The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes

The House in the Pines tells the story about a woman who long ago witnessed her friend’s sudden, mysterious death, and has since spent her life trying to forget. Armed with only hazy memories, she sets out to track down answers. What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed. Read The House in the Pines summary below.

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The House in the Pines Summary

Fast forward seven years, and Maya has built a new life in the bustling city of Boston, complete with a loving boyfriend and the arduous process of overcoming a secret addiction that she adopted as a coping mechanism for the traumatic events that still haunt her. Though she had tried to bury the gaps in her memories and the lost time, fate has other plans as a chance encounter with a YouTube video thrusts her back into the midst of her past. In this video, a young woman collapses and perishes in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank, reviving the chilling memories that she had tried so hard to suppress.

Unable to ignore the pull of her past any longer, Maya returns to her quaint Berkshires hometown, determined to unravel the enigma surrounding that fateful summer. Delving deep into the memories of the past, she revisits the influence Frank once held over her and the jealousy that once threatened to consume her friendship with Aubrey. The road to the truth is laden with obstacles and hidden secrets, but Maya’s resolve only grows stronger with each revelation.

Back at her childhood home, Maya uncovers fragments of her past that lay dormant for years. Among them, she discovers cryptic messages hidden within the pages of her deceased Guatemalan father’s book, messages that had eluded her comprehension until now. These clues may hold the key to her salvation and understanding, but time is not on her side, and the urgency to uncover the truth escalates with each passing moment. All paths seem to converge toward one destination – Frank’s secluded cabin, a place that holds the answers to the elusive puzzle of her life.

“The House in the Pines” is a spellbinding tale that challenges the boundaries of memory, truth, and self-discovery. As Maya grapples with the ghosts of her past, she must confront the question of whether one can ever truly confront their history and find their way back home. Ana Reyes masterfully weaves together a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, engrossed in the enigmatic and intricate world she has created. This utterly unique and enthralling novel will keep you guessing until the very last page, as Maya’s journey unfolds and we discover alongside her the profound power of confronting the past.

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The House in the Pines Reviews

“This is an absolute, can’t-put-it-down thriller. . . . It’s truly a wild ride that had me flying through chapter after chapter—which I think is the perfect way to kick off your year of reading.”
—Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club Pick January 2023)

“Powerfully eerie and atmospheric, The House in the Pines is a compelling mix of psychological thriller and dark fairy tale. By focusing not on whodunit but how and why, Ana Reyes’s stellar debut explores the many ways our memories can fail us—and how they can set us free.”
—Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of The House Across the Lake

“Loved it! Read in a single sitting, totally enthralled and desperate to learn the truth!”
—Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Reyes’s debut is a gripping, intelligent thriller that chilled me to the bone. With its intricate plotting, gorgeous prose, and complex, richly drawn characters, The House in the Pines is that rare book that you live inside from the first page to the last. I didn’t want it to end—and I can’t wait for readers to discover my new favorite author.”
—Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here, The Herd, and The Lost Night

“In The House in the Pines, Ana Reyes delves into a complex female friendship and the fragile nature of memory to weave together a smart, eerie, and completely addictive story of psychological suspense. Reyes is a debut author to watch.”
—Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author of Find Me

“The House in the Pines unfolds like a magic show. Atmospheric, twisty, and skillfully wrought—this was an utterly engrossing reading experience. I wish I could go back and experience it again for the first time.”
—Susie Yang, New York Times bestselling author of White Ivy

“I DEVOURED this book! There’s something about the writing that is so sensuous and transportive, while also filled with an underlying sense of dread. . . . I enjoyed the themes of storytelling, generational ties, complicated female friendship, and control.”
—Julia Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat

“It’s a back-and-forth book that’ll leave you on the edge of your seat, for sure.”
—New York Post

“Thick psychological tension is heightened by Maya’s memory lapses and reality-bending perceptions, lending the story a dark, supernatural feel.”
—Booklist

“The novel works as an intense psychological thriller that thrives on subtle, but forceful, action.”
—Shelf Awareness

“The House in the Pines is a fast-paced powerful thriller that really pulls the reader unlike anything I have read before.”
—Latinx in Publishing

“The House in the Pines has a great hook, a beautifully painted central protagonist, and a genuinely creepy villain. I loved it. Superb.”
—M. W. Craven, bestselling author of The Botanist

“The House in the Pines is a compelling thriller built on a foundation of a nuanced literary sensibility. Reyes weaves together several books’ worth of story—lost novels, unsolved murders, rocky relationships, and substance abuse, to name a few—into one gripping and nimble page-turner with an assuredness that makes it look easy. Don’t miss this memorable debut from a talented new voice.”
—Emily Nemens, author of The Cactus League

“I’ve never read a mystery novel with a plot as intriguing and surprising as The House in the Pines. The novel’s characters were as fascinating as the situations they found themselves in. I couldn’t put it down.”
—Catie Disabato, author of U Up? and The Ghost Network

“Ana Reyes’s debut is chilling, atmospheric, and addictive—a perfect thriller. I didn’t want it to end.”
—Anna Dorn, author of Exalted