BookBrowse Reviews The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

BookBrowse:

Liz Moore returns with a compelling double mystery set in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains.

Bestselling author Liz Moore's latest novel, The God of the Woods, begins with a disappearance. On a summer morning in 1975 at Camp Emerson in the Adirondacks, camp counselor Louise realizes that one of her charges, 13-year-old Barbara, is not in her bunk. It soon becomes apparent that no one knows what's become of her. Complicating matters is that Barbara is the daughter of the wealthy Van Laar family (who own the camp and a mansion abutting it), and Barbara's brother, Bear, went missing 14 years earlier from the same area and was never found. Oh, and a serial killer who was active at the time of Bear's disappearance has recently escaped from prison and is believed to be in the area.

Moore's narrative structure is intricate; non-sequential chapters bounce among several points between 1950, when the children's mother Alice first meets their father Peter, and 1975, as the investigation into Barbara's whereabouts progresses. Chapters are also written from the viewpoint of different characters, so diverse voices and perspectives are explored. And finally, the plot concerns not only two separate mysteries but abounds with subplots, examining themes such as family dysfunction, class structure, and the roles of women during these decades. Although this sounds horribly complex, the author is so skilled that one never feels lost and not one line feels unnecessary or out of place.

Her writing, too, is brilliantly descriptive. At one point, Alice muses on how her marriage has changed over time ("It was funny, she thought, how many relationships one could have with the same man, over the course of a lifetime together"). Elsewhere, we see the Van Laar estate through the eyes of newly minted investigator Judy, as she observes:

"The lanky young people sprawled out on all the furniture in the great room are the people she is least eager to speak to. They look somehow like they should be feeding one another grapes; like young gods—in their own minds, at least."

Keen observations like these are sprinkled lavishly throughout the narrative.

The novel's main characters are female, and we get a detailed look at several of them; Alice, Louise, Judy, and Barbara's bunkmate Tracy are each awarded several chapters devoted to their lives, not only narrating the current investigation, but filling in their backstories as well. Others, such as TJ, the camp's director, are equally well described through the eyes of others. These characters are so vivid that readers are compelled to empathize with the challenges they face; grieving mother Alice, in particular, is heartbreakingly real. Rounding out the vast cast are assorted police officers, family members, boyfriends, staff, and fellow campers. Again, Moore's skill shines as she balances this enormous group of individuals, painting each with such a fine brush that even minor characters are distinct.

The only exceptions to Moore's skillful characterizations are a couple of her wealthy male antagonists. In contrast to the complex, sympathetic character of Alice, Moore's depictions of the men of Alice's class are less nuanced, generally portraying them as either narcissistic or vapid. A couple of plot points also felt like stretches. The book is so well-written overall that these minor transgressions jump out, though in the end they aren't significant enough to mar what is otherwise an exquisite reading experience.

The God of the Woods is an engrossing mystery that expands the genre into character study and a discussion of social norms. The book is highly recommended for those looking for a top-notch summer mystery, as well as anyone interested in an outstanding work of literary fiction.

This review first ran in the July 31, 2024 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.