Once in a while a book comes along that you just sink into and cannot stop turning the pages. This is such a book. It revolves around a missing teenager Barbara, with similarities to her older brother who went missing 16 years before
There are a lot of characters at play here, the family that own the land, where the children have gone missing, the summer camp for teens that is in the shadow of the estate, and the town folk themselves. It’s about a family of privilege and wealth who are obviously hiding something. It’s about teen angst, first loves and its friendships and rivalries and it’s about a small town who serve both the family and the camp and all the things not said.
Barbara Van Laar isnt just any missing teen, she is the daughter of the family that own the estate and when she vanishes from her cabin at the camp it triggers a frantic search for her and awakens interest in the disappearance of her brother who has never been found.
Judyta Luptack is one of the investigators looking for clues to Barbara’s disappearance, bit by bit she starts putting the clues together, it seems obvious that the search some 16 years previous for Bear Van Laar was half hearted and in the end blame was put on the then recently deceased Carl who worked at the estate and had taken neglected Bear under his wing. Carls wife is still seeking to clear his name.
Barbara was largely ignored by her family, seen as a replacement for Bear, but then a disappointment as she was a girl. She is resilient and has learnt to care for herself, so is she still alive out there in the bush somewhere?
Told from different points of view, no real clues are given until the end of the book and the two outcomes that I didnt see coming. A Fantastic read!

#TheGodOfTheWoods. #NetGalley

It's been quite a while since I found myself staying up into the wee hours, compelled to finish a book despite the impending alarm set to ring in just a few short hours. Yet, that's precisely the scenario that unfolded as I immersed myself in "The God of the Woods," the latest suspense masterpiece by Liz Moore. While it's only early February, I'm already confidently predicting that this book will secure a spot on my favorites list for 2024—it's that exceptional.

One of Moore's standout strengths lies in her ability to craft genuinely captivating female characters who possess both intelligence and flaws, a talent showcased brilliantly in her 2020 crime novel, "Long Bright River." In "The God of the Woods," multiple female protagonists take center stage, and Moore skillfully develops their personalities while expertly weaving not just one, but two, mysteries across different timelines. Despite the complexity of the narrative, Moore constructs a sturdy framework, aided by a helpful timeline at the start of each chapter, preventing the weight of the story from collapsing in on itself.

The tale unfolds in August 1975 at Camp Emerson, an exclusive Adirondacks sleepaway camp for the children of wealthy East Coasters. A counselor discovers that Barbara Van Laar, the rebellious thirteen-year-old daughter of the camp's owners, is missing from her cabin. Louise, the only "townie" counselor, anticipates significant trouble as a result of Barbara's disappearance. To avoid revealing too much of the riveting plotlines, I'll refrain from delving further.

However, "The God of the Woods" transcends the typical thriller genre; it's also a poignant coming-of-age story for more than one character, delving into the discomfort of not fitting in, particularly poignant during adolescence. The novel tackles significant themes such as misogyny, class distinctions, and issues of substance and domestic abuse.

Regretfully, I completed the book last night, leaving me yearning for more. I extend immense gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my review.

I loved ‘Long, Bright River’ so was delighted to get my hands on an early copy of Liz Moore’s latest offering. ‘The God of the Woods’ opens with a hand-drawn map. Be still, my beating heart!

The story unfolds slowly, but that's OK because each era is so interesting to explore. Then, just when something big is about to happen, Moore pulls us out and plonks us down somewhere else in the timeline. It's frustrating but creates the most delicious tension. Chapters are short but the compulsion to keep reading is strong throughout. I found it interesting to see how some of the characters evolved through the years. I think there is a lot more mileage in Judyta, should the author choose to explore her life, and career, further in future. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable and compelling read.

What a pleasant surprise this suspense novel is being for me. FIRST of all I love when a author can write female complex and complete characters and well Liz Moore did it so good and so well in this book. I like the two timelines and how the whole narrative is weaved in such a delightful way that keep you reading. Other thing that I find so interesting about the author is that it confuse me a bit about this book being suspense, thriller or a coming of age book. But is not possible to just set it in one type because this book have a bit of everything. Is such a well written book set in a very good build ambiance. This book requires you to focus on it and your whole attention. So may be a bit difficult to read for some readers but for me is the first epic book of the year

4.5 stars


An excellent read.
Two mysteries, one unfortunate family.


Interesting characters, idyllic location, and a great divide between the wealthy family and the less fortunate.
Alice, Louise and Barbara make me care a fair amount for them....
A great sign of the quality of the writing.
I'll be recommending this to everyone I know.

When I like a book, I read in possible two ways- either I slowly savour each page, sipping each word and stringing it out as long as possible to enjoy every last paragraph OR I cram it into my reading hole like a giant chocolate bookcake, unable to stop and devouring the entire thing in one greedy sitting. 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore falls firmly into the latter category. I could not believe how fast I consumed all 500 pages in one feverish, riveted gulp.

I am a sucker for any sort of novel involving an American summer camp and when you throw in a multi-layered mystery with a side helping of really good police procedural, I suspected I was on to a winner. I was not wrong. 

The story itself blew me away with Moore's deft handling of a very tricky plotline and a wide cast of characters. The story opens in August 1975. Barbara Van Laar is the teen daughter of the wealthy family that owns Camp Emerson and the adjoining estate in the Adirondack region. One morning, her camp counsellor Louise finds Barbara's bunk empty.  And what's even worse is she is not the first Van Laar child to go missing- 16 years earlier, Barbara's brother Bear vanished while on a hike- without a trace, never to be seen again. Barbara's sudden and mysterious disappearance sets off a chain of events that threatens to reveal a troublesome web of secrets and lies between the wealthy Van Laar family and the local community.

The novel switches between the perspectives of four main characters: Alice, the mother of the missing children; Louise, Barbara's camp counsellor; Tracy, a fellow camper and Barbara's friend, and Judtya, a rookie police Investigator. The novel also jumps between numerous timelines- 1950 to 1961 to 1975. Normally I would completely hate this sort of thing- I find multiple timelines and protagonists can lead to a very choppy and disjointed story. Not so in this case- Liz Moore is an absolute master at stitching together all the various strands while at the same time keeping the plot moving along. I particularly liked Judtya's storyline as she navigates various challenges in the form of overt sexism, entrenched class based prejudice and her own family's attitudes as she doggedly goes to work on solving the case. The other three protagonists are a mixed bag, and unlikeable to various degrees, but again Moore handles this with sensitivity and nuance.

In my opinion, very few crime novels completely stick the landing and whilst this was close, I'm not sure I was 100% convinced by aspects of the ending. There were also a few twists along the way which I did see coming. None of this detracted from my ultimate enjoyment. And looking at the book cover afterward, I had an "A-HA" moment, where the picture I was looking at suddenly made more sense, which I thought was a nice little touch. I will definitely be going back for a re-read to see other things I probably missed in my first mad inhalation.

In short, I recommend this book with a full five stars and it will be high on my Must Read List this year.  Liz Moore is a very talented writer and I suspect this novel will deservedly be a HUGE hit in 2024.  Thank you to NetGalley and to HarperCollins UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this story. Well written. There are a number of timelines and people involved so it can get confusing but because it is well written I was able to keep up despite having a bad memory. Only a few f bombs which is always a plus for me.
I can highly recommend this book.

This was a great mystery, I definitely preferred some timelines over others but by the end it pulled together nicely. I was hooked from beginning to end.

When rebellious teenager Barbara Van Laar goes missing from summer camp, the panic that ensues is monumental. Louise, the camp counselor who discovers that Barbara is missing knows that this is a catastrophic development.

Not just because Barbara belongs to a wealthy family - who are, in fact, the owners of the camp - but also because she is the second child in her family to go missing.

Years ago, before she was born her eight-year-old brother Bear, also disappeared in the nearby woods. Despite an extensive search, he was never found.

As a local, Louise is well aware of the complexities of the relationship between the privileged Van Laars and the local community, many of whom are reliant on the Van Laar family as employers.

To lose one child in a family is a tragedy. To lose another child in the same manner, seems downright careless - not to mention suspicious...

This book provides an excellent snapshot of the 1970s in particular, in all its glorious misogyny and power differentials. Some of the themes covered in the book include the stereotypical roles allocated to married women, the challenges faced by working women, alcoholism, the durability of class barriers and the prevalence of domestic abuse.

This is a slow-paced, intense look at the interrelationships between various characters, and the author does a good job of writing believable, relatable female characters. Worth a read.