The Girl in the Leaves

Robert Scott · Sarah Maynard · Larry Maynard

Dec 2012 · Sold by Penguin

About this eBook

The shocking true crime story of one of the most bizarre mass murders ever recorded—and the girl who escaped with her life.

In the fall of 2010, in the all-American town of Apple Valley, Ohio, four people disappeared without a trace: Stephanie Sprang; her friend, Tina Maynard; and Tina’s two children, thirteen-year-old Sarah and eleven-year-old Kody. Investigators began scouring the area, yet despite an extensive search, no signs of the missing people were discovered.

On the fourth day of the search, evidence trickled in about neighborhood “weirdo” Matthew Hoffman. A police SWAT team raided his home and found an extremely disturbing sight: every square inch of the place was filled with leaves and a terrified Sarah Maynard was bound up in the middle of it like some sort of perverted autumn tableau. But there was no trace of the others.

Then came Hoffman’s confession to an unspeakable crime that went beyond murder and defied all reason. His tale of evil would make Sarah’s survival and rescue all the more astonishing—a compelling tribute to a young girl’s resilience and courage and to her fierce determination to reclaim her life in the wake of unimaginable trauma.

Ratings and reviews

It's an amazing book i was right in the middle of all this local drama. Seeing the news crews in town day after day the names that were thrown around of matt's neighbors were all my friends. Story came from the evidence and the reason sarahs story isn't told much cause she diesnt talk about everyone knows there us way more to the truth like another suspect

This was a sad story, But it was horribly written. The sentences were to choppy and I almost didn't want to finish it. I wouldn't have finished it, had I just borrowed it, but I actually paid money for this. Folks... this is not worth the purchase. Do yourself a favor and skip this and find a better book.

This story is unbelievable. Its based on a true story and worth reading every second of da day.my regards go out to sarah and her dad.

About the author

Robert Scott is the author of many true crime books, and has been featured on such television channels as truTV, E!, and Investigation Discovery.

Sarah Maynard is the subject of the true crime book The Girl in the Leaves.

Larry Maynard is the father of Sarah Maynard, who is the subject of the true crime book The Girl in the Leaves.