Although I've never been to a sleepaway camp, my kids go, and books set at a summer camp always interest me.

This one is a decidedly dark take on the summer camp setting, with the teenage daughter of the camp owners going missing...fourteen years after her brother disappeared.

A lot is going on in the book, with multiple timelines, lots of family drama, and lots of tension between the wealthy camp owners and the local blue-collar workers who make the camp possible.

It's an interesting story with some great twists and turns throughout.

Thank you to #Netgalley for this ARC of #thegodofthewoods

I found this book to be a slow read. I finished it but was disappointed at the ending. The characters weren’t always credible . Due to there other reviews I was expecting a better story .

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I grew up going to summer camp in the Adirondacks, so I was particularly drawn to this story, and that nostalgia kept me going at times in the beginning where the story felt slow. That said, I am very glad I stuck with it. This was a beautifully sad tale of family and tragedy and many strong characters.

Despite a rocky start reading this one (I do not recommend starting it at night when you are staying in a cabin in the woods 😂), I ended up loving it! I'm not a huge mystery reader, but this fell into the literary mystery genre I love. It's a story about two children from the same family who go missing from their family's summer camp 15 years apart. But really, it's the story of the wealthy family that owns this summer camp and the history and impact they've had on their community. I loved Moore's writing and thought she handled the multiple-timeline storytelling really well. And the ending! It's one of the buzziest books of the summer, and it lived up to the hype for me!

After loving Long Bright River, I had high hopes for Liz Moore’s latest release. With rave reviews and the book being everywhere this month, I was eager to dive in.

At first, I was overwhelmed by the numerous character introductions and frequent timeline jumps, which left me feeling confused and unsure if I’d love it as much as I had anticipated. I decided to take my time, read slowly, and without distractions, finishing it in a single day.

As I got used to the shifting perspectives and timelines, I began to appreciate how the story unfolded. The shorter chapters became easier to follow, and the small-town setting created a compelling sense of suspense around the "camp" and "Self Reliance." The timelines added depth and clarity to the story, though I found the twists a bit disappointing. This book leans more towards a quiet mystery than a thriller. Still, I enjoyed the exploration of themes like power, privilege, and family dynamics. Overall, it was an engaging read, earning 4 stars.

“When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide.”

This literary mystery/suspense novel was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and it did not disappoint! I’m a big fan of this author and love immersing myself in her gorgeous writing. The only thing I’m sad about is the fact that I have to wait years for another book by her!

Liz Moore blew me away with her masterful ability to weave an incredibly intricate structure within a very nuanced story that focused on power and identity. The overall mystery took a backseat to the rich character developmental, but I didn’t mind at all.

If you go in knowing this is a slow burn, and don’t expect a fast-paced thriller, I think most people will be able to appreciate the brilliance of this novel!
Thank you SO much to Netgalley and Riverhead for an advanced copy!

With this being a summer camp missing child story, I was concerned that the horror would be ramped up in this book. It was not. This was a well-told story wrapped around family. I enjoyed the way it was written, with chapters centered around particular characters. It also kept you wondering throughout how things were going to be wrapped up. I recommend to those who enjoy a good mystery.

This book was definitely riveting - my favorite kind. BUT for some reason it seemed so long, I just couldn't find an actual reason for that feeling - it wasn't too wordy, and didn't go on tangents - but I found myself constantly looking at the percentage progress on my Kindle.

I loved the mystery - I was definitely shocked at the resolution to Bear's death - a little confused on the the timeline of Slitter - when he got out, how long he was on the run, etc. But I was able to suspend my disbelief on that.

My heart broke for Alice, what a mess and what a long string of betrayals..... what a waste of a life. LOVED the investigator Judy - can't imagine in that timeframe what it must have been like to be a woman in a room full of policemen.

Overall, a great book - looking forward to future ones by this author.

This superb novel is one of my favorite books of the summer. Moore had me immersed in this page turning story of a summer camp in the Adirondacks, the wealthy who run it, and the townies who work for them. Throw in a serial killer, a new female investigator out to prove herself, and some campers who are about to find out what they are made of and you have a winner. Will enjoy putting this in my customers’ hands.

Two children from a wealthy New York family go missing in the Adirondacks 15 summers apart.

I have quite a few complaints with this one. This book did NOT need to be 500 pages. So much could have been trimmed out and honestly several POVs could have been completely done away with altogether (Jacob's, Carl's, probably at least half of Alice's chapters). Which leads to my next complaint-8? (I think the grand total was 8, I may need to re-count) points of view spanning 25 years and jumping from one timeframe to the next-sometimes within a POV chapter all 25 years were lumped together-was just far too much to keep up with. I found myself bored of the vast majority of these characters and skimming entire pages.

The conclusion of this book is probably the only reason I'd give it 3 stars rather than 2. Everything was wrapped up rather nicely and there were no questions left unanswered. Also, the way in which everything was discovered to have transpired made sense and nothing was absurdly out of left field. But the pacing on this was just so slow and there definitely weren't many thrills or suspenseful moments to be found.

4.5 ⭐️ - rounding up to five!

This novel is beautifully written, very atmospheric, and it makes for excellent summer reading even if the vibe is a little more melancholic than upbeat. Its summer camp setting pulled me in, as well as the year (it's set in 1975 - my birth year!), and I immediately connected with several of the characters that are introduced early on. The story moved a little more slowly than I'd expected, based on experience with the author's previous novel - Long Bright River - and it was a little longer than I felt it needed to be, but it held my attention and I was very curious to find out how the mystery would unfold.

There were times when I felt like there was just a little too much going on for one novel, but I didn't have trouble following along; readers should be aware that this story takes place over multiple timelines and has multiple, alternating narrators, so you'd better be ready to pay attention! I wasn't as thrilled as I'd hoped with the resolution to the mystery, but I thoroughly enjoyed these characters and Moore's writing, as always. She is definitely an auto-buy author for me and I highly recommend this one!

The God of the Woods will most likely be my favorite book this summer. It was immediately captivating and hard to put down.

Camp Emerson is a nature survivalist camp for kids set in the Adirondacks. In the summer of 1975, camp counselor Louise wakes up to find one of her campers missing. Barbara Van Laar, the missing camper, is the daughter of the wealthy family that owns the land on which Camp Emerson sits. This case becomes an immediate emergency and also opens up a lot of unanswered questions from a previous missing person case, Barbara's younger Bear, who went missing in 1961 and whose body was never found. Through a dual timeline, the reader learns of the search for both Bear and Barbara and the many secrets of all those involved.

I was instantly drawn into this story. The writing is exquisite and the short chapters made me want to keep reading. While this is a longer book, it certainly never felt long. If anything, I could have kept reading about these characters and their secrets.

It took some time for me to learn all the characters as there are many and, at times, the timeline felt choppy but once I settled into this story, this was no longer an issue. I do wonder if reading the physical book would have made that easier. It's hard to flip back a few pages on a Kindle.

Overall, I loved this book.

Thanks Netgalley and Riverhead Books for the advanced digital copy.

Easily one of my favorite books of the year. The God of the Woods is beautifully written and impressively immersive. The twists are smart and cleverly crafted. We get multiple POVs and multiple timelines and they are woven perfectly throughout. A must read!

Easy 5 star read that kept me wanting more! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!

The God Of The Woods

#1 indie pick of the month! Congrats Liz Moore!

I very much enjoyed reading this book, it has been my favorite book of the year thus far! All of the characters were so thought out and literally so many twists and turns I felt out of breath. I felt the most empathy for Louise because she was the only one not coming from a family who could get her out of big messes like everyone else and had the most to lose (my favorite character.) I loved the character development, the writing, the summer camp vibes, and how gender was talked about when it was a time no one talked about. Immediately I was hooked when knowing not only one child of the Van Laar family went missing 14 years ago but now another sibling has gone missing in the exact same location. The 70’s vibes made it feel like I was transported into an old summer camp and so badly wanting to be there. Yet at the same time so terrified knowing there was a serial killer on the loose. The pacing and suspense throughout the book was steady until it wasn’t and then chaos lol. So many twists and turns I did not see coming and usually I always have clues but this book is a masterpiece in its entirety. I had to sit with my thoughts for a bit before I could even write this review.

Thank you NetGalley and Riverhead Books for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 5 stars! If you love a book with different timelines and multiple POV’s this is the book for you and the best book of the summer!

PS: don’t forget to vote for this book to be Jimmy Fallons Book Club Pick!

I was really looking forward to this one after enjoying her previous book "Long Bright River", I am happy to say it didn't disappoint! Both of her books for me work within the mystery/thriller genre (my favorite) while also having a little more substance than most. Especially how she uses the cop procedural element but makes it feel fresh. The story in this one, spanning decades and generations, was rich and complex, and kept me hooked the whole way through. She also really works well with setting, and I thought the summer camp made it a great summer read, in fact I enjoyed part of it while sitting around a camp fire. Lastly, though a small thing, I really appreciated the way the date was presented at the opening of each chapter. I hadn't seen it done exactly like this before, and it really helped keep the multiple perspectives and timeline straight in a story that moved around a lot.

I had high expectations for this one after seeing so many great reviews and loving Long Bright River. Unfortunately, It did not deliver. I found the book to be super slow paced. It also had so many characters with different timelines and plotlines that it just became hard to follow.

The God of the Woods, set during the summer of 1975, is the perfect summer mystery!

During her first year of summer camp in the Adirondacks Barbara Van Laar, the teenage rebellious daughter of the camp owners, goes missing. It's not the first time this prominent local family has had to deal with a missing child. Barbara’s brother Bear disappeared from the same camp fourteen years ago in 1961 and was never found. While rumors swirl about the legendary local serial killer Jacob Sluiter, panic and suspicion grow among the counselors and family.

Moore weaves together the two timelines from Barbara’s disappearance in the summer of 1975 and Bear’s from 1961. Full of perspectives from fellow campers, the police investigators and family members, the author seamlessly melds family drama, police procedural and class issues together. Fans of mysteries and historical fiction will love The God of the Woods.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Riverhead for the advanced reader’s copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an E-ARC in exchange for an unbiased reader's review.

Liz Moore's The God of the Woods tells the story of young Barbara Van Laar and her disappearance from her in the Adirondack woods. The Van Laar family is wealthy and owns an expansive compound and campground which welcomes campers in the summer for independent survivor training. The book is told from several timelines including the 1950s, 1961 and Barbara's disappearance in 1975. I never grew bored during each of the timelines. They all added to the overall feeling of curiosity and vast wilderness of the woods. Indeed the woods itself was like a character within the book. The sections in 1961 focus on Barbara's older brother Bear (Peter IV) who went missing from those same woods.

Readers of popcorn mysteries and thrillers may have complaints about the length of the novel. It's a long novel at 473 pages and is literary fiction with a hint of suspense and mystery. It's very well written with a concise plot and well developed characters. Transitions between all of the timelines was seamless and fluid. I never caught myself wishing I was reading from another character's point of view or in a different timeline.

I enjoyed the descriptions of the woods, the summer camp experience, the expansive family history and inclusion of a female Inspector Judyta Luptack. I'm glad that Moore did not expand on police procedures or "cop talk" which would've distracted us from the overall dark woods, family saga plot. Very well written.

The writing was so descriptive! I could see everything in my mind. The mystery was compelling and the resolution was satisfying and not even close to what I was anticipating as I read. It's made my top ten list for 2024 for sure.