Part mystery, part literary thriller, combined with a strong sense of place make Nightwoods by Charles Frazier the perfect read for a fall day. Set in 1960s Appalachia, Luce, a spinster hermit, suddenly finds herself caring for the twins of her deceased sister. When the twins arrive they are nearly catatonic after witnessing the brutal murder of their mother at the hands of their stepfather Bud. Bud believes the children know the whereabouts of a large sum of money that his wife had hidden from him. In a particularly disheartening, yet believable twist of fate Bud is cleared of all charges and begins the life of a drifter in search of the children and the lost money. The twins are extremely disturbed and violent and yet Luce struggles to nurture them and show them the beauty of the natural world that surrounds them. Frazier introduces another misfit of society, Stubblefield, who is the heir to the property that Luce is occupying, and together they must protect the children from Bud and from their destructive ways. The writing is sparse yet gripping and the tension slowly builds to its thrilling finale. While the story itself is absorbing it is Frazier’s insights into human nature and his ability to create an ode to the natural world that make Nightwoods a truly unforgettable read.