Horror Book of the Week: The Family Cabin by James Caine

 You’ll think twice about visiting a cabin after you read James Caine’s thriller novel THE FAMILY CABIN. 

A cabin in the middle of nowhere. Check. Rough weather. Check. Dark secrets. Double check. 

The Family Cabin was published in February 2023 and is on the bestsellers list for Horror Suspense and Psychological Thrillers. Readers have praised this book for its pacing and plot while praising the twist and writing style. 

As with any book, there were some negative reviews regarding a few grammatical errors. There was also some criticism regarding a couple of plot points in the story that did not seem believable. 

Quick Book Review of THE FAMILY CABIN by James Caine

The story begins with Amber’s perspective. She wakes up in a strange place and soon realizes that she is chained and quite obviously kidnapped. She then tries to remember just how she got to this point. 

Amber was a college student who was studying late in the library when she is attacked from behind. 

A man descends down the stairs, and he’s wearing a mask. Amber pleads with him but the man isn’t interested in knowing her name nor wants to hear her pleas. He humiliates her and insinuates that she will be treated like a dog henceforth. She is even given dog food in a dish. 

In the next chapter we meet Dawn, a customer service call agent. She is good with placating irate customers, an ability that stems from her side acting career. 

Dawn is planning her husband Mike’s birthday and is inviting the only friends the couple has. She is planning a party for his fortieth birthday in a cabin during the weekend. She does sense Mike being distant but thinks it is because he is an accountant and has too much work at hand. 

Dawn reaches the cabin first and looks at the family pictures on the wall. She believes her husband and his brother were not close to their father as he was stern with them. Dawn also looks at photos of her and her son. 

It is when she is roaming about the cabin that she hears a loud thud from the basement. Thinking it could be a small animal, she heads down the basement. 

But that is not what she is going to find, is it? 

According to the blurb, Dawn is going to find a tied up woman in the basement and will suspect everyone who has access to the cabin. 

There’s also an imminent snow storm, so things are going to get even more tense. 

The book starts off well and the author cleverly describes Amber’s plight, making the reader immediately sympathizing with her. The threat that she faces is palpable and you can’t wait to find out if she will escape. 

Dawn’s character is introduced well too. We find her dealing with an angry customer and also see how she is able to defuse a difficult situation. This is an ability that is brought forward not by chance but to show that Dawn has the ability to navigate through tricky situations and keep a calm demeanor throughout. 

The writing flows well and some particularly complex scenes, like flashbacks, are inserted seamlessly into the story. The setup to the eventual plot turn is filled with enough tension to make you want to read the next chapter quickly. 

To Read or Not to Read?

The sample ends right after Dawn enters the basement to investigate the sound. It is now Amber’s turn to tell her side of the story. Just what happens when Dawn sees Amber all tied-up? How will Amber react? Can she trust Dawn? 

Obviously, I would want an answer to those questions and find out just how Dawn will get through it all. She did want to save her marriage and make her husband happy, but what if he’s the one who is behind kidnapping Amber? It is his family cabin after all. 

I would definitely want to continue reading this novel to find out just what happens next. 

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