In the Woods by Tana French

In the Woods by Tana French Book Summary

BOOK SCORE
4
TOTAL RATINGS
2,134
BOOK PRICE
$13.99

The debut novel of an astonishing voice in psychological suspense

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, 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.

In the Woods Book Details

Book Name In the Woods
Genre Mysteries & Thrillers
Author Tana French
Published 17 May 2007, Thursday
Price $13.99
E-Book Size 3.33 MB

In the Woods by Tana French Book Reviews

Free International Money Transfer 💸

Enjoy high maximum transfers into more than 120 currencies while saving up to 90% over local banks! The cheap, fast way to send money abroad. Free transfer up to 500 USD!

Sweetrock122231

Not my favorite but still good. Overall I love French. Her later books a Faithful Place and Broken Harbor were awesome! This book was a little bit difficult to follow, it is different in not making a hero as great as other books make their heroes out to be. However, I liked how the ending was a lot different then what you would expect. The book dragged on a little

Boring read

It was ok. It was an ok read. When I was done I had so many questions still. And from what I found reading the description of the next book in the series, I won’t get those answers at all. So this was it for me.

Davidsmonster

5 stars the first 3/4 of the book. And then the ending was so disappointing!! I loved the heavy description and sense of mood in this book. I was totally invested in Ryan and Cassie’s stories and each of their trauma. I’m ok with what happens to them in their relationship, but there is so much that is left unresolved! The ending was so disappointing. We are led on for 700-800 pages of beautiful deep feelings and character history to end up no where in the end.

This Lady

In The Woods. The ending could have been so much more, it was untidy and inconclusive. The book had such high hopes, as the storyline was good, and building, until the end. It went out with a fizzle.

Annmric8

Not the detective story I was hoping for.. In The Woods was a detective story about Ryan and Cassie who were partners in the crime department. I had different preconceived ideas about the direction of this story given the opening prologue of three kids missing in the woods. Turns out the story was about Ryan twenty years later. He was the only known survivor from the woods. Tana rambled on and on about nonsensical stuff that was not pertinent to the story. She inserted plot theories creating one distraction after another. I kept thinking when are the detectives going to solve this crime instead of drum up all this dirt on the local residents. The story contained three mini plots working simultaneously in conjunction to the crime of Katy. The story began with introducing Adam and his two friends who were playing in the woods. Adam was found having no recollection of what happened to him or his friends. Twenty years later, Ryan is a detective and he claimed it had nothing to do with him wanting to solve his case. Coincidentally, a twelve year old girl was found in the same woods. Ryan worked the case hoping to trigger some memories of his own. This was quite appealing to me and I had hoped for the same of Ryan. I desperately wanted information as to the wearabouts of his two friends and the mystery behind his shoes and shirt. Apparently, Ireland had no crime scene investigation team to aid in the discoveries of the 1984 missing kids case. Tana paralleled these two cases by comparing how twenty years later with some high tech equipment and some experienced field investigators a crime could be solved. Yet, the efforts, resources, and clues were still slow in showing results. Until they could find something concrete that fancy equipment was of no use. A lot of components made up this story offering many layers. I needed a notebook to keep track of all the characters and who they were related to and who they worked for. Not to mention the environmental aspect of the story. The detective process was time consuming and really boring since most information led to nothing but more nonsense. I suppose this is typical in detective findings. Cassie's character became extensively developed yet I waited for Ryan's character to reach this same level of development after all this story was about him. Ryan's character had no business being a detective in my opinion. Tana pulled at my heartstrings in the beginning making me believe Ryan could be holding vital information about his friends and possibly link it to the current case in the woods. Instead, Ryan was a mess. He barely functioned as a human being let alone a working detective. I did not care for Tana's style or technique in this detective story. Her approach and delivery at times was filled with unnecessary distractions. I felt lured into the story by the concept of three kids missing in the woods to find out the case was unsolved and Adam became a detective unrelated to his unsolved case. I wish Tana would have provided Ryan's detective history prior to solving this case. Cassie's character had talent to profile people. She was by far the best character in the story. Sam was another great detective who seemed to gather evidence appropriately. Ryan unfortunately was preoccupied and mentally unstable. I found him incapable of reading people. He was easily manipulated.

Misslop

Couldn’t finish. Couldn’t get into this at all. I normally can read a book in about two days. In three weeks I barely am 20 percent through. I give up.

Courtburse

Boring. Characters somewhat developed but not relatable

Em.outlaw

Overall Ok. Easy to follow with the many flashbacks and how main character views himself but readers are left hanging at the end with no definite answer on one of the main plots throughout the book.

Rennyaz

In the Woods. This is a story that can definitely get to one. Early on, I found myself liking the characters and especially the investigators in our mystery. Yet there was something infinitely immature, wounded and fragile about them with terrifyingly evil presences... real? Imagined? ...lurking in the shadows that one could only wish could have been seized and plucked out. But, faithful to and typical of the nature of grief, we readers could only go through it one step at a time until we reached the other side. It is a sad story in the way that life is something sad with the realization the some things cannot be changed nor some things undone. And, though life goes on, some choices destroy potentials as well as brighter paths. Our task? Keep our eyes focused lest we, living yesterday, lose the life that remains.

Lanesmithk

Irked. The story had me all the way until the end....SO disappointed.....

Shannondianne

Good Read. Excellent writing and story telling. Left a few loose ends, but I'm hoping for a book that wraps things up at some point and goes back to Rob Ryan. Good book.

Kenzievm

Hate/Love Relationship. First of all, this book was such an amazing read. It was beautifully written, had all the perfect vibes for a murder mystery, and really had me drawn in. Took me a few chapters to really get into it, but after a hundred pages or so, I was hooked. Sped through the book and spent an entire evening trying to finish it so I could get to the bottom of the mystery. Well low and behold, you get NO ANSWERS to the biggest mystery of the story!! I’m left feeling a bit cheated like I was strung along the whole entire book. Still would recommend, but I’d say don’t even bother reading the last few pages

NAMason

Good read; great book. French is a wonderful writer. She has created full, real characters and a brilliant mystery story. Her imagery is vivid and her poetic writing evokes emotions. I could not stop reading this and cannot wait to start her next book.

Leslieamanda1

That ending tho!. Started a little slow, got really into it, and then that ending though!

Daniluvsu2228

Suspenseful. Loved the book! But i was a but confused in the end

Grammy Jo II

In. The woods. First Tanya French book I read. I loved it.

Avalancha12345678

Long ride. Too much read for nothing 😒 Mystery never solved .

Sarah_Ashleyxox

Amazing book. One of my all time favorite books. The show doesn’t do it justice in the slightest.

Awesome! Awesome!

In the Woods. Great at times but I gave it three stars because of the ending.

Dfromtemple

The woods. Wish I had back the hours I wasted on this book! What a letdown! will never read another of this author's books.

By Millard

In the Woods. The reader is captivated from the beginning. The author paints the characters so the reader finds them real and most of them likable. The many twists and turns and speculations keeps the story moving quickly. I was disappointed at the end but accepted the truth of it. Well worth the read .

Ptonurleft

Disappointing. Read this novel on the recommendation of a friend and came up seriously disappointed. Superfluous writing that doesn't add to the story leaves you wading through paragraphs trying to simply get to the meat of it. The guilty party was sadly obvious, and untidy finish at the end after 600+ pages left me angry and unsatisfied.

Jvhenry

Unsatisfying. The main question you want answered isn’t answered, which left me feeling unsatisfied.

Dogsbody67

Incredibly beautiful language.. Incredibly beautiful use of language. French describes the natural world it a purely poetic manner, makes it integral character. Her human characters have warmth, humor and heartbreak and we live them all through her words. The is easily the best book I have read in a long time. More than a mystery, this is literature at its finest.

"/Garden Godess/"

In the woods. Such a disappointment. It was compelling and worth the effort for 2/3 of the book. The final chapters seemed like they were written by a different author.

Clancy365

In the Woods. Great book! Loved the story and the police techniques, especially the interaction between the partners. Would have liked a bit less focus on the alcohol.

Slick chick 66

Disappointing.. Will try not to spoil plot but It was a bit boring throughout and leaving reader hanging was a let down.

House of Windsor

In the Weeds. Promising story though it could have been told in half the words. In this murder/thriller genre, I’m reading to find out ‘what happens next’. The author gets way too bogged down in description rather than forwarding the plot. I found myself skimming chunks of the book to get to the stuff that mattered. A generous red pen would have made it a much better story. Wouldn’t recommend.

Grammambo

Exhausting. Arduous and circuitous long-telling of a short story….only my need to finish what I started got me to the end.

Chikjfbdjmf

Loved it!!!. Age 19 when I read it. And it was my first mystery book, it's gotten me hooked

Bhuseby

Utterly captivating. Utterly captivating from the moment I picked it up until the last page. Great read.

Bugaboo13

In the Woods. Horrible book, horrible ending and a waste of time!

MelTizzy

Well written, slow burn, ends with disappointment SPOILER ALERT. Spoiler alert - you don’t get an answer to the biggest question of all, what happened to the friends who disappeared in the 80s. Definitely a slow burn book and ends with disappointment. The main character is like able but then essentially blows up the good things in his life. I really enjoyed the story but was so very disappointed with the falling out between the main characters, no answer to the big question, and then the one “responsible” for the death of Katy is pretty much continuing to live life with no consequences. This story could have been so easily nicely put together with the main characters in a relationship and then solving everything else.

ShaisyDay

Best book I’ve read in a long time.... I read this book in a day in and a half while camping. The writing is incredible and luxurious, the characters are rich and believable, and I didn’t want to leave French’s world when it was over. The end, as well, impressed me and upset me so much I couldn’t stop talking about it for the rest of the camping trip.

Heywoodya

Slow read. Started out intriguing but slowed down too much in the middle. No closure on one of the main characters. I forced myself to read it all.

Lorelia k.

Love!. This is such an amazing book! Loved everything about it. I listened to it on audible and it's purely captivating.

Haircat

Into the woods. Long drawn out, kept reading because i needed to know what happened to the missing kids, never happened, cant understand why this author did not give you answers about what happened in those woods! Couldn't have been more disappointed.....

Claudia Adams

Great read!. Insightful characters, masterful rendition of settings, active storyline.All a great recipe for a mystery.

Jkjr1961

Loved it!. Loved the characters. You feel like you know them. Hard to put down. Can’t wait to read all of her books. Definite 5 star

Georgie2018

In the Woods. Excellently crafted

Solve4life

Great read. Well paced, interesting characters and an ending that was satisfying, without cliche.

Woolsandfire

Plodding Narrative. Artful writing, character development long and boring, and the historical subplot anti-climactic. Need more than "dark woods" to frighten today's reader.

Plays With Fire

Great Start. This novel starts with a chilling situation that really grabs the reader. The characters are well developed and interesting in their own right. About halfway through, however, the whole story bogs down with uninteresting situations, boring discussions about alcohol and smoking, lots of flowery prose and an unsatisfactory ending all of which prevent me from reading any further in the series.

Martagirl39

In the woods. An ending that included wrapping up the only part of the book I really cared about would have been nice. An open ending is not really an option for a mystery. U kind of want the mystery solved. That's why u keep reading. 😐

Bookworm7755

Three times the charm. This is a slo burn of a novel which is more about the psychological outcome for Detective Rob Ryan. His past has significant impact on the current situation in Knockaree. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting; it thought it would be more of a police procedural. Despite the rough entry to this much loved series, I’m willing to continue reading the Dublin Murder Squad.

Holli1215

Meh. This book started off great and I was into it about 3/4 through and then it dragged on forever. I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened at the end and all the questions weren't even answered! So frustrating

Cheerleader-99

Great, needs more answers though. Awesome book, and the follow up, The Likeness, is also great. Just don’t expect a lot of answers in the end!!

Findaddy16

Boring!. Wanted to stop reading because it was so slow but also wanted to find out what happened. Nothing happened!

Scott_A_Miller

A Little Slow with a Solid Mystery. 3 Stars. Solid enough but a little slow and depressing. It seems to be a series starter but the group that we started out with imploded in a way that the next one will basically have to start over again. The mystery was very well done , though. French definitely did well with that. This will bring me back for the next one.

Whodunnit gal

Poetic and suspenseful. Tana French is that rare combination of skillful writer of memorable scenes and characters as well as an expert at spinning the web of a murder mystery. And you will be caught in that web until the very end.

Mind Lab Pro 🎯

Mind Lab Pro boosts work performance and productivity with nootropics for focus, multitasking under stress, creative problem-solving and more. Buy Now!

🪙 You are *this* close to claiming $10 of Bitcoin!

Discover how specific cryptocurrencies work — and get a bit of each crypto to try out for yourself. Coinbase is the easiest place to buy and sell cryptocurrency. Sign up and get started today.

Bluesy

Enjoyed the ride, but. I would have liked a few more answers in the end.

ZacharyWallace2011

My first mystery novel. My first mystery book- thought it was not bad, definitely a few twists and turns that keep it entertaining, still not sure whether I liked the ending, I'd recommend the book though

Stepper247

In the woods. Total disappointment and waste of my time.

Tana French - In the Woods Comments

5 Books like In the Woods (Tana French)

About Author "Tana French"

Tana French (born 10 May 1973) is an American-Irish writer and theatrical actress. She is a longtime resident of Dublin, Ireland. Her debut novel In the Woods (2007), a psychological mystery, won the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, and Barry awards for best first novel. The Independent has referred to her as "the First Lady of Irish Crime". Personal life Tana Elizabeth French was born in Burlington, Vermont, to Elena Hvostoff-Lombardi and David French. Her father was an economist who worked on resource management for the developing world, and she lived in numerous countries as a child including Ireland, Italy, the US and Malawi.French attended Trinity College Dublin, and trained in acting. She settled in Ireland and has lived in Dublin since 1990. French and her husband have two daughters. Novels French was enthralled by both acting and writing since her childhood but eventually focused more on acting. She grew up reading mystery and crime novels. She trained as a professional actor at....

5 Best Tana French Books
Popular Free Books
A Court of Mist and Fury E-Book Download
A Court of Mist and FurySarah J. MaasFantasy2016-05-03
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Books I-III E-Book Download
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Books I-IIIRick RiordanFairy Tales, Myths & Fables2014-09-16
Unnatural Death E-Book Download
Unnatural DeathPatricia CornwellMysteries & Thrillers2023-11-28
A Court of Frost and Starlight E-Book Download
A Court of Frost and StarlightSarah J. MaasFantasy2018-05-01
Icebreaker E-Book Download
IcebreakerHannah GraceContemporary2022-11-22
Romancing Mister Bridgerton E-Book Download
Romancing Mister BridgertonJulia QuinnHistorical2015-11-24
Blog
Is Buying a Prebuilt Shopify Store Worth It? A Comprehensive Analysis

Introduction: The Allure of Prebuilt Shopify Stores In the world of e-commerce, time is money. Business owners are constantly looking for ways to streamline processes, save time, and generate revenue quickly. Prebuilt Shopify stores have emerged as a...

Is Oberlo free with Shopify?

Oberlo is an app that makes it easier to dropship products on Shopify. It enables users to search through millions of products, add them to their store, and start selling without having to buy in bulk or maintain any inventory. Many people wonder if ...

What is the highest converting Shopify theme?

The highest converting Shopify theme is one that effectively integrates the elements of good website design and user experience to increase conversions and drive sales. A theme with an aesthetically pleasing design, clear and concise messaging, and a...

What is GA4 and what are its benefits for shopify users?

GA4, also known as Google Analytics 4, is the latest iteration of Google’s popular web analytics platform. It was officially launched in October 2020, and it offers a range of new features and benefits for Shopify users. One of the biggest bene...

Mastering Shopify: Proven Strategies to Generate Revenue and Succeed in E-commerce

A Comprehensive Guide to Monetizing Your Shopify Store E-commerce has grown exponentially in recent years, and Shopify has become a leading platform for businesses looking to launch an online store. With its user-friendly interface, extensive app sto...