A moving, thought-provoking exploration of connection, healing, and the quiet power of meaning.

In Why Did God Make the Tree, Tammy Gregg weaves the ancient symbolism of the Tree of Life into a modern narrative that examines how we care for one another—spiritually, emotionally, and medically. Through the voices of multiple characters, each offering their own reason for the tree’s existence, the story beautifully illustrates our shared need for grounding, connection, and purpose.

At the heart of the book is Dr. Denny, a gentle, well-meaning doctor who challenges the quick-fix mentality often found in mental health care. His journey shines a light on the consequences of treating symptoms rather than souls.

This is not a book to rush through. It's one to sit with, to revisit, and to reflect on. Full of insight and layered meaning, Why Did God Make the Tree invites readers to consider what truly connects us—and why that matters.

Review: Why Did God Make the Tree? by Tammy Gregg

🌳 Overview
Tammy Gregg’s Why Did God Make the Tree? is a haunting modern gothic that blurs the lines between psychological unraveling and supernatural dread. The novel follows Patrick Denny, a former horror novelist who retreats to a seemingly tranquil New England town, only to find himself ensnared in a labyrinth of nightmares, fractured memories, and unsettling truths. Gregg crafts a narrative where reality and delusion tangle like roots beneath an ancient tree, exploring themes of madness, redemption, and the ghosts we carry within.

✨ Key Strengths
🧠 Psychological Depth – Patrick’s descent into (or confrontation with?) madness is rendered with visceral precision, making readers question what’s real.
👻 Gothic Atmosphere – The novel drips with eerie small-town dread, where every shadow feels like a half-remembered nightmare.
✍️ Wit Amid Darkness – Gregg balances bleak themes with sharp, unexpected humor, offering respite without dulling the story’s edge.
🌲 Symbolism – The titular tree becomes a potent metaphor for buried trauma and the tangled nature of truth.

⚠️ Considerations
🌀 Narrative Ambiguity – Those who prefer clear-cut resolutions might find the deliberate ambiguity frustrating.
📖 Niche Appeal – Fans of cerebral horror will revel in this, but readers seeking action-driven plots may feel adrift.

⭐ Score Breakdown (0–5 Stars)
✍️ Prose & Style → ★★★★☆ (4/5)
🌑 Atmosphere & Tension → ★★★★★ (5/5)
🎭 Character Complexity → ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
⚡ Thematic Resonance → ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Overall: ★★★★ (4.3/5)
A gnarled, beautiful nightmare—where the roots of the past strangle the present.

🎯 Perfect For Readers Who Love
📖 Psychological horror à la House of Leaves or The Silent Patient
🌙 Modern gothic with a literary edge
🔄 Stories where memory is both prison and key

🙏 Gratitude
Thank you to NetGalley and Tammy Gregg for the advance review copy. Why Did God Make the Tree? lingers like a fever dream—unshakable and profoundly unsettling.

(Note: Review based on an uncorrected proof; final publication may vary.)

Review of Why Did God Make the Tree? by Tammy Gregg

Why Did God Make the Tree? is a psychologically intricate novel that explores themes of trauma, memory, and mental health through a fragmented, nonlinear narrative. The story unfolds across multiple settings—a rural mental hospital, a small-town theater, and isolated natural landscapes—blending timelines and perspectives in a way that challenges the reader’s grasp of reality and chronology. The novel’s structure is divided into three interwoven parts, each contributing layers to the overarching mystery and deepening the atmospheric tension. Throughout, the prose is descriptive and immersive, with vivid imagery that creates a haunting and often unsettling mood.

I found the book’s approach to mental illness and psychiatric care compelling, particularly in how it portrays the struggles around medication, identity, and perception. The shifting timelines and unreliable narrations kept me engaged and guessing, enhancing the psychological suspense. The story does not offer easy answers but invites readers to experience the characters’ fractured realities firsthand. At times, the narrative’s ambiguity and disorganization mirror the confusion experienced by the characters, which may require patience but ultimately enriches the reading experience. Fans of Stephen King and similar authors who excel at blending psychological horror with supernatural undertones will likely appreciate Tammy Gregg’s novel for its dark, thought-provoking atmosphere.

Thanks to NetGalley and Cemetery Hill Publications for providing an advance copy.

Why Did God Make the Tree?

This is quite a strange book – which I mean as a compliment. Told from many perspectives the story takes on almost kaleidoscopic proportions, after all the blurb promises: “Three patients. Three stories. One psychiatrist unable tell where their nightmares end and his begin.”
I was surprised though that this is apparently intended to be an ongoing series, again not a critique but it’s a strange juxtaposition to have a “question reality” type plotline promising further stories – I’m not even 100% sure what happened in this one!!
As to the content I found this book surprisingly graphic and unpredictable, ambiguity around whether the supernatural happenings are real or hallucinations is a bit of a trite trope, but Gregg pulls it of very successfully by basically just never letting on fully what is going on (or maybe I’m just too daft to understand it all!). There is a good mix of creeping dread, scary and immediate threats, and supernatural conspiracy representing “real life”. Some of the scenes are actually pretty graphic which I will say threw me a little because I assumed this was going to be a more philosophically paced work based on the title (well you know what they say about assumptions).
All in all really glad I picked up this book – I know it wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea but if you’re into horror with a bit of a twist this is definitely worth a look.
(thnx Netgalley for an advance copy)

I enjoyed this one. I love the way it is written – so beautifully. A bit of a mind bender but reading it was a joy. The descriptions are detailed and vivid. The assorted collection of characters are weird and intriguing.
What is real and what is surreal? Where does the dreams end and reality kicks in?
The multiple narratives got me worried in the beginning but the author does a great job of weaving them together and in the end resolves each strand.
For the horror fan there’s all sort of nastiness going on – murder, family tragedy, heartbreak, magic, witchcraft and a lot more.
The theme of mental health is dealt with excellently. No big medical words here but you are made to understand what is going on. The author shows how easily misdiagnosis can happen and the consequent tragedy that can follow. I guess the confusion of a medical issue with the supernatural especially in mental health issues will not go away.
An excellent piece of work. I will be looking out for more from this author

Thank you Cemetery Hill Publications for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A story within a story within a story! Gregg's novel lives up to its gothic and literary vibe and reminded me of the works of Flannery O'Connor, Faulkner's The Sound and The Fury, and Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House. Horror fans who enjoy mind bending novels with beautiful prose will appreciate the atmospheric horror and the macabre scenes in this book. And even though the book jumps from dreams into reality and weaves into different streams of consciousness, I never felt lost, just intrigued to find out what happens next.

As a content warning, the topic of sexual abuse is here but the novel presents it with sensitivity and there are no graphic scenes for it.

For me, the heightened sense of empathy for those struggling with mental health is the true gem of this book.