Sometimes, you just want to kick back with a fun, light, dishy novel where you don’t have to think much, don’t have to invest much, don’t have to do more than put one word after the other until you come to the end.
In the Woods by Tana French is definitely not one of those novels.
This mystery novel, the winner of the 2007 Edgar Award for Best First Novel (the Edgar Allan Poe Awards honor the best in mystery fiction each year), is lengthy, richly detailed, full of twists and turns and is definitely nowhere near the territory of dishy.
So, what is it all about?
Twenty years ago, Rob Ryan was found out in the woods near his Irish home, covered in blood. His two best friends had vanished and were presumed murdered. The case was never solved. As for Rob Ryan, he does not remember a single shred of the entire incident.
Twenty years later, Rob Ryan, now a homicide detective (naturally), catches the case of his career – a young girl by the name of Katy Devlin is found murdered in the very woods by his boyhood home, near the site of a recent archaeological dig, thus setting up a collision course of Ryan’s past and his present.
This novel is lush with detail – it took me a while to just go with the literary flow, rather than thinking “oh, get on with it!” This is the thinking man’s (or woman’s) mystery and suspense novel – nothing like James Patterson’s staccato chapters that are then tied up with a tidy ending. Instead, French really makes the book feel elemental – you can hear, feel and see the woods, the strain of Ryan’s desire to solve the case, and the torment of the unsolved murder(s). French’s graceful language flows through the pages, elevating the reading experience to more than just racing to solve a murder, instead taking the reader on more of a literary journey than that.
French’s novel is also full of wonderful characterization – the reader is truly taken into the mind of Rob Ryan, knowing him intimately throughout the novel as he narrates the tale. One of my favorite aspects of the book was the relationship of Ryan with his partner, Cassie Maddox, the lone female in the homicide division. Their in-jokes, snappy comebacks, and the way they complete each other’s thoughts was delicious to read and lightened the mood from the otherwise constant strain and gloom, and you get a sense that they are truly partners, and you long for someone of your own on whom you connect on so many levels. This novel is really a great combination of murder procedural and psychological thriller that bears down on the reader, and does not give them a moment to breathe as Ryan and Maddox race to find the killer…
My enjoyment of this novel pleasantly surprised me, and though one aspect of the ending (no spoilers!) did not appease my “I want to know everything!” attitude, I really could not put down this weighty, wonderful read once I got past the first few pages. Many readers and reviewers felt burned by the resolution of the novel, but despite the negativity, it is still a worthy and satisfying read, in my opinion, no matter how know-it-all I am…
This decidedly non-dishy, non-light, non-fun novel certainly earned that Edgar Award for Tana French in spades.
If you are looking for a serious murder procedural, be sure to check out In the Woods – you will not be disappointed.
Tana French has written a follow up novel, called The Likeness, which is due for release on July 17, and features the return of character Cassie Maddox as she works to solve a new murder case – one very close to home.
If you enjoy reading Tana French, you may also enjoy the novels of Harlan Coben, Jonathan Kellerman, Ruth Rendell, Douglas Preston, and Jeffrey Deaver.
For more on Tana French, visit her website, TanaFrench.com.
Previous Reviews:
