In The Woods by Tana French

I admit, I was a bit skeptical when I received this book for review from the lovely ladies at FSB.

I mean, it's pretty long.

And I'm not a big, huge mystery reader, generally.

But I decided to dive in and give it a go.

After only a few pages, I was completely hooked, and I've barely been able to put this book down for the last few days, even staying up late last night to finally reach the conclusion.

Twenty years ago, twelve year old Adam Ryan was found covered in blood in the woods, his two best friends having vanished and presumed dead. Now, twenty years later, Ryan is a murder detective who has just caught the case of a lifetime - a dead girl found in the very same woods in Ireland.

This is a wonderfully plotted, wonderfully twisted, wonderfully woven novel, filled with complex characters and a great mystery. I adored the relationship French created between Ryan and his partner. The novel is lush with detail - it took a while for me to just let it flow, instead of thinking "oh get on with it, already!". If you are looking for Patterson (which is written like "mystery lite" in my opinion), this isn't for you - but, if you are looking for literary fiction in the form of a mystery, this is absolutely a great read. No wonder it was an Edgar Award finalist...

I love it when books surprise me, and this one did: surprised me in how much I really got into it. One aspect of the ending really burned me, but otherwise, a satisfying, weighty, wonderful read.

Highly recommended!

(link to my Crucial Pop review)

Labels: book review