Review of "What Lies In The Woods: A Novel of Suspense" by Kate Alice Marshall

Thirtysomething Naomi Shaw is a wedding photographer living in Seattle, Washington.

Naomi has scars on her face and a tendency to hook up with the wrong men, partly because of a horrific childhood incident. Twenty-two years ago, when Naomi was eleven-years-old and living in Chester, Washington, she was attacked by a serial killer and stabbed 17 times. Naomi was traumatized and has been struggling to cope ever since.



Now the serial killer, Allan Michael Stahl, has died in prison, and Naomi is drawn back to Chester, where her childhood secrets reside.



Naomi's life in Chester was never easy. She was brought up by an alcoholic father whose hoarding filled the house with junk. Moreover, Naomi's dad couldn't keep a job or put food on the table. So Naomi often stayed at the homes of her two best friends, Cassidy (Cass) and Olivia (Liv), where she ate, slept, and often found a five-dollar-bill stuffed into her coat pocket.



Unfortunately, Naomi also had to deal with Cass's brother Oscar, a teenage bully who thought he could get away with anything because his father was the mayor.



When Naomi, Cass, and Liv were eleven they became enthralled with mysticism and spent most of their free time playing 'The Goddess Game.'



The girls pictured themselves as Greek goddesses, and they'd ramble through the woods and leave offerings in 'magical places.' One such place was a small hidden cave where the girls had found something (they thought) worthy of their gifts - something they SHOULDN'T have kept secret, but they did.



One night, when the girls were near the secret cave, Naomi was attacked by a man with a knife. Cass and Liv saw the event from a short distance, but could do nothing to stop it. Naomi - who was left for dead - was rescued by a local teenage boy and taken to the hospital.

The sheriff was sure the perpetrator was the serial killer Allan Michael Stahl, and when the cops showed Stahl's photo to Cass, Liv, and Naomi, they agreed he was the attacker. In the end, the girls' testimony at trial - especially Naomi's - sent Stahl to prison for life.



Now, 22 years later, Stahl is dead and Naomi isn't certain he was the perpetrator. Naomi's memories of the attack are extremely hazy and she may have 'gone with the flow' when Stahl was accused of the crime. Naomi's friend Liv has doubts as well, and hints she has more to say about the incident.

Naomi decides to reinvestigate the stabbing, and forms an alliance with a true crime podcaster named Ethan Shreiber to do just that.



As Naomi goes about her inquiries she comes across many residents from her previous life in Chester, and suspects one of these people may have tried to kill her. Another death complicates matters, as does the secret that's been kept by Naomi and her friends for decades.



As it turns out secrets abound in Chester, and some ot them are quite surprising.

The author has put together a good cast of characters and a fine plot. My major criitcism of the novel lies with the climax, which is too long and drawn out. When the killer is revealed, I like it to be quick and concise, without a lot of excessive blathering.

Still, this is a good mystery that would appeal to many fans of the genre.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Karissa Vacker, whose recital is appropriately whispery and sinister.

Thanks to Netgalley, Kate Alice Marshall, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the novel.

 Rating: 3.5 stars