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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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About this listen

AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

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

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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.

©2024 Liz Moore (P)2024 Penguin Random House LLC Crime Thrillers Editors Select Family Life Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Mystery Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Exciting

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

What listeners say about The God of the Woods

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Profile Image for samantha

Anticlimactic

Too many characters to follow and a whole lot of irrelevant waffle. I pushed through for some great ending, but alas, I was sorely disappointed.
Perhaps I’m too used to clever twists and plots to really enjoy this one. Having said that it’s fine for just a regular story I suppose.

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

unsatisfactory end. possible spoiler

of all the twists to find this 12yo girl, this was the least convincing. the serial killer was pointless. I didn't mind the story in terms of wrapping up the rich into the camp life and the sad reality about Bear. but the TJ angle was strange.

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

Phenomenal

Must read, couldn’t put it down. Don’t get put off by the many characters, it’s worth it

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Profile Image for Marianna

A weave of a story

A well written and satisfying read. The beginning is a little confusing with the number of characters but once you get into the story, with the help of a mind map, it gradually unravels with intrigue and many aha moments.

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Profile Image for Mark Kelly

Riveting

Great talking book. Terrific story brilliantly written and well read. You will not regret getting this book.

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Profile Image for Kez

Just Brilliant

I was completely captivated from the very start. The complex lives of the characters kept me thinking who could it be.

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

Cracking whodunit!

So many possibilities!
Well read also. Interesting look into the 1960s and 1970s. Loved the main investigator. You would definitely have to be one tough chick to be the first female investigator in a unit. Having 3 brothers would help.

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Kept me guessing till the end

Such a great read! Felt like a slow burn at the beginning but loved the story, character development and how it had me guessing until the end. Such a great book to read if you need a change of genre.

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Profile Image for JanieO

Undecided

one reader said there was a lot of waffle about inconsequentials and that the serial killer thing was a bit meaningless too, and I think I agree. There was a lot of little plots that I think distracted from the main story. The ending was somewhat disappointing and too quick, given the length of the narrative that went before. It should been fleshed out more to make it more satisfying for the reader. The narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, was an excellent and seamless performer who added to the whole perception of the book well.

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Great story and kept me invested till the end

Great story and loved the way the characters grew in the story. Lots of themes and empathy to life as a wife or mother in the 60s and 70s.

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