The God of the WoodsThe God of the Woods
What it's about
In August 1975, thirteen-year-old Barbara Van Laar vanishes from her bunk at a summer camp in the Adirondacks. Her family owns the camp and the vast land around it, and this isn't the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared: her older brother, Bear, vanished fourteen years before and was never found. Told by many characters across several decades, from a young female investigator to the camp's counselors and Barbara's own mother, the novel slowly reveals what happened to both children.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Goodreads Choice Award for mystery, was an Edgar finalist and spent more than forty weeks on the New York Times lists. It's a page-turning mystery and a deep literary novel at once.
You'll love it if you liked
Big Little Lies
The Secret History
The Frozen RiverGood to know
It jumps between many timelines and narrators, so pay attention to the dates at the top of each chapter.
By the numbers
- Readers53 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller72 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz89 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #32 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #36 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #72 of the 481 new books we rank
- #387 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Moving
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Quick answers
Is The God of the Woods worth reading?
Yes. It won the Goodreads Choice Award for mystery, was an Edgar finalist and spent more than forty weeks on the New York Times lists. It ranks #387 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 80.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The God of the Woods about?
In August 1975, thirteen-year-old Barbara Van Laar vanishes from her bunk at a summer camp in the Adirondacks. Her family owns the camp and the vast land around it, and this isn't the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared: her older brother, Bear, vanished fourteen years before and was never found. Told by many characters across several decades, from a young female investigator to the camp's counselors and Barbara's own mother, the novel slowly reveals what happened to both children.
How long does it take to read The God of the Woods?
About 12 hours (490 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The God of the Woods won?
Goodreads Choice (mystery thriller) winner (2024).
What should I read after The God of the Woods?
If you liked it, try Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, The Secret History by Donna Tartt or The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon.