What Lies in the Woods - Kate Alice Marshall - ★★★★

AUTHOR: Kate Alice Marshall

NARRATOR: Karissa Vacker

GENRE: Psychological Drama.

RATING: 4 stars.

In a Nutshell: Good enough, though not mind-blowing. Not sure how avid thriller readers would find this plot, but I, a dabbler in this genre, was entertained.

Story Synopsis:

Twenty years ago, three eleven-year-old girls (Naomi, Cassidy, and Olivia)) were instrumental in sending a serial killer to prison. The girls didn’t escape unscathed. One of them almost died, and still lives with terrible scars on her body. Another has mental health issues, while the third has control issues. Yet, they were all made out to be heroes for their brave declaration.

Except for one thing.

All three of them were liars.

All three of them have been keeping secrets.

One of them wants to reveal the truth of what happened in the woods.

But someone wants to stop her.

The story comes to us in the first person pov of Naomi.

Where the book worked for me:

✔ I am not an avid reader of this genre as I find most books pretty much the same in pattern. What made me try this title is that the serial killer was already caught and imprisoned, and the story deals with the aftermath of the gruesome attack. Unusual enough!

✔ For once, Naomi, the lead female protagonist, is not an alcoholic. She doesn’t hide her scars from the world, and despite her self-doubt, lives an unapologetic life. I liked her portrayal to a great extent. (I can’t remember the last time I liked a lead character in the thriller-mystery genre.)

✔ Though Naomi is still an unreliable narrator, her reveals are firmly controlled by the author. It’s not like Naomi lies to us outright (most of the times); she just doesn’t tell us something until and unless she wants to. I don’t mind this kind of unreliable narrator. The ones who contradict themselves with every subsequent chapter are the irritating ones.

✔ Naomi’s first person pov has limited rambling. It’s only in the final quarter that the inner monologues become too much.

✔ The author throws in enough of twists along the way. As we all know, whenever authors point fingers in the direction of one character, it becomes clear that THAT character can’t be the culprit; it’s always someone unexpected. So imagine the trouble (and the fun) when the author points fingers in the direction of almost every character. I kept guessing and second-guessing the identity of the villain.

✔ Though there were many characters, the proceedings never became confusing. The author takes her time to let us “know” the characters. (The “know” is in quotes because we never truly know any of them.)

✔ The woods are made use of wonderfully rather than just being a part of the title.

✔ It is somewhat slow at the start, but soon begins to pick up pace until it is almost galloping at the climax. (Still undecided if this is a good point or bad!)

Where the book could have worked better for me:

❌ The ending was much over the top. A few of the explanations were farfetched, and some were plain silly. I would have gone with a higher rating had the ending been better.

❌ Some of the big reveals about certain characters were quite predictable.

❌ The three woman characters do take stupid decisions at times. I still can’t understand why characters think going for a walk in the dark woods at night all alone is a good idea. All three ladies are kooky in one way or another.

The Audiobook Experience:

The audiobook, clocking at 11 hrs 16 min, is narrated by Karissa Vacker. I’ve heard many audiobooks by her and enjoy how she attempts to voice each character distinctly. I am still not a fan of her ‘male voice’, but other than that, no complaints. She is really good and makes the audiobook a treat to the ears.

This is the author’s debut adult work. (She has written only children’s and YA fiction prior to this.) She has handled the book mostly well. Some toning down of the exaggerated moments at the end would have worked in favour of the plot. But even as is, the book is interesting and entertaining enough to read.

This isn’t a thriller but a psychological drama. If you read it as a psych or crime thriller, you will be disappointed for sure. Recommended to those looking for an entertaining mystery with some unexpected twists. This won’t have a long-term impact, but as long as it lasts, it delivers pretty well.

My thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “What Lies in the Woods”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.