Out of the Woods cover art

Out of the Woods

A Girl, a Killer, and a Lifelong Struggle to Find the Way Home

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Out of the Woods

By: Gregg Olsen
Narrated by: Karen Peakes
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About this listen

From a girl’s abduction by a serial killer to the harrowing aftermath—a gripping and heart-wrenching true-crime story by Gregg Olsen, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of If You Tell.

In May 2005, authorities discovered the Groene family murdered in their Idaho home. The family’s youngest members—eight-year-old Shasta and her brother, nine-year-old Dylan—were nowhere to be found.

As a community prayed for their return, Shasta and Dylan were already miles away in the woods of Montana at the hands of serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan. After a harrowing forty-eight day ordeal, Shasta was rescued. In many ways, her survival story was only beginning.

In the following years, while Shasta struggled to outrun her trauma, a pattern of self-destructive behavior shadowed her like an ever-worsening thunderstorm. She still had hope buried deep inside. Every bit as much as the little girl who had been held captive in the woods. This would be an all-new battle for Shasta. And she was determined not to lose.

Out of the Woods is the haunting and intimate true-crime story of one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history—and a young woman’s journey to reclaim her life in its wake.

©2025 by Gregg Olsen. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Abductions, Kidnapping & Missing Persons Murder True Crime Crime Disappearance Exciting Montana

Critic Reviews

“Olsen, a prolific and popular author of multiple true-crime books and fictional mysteries, became close to his subject over several years. His chief concern here is to tell the story of the therapeutic work Shasta did to try to find her way “out of the woods” of her trauma. He weaves that somewhat hopeful story together with the nauseatingly disturbing details of the crime, each parallel path unfolding through the book, dropping hints along the way of ever worse revelations to come.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Novelist and true crime author Olsen (The Amish Wife) paints a heartbreaking portrait of a woman haunted by her narrow escape from a serial killer…As in Olsen’s previous works of nonfiction, there’s plenty of rigorous research on display, but it’s his empathetic consideration of what happens to high-profile victims after news cameras stop rolling that sets this apart…It’s moving stuff.”—Publishers Weekly

“Prolific true-crime author Olsen offers another exemplary narrative of unimaginable trauma that packs an emotional punch.”—Booklist
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Most relevant
Agree with the last review, I too had to return this book - absolutely appalling the way the author drags out each disgusting detail of child abuse and torture. There is no need for readers to know that level of detail about each occasion of abuse. It is brutal to have to digest this information and utterly disrespectful to the victims. I dread to think of how many more accounts of this I would have had to read if I chose to finish the book. Will not read this author's books ever again. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY OR TIME.

Just awful, horrifying child abuse

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What is this! A perverted awful story. I couldn’t even get half way through. I can’t believe someone could write this to entertain.

Disgusting

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I think that if Shasta is brave enough to tell this story and deal with it head on then we should brave enough to listen to it. It’s horrific. I really hope that she is helped by this book being out there. I also hope it brings change and better understanding in how someone who has been through such trauma is cared for.

Not easy to listen to but you should.

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Not for the light hearted. I had to return this book as it gaver me nightmares and depression.
Too much detail during ther abuse of the children.
I would have loved to listen to the story in a lesser description and detail of the discusting acts those children suffered.

Child Rape and torture

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I am so amazed by what one woman can overcome. It's sad and truly awful what happened to her. Very well written by Gregg Olsen.

I could not put this book down. I'm so glad Shasta has told her story.

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