In The Woods By Tana French

Inside Look

This is my job, and you don’t go into it – or if you do you don’t last – without some natural affinity for its priorities and demands. What I am telling you, before you begin my story, is this – two things: I crave truth. And I lie.

Whenever a book begins with the main character saying he can’t be trusted, I know I am in for some twisted reading, where the truth may never be uncovered. In The Woods is no exception.

Murder detective Rob Ryan has a secret, a secret he does not fully understand. Twenty years ago, when he was a young boy, Rob was playing in the woods with his two closest friends; he was the only one who walked out of those woods alive. He was found catatonic, clinging to a tree with blood soaked shoes. The truth remains a mystery, even to him.

When the body of a 12-year-old girl is found in the woods outside Dublin, Rob and his partner Cassie are called to investigate. The situation is eerily familiar to Rob. As they dig deeper into the case Rob begins to have partial flashbacks, but nothing to help the ongoing investigation.

Rob’s nightmares increase and he is left depleted, nearly destroying the case as he searches for his own truth.

Did I Love It?

Tara French’s debut thriller explores the psyche of lead detective Ryan. Memories from Rob’s past intermingles with his present day case, weaving each story together perfectly. Rob is not a very likable character, but I found his motivations very compelling. The novel is fast paced, intriguing with writing that is not only engaging, but also character driven.

The drawback to this story is the ending; it left one of the mysteries unsolved. Discovering the truth about Rob’s past was what I really wanted read. I realize not all stories are going to be tied up nicely with a pretty bow in the end, but I had an unsatisfied feeling when I finished the book.

Despite the ending, I enjoyed the story; it was engrossing and had plenty of twists to keep me interested. My favorite character was Cassie; Rob’s venerable, yet intelligent partner.

I am excited to read The Likeness by Tana French, which is a story with Cassie as the main character. The Likeness takes place six months after In the Woods ended.
Gracefully Yours,
Elle