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The scoop: I didn’t see this one coming—and I’m so glad I read it.
Every so often, a book lands in your hands at just the right time. My friend gifted this to me after she read it — The God of the Woods by Liz Moore — and to be totally honest, I’m not sure I would’ve picked it up on my own. But I’m so glad I did.
Set in the Adirondacks in the summer of 1975, the story opens with a teen girl—Barbara Van Laar—vanishing from her bunk at an elite summer camp.
She’s not just any camper: she’s the daughter of the powerful family that owns the camp and essentially runs the town. To make things even more eerie, this isn’t the first Van Laar child to go missing. Her older brother disappeared 14 years prior, never to be seen again.
From that moment on, I was hooked.
There’s something about books set in upstate New York or anywhere in the New England area that always pull me in. Maybe it’s the sense of place—dense woods, lakeside cabins, that quiet stillness with just enough mystery baked in.
I also loved that this was set in the pre-cell-phone era. In today’s world of pings and GPS, the plot wouldn’t have worked. But in 1975? A missing girl in the woods feels terrifyingly possible.
Liz Moore crafts a layered story that bounces between timelines and perspectives—from the privileged Van Laar family to the working-class locals they employ.
The world she builds is rich and atmospheric, full of small-town tension, class divide, and old secrets. I loved imagining this idyllic summer camp on the surface, with something much darker simmering underneath.
There’s also a touch of true crime energy here—Barbara’s disappearance isn’t the only mystery. There’s a killer on the loose, too, which adds a creeping dread to the story.
It reminded me of those nights as a kid, hearing a scary story or seeing a home security commercial, and being absolutely convinced someone was coming to kidnap me. Moore taps into that same primal fear of being young and not in control.
Without giving too much away, I’ll say this: I was slightly disappointed by the ending—not because it was bad, but because I had built up so many possible outcomes in my head.
Still, it didn’t ruin the book for me at all. I genuinely enjoyed the ride. If you love a well-paced literary mystery with strong atmosphere and character depth, this is one to add to your list.
Fun fact: Liz Moore also wrote Long Bright River. I haven’t read the book, but I did watch the Hulu series and thought it was fantastic. I’ll be adding more of her work to my TBR.
Bottom line: If you’re into moody summer camp vibes, slow-burn suspense, and rich storytelling set against a backdrop of towering trees and family secrets, The God of the Woods is worth your time.
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