed the mystery quite a bit, I did have some issues with the character development of the MC.

The atmospheric vibe of this story was very compelling and the author managed to keep up that feeling and tension throughout the book, something that I really enjoyed, without descending into supernatural horror elements, something else I appreciated. It's not that I don't like a good supernatural book, but honestly, I get show more irritated at misleading marketing tactics. The plot moved along rather quickly and while I did guess who was the culprit rather early on, there were enough twists and turns and red herrings, that I did change my mind a couple of times and then went back to my original thought. When an author keeps you guessing like that, even when you think you are sure, I like that the plot can mess with my head a little bit to make me second-guess myself.

The 'academy' was my favourite part of the book and maybe that has to do with my horror loving little side as I found it creepy and unsettling. The author did include some journal entries from the time the girls were there, but you had no idea which girl wrote what so it left you guessing as to what was happening and who was involved. This author's writing style definitely appealed to me as I am a reader who likes to figure things out as they happen and hates being told and explained everything like I can't do it on my own. In mean, isn't that the point of mystery novels?

My main issue with the book was the MC, Rita. Having returned home for several reasons, she is the perfect person to look into what happened at the academy all those years ago as she was actually a student there at the time. However, I just couldn't get invested in Rita as a character and she irritated me to no end. She was supposed to be this award-winning reporter, but she didn't come across that way to me, at all. In fact, she seemed more like a busybody, one who didn't really look at things factually, but more emotionally. I understand she was going through this crisis, but I also felt the author didn't do her character justice, making her seem more whiny than someone who maybe struggled with the loss of her mother all those years ago as well as the trauma of being sent to a school for wayward girls. And her decision at the end? Where did that come from?

Verdict
Poison Wood was a decent mystery with a lot of atmosphere, focusing on the discovery of a skeleton at a school for girls that had been closed years ago. I thought the mystery itself had a lot of twists and turns and was quite interesting, but I wasn't a fan of the character development of the main character which affected my investment in the overall story. That being said, I am interested enough to want to read the next book to see what happens next. show less

Rita is back with another case, and this one is going to make her put aside everything she learned about being a journalist and most likely could end her career. A skull is found in the walls of an old girls school just might be to the girl who went missing from there decades ago. This same school, Rita attended as a girl and for as much as she has tried to forget about that time in her life, it has always followed her like a silent ghost. When a source that Rita was supposed to meet turns up dead, she knows that someone is bound to keep Poison Wood's secrets buried, no matter how many bodies turn up. Maybe it's time to find out what really happened to Heather who went missing and what really was going on at that school. As more old show more classmates turn up, it seems odd that so many are all of a sudden interested in what is going on. The more Rita digs, the more she puts herself in danger and fears for the connection her family has to this school and its past. Depending on what comes out, this could end her career as well as call into question every case her father presided over through the years as he may have put an innocent man in prison. This one was another fast paced read! Loved all the journal entries and that it kept you guessing until the very end. Thank you to the author, publisher and Books Forward for the complementary ebook. This review is of my own opinion and accord. show less

A great mystery from Jennifer Moorhead. I love the therapeutic academy; it made so many errors taking care of these girls. This story kept me guessing right up to the reveal. I am definitely adding Broken Bayou to my TBR so I can read more books with the Rita Meade character.

Sophie Amoss did a great job bringing this story to life and keeping me on the edge of my seat.

WOW!!!! That is the only thing I can think right now since I just finished listening to this. This was my first Jennifer Moorhead book. I have to say, I wasn't sure I would like it. However, I trudged through and am so glad I did. It was actually a very good book. The suspense. I didn't have a clue how it was going to end, so it was a nice surprise. I like that there is a Love interest for the main character. Did it work out? I'll never tell. I find liking the judge very much and I think it has everything to do with the narrator. There are so many characters, and they all intertwine are integral parts of the story.

Now, Sophie Amoss, this is my first book she has narrated too. She did all the voices and moved through them seamlessly. show more She is what made me like Rita's dad. The voice was perfect for a dad. Then the love interest, she made the voice perfect!!!! She is a very very good narrator, and I hope to hear more from her. #NetGalley, #JenniferMoorhead, #BrilliancePublishing, # BrillianceAudio, Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for allowing me to listen to the DRC. show less

WOW!!!! That is the only thing I can think right now since I just finished listening to this. This was my first Jennifer Moorhead book. I have to say, I wasn't sure I would like it. However, I trudged through and am so glad I did. It was actually a very good book. The suspense. I didn't have a clue how it was going to end, so it was a nice surprise. I like that there is a Love interest for the main character. Did it work out? I'll never tell. I find liking the judge very much and I think it has everything to do with the narrator. There are so many characters, and they all intertwine are integral parts of the story.

Now, Sophie Amoss, this is my first book she has narrated too. She did all the voices and moved through them seamlessly. show more She is what made me like Rita's dad. The voice was perfect for a dad. Then the love interest, she made the voice perfect!!!! She is a very very good narrator, and I hope to hear more from her. #NetGalley, #JenniferMoorhead, #BrilliancePublishing, # BrillianceAudio, Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for allowing me to listen to the DRC. show less