Wildwood

by Drusilla Campbell

Sworn to keep silent about a horrible event that happened one fateful summer day long ago, three women, Hannah, Jeanne, and Liz, must finally confront the past, putting their friendship to the test, when Liz, unable to keep quiet any longer, reveals the truth, in a powerful novel of redemption and love. Original.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Suspense, Book Club, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Womens

294 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Drusilla Campbell lives in San Diego with her husband, the lawyer-poet-professor, Art Campbell, two rescued dogs and four horses. She was born in Melbourne, Australia and came to California when she was six years old. Before that she criss-crossed the United States by train and car with her brave and resourceful mother and mostly adorable baby brother. She had sailed the Pacific Ocean three times before starting first grade and knew how to run down a pitching outside deck and come to a sliding, slamming stop against a bulkhead, laughing the whole time. She grew up in the Santa Clara Valley in the halcyon days before the dot com magnates discovered it, attended San Jose State University, and then started traveling again. She taught in Melbourne, London and at a remote jungle outpost in Panama before settling down and marrying. While living in Washington, DC she got a Masters Degree in Broadcast Journalism from the American University and went to work for NPR's major DC affiliate, WAMU-fm. She has two sons, Rocky and Matt, and three grandchildren who are smarter, more intelligent and entertaining than anyone elses. The dogs, the horses, the family and friends and writing books keep her happily in one place.

Drusilla is an award winning author of 16 published novels, including the best-selling and award winning novels, The Good Sister, Blood Orange, and Bone Lake. Her latest novel, Little Girl Gone from Grand Central Publishing, is available is available January 31, 2012. you.

Reviews

[Desiree · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great, either. It was a page-turner; I wanted to know what happened to the characters; but in the end felt like it was missing something.

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been missing Dru and decided to read her first novel, which I'd unsuccessfully started years ago. Her prose is more plot-driven than literary, but this time I let myself enjoy the story. The first chapters, where the girls are young and rebellious, and a horrible incident occurs, really hooked me. Then the narrative jumped to when they are age 50 and I struggled to maintain interest, and to keep them straight in my mind. I'm glad I worked through that frustration, though, because one of Dru's strengths is understanding the psychology of her characters, and the reader eventually sees how keeping their awful secret has influenced the women's choices and beliefs about themselves, and it became a page-turner again. Liz's return, with her agenda of finally discussing the incident, sparks conflict, confessions, and some surprising behavior from the most ordinary of the women. I also enjoyed the setting of the rural town which changes due to silicon valley wealth. Ultimately, Wildwood offers a realistic portrait of female friendship, self-discovery, and hope for forgiveness.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best book I have ever read, but not the worst either. There was a lot going on with the characters, and I found myself wanting to know the outcome...but yet, feeling like there was something missing.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah and her two lifelong friends Liz and Jeanne share a secret: when they were 12, Hannah killed a neighbor teenage boy in self-defense when he attacked her. At the time they agreed to keep the secret forever, but over time it has begun to haunt them all in different, profound, sometimes subconscious ways. At age 50, they are all dealing with demons, some of which are a direct result of the death of Billy so many years before. Hannah and Jeanne, however, refuse to think about it.

Liz, the fly-by-night, rain-forest-living hippie-type of the group, has especially had enough of her own guilt, and decides to return to California to talk to her friends about what happened that fateful day. Her life has come to a head and she has to make some decisions and can't move forward without putting this decades-old secret to rest. Her arrival in her hometown & her insistence on stirring up old, dangerous memories, however, has an explosive effect on the lives of Hannah and Jeanne and their families, and none of them will ever be the same.

I honestly could not put this book down once I had moved past the first few slow-starting chapters and got into the minds of Liz, Hannah & Jeanne. Drusilla Campbell's poetic, realistic writing style really draws the reader in and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen to all three women once they faced down not only the demons of keeping such a tragic secret since childhood, but the other issues in their lives that needed settling. A remarkable book.

[Kristy Trauzzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found myself not in love with this book but I never wanted to quit reading it.

Everyone's story was just so weird. A bit far out there. It wasn't believable to me. For example, how could the third one (Not Hannah or Liz) have a child for a few months and give it up for adoption and no one know. I thought they were supposed to be best friends?

And Liz's refusal to get married was just retarded. I've been with this man for like 10 years but I just cut and run. Idiot. I fail to feel sorry for you.

And finally Hannah with her crazy baby obsession - that was just freaky. And I love how she kidnapped a baby but no charges were pressed. I'm sure you can just take a random baby from a rehab - ish center and there are no consequences besides you aren't allowed to work there anymore.

I found this book frustrating to read on the "Are you kidding me scale" but again, I felt the need to finish the book. So I guess it wasn't all bad.

[Amy Kitchell · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was one of those books that I wish I would've have checked out from the library instead of wasting my money. I loved the potential plot line; however, Campbell doesn't come close to delivering. Her characters are barely sketched out and appear to be more ghost like than well rounded and full. I kept checking the front of the book thinking that she had self-published because I couldn't fathom a publisher wasting their time or money on this horrible book. It took me two weeks to read this book, which is only a couple hundred pages, because it was brutal to read. It felt like I was in a terrible-never-ending workshop with a writer who didn't belong there. If it wasn't for my obsession with finishing books whether I like them or not, I would've chucked this one to the trash after the first chapter.

[Jenee Rager · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a disappointment. It's not a poorly written book, or even all out awful, it just kind of boring, and not at all what I expect from this author. The whole "mystery" that reunites the friends is basically told in detail the first few pages. There are two very, very minor points added to it later in the book, but nothing that changes anything. The characters weren't all that likeable and I couldn't really relate to them either. All in all this was a just a book to read to pass the time, not something that I would recommend to anyone.

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise had promise- three childhood friends with a secret in their past deal with it as adults- but I could not bring myself to care for any of the characters. The problems began with the reveal of the big secret in the beginning of the story. If there had been more context or even some more character development in the very beginning, then maybe I would have cared more about what was happened once the story jumped forward 30+ years. Overall, just a big disappointment.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a quick read, fairly predictable, but enjoyable

[Gretchen Cory · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started off with a very intriguing mystery, but as it unravelled I found myself less and less interested.

[Leah Iannone · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unbearable. Awful. I couldn't finish. What was I thinking getting this?

[Stacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't care for the writing style ... just too predictable and dialogue never seemed to flow. It seemed choppy and I suppose just not my cup of tea.

[Len · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly as good as I had expected.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book held my interest in parts but then at other times bored me. I found it odd how the writing would jump from one character's plot to the next without a page break. It'd be focused on one woman and then boom, the next paragraph took the story to another character mid-stream. I didn't necessarily "buy" the ladies' friendship, either. Yes, any deep, long term friendship typically goes through rocky roads at one point or another, but these women seemed downright hostile toward each other.

I plodded through, but unfortunately the resolution of each of their stories didn't really pay off for me. For example, I don't think learning her parents pressed her hand and footprints into the basement concrete floor means Liz's parents weren't as terrible as we were meant to understand they were throughout the whole rest of the book, yet I got the impression this was supposed to be an emotional revelation.

Overall, I guess this just wasn't my cup of tea.

P.S. If Jeanne would have had an affair with Simon Weed, it would have made it a 3 star read for me, ha ha

P.P.S. To the author's credit, I'm glad that she didn't have Liz decide not to carry through with the abortion. I was waiting for that completely unbelievable conclusion and was relieved it didn't get that hokey.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book concerns a secret shared by three friends that has affected their lives for decades. I loved the description of the semi-rural town and life during their growing-up years. I wasn't that impressed by this terrible secret when it finally came out and wasn't convinced that it would have had such far-reaching negative impact on all three girls, who were involved to quite varying degrees and none were really responsible. But the sense of place elevates a generally average book to four stars.

[Mistina Christner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read! I enjoyed the mystery and the way that all of the characters are dealing with their own struggles but they are all interlinked because of what happened with Billy when they were kids. I expected this to be more of a story about finding justice and getting to the bottom of what happened when they were kids, but I found that it was more like a journey for each of the women on coping and how to continue living when something super tragic happens when you are young.

[Jennie M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. It felt kind of forced to me. The situations the characters were in and their resulting emotions just didn’t quite have that ring of truth to really make this a page turner. Instead, every time I picked it up, I found myself looking for the next break in the text, where I could put it down again.
The last couple of chapters were probably the best.
Like many others have said, it’s not the best book I’ve read, but also not the worst.

[Diane Sugars · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wildwood was a good story with an intriguing storyline but i found the writing of the story to just be mediocre. It did hold my attention but it is not a book that will stay with me, nor would I really recommend it.

[Ashley Judge · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf. Really didn’t enjoy the writing style of this book and found it difficult to follow. Discontinued after around 100 pages.

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s an ok book for me.

3 girls have a secret and can they live with it!
As they become women, the secret still bothers them each in different ways!

[Susan Becraft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooked on first page!


This Is a story of my generation and three best friends. Living through the polio scare in the fifties, I remember Mother in a frantic state about the safety of our town pool. Like Liz, Hannah and Jeanne, my friends and I circumvented our mothers and biked to the forbidden banks of the Ohio River. As only ten-year-old kids can be, we were fearless, despite dire warnings of shady characters who frequented the area. We could easily have been in the situation faced by the girls in Wildwood. We hid our forbidden ventures to the river, just as the girls hide their afternoons at Bluegang Creek.

One day something unspeakable happens at the creek, which affects the girls forever. Liz desperately wants to tell her parents, but Hannah and Jeanne are adamantly opposed. They ultimately vow to never speak of the day again.

Fast forward forty years. Two of the women returned to their childhood home in Silicon Valley. Liz spends time in Paris, where she meets Gerard. After a long distance relationship, they move to Belize but never marry. Liz, who questioned her parent's love for her, is wary of upsetting the relationship with Gerard by making it official.

When Liz visits Hannah and Jeanne, they reunite as best friends do, but she cannot get Bluegang out her mind. Jeanne is married to a despicable man, and together they own a private school. Hannah has a seemingly happy marriage and two teenage children.

As time passes, Liz sees cracks in Jeanne's marriage and learns that Hannah has an unhealthy obsession with infants. Jeanne's drug of choice is alcohol, and Hannah's is babies. Liz finally admits that she is terrified of commitments.

As expected, the subject of Bluegang arises. The event has impacted their lives, albeit subconsciously. It is the elephant in the room, and Liz is determined to discuss it. Little by little, details of the story emerge. Arguments ensue, but in the end, the bond of friendship prevails and, if anything, grows deeper.

Drusilla Campbell writes knowingly about longstanding friendships among ordinary women. That is the primary reason I liked Wildwood. Having attended a milestone class reunion, I realized yet again the value of good friends, many of whom I had not seen for years. Ms. Campbell perfectly captures the emotions I felt when I saw my best friends.

Wildwood is wonderfully written. The story flows smoothly, and all the characters are well developed. So well developed, in fact, that I had a visceral reaction to Jeanne's disgusting husband and wished for the moment when she found her backbone! Read the book to see if she does.

[Mmtimes4 · Rating 2 out of 5]

In "Wildwood," Drusilla Campbell delves deeply into the heart of friendship with a highly accomplished novel reminiscent of those of Sue Miller, Anna Quindlen and Anne Rivers Siddons. It is the story of Hannah, Jeanne and Liz, lifelong friends who are forced to confront the consequences of a terrible incident that occurred long ago.It has been thirty years since any of the three women spoke the words "Bluegang Creek." Something unspeakable happened near that shady stream that shaped their lives -- and lurks in the shadows of their darkest hours. Now, Liz can no longer bear the silence. What she is about to bring into the light will test the very limits of friendship -- and transport all three women back to that fateful summer day when their innocence was shattered forever.

"Wildwood" is a novel of friendship and forgiveness, an exploration of the lengths to which women will go to protect themselves -- and each other -- in the name of loyalty. . .and in the name of love.
Picked this book up for a $1. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't a "to die" for.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of three girls, women now, who were shaped by a tragic even during their childhood. They've kept the secret all these years--and some others since then--but everything demands to be let out. It can't stay in forever.

I liked the way the stories interweaved. The author did a good job of switching among the girls' perspectives smoothly. The writing was also very good--poetic language, very good use of "show not tell," and I liked how the story built.

I also appreciate that Liz listened to herself and had the abortion. I was really afraid everyone would talk her out of it and defeat everything she learned through the rest of the book.

Some parts were a little hard to believe. I mean, I knew Hannah was planning to steal Angel and run off, but really? I had a hard time believing she'd actually do it. I was also surprised she brought her back. Actually, I figured they'd both been killed in the car wreck.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and was sorry it ended so soon.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wildwood began with a great premise - 10-year old Hannah accidentally causes the death of a neighborhood boy who was attacking her and, with the help of her two best friends, covers up her involvement. Fast forward to the girls now women in their 50's and see how this incident molds their entire lives.

However, for some reason, I just never cared much about these people. I hovered between 2 and 3 stars and chose 3 because I was interested in the theme of when life begins - at conception? at birth?. Each women had a different perspective.

I found the book pretty predictable-no surprises at the outcome for each of the girls.

[Anjane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was a wildly different book. Slow building yet not boring, it felt almost like each chapter was a mini book. This book felt long, slow, heavy...saga like. Definitely not a quck read, while I read it fairly fast it felt slow and steady. This is a rainy day, snow storm kinda book. Very we'll written and easily one can hunker down with a character and identify. Moreover we can all relate to friendships that last the test of time while we become aware of our distances within this friendships. The pace of the book felt completely different in chapter Wednesday. I believe this has the story and structure to be a wonderful timeless movie as well.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a difficult story for me to get into. It was only until I was about halfway through the book that I really began to care about the characters and could even keep from confusing them. The story quickly gains momentum once the characters begin to reveal the secrets they have acquired during their separation from each other. I was at a loss as to why the character of Simon Weed and his son were introduced. I kept waiting for some connection that would draw them all together, but there was none. The ending was neither compelling or revealing, it was a bit of a let down. I think some tighter story editing and character development early on could have really made this a 5 star story.

[kozettekaysmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely a Girls Read..

This is a first time for this Author and I truly enjoyed these character's. The story starts out and really gets your interest on what is going to happen to Hannah on the rock that day with that very scary boy. Your glad the friends show up you can feel the terror in all three girls and wonder what will they do after this terrible accident. I like the way the story tells of each friend and how they connect again after many years. This wasn't a favorite for me I like more mystery and a lot more suspense but I would recommend this for the ladies.
kozetteksmith

[Karen Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three childhood friends have a secret which they hold onto into their 50's. The three come together, each with less than perfect lives and through a series of events help one another take good looks at themselves.

The first paragraph really hooked me and I thought "WOW! This is going to be one heck of a story". Even though it slowed way down after that, delving into these women's lives after that fateful day was interesting, if not sometimes kind of depressing.

I still enjoyed this book and give it 3.75 stars, so rounded up to 4.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Three young girls keep secret the details of a young boy's death. This knowledge is with them as they grow up; and finally in middle age the truth must be told as it is in part destroying their ability to live their lives to the fullest. At the same time it has strengthened the bonds of the three girls in unexpected ways.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the clear, clean writing style. The subject matter I think is probably more appealing to an older woman (which I am) and I found the characters interaction with each other very interesting. I think it depicted a very realistic view of relationships that develop in childhood and carry into the future.