The God of the Woods: A Novel

By Liz Moore

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR

A NEW YORK TIMES "BEST THRILLER" AND "BEST CRIME NOVEL" OF THE YEAR

PEOPLE MAGAZINE’S #1 BOOK OF THE YEAR

“Extraordinary . . . Reminds me of Donna Tartt’s 1992 debut, The Secret History . . . I was so thoroughly submerged in a rich fictional world, that for hours I barely came up for air.” —Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air, NPR

“This expertly paced thriller …has the kineticism of a well-crafted miniseries.” —The New Yorker

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.

BUY THE BOOK

Published Jul 2, 2024

Average rating: 7.56

6,071 RATINGS

|

Join a book club that is reading The God of the Woods: A Novel!

Queer Men’s Wine & Dine Book Club

We’re a book club of queer men who meet monthly on a Sunday evening at a restaurant in the Los Angeles area to discuss the month’s book, enjoy a good meal, and share friendly conversation. When we dine out, we evenly split the bill at the end of the meal.

East Valley Women’s Fiction(and sometimes non-fiction)Club

A book club that meets in local restaurants in the East Valley of Phoenix, AZ

Books & Banter

We are a laid back group from all over the US who liked to read. So get comfy, grab a bite, pour a drink & let's chat books!

The Fiction Addiction

Want new friends & good reads? Join our women's book club! Share laughter and chapters with us! Diverse books with welcoming vibes. Join us! 📚☕️

Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *The God of the Woods* features richly drawn characters and a vividly atmospheric Adirondack setting that blends generational tension with...

Rlouise
Jul 10, 2026
7/10 stars
I was intrigued. I enjoyed it
Mellific
Jul 09, 2026
6/10 stars
This book was a little too all over the place to be able to easily and closely follow. I listened to this entire story on audio and even with the book in my hands, I could not keep track of all the characters combined with all the time jumps. It had a strong start, but it quickly fell away from that storyline and left me disappointed, wanting to resolve the first mystery while the author was trying to get me all lost in the woods.
Finney0411
Jul 02, 2026
8/10 stars
Great read! Instead of chapters, there are sections with subsection. Each subsection is titled with characters in the book & the year their "story" took place. I apparently live under a rock because I had no idea popular this book really was. I picked it up because of its title. I practice wiccan & am very connected to the earth & nature. I was hooked from the beginning. And the twists were amazing!!! It's quite a large book, but definitely worth it! @accidental_book_reviewer
Mrs Mayo
Mar 17, 2026
7/10 stars
I had a hard time getting into this book, initially, due to the amount of characters and timelines being cumbersome to follow 😅 I appreciated how everything came together in the end.
Sue Dix
Mar 14, 2026
10/10 stars
Take a family that only wants sons named Peter and there’s bound to be issues. The reputation of the family and especially the sons is more important than anything. Well, that’s just a recipe for all kinds of not good. The secret at the heart of this book will cause an explosion in the Van Laar empire. Liz Moore is so good with the family drama.

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.