The cause
The shrubs
Autumn olive was planted on purpose — feed and cover for wildlife, a habitat fix that worked exactly as planned, until the animals that ate from it began to change.
About the book
The story behind the shrubs.
Years after introducing the invasive autumn olive to cultivate the perfect habitat, the DNR's tampering has triggered a catastrophic biological domino effect. What started as a simple plan to introduce autumn olives for animal feed and coverage has mutated into a waking nightmare. They never expected the roots of that good intention to twist into something monstrous.
A weekend reunion at Alex's cabin in the woods was meant to be a peaceful escape — instead, it becomes a terrifying fight for survival.
The family hasn't even fully gathered when the ecosystem pushes back. Wanting some rare alone time to catch up with her big brother, Eleanor arrives at the cabin early, before the chaos of the full reunion begins. But their quiet sibling catch-up shatters as the local wildlife launches a sudden, hyper-aggressive assault. The cabin is breached, and Alex and Eleanor are forced into a brutal fight for their lives.
By the time the other siblings pull into the driveway, they don't find a sanctuary. They find the cars in the drive, the windows boarded up, and a cabin standing silent and empty.
Autumn Olives is a Michigan horror novel about good intentions, a government fix gone wrong, and a family that endured.
The setting
The cabin
Alex's cabin in the Michigan woods: one driveway in, windows that can be boarded, and a long way between the family inside and any help outside.
The heart
The family
Alex, 72, is already at his cabin when his sister Eleanor arrives early to catch up. The rest of the siblings are still on the road when the woods push back — and what they find waiting is a silent, empty cabin.
Watch the trailer
The official book trailer for Autumn Olives — the woods, the deer, the raccoon, and the cover.