4.5/5 rounded up. The layers in God of the Woods were well planned with a slow burn to the big reveal, after which all loose ends were thoughtfully tied up. (Was I the only one who forgot by then that the precipitating incident was Barbara going missing?)
Throughout the book there are issues of class dynamics, gender dynamics, and family dynamics, all playing out under the overarching theme of Self Reliance.
I like the title, the cover, and that each chapter heading included the timeline, and I think we can all agree that Bear Van Laar is a great name.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

3.5 My thanks to Netgalley for the DRC of this book, all opinions are my own.
And I'm somewhat in the minority here, as I didn't particularly like this. I can't fault the author, per se, as the writing is good. Moore sets a good scene, with excellent world-building (for those not around in the 70s, this is a good verbal description of what things were like without mobile phones etc), and excellent characters. The mystery is quite good too - a nice twist, having two children from the same family go missing, years apart - and, of course, mixing the two up keeps the reader on the wrong track.
So why didn't I like it? Despite the atmospheric writing, I just didn't gel with any of the characters. Partly my own fault, I went in expecting something a bit more mystical/ethereal, but apart from that, I have very little interest in, or sympathy with, the inner lives of the twisted rich. Capitalism and its many, many obnoxious effects leave me cold, so even though the mystery kept me going, I was not even a tiny bit invested in what happened to any of the characters.
And then, of course, there was the ending, which was tolerably satisfying for at least one disappearance, but stretched the boundaries of credibility with the second, and rather made the veracity of 70s world-building that had gone into the majority of the story slightly ridiculous.
Good writer, not my style or subject preference.

A slow unfolding book that makes you think. Don’t be deceived by the title – this is entirely set in the mundane world with no fantasy elements. However the mystery is intriguing and the characterisation is brilliant. Letting this more literary type of story have room to breathe was a good choice. Thoroughly enjoyed.

The God if the woods is a multi timeline book set at Camp Emerson which is owned by the Van Laar family.

In 1961 Bear Van Laar goes missing and was never found. In 1975 Barbara Van Laar attends the camp for the first time and also goes missing.

This isn’t an exciting book with new discoveries every few chapters but is slow paced novel that I actually think is better for the way it has been written.

I adored this book, it is my first book by this author but certainly won’t be the last.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

From the title I expected a mythic element to this story, maybe even a White Walker or Herne the Hunter figure but there is nothing like that. I am not saying that is a bad thing, just perhaps that the title is a little misleading.

This is a good, solid, well plotted mystery. The setting is interesting, the characters are well portrayed and believable with good backstories. Almost everything is plausible and I liked how characters like Carl and Maryanne and the firemen from the first disappearance have their stories finished at the end. The "best" character Judyta doesn't appear until very late on but I suspect there could be mileage in other books about her, her story is really just beginning.

I am not quite clear how Barbara found out about what was to happen in the autumn after the camp but it doesn't really matter, it probably is there and I just missed it but I did feel that the ending was unsatisfactory - 4 years in the wilderness?

This is easy to read and to follow and is a page turner.

This is a book that got its place in top 5 best books read this year. It has everything from likeable to unlikeable characters to a story that keeps gripped until the end. I barely let this book out of my hand because I wanted to see what happens next. I loved the multiple timelines and the multiple point of views of the characters and seeing how they evolve and grow by the end of story. At first I didn't know exactly what to expect from the story but soon I was so involved in the story and in some of the characters lives that I knew that it will get 5 stars from me.

Thank you to NG for the ARC in exchange for a review.

My first experience with this author and I thought this book was beautifully written. The characters were well-considered and developed nicely throughout the book. The storytelling and imagery was very visual and I felt I was right there in the camp with everyone. The different timelines worked well and added real substance to the 'present' story. The twists were unexpected and all the threads came together nicely at the end. Very enjoyable.

I'm not really a Crime reader but the blurb for this one seemed fascinating. The Author is new to me and her writing style really pulled me in to the story. It's gripping once it begins to get going and is the type of story that you'll think about for a while after you've finished it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this ARC

When 13 year old Barbara Van Laar vanishes from her cabin at the Summer Camp it is particularly harrowing for her family as some 16 years earlier her brother Bear aged 8 also disappeared whilst on a hike with his grandfather. The Van Laars are a wealthy banking family who own the land where the Camp is situated. After Bear's disappearance his mother Alice became an alcoholic and her husband Peter showed little interest in either her or their daughter.. Barbara seemed to be left to her own devices a lot and was looking forward to attending the Summer Camp.. She made friends with another girl Tracy and also seemed popular with the other children and Counsellors. After her disappearance, people started to wonder if it had anything to do with Bear's disappearance. Bear's body has never been found although a local man was suspected of abducting him. As the police start to investigate Barbara's disappearance,, it becomes clear that there are many people with secrets they wish to keep hidden.
A thoroughly enjoyable book told from several viewpoints and dual timelines with a surprising ending.

I loved this book! Liz Moore is a favourite author of mine and her latest publication does not disappoint. Set in an elite summer camp for teens in the Adirondacks over different timelines, it tells the story of two missing children and the effects on the family and local blue-collar community.

Propulsive, engaging and compelling, this is Liz Moore at her very best. A 5 star read for me.

A bit of a slow burner, but when the characters are established and your opinions are formed twists and turns are introduced that make you think. The story is not written in sequence which also makes you engage your brain! There are also small shocks when the accepted norms from not that long ago (but not acceptable now) are casually added to the narrative.
All over it was an enjoyable read, it trundles along quite nicely though I would advise not leaving long between reading chapters as it took a while for me to remember what had happen and where I was last. Not great when this is such a long book! The last third storms along and it is hard to put down. Recommended. The only niggle is the title....
Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins and Liz Moore for the ARC.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6409209896

Beautifully written, atmospheric murder mystery in an inspired setting (holiday camp in the woods). Also better rounded, more interesting characters than you usually get in these things. Big thumbs up and thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the ARC.

Set over two time frames in the mid 20th Century, in rural New York State, and told from a number of female characters view points. The God of the Woods ticked a lot of boxes for me. It didn't disappoint. Partly a mystery, partly a coming of age book, it is basically about friendship, relationships, power and loss, and I was all for it.
The Van Laar family are privileged, conservative and prejudiced. Their seemingly perfect existence is shattered not once, but twice, when firstly their little boy but then their teenage daughter go missing. The plot is revealed through the voices of Barbara Van Laar, her mother, her friend, her camp counselor and her boss, and the female detective who is searching for her. All of them are intriguing and written with depth and sensitivity. It is hard to pick a favourite.
I absolutely recommend this meaty and gripping novel. It would be a really good Book Club pick, as there are so many points of view and characters to both love and hate.
Now I am going to go and read Long, Bright River. It has been on my 'to be read' list for ages, and now I can't wait.

When a young girl goes missing from a summer camp it brings back memories of an earlier disappearance. That of her younger brother many years before.

This is a very readable mystery/ police procedural which I thoroughly enjoyed. The missing girl, Barbara, is from a rich and powerful family who happen to own the camp. They are portrayed very well especially Alice, the mother who has been destroyed by her son's disappearance and barely registers that her daughter is alive. The father, Peter, is monstrous. A cold, calculating man who shows little affection to his wife.
Other characters have you rooting for them especially Louise (from the wrong side of the tracks) who finds herself under suspicion.

Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Van Laar family are wealthy bankers with a country home in the Adirondack mountains. A decade ago, their sone, Bear went missing and was never found. A children's summer camp has run on the estate for many years and this summer the Van Laar's daughter Barbara is attending - and goes missing. Rookie investigator Judka is on the case and soon finds there is much not to like about some of the Van Laars. Plus there's a serial killer on the loose from prison, and he's probably headed in their direction. Its a clever, complex plot, with plenty of action - a good read.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore is a book of many, many levels, two mysteries, two siblings and two timelines. Liz Moore elegantly entwines the narratives to a coherent whole that is simply mindblowing

There is so much to this novel, from social norms of the 60s and 70s, the differences in family dynamics and prejudices, and the narrative that reminds us of this very, very different time. As a GenXr, it is reminiscent of Summers out playing in the sun, but there was always the warnings to return by nightfall, and if you were not in by then, there was an issue!

Barbara Van Laar is at camp, which is on the preserve owned by her parents. However, when the counsellor checks the girls are in their cabin, she finds that Barbara is missing. This coming after her brother went missing in the same way 14 years prior. What happened? Who was responsible? Are they linked?

The investigation spreads far and wide affecting the entire community and to say this book rinsed me out is nowhere near an understatement. I was exhausted by the time I finished it and emotionally drained. What a journey

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | The Borough Press and the authoer Liz Moore for this fantastic ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

An enjoyable double mystery that explores family, class, generational trauma and justice in the fascinating setting of a 1970s summer camp.

I'd seen alot of promotion of this book on bookstagram but wasn't sure I'd enjoy it as much as I did.

A wonderful, hefty novel, that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. So many undertones in this book, the challenge of being different, the families you are born to and the families that you make. Trusting your gut and trying to make the right choices. Retribution for past mis justices.

The characters were superb, the chapters from various character perspectives cohesive and all building on the story.

A longer book than I've read in a long time which I sped through.

4.5 rounded up

This is the greatly anticipated follow up to the bestseller “Long Bright River”, a novel I also thoroughly enjoy. In this one, Liz Moore transports us to the Adirondacks, specifically the Van Laar Preserve, within which is Camp Emerson. In August 1975, camp counsellor Louise discovers that Barbara Van Laar, the thirteen year old daughter of the owners, is missing from the cabin she shares with other girls, including Tracy, with whom Barbara has formed a friendship. As if it isn’t bad enough that she’s missing, this isn't the first Van Laar child to disappear. Sixteen years ago, Barbara’s older brother Bear vanishes and is never seen again although a deceased local man is presumed to be his killer. This ambitious novel is told in two timelines, the first is 1950’s-1961 which centres on Bears story and from 1975 which focuses on both siblings and the Van Laar family. It’s fair to say that many lives are affected and changed by their story.

There is no question in my mind that the author has pulled off her intentions with this novel and as it progresses the multiple layers are peeled back allowing us to witness the dark heart at the centre of this. The story gives us not one intriguing mystery to unravel but two and along the route to the surprising conclusion it includes family dynamics, social hierarchy and commentary such as the status of women, abuse and misogyny that takes your breath away. There’s deeply rooted toxicity and prejudice but to counterbalance this there’s also a strong element of friendship which shines like a beacon amongst the less savoury elements.

It’s a well constructed slow burner plot which speeds up after a while and has short, sharp chapters which increases the tension. The two alternating timelines are seamlessly woven together, revealing a multitude of secrets, an accumulation of lies in order to cover them up, creating a suspenseful whole. There’s a range of complex characters who are well portrayed from the deeply unlikeable to the damaged and betrayed and some who are very likeable especially Judyta Luptack the young investigator in the ‘75 timeline.

The novel twists and turns, taking you through a range of emotions, breaking your heart when the darker aspects are revealed. I certainly don’t see the end coming but it makes me cheer, loudly.

Overall, it’s a powerful and intense read which shines a spotlight on many things especially the attitudes of the time. The setting is fantastic and beautifully described so you can visualise it easily. I have little doubt this will be another bestseller for the talented Liz Moore.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction, The Borough Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Teenager Barbara has gone missing from a Summer Camp.
She is the daughter of the camp owner and her brother had also disappeared from there fifteen years earlier.
A slow moving mystery that had lots of characters who are keeping secrets.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for my e-copy in efforts and honest review.