Liz Moore | THE GOD OF THE WOODS Spoilers

The Book: 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Published July 2, 2024 by Riverhead Books
Date read: September 19, 2024

Find more July 2024 releases here.

The God of the Woods spoilers can be found below, but they’re hidden under a spoiler tag so you’re safe to keep scrolling if you’d just like to read my review.

The Characters: 

Barbara, the missing girl
Judyta, the investigator

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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The Plot (from Goodreads):

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.

The God of the Woods Spoilers

Click here for THE GOD OF THE WOODS spoilers
Book spoilers ahead–if you haven’t yet read The God of the Woods, I suggest you turn back now.



The Reveal:

Bear had drowned in a row boat accident. Alice had taken him out onto the lake while drunk. She had no memory of the incident, but Bear’s grandfather found him dead. He asked Vic to help him hide the body, to avoid the scandal it would bring to their family if people knew Alice was at fault. TJ knew and kept their secret as well.

Barbara wasn’t visiting a boy at night. She was with TJ, who was helping her prepare to run away. TJ had always been like a mother to Barbara, whose own mother was a shell. TJ brought Barbara to her cabin in a remote part of the Adirondacks. Barbara was prepared to live there on her own until she turned 18.

The Ending:

Judyta had a hunch about what had happened to Barbara and why. She tracked the cabin down in private, just to see for herself. She spoke very briefly to Barbara, who said she was fine, and decided not to disturb the girl’s peace by telling people where she was.



I hope these The God of the Woods spoilers were helpful.

The Review: 

I know I’m late to the party, but The God of the Woods was freaking incredible. I wasn’t sure I was going to read this one after feeling so-so about Long Bright River, but after rave reviews (and a craving for a summer camp thriller) I’m so glad I did.

I loved the characters, especially Tracy and Barbara. There area a lot of characters to keep track of, but Moore lays them out flawlessly, and their personalities are unique enough to keep track. Just about everyone has a secret!

The setting is also great. I’ve never been to summer camp, but books like this make me wish I had gone as a kid. Not the disappearance bit I mean, but the atmosphere and the early scenes before all goes wrong. If you liked The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager, you’re going to want to give this one a read.

I can’t think of an ending I’ve loved this much in a long time.

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