Book Club Monday: The God of the Woods

Author: Liz Moore Title: The God of the Woods Publisher: Riverhead Books Date Published: 07/02/2024

Read Dates: 10/04/2025-10/12/2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

This was my book club pick for October.

The God of the Woods is a multi POV, multi timeline mystery. In August 1975, camper Barbara Van Laar goes missing while attending a summer camp that her family owns. This is disturbing enough on its own, but the tragedy is compounded by the fact that 14 years older Barbara’s brother also disappeared from the same property. Timelines shift as details are revealed about the Van Laars, counselors, townspeople, friends and investigators.

This was a fascinating mystery. I loved how tangled the timelines were and the multiple approaches to the story from different points of view. I was left a little unsatisfied by the ending, but also cannot think of a way that the story would have ended better. I’m curious to see what else this author has written.

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

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.