The God of the Woods
Page turning
Layered
Original

The God of the Woods A Novel

Liz Moore2024
From the New York Times bestselling author of Long Bright River, an immersive, propulsive novel about a missing child whose disappearance sends equal shockwaves through three very different worlds—an opulent Adirondack summer estate, the rustic teen summer camp that operates in its shadow, and the blue-collar community that serves them both. When Barbara Van Laar is discovered missing from her summer camp bunk one morning in August 1975, it triggers a panicked, terrified search. Losing a camper is a horrific tragedy under any circumstances, but Barbara isn’t just any camper; she’s the daughter of the wealthy family that owns the camp—as well as the opulent nearby estate and most of the land in sight. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared in this region: Barbara’s older brother also went missing fourteen years ago, never to be found. How could this have happened yet again? Out of this gripping beginning, Liz Moore weaves a richly textured drama, both emotionally nuanced and propelled by a double-barreled mystery. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded drama brings readers into the hearts of characters whose lives are forever changed by this eventful summer. Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet, The God of the Woods is a story of love, inheritance, identity, and second chances, a thrillingly layered drama about the tensions between a family and a community, and a history of secrets that will not let any of them go.
Sign up to use

Reviews

Photo of Brianna Hickey
Brianna Hickey @bdh7798
4 stars
Jul 10, 2025
This review contains a spoiler
Edgy
Artistic
Original
Meaningful
Intelligent
Unforgettable
Photo of lily
lily@aceroselily
3.5 stars
Jun 29, 2025
This review contains a spoiler
Photo of Aims
Aims@aimz
4 stars
Jun 26, 2025
Complex
Contemplative
Unforgettable
Photo of Nicole Neuman
Nicole Neuman@nicoleneuman
4 stars
Jun 17, 2025
Unique
Unpredictable
Photo of Lily Dendy
Lily Dendy@lildendy
3.5 stars
Jun 16, 2025
Photo of Zachary Roberts
Zachary Roberts@zachsports22
4.5 stars
Jun 16, 2025
Tragic
Remarkable
Suspenseful
Heartbreaking
Unforgettable
Photo of rhi
rhi@paedynsgf
2 stars
May 25, 2025
Photo of Jacque
Jacque@jacque_who
3 stars
May 3, 2025
Easy read
Predictable
Long winded
Photo of Abigail F
Abigail F@collapsinglibrary
3.5 stars
Mar 24, 2025
Photo of Foggylong
Foggylong@foggylong
2.5 stars
Mar 13, 2025
Photo of rachel
rachel@peace
4.5 stars
Feb 8, 2025
Photo of cg
cg@cataphora
5 stars
Feb 4, 2025
Magnetic
Page turning
Photo of Ruby Emmeline Fisher
Ruby Emmeline Fisher@rubyfisherreads
4.5 stars
Jan 17, 2025
Photo of P
P@patcher
4 stars
Jan 10, 2025
Photo of c0up
c0up@c0up
4.5 stars
Jan 6, 2025
Photo of Naomi P
Naomi P@bloowind
4.5 stars
Dec 21, 2024
Layered
Addictive
Thrilling
Page turning
Photo of p.
p.@softrosemint
2 stars
Oct 31, 2024
Photo of Greta Keller
Greta Keller@gretzka
5 stars
Oct 4, 2024
Photo of Kaitlyn Wendler
Kaitlyn Wendler@kaitlynwendler
4 stars
Sep 24, 2024
Photo of abi a
abi a@abiblu
3 stars
Sep 10, 2024
Photo of Lauren Piper
Lauren Piper@laurenpip
5 stars
Aug 30, 2024
Exciting
Beautiful
Surprising
Page turning
Photo of erin alise
erin alise @thehollowvalley
5 stars
Aug 23, 2024
Eloquent
Emotional
Suspenseful
Unforgettable
Photo of Christa Bell
Christa Bell@christalouwho
2 stars
Aug 21, 2024
Photo of Alice Argentino
Alice Argentino@aliceargentino
5 stars
Aug 6, 2024
Eloquent
Original
Timeless
Refreshing
Surprising