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.
more
What can I say, love her books.
Dark mystery and a gripping tale. Enjoy French very much.
It’s rare for a book to be both character-driven AND plot-driven and French always seems to provide this, which is what I love about her stories. This is French’s first book and it’s so original and draws you in so tightly, the world just falls away when you’re nose-deep in the pages. If you haven’t yet read French’s mysteries, you’re in for a …
I think I’ve read all of her books and this is one of her best.
This was an exceedingly well written book, but I found the subject matter disturbing.
It is a wonderful mystery novel about the Dublin Police murder squad. Great characters. By far the best book she has written. Wish she would tie up the ending about what happened to the kids in a new book though. Loved this book
I love Tana French’s novels. This one continues her writings into tragic human circumstances. Well done
This is the book that started my obsession in finding Tana French’s books. An awesome author with haunting stories that are so good your not sure it’s fiction, the tales seem so lifelike.
Great book. I was satisfied with the ending. The beginning grabs you.
the first in the Murder Squad series. good read
It had an average plot, but was not especially entertaining. As a matter of fact, though I read it for a book club only a few months ago, I barely remember it at all.
Gritty and poetic, complex imagery.
This is edge of the seat reading material. Complex plots keeps the ready on the edge…waiting to turn the page to see this story will go. An excellent read.
I really do not understand why people like this writer. She starts the book with a compelling mystery. “What happened to the kids that went into the woods?” She never solves or even attempts to solve that mystery. She also does an extremely poor job of writing male characters. There is no distinction between her female and male characters …
Tana French is a master of her craft. Sometimes you get an author who is both a wonderful story teller and a great writer and she is both. From the first page I became so swept up in the story I found it difficult to do anything else. I finished the book in two and a half days. I wish I was a good enough writer myself to describe and do justice to …
I liked this book & was invested in finding out a mystery, but I was left with more questions.
Did I like Theo Decker? No, I did not. I found him extremely unlikable and I didn’t enjoy reading about his life in Las Vegas at all. I almost put the book down, but Tartt is an incredible writer, a master of descriptive prose. Her attention to detail, so many tiny details, is amazing. She creates a truly believable, incredibly rotten world. …
“In The Woods” is the first in the Dublin Murder Squad series of mysteries by Tana French, and the first I’ve read. I’m reading the second in the series, now, and was pleased enough with “In The Woods” to commit to binge reading the entire collection.
“In The Woods” is an original plot that unfolds with excellent characters–the good guys who …
Good plot.
Very intriguing. A Tana French classic