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Forest of the Damned
Legend says this forest is haunted…
A group of four researchers travel to the Black Forest to investigate the stories surrounding the area. They hope to gather evidence that the paranormal is real.
But getting what they want could cost them their souls. The forest soon delivers on its promise, but their excitement is ruined when one of the group disappears in the night. Ghostly apparitions, disembodied voices, and demonic things lurking in the darkness turn the adventure of a lifetime into a living nightmare.
And behind it all, the infamous Mother Sibbett waits, aiming to show them the truth of life after death.
You will love this terrifying ghost story by best-selling horror author Lee Mountford, because in this forest, things do go bump in the night.
Book 3 in the Supernatural Horror Series. Separate stories. The same, terrifying universe.
A group of four researchers travel to the Black Forest to investigate the stories surrounding the area. They hope to gather evidence that the paranormal is real.
But getting what they want could cost them their souls. The forest soon delivers on its promise, but their excitement is ruined when one of the group disappears in the night. Ghostly apparitions, disembodied voices, and demonic things lurking in the darkness turn the adventure of a lifetime into a living nightmare.
And behind it all, the infamous Mother Sibbett waits, aiming to show them the truth of life after death.
You will love this terrifying ghost story by best-selling horror author Lee Mountford, because in this forest, things do go bump in the night.
Book 3 in the Supernatural Horror Series. Separate stories. The same, terrifying universe.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 11, 2019
478 people are currently reading
1022 people want to read
About the author
Lee Mountford
63 books1,072 followersI am an author with a huge love of horror.
Of course, other genres float my boat as well; Sci-Fi, Thrillers, pretty much any Dark Fiction, but Horror is what I call home.
My first novel, Horror in the Woods, was released on in May 2017, and the second, The Demonic, on the the following July hitting multiple best seller lists. Since then, I have authored a number of horror novels that have terrified fans for the past few years.
You can find out more about me on my website, but also, don't forget to claim your FREE ebooks
: http://eepurl.com/dIaS0r
- Lee
Of course, other genres float my boat as well; Sci-Fi, Thrillers, pretty much any Dark Fiction, but Horror is what I call home.
My first novel, Horror in the Woods, was released on in May 2017, and the second, The Demonic, on the the following July hitting multiple best seller lists. Since then, I have authored a number of horror novels that have terrified fans for the past few years.
You can find out more about me on my website, but also, don't forget to claim your FREE ebooks
: http://eepurl.com/dIaS0r
- Lee
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
May 14, 2019
FOREST OF THE DAMNED is Book Three in Lee Mountford's Supernatural Horror Novel Series. These books are stand-alone novels:
"Separate stories. The same terrifying universe."
In Amaley, Northern Scotland, the four person crew that made up "Paranormal Encounters Limited"--Ken, Tony, James, and Roberta--hike into an area known as 'The Black Forest'. Cameras and recorders on hand, they are hopeful that this next trip will give them what it is they seek.
". . . we are hopeful that our week-long stay in this forest will provide us with . . . irrefutable proof of the supernatural . . . "
From the very beginning, Mountford sets an ominous tone that I was instantly immersed in. Even the banter of a couple of the members helps to let the reader understand that there is something . . . different . . . about this place than the others that the group had previously investigated.
". . . The Black Woods ain't somewhere you want to be going. It ain't a place for the living."
Moving forward, we learn that the place is rumored to have once held a small town somewhere in its depths. Despite the fact that nobody who had gone searching for it in recent years had ever located it, the rumors persisted.
". . . He wanted everything the Black Forest had to offer."
Mountford nails the atmosphere in every single page of this novel. Even for someone "not" expecting supernatural encounters, the tension and the feeling of being "watched" by something unseen is impossible to shake. I could picture myself in the middle of a vast forest, without any discernible things in sight besides the trees and foliage.
That isn't quite right, though.
". . . sometimes, the other side breaks through."
There is more to this forest than what the eyes can see. There is a sense of wrongness so strong that even the readers can pick up on it within a few well-worded sentences.
". . . it looked more like some kind of disease than a burn mark or anything of that nature . . . "
The characters, too, begin to change. Where most had started out happily at the prospect of potentially finding some real supernatural presences, a day into the trip, and "most" are already wishing they had never stepped into the Black Forest. Even the shadows and the wind through the trees could be used to mentally break the strongest of wills.
"The lines of existence here . . . have blurred . . . "
It's important to note that changes the characters go through are all "plausible" in the context of the story. we are shown exactly how different forces are working on each individual, and the responses to this are as unique as the characters themselves.
". . . that was the thing with unresolved grief and guilt--it could override common sense and logic . . . "
Overall, I felt that FOREST OF THE DAMNED delivered everything I was hoping for. With a 'haunting in the woods' theme, it would have been easy for Mountford to lose himself in an old, "been done before" story. However, the basis for this concept and the nature of the occurrence was unique in many ways. The scenes were painted well enough to visualize clearly in my mind, and there were some unexpected changes along the way.
". . . mission over the past ten years had been to reveal the existence of the paranormal . . . he wished he could continue on in blissful ignorance again."
I find that it's often the details we least expect that elevate a novel's status in our mind, and keep it there longer. A great testament to Mountford's skill as a writer, is that I can still vividly "see" many of the scenes in my mind, several books afterward.
Highly recommended.
In Amaley, Northern Scotland, the four person crew that made up "Paranormal Encounters Limited"--Ken, Tony, James, and Roberta--hike into an area known as 'The Black Forest'. Cameras and recorders on hand, they are hopeful that this next trip will give them what it is they seek.
". . . we are hopeful that our week-long stay in this forest will provide us with . . . irrefutable proof of the supernatural . . . "
From the very beginning, Mountford sets an ominous tone that I was instantly immersed in. Even the banter of a couple of the members helps to let the reader understand that there is something . . . different . . . about this place than the others that the group had previously investigated.
". . . The Black Woods ain't somewhere you want to be going. It ain't a place for the living."
Moving forward, we learn that the place is rumored to have once held a small town somewhere in its depths. Despite the fact that nobody who had gone searching for it in recent years had ever located it, the rumors persisted.
". . . He wanted everything the Black Forest had to offer."
Mountford nails the atmosphere in every single page of this novel. Even for someone "not" expecting supernatural encounters, the tension and the feeling of being "watched" by something unseen is impossible to shake. I could picture myself in the middle of a vast forest, without any discernible things in sight besides the trees and foliage.
That isn't quite right, though.
". . . sometimes, the other side breaks through."
There is more to this forest than what the eyes can see. There is a sense of wrongness so strong that even the readers can pick up on it within a few well-worded sentences.
". . . it looked more like some kind of disease than a burn mark or anything of that nature . . . "
The characters, too, begin to change. Where most had started out happily at the prospect of potentially finding some real supernatural presences, a day into the trip, and "most" are already wishing they had never stepped into the Black Forest. Even the shadows and the wind through the trees could be used to mentally break the strongest of wills.
"The lines of existence here . . . have blurred . . . "
It's important to note that changes the characters go through are all "plausible" in the context of the story. we are shown exactly how different forces are working on each individual, and the responses to this are as unique as the characters themselves.
". . . that was the thing with unresolved grief and guilt--it could override common sense and logic . . . "
Overall, I felt that FOREST OF THE DAMNED delivered everything I was hoping for. With a 'haunting in the woods' theme, it would have been easy for Mountford to lose himself in an old, "been done before" story. However, the basis for this concept and the nature of the occurrence was unique in many ways. The scenes were painted well enough to visualize clearly in my mind, and there were some unexpected changes along the way.
". . . mission over the past ten years had been to reveal the existence of the paranormal . . . he wished he could continue on in blissful ignorance again."
I find that it's often the details we least expect that elevate a novel's status in our mind, and keep it there longer. A great testament to Mountford's skill as a writer, is that I can still vividly "see" many of the scenes in my mind, several books afterward.
Highly recommended.
April 19, 2019
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I bumped this up bc of the end. I was thinking three, then no, 3.5 because of some things. There were some weird and wack things in a few parts because, well, demons, right?
Going willingly into the Black Forest ... having weird experiences right off the bat.., and despite many things happening you keep on going; eh— I’m just gonna say the ending was a ‘whap it to you’ kind of thing. Solid ending. Smack! That’s the business.
I liked it better than the author’s other work that I have read.
I bumped this up bc of the end. I was thinking three, then no, 3.5 because of some things. There were some weird and wack things in a few parts because, well, demons, right?
Going willingly into the Black Forest ... having weird experiences right off the bat.., and despite many things happening you keep on going; eh— I’m just gonna say the ending was a ‘whap it to you’ kind of thing. Solid ending. Smack! That’s the business.
I liked it better than the author’s other work that I have read.
November 5, 2021
This was a spooky ride into the dark forest!
A small backstory:
A group of four friends that are paranormal researchers decide to go hiking and camping in the Black Forest as they have heard rumors about possible paranormal activity that surrounds the forest, so they grab their equipment and off they go.
The deeper they go into the forest it just seems that they all feel a little trepidation of what could possibly be in store for them. When one of them hears a sound they all kind of freak out at first and then one of them "thinks" she sees a figure behind a tree. Nothing is proven and the friends catch nothing on camera....yet.
Just when they think nothing will happen - something ends up happening that they will never get over as when they set up camp and wake the next morning - one of their friends is missing and the tent that he was sleeping in is ripped open. The remaining friends cannot figure it out as none of them heard anything during the night, but the friend is now missing and they try to go on a search for him.
What roams out in the Black Forest? Is the missing friend found? What do the friends find out in the forest? No spoilers here as you will need to read the book!
Thoughts:
This was a creepy story as the friends made their way out into the forest that is suppose to be ripe with activity. The story moves along at a fast pace considering that once the friends make into the forest things seems to happen here and there.
There is quite a bit of buildup with spooky suspense and tension as the author slowly draws you in to the storyline. But once the friend goes missing, the pace of the story picks up and you are left wondering what will happen next.
Another great story by this author and it gives me pause about ever wanting to camp out in the forest! You won't want to camp out after reading this book! :)
Giving this book five "Camping Creepy" stars.
For more thoughts on this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
A small backstory:
A group of four friends that are paranormal researchers decide to go hiking and camping in the Black Forest as they have heard rumors about possible paranormal activity that surrounds the forest, so they grab their equipment and off they go.
The deeper they go into the forest it just seems that they all feel a little trepidation of what could possibly be in store for them. When one of them hears a sound they all kind of freak out at first and then one of them "thinks" she sees a figure behind a tree. Nothing is proven and the friends catch nothing on camera....yet.
Just when they think nothing will happen - something ends up happening that they will never get over as when they set up camp and wake the next morning - one of their friends is missing and the tent that he was sleeping in is ripped open. The remaining friends cannot figure it out as none of them heard anything during the night, but the friend is now missing and they try to go on a search for him.
What roams out in the Black Forest? Is the missing friend found? What do the friends find out in the forest? No spoilers here as you will need to read the book!
Thoughts:
This was a creepy story as the friends made their way out into the forest that is suppose to be ripe with activity. The story moves along at a fast pace considering that once the friends make into the forest things seems to happen here and there.
There is quite a bit of buildup with spooky suspense and tension as the author slowly draws you in to the storyline. But once the friend goes missing, the pace of the story picks up and you are left wondering what will happen next.
Another great story by this author and it gives me pause about ever wanting to camp out in the forest! You won't want to camp out after reading this book! :)
Giving this book five "Camping Creepy" stars.
For more thoughts on this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
May 15, 2019
whoa. this story. A paranormal team goes into a haunted forest. it's been done and done again, right? well, not like this! this isn't your average haunted forest. sit down and buckle in! What these characters encounter and go through is horrific. The story is very good and original. i thought i had it figured out, the driving force behind everything, but i was so wrong. This one is going to stick with me for a while. If you like any of Lee's other books or haunted forest reads, your going to love this.
**i recieved this audio book in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much for the (awesome) book!**
**i recieved this audio book in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much for the (awesome) book!**
August 28, 2019
Holy crap!! Now THAT is how you tell a scary story!!
*EDIT*
Okay, I had to come back and edit this. Only because I normally don't write reviews but I had to edit because I dreamt about this book last night lol. I had my own little horror dream where I was in this book and it was weird af. It's pretty rare that a book will make me dream about it afterwards and this is def one book that I will recommend in the future.
*EDIT*
Okay, I had to come back and edit this. Only because I normally don't write reviews but I had to edit because I dreamt about this book last night lol. I had my own little horror dream where I was in this book and it was weird af. It's pretty rare that a book will make me dream about it afterwards and this is def one book that I will recommend in the future.
November 16, 2024
The story was good. It seemed like a love letter to Evil Dead which I liked. I prefer love letters like this a little shorter considering the reader has most likely read something similar before. If it’s shorter the reader is more likely to be more forgiving of the story.
Either way, it was a good book. I’m definitely going to continue my rereads through Mountford as I enjoy his writing a lot. The Demonic, in particular, has a simple scene that I still think about to this day. Why they haven’t made that a movie yet. I have no idea.
Either way, it was a good book. I’m definitely going to continue my rereads through Mountford as I enjoy his writing a lot. The Demonic, in particular, has a simple scene that I still think about to this day. Why they haven’t made that a movie yet. I have no idea.
July 23, 2020
Summary:
Warning / Contains: sex scenes, devil worship and gore.
A group of paranormal investigators take a week long trip to the Black Forest in hopes of getting proof of life after death on film. They make great progress on the first day and night.
Their situation, however, begins to take a turn for the worst when they discover the forest's dark secret is much worse and more powerful than they ever could have imagined.
Personal Opinion:
This was one of my favorite forest reads so far! It felt like a mix of The Blair Witch and The Ritual.
The pacing was very good with a short introduction of the characters before jumping right into the good stuff.
The four group members had a range of different personalities making each one unique and memorable in their own way. Ken was my favorite of the group, mostly due to his no nonsense approach to ghost hunting.
There were a few spooky incidents and definitely lots of gory goodness towards the end. I thought the ending was done well and wrapped things up nicely.
I would definitely recommend as a great read.
April 28, 2019
A group of Paranormal Researches, travel into the Black Forest, to see if the local legends are true. They want to prove that there is life after death. The locals say, that the forest is haunted and that some people have entered the forest, and were never heard from again. There is also rumor of a lost city, that is buried somewhere in the woods. The four investigators, enter the forest, with all types of audio and video equipment, to record usual things that happen. Upon entering the forest, the group hears ghostly moans and other voices. They capture the recordings of the voices and the groans on the first day, it can only get better. While filming in the woods, one of the group thinks that she see a ghostly apparition of a female. Upon rewinding the film, the group sees the figure, hiding between the trees. One of the group, strangely disappears during the night. One of the members going searching for his friend. He can't find him but stumbles upon the lost city. He goes back to camp, to tell the others about the lost city. He leads the group to where he saw the lost city but it is not there. Soon the group will uncover the legend of Mother Sibbett and the lost city. The group is in for one hell of a roller coaster ride. Can the remain group members, make it out of the forest or are they damned for life? Lee Mountford, is a good writer and a very good storyteller. This is a must, for readers of horror.
July 14, 2019
Having read The Demonic back in October of 2018 as part of my self imposed “Spooktober” month of reading nothing but horror, and being thoroughly impressed with Mountford’s writing and storytelling abilities, you can understand my excitement of discovering Forest of the Damned, his newest horror novel. Unfortunately, you can probably also understand why I’m so disappointed in it’s finished product.
I’ll start out by saying that, despite its shortcomings (which I’ll get to in minute), Forest of the Damned is far from awful. There’s actually some decent writing within its pages. Mountford really ups the ante with the action, descriptions, and subsequent (attempted) plot. While I found The Demonic to be legitimately spooky and scary, Forest of the Damned isn’t far behind on creep factor. Plus, his grasp of the current viral video culture and everyone love for paranormal stuff is spot on. Parts of this story felt incredibly contemporary and were perfect representations of the multitude of “scary” videos posted all over YouTube and other streaming sights. Furthermore, the ending was a pleasant surprise.
All of that is well and good, and had Mountford been able to write all that with an engaging plot, this would easily have been at least a 4 Star novel.
And that’s the problem. The plot. While I give Mountford major props for going at this one hard and displaying he’s become a much more succinct and talented author since The Demonic and those other books, Forest of the Damned just didn’t grab me or keep me totally hooked.
I think that’s because the plot of this one never felt truly original. Adam Neville did a far better job of a similar plot in The Ritual and in the horrible remake of The Evil Dead. And of course, cursed forests and haunted grounds are nothing new in the genre of horror. Also old hat is the use of pagan imagery and sexual debauchery...something that Mountford used and used way too much. I’ve said it many of times before that sex and horror go together like peanut butter and jelly but there’s a point where that PB&J starts to get old and taste the same after countless meals of it. Mountford’s use of graphic sex and rape only made me roll my eyes in frustration at yet another attempt to shock and gross out, when, instead, it worked only as an annoyance.
In all reality, Forest of the Damned is ok. It’s slightly better than average and, if we’re being honest, a lot better than many other independent and self published authors. And hell, without the MPAA and censorship, this could probably work pretty well as a Netflix movie (the previously mentioned Ritual is a perfect example of that). I happen to know, however, that Mountford is better than what this particular book demonstrates.
I’ll start out by saying that, despite its shortcomings (which I’ll get to in minute), Forest of the Damned is far from awful. There’s actually some decent writing within its pages. Mountford really ups the ante with the action, descriptions, and subsequent (attempted) plot. While I found The Demonic to be legitimately spooky and scary, Forest of the Damned isn’t far behind on creep factor. Plus, his grasp of the current viral video culture and everyone love for paranormal stuff is spot on. Parts of this story felt incredibly contemporary and were perfect representations of the multitude of “scary” videos posted all over YouTube and other streaming sights. Furthermore, the ending was a pleasant surprise.
All of that is well and good, and had Mountford been able to write all that with an engaging plot, this would easily have been at least a 4 Star novel.
And that’s the problem. The plot. While I give Mountford major props for going at this one hard and displaying he’s become a much more succinct and talented author since The Demonic and those other books, Forest of the Damned just didn’t grab me or keep me totally hooked.
I think that’s because the plot of this one never felt truly original. Adam Neville did a far better job of a similar plot in The Ritual and in the horrible remake of The Evil Dead. And of course, cursed forests and haunted grounds are nothing new in the genre of horror. Also old hat is the use of pagan imagery and sexual debauchery...something that Mountford used and used way too much. I’ve said it many of times before that sex and horror go together like peanut butter and jelly but there’s a point where that PB&J starts to get old and taste the same after countless meals of it. Mountford’s use of graphic sex and rape only made me roll my eyes in frustration at yet another attempt to shock and gross out, when, instead, it worked only as an annoyance.
In all reality, Forest of the Damned is ok. It’s slightly better than average and, if we’re being honest, a lot better than many other independent and self published authors. And hell, without the MPAA and censorship, this could probably work pretty well as a Netflix movie (the previously mentioned Ritual is a perfect example of that). I happen to know, however, that Mountford is better than what this particular book demonstrates.
May 14, 2021
One of the most brutal endings EVER!!!!
This is my second Mountford book in just two days and I want more!!!!!
I think it’s safe to say that Lee Mountford has made a spot on my “favorite new-to-me authors” List!
This is my second Mountford book in just two days and I want more!!!!!
I think it’s safe to say that Lee Mountford has made a spot on my “favorite new-to-me authors” List!
February 15, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
This one was a bit rough around the edges, a lot of repetitiveness which made it tedious. If it had been shorter, it would have easily been 5⭐️. The suspense, buildup, horror.. all good.
As always Hannibal Hills narration made this much easier to get through. Not my favorite by this author, but I'm a bit biased, I'd say.
This one was a bit rough around the edges, a lot of repetitiveness which made it tedious. If it had been shorter, it would have easily been 5⭐️. The suspense, buildup, horror.. all good.
As always Hannibal Hills narration made this much easier to get through. Not my favorite by this author, but I'm a bit biased, I'd say.
April 20, 2025
I’m usually a fan of Lee’s work but reading this ‘series’ didn’t really fulfil me in the way I wanted it too. I definitely think this book is the weaker one out of the three books that come under the same collective and I only read it in the hopes of finding out the answers I craved which I never really got in the end. This book did make me realise I didn’t really like atmospheric horror where the location such as the Forrest is also part of the entity that haunts and possesses people. I also feel like even though I didn’t see the ending coming once I knew what the ending was it was very predictable. This book reminded me a lot of This Wretched Valley in terms of its similarities in plot lines and I didn’t really enjoy that one either and with both books I stuck it out despite wanting to DNF. I will continue to read Lee’s books as this was just one out of like ten I’ve read by him but just was a bit painful to get through.
July 18, 2024
I actually met Lee Mountford at a book event recently and I'm pretty sure he described this as one of his more disturbing books (and not to judge them all the same if it wasn't my cup of tea haha), so naturally I bought it, and I can confirm it's definitely disturbing!
I love a good haunted forest horror, I enjoy a sick and twisted, gory horror, and I enjoy a story *spoilers* where the characters have no hope of a happy ending.
And boy, what an ending. I saw it coming in the lead up and was so satisfied to be right (sorry and all, Ken, no hard feelings)
This was so disturbing in so many ways but I ate it up, devouring this book over two days - I didn't want to put it down!
I'll definitely be checking out more of Lee's work in the future!
I love a good haunted forest horror, I enjoy a sick and twisted, gory horror, and I enjoy a story *spoilers* where the characters have no hope of a happy ending.
And boy, what an ending. I saw it coming in the lead up and was so satisfied to be right (sorry and all, Ken, no hard feelings)
This was so disturbing in so many ways but I ate it up, devouring this book over two days - I didn't want to put it down!
I'll definitely be checking out more of Lee's work in the future!
May 1, 2023
Most horror in the woods novels end with at least one person surviving to tell the tale, not this book. This book is suspenseful, it’s creepy, it’s disturbing, it’s graphic and gorey, it brings you feelings of dread and hopelessness like I’ve never read before. It is truly a horror masterpiece
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2022
4.5 stars
August 1, 2019
I liked the only other book from Lee Mountford I read, "Horror in the woods" better than "Forest of the damned".
I very much like the way he writes, and he has this gift to take you into a world of his own creation...He chooses the perfect location to create a sense of horror and fear. There is something about the forest and the woods that is open to endless possibilities in what horror story can come out.
The characters were described in a way that made you feel almost happy when they died or were caught by the forest creatures. The ending reminds me of an episode of Black Mirror where a woman is forced to suffer the punishment for her crime every day without really remembering what she did to deserve the horrific treatment. Ken trusted Roberta's words and was obviously betrayed.
I have purchased "The demonic" and "Tormented" and can't wait to read some more from Mountford.
I very much like the way he writes, and he has this gift to take you into a world of his own creation...He chooses the perfect location to create a sense of horror and fear. There is something about the forest and the woods that is open to endless possibilities in what horror story can come out.
The characters were described in a way that made you feel almost happy when they died or were caught by the forest creatures. The ending reminds me of an episode of Black Mirror where a woman is forced to suffer the punishment for her crime every day without really remembering what she did to deserve the horrific treatment. Ken trusted Roberta's words and was obviously betrayed.
I have purchased "The demonic" and "Tormented" and can't wait to read some more from Mountford.
October 6, 2021
Genuinely scary!
This was a horror story with a capital H. A group of paranormal researchers seeking an answer to the question, "what happens to us after death"?. In the case of this group it was pain, suffering and much, much worse. An everlasting loop of experiencing the final moments of a loved one's painful death - throughout eternity. All in all, this was a shocking story but, brilliantly told.
This was a horror story with a capital H. A group of paranormal researchers seeking an answer to the question, "what happens to us after death"?. In the case of this group it was pain, suffering and much, much worse. An everlasting loop of experiencing the final moments of a loved one's painful death - throughout eternity. All in all, this was a shocking story but, brilliantly told.
May 22, 2025
We need to become one with ourselves, our real selves, not the acts we put on in front of others. The masks we wear need to slip away to find true enlightenment.
After nearly ten years investigating into the paranormal, four individuals will discover not ever myth and legend needs to be explored. Ken Chambers and Tony were the initial building blocks for Paranormal Encounters, a self funded group determined to find proof of the unexplainable. Bringing on James and his girlfriend Roberta brought along new knowledge and made the group tech savy for the first time. Reaching an audience and gaining traction, they made a little money but were ready for the catapult of fame that'll come with their newest investigation. The Black Forest has long since been rumored to be deeply troubled, as a village in the sixteenth century seemed to fall to madness upon the arrival of a Mother Sibbett. Drawing out the darkest desires of the townspeople, many committed acts so heinous it was unbelievable. With so many killings and sexual acts taking place, the neighboring villages refused any trade with them for six years before curiosity got the best of them. Seeing the town in ruins with only the church really left standing, one search party would return home and the other would be lost to the woods forever. For years after, many would enter those woods and never be seen again, often leaving families longing for answers that'll never be resolved. Until now….
‘People from this town have disappeared. Called into that forest by the Devil himself. Or rather, his disciple— that evil bitch Mother Sibbett. And when the call comes, that’s it for you. You don’t come back. People around these parts know it, but never talk about it. Like to ignore it and pretend it isn’t real. But it’s real, all right.’
From the first night the four stepped foot into the cursed lands, unexplainable things began happening. Starting with the pained moan of agony that seemed to echo, they were terrified when they found no source for the noise, but more so when it suddenly stopped after several minutes. As they set up their camp and settled in for the night, Tony would be drug away but Mother Sibbett herself and Roberta was the sole witness. As he was dragged away, he seemed paralyzed and helpless as they took him hours away to the location of the abandoned settlement. After Roberta had the black sap from the tree land in her mouth, she changed rapidly from a healthy Moroccan girl to a starved and pale ghost. As her temper grew increasingly worse with James, she began physically attacking him multiple times that forced Ken to intervene. Watching the woman he loved slowly change, he never expected her change in attitude so rapidly. Pleading to leave the forest to suddenly wanting to go deeper and further, neither Ken nor James expected the nightmare that waited for them. As James was drug inside the church, he was sacrificed and killed and his soul was offered up to the Old One for eternal damnation. As Ken knew his time was coming, he's kept himself locked in grief over the death of his young daughter Amy years prior. Stuck in an endless loop of guilt, its plagued his mind for years and left him a hollow of the man he used to be. Rushing to make an appointment meeting an editor, he was running down the road when Amy slipped and found herself being struck by a truck. As Mother promised him a life with his daughter in exacnged for his soul and immense physical suffering, he reluctantly agreed but the real he took was with the devil. Left repeating the day she died for infinity, he no longer remembers the accident until he relives it again and again.
‘I’m… in pain,’ Tony said, each word sounding like it was a struggle to get out. ‘I can’t… take it. This place… it’s… hell. It’s hell. Please… I’m begging you. Please… help me.’
What he could see, however, was that this corpse had once been female—an elderly female, with sagging breasts and loose, wrinkled skin covered in cuts and markings. Again, this body had been supported by wooden sticks to hold its position—the left hand was set on top of something in its lap, and the right was held up to its side, bent at the elbow. James had no idea what the woman would have looked like in life, however, given that the head—or the original head—had been removed and replaced by that of a horned, black goat, and stitched at the neck. Then he saw that the thing resting in the disgusting figure's lap was a head, and considered that it could be the original. But he soon saw that was not the case, because the face that stared back in open-mouthed horror was male, and one he recognised. The question of whether Tony was alive or dead had finally been answered.
‘The story goes that the town flourished at first, the townsfolk making use of their immediate surroundings by constructing timber homes set into the large clearing they made. They traded with other local towns, including Amaley, for years, until things started to get weird. Stories began to spread to the nearby settlements of the strange things taking place in the village. Traders reported odd behaviour from its inhabitants. At first, the people became curt, then rude, and eventually aggressive. Formerly kind and generous people had changed. And, according to some, their appearance did as well, as the village-folk started to exhibit sunken eyes, gaunt flesh, and even teeth and eyes that didn’t seem human—though whether this has just been embellished over the years is unknown. Then, a young man of no more than eighteen years of age turned up in Amaley. Weak, wounded, and close to death, he told tales of what was happening back in the village. A woman there, Mother Sibbett, had risen to prominence. She had convinced everyone in the town that their place was not to worship God, but something greater. Something more… real. The rudimentary church was transformed and used for rituals and acts that were definitely against God, in an attempt to insult and enrage him. There was sacrifice, blood-letting, and horrible sexual acts against man, woman, and beast. The young lad said the village collectively succumbed to a madness that had taken hold, and many of the village-folk were already dead, killed in an orgy of violence, orchestrated by the new elder. Fearing what was happening, the people of the surrounding towns agreed to cut the village off and never go back there. For over six years, they kept to their word and no one set foot in that forest, despite hearing strange and unexplainable things in the night emanating from the wooded area and carrying for miles around.
After nearly ten years investigating into the paranormal, four individuals will discover not ever myth and legend needs to be explored. Ken Chambers and Tony were the initial building blocks for Paranormal Encounters, a self funded group determined to find proof of the unexplainable. Bringing on James and his girlfriend Roberta brought along new knowledge and made the group tech savy for the first time. Reaching an audience and gaining traction, they made a little money but were ready for the catapult of fame that'll come with their newest investigation. The Black Forest has long since been rumored to be deeply troubled, as a village in the sixteenth century seemed to fall to madness upon the arrival of a Mother Sibbett. Drawing out the darkest desires of the townspeople, many committed acts so heinous it was unbelievable. With so many killings and sexual acts taking place, the neighboring villages refused any trade with them for six years before curiosity got the best of them. Seeing the town in ruins with only the church really left standing, one search party would return home and the other would be lost to the woods forever. For years after, many would enter those woods and never be seen again, often leaving families longing for answers that'll never be resolved. Until now….
‘People from this town have disappeared. Called into that forest by the Devil himself. Or rather, his disciple— that evil bitch Mother Sibbett. And when the call comes, that’s it for you. You don’t come back. People around these parts know it, but never talk about it. Like to ignore it and pretend it isn’t real. But it’s real, all right.’
From the first night the four stepped foot into the cursed lands, unexplainable things began happening. Starting with the pained moan of agony that seemed to echo, they were terrified when they found no source for the noise, but more so when it suddenly stopped after several minutes. As they set up their camp and settled in for the night, Tony would be drug away but Mother Sibbett herself and Roberta was the sole witness. As he was dragged away, he seemed paralyzed and helpless as they took him hours away to the location of the abandoned settlement. After Roberta had the black sap from the tree land in her mouth, she changed rapidly from a healthy Moroccan girl to a starved and pale ghost. As her temper grew increasingly worse with James, she began physically attacking him multiple times that forced Ken to intervene. Watching the woman he loved slowly change, he never expected her change in attitude so rapidly. Pleading to leave the forest to suddenly wanting to go deeper and further, neither Ken nor James expected the nightmare that waited for them. As James was drug inside the church, he was sacrificed and killed and his soul was offered up to the Old One for eternal damnation. As Ken knew his time was coming, he's kept himself locked in grief over the death of his young daughter Amy years prior. Stuck in an endless loop of guilt, its plagued his mind for years and left him a hollow of the man he used to be. Rushing to make an appointment meeting an editor, he was running down the road when Amy slipped and found herself being struck by a truck. As Mother promised him a life with his daughter in exacnged for his soul and immense physical suffering, he reluctantly agreed but the real he took was with the devil. Left repeating the day she died for infinity, he no longer remembers the accident until he relives it again and again.
‘I’m… in pain,’ Tony said, each word sounding like it was a struggle to get out. ‘I can’t… take it. This place… it’s… hell. It’s hell. Please… I’m begging you. Please… help me.’
What he could see, however, was that this corpse had once been female—an elderly female, with sagging breasts and loose, wrinkled skin covered in cuts and markings. Again, this body had been supported by wooden sticks to hold its position—the left hand was set on top of something in its lap, and the right was held up to its side, bent at the elbow. James had no idea what the woman would have looked like in life, however, given that the head—or the original head—had been removed and replaced by that of a horned, black goat, and stitched at the neck. Then he saw that the thing resting in the disgusting figure's lap was a head, and considered that it could be the original. But he soon saw that was not the case, because the face that stared back in open-mouthed horror was male, and one he recognised. The question of whether Tony was alive or dead had finally been answered.
‘The story goes that the town flourished at first, the townsfolk making use of their immediate surroundings by constructing timber homes set into the large clearing they made. They traded with other local towns, including Amaley, for years, until things started to get weird. Stories began to spread to the nearby settlements of the strange things taking place in the village. Traders reported odd behaviour from its inhabitants. At first, the people became curt, then rude, and eventually aggressive. Formerly kind and generous people had changed. And, according to some, their appearance did as well, as the village-folk started to exhibit sunken eyes, gaunt flesh, and even teeth and eyes that didn’t seem human—though whether this has just been embellished over the years is unknown. Then, a young man of no more than eighteen years of age turned up in Amaley. Weak, wounded, and close to death, he told tales of what was happening back in the village. A woman there, Mother Sibbett, had risen to prominence. She had convinced everyone in the town that their place was not to worship God, but something greater. Something more… real. The rudimentary church was transformed and used for rituals and acts that were definitely against God, in an attempt to insult and enrage him. There was sacrifice, blood-letting, and horrible sexual acts against man, woman, and beast. The young lad said the village collectively succumbed to a madness that had taken hold, and many of the village-folk were already dead, killed in an orgy of violence, orchestrated by the new elder. Fearing what was happening, the people of the surrounding towns agreed to cut the village off and never go back there. For over six years, they kept to their word and no one set foot in that forest, despite hearing strange and unexplainable things in the night emanating from the wooded area and carrying for miles around.
February 12, 2020
After the excitement at having read Horror in The Woods, I decided to follow up by reading the closest thematic book, Forest of the damned. Unfortunately, if Horror in The Woods at its best, close to Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original, not the sequels/remakes), then Forest Of The Damned is closer to Eaten Alive. A cool concept, but with an uncomfortable, dirty feeling throughout.
Which wouldn't be a problem, except that the tone seems confused: is this a Blair Witch style book where the real threat is revealed at the climax, or a very sexual possession story (like Amityville 2: The Possession, but genderswapped and with more trees)? When it seems like literally half is one tone and the other is the polar opposite, it makes for an uneven reading experience.
Still, Mountford is a good enough author to continue with, just don't have this as your first book by him you read.
Which wouldn't be a problem, except that the tone seems confused: is this a Blair Witch style book where the real threat is revealed at the climax, or a very sexual possession story (like Amityville 2: The Possession, but genderswapped and with more trees)? When it seems like literally half is one tone and the other is the polar opposite, it makes for an uneven reading experience.
Still, Mountford is a good enough author to continue with, just don't have this as your first book by him you read.
March 19, 2019
Another great book by Lee Mountford
Lee Mountford has this 'bit of something extra' in his storytelling. It's this unsettled disturbing vibe that is quietly introduced and grows with every chapter read. Forest of the Damned centers around a paranormal investigative team that plans to stay a week in a supposedly haunted forest. A forest they seriously underestimate. I literally had to stop reading at one point because I knew what was about to go down wasn't something I should read before going to bed. Definitely read this and check out Lee Mountford's other books. You'll never look at horror the same.
Lee Mountford has this 'bit of something extra' in his storytelling. It's this unsettled disturbing vibe that is quietly introduced and grows with every chapter read. Forest of the Damned centers around a paranormal investigative team that plans to stay a week in a supposedly haunted forest. A forest they seriously underestimate. I literally had to stop reading at one point because I knew what was about to go down wasn't something I should read before going to bed. Definitely read this and check out Lee Mountford's other books. You'll never look at horror the same.
April 3, 2021
I really really enjoyed this! Mega Blair witch vibes! An easy read and creepy... Perfect!
March 28, 2025
Four paranormal investigators (a gigantic cliche of a cliche by now but so what?) enter the Black Forest to investigate eerie events and mysterious disappearances pertaining possibly to a long lost village with a creepy backstory. None of our four main characters are obvious caricatures or obnoxious stereotypes, the plot’s not laughably predictable, and the story’s gearing up to scratch an itch left unsatisfied since I first saw The Blair Witch Project. Let’s go!
Well. This was actually a 4 star read for me until the halfway point. It was fun, it was fast, it was competent, it had a bit of weird woods atmosphere. Then the pacing went haywire. For some reason we completely skipped a second act and went straight to the climax, except the climax was as long and drawn out as the first act. Oh, for fuck’s sake. Then the copy and the POV changes started getting sloppy, things got very repetitive, and the story was on a fast but long, boring road to an obvious dead end. Say. It. Ain’t. So.
Too much of horror fiction these days takes itself too seriously. And the “true horror” for every character must be merely a reflection of some internal problem or past trauma. Guilt. Shame. Whatever. Fuck that. That shit has been boring for over a decade. It’s well played out. One big reason I liked this book at the start was because that was only the case for one of the protagonists, not all of them. But toward the end, when the “past trauma horror” stuff took center stage, all the other game pieces were already off the board. “Past trauma” took center stage, to the detriment of the book.
So, no, not a good read.
(One thing I found funny was the mentality of the campers regarding nutrition. They kept acting like a human needs to constantly be feeding in order to burn off energy. One character is even literally hunting a rabbit at one point. If anything, the absence of food combined with adrenaline would be giving him energy to get the fuck out of the crazy haunted forest.)
Well. This was actually a 4 star read for me until the halfway point. It was fun, it was fast, it was competent, it had a bit of weird woods atmosphere. Then the pacing went haywire. For some reason we completely skipped a second act and went straight to the climax, except the climax was as long and drawn out as the first act. Oh, for fuck’s sake. Then the copy and the POV changes started getting sloppy, things got very repetitive, and the story was on a fast but long, boring road to an obvious dead end. Say. It. Ain’t. So.
Too much of horror fiction these days takes itself too seriously. And the “true horror” for every character must be merely a reflection of some internal problem or past trauma. Guilt. Shame. Whatever. Fuck that. That shit has been boring for over a decade. It’s well played out. One big reason I liked this book at the start was because that was only the case for one of the protagonists, not all of them. But toward the end, when the “past trauma horror” stuff took center stage, all the other game pieces were already off the board. “Past trauma” took center stage, to the detriment of the book.
So, no, not a good read.
(One thing I found funny was the mentality of the campers regarding nutrition. They kept acting like a human needs to constantly be feeding in order to burn off energy. One character is even literally hunting a rabbit at one point. If anything, the absence of food combined with adrenaline would be giving him energy to get the fuck out of the crazy haunted forest.)
October 23, 2019
When Ken and his paranormal research group stumble across the idea for the Black Forest, they think it’s too golden of an opportunity to pass up. On their first night, while trying to record some hype to post to the internet, they are warned away. They laugh it off and go anyway. It isn’t long before they start to hear voices and feel as if something evil is nearby. At first they’re elated at the prospect of being able to prove the existence of paranormal entities. So much so that they decide to stay against their urge to turn around and go home. When one member of their group goes missing, the trip goes downhill as each of the remaining members are faced with their own version of the evil.
This book definitely had a Blair Witch vibe. There is a lot of evil tearing the group apart, and in Roberta’s case, turning them against once another. This will be a favorite for those who enjoy classic chillers.
Narration was done well.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
This book definitely had a Blair Witch vibe. There is a lot of evil tearing the group apart, and in Roberta’s case, turning them against once another. This will be a favorite for those who enjoy classic chillers.
Narration was done well.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
February 26, 2023
Lee Mountford hits a hole-in-one, a homerun and a first round knockout in this smoothly written novel - his best work yet. The tale follows four paranormal investigators who embark on a hike through the infamous Black Forest to uncover the legend of Mother Sibbit and the Lost Village. Little is known about these ancient woods, other than the warning of a local resident. The investigation has a promising start, but when one off their number goes missing, Hell is only the begining.
Lee Mountford has already proved himself to be one of Britain's best horror writers working today, but The Forest of the Damned is his greatest achievement to date. His writing is fluid and flows at an ever increasing pace, building layer upon layer of intense horror and suspense. The characters are well developed and likeable, and Lee unleashes some of his most hideous and terrorfying creations so far. If you're serious about horror, get serious about this one.
Lee Mountford has already proved himself to be one of Britain's best horror writers working today, but The Forest of the Damned is his greatest achievement to date. His writing is fluid and flows at an ever increasing pace, building layer upon layer of intense horror and suspense. The characters are well developed and likeable, and Lee unleashes some of his most hideous and terrorfying creations so far. If you're serious about horror, get serious about this one.
August 10, 2023
My synopsis- 4 friends who are paranormal investigators on the side decide to investigate the infamous Black Forest. Before going in they are warned by a local to stay away, but of course they fail to heed warning. As they begin their journey, shit starts to happen immediately and they have zero idea what the forest has is in store for them. This is Blair witch on crack!
I am speechless, this was beyond reproach. This book had me feeling terrified, like I would actually jump at the smallest sounds while reading this. I’ve read quite a few of Lee Mountford books and have loved all of them but so far I think this is the most creepiest. I feel like I need to light some incense and pray, I need a spiritual cleanse after reading this book!! The last time I felt like this was when I read Gone to see the River man.
It’s gonna take me a while to get over this one. Man oh man was this good!
I am speechless, this was beyond reproach. This book had me feeling terrified, like I would actually jump at the smallest sounds while reading this. I’ve read quite a few of Lee Mountford books and have loved all of them but so far I think this is the most creepiest. I feel like I need to light some incense and pray, I need a spiritual cleanse after reading this book!! The last time I felt like this was when I read Gone to see the River man.
It’s gonna take me a while to get over this one. Man oh man was this good!
February 11, 2020
I Only Just Barely Gave This Three Stars
Because the story was well written and off to a very good start for me. Until it became very, very gross and disturbing and skipped to the end just to see how it ended. As expected, I was very disappointed.
What happened to a good, old fashioned haunted ghost stories? The kind that leave with a 'what if?' and 'what really happened?' in the mind? The o es that leave me wo seeing, not sicked out.
I was looking for something creepy and mysterious, not something absolutely grossening that leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth and now having to distract myself from how gross and disappointing it turned out.
Good writing. Liked the characters. Liked where it was going until it turned into something too disgusting and disturbing for me to stomach.
Because the story was well written and off to a very good start for me. Until it became very, very gross and disturbing and skipped to the end just to see how it ended. As expected, I was very disappointed.
What happened to a good, old fashioned haunted ghost stories? The kind that leave with a 'what if?' and 'what really happened?' in the mind? The o es that leave me wo seeing, not sicked out.
I was looking for something creepy and mysterious, not something absolutely grossening that leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth and now having to distract myself from how gross and disappointing it turned out.
Good writing. Liked the characters. Liked where it was going until it turned into something too disgusting and disturbing for me to stomach.
June 14, 2021
I personally enjoyed this read as it starts out with a group of 4 people who want to document their planned week-long jaunt into the Black Forest in Northern Scotland to gain evidence of the supernatural.
I can't say I found much in common with the characters, so I wouldn't say I felt sorry for them for what transpired during my reading. I only note this because I enjoy watching found-footage type horror movies and the best part (for me) is learning about the different characters and how they interact with one another. So in this book I didn't feel as though there was a lot of character building, so I had no sympathy for anyone (but maybe I'm jaded from reading a lot of horror).
Some phrases to help guide a reader to this title?
forest horror, occult horror, sexual horror, woefully unprepared, they were warned
I can't say I found much in common with the characters, so I wouldn't say I felt sorry for them for what transpired during my reading. I only note this because I enjoy watching found-footage type horror movies and the best part (for me) is learning about the different characters and how they interact with one another. So in this book I didn't feel as though there was a lot of character building, so I had no sympathy for anyone (but maybe I'm jaded from reading a lot of horror).
Some phrases to help guide a reader to this title?
forest horror, occult horror, sexual horror, woefully unprepared, they were warned
June 18, 2019
This us a review of the Audible version of the book.
I love a good horror story but its not easy to find one. So I started to listen to this and was pleasant surprised. The story began really well and evoked a real sense of just how creepy the forest was. However I began to get bored in the middle of the book and I felt the sex/rape scenes were gratuitous and too long. I also didn't really care about any of the characters so it was hard to feel any sympathy for them.
The best thing about this book was the excellent narration from Hannibal Hills, who has the perfect voice for horror and his wonderful narration kept me listening to the end. Whilst I would give the book 3 * I have to give the narration 5*.
I love a good horror story but its not easy to find one. So I started to listen to this and was pleasant surprised. The story began really well and evoked a real sense of just how creepy the forest was. However I began to get bored in the middle of the book and I felt the sex/rape scenes were gratuitous and too long. I also didn't really care about any of the characters so it was hard to feel any sympathy for them.
The best thing about this book was the excellent narration from Hannibal Hills, who has the perfect voice for horror and his wonderful narration kept me listening to the end. Whilst I would give the book 3 * I have to give the narration 5*.
April 15, 2022
The tale follows four paranormal investigators who embark on a hike through the infamous Black Forest to uncover the legend of Mother Sibbit and the Lost Village. Little is known about these ancient woods, other than the warning of a local resident. The investigation has a promising start, but when one off their number goes missing, Hell is only the begining. Lee Mountford has already proved himself to be one of Britain's best horror writers working today, his writing is fluid and flows at an ever increasing pace, building layer upon layer of intense horror and suspense. The characters are well developed and likeable, and Lee unleashes some of his most hideous and terrorfying creations so far. If you're serious about horror, get serious about this one.
March 18, 2019
Mountford never fails to deliver on supernatural horror. Forest of the Damned tells the story of a group of paranormal researchers who head into the Black Forest, a place mired in folklore and mystery. Despite having been warned by a local about the danger and previous disappearances in the forest, the group sets out to locate the remains of a 15th century village, rumored to have been abandoned seemingly overnight. And while the group encounters strange noises and mysterious figures that they had only hoped to discover, the moral of the tale, essentially, is to be careful what you ask for - you just might get it.
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