In the Dark of the Grove

by Jon Wesley Huff

Discover the dark heart of America's heartland.

Kyle never wanted to return home after he was kicked out of his parent’s house. Now, he has no choice. He thought the awkward reunions with old friends would be the worst part. Until he found the secret note hidden in his father’s old typewriter. Until people in the small Indiana town started acting stranger than usual toward him. All the clues are leading him to the mysterious, isolated grove just outside of town. His investigative journalist instincts are kicking in, but nothing could prepare him for what’s waiting in the dark of the grove.

“Spellbinding, claustrophobic horror that was effective in every way--engaging characters, great scares, and a taut mystery.” — Michael Moreci (The Plot / Barbaric)

Genres: Horror, LGBT

284 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2023

About the author

Jon writes and reads across many genres, but mainly horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. He is lucky to make his living as a writer. Currently, he writes a variety of blogs, ebooks, video scripts, and more as a digital marketer for a green cleaning product manufacturer. In addition to writing, he enjoys illustration as a hobby, and still does the occasional bit of design work. He currently lives in Central Illinois with his partner, Paul.

Reviews

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some strange happenings in Essen, Indiana, and reading this book just reminded me... this, my friends, is exactly why I left the Midwest and never looked back.

A truly gripping and well-written mystery that has a really creepy and sinister twist at the end. All of the characters are fully fleshed-out and I liked every single one of them...or I liked hating them. There is a truly nasty teacher that you will loathe. And a very cute and funny love interest.

I don't think I've ever read a fantasy or sci-fi book with a gay man as the main character before now, and I'm so glad that changed with this book.

The illustrations at the top of the chapters are fantastic, and the author did the cover himself! Can you say "talented" much?

Also, my hometown of Plymouth even shows up real small on the map on the cover. :)

Don't live in the Midwest, guys...

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging horror mystery, from an Own Voices perspective, on community, conformity, and the anxieties and perils of trying to come home again.

[MikeLikesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts as a mystery. Kyle comes home after a tragedy to find a hidden note in his father’s typewriter. He doesn’t want to be here. Being rejected by his parents when they found out he is gay to being mistreated by his teacher when he was a young man. But he finds himself back reconnecting with old friends and making a special new one. In the end he discovers a big secret being held in this small town in Indiana. The story climaxes with truth being revealed. The horror of the situation is too much to handle and Kyle has to fight for his life as he knows it.

This is an excellent mystery, thriller, horror novel. The story is fast paced and exciting. I never would have guessed the ending. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good horror story with a little bit of spicy romance.

[Entazis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for suffocating small towns and their oppressive societies doing some twisted things for whatever reasons, especially if it's shown through the lens of a queer character, so of course, I had to try this book. And it did not disappoint.

The mystery piqued my interest from the get-go. The depiction of complicated relationships and emotions regarding dead homophobic parents was great. The creepy atmosphere of a closed bigoted community is always a good setting for a horror novel, and this was no exception. People can do some horrifying things for their own profit, and I liked the way the themes of greed and sacrifice were explored here, along with the cruelty, bigotry and dehumanization. The ending was also great. I was worried for a moment, but it all paid off nicely giving me a satisfying answer to a mystery. Everything after the revelation to the end was filled with dread (there's one scene, in particular, that was brilliantly executed with the use of the phone light, I could imagine it so vividly in my mind and it was undeniably creepy).

That said I did have some issues at the beginning of the book. I feel like it would be better if we didn't have one POV that gave us only questions and I wasn't really satisfied with some of the given answers. Through the book there were also some clunky dialogs and chunks of exposition that slowed down the pacing. There was also a lot of telling how the character feels dread rather then showing that felt a bit lazy, especially since the book has some really good depictions in the end. But all in all, even with some of the issues I had with the prose, I ended up liking it a lot.

I'm glad I gave this book a chance. If you like small-town queer horror this could be a book for you.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon Wesley Huff's book begins with too many questions, ambiguous situations, unclear motivations, and quite confused characters. Slowly things find their pacing, and the book becomes a truly amazing read! The horror scenes are terrific (don't miss the memorable phone light scene), the gay protagonist is absolutely relatable, and the mystery of his town, his father, and his Midwest origins, set up an incredible narrative with a fancy twist in the end. Huff's understanding of small town mentality is spot on, you'll find characters to love and characters to hate, and the horror elements are incorporated perfectly in a rather gritty story full of regret, dread, and high quality prose.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[MrsB (Angi) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If M. Night Shyamalan, Stephen King, and Dean Koontz decided to write a book together……

Wow….I was not expecting this. I absolutely devoured this book. I grew up reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz, and Jon’s writing style is so comparable to both. Thriller/mystery/horror all wrapped up in a gripping storyline.

This has been on my TBR for too long, I’m ashamed to admit, but after a little chat with the author on a TT post last night, I learned the setting was inspired by the authors hometown…which is also the area my husband was raised in. So I decided it was time to finally read this. I’ll always support Hoosier authors (for those that don’t know, that’s what us folks in Indiana are called and none of us really know for sure why) but this time I’ve found a guaranteed repeat author. I cannot wait to read more from Jon!!

I am ashamed at some of the other books I put before this. THIS is my favorite mix of genres ever and the delivery did not disappoint. I was reading some parts so fast my brain was struggling to compute. My coffee went cold twice because I forgot to drink it, and I believe my dog is mad because it’s been 4 hours since she’s been out. That is how unputdownable this book was.

The suspense and twists, filled with horror aspects….chefs kiss!! I had no idea from the get go that the book was going to take the path it did. So when it took a sharp left, I was not at all prepared. I called the whole thing wrong and had cancelled the wrong character.

I definitely recommend this book!!!

[Michael Moreci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellbinding, claustrophobic horror that was effective in every way--engaging characters, great scares, and a taut mystery. Written with taut, striking prose and paced to perfection, this is a book I'll be passing along to many of my horror friends.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon Wesley Huff’s “In The Dark Of The Grove” starts off complex but becomes an engaging mystery like Stephen King's small-town tales.

Kyle finds a mysterious note in a typewriter, leading to a journey into the town's mysterious past. As the plot unravels, so do the many clandestine secrets of the seemingly quiet town of Essen, Indiana.

What sets this book apart is its climactic twist—an unexpected turn that leaves an indelible mark on the reader. This book is a perfect fit for Halloween, and I couldn't put it down on my way back from vacation. “In The Dark Of The Grove” is a stellar choice for this spooky season.

[Scott Garrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This was a great book. I really enjoyed the story as a whole. The end was a little anti-climactic for me, but everything leading up to the ending was fan-freaking-tastic! That scene in the underground was absolutely terrifying and gave me chills. I was heartbroken with the spy reveal! I felt just as angry and hurt as our MC. Jon Wesley Huff is an amazing writer, and I hope he keeps writing novels because he is immensely talented. I highly recommend this book, especially to horror lovers!

[DLB2572 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Mystery

I'm rounding this up from 4.5. It is a great mystery and I really enjoyed reading it. I had a bit of trouble in the beginning with the multiple POVs but the ending made up for it.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

[April-Jane Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! The ending had me both shocked and thrilled. The scene with the phone light gave me chills and that doesn't often happen when I read horror.

[Edward Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Dark of the Grove takes place in a small, midwestern town called Essen, Indiana. One of the biggest strengths of this author's writing is just how the town itself is written. The attention to detail is gorgeous and really makes the entire town and its inhabitants come alive on the page.

Main character, Kyle, is returning to his hometown after his father's death, in a trip which he is not too thrilled about. Kyle is a great MC and tackles many issues such as dealing with not being accepted for who he is as well as everything associated with returning to his childhood home. Kyle gets more than he bargained for when he finds his father's old typewriter with a message specifically for Kyle.

There are character's in here who are just loathsome - who, after all these years, still want to do anything in their power to hurt Kyle. You can never really let your guard down in this book, as the mystery hidden by the town of Essen runs deep. Because of the time spent getting to know Kyle as a character, we really are given the chance to fall in love with him and genuinely root for him.

[J.P. IX · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Dark of the Grove by Jon Wesley Huff is an excellent blend of queer representation, American Gothic ambiance, and a narrative that kept me reading the entire book in one sitting. Huff skillfully draws you into the unsettling atmosphere of Essen, Indiana, a town shrouded in mystery in the dark heart of America's heartland.

Huff's atmospheric writing pulled me smack dab into the Midwest, to a town that feels intriguingly off-kilter. And that ending, though it could have benefited from more foreshadowing, delivered a fun twist that had me racing through the last pages.

This book is a must-read for fans of Americana horror, particularly those seeking queer representation within the genre. In the Dark of the Grove is definitely a standout addition to the horror landscape.

[Scott Roche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon started out with realistic characters in Everytown, USA and gradually turned the Weird dial clockwise and pushed the Creepy slider up until by the end the knob had broken off and the slider had sliced through the mixing board. You end up not entirely sure what universe you're in but hoping it's not the one occupied by his hapless and hopeless characters. The ones who are still alive that is. He tried to add a dash of hope, spice, and sunshine to the mix but that somehow made the whole thing more deliciously dark and twisted.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew with what the father had done in this that something was going to occur. But I wasn't quite expecting what did. Nor was I expecting what happened with a different father. It was really well put together. I'm happy with this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Drew German · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and fresh. Goosebumps for adults.

[Valorie Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyle returns home after his father's suicide, after 12 years of separation. His mother had died many years before that, so it is up to Kyle to sort through the last of the estate. The mystery begins with the publication of Kyle's father's final book, which to many, feels more like a confessional than a typical work of fiction, and a strange note left on a typewriter. As Kyle digs into the mystery surrounding his father's death and the strange legends surrounding a place known locally as the Grove, he is thrust into a community-wide conspiracy full of magic, monsters, and death. It takes about a third of the book before the plot really begins, so it's sort of a slow burn, but when it takes off, it really takes off. There are many moving parts between Kyle's current life and his memories of youth, which reveals that his tiny town has never been friendly or kind, not even to its own. With his closest friends and a new lover, Kyle has to dig deep into mysteries that are being purposefully covered up. But why? What is the town hiding? The ending has some really gruesome body horror that I thoroughly enjoyed because, after all of the mystery and suspense, it was cathartic to get good and gruesome. I was glued to this one because, while some of it I could anticipate, I couldn't really figure out what was at the center of the mystery. This was a fun read with lots of good scenes and some considerable descriptive gore.

[Dome Dome · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jon certainly pulled me into this mysterious town with his great writing style and nostalgic descriptive passages. And the whole time, I was longing to solve this mystery.

Definitely a good read, and I was very surprised by the ending when comparing it to the beginning portion of the novel. It feels like a completely different and unexpected universe/genre!

For a more detailed review, check out the video I made about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd66z...