Breakaway Books

Authored by Liz Moore; Published July 2024; Mystery

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 🏖️🏖️

The God of the Woods is an epic mystery. It spans three decades and dives deeply into two different mysteries, nimbly jumping between them. I applaud Liz Moore—it takes a lot of skill to weave this much information together into a cohesive and compelling narrative.

The God of the Woods follows the disappearance of Barbara Van Laar, whose big brother Bear had gone missing a decade prior, never to be found. Vanished from a high-class summer camp on land owned by her wealthy family, Barbara proves to be impossible to find. The setting is enticing—a wealthy estate nestled next to a working class small town with a lot of history, and a few grudges, with the ruling family:

I enjoyed the way this story was told—always through the eyes of the girls and women who are often forced to bear the burden of the decisions made by the men around them. Rich men do not come off well in this narrative—most often as entitled figures who are enraged at the thought of being held accountable. Apart from those rich men, the characters are nearly universally complex and sympathetic, motivated by love for their jobs and their families. Between the two mysteries, we get to know a wide swath of characters throughout the 50s, 60s, and 70s, crossing class boundaries.

The primary investigator, one of the first female state troopers, was a particular favorite of mine. While her background didn’t get in the way of the heart of the mystery, I knew just enough about her to root for her as she untangled the web of affairs, deaths, and lies that have trapped the Van Laar family. In the end, though, the mystery is less about putting the right person in jail, and more about a more holistic justice. In a small town, that means restoring reputations and fortunes as much as a courtroom verdict.

The God of the Woods is quite the time investment, but you will certainly not regret diving into this mystery.