The God of the Woods

In the misty predawn hours of August 1975, a counselor at an Adirondack summer camp makes a chilling discovery: thirteen-year-old Barbara Van Laar’s bunk is empty. Barbara isn’t just any camper—she’s the daughter of the wealthy family that owns the camp and dominates the local economy, a place where blue-collar workers depend on the Van Laars for survival. Her disappearance echoes a haunting mystery from fourteen years earlier, when her older brother vanished without a trace, leaving the community fractured by grief and suspicion. As panic spreads through the pine-draped wilderness, a desperate search ignites tensions between the privileged Van Laars and the townspeople who both resent and rely on them.

Liz Moore masterfully weaves a multi-layered narrative that shifts between timelines and perspectives, pulling readers deep into the tangled secrets of the Van Laar dynasty. The story unfolds through the eyes of camp counselors, local investigators, and family members, each holding fragments of truth about the disappearances and the toxic undercurrents of class, power, and generational trauma. Moore’s prose immerses you in the atmospheric tension of the Adirondacks—the whispering woods, the weight of unspoken histories, and the ever-present fear that the forest itself might be hiding something ancient and dangerous.

This isn’t merely a missing-person thriller; it’s a profound exploration of how families fracture under pressure and how communities cling to myths to survive. The novel scrutinizes the fragility of privilege, the quiet rage of those living in the shadows of wealth, and the ways trauma reverberates across decades. Critics have praised its intricate plotting and emotional depth, noting how Moore balances heart-pounding suspense with nuanced character studies that feel startlingly real.

Readers are drawn into a world where every character—from the resilient teenage girls at camp to the weary locals—carries hidden burdens and motivations. Flashbacks to the 1960s deepen the mystery, revealing how past choices haunt the present and how easily trust can unravel in a community where everyone has something to lose. The woods themselves become a silent character, embodying both beauty and menace, as secrets buried in the soil begin to surface.

With its meticulous pacing and richly drawn setting, The God of the Woods delivers a reading experience that lingers long after the final page. It’s a story about the lies we tell to protect ourselves, the courage it takes to confront the truth, and the haunting question of whether some disappearances are ever truly solved—or if they simply become part of the landscape.