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.

The God of the Woods has easily become one of my favorite reads this year, a thrilling camp drama set in the Adirondacks in the Adirondack’s in the ‘70s takes us on a twisting, face-paced, and addictive journey through a summer camp in which Barbara goes missing fourteen years after her brother at the same camp their family owns. I had so many theories and in some minor instances I was somewhat correct, but did not expect the blow I would take when all is revealed. This novel was so easy to follow despite the different points of view and timeline shifts. It was so beautifully written, I felt almost as if I were right there at camp with them trying to help unravel the mystery that is not only the disappearance of both children, but the mystery that is the land, camp, and family. Brava, Liz Moore!

This book will keep you turning pages. More than one mystery to be solved. Characters you root for and those you love to hate.

Dual timelines that all lead to questions and suspense! A great summer read you won’t want to put down!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

God of the Woods is an immersive experience that keeps you guessing who is behind the disappearance of a teenage camper, and how it's connected to her brother's disappearance 16 years ago from the same camp. A wonderful, totally inpredicatable read.

LOVED! 500 stars. The perfect summer read! I love the way Liz Moore writes and her ability to put you squarely into the setting is amazing. Loved the summer camp vibes and was genuinely ambivalent about the ending which just WORKS for me when it comes to her books. Loved how it ended but also felt conflicted about it which means I haven't been able to stop thinking about this book. Fantastic.

So different from Long Bright River, and yet had similar themes of women struggling to overcome the limitations of their circumstances. Both a vivid portrayal of a place (the Adirondacks) and a time (the 1960s and 1970s) and two missing siblings in a wealthy family. Loved it and won't soon forget its characters and the spell it cast!

I didn't love it - it was fine, but not great for me. Beginning felt slow, middle picked up and was compelling but ending was not my fave - the outcome with Bear was not at all was I was wanting or imagining. Outcome with Barbara felt a bit more satisfying but unrealistic? Not as good as Long Bright River IMO.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I found this to be a very interesting read. I loved the parallels of the two children from one family going missing and found that to be a highly original concept, especially almost a decade and a half apart. This book was heartwrenching, intensive, and very well-written. This was also my first title by this author that I have read and I really enjoyed it. I will not be surprised to see this book on several "best books of the year" lists come December. In a genre that is so heavily saturated with similar stories, this one felt fresh and thoughtful. Five stars!

One word. Masterful. Easily my favorite book of 2024 so far and landing a spot in my all-time Top 10.

This book hooked me from the very beginning and never let go. Incredibly atmospheric and suspenseful. Liz Moore's characters are so well-developed and dimensional. I cared about them and their story every single second of every single page. The pacing of the plot is perfection and kept me turning pages until way past my bedtime.

Summer camp ✅
Mystery ✅
Terrible rich people ✅
What appears to be a fast paced summer thriller is actually a dark, slow burn literary mystery. Exploring themes of family secrets, power and identity, Moore weaves a layered novel with alternating perspectives and moving timelines. This was deeper than I had anticipated and I really enjoyed it. The setting was great, the characters were complex and the writing was excellent! And yes... the cover does eventually make sense 😆

Liz Moore's 2020 novel, Long Bright River, was a standout for me. The dark and visceral mystery captivated me with its deeply drawn characters, grounded realism, and compelling plot. It wasn’t an easy or light read, but it stayed with me long after I finished it. After four long years of eagerly waiting for something new from Moore, I was thrilled to receive a copy of her latest novel, The God of the Woods, from her publisher. Like her previous work, this novel centers on a missing person's case, but this time, it unfolds across multiple characters and timelines. Moore's unique, gripping, and thought-provoking writing style shines in this novel, exploring different themes and subjects while seamlessly weaving together another compelling read.

The sun is just beginning to peek over the horizon at an Adirondack summer camp when a counselor notices an empty bunk. It's 1975, and Barbara Van Laar, the camper who should be there, is missing. The counselor, Louise, doesn't initially panic. After all, each cabin is dutifully monitored by one of Camp Emerson's counselors. Surely, they'll know where Barbara is. When Louise discovers the hungover counselor, who very obviously didn't spend the night ensuring the safety of her charges, the reality of the situation begins to set in. Barbara isn't just any camper; she's a member of the Van Laar family, one of the region's wealthiest and most prominent families. The Van Laars own the camp and employ many of the local residents who run it. This is a disaster.

The urgency to find Barbara is heightened by several other alarming factors. News of an escaped killer has broken, and he is suspected to be hiding in the very woods surrounding the camp. Even more concerning, this isn't the first time a Van Laar has vanished in these woods. Decades ago, Barbara's older brother, Bear, disappeared among these trees, sending his parents, Peter and Alice Van Laar, into a tailspin. With Barbara now missing, locals fear history may be repeating itself. Could these two cases be related? Can Barbara be found alive?

In The God of the Woods, Liz Moore delves into the complexities of wealth, expectation, and legacy through a multifaceted missing person's case that will keep readers guessing until the very end. The story's intricate structure takes time to settle into as Moore alternates between various characters' perspectives across two different timelines. The past, set in the 1950s, revolves around Bear's disappearance, while the present, set in the 1970s, centers on Barbara's. This nonlinear narrative gradually reveals each character's motivations, withholding their true intentions until the story's climax. While this approach can initially feel tedious, I was utterly absorbed in the mystery by the halfway point, captivated by Moore's narrative craftsmanship.

The richly portrayed setting further enhances the story's allure. The woods become almost a spiritual realm, providing the perfect backdrop for Moore's intricate narrative. The grandeur and mystery of the forest create a constant, grounding presence amidst the shifting perspectives. This setting, combined with the complex characters and central mystery, makes the story's narrative acrobatics more engaging. The conclusion is both tragically poetic and deeply satisfying, delivering final revelations that feel both shocking and inevitable. The God of the Woods is another standout work from Liz Moore. It offers an unconventional take on the mystery genre that encourages contemplation of its deeper meanings while enthralling readers with its compelling story.

I couldn’t put this down. I enjoyed the setting of the camp, and the dual timeline. I wish it had been perhaps a bit more of a thriller/mystery as I felt a bit let down at the end.

The God of the Woods is a slow burn mystery thriller with a huge payout. I really liked the author's previous book: Long Bright River and although they are very different, the style is the same. This one had a hard start for me with multiple characters in multiple time lines but once I could wrap my head around who/when- it was a fantastic read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.