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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

'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.

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

All stars
Most relevant
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.

unsatisfactory end. possible spoiler

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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.

Anticlimactic

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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.

Undecided

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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.

Great story and kept me invested till the end

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Until the last half hour , this was a compelling read with the tension slowly building until a lame and letdown ending. I wanted more for some of the characters and felt they were left hanging , and made ultimately pointless. Too many convenient tie ups which I didn’t really buy. Until the last 30 minutes this had me well and truly hooked only to get to the end and think -really? Is that it? It deteriorated from a definite 5 star read to 3 because of the hurried up climax. .

Anti-climatic after such a buildup

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

Phenomenal

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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.

A weave of a story

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Enjoyable and engaging read. Great snapshot of the time period. A few twists and turns. Great performance by narrator.

Engaging story

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A well written mystery/who dunnit with some interesting well drawn characters. A fairly obvious (and believable) analysis of what money/reputation can buy and how it doesn't necessarily make you happier.

Mystery

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

Riveting

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