Cedar Mills by Dylan James – What secrets lurk in the shadows of the forest?

The scene is set in mid-October 1998. Jarrett Stoll has crossed the very people who embraced him—those who sheltered and provided for him after he lost what was left of his family. They issue punishment in accordance with the violence they live by. During what he believes will be his final moments, a gruesome intervention leaves him the sole survivor, situated in the midst of a gore-filled crime scene. The perpetrator remains a mystery.

Decades later, a budding high school photographer goes missing, and the discovery of his body shocks even seasoned law enforcement officers. The federal agencies’ indecision over their involvement in the case leads Sheriff Melissa Cunningham to suspect something more—a deliberate attempt at deception. She enlists the keen eyes of an ex-colleague and former homicide detective, Tom Dalton, to look into the case.

Tom was once the shining star of the Cleveland, Ohio Police Department, until a crime of passion left him blacklisted from every law enforcement agency—including the one where he’d solved an impressive number of cases. His pivot into private investigation granted him the freedom to stray from the letter of the law in pursuit of justice.

When two young children disappear just days later, suspicion and terror kick into high gear. Tom joins forces with a group of teenagers seeking justice for their friend, and together, they work to uncover the truth—unveiling long-buried answers behind Cedar Mills’ other inexplicable cases. But in doing so, they stumble into a far more dangerous path: a desperate fight to save themselves—and all of mankind—from complete annihilation at the hands of a foe pushed beyond their breaking point.

Spoiler-Free Plot

With their football team on a consistent losing streak and no other noteworthy occurrences to report on, the Cedar Mills High School newspaper has been running stale for some time.

The availability of free space in the yearbook catches the attention of photographer Sheldon Haynes, tempting him to cover a decades-old story involving the murder of thirteen motorcycle gang members in the forest on the northernmost border of town. His intentions are split between reviving the reputation of the school newspaper and stamping his mark on his hometown’s history with this one contribution.

Sheldon won’t voice his disappointment over his best friend’s disinterest in the proposed adventure—despite the hurt feelings it inflicts. Instead, he pushes deeper into the forest, unaware of the horrors that reside within it.

Cedar Mills provides Tom Dalton the peace and quiet he craves. Reflecting on his previous career and fall from grace, stumbling into his current field feels almost serendipitous. Yet witnessing the worst of humanity on the crime-riddled streets of a metropolitan city could not prepare him for what awaits in this quaint, unassuming town.

All of his training, life experience, and intuition culminate in a desire to make sense of the peculiar happenings in the forest—to bring closure to the victims’ families, the townspeople, and himself.

Jake Evans will never forgive himself for abandoning his best friend when he needed him most. From his grief emerge new friendships and a resolute sense of retribution—one that places him in precarious situations he never would’ve imagined otherwise. Through it all, he fights to overcome every obstacle in his path with the help of his friends and an unlikely partner.

My Take on Cedar Mills

Dylan James has gathered all the classic “cliché” horror and sci-fi tropes and adapted them to fit his own unique plotline. From the monster hiding in the woods of a small town where nothing ever really happens, to the government cover-up and the glowing red hallway chase scene in an underground facility—it was all fun and exciting for me as a reader!

These tropes endure because they never get old, and Dylan James has contributed his own story to both genres in a way that adds to the richness of each.

His use of language effectively enhances the atmosphere of every chapter, eliciting emotional responses from readers that mirror the characters’ feelings in the moment.

A few of my favorite examples include: the comparison between the forest’s tree branches and broken fingers reaching into the sky, acting as an omen of the fast-approaching violence that hallmarks the first chapter; the juxtaposition of Lee’s empty eyes while Jarrett’s grave is being filled, compounding Jarrett’s dread; and Henry Ross’ children being swallowed whole by a town he helped build—a tragic image that subtly hints at the fate of the missing children, especially through the implications carried in the phrase “swallowed whole.”

Readers become engrossed in the story, almost to the point of inserting themselves into it, stepping into the shoes of the characters they connect with most.

A couple of observations are worth voicing. There was a noticeable slant toward catering to male readers. I feel the female characters could have been better balanced by adding more nuance to their motivations and characterization.

The first half of the book also contained some repetition, particularly in name usage. That said, I recognize that writing a novel is a journey, and it’s worth noting—and commending—that this issue largely resolved itself as the story progressed.

Age Rating

15 years and above

Content Warnings

Death, Foul Language, Gore, Guns, Nudity, Violence.

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