Out of the Woods

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

By: Gregg Olsen

Narrated by: Karen Peakes

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.

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

Thank you for sharing you're story

She's an amazing human. I am an Idahoan & very much remember this. This was very difficult to listen to, and I had to pause it often. I am also an ER nurse. I am very proud of her! Her story told her way.

Raw emotions

So well written with very real, visceral emotions. Gregg is a class act and helped show the true depth of the impact this level of trauma carries over into adulthood. I pray Shasta continues to get through each day, one second at a time.
I’m also a survivor and this book hit every single reality of recovering from childhood trauma! RARELY can anyone define it this well.

Insane!

Absolutely insane true story. Kept me on my toes the entire book, love the narrator as well.

I thought she made it through

I lived in Spokane when this happened. it haunted me then. I always hoped she got the support she needed. I was one of the people who saw her as that girl. it breaks my heart that she was let down fast before the devil took her. she was continually let down after her rescue. I was foolish to believe she made it through without life long trauma issues. I just hope she finds of version of life that brings her peace. you're Shasta fucking groene, survivor to me.

very moving

I liked how she talked about the therapy in an honest and objective way that also showed what could get better about helping victims really means