Thriller Book Club - God of the Woods

Join us for an evening of mystery, conversation, and community at the Purple Couch Thriller Book Club! This month, we’re reading The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, an unforgettable literary thriller set in the Adirondacks in the summer of 1975.

When 13‑year‑old Barbara Van Laar disappears from her family’s exclusive summer camp, it sends shockwaves through the wealthy, powerful Van Laar clan — especially since her brother Bear vanished from the same camp 14 years earlier. Told from multiple points of view — camp staff, a rookie investigator, and the Van Laar family — Moore’s novel unravels a web of secrets surrounding privilege, grief, and the weight of family legacy, all against the eerie, living backdrop of the forest itself.

Why this book?

• Winner of Goodreads’ Best Mystery & Thriller of 2024
• A Book of the Month and Barnes & Noble Book Club pick
• Featured in Jimmy Fallon’s Summer Book Club and on Barack Obama’s reading list
• Rave reviews from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker

Whether you’ve finished the book, just started, or simply want to join the discussion, you’re welcome! All are encouraged to attend — bring your thoughts, theories, and maybe a friend or two.

Come for the thrillers. Stay for the friends.

Host or Publisher The Purple Couch Bookshop