Lies, Secrets, and Surprises

ABOUT THE BOOK

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’s Being Said

“Utterly riveting. What Lies in the Woods is a stunner―dark, unflinching, and as twisty and sharp as a tangle of thorns.”
―Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of The House Across the Lake

“I loved everything about this beautifully written and impossible to put down book. I was hooked from the first clever and deliciously dark page and couldn’t stop reading. Readers will love What Lies in the Woods, an exciting new voice in the genre.”
―Alice Feeney, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Darker

“Shines an incisive light on the secrets of a small-town community…Elevating this novel beyond the plethora of other thrillers is terrific writing…Great writing and boldly drawn characters bring a terrifying tale to all-too-vivid life.”
―Kirkus, starred review

“Marshall explores the complicated dynamics of childhood friendships and the powerful effect that memory has in shaping narratives…In a novel filled with emotional depth and convincing red herrings, Marshall delivers a propulsive mystery about trust, secrets, and friendships.”
―Booklist, starred review

“A powerful psychological thriller…This emotionally involving tale of friendship, betrayal, and redemption leaves an indelible impression.”
―Publishers Weekly

Goodness, what a story. The narration was excellent, the story was well-paced, and the twists had me flip-flopping back and forth regarding who did what.

When Naomi Shaw learned that the man accused of stabbing her 22 years earlier has died in prison, she thought she would feel relieved. But it only managed to bring to the surface things that she had been dealing with since she was 11, When she receives a call from one of the other girls, who had been with her in the forest, saying she couldn’t hold things inside any longer, Naomi rushes back to her hometown.

The unique personalities of all three girls are handled beautifully and my interest never dropped. While the twists and turns felt catastrophic at times, they only served to keep me guessing. Nothing felt out of line or contrived. Okay. Well, let’s be honest, it’s always best to suspend some disbelief!

Final Thoughts

Marshall jumped seamlessly from the author of Young Adult and Middle Grade to Adult books. The characters felt well-developed and the ending was believable enough to satisfy me. 

I always like to note that my rating is for the book, audiobook, or Kindle since it can definitely make a difference. So, as I mentioned above, this is an audiobook.

In this case, the narrator brought a very, very good story up to an excellent one!

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ability to listen to and post an early review of the audiobook without any stipulations.

5 Stars

I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN! — I LOVED it. The characters were memorable and had distinct voices. The plot held my attention, and the pacing was good.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kate Alice Marshall is the author of young adult and middle grade novels, including I AM STILL ALIVE, RULES FOR VANISHING, and THIRTEENS.

She lives outside of Seattle with her husband, two dogs named Vonnegut and Octavia, and two kids. They all conspire to keep her on her toes.

If you purchase through the links in this post, I may earn a small commission. This helps support Pick a Good Book and allows us to continue bringing you great content.