Book Review: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

 

Pages: 496

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: July 2, 2024

Publisher: Penguin

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

Goodreads says, "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."

 

 

 

 

It's 1975 and Camp Emerson is a summer camp in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains. Barbara Van Laar is a camper, but not just any camper; her wealthy family owns the camp. Also, Barbara is eccentric and doesn't fit in with her family. Her family is very much about appearances and hosts elaborate parties, whereas Barbara doesn't get caught up in all that and her style is more Goth/Punk, which is the polar opposite of her family. She also acts out at boarding school and has behavioral problems, but her mother doesn't take an active role in her life. Since Barbara's brother, Bear, went missing years ago, her mother, Alice, has been a shell of a person--self-medicating, drinking too much, and disassociating. Barbara is enjoying her freedom at camp until one morning the camp counselor notices her bunk is empty. Barbara is missing. Cue the search parties and interrogations. One camper says Barbara leaves the bunk every night to see someone, and others think it might be the fault of Jacob Sluiter, a serial killer, who has recently escaped  from jail and is responsible for many deaths in the Adirondack area in the 1960s. In fact, many think it is Sluiter who is accountable for Bear's death. On the case is a new investigator, Judy Luptack, who wants to prove herself in the face of a lot of sexism from coworkers and even her parents, who want her home. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore is an atmospheric and suspenseful novel that is the perfect summer thriller.

The God of the Woods includes a lot of different points of view but it is so well done. Normally I really can't keep track of all the different characters and different flashbacks to the past, but Moore is masterful. I was completely absorbed in the various characters and the flashbacks to different time periods. I found Alice, Barbara's mother, to be a really interesting character. How did she end up like this? Moore takes us back to before Bear's disappearance and really sheds some light on her story. It's heartbreaking at times as she suffers both psychologically and physically. Whereas Barbara's father, Peter Van Laar loves to keep up appearances at all costs. The other secondary characters, the Hewitts, who work at the camp and are close family friends of the Van Laars, were also compelling, especially T.J. They are all hiding something though and slowly Moore takes us through their story.

I also appreciated the chapters from Judy's point of view, which made The God of the Woods feel like a really compelling crime novel. I was hooked and rooting for Judy from the start. I don't normally gravitate to crime fiction, but Moore did such a fantastic job blending that aspect of the story with the mystery as well as domestic drama.

Moore's writing is skillful in The God of the Woods. I can't really put into words how impressed I was with her ability to tell this tale, but she is at the top of her game. She also brought the atmospheric setting of the Adirondacks to life very well. I read this novel over a stormy weekend and the weather was the perfect compliment to the novel.

If you want a well written thriller this summer, look no further. The God of the Woods is one of the best of the year! So, let me know in the  comments if you are a fan of Liz Moore and if you read or plan on reading The God of the Woods .