“Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies”, by E.M. Roy
State: Maine
⭐️⭐️⭐️ .5
“Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies”, by E.M. Roy, is a debut queer novella set in Easton Maine. A horror story with a bit of queer romance. Tate Mulder goes missing and her girlfriend, Leo Bates, is trying to find her.
Leo has a lot going on in her life. Her parents passed away. She lives with her aunt and uncle in Easton, Maine. Then her girlfriend, Tate, disappears. “Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies” is not targeted to the young adult audience but I got that feel from it.
“Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies” alternates between a ‘before’ and ‘after’ timeline. ‘Before’ explores the progression of their relationship; ‘After ’talks about Tate’s disappearance. Roy includes flashbacks and backstory that provides a back bone for the town and the mystery that surrounds it. The story has plenty of moving parts that tie in very well. Roy weaves between the timelines with ease.
Small town horror is a favorite of mine. The story is set in one that's situated near woods. There are graveyards and other interesting facets to Easton. Roy does not delve into the town’s history and its effect on its residents, but I would have liked to learn more about Easton and its mysteries.
The book starts out with the progression of the romance and mystery build up, written in beautiful prose. The book did not hook me immediately, but I kept reading because I needed to know the reveal behind the mystery. The setting was intriguing to me. The last third of the book ramps up the horror. Not hard-core horror, though. “Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies” is a cozy mystery with a touch of sapphic romance. I cannot wait to see the next story by E.M. Roy.
Horror books set in Maine (that are not Stephen King):
“Creature”, by Hunter Shea
“Becoming”, by Glenn Rolfe
“Clickers”, by J.F. Gonzalez and Mark Williams
Wilder Girls”, by Rory Power
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