This book was so page turning.
I loved the twist an turns.
The characters were well rounded and some were cringe worthy.
This story line was so intriguing
I could see discussions on this in a book club.

4.5 well this was quite the wild ride!

Synopsis: When they were eleven years old, best friends Naomi, Cassidy, and Olivia spent the summer playing the Goddess Game in the woods, believing in magic and goddesses. The summer ends, however, with Naomi have been attacked and surviving the seventeen stab wounds she received. She identifies the man who hurt her, and the girls' testimony sentences a serial killer, who had been wanted for murdering six women, to prison, making them local heros. They were also liars... These friends have kept a crucial secret. Olivia wants to finally tell the truth, and Naomi wants to better piece together what actually happened in the woods.

Thoughts: Considering that Katie Alice Marshall has previously written exclusively YA and middle grade books, this was an excellent adult debut! I was guessing from the beginning to end, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I liked the integrated flashbacks to when they were younger and how that gave us a glimpse into the dynamics of these three friends. One of the main reasons it isn't a five star is that there was a bit of a slow period in the middle, but it made the ending worthwhile! I also didn't like a particular choice that the author made right at the very end (won't say anything further to avoid spoilers!).

3.75 stars, rounding up to 4. I just finished What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall, narrated by Karissa Vacker. Overall, I enjoyed listening to this audiobook - it was entertaining though I have to say it had some slow moments and that's why it's not a solid 4. The narrator was superb! Really nailed the characters' personalities.

Big thanks to Netgalley and and the publisher for an advanced copy of audiobook version. #netgalley #WhatLiesInTheWoods

What Lies in the Woods might be my favorite suspense novel I’ve read this year. It is extremely multilayered, filled with red herrings, and at its heart has a truly compelling story that made me legitimately care for the main character, Naomi.

The basic premise: at age 11, Naomi was stabbed 17 times in the woods by her house while her two best friends hid and watched the whole thing. In the aftermath, the three girls identify the attacker, who turns out to be the main suspect in a string of murders. Except…did they actually SEE him, or were they coerced to ID him by the police? The second layer of the novel has to do with the Goddess Game the girls used to play in the woods, and the “rituals” they did for the game. And finally, the third layer of the novel is how the girls end up as adults: how did the events from that summer in the woods leave its mark on each of them?

The writing is absolutely gorgeous. Kate Alice Marshall takes a relatively unlikable character and gives her so much depth that it’s impossible to feel anything but extreme empathy for her. The way she develops her characters is so effective, and almost made me feel like I was reading more of a contemporary fic than a thriller…except it was almost impossibly to forget I was reading a thriller because the suspense & mystery aspects were expertly done.

About halfway through the book, I thought I’d figured everything out…only to find that while I had uncovered pieces of the story, there were even more things that took me completely by surprise.

This was perfect as an audiobook - the narrator really embodies Naomi’s spirit, consistently bringing the right emotions and inflections to the work.

Honestly I can’t recommend this one highly enough!

What Lies In The Woods is Kate Alicia Marshall’s first thriller novel, and I am confident this will not be her last! This novel centers around Naomi, who was attacked in the woods with her two best friends when she was only eleven years old. Her testimony put away the person who presumably tried to murder her. After the person dies in jail after being incarcerated for over twenty years, she starts to question what happened in the woods and returns to her hometown to determine what really happened.

This book was a wild ride. I was hooked from the start, and the story is full of twisty twists. As soon as I thought I knew where the story was going, there was another Vic twist. The execution was so clever that I got tricked through the entire story. I loved the narration by Karissa Vacker. She is becoming my favorite narrator. She does a great job differentiating each character's voice and making the atmosphere perfect.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Macmillan audio for giving me a copy of the book

Gripping story of three childhood friends who shared a trauma and kept a secret for 22 years. When Naomi returns to her hometown after the killer they put away dies, a series of events unfold and the secret threatens to come out. Author Kate Alice Marshall weaves an intriguing tale full of twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages till the end.

I absolutely loved this book! I chose this one because the synopsis looked like it could be good and the narrator is one of my favorites. So naturally, the narrator was wonderful and made the audio version even better- she has distinct voices for each character and injects such emotion into the story! There were so many twists and turns and the ending was perfect.

When 3 best friends survive an attack in the woods that left one of them stabbed at the ages of 11, one man is sent to prison. Now adults, Naomi, Cassidy and Olivia are finding things were not what they seemed when they were children. Naomi, the friend left for death after being stabbed repeatedly, begins to question who she can trust as she discovers buried truths. Did the goddess game they played as children have a darker meaning?
With many disturbing characters and various twists,, this was definitely a suspenseful and quick read. I’d highly recommend!
*** huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

After seeing this book being raved about everywhere, I was ecstatic to get an ALC of it! The audio is so well done, and I could not listen to it fast enough! For Kate Alice Marshall’s first time writing in adult mystery/thrillers, you definitely cannot tell she has never done this before. The plot was paced perfectly for me, with perfectly timed twists. The characters were well developed and relatable in so many ways. The details were so perfect to create such an atmospheric read for me. I can see this book getting a lot of attention when it is released next month! And I plan on keeping this author on my radar!

Something about this book drew me in from the very beginning. I actually guessed both of the twists in the end, but probably because I watch a ton of true crime docs and I feel like I've seen/heard every scenario out there HAHA.

Naomi, Cass, and Liv were best friends and when they were 11 a serial killer attacked Naomi while they were out in the woods. 20+ years later, that serial killer has died in prison and a mysterious podcaster comes to town to interview the infamous girl who survived and put a serial killer in prison. Naomi starts to realize maybe she doesn't remember things the way they really happened and questions everything. Was she really attacked by the man she put away?

The end - wow. All hell breaks loose. And even though I had my suspicions of what was coming, I still felt like the end was intense. Karissa Vacker was AMAZING narrating this story. Perfect casting! This is easily one of my top audiobooks of 2022. Definitely one to check out.

This book was full of twists and turns. There is very heavy subject matter in this book and would recommend looking up the content warnings as SA, self harm, and suicidal ideation are big points in the book. All of the characters were so beautifully developed and you along with the main character end up questioning everything and everyone. In the audiobook the narrator does a fantastic job voicing many characters make and female which is not an easy task. She made each voice unique and easy to differentiate from one another.

One summer evening 11 year old Naomi was brutally attacked in the woods and survived 17 stab wounds. Naomi's testimony put a serial killer away. Now 25 years later secrets begin to surface 🫢
This book hooked me right from the start, I was immediately drawn into this story, it was fast -paced, engaging, and had plenty of twists & turns that kept me guessing. I didn't guess the bad guy & liked the ending. I will definitely read this authors next book. Thank You to MacMillan Audio for the ARC thru NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review!
This book is set to be Published 1/17/2023.

From start to finishing this book I enjoyed myself reading. It was a fun easy thriller I definitely recommend!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for this advanced copy of What Lies in the Woods audiobook narrated by Karissa Vacker. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story was engaging, fast-paced, and had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. While some of the plot twists were a little predictable, I realized that was the point so that they bigger reveals seemed even bigger. Karissa Vacker is a wonderful narrator who I've enjoyed in many books in the past. She has a great talent for providing male and female voices that are unique enough for me to keep track of all the characters. If you're looking for a twisty, fun, engaging audiobook, What Lies in the Woods should be your next pick!

What Lies in the Woods is exactly what a psychological thriller should be—all kinds of dark and twisty both literally and figuratively.

Naomi, Cassidy, and Olivia were unlikely friends in the small town where they grew up in the Pacific Northwest. They spent their summers roaming the woods playing their Goddess Game. Everything was carefree and fine, until Naomi was brutally attacked in the woods one summer evening. After surviving seventeen stab wounds, at only eleven years old, Naomi’s testimony put a serial killer away.

Twenty five years later we find that that summer wasn’t as innocent as we were led to believe, and the girls are holding onto a secret, one that is about to undo them. One is ready to tell, one wants more information, and one is willing to kill to keep their secret.

Kate Alice Marshall does a fantastic job writing three flawed women, and how each responds to trauma in their own way. The secondary characters were superbly written as well, often having more depth than needed that only enhanced the story. This thriller is definitely one to read!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and of course Kate Alice Marshall for the advanced copy of the audiobook. What Lies in the Woods is out on January 17th. All opinions are my own.

What Lies in the Woods, from Kate Alice Marshall, is a richly narrated, atmospheric mystery that is excellently read by Karissa Vacker.
This is a complex story of childhood trauma, unresolved small town secrets, and a story that indeed captures the enduring impact of violence, secrets, and memories over time. I was really invested in how Naomi's story unfolded as she returns to her home town to face her past (claim to fame, catching a serial killer as a young adolescent but not without harm); what really happened that night and to her and her friends? What did they lie about? Why? What did happen and what has happened/will happen now that time seems to be running out on keeping those secrets hidden?

This is fast paced but also moody and atmospheric, the writing and narration invite you into not just the story but also the mood and uncertainty surrounding Naomi's story. This was a great listen on my long commute!

Recommended for fans of Dennis Lehane, SA Crosby and for fans of recent books such as The Resemblance and A Flicker in the Dark.

Thank you to MacMillan audio for the review copy!

"They were eleven when they sent a killer to prison...They were heroes...but they were liars."
Twenty years ago, Naomi and her two best friends, Cassidy and Olivia, spent the summer playing Goddess Game. They spent their time exploring the woods, imagining a world of magic and ceremony. That came to an end when Naomi was brutally attacked, miraculously surviving to identify the man who viciously stabbed her 17 times. The girls gave their testimonies, resulting in a serial killer being locked away, wanted for murdering six women. They were heroes, but they were also liars. Now, decades later, Olivia wants to come clean and Naomi wants to discover what really happened in the woods that day, no matter how dangerous the truth may be...
Oh my goodness, this story was outstanding! There were so many twists and turns, my head was spinning! Following Naomi in search of the truth was confusing, heart-pounding, and gut-wrenching. Karissa Vacker, one of my favorite audiobook narrators, did a phenomenal job bringing this story to life and making you feel each emotion Naomi felt. I can't wait to listen to more books narrated by her, as she always does a spectacular job! I also can't wait to explore more of Kate Alice Marshall's work, as this novel has definitely reserved a spot in my top reads of this year!
I received a free copy of this book via Libro.fm, NetGalley, and Edelweiss+. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I really liked the narrator of this. I also felt like the story was fast paced and kept me guessing. I liked the twists. I would recommend it to mystery lovers. It’s an easy listen. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

This book was really good. I really enjoyed it. More than I was expecting. I didn’t even know much about it, but saw it on @netgalley and thought it sounded good, requested the audio version and to my surprise, I was approved. I started right away. And it was so good. Like I said, I didn’t know what it was about so I wasn’t expecting that much.
It follows the story of three girls, Olivia, Cass and Naomi. These girls have been friends since they were kids. Twenty years ago, when they would play games in the woods, there was a serial killer around. Well, one of the girls, the MC, was stabbed 17 times by that serial killer. She surprisingly survived and the three girls were able to identify the man and send him away to prison for many many years. Flash forward to present day and these girls are all grown up now. And this serial killer Alan Stohl dies in jail from cancer. His death not only is breaking news, but it also conjures up old memories about that day in the woods. They girls lied and they knew and kept a secret for 20 years. But what exactly did they lie about and why? Well you’re taken on ride to find these answers and more. The twists that came were so unexpected, I was shocked. Are friendships worth dying over? Are those secrets ever going to come? You’ll need to read this book to find out.
I thought was a fast paced read, with unexpected twists. I was pleasantly surprised with it. It’s definitely a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 star book. If you’re a thriller lover like me, give this one a try.
Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanaudio
for an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: Jan. 17, 2023

Holy crap this book was so good!! Some of the twists I guessed and some I didn’t but the story was so incredible it didn’t matter much either way. This is one of those books that was extremely hard to put down with a cast of wonderfully complex characters full of imagination, delusion and depravity. Their secrets and lies have been buried, forgotten and warped but when the truths begin to emerge, no one is safe from the fallout. I haven’t read a thriller this good in a long time. Highly recommend!! Also, the audio narration was fabulous.