In the Woods: Amazon.co.uk: Tana French: Books

Review

‘A terrific debut . . . French’s psychological insights into the damaged policeman’s torment combine grippingly with the clammy atmosphere that surrounds the lethal woods. As an example of a novel in which the past returns to haunt the present, this scores very high marks.’

(Marcel Berlins, The Times 20070201)

‘This is a wonderfully assured and beautifully written debut novel, a multilayered psychological thriller that digs beneath the surface of ordinary lives and delivers excitement and insight in large helpings.’

(Irish Independent 20070201)

A masterpiece

(Evening Herald 20070201)

'Tana French’s IN THE WOODS is a terrific debut . . . French’s psychological insights into the damaged policeman’s torment combine grippingly with the clammy atmosphere that surrounds the lethal woods. As an example of a novel in which the past returns to haunt the present, this scores very high marks.' (Marcel Berlins, The Times 20070201)

'Lyrical and haunting' (Scotland on Sunday 20070201)

'A real show-stopper of a thriller . . . Author tightens the tension slowly until squealing point; Ryan's increasingly taut relationship with Maddox is woven cunningly around the crime plot. A splendid, page-turning debut.' (She 20070201)

'A compellingly complex case with nuanced characters and a richly detailed sense of place' (Kirkus Reviews )

'French expertly walks the line between police procedurial and psychological thriller in her debut.’' (Publishers Weekly )

'A brilliant first novel . . . the reader’s attention is slackened and tightened with a masterly hand.' (Literary Review )

'Beneath the lyrical descriptions of hot summers and happy childhood memories in small town Ireland lies an unsettling psychological thriller… A compelling page-turner of sinuous twists and turns.' (Choice Magazine )

'The most breathtakingly brilliant and close-to-perfect thriller I've read for a long time. I stayed up until three in the morning two nights running unable to put it down.' (Sophie Hannah )

'A must-read is Irish writer Tana French's IN THE WOODS, a literary, dark and absolutely compelling book set in Dublin where all manner of secrets are unearthed.' (Reviewing the evidence )

'This astonishing first novel weaves a web of intrigue to confound even the most astute: and its denouement, swift, shocking and sublimely executed, will remain with the reader long after the final page has been turned.' (Margaret Carragher Sunday Independent Dublin ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'A terrific debut ... French's psychological insights into the damaged policeman's torment combine grippingly with the clammy atmosphere that surrounds the lethal woods. As an example of a novel in which the past returns to haunt the present, this scores very high marks.' -- Marcel Berlins, The Times 20070201 'This is a wonderfully assured and beautifully written debut novel, a multilayered psychological thriller that digs beneath the surface of ordinary lives and delivers excitement and insight in large helpings.' -- Irish Independent 20070201 A masterpiece -- Evening Herald 20070201 'Tana French's IN THE WOODS is a terrific debut ... French's psychological insights into the damaged policeman's torment combine grippingly with the clammy atmosphere that surrounds the lethal woods. As an example of a novel in which the past returns to haunt the present, this scores very high marks.' -- Marcel Berlins, The Times 20070201 'Lyrical and haunting' -- Scotland on Sunday 20070201 'A real show-stopper of a thriller ... Author tightens the tension slowly until squealing point; Ryan's increasingly taut relationship with Maddox is woven cunningly around the crime plot. A splendid, page-turning debut.' -- She 20070201 'A compellingly complex case with nuanced characters and a richly detailed sense of place' -- Kirkus Reviews 20070201 'French expertly walks the line between police procedurial and psychological thriller in her debut." -- Publishers Weekly 20070201 'A brilliant first novel ... the reader's attention is slackened and tightened with a masterly hand.' -- Literary Review 20070201 'Beneath the lyrical descriptions of hot summers and happy childhood memories in small town Ireland lies an unsettling psychological thriller... A compelling page-turner of sinuous twists and turns.' -- Choice Magazine 20070201 'The most breathtakingly brilliant and close-to-perfect thriller I've read for a long time. I stayed up until three in the morning two nights running unable to put it down.' -- Sophie Hannah 20070201 'A must-read is Irish writer Tana French's IN THE WOODS, a literary, dark and absolutely compelling book set in Dublin where all manner of secrets are unearthed.' -- Reviewing the evidence 20070201 'This astonishing first novel weaves a web of intrigue to confound even the most astute: and its denouement, swift, shocking and sublimely executed, will remain with the reader long after the final page has been turned.' -- Margaret Carragher Sunday Independent Dublin 20070201 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful

not what the cover leads you to expect... 4 Jan 2008

By gherkingirl

Format:Paperback

Unlike many of the other reviewers I really liked this novel precisely because not every loose end is neatly sewn up like in a two hour TV adaptation.

I am an avid crime reader and I must say I was taken aback slightly by this novel as the cover is somewhat misleading and makes you expect something else...for me the strength of the writing was strong enough to overcome this and I had decided earlier on that this is a novel of friendship and human nature more than plot.

I thoroughly enjoyed the vivid characters and constantly changing relationships and subtle humour in the novel as it made a refreshing change from the typical whodunnit with troubled jazz loving copper than saturates the market.

Read this one with an open mind instead of taking the cover at face value and see what you think...I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the calibre of writing!

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Hard-boiled detective-story with a soft, soft ending. 25 Mar 2010

By J. Noon

As other reviewers have pointed out, the book falls short of its blurb. Way short. The synopsis and reviews gave me high expectations and I was sorely disappointed. And frustrated, oh so frustrated. One critic describes it as being fast-paced but it is anything but. The plot weaves slowly and broodingly, albeit teasingly, to a somewhat successful conclusion with the main storyline of the murder of Katy, the promising ballerina. In French's defence, she does manage to create a moody, atmospheric thriller. She writes well, although in places I found myself skipping over her rather protracted sections, especially when she's describing Ryan's memories as a child. I found myself thinking impatiently, yes, we've had the scene built up, but just tell us what happened to the children! Alas, the climactic denouement fails to materialise. As I suspected when I finished the book, you'll either love it for this reason, or feel like you've been led on. Coupled with the frankly irritating turn of events with Ryan and Maddox, I finished the book in a state of frustration and had half a mind to hurl it out the window. It is a book that sadly doesn't live up to the hype.

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Dark, twisted and haunting 1 July 2009

By Roman Clodia TOP 500 REVIEWER

Other reviewers have already discussed the plot so I'm not going to repeat that but, for me, this was a superb read that transcended the genre. French has succeeded in raising the emotional stakes in what could have been a fairly standard book, and allows the plot to develop organically in step with her characters.

It's often difficult for an author to create an authentic cross-gendered voice, but her male narrator felt `right': sometimes arrogant, sometimes awkward, Ryan is intriguing and darkly attractive. In fact the whole relationship arc that plays out between him and his professional partner Cassie is as central to the book as the murder investigation, and the two become inextricably intertwined.

Other readers here clearly hated the open-endedness of the mystery of Ryan's past but I loved the way French refused to close down the narrative in any easy or simple way. And the eerie darkness of the woods served as a haunting backdrop to the other mysteries that the text explores. Highly recommended and I can't wait to read her next book.