What Lies in the Woods is a dual timeline mystery/thriller.
While it is intended for an adult reader, it felt very YA to me. There were a lot of characters, none of them likable. The main character as well as her friends were supposed to be in their thirties, I believe, but they sounded and acted like teenager. The twists weren't particularly twisty, and I had the ending figured out halfway into the book.
Personally I found the story rather predictable, unevenly paced and overall forgettable.
The excellent narration by Karissa Vacker however, made for an enjoyable listen, and was likely the main reason I ended up finishing the book.

It seems that some readers were able to guess the ending but I was as fooled as the MC! It was quite the fun and twisty ride!!

The plot was a suspenseful slow burn that exploded in the last few chapters. I was increasingly drawn in as the story progressed. A psychological mystery that wasn't anything new but was a riveting read nonetheless.

Audio performance was engaging and added depth to the story. I enjoyed the narrators tense yet inviting voice.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the complex story of this book. The whole rituals that the girls did when they were younger added an Erie feeling to the book. I absolutely loved hearing what happened when they were younger and how it correlated to the present day.

This was a very interesting story, and it will keep even thriller readers invested. What really made it a worth while read was the not knowing who to trust. It was so hard to pin point what was reality and what was made up. Each girl added a different layer to the story, making each unique.

The ending will have you up at night! Definitely recommend this one!

Naomi Shaw is a survivor. When she was 11, she had been attacked in the woods. She was stabbed 17 times. She told detectives her attacker was a man they suspected of killing six women. It was the testimony of Naomi and her friends Cassidy and Olivia that finally put him in prison.

That was over 20 years ago. Now Naomi is a wedding photographer. She’s changed her name but hasn’t done anything to mask her scars. And then she gets a phone call. The man she put in prison is no longer a threat. Cancer has killed him. Naomi is free.

Only she isn’t. She will always have her memories. She will always have her scars. She will always have her secrets. Like, how she never saw him that day in the woods. She didn’t see anyone. She only saw the knife.

When they were 11, Naomi, Cass, and Liv were the best of friends. They ran around the woods like they owned them. They had a secret there, Persephone. Their Goddess. They spent the summer playing Goddess games and coming up with ideas to show her their devotion. It was a magical summer. Until it wasn’t. Naomi had been sitting in the forest eating her peanut butter sandwich when she was stabbed in the back. Then she was held down and stabbed 16 more times. And then she was left for dead.

One of the older kids had found her and brought her out of the woods. She had survived the attack, put a serial killer in prison, grown up, and moved away. But she can’t let go of the guilt she feels for having lied to the police. And Olivia agrees. She wants to tell the secrets too. But when she goes into the woods and doesn’t come out, Nami can’t help but wonder if someone else has a different secret, something worth dying for. Or worth killing for.

What Lies in the Woods is a dark thriller layered with secrets and lies. It’s the story difficult childhoods and dubious police investigations, of secret games and painful consequences. It’s a story of survival against all odds, and it is a chilling roller coaster of twists and turns, of characters who have darkness in their hearts and those who are striving to heal from trauma.

I listened to What Lies in the Woods on audio, and narrator Karissa Vacker brings the story to life. It’s not always easy to listen to a story this dark, but I thought that Vacker did a phenomenal job with her performance. She was able to get into the head of Naomi and found the right tone for author Kate Alice Marshall’s story.

I really enjoyed What Lies in the Woods. I thought that there were a lot of smart things about it. However, I could see some of the reveals coming, but even with that, I still found the story entertaining. I liked Naomi a lot, even when she made bad choices, and watching her journey through the dark woods of her past and back into the light, only to find herself in mortal danger again. I think fans of dark thrillers or light horror will enjoy this, and I look forward to seeing where Marshall goes next with her writing.

A copy of the audio book to What Lies in the Woods was provided by Macmillan Audio through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Naomi Shaw, along with her best friends Cassidy and Olivia, were typical eleven year olds, roaming the woods and believing in an imaginary world. When the Goddess Game ended in tragic circumstances, with Naomi stabbed seventeen times, the girls subsequently identified a serial killer as the perpetrator. Did they tell the truth?

Decades later, Olivia decides that she needs to set the record straight. What really lies in the woods? Who truly is to blame?

Karissa Vacker did a good job of narrating the story, filled with tragedy, lies, and hidden secrets. The plot was a bit sluggish and repetitive, which would have bothered me more had I been reading the printed version of the book. As an avid mystery thriller reader, I figured out the ending long before, but others might be more surprised. There were a lot of layers, especially regarding character development. There were also a lot of subplots, which muddied the waters a bit. The angle of police harrassment was a bit over the top and not strictly necessary. The subplot regarding Naomi's dad was also unnecessary and did not help to progress the story in any meaningful way. Though I did like the book, What Lies in the Woods was an average read and one I might recommend to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Audio Copy of What Lies in the Woods by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to listen to this book rested entirely with me.

I couldn't put it down and I didn't want to. This book lived up to every ounce of hype that I had experienced for it. This book is beautifully written; a gripping storyline with strong characters. It ticked all the boxes of my expectations. I would definitely recommend it to others.

Not my favorite--a debut from this author, and it shows in places in the storyline. The story itself isn't bad; it's just that it's too predictable, and not in that "I see where this is going, but I'm going to enjoy the ride" way--just overall predictable and "fine."

I enjoyed the narrator so much! However, the story was incredibly predictable. I figured out the entire ending about 15% in and this made the story fizzle a bit for me.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an audio-ARC of What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall, narrated by Karissa Vacker.
What Lies in the Woods is the story of three friends haunted by an incident from their childhood. Naomi returns to her hometown and ends up entangled in a web of questions and suspense surrounding the summer 22 years ago. Marshall keeps the reader guessing and wondering creating suspense throughout the book. However, some of the scenes were too contrived and already done to add much impact. Vacker's tone and voice add to the suspense, and creates obvious transitions between characters' voices.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty years ago Naomi and her two best friends were innocent girls playing in the woods. They loved magic and make-believe games. Until Naomi was viciously attacked, stabbed 17 times and left for dead, even by her friends. She was miraculously rescued and became the small towns hero as she pointed the finger at the man she believed did it. When she received a call that he had died in prison, Naomi should have felt relief but all she can do is question her memories and try and decide if she sent her real attacker to prison. She returns to her small town to confront her past, her friends and even her recluse father. Will the secrets they buried in the woods all those years ago finally resurface and who really attacked Naomi all of those years ago?

I enjoyed this mystery because it had me suspecting a lot of the characters of being Naomi's attacker and what really did happen all of those years ago. The story is told from Naomi's POV, who is not always a reliable narrator it works for this story because she has been covering things up from herself as much as the audience. Marshall does a good job of spreading out the drama to keep everyone an active suspect, but there are a lot of characters and connections to keep track of. Some of the twists I found incredibly predictable (and should have been revealed earlier) and a couple a little forced. The ending could have been a little cleaner but over all I enjoyed this mystery and would recommend picking it up.

I had the audio version read by Karissa Vacker who does a great job. She is a joy to listen to and handles the story well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for access to the audiobook of What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall

CW: murder, injury, blood, disability, mental illness, panic attacks, deception, see full list on StoryGraph

I was so excited to get to pick up this book, especially as it was picked as a Book of the Month selection.

The setup for this thriller was so fascinating! A group of young girls encounters a serial killer in the woods outside their small town. The serial killer in question is convicted and imprisoned for several murders around the area. Flash forward 10+ years later, the girls in the woods are grown and are living their own adult lives, doing their best to grapple with the trauma that they're endured. Main character, Naomi, gets a call that this serial killer has died in prison. Finally, she has closure in her story. The terror that her attacker will break out of jail and come back to finish the job is over. Or so she thinks. Her supposed-attacker's death causes a chain reaction wherein new information comes to light about the childhood attack.

This was such an interesting premise. I loved the idea of following the victims of a murder investigation years after the fact. It was so interesting from a trauma-informed perspective to see the long term affects play out in these characters lives over time, and to explore how childhood memory and perception can easily be altered.

The problem with this novel, and in fact many thrillers that I end up reading, is that the premise hooks me, and then the execution of the resolution feels too messy. I think there is so much pressure on authors to make their twists so unpredictable that red herrings have inevitably become a part of thriller writing. I personally like it better when a story is more straight forward and less cluttered. I don't have any problem with being able to predict endings, and I much prefer my thrillers to be cleaner. What Lies in the Woods has an ending that feels so chaotic and all at once that I find myself struggling to remember the finer details of how the book ended.

Overall, I think it's a solid thriller with a little bit of a unique set up. I would recommend this thriller as one that is higher caliber than others that I've read recently.

As children, Naomi and her two best friends Cassidy and Olivia spent their summers exploring the woods. They created the Goddess Game, which involved imaginary ceremonies and magic. However, during one meet for the Goddess Game, things take a horrifying turn. Naomi is attacked in the woods, barely managing to survive and identify the serial killer who almost took her life.

However, all of them were lying.

Years later, Naomi wants to expose the truth, but someone is trying to stop her.

This is the first book I've read from Kate Alice Marshall and I will definitely be reading more. This is one of those stories where you think you know where it's headed and then it does a complete 180.

Unfortunately I have decided to DNF this book at 20%

I really enjoyed this initial opening and setup of this story! I love Kate Alice Marshall's spooky settings and eerie writing. However one of the things I love more about her books, is the unsettling paranormal aspects. And I started to realize that, that wasn't the case with this book. Instead it was a slow paced, character driven mystery. Which I can definitely get on board with - but I felt as though the layout of this one was pretty straightforward.

Once I discovered I had figured out the reveal, I quickly lost interest in the remainder of the story. I was so excited for an adult story from this author, but this one just wasn't quite for me.

I still can't wait for more paranormal books from this author though because I feel as though that is where she excels!

Thank you to NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Audiboook of "What Lies in the Woods." I enjoyed this book, and if you liked "Final Girls" by Riley Sager, you will like this one. This one was slow to get my attention, and I abandoned it the first attempt, but went back to it after reading lots of good buzz about it on Goodreads and other Facebook pages. But, it also got a little long in the end and I just wanted to be done with it!

Naomi, Olivia, and Cassidy were eleven the summer they started playing The Goddess Game in the woods. They were having the summer of their lives pretending the be goddesses and practicing rituals until the girls were attached and Naomi was stabbed seventeen times. By some miracle she survived and identified her attacker. She went on with her life, trying her hardest to move on and forget about what happened until her attacker died in prison and suddenly Olivia wants to tell the truth about what happened....but what truth does she want to tell since they didn't lie......right??

Oh my god!!! I could not stop reading! This is one of the best books I have read in a while. I was absolutely blown away by the twists and turns! This is a dark, like dark dark, psychological thriller that is character driven. The story is told through Naomi's point of view, with a duel timeline between the summer of The Goddess Game leading up to and after the accident and present day. I really enjoyed Naomi as the narrator and found her really reliable which isn't necessarily the norm with psychological thrillers.

As soon as I finished, I went to look up Kate Alice Marshall in hopes to read other books by her and found out that this was her debut book. And wow!! What a debut! I will for sure be reading her next book without a doubt! I loved this book so much, I bought a physical copy!

If you're looking for a dark, twisty, mind blowing psychological thriller, this one is for you!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, publisher and Netgalley, for this audio arc. This review is unbiased and completely my own. I loved this psych thriller! I couldn't stop listening and thought it was really compelling. There were plenty of hints and breadcrumbs to keep you guessing and predicting who the villain could be. I love this narrator and am always happy when I hear her voice on audio. These characters were complex, deep, and intriguing. Some of them were a bit loathsome, but I couldn't look away. They acted in real ways and I fell with them when they fell. This book actually made my jaw draw multiple times and I was so engaged with what would happen next. The MC had her issues, but she wasn't unrealistic or hyperbolic. This made her more relatable and the story more believable. Having a personal connection with the Pacific Northwest, I also enjoyed the setting a lot. The ending wrapped up in a slightly rushed way-even though there were plenty of clues to it-that I can't quite give it a 5. Would absolutely read from this author again.

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillian.audio for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

As a girl, Naomi was attacked while playing the Goddess Game in the woods with two of her friends. The girls were able to identify the attacker, but years later her friend Olivia says she cannot lie anymore. Who is she lying about? Was the wrong guy charged?

There were a lot of twists in this book. I was able to guess some parts of the ending, but most was unknown until the very end, and I was still surprised. This book was entertaining. I love a good whodunit!

4 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #macmillianaudio #ltbreaderteam #whatliesinthedark #katealicemarshall

I absolutely loved this trippy thriller. The discovery of what happened in the past was so well executed and written that it kept me on the edge of my seat. the audio narrator did an amazing job telling the story and bringing it to life

Three young girls spend their summer creating magic in the forest in the form of the 'Goddess Game' until one of them is brutally attacked and their lives are changed forever. Twenty-two years later, Naomi Shaw goes back home and is haunted by her childhood, the serial killer she sent to prison, and the lies she's been carrying around since she was eleven years old. Her life slowly begins to unravel as she begins to question everything she knew about that fateful day in the forest. 

Going into "What Lies in the Woods" by Kate Alice Marshall, I was expecting a story with insane twists, turns, and gut-wrenching discoveries. Instead, I got a well-paced read with some predictable twists. It was an enjoyable read with a solid plot, but I wish I was more surprised with how it all turned out.

A big thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC!

As an avid thriller fan, I was happy to listen to What Lies In The Woods. It took me a minute to settle into the book at first, but once I got going I easily finished it in a day. The story is dark with a few twist you might not suspect at first.