Daniel G. Miller Coming September 1, 2026 Pre-Order
A New Thriller from the USA Today Bestselling Author

Buried in the
Woods
Below

Some memories were never meant to stay buried.

An addictive psychological thriller for fans of Freida McFadden, Riley Sager, and Alice Feeney — dark secrets, an isolated island, and a twist you won't see coming.

Pre-Order on Amazon Releases September 1, 2026

From the Edgar Award–nominated author of The Red Letter

Buried in the Woods Below by Daniel G. Miller — paperback cover showing a lakeside house at night, its lights reflecting blood-red in the water
“This book won’t just unsettle you. It’ll leave a bruise.”

Carter Wilson · USA Today & Publishers Weekly bestselling author

The Story

Some memories were never meant to stay buried.

When Charlotte Hoffman's picture-perfect career implodes overnight, she retreats to the one place she swore she'd never return: Big Island, Minnesota. Home to her childhood best friend, Olivia Parker — and the place where her life first fell apart.

Eighteen years ago, tragedy struck, and Charlotte's blamed herself for that bloody night ever since. Now she's back, staying with the Parkers in their isolated lakeside home, surrounded by dark woods shrouded in mist and the decaying remains of a long-abandoned amusement park.

But something isn't right.

  • The Parkers' young twin girls whisper about ghosts in the trees.
  • Threatening notes appear on doors.
  • An old carousel screams in the wind.
  • And every night, the island claims another victim.

As Charlotte wades ever-deeper into danger, she can't shake the feeling that someone brought her back to the isolated island for a reason.

Someone who wants to finish what was started all those years ago.

Advance Praise

What Bestselling Authors Are Saying

Eerie and unsettling in all the best ways, Buried in the Woods Below is a stick-to-your-bones thriller that will stay with you long after you reach the end. Miller is a rising star, and I can't wait to see what he writes next.

Jennifer Hillier · Bestselling author of Things We Do in the Dark

Gripping, tense, and absolutely unputdownable. This book won't just take you for a twisted rollercoaster ride — it'll make you question yourself at every turn.

Noelle W. Ihli · USA Today bestselling author of Ask for Andrea

Heartfelt and haunting. The characters and their various fates will stick with you. Bravo, he's done it again.

T. Jefferson Parker · New York Times bestselling author

Haunting, unsettling and gaspingly good.

Sulari Gentill · Bestselling author of The Woman in the Library

This slow-burn, nerve-wracking, atmospheric thriller will pull the rug right out from under you. I still can't get over that twist. I absolutely loved it.

Natalie Barelli · Bestselling author of The Housewife

Miller crafts a psychological thriller that expertly delivers a creeping sense of dread from the first page to the very last. With a final twist that will make you gasp out loud.

Marlee Bush · Author of Whispers of Dead Girls

An idyllic island escape is the setting for a dark and twisted tale soaked in blood and memories. Read it with the lights on, and trust no one.

Stacie Grey · Bestselling author of She Had Enough

Front cover of Buried in the Woods Below by Daniel G. Miller
About the Author

Daniel G. Miller

Daniel G. Miller is the USA Today bestselling author of The Orphanage by the Lake series. His previous novel, The Red Letter, was nominated for an Edgar Award — the most prestigious prize in crime and mystery writing.

With Buried in the Woods Below, Miller returns with his most atmospheric and unnerving thriller yet: a story of buried guilt, an isolated island, and the terrible cost of going home.

USA Today Bestselling Author Edgar Award Nominee Author of The Orphanage by the Lake
Reserve Your Copy

Dare to Go Back to the Island

Pre-order Buried in the Woods Below today and it will arrive on release day — September 1, 2026. Pre-orders are the single best way to support an author, and the surest way the twist finds you first.

Available in Ebook · Paperback · Audiobook