As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.
Twenty years later, … years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a twelve-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox—his partner and closest friend—find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.
Richly atmospheric, stunning in its complexity, and utterly convincing and surprising to the end, In the Woods is sure to enthrall fans of Mystic River and The Lovely Bones. And look for French’s new mystery, Broken Harbor, for more of the Dublin Murder Squad.
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great unexpected ending
Where I fell in love with Tana French’s writing!
Wonderfully wrought police procedural. Ireland is showcased not as a stereotype, but in a modern sense that makes it all the more interesting.
Very good story.
What a joy it is to find a new author who captures your mind. This book made me miss lots of sleep! The story is intense. The scenes believable.
I really enjoy reading Tana French books. Her style and character development pulls you right in. The story line is intriguing and intellectually inspired. From the first read of her books, I quickly consumed the other books she wrote.
I’ve heard great things about the author. Slow slow slow – nothing much happens and one figures out the ending well in advance. Perhaps this just isn’t one of her best novels.
If you expect to have the mystery solved and all the loose ends tied up, skip this book. One of the most disappointing books I’ve EVER read. I’ve enjoyed other work by this author, but this was a let down.
I liked this book but then discovered the next books in the series are even better!
I enjoyed reading this book and give it 4.5 stars(rounded up to 5). Two murder squad detectives are assigned to the murder of a 12 year old girl. One of them is Adam Robert Ryan. He was one of 3 twelve year old children that went missing 20 years before in the same woods as the murder scene. He was found holding on to a tree, while the other two …
A great psychological mystery that places as much emphasis on the detectives as on the crime it’s self.
Tana French is an amazing wordsmith.
Loved it!
What a good mystery should be.
Tana French spins a tale that combines whimsy and sleuthing. I think this is the first of her “Dublin Murder Squad” novels where old events and current ones combine into a unique mystery.
Could not finish this book. Way to slow and boring! Shouldn’t take over 150 pages to hook a reader.
Outstanding writing, wonderful building of tension.
I’m a third of the way into The Witch Elm, Ms. French’s latest book, but it made me think back to the wow factor I felt when I finished up her first book, In the Woods. It was this amazing combination of literary talent with mystery that has kept me going back to her books ever since.
The first and my favorite, though I’ve read and liked them all. This one is especially eerie and ambiguous (which, apparently, is what gives discomfort to some readers.)
Love the tormented and flawed characters that French creates. The mysteyis secondary, but still engaging to the troubled souls in this tale. It is sometimes tough to decipher the Irish colloquialisms. Glossary?
Twists and suspense.