The Girls in the Cabin by Caleb Stephens @calebstephensauthor @brilliancepublishing @netgalley #TheGirlsInTheCabin

the setup…
It’s been a tough time for Chris McKenna and his two daughters, 15-year old Kayla and 7-year old Emma. His wife and their mother Lexie died from breast 6-months after her diagnosis and Emma hasn’t spoken a word since. He plans to move them from Boston to Denver and has planned this backpacking trip to the Colorado Flat Tops as a way to start repairing his relationship with Kayla and to break the news about the move. Things go sideways when Emma wanders away and gets seriously injured. As they look for shelter in the middle of a torrential rain, they come upon the home of recluse Clara Carver and her son Billy. What initially felt like a respite becomes a nightmare when they’re trapped after a sudden blizzard and Emma goes missing.

the heart of the story…
The trauma for Chris and his daughters never seems to let up as he tries to figure out this woman who was far from normal. Adult son Billy clearly is mentally stunted, the mind and behavior of a young child. The story transitions from the present to the 1990s in Clara’s point of view, learning of her troubling childhood, subsequent marriage and friendship with the scary Sydney. I knew it would eventually connect and loved how it slowly began to take shape and make some kind of sense.

the narration…
It’s a full cast narration and is superb. Amy Bentley, Kelsey Jaffer, Chris Ciulla, Shaun Taylor-Corbett & Courtney Fabrizio made a harrowing story feel real!

the bottom line…
I’ve found a new favorite author and storyteller. This is my second and I’m determined to further explore his backlist. It’s a chilling story with twisty turns as Chris tries to save his family. I did figure out the big reveal early on but it didn’t matter. I was riveted through the end.

Book Info

• Release Date: December 2, 2025
• Narrators: Amy Bentley, Kelsey Jaffer, Chris Ciulla, Shaun Taylor-Corbett & Courtney Fabrizio
• Audio Length: 10 hours, 3 minutes
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio

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(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)