What Lies in the woods by Kate Alice Marshall
What Lies in the Woods
by Kate Alice Marshall
Mystery | Thriller
326 Pages
Released January 2023
Rating: ★★★
Goodreads
Content Warnings
I’d been seeing this book everywhere, with relatively strong reviews so I decided to pick it up as well. Although this book started off strong, I was disappointed with how it played out.
This book follows the aftermath of a traumatic childhood event between three young girls - Naomi, Cassidy and Olivia - during which Naomi is left barely clinging to life. Thankfully the girls are able to identify the man behind the act - a serial killer finally brought to justice. Or, so Naomi thinks.
The good news is that the writing is good. The story is immediately engaging and I was quickly drawn into the mystery. It’s also quite a fast-paced read. That said, as an avid fan of true-crime podcasts, this story was immediately reminiscent of a fairly well-known similar case that ultimately led to me predicting several reveals in the story. Other twists I found to be equally predictable or underwhelming, so even though I enjoyed the book, at no point was I shocked or surprised.
If you love a good mystery/thriller, don’t hesitate to pick this one up. But if you’re also a true-crime aficionado, this one may fall a little short of expectations.