In the Lake of the Woods is a novel by Tim O’Brien. The novel is about the disappearance of a politician, John Wade, in the midst of a campaign scandal. The novel is set in the present day, but the events that take place are based on the Vietnam War. The novel centers around the question of what happened to John Wade, and whether or not he was responsible for the death of a Vietnamese woman. The novel explores the themes of memory, guilt, and betrayal.