Sioux City Reads 2026 Nominee: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Now through November 30, cast your vote to help select the next Sioux City Reads title at SiouxCityLibrary.org/siouxcityreads.  

This year the Library selected books from the mystery genre. The chosen book will serve as inspiration for events, discussions, and challenges throughout the upcoming 2026 Sioux City Reads initiative.  

2026 Sioux City Reads Nominee: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore begins in August 1975 when a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found. 

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.

“Extraordinary . . . Reminds me of Donna Tartt’s 1992 debut, The Secret History . . . I was so thoroughly submerged in a rich fictional world, that for hours I barely came up for air.” —Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air, NPR 

This highly decorated book also was named a New York Times best Thriller and Crime Novel of 2024, People Magazine’s #1 Book of the Year, one of NPR’s “Books We Love” 2024, and one of Time Magazine’s “100 Must-Read Books of 2024.”  

The winner will be announced in January. Visit SiouxCityLibrary.org/siouxcityreads, the Library’s Facebook page, or sign-up for the Library’s e-newsletter at SiouxCityLibrary.org/news to get all the latest updates.