The Woods All Black

The Woods All Black is a short novella heavy on 1920s Appalachian atmosphere and historical fiction research, following a trans traveling nurse (assigned female at birth, presenting male) sent to a isolated, religious town post-WWI for checkups and vaccinations. The town forces uncomfortable gender presentations to drive them out, revealing hidden creepy secrets that get bizarre and messy, especially one confusing scene. I loved the first half's small-town-in-the-woods tension and historical details, but the plot loosened and the ending baffled me. It's only about 100 pages, making it a quick, intriguing read despite the weirdness. Recommend for atmospheric historical fantasy with trans rep and subtle horror if you can handle the odd turns.