A Book A Week

As a young child, Naomi Shaw found magic in the woods. The otherworldliness of the surroundings and the infectious spirit of the place completely engrossed her imagination. What began as the germ of an idea soon became something more tangible. Naomi recruited her best friends, Cassidy and Olivia, to join her in the woods. The trifecta practiced their Goddess Game, conjuring their own version of magic. The treetops transforming into a grand cathedral ceiling became the home of their spiritual ceremony. The summer of wonder was soon interrupted by a brutal attack. A man invaded their place in the woods. Naomi was stabbed 17 times but lived to identify her attacker. The man was charged with her attempted murder and the killings of 6 other young women. The girls were heroes. 

Years later, Naomi is still haunted by the trauma of that fateful summer in the woods. The scars on her face are a physical reminder of the tragedy she endured. The real trauma, however, isn't something that can be seen. It's the guilt that she's harbored ever since she identified the man who attacked her. The attacker's death in his jail cell reopens old wounds, forcing Naomi and the other girls to grapple with what they did. You see, they lied about seeing him attack on that fateful night. Now they'll have to reckon with the truth of what really happened deep within the woods. 

In What Lies in the Woods, Kate Alice Marshall conjures a tale of childhood innocence, generational trauma, and the complexities of the criminal justice system. Her publisher provided me with a copy of the book to listen to, and I was pleased to see that Karissa Vacker was narrating. Her reading of the work perfectly captured Marshall's atmospheric prose, allowing the characters and their chilling story to whisper off of the pages. Marshall employs a past/present perspective through shifting chapters that reveal bits of the truth in tantalizingly suspenseful bites. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that one of the characters in this book was named Ethan, the second book that I've read in a row to do so. I always get a kick out of that! Overall, the book unfolds at a deliberate pace, allowing the characters the room they need to come to terms with their chilling transgressions. I was completely thrilled by What Lies in the Woods. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 5)