This book was insanely good for kate alice marshall's first adult novel. It left me on edge and i wanted more. The narrator was great and made listening easy and made me feel like i was in the story. Mostly recommend 5 stars

So many twists! This is a spooky, woodsy, small-town mystery and domestic drama.

We meet Naomi first, as she’s our narrator. She’s one of 3 girls who went into the woods one night when they were 11 and came out forever changed. She was stabbed mercilessly but she miraculously survived.

They said that a serial killer did it. Now that he’s dead, some of them are reckoning with their guilt. They weren’t sure it was really him.. so who was it?

Naomi only remembers being rescued. The girls speak of Persephone. Is this a real person or some kind of Slenderman situation? Wondering is part of the fun.

Anyway, upon the serial killer’s death, the girls all want to meet up but suddenly they seem to be targets all over again. Is the real killer still out there.. and are they in town?

This was a lot of fun and although it flashes back to their youth, it’s not a YA novel. It’s still for adults. I love the element of youth nostalgia without going full on YA. It was so well-written. I got the full on creeps several times. Kids are creepy. The audio narration was excellent and I’ll be looking for more from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!

What lies in the woods? Games played by young girls while trying to appease gods, then Naomi emerged from the woods after being stabbed 17 times. With a broken main character, this was super twisty and I loved how the idea of loyalty changed throughout the years. I also really appreciated the play on words - lies in the woods… so much deception! Marshall nailed it!

Naomi, Cassidy and Olivia spent many summers in the woods, creating their own imaginary world. They were 11 when Naomi was brutally attacked. Miraculously, she survived 17 stab wounds and the girls’ testimony put a serial killer in prison. But they had a secret about what really happened and for decades, they have been keeping it. But now Olivia wants to tell the truth. So Naomi, with her memories murky, sets to find out what really happened in the woods.

This was a unique and twisty thriller! Although I guessed several of the twists, that did not deter me in the slightest from enjoying this story. I listened to it on audio pretty much straight through a day because I was so glued to the story! My heart went out to Naomi as she attempted to uncover the truth about what happened years ago. Very well-written and exciting, I couldn’t wait to discuss this book with others when I finished!

Thank you to Netgalley, Alice Kate Marshall and Macmillan Audio for the ALC! “What Lies in the Woods” release January 17th, 2023!

This review will be shared to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly 😊

Another day, another ARC audiobook! (Side note: if there was an audiobook equivalent of Spotify Wrapped, @karissavacker would definitely be my top narrator this year.) What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall tells the tragic story of Naomi, who as a child was playing in the forest with her two friends when she was viciously attacked and left for dead as the other girls ran to get help. Quickly, the police arrested a serial killer they had been tailing for a while - Naomi's attack was the last piece of evidence they needed to put him behind bars, where he died of cancer years later. However, in adulthood, Naomi begins to question her experiences after one of the friends, Liv, makes cryptic statements about having to tell the truth before dying by apparent suicide. Then a true crime podcaster seeks her out to help unravel the true story of what happened to her, and Naomi's life is turned upside down as figures from her past are revealed to know more than they've let on. I was genuinely intrigued by the majority of the book (I shrieked in my car at one clever reveal), and while I kind of guessed the ending, the resolution was a little muddy to really work and I think there were too many side characters/red herrings. I feel like this novel was based on a few different true crime stories but wasn't a total rip-off of any one case, which was refreshing, though the "true crime content creator inserts himself into the case where he isn't wanted" trope that has sprung up recently can end at any time and I won't be mad. I overall enjoyed this book though the resolution and various pieces leading up to the ending could have been finessed a little more in the editing process. 3 out of 5 finger bones. (Thanks to NetGalley for early access!)

When Naomi Shaw was a young girl, she & her friends testified in a case in a case that put a serial killer behind bars. Then, for decades after, the three girls lived with the knowledge that they lied. Right up until the day it became extremely clear that they weren't the only ones who knew.

I really enjoyed this book! While I did think the main character's sexual escapades were a little cliche and the relationship with her Dad was kind of odd, but I generally found the characters to be pretty real and well written. I thought the case was interesting, and while I generally hate amateur sleuthing, I thought the pod cast guy had enough of a believable reason for doing so. The whole thing, especially in combination with good narration, kept things moving quickly.

I would definitely read more from this author!

3.5 stars

This is one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year: lots of suspense & twists, strong character development, & a solid ending.

[What I liked:]

•The suspense & sense of dread start building from the beginning & don’t flag. Just when you think things are making sense, the plot twists again.

•Naomi is a flawed person, but her flaws & the motivations behind her less ethical choices are rooted in her life experiences; they’re both believable & sympathetic.

•The ending is pretty good. It wraps everything up without slowing on the action.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•There are some slightly hokey or tropey elements (such as some things pertaining to Ethan’s backstory) that could have been annoying or see through in a less-well-written book, but I managed to keep my suspension of disbelief for the most part.

CW: murder, CSA, substance abuse, mental illness, physical assault (stabbing, gun violence), infidelity

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

Holy crap this book is amazing. It hooked me from the very first chapter, and kept me hooked the entire time.

Holy smokes I blew through this in two days. The narrator was the best I’ve heard yet. Perfect voice changes without it being over the top. She brought life to the characters. The story was an incredible, breakneck speed thrill. My heart raced. I was immersed in this story until the last sentence. What an incredibly audio book. This had so many twist and turns you don’t know what to expect till the bitter end.
A must read!

I'm torn between 4-4.5 stars because I did predict the twists but I will say I really enjoyed the audio format which makes me go with 4.5 stars cause I still loved listening to it!

This thriller sucked me in and had me anxiously waiting for more things to be revealed. I really liked the audio and felt the narrator & writer did a great job making me feel like I was there. The woodsy setting was great but a little creepy when you're walking in the woods and listening at the same time. 😂

While I predicted most of the big twists this one still had me second guessing myself. Plus one of my fav parts was there was sort of small side plot of "romance"(if you can call it that but still ) It was enough that the romantic in me was so pleased by it!!! I also hope for some type of romantic relationships in thrillers . Overall, this was an great audiobook that keeps you hooked. Definitely worth checking out!!!!!

In What Lies In The Woodsthree 11-year-old girls go into the woods and two come out. Naomi is lying stabbed over a tree trunk after being savagely attacked. Although her best friends say it was the serial killer pointed out by the chief of police as an adu Naomi no longer knows if that’s true. His death has brought up other questions as well if he didn’t stab her was he guilty of the other killings and if he didn’t do it who did? Not only that a podcaster name Ethan has been asking questions about the case but when she meets him it opens up a whole new can of worms. Let me just say I love thrillers in a good mystery but I cannot deal with overdramatic Uber emotional characters that is exactly what Naomi is. She overanalyzes everything super thinks out every situation and it got annoying. I know people loved this book bub mean not so much. I found it to ridiculous Naomi was annoying and at some point she seem so nice and friendly but I rather‘s she was totally on the other side of the scale and when she wasn’t flip-flopping she would annoy me and other ways. She isn’t the only issue I have with this book and I don’t want to say with my other issue is but they find something in the woods and use it as a toy for those who have read the book I don’t know how you could read all that and think it deserve five stars that was creepy and ridiculous it would never happen in real life. This has not put me off of this writer because the story seemed like a good one and I did finish it and there was twist but that was just too much you have to suspend belief and put up with Naomi‘s annoying personality and she’s the main character. What is it with these main characters being so unlikable…? I DK. I I did really love the narrator and thought her voice distinction is one of the best in the business and have listen to her before and she always does such a phenomenal job so kudos to her. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Enjoyed the twists in this one and the main character. It was a quick listen and I really liked the narrator!

Naomi, Cassidy and Olivia were so much fun to read about! This book kept me on my toes until the very end! It was a fun, thrilling ride! It was a story about a childhood secret mystery and it was fascinating! I also loved These Fleeting Shadows by this author. She really knows how to write a creepy atmosphere while getting you invested in the characters lives!

So good!!

Every time I thought I knew exactly what was happening, there was another twist, and I was thrown for a loop again. A fantastic thriller!

When Naomi was eleven years old, she was viciously attacked in the woods. The serial killer has been behind bars and has recently died of cancer. Naomi and her friends are older now and they have a secret. They are liars. This book will keep you guessing with all of the twists and turns. I loved the narration. It was done so well with all of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This book was ok. There were a lot of twists and surprises.
I was surprised about Ethan towards the end.
Other stuff did not surprise me as much.
Getting there took a while though. Some of it was a bit drawn out and not very believable.
The audiobook was good but I think I would have stopped reading a regular copy of it.
Narrator did a good job.

4.5 stars

This is told by Naomi Shaw, the girl who survived a brutal attack in the woods when she was only eleven years old. She and her two best friends Cassidy and Olivia, who witnessed her attack, put the monster who hurt her in prison. Now 22 years later, her attacker has just died in jail, bringing up a torrent of feelings.

Going back to her hometown, she meets up with Cass and Liv and it becomes very clear that there is a lot that people don't know about what went on in those woods that year. The three women are hiding some secrets and Olivia wants to come clean. Maybe Naomi isn't so sure what happened to her that terrible day, and now she is on a mission to find out exactly what did.

This was a wild ride from start to finish. There was this perfect balance between the amount of characters and the plot. The whole time you're wondering who could have possibly had more to do with Naomi's attack and the events that led up to it. This was a juicy read. I was never in a moment where the story lulled. I was on edge the whole time just needing to know more.

I was given the opportunity to listen to the audio book and I highly recommend it. The narration of Karissa Vacker is a solid addition to any story.

“They were heroes…but they were liars.”

When Naomi, Cassidy, and Olivia were eleven years old, they were viciously attacked in the woods. They helped to put a serial killer behind bars, but the events of that day have followed them into adulthood. Now it’s time to confront that dark day.

A great dark read! It will keep you guessing with the twists and turns along the way. I consumed this book via audiobook and the narration was REALLY strong. Vacker nailed all the voices and inflections and really added life to the words.

This was fantastic! So suspenseful, absolutely thrilling. I thought The narration was great. Perfectly paced. Highly recommending this one.

This had such an intriguing premise so I was excited to read it. I particularly enjoyed the audiobook version of this. The narrator deftly portrayed each character and the plot was easy to follow. A group of friends question what really happened when one of them was stabbed in the woods years ago. The character development of this was outstanding and each chapter revealed more of their truths. Nothing turns out to be true in the interpretation of past events. Readers won’t know the real culprit until the shocking conclusion. For fans of B.A. Paris and Shari Lapena.