Publication Date: May 27, 2025
In the five years since the fateful and horrific night that changed her life, Sandra Leigh has kept herself sequestered at the Compound, a trauma recovery/survival skill camp that helped her process her past and feel safe in the world again. Now, the time has come for her to face life outside the Compound, and that starts with a family road trip to rebuild the relationship she once had with her young niece. A weekend at a rented cabin in the woods sounds idyllic, but Sandra begins to notice that things are off. Strange sounds and shadows, combined with a less-than-welcoming atmosphere at the nearby small town, put Sandra quickly on edge. Is it all just her paranoia coming into play, or is there something truly dangerous happening? When her niece discovers a cryptic message hidden in the cabin’s guest book–THEY CAME AT NIGHT–Sandra realizes that her family is caught in the crosshairs of a heinously sinister plot, and she will need to call on all the skills she learned at the Compound to save them… if she can.
Author Westley Smith leverages the promise of a family vacation against a horrifying thriller that will have readers reconsidering their rental choices.
They Came at Night is the kind of story that offers an immersive experience, demanding that readers read from start to finish without stopping. I tried to take a break, but the desire to find out what happens next forced me way past bedtime.
The primary storyline focuses on a family reunion at an isolated rental house in a tiny town called Little Hope. That name offers a bit of foreshadowing for the brutal events that follow.
The secondary storyline centers around the reunion aspect. Five years after a horrifying event forced Sandra to seek refuge in order to heal, she joins her family for the trip.
Not only is there tension with Sandra’s relationships, but her perspective has changed. She’s no longer a victim, having gone through extensive survival training.
The big question is whether Sandra’s apprehension should be chalked up to paranoia or if there really is something sinister happening. You’ll get the answer to that fairly quickly.
The eerie suspense is tightly woven, leading readers through a psychological thriller that easily measures up to the classics of Stephen King.
They Came at Night features a broken main character who will do whatever it takes to protect her family.
Westley Smith had his first short story, “Off to War,” published when he was just sixteen. He is, more recently, the author of two horror novels, Along Came the Tricksters and All Hallows Eve, as well as the crime thrillers Some Kind of Truth and In The Pale Light. His short fiction has been published in various magazines and websites. Wes lives with his wife and two dogs in the beautiful woodlands of southern Pennsylvania–the perfect place to hide a body.
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100% agree! This was a fantastic book. Great review!
Thank you for the wonderful review for They Came At Night!