The God of the Woods

This book  by Liz Moore (see also my post on Long Bright River) is on so many "recommended" and best seller lists that it's hard to know where to start. The basic plot line is that at a summer wilderness camp for the rich kids, a teenage girl, Barbara, goes missing who just happens to be the daughter of the camp owners. She is a troubled girl who has threatened many times to run away and that is what most people assume has happened. Nevertheless, because of the political pull of the family, it's all hands on deck and the state police are brought in to search for her. This in turn revives the case of the same family's young son who went missing 14 years ago and was never found, although the disappearance and presumed death are blamed on a staff member who died before he could exonerate himself. There is a fair amount of ill will in the nearby communities toward the family as a result. The two story lines are relayed from multiple perspectives including the girl's mother Alice, the camp director T.J., the state investigator Judy, Louise the camp counselor, Tracy who was Barbara's bunk mate and friend, and occasionally Jacob, a serial killer who was on the loose when Bear disappeared and has escaped prison in the present context. The book jumps back and forth in time from the disappearance in 1961 of Bear to the present summer in 1975. There is a timeline at the head of each chapter to provide the appropriate chronological context.

Publishers Weekly calls it a "gripping and revelatory tale... [that] astonishes." Library Journal concludes their review favorably: "The novel's artfully described setting and the intricately interwoven plots and perspectives of its many players--some innocent and others monstrous--result in expert storytelling that is equally fascinating and devastating...Moore's novel is wild yet delicate, with complex characters and an immersive reading experience that will draw audiences. Its explorations of class, crime, and family dynamics, in addition to Moore's incredible storytelling, will appeal to readers of Lisa Jewell, Tana French, and Lucy Foley." Kirkus also provides a favorable close to their review: "Picking up on the themes of families in search of themselves she explored in Long Bright River (2020), Moore draws sympathy to characters who have been subjected to spousal, parental, psychological, and physical abuse. As rich in background detail and secondary mysteries as it is, this ever-expansive, intricate, emotionally engaging novel never seems overplotted. Every piece falls skillfully into place and every character, major and minor, leaves an imprint. 'Don't go into the woods' takes on unsettling new meaning in Moore's blend of domestic drama and crime novel." The New York Times notes, "But Moore’s novel is more than just a mystery about children lost in the woods. It concerns the relationships between parents and children and haves and have-nots." Maureen Corrigan, writing for the Washington Post, says, transports readers so deeply into its richly peopled, ominous world that, for hours, everything else falls away...Rather than a straightforward sensational yarn, Moore’s story jumps around non-sequentially from the 1950s through the 1970s and is crowded with characters: campers, counselors, the Van Laars and their tony houseguests, townspeople, and local police. Throughout, Moore’s language is unflaggingly precise...As wise as it is about the vulnerability of adolescence, “The God of the Woods” is also chillingly astute about the invisible boundaries demarcating social class...it too offers strong social criticism. As it unfolds, “The God of the Woods” becomes more and more focused on how its female characters break free — or don’t — of the constraints of their time and social class. Whatever the case, breaking free of the spell Moore casts is close to impossible."