What Lies in the Woods - Kate Alice Marshall

What Lies in the Woods

By Kate Alice Marshall

  • Release Date: 2023-01-17
  • Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 324 Ratings

Description

They were eleven when they sent a killer to prison. They were heroes . . . but they were liars.

Kate Alice Marshall's What Lies in the Woods is a thrilling novel about friendship, secrets, betrayal, and lies - and having the courage to face the past.

"Clever and deliciously dark.” —Alice Feeney, bestselling author of Rock Paper Scissors
“Unexpected plot twists, deep psychological perspicacity, and an endlessly interesting dance between past and present...evokes the dread and intensity of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects.” —New York Times Book Review

Naomi Shaw used to believe in magic. Twenty-two years ago, she and her two best friends, Cassidy and Olivia, spent the summer roaming the woods, imagining a world of ceremony and wonder. They called it the Goddess Game. The summer ended suddenly when Naomi was attacked. Miraculously, she survived her seventeen stab wounds and lived to identify the man who had hurt her. The girls’ testimony put away a serial killer, wanted for murdering six women. They were heroes.

And they were liars.

For decades, the friends have kept a secret worth killing for. But now Olivia wants to tell, and Naomi sets out to find out what really happened in the woods—no matter how dangerous the truth turns out to be.

What Lies In the Woods is a gorgeous fever dream of a novel about the dangers lurking in the hearts and imaginations of little girls. Kate Alice Marshall deftly charts a winding path through her creepy woods, doubling back and changing course to build a labyrinth of secrets and lies in which I was delighted to lose myself for hours. Hands down, it's the best thriller I've read in a long, long time.”—Chandler Baker, bestselling author of The Husbands

“Shines an incisive light on the secrets of a small-town community...Great writing and boldly drawn characters bring a terrifying tale to all-too-vivid life.” Kirkus, starred review

Reviews

  • Not bad

    3
    By girlguts
    This book has a strong beginning and decent (although predictable) ending. A good portion of the middle is intolerably long winded. I eventually just skipped over page after page of word salad to reach the dang point. Reminds me of trying to make word count on a high school essay.
  • Complex Characters

    4
    By SLE1996
    I enjoyed this book greatly! The character creation was complex and the interwoven intricately between individuals. I spent the whole time deciphering the mystery based on the interactions between characters; a great story overall! Sometimes the characters fell to a bit of stereotype, but overall, I felt they were well-written and their interactions all made sense. The world building of the childhoods was also admirable and left me feeling a sense of magic as well! I typically try to guess the twist or surprises in the book immediately when reading, and (barring some details), I was able to guess what I thought the twist would turn out to be in the first hour of reading or so. That being said, this author absolutely lead me down a couple of possible paths and I considered each one as they became more or less probable. It was a good mix between twists, surprises, and detective work. Great book and would recommend others to read!
  • Amazing read

    5
    By The anonymous book worm
    Every time you think you solved what happened you are blind sided again. This was a mystery that constantly kept you guessing until the very end. I never thought so many plot twists could be in one book.
  • Absolutely loved this.

    5
    By starlostcharmer
    An incredibly interesting story. This ended up being a quick read for me because it felt like an investigation into interpersonal relationships amongst characters that stray so surprisingly far from their first impressions. I wanted to know what was really going on just as much as the main character did. The ending was worthwhile too- each new piece of the puzzle snowballs into another reality shifting revelation.
  • Never saw it coming

    5
    By twinkel bella
    This book was like a roller coaster I’ve never been on because I never saw the ending coming. It was one of the best books I’ve ever read and I learned a lot from this book about the goddess game and Greek mythology. I am so glad I read this book and I could and probably will read it over and over again never tiring from it.
  • The Plot Thickens

    5
    By hjg0421
    It kept me on my toes different twists plots truth lies was such a wonderful read!
  • Don’t waste your money

    1
    By Skime@38
    This is one of the worst books I’ve read in a long time. Plot, stupid and characters ridiculous. Reads like something a middle schooler would write. Seriously. There is nothing intriguing about this book.

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