Beware the Woman

Jacy has the picture-perfect life her mother always wanted for her. She’s newly married to a handsome man, has a baby on the way, and is traveling with her husband, Jed, to visit her father-in-law on Michigan’s remote Upper Peninsula. At first, the visit is idyllic, but then Jacy has an accident, and things take a turn for the worst. Confined in the house, Jacy begins to feel suffocated by stories of Jed’s dead mother and the weight of complicated family dynamics. With dangers all around, Jacy doesn’t know if her fears are in her mind or if something truly sinister is happening. Abbott’s (The Turnout) latest is a novel of feminist horror, relaying the stifling story of a woman who has lost her freedom. Brittany Pressley offers a pitch-perfect narration of Jacy, bringing out her optimism as a mom-to-be and her creeping horror as she loses her agency. She also provides distinct and effective characterizations for secondary characters.