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Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Violence, Murder, Alcohol
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Classism
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Lesbophobia
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Blood
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use
The setting of Camp Emerson in the Adirondacks is vivid and layered, a place where generational wealth, blue-collar struggle, and buried secrets converge. I eventually came to appreciate the disjointed storytelling. It mimics how an investigator would piece together a cold case, collecting fragments of truth from various sources until the bigger picture finally emerges. But I needed more tension and less filler for a book pitched as a thriller or mystery.
By the time the story picked up (around page 418), I was fatigued from keeping track of everyone: the Van Laars, the Hewitts, the townspeople of Shattuck, and the investigators. A family tree or character guide would have helped immensely. And while I admire Liz Moore’s ability to flesh out complicated dynamics, especially the imbalance between wealth and dependency, secrecy and survival, I didn’t feel invested in the mystery. When the truth finally unraveled, I didn’t feel shocked or satisfied. I just felt done.
T.J. Hewitt and Investigator Judyta Luptack were standout characters, and I would’ve loved a tighter story centered more squarely on them. While I have never attended summer camp, I can see how the nostalgic setting might enhance the experience for some readers.
If you like a slow-burn literary novel packed with small-town drama, power imbalances, and generational trauma, this might work better for you than it did for me. But for me, The God of the Woods was an overstuffed mystery that didn’t quite earn the emotional payoff it was building toward.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug use, Dementia, Death of parent, Alcohol
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Lesbophobia, Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Murder, Gaslighting, Classism
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship
I really enjoyed The God of the Woods. It’s a slow-burn mystery set at a summer camp in the '70s, where a young girl named Barbara Van Laar goes missing—and her older brother had disappeared from the same area years earlier. Right from the start, it’s clear this family has secrets, and the story does a great job peeling back the layers.
What makes this book stand out is how atmospheric it is. You can almost feel the heat of the Adirondack summer and hear the bugs buzzing in the woods. The setting plays a big role, and Liz Moore really captures that eerie, isolated camp vibe.
The characters are complex, especially Judyta, the rookie cop trying to make a name for herself in a very male-dominated police force. She’s smart, tough, and easy to root for. The story jumps between different perspectives and time, which adds depth but also means you need to pay attention.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller, this might not be it. It takes its time, focusing more on the characters and their relationships than constant action. But I didn’t mind that—once it picks up, it really hooks you.
Overall, The God of the Woods is a moody, well-written mystery with a great sense of place and some truly compelling characters. It’s not perfect (a bit slow in parts), but definitely worth the read. Would recommend to anyone who likes atmospheric thrillers with a literary touch.
Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy