This was one of those books that has been sitting in my “to read” stack for a long time–several years, in fact. While I really enjoy Tana French’s style, this, her debut novel, doesn’t get more than three stars from me.
Well written and well edited–not one typo or misspelling, the book really grips the reader through three quarters of the story. While some readers found the start slow, I didn’t. The prologue was pertinent and adept in its work of hooking this reader and sets up a whole novel and its main character. (Those four slashes really provide a crux.) Chapter one and all the way through until Robert (Adam) Ryan gets stupid, the undying questions–who killed Katy, and what happened to Pete and Jaime–stay…and build urgency. Then the story mires down as the lead investigator gets muddled…as men are wont to do with and because of women they love and admire.
Between graft, corruption and politics that underlays most human societies, this tale, set in Ireland, doesn’t hedge on reality. The detectives and their support staff move through the investigation in a realistic manner and make honest mistakes. Neither does it present a story that conveniently ties up all loose ends. It’s a good read, but I wouldn’t call it great. It’s real, and it’s definitely a character-driven novel that will hold you, at least until Rob takes an emotional dive. Disgusted, you will, then read to the end to find out what happens, but your momentum might not be quite as driven and your satisfaction will be tainted by the outcome.
Then there are those four slashes….
In the Woods by Tana French