The Briars
- Judith D Collins
- Jan 13
- 7 min read
By: Sarah Crouch
Narrators: Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Helen Laser. Jonathan Todd Ross
Simon & Schuster Audio
ISBN: 9781668091883
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: 01/13/2026
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
The USA TODAY bestselling author of Middletide returns with a lush and atmospheric novel of suspense following a young woman whose job as a game warden puts her in the path of a murderer in a small town eager to protect its own.
Desperate to escape a relationship gone bad, Annie Heston flees north to accept a job as a game warden in Lake Lumin, a picturesque town in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.
A cougar has been spotted in the area, and as Annie warns the community of the threat, she quickly discovers that not everyone in the tight-knit town is welcoming of outsiders, except for Daniel Barela, a reclusive carpenter who lives in the shadow of the mountain. They form an instant bond, though Annie soon comes to realize there is more to his past than meets the eye.
When the body of a young woman is found in the briars that border Daniel’s property, the peace Annie has found in Lake Lumin shatters. As she assists the local sheriff with the investigation, Annie must rely on her wilderness training and intuition to find a murderer hiding in plain sight.
Urgent and emotionally complex, The Briars is a captivating literary thriller that marries an exploration of human nature with a plot as thorny and twisted as the brambles for which it is named.
My Review
Sarah Crouch's latest novel, THE BRIARS, is an evocative literary thriller that immerses readers in the hauntingly beautiful yet mysterious landscape of Lake Lumin. The story unfolds through the eyes of game warden Annie Heston, who is drawn into the depths of a chilling murder investigation that shakes the foundations of this small, tightly-knit community.
As whispers of suspicion surround the enigmatic recluse, Daniel Barela, Annie must navigate the town's secrets and shadows, unraveling a web of intrigue that threatens to consume her as she delves deeper into the chilling truths hidden within the briars of this fascinating locale.
At a Glance..
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Genre: Literary thriller, mystery, suspense.
Protagonist: Annie Heston, a game warden seeking to escape a bad relationship.
Setting: The small, atmospheric town of Lake Lumin in the Pacific Northwest.
Plot: A murder investigation that becomes personal as Annie gets closer to a suspect, Daniel, and uncovers the town's secrets.
Themes: Wilderness, human nature, secrets, and the lengths a community will go to protect itself.
Release Date: Jan 13, 2026.
About...
Annie Heston moves to the picturesque, remote town of Lake Lumin, in the Pacific Northwest, to start a new life and a new job as a game warden following a difficult breakup and a failed marriage.
Upon arrival, one of Annie's first duties is to track a cougar that has been spotted in the area and warn the local residents of the danger.
During her patrols, she meets Daniel Barela, a reclusive carpenter who lives in a house near the edge of the woods and is unwelcoming to outsiders.
A young woman's body is discovered in the briars that border Daniel's property. Although the cause of death is initially suspected to be a cougar attack, the coroner's report reveals she was strangled.
Annie assists the local sheriff, Jake Proudy, with the investigation, using her wilderness training and intuition. Despite the town's suspicions and Daniel's reclusiveness, Annie forms an instant bond with him and starts to believe he is not the murderer.
A second woman is found murdered, and the evidence points toward Daniel, increasing the town's suspicion and testing Annie's trust in him.
The novel builds tension as Annie must rely on her instincts to find the real murderer, who is hiding in plain sight. The story culminates in a dramatic ending with a jaw-dropping twist that reveals the true killer's identity.
The central characters include a trio of individuals whose lives intersect during a murder investigation in the fictional town of Lake Lumin.
Main Characters
~Annie Heston:
A former Oregon game warden who relocates to Lake Lumin, Washington, to escape a failed marriage. She is portrayed as smart, outdoorsy, and resilient, though emotionally wounded by her past. In her new role, she uses her wilderness training to help investigate the town's murders while tracking a local cougar.
~Daniel Barela (Nico):
A reclusive, young carpenter and artist living on the edge of town. He becomes a prime suspect when a body is found near his property. He eventually reveals to Annie that his real name is Nico and that he faked his death as a teenager to escape an abusive stepfather.)
~Jake Proudy:
The friendly local sheriff who shares an office with Annie. He is known for his quick speech and ready laughter, though many townspeople struggle to respect his authority because they have known him since he was an infant.
Minor Characters
~The First Victim:
A young woman is discovered strangled in the briars near Daniel’s property, whose death is initially mistaken for a cougar attack.
~The Second Victim:
Another woman whose murder further implicates Daniel before the true killer is revealed.
My thoughts...
In her latest enthralling novel, THE BRIARS, Crouch weaves a mesmerizing tapestry of atmospheric suspense and profound emotional resonance, much like her acclaimed work, Middletide. The narrative follows Annie, a resilient protagonist who expertly navigates the wilderness, employing her unique skills to peel back the layers of secrecy shrouding her close-knit community. Here, in this seemingly idyllic setting, the true menace may lurk amidst familiar faces, hiding in plain sight.
The title, THE BRIARS, serves not only as a vivid landscape but also as a rich metaphor, encapsulating the intricate themes woven throughout the story. It evokes a sense of entanglement and complexity, mirroring the challenges Annie faces as she seeks to illuminate the darkness that envelops her world.
~Literal Crime Scene: Entangled in briars
~A "Thorny and Twisted" Plot: Red herrings, hidden pasts, and the intricate, non-linear way the mystery unfolds.
~Symbolism of Life’s Hardships: The briars. Annie moves to a remote area to heal & finds herself involved in a dangerous investigation.
~The Nature of Human Nature: Treacherous landscape found both in the wild Pacific Northwest and within the human heart.
The novel masterfully employs vivid imagery to delve into the complexities of secrets and suspicions, portraying them as sharp and treacherous as a dense thicket that one must cautiously navigate.
Themes of trust and betrayal weave through the narrative, accompanied by an unsettling obsession and a web of small-town secrets. The author skillfully harnesses misdirection, leading readers on a thrilling journey toward a twisty ending that promises to leave them utterly shocked.
The setting is its own character, using the "lush and majestic" wilderness of the Washington mountains—complete with misty forests and damp evergreen scents—to mirror the story's emotional weight and rising tension.
The narrative skillfully explores interconnected themes:
~Isolation and "Small-Town" Insularity
~Healing and Second Chances
~Trust and Self-Reliance
~The Beauty and Danger of the Natural World
~Confronting the Past
The takeaway is a meditation on survival, trust, and the elusive nature of peace. Annie must trust her own instincts and intuition. The story explores that even the most picturesque and isolated locations, like Lake Lumin, cannot fully shield an individual from human darkness, exploring the lengths a small-town community will go to protect its own.
The usage of beautiful motifs and symbols draws parallels between the untamed Pacific Northwest wilderness and the "treacherous landscape" of human nature.
~The Briars
~The Cougar
~Mount St. Helens
~The "Pilot Light" of Hope
~Daniel's Carpentry and Art
~The Pacific Northwest Wilderness
Recs...
I highly recommend the author's work, and if you enjoy atmospheric tension, small-town secrets, and a strong female protagonist like that of Sarah Crouch's The Briars, check out the following:
~Middletide by Sarah Crouch
~Wildwood by Amy Pease
~Descent by Tim Johnston
~The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant
~Where He Left Me by Nicole Baart
~The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
~Heartwood by Amity Gaige
~The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf:
~The Storm by Rachel Hawkins
Special thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Jan 13, 2026
Praise
“Compelling, well paced…highly-recommended; readers will fall for Crouch’s storytelling.”
—Booklist
“[A] crackling regional mystery…readers will find it hard to look away.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Crouch’s latest goes beyond the typical thriller. It blends romance, suspense, and cozy small-town charm, all set against a vivid outdoorsy backdrop. Fans of Peter Heller will find much to enjoy.”
—Library Journal
“Sarah Crouch’s delicate and tantalizing prose in The Briars builds the scaffolding for an emotionally charged mystery as a troubled game warden probes for answers in the wilds of the lush Pacific Northwest -- and in the vagaries of the treacherous landscape within. With complicated twists that build to a satisfying surprise, The Briars delivers a powerful emotional experience readers won’t be able to shake long after they put the book down. One of the best books I’ve read this year.”
—Julie Carrick Dalton, author of The Last Beekeeper
"The Briars is a riveting thriller set in the mountainous Pacific Northwest that will keep you on your toes. After a young woman’s body is found in small-town Lake Lumin, the mystery of what happened unfurls through the lenses of Annie, a game warden fleeing heartbreak, and Daniel, a loner hiding from a secretive past. Get ready for twists and turns as Sarah Crouch’s crisp prose leads you to a stunning ending."
—Kristin Koval, author of Penitence
"The Briars has exactly what I love most in a novel: a strong woman thriving in a foreboding landscape. I couldn't put it down. This mystery had me guessing until the very end, and every page was rich, daring, and wise."
—Amy Jo Burns, author of Mercury
"One of my favourite reads of the year, The Briars is a show stopping, accomplished mystery that both captivated and intrigued me in equal measure - I couldn’t put it down. From the very first page, Sarah Crouch draws you into the beautifully realised setting of Lake Lumin in the Pacific Northwest with lush, lyrical descriptions that left me both longing to visit and deeply chilled. With nuanced, likeable characters, Crouch weaves a complex plot and tightens the tension until breaking point as murder haunts the lake and the past returns to shadow the present. A complex, thrilling page turner that will stay with you long after you finish reading."
—Sarah Pearse, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Sanatorium
"The Briars is that rare mystery that is both thrumming with suspense and bursting with beauty. With her steady hand and lyrical prose, Sarah Crouch flexes her muscles in this triumphant follow-up to Middletide."
—Kimi Cunningham Grant, USA Today bestselling author of The Nature of Disappearing
About the Author
Sarah Crouch is the USA TODAY Bestselling author of Middletide, a literary thriller set in the Pacific Northwest, where she was raised. She is also known for her accolades in the world of athletics as a professional marathon runner. WEBSITE
