What Lies in the Woods - by Kate Alice Marshall

Book Synopsis

They were eleven when they sent a killer to prison. They were heroes . . . but they were liars.

Kate Alice Marshall's What Lies in the Woods is a thrilling novel about friendship, secrets, betrayal, and lies - and having the courage to face the past.

"Clever and deliciously dark." --Alice Feeney, bestselling author of Rock Paper Scissors
"Unexpected plot twists, deep psychological perspicacity, and an endlessly interesting dance between past and present...evokes the dread and intensity of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects." --New York Times Book Review

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 Lies In the Woods is a gorgeous fever dream of a novel about the dangers lurking in the hearts and imaginations of little girls. Kate Alice Marshall deftly charts a winding path through her creepy woods, doubling back and changing course to build a labyrinth of secrets and lies in which I was delighted to lose myself for hours. Hands down, it's the best thriller I've read in a long, long time."--Chandler Baker, bestselling author of The Husbands

"Shines an incisive light on the secrets of a small-town community...Great writing and boldly drawn characters bring a terrifying tale to all-too-vivid life." --Kirkus, starred review

Review Quotes

"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

"Unexpected plot twists, deep psychological perspicacity, and an endlessly interesting dance between past and present...evokes the dread and intensity of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects."
--New York Times Book Review

"This is a wildly disturbing thriller with lots of twists...This suspenseful and atmospheric novel will keep readers glued to the final page."
--Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine

"Kate Alice Marshall knows how to deliver fast-paced twists and turns as she takes readers into the dark recesses of the imagination."
--West Sacramento News-Ledger

"A master of misdirection, Marshall infuses the novel with secrets and sorrow, false identities and frailty, hostility and hypocrisy...With a cleverly conceived and exquisitely executed narrative and a cast of fully fleshed characters, What Lies in the Woods represents a riveting read and a thoughtful and alarming take on childhood."
--The Free Lance-Star

"This heady, terrifying thriller is about the magic of childhood, the ownership of truths and stories, and the darkest secrets of small-town life...Already a powerhouse in YA circles, Marshall is more than ready to take on the world of adult fiction with this unnerving and unforgettable tale of the power of not just knowing the truth, but owning the telling of it."
--BookReporter.com

"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

"This is a wildly disturbing thriller with lots of twists...This suspenseful and atmospheric novel will keep readers glued to the final page."
--Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine

"What Lies In the Woods is a gorgeous fever dream of a novel about the dangers lurking in the hearts and imaginations of little girls. Marshall deftly charts a winding path through her creepy woods, doubling back and changing course to build a labyrinth of secrets and lies in which I was delighted to lose myself for hours. Hands down, it's the best thriller I've read in a long, long time."
--Chandler Baker, New York Times bestselling author of The Husbands

"A haunting tale of betrayal, heartbreak, and redemption told in poetic prose with deeply layered characters. Marshall's master storytelling is gripping and pulls you in with a magnetic force that never lets go."
--Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish

"Masterfully diabolical plot layered with red herrings...We're in the hands of a phenomenal storyteller...Marshall shows she can't put a foot wrong with this confident debut in the adult thriller genre, spinning an intricately compelling tale of friendship and magic, sorrow and betrayal wrapped up in a suspenseful murder mystery."
--The Nerd Daily

"A powerful psychological thriller...This emotionally involving tale of friendship, betrayal, and redemption leaves an indelible impression."
--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Kate Alice Marshall is the author of multiple novels for younger readers. She lives outside of Seattle with her husband, a dog named Vonnegut, and her two kids. What Lies in the Woods is her thriller debut.