Barnes & Noble Presents The God of the Woods by Liz Moore as Their July 2024 National Book Club Selection

The bookseller invites readers to join the free virtual event  

on Tuesday, August 6^th at 3PM ET 

New York, NY – July 3, 2024– Barnes & Noble announces The God of the Woods as their July National Book Club pick and welcomes readers to join author Liz Moore at a free live virtual event on Tuesday, August 6^th at 3PM ET. The author will be in conversation with Lexie Smyth, Category Manager for Fiction at Barnes & Noble, and Kiley Reid, author of Such a Fun Age and Come & Get It, to discuss the title as well as answer questions from audience members. Attendees must register via Eventbrite to access the livestream on Zoom. 

“Liz Moore’s latest, The God of the Woods, is one of the most gripping novels I have read,” said Lexie Smyth, Category Manager for Fiction, Barnes & Noble. “Weaving together a Succession style family drama with the mysterious disappearance of two children from an Adirondacks summer camp in the 1970s, Moore had me absolutely spellbound. I’m not sure what our Book Club readers will want to discuss first: the similarities between the missing children, the intriguing dynamic between the summer camp employees and the wealthy family whose grounds they work on, or the survival stories layered within. This is the perfect book for the dog days of summer, and I can’t wait to dissect every little twist and turn with our readers.”

This greatly anticipated follow-up to bestseller Long Bright River delivers all that Moore’s readers would expect to find in her latest work — and then some: an immersive, atmospheric story; flawed, complex characters; and expertly navigated exploration of themes such as class, gender roles and sexuality. Set against the backdrop of a lush woodland summer camp during the predigital Me Decade, Barbara Van Laar is discovered missing from her bunk early one morning, just like her brother had been 14 years prior. The mystery unfolds in a nonlinear timeline, orbiting the kids at camp and those closest to the Van Laars and the secrets they keep. Each page more gripping than the next, readers won’t be able to resist the dark heart beating throughout this novel.

The Barnes & Noble Book Club selects a newly published work of fiction each month, chosen by their booksellers to provoke, engage and enthrall book lovers. The Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition of The God of the Woods features an original essay from the author and a reader's guide in addition to embossed details on the cover and pink endpapers.

"I'm elated to learn that The God of the Woods has been chosen for the Barnes & Noble Book Club,” said author Liz Moore. “It feels appropriate that this book, set primarily at a summer camp, will reach Barnes & Noble readers in July. I have spent some of my happiest summertime hours immersed in books; I hope this novel can provide the same experience for other readers."

Leading up to the event, readers can share their thoughts and engage in conversation on social media using the hashtag #BNBookClub. During the livestream, readers are encouraged to participate in the discussion and submit questions to be answered throughout.

The enthusiasm and word-of-mouth recommendations of Barnes & Noble booksellers across the country have sparked ardent praise from readers nationwide, turning great novels into bestsellers. Previous Barnes & Noble Book Club selections have included: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller, The Night Ship by Jess Kidd, The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, The Testaments by Margaret Atwood, The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle, Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin and The Cloisters by Katy Hays.