In Wilderness

Written by Diane Thomas

Narrated by Linda Stephens

For readers of Amanda Coplin and Chris Bohjalian, In Wilderness is a suspenseful and literary love story-a daring and original novel about our fierce need for companionship and our enduring will to survive. In the winter of 1966, Katherine Reid moves to an isolated cabin deep in Georgia's Appalachian Mountains. There, with little more than a sleeping bag, a tin plate, and a loaded gun, she plans to spend her time in peaceful solitude. But one day, Katherine realizes the woods are not empty, and she is not alone. Someone else is near, observing her every move. Twenty-year-old Vietnam veteran Danny lives not far from Katherine's cabin, in a once-grand mansion he has dubbed "Gatsby's house." Haunted by war and enclosed by walls of moldering books, he becomes fixated on Katherine. What starts as cautious observation grows to obsession. When these two souls collide, the passion that ignites between them is all-consuming-and increasingly dangerous. Suffused with a stunning sense of character and atmosphere, Diane Thomas's intimate voice creates an unforgettable depiction of the transformative power of love, how we grieve and hope, and the perilous ways in which we heed and test our hearts. Praise for In Wilderness "A harrowing exploration of desire and obsession, In Wilderness sends two people into a physical and psychological wilderness that becomes stranger and more terrifying the deeper they go."-Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train "Not my usual thing, which makes me say it all the louder: I love, love, love this book-the fearless and unflinching story of two extraordinary, vivid people alone in a vast pristine wilderness, told with genuine suspense and a wonderfully empowering ending. In Wilderness is altogether spectacular."-Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Personal "Thomas writes hauntingly of obsession and survival in this dark, unusual love story. . . . As the author moves her characters through the seasons of 1966, 1967, and 1968, she offers a deep and unforgettable look into how tragedy and madness can shape lives. Written from the points of view of two suffering people, the story takes on an almost surreal, lyrical quality. Riveting and raw."-Publishers Weekly "Haunting . . . This is both a heartbreaking and hopeful tale that stays with readers long after the last page is read."-RT Book Reviews "Explosive . . . The tension continues to grow. . . . [Katherine and Danny's] passionate relationship reveals the human longing for connection. . . . Thomas writes with richness, describing the natural world as viscerally as she does the interior lives of these two intense characters. . . . Recommended for readers who also like the raw, honest writing of Amy Bloom or Amanda Coplin."-Library Journal "Gripping . . . powered by genuine suspense and driven forward by two characters whose lives readers cannot look away from . . . a memorable story of an isolated, beautiful place and of two people trying to make sense of the world they have chosen to live in."-Booklist "Unforgettable: a mad, haunting, dreamlike story of love, obsession, and wildness . . . Diane Thomas mixes elegant prose with raw emotion."-William Landay, New York Times bestselling author of Defending Jacob

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490662459

Reviews for In Wilderness

[katielibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My bookstore coworker raved about this book ... And I can see why. Haunting, suspenseful, and beautifully written.

[countrylife_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Which is worse to live with – the toxic chemicals of modern living or the toxicity of a damaged psyche? Katherine, whose body is shutting down, leaves the city to find a place to die alone, but instead finds herself feeling better in the wilderness. And then there’s Danny.Too many things didn’t add up, too much implausibility, and too much talk of sex. Perhaps it works, if meant to be some sort of environmental parable. For me, though, this story just didn’t work.

[cherylefisher · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a haunting book-a real taut novel of personalities colliding "In Wilderness". This book surpassed everything I could possibly have thought it was about. Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains provide the setting for two people who separately go to live there on their own, to get away from their original lives. A woman who owns a successful advertising business becomes ill. She decides to abandon everything and go away into the wilderness to spend her remaining days of life, in a completely different way than how she has been living. She decides to buy a remote cabin and tract of wilderness land in Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains, in 1966 and live off the land, so to speak, eating only sparsely and of good natural foods that she learns to raise. In the process, she starts to change from dying, to a better health! Her land & cabin are 2 miles in from the nearest road, so she must carry in everything she needs. Also, in the land next to her tract, is another tract of land with an old abandoned mansion, in which a Vietnam Vet has escaped upon his discharge, where he intends to also live off the land, smoke pot and be left alone with his personal demons, in a natural sense. He discovers her long before she discovers him. He is delighted to have someone to watch & obsess over without disclosure of his presence, which obviously can only last so long. Their lives could not be more different. When she is finally confronted by him, she does something the reader is more than likely not to think of. The author alternates each chapter to the thoughts of the 2 individuals. This book constantly surprised me. It is really beautiful in how it is written.

[cdyankeefan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A dying woman, an isolated cabin and an angry, bitter young man converge in Diane Thomas' engrossing novel. Danny and Katherine's relationship begins with voyeurism(on his part) grudging assistance (on her part) with the end result being a lot of sexual encounters both Katherine and Danny are psychologically wounded and the wounds are what they try to heal in each other. They are both so emotionally fragile that trust, such a necessary component in any relationship, is difficult to come by for them. Add Danny's anger, possessiveness to the point of obsession and need to flee when things become overwhelming and it all adds to a relationship doomed from the start. This is very well written at times creepy but always entertaining.

[rachelep-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book. A women is told she is dying so she goes to a cabin in the woods alone. So she thinks. There is a man in the woods watching her. great story

[kappadeemom · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book took me months to finish. Very slow paced in the beginning and the burn didn't really light until about 100 pages from the finish. I'm glad I stuck with it because in the end, I enjoyed the story; however, it wasn't one I would recommend. I wasn't sure if this was a love story, a mystery or a chick-lit novel. In the end it might have been a little of all of things, but it wasn't enough to make me care.

[plumcover3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Katherine's story is an engrossing one: fleeing her childless marriage and a high powered career after battling devastating illness, she is drawn to the wilderness and a remote cabin. Much as a wounded animal may seek a quiet and dark spot to die,Katherine seems to be removing herself form her life more than choosing a new life route. Her presence is noted by Danny, a Vietnam Vet who is wounded in many ways also. His appearance is alarming immediately -the dance of discovery is a tense one for the reader n ways that are not calmed by the eventual connections of these two.

[mary6508 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story is about a woman who is dying and decides to relinquish all her earthly goods and go to spend her last days in an isolated cabin on a mountain without much of anything to sustain herself. She thinks she's alone, but there's someone else living on her mountain, and things take a very unexpected turn. When I started reading this book I found it difficult to read and to follow. It's written in present tense, and that was a bit off-putting to me. It began as a very slow read, and I doubted I would be able to finish reading it. But before long, I was staying up late reading, and had to admit it was turning out to be a pretty good novel. I would recommend this book. I won this book through the Library Thing Early Reviewers club.

[pennsylady · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In WildernessDiane ThomasTime: winter 1966Setting: isolated wilderness in Georgia's Appalachian Mountains"Told she is dying of the mysterious illness that plagues her, thirty-eight-year-old Katherine Reid moves to a remote cabin in the southern mountains to live out her last days.But in this peaceful solitude, her life may still be in terrible danger: A damaged young man also lives in the forest, and he watches her every move." (publishers note)Danny (20) is a PTSD veteran traumatized by experiences in Vietnam and life experiences thereafter.We meet him existing in the wilderness in a near feral state.I found at times I almost couldn't handle the intense, vivid, lyrical prose and the melange of vehement emotions.But, I couldn't put this read down and I feel the storywill remain with me...heartbreaking...haunting...hypnotic4.5 ★

[dgmlrhodes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found this book to be interesting, yet disturbing. Katherine Reid is suffering from an unknown illness (now known as multi chemical sensitivity) and is told she is dying. She sells all of her worldly goods and purchases a remote cabin to end her days.Danny is a war veteran suffering from a then unknown illness now known as PTSD. He watches Katherine (stalks her) and falls in love. A strange relationship and bond form between the two. I found the story strangely compelling. While the story unfolds slowly, it kept me hooked throughout. I had to know what would happen next with this unlikely pairing of individuals that would likely have never noticed each other or been together in different circumstances. Each changes, grows, and regresses in their own ways. While the description says it is a thriller, it is a slow but satisfying read with oner chill at a time. Reader received a complimentary copy from Library Thing Early Reviewers.

[titania86_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I didn't finish the novel. It just didn't flow for me and I found Danny's inner narrative incredibly annoying. I just couldn't get into the story and gave up after about 50 pages. Katherine's story seemed interesting, but Dann is unsufferable.

[delphimo_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My feelings remain mixed concerning this book. The story follows Katherine Reid as she leaves the high stress life for a move to a virtual wilderness in her quest to end her troubled life. Katherine has been told that the doctors cannot find the root of her illnesses and that she has less than a year to live, so she sells everything and buys a rustic cabin with no conveniences. As Katherine prepares to die or kill herself when the pain becomes too great, a young man, Danny, complicates the saga. Lust and dependence invade the wilderness, and the story takes many turns before a disappointing ending. Why??? Thomas presents a strong willed and intelligent Katherine in the beginning, but a naïve and ignorant Katherine after meeting Danny. Of course, individuals are dimensional, but Katherine changes too drastically.

[readaholic12_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I changed my mind several times on this book. It is well written, with lovely descriptions of nature and the characters are initially interesting, but they and the plot fell flat and frustrated me by the last third of the book. Too little character development and too much romance novel implausibility and borderline abusive doomed relationship for my taste.

[amazzuca26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thank you for this Early Review book. While I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of Northern Georgia, I found this story to be very dark and intense. I have been to the mountains of Northern Georgia and I loved the way Thomas described the wilderness. I also enjoyed Katherine's struggle to figure out how to survive on her own in the wild. However, I did not like the abusive relationship between Katherine and Danny. I was so shocked when she first allowed him to enter the cabin...like when teens go into a cemetery in a horror film. What was she thinking!

[karenherndon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful story, though sad.A tragic love poem.I had a bit of a time getting into the story in the beginning but somewhere not so far inside it, I was caught in its web.I highly recommend it.This was a early reviewer book- I thank you again.

[kikoa_8 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

In Wilderness: was good, then not: compelling, then not: absorbing, then not. I found myself loving it: then not.

[lynncoulter · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received In Wilderness, a novel by Diane Thomas, from a LibraryThing giveaway. While this book is very well-written, suspenseful, and lyrical (and that's why I gave it four stars)l, I must confess, the subject matter is not for me. Set in 1966, it's the story of Katherine, a successful businesswoman who loses a baby, and endures her husband's abandonment, after she becomes ill from environmental poisoning. When her doctors tell her she'll die within months, she leaves everything and retreats to an isolated cabin in the Appalachian Mountains, intending to live out the rest of her time alone. There she encounters Danny, a twenty-year-old Vietnam veteran suffering from mental illness. I don't want to spoil the story, but as it unfolds, we realize that these two terribly damaged people are helping each other while surrounded by the healing powers of nature. But if that description makes this sound like a light hearted read, it shouldn't. This is a dark book that disturbed me, primarily because Katherine took so much abusive treatment from Danny (although he's kind and attentive at times, he's also violent, dangerous and unpredictable). At one point, I couldn't understand why Katherine didn't head back to civilization for help (by then, she has a compelling reason to get away from him). Some critics have said this book reveals the healing powers of nature, but I didn't find that to be true. To me, in this book, nature provides an escape for two terribly broken people, but I was left feeling sad and disturbed, not hopeful.

[bale_5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In Wilderness is a page turner, one that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end. The characters are developed and interesting, as is the plot. It is a well written psychological thriller that has the potential for a great movie.

[cassie.peters1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed reading this book. It's been a few months since I read it but I enjoyed reading it.

[kdkelly92 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a very well written story of two very different people who find each other. I really enjoyed the author’s style, but found the ending a bit anticlimactic compared to the intensity of the rest of the novel.

[coho8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Wilderness is a story of two damaged and needy people who have removed themselves to the deep and mountainous North Georgia woods in the late sixties. They are each having trouble living in society but for very different reasons.Katherine is ill without any medical recourse. From a methodical list, created from books rather than experience, she purchases supplies to last for her short end-of-life stretch in a cabin in the wilderness. Slowly, away from her city environment, Katherine feels the healing powers of the isolated woods. Her senses heighten. She feels the presence of a "deer" holding forth in the night, breathing just outside her wall. But it is not a deer. It is Danny, who first spots Katherine in the forest, her coat a red dot moving through his territory. Danny is so damaged by war and upbringing that he follows an inner command to stalk this interloper. He is very good at that as he hikes through the woods every day to watch Katherine at her cabin. Creepy? Oh, yes. The prose was wonderful. I especially loved the descriptions of the woods, Katherine's recitation of the names of trees and backs of seed packets, the garden. I have to admit that I almost abandoned this book after about 60 pages because it was so disturbing. Continuing, I was rewarded with a very good book, with a story line that surprised me along the way.A small detail: The title page and its facing page have a shadowy background photo of a forest. Nice job, Bantam Books.

[clajill · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story drew me in from the very beginning. It was a page-turner. The main characters, Katherine and Danny, were so real. Because of the setting of the story, these two were very believable. Although some may call this a love story, I only saw two people who in this particular setting, felt a physical need and therefore, learned to live with each other. The ending was a let down. I wanted to know more details about Katherine and her child. Danny's thinking was also somewhat vague. Overall, I found this book a wonderful read.

[dawn1361 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent character development. Vivid writing. It was a page turner just like I had hoped. Coming to seclusion to die alone due to a rare health condition, Katherine, while at first glace appears weak. The power of nature and the absence of the chemicals of our modern world that has brought Katherine to this brink, work together to forge a strong Katherine without the will to die, although the revolver and hand gun are nearby. Enter a broken man with mental issues that the once trusting Katherine had blindly followed his commands. It is with the promise of bringing a life into the world that rips the blinders and complacency from Katherine and the reader is cheering her her on to freedom. Author Diane Thomas has created a novel full of natural creepiness but also one that bursts through with the power of the human spirit. I received a copy of this book through the Early Reader's program of Library Thing.

[amelianovich · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is definitely not a beautiful love story. I'd say a sick obsession that borders on creepiness and insanity! The two main characters take love and loneliness to another level. The doctors tell Katherine Reid that she is dying. She decides to wait for death in the wilderness of the Appalachian Mountains. Danny, a Vietnam vet with PSTD, watches her from afar. He becomes obsessed and has to have her. When these two lost souls meet the story explodes into destructive passion and twisted desire. I was totally sucked up into the story which made me feel anxious and a little fearful as to what was going to happen next. I'm a little drained now and probably should read a lighter book that will make me laugh. This book was well written, haunting, and at times touching. I didn't much care for the ending but after thinking about it perhaps it was for the best. :) I won In Wilderness from LibraryThing. I'm giving it 4 stars for its psychological intrigue. I won't forget this one!

[squirrelhead_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a hard book to review. It was weird, in my humble opinion, and I had trouble connecting to the characters. The description of the book in LibrayThing didn’t quite cover all that was going on with these characters. From what I read prior to receiving the book the main female character, Katherine, goes off the grid to a remote cabin with little more than some field guides, a frying pan, a gun and seeds. Was she a survivalist, turning her back on modern civilization? That's what I thought prior to reading the book. There will be a male character introduced, Danny, who watches her and one day…they meet up. As you are moving through the first few chapters you learn Katherine went off to the woods to die. She has a disease which cannot be diagnosed back in the 1960s. You read how her husband left her after their baby died and he learned of her illness. After reading the reasons why she left her city home and conveniences it was clear this story line was something more than described in the book jacket or on LibraryThing. After she is in the woods and eating healthier and more natural foods she seems to improve. I wondered if she didn’t have Celiac disease but it does mention her eating rice so…who knows what was wrong with her. The man watching her is a Vietnam vet, a 20 year old hillbilly basically who is squatting on the land, living remotely as Katherine had intended. A very weird sexual relationship forms with 38 year old Katherine and 20 year old Danny. As Katherine said in the later part of the book, if she were to meet him under any other circumstances she probably wouldn’t have had much to do with him, Nothing in common, the age difference and cultural gap. But they do hook up and Katherine, for whatever reason, allows him to bully her on a regular basis. It’s not a healthy relationship. This is very descriptive writing and I will give the author an A+ for that but this wasn’t my cuppa tea. I received a complimentary copy of this book as an Early Reviewer winner from LibraryThing.

[bpompon_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is by far one of the most unique stories that I've ever read. I was totally absorbed in the beginning of the book and couldn't put it down even though I had a sick feeling that the story was going to take a tragic turn fairly soon. I think Diane Thomas is a very talented writer and the story is very well written. All of that being said, without giving away too much, the violence in the middle and end of the book was a little bit more than I am used to reading. I am still glad that I was chosen to read this book as a Library Thing Early Reviewer. If your tastes run to the dark side of literature, this would be an excellent book.

[msnick_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Wilderness is the sort of novel that I found myself thinking about for days after having read it. I was immediately drawn to Katherine's character, wanting to know what was making her so terribly sick, wanting her to somehow conquer her illness. Following her into her mountain refuge, I rooted for her as she tried to make her new life work. Danny, broken with mental illness, was both heartbreaking and terrifying. Together, the two of them wove a tale that grew darker and more disturbing page by page. I'd recommend this book, especially to book clubs - there are so many interesting discussions to be had - and Diane Thomas' writing style is lovely.

[januthomas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! This book is spectacular. I was gripped from page one and did not put it down until I finished it. The story is part mystery, suspense and love story. This book will haunt me - a tale of mental illness and obsession. It is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the descriptions of the wilderness add to the effects of isolation. The two main characters Katherine and Danny are two damaged souls each with an illness which defines them. The author develops the characters with all their flaws into people you empathize with, root for, but know in your heart they can never achieve happiness together. This would be a wonderful book club selection. This is one of the best books I have read in years.

[bacreads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was an early review book that I was glad to receive but it turned out not to be a book for me. I could not connect with the characters. I could not make the jump from Kate to Katherine. Without including spoilers, I understand that medicine in the 1960's was not what it is today. I also know, especially in the South, that divorce was not taken lightly if even occurring at all. I felt that Thomas has a "what if" scenario and then another "what if scenario" which she could tie together but I don't think she did a good transition as to why Kate would become Katherine. I admit to not being in Katherine's (or Danny)circumstances but I just couldn't make the jump.That being said, the writing is beautiful (hard to use that term with the subject matter). Thomas has a wonderful relationship with words and phrases. I have not read "The Year the Music Changed" so I will put that on by list and see if it resonates more with me

[pegmcdaniel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thank you to LibraryThing and Random House Publishing-Bantam Dell for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. I had been told that Diane Thomas is a talented writer and, after reading this novel, I now know for sure that she is. She creates scenes that make you feel as though you are there as the scenes unfold. This novel takes place in 1966-68 in the southern Georgia Appalachian mountains. It's an emotional, dark story with two protagonists, one with a physical illness and the other with a mental-type illness. It's disturbing at times, but most thrillers are. I did not want to put it down so got through it quickly. It was that good!A side note of interest: Ms. Thomas says she wrote on and off for 30 years before completing this novel. She started it in 1981 during an extended period of ill health. I am happy she recovered and finished the book. I recommend it with 5 Stars.