I’ve always been drawn to mysteries set in summer camps – there’s something about that isolated setting, surrounded by towering trees and hidden dangers, that just gets my heart racing. So when I spotted “The God of the Woods” by Liz Moore at my local bookstore last week, with its haunting pink-drip cover design, I knew I had to pick it up. And while it wasn’t quite the fast-paced thriller I was expecting, it delivered something even more compelling.
The atmosphere in this book is absolutely incredible. Moore’s writing transported me right to Camp Emerson in the Adirondacks. I could smell the pine needles, hear the crunch of footsteps on worn paths, and feel the heavy humidity of summer nights. It reminded me of my own brief stint as a camp counselor in college – though thankfully minus any disappearing children! The way she builds tension through the environment is masterful, making the woods feel both beautiful and menacing at the same time.
The dual timeline structure works surprisingly well here. We follow two missing children cases: Barbara Van Laar’s disappearance in 1975 and her brother Bear’s vanishing fourteen years earlier in 1961. Usually, I struggle keeping track of multiple timelines (I actually had to make little notes in my planner while reading “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” because I kept mixing up the decades!). But Moore weaves these storylines together seamlessly, each one building on the other to create a rich tapestry of mystery and family secrets.
This is definitely more of a literary mystery than a psychological thriller. Don’t go in expecting rapid-fire twists and shocking revelations every chapter. The pacing is deliberately measured, allowing us to really dig deep into the characters and their motivations. As someone who usually devours thrillers like candy, I found myself appreciating this slower, more nuanced approach.
The character work here is phenomenal. Louise, one of the camp counselors, and Alice, the mother of the missing children, particularly stood out to me. Their perspectives felt so real and raw that I found myself thinking about them even when I wasn’t reading. Moore has this incredible ability to make every character feel fully realized, even the minor ones. It’s like you could bump into any of them on the street and instantly recognize them.
The middle section does start to drag a bit. Around the 75% mark, I found myself wishing things would move along faster. I was reading this during my lunch breaks at work, and I kept checking how many pages I had left because it felt like we were circling the same ground. The strength of the writing kept me going, but I can’t deny that the pacing issues affected my overall enjoyment.
A special shout-out to the police procedural elements. The investigation scenes with Judyta, the female investigator, added another fascinating layer to the story. It was refreshing to see a complex female detective character who felt like a real person rather than a collection of tough-cop clichés.
The format requires your full attention. With multiple POVs and time periods ranging from the 1950s to 1975, this isn’t a book you can casually dip in and out of while watching TV (which I may or may not have learned the hard way). It demands your complete focus, but it rewards that attention with rich detail and carefully crafted revelations.
The ending left me with mixed feelings. While I appreciated its subtlety and how it tied various threads together, I found myself wanting just a bit more. It’s hard to explain without spoilers, but let’s just say it’s more of a quiet revelation than a dramatic conclusion.
This book reminded me a lot of “The Last Time I Lied” by Riley Sager, another summer camp mystery I read last year, but with a more literary bent. The way Moore handles the setting and characters elevates it beyond typical genre conventions, creating something unique and memorable.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller with shocking twists around every corner, this might not be your cup of tea. But if you enjoy richly developed characters, beautiful writing, and a mystery that unfolds like a delicate origami creation, “The God of the Woods” is absolutely worth your time. Just make sure you have the mental bandwidth to give it the attention it deserves – this isn’t a beach read!
I started this book during a rainy weekend, curled up with my favorite blanket and a cup of tea, and I think that was the perfect setting for it. The moody atmosphere of the story paired perfectly with the weather outside my window. While it wasn’t a perfect read for me, Moore’s writing has definitely convinced me to check out her other works. She has a way with words that makes even the quieter moments feel meaningful and charged with possibility.
One final note – if you’re sensitive to stories about missing children, you might want to approach this one with caution. While Moore handles the subject matter with appropriate gravity and care, it’s still a central theme throughout the book.
This is the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page, making you question what you might have missed and whether you really saw the whole picture. And isn’t that what the best mysteries do?
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