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The God of the Woods

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The God of the Woods

By: Liz Moore
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
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£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

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**AS HEARD IN THE TAYLOR SWIFT DOCUMENTARY, THE END OF AN ERA**

AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF 2024

WINNER OF GOODREADS MYSTERY & THRILLER BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024

'I was totally gripped' DOUGLAS STUART

'Immersive and enthralling' PAULA HAWKINS

'At first hard to put down. By page 200, impossible' STEPHEN KING

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When their thirteen-year-old daughter Barbara goes missing at summer camp, all eyes fall on the Van Laar family.

They're cold, rich people. They own the camp. And it's happened to them before.

Fourteen years ago their little boy, Bear, vanished without a trace.

Two children lost to the same wilderness.

Is it a tragedy… or a crime?

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‘Brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced … I can't remember the last time I felt so entangled in a novelist's coils’ Clare Chambers, author of Small Pleasures

'A beguiling novel with a relentless grip. You won't be able to put it down' Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground

'At once an immersive family saga and utterly propulsive mystery. Beautifully written' Emilia Hart, author of Weyward

‘A masterful literary thriller’ Lucy Clarke, author of The Hike

‘Riveting from page one to the last breathless word … This book flew by at lightning speed, but will stick with me for a very long time’ Rebecca Makkai, author of I Have Some Questions For You

‘Dickensian in scope … Very entertaining’ Vogue, Best Picks for Summer 2024

The God of the Woods debuted at #3 on the New York Times bestseller list on 21 July 2024.

READERS ARE SAYING…

'I simply couldn't put it down!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'An excellent page-turner' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I didn’t see the end coming' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I strongly urge everyone to read it and experience the magic for themselves' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'My top read for 2024 so far. Actually, top read full stop' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A fascinating story with lots of ups and downs… I did like the conclusion, very clever!!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Loved this book from page one! … A book not to be missed!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I cannot think of when I have read anything so evocative' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A riveting read. If you're looking for intriguing characters, a beautifully crafted, slow and atmospheric mystery that feels incredibly intense, then this is the one for you' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

©2024 Liz Moore (P)2024 Penguin Random House LLC
Crime Fiction Editors Select Family Life Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Mystery Small Town & Rural Traditional Detectives Exciting Fiction Scary
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Editorial Review

“When lost, sit down and yell”
I’ve been a huge fan of Liz Moore since her memorable novel Long Bright River wowed me in 2020. It also kept me up all night, speed-listening until I finished the last chapter. When I heard Moore was releasing a new novel, not only did I know that The God of the Woods would be an auto-download, I was also prepared for another sleepless night. And sleep I did not. This haunting and heartbreaking story centers on a 13-year-old camper who goes missing 14 years after her older brother vanished in the same Adirondack woods. Alternating between present day and flashback, Saskia Maarleveld’s narration is captivating, echoing the story’s eerie atmospheric tension and rich complex characters. Her ability to convey deep emotions and suspense enriches this thrilling journey through one family’s troubled legacy that builds to a dramatic final act. I would gladly forgo another night of sleep to go back and listen to this one from the beginning again. — Margaret H., Audible Editor

All stars
Most relevant
I really liked parts of this - the beginning and the end, namely - but a lot of it seemed irrelevant or boring. I don’t think the parallel timelines were needed - it could have been better if it just stuck to the present day. Lots of sub plots that were also irrelevant to the story, and the ending was a bit of a let down. Also, there were so many characters, half of which seemed irrelevant.

I felt like I didn’t care about what happened to the characters a lot of the time. It was really well read, just the plot of the actual story let it down! I don’t understand how it’s got so many 5* reviews, as it was a very mediocre book. The writing was lovely, just a sub par plot.

Too long

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This is a mystery story but more character than plot driven. The reader is excellent.
To be recommended

A cracking story beautifully read.

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A NYT Book of 2024. Interesting right up to the very end. Good narration, too. Definitely recommend!

Excellent read!

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I loved everything about this book, literally everything. First time listening to anything from this author so now I’m searching out more

Loved it

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It was too wandering. I had difficulty in following it so skipped to the end. The character Alice was really annoying

Nothing

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