What Lies in the Woods
A Novel
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4.3 • 400 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher 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
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Unusually real characters radiating charisma, doggedness, or in some cases malevolence are what make Kate Alice Marshall’s gripping mystery stand out. More than 20 years after living through a brutal crime, Naomi returns to her hometown. The serial killer responsible has supposedly died in jail—except Naomi knows he wasn’t the man who attacked her. So she reunites with her friends Cass and Liv, who also survived that night with her, to find the real assailant. Twisty and terrifying, this is a great thriller—though you might want to avoid reading it in the woods.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
YA author Marshall (These Fleeting Shadows) makes her adult debut with a powerful psychological thriller. Twenty-two years after Seattle photographer Naomi Shaw survived a stabbing attack when she was 11 while playing in the forest in Chester, Wash., with her two best friends, Naomi expects to feel some closure when the suspected serial killer the girls' testimony put behind bars dies in prison. But the opposite occurs when the news unnerves the most fragile of the trio, artistic, unstable Liv Barnes, threatening to unearth long buried—and potentially explosive—secrets. Sucked back to Chester, Naomi tries to support Liv, reconnect with their third friend, golden girl Cass Green, and finally press for the truth she's never been able to remember, despite her statements on the stand, about what really happened that fateful day. Then a suspicious death near the site of the stabbing ups the ante, and the intricate plot starts careening down precipitous, blind curves. Marshall overloads the twists that lead to the devastating denouement, but readers will root for the determined Naomi every step of the way. This emotionally involving tale of friendship, betrayal, and redemption leaves an indelible impression.
Customer Reviews
Complex Characters
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!
Good from start to finish
This book was a roller coaster. Twists and turns and red herrings abound. Highly recommend.
What lies in the woods
I love everything about this book. The storyline was absolutely brilliant and incredible. Didn’t want to put my phone down to stop reading. Talk about edge of the seat great! So many guesses just to find out, it was someone I didn’t think would. Lots of amazing twist and turns. 10/10 highly recommend!!!