In the Woods cover art

In the Woods

A stunningly accomplished psychological mystery which will take you on a thrilling journey through a tangled web of evil and beyond - to the inexplicable

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In the Woods

By: Tana French
Narrated by: John McCormack
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About this listen

 The inspiration for the major new BBC drama series DUBLIN MURDERS.

A stunningly accomplished psychological mystery which will take you on a thrilling journey through a tangled web of evil and beyond - to the inexplicable.

When he was twelve years old, Adam Ryan went playing in the woods one day with his two best friends. He never saw them again. Their bodies were never found, and Adam himself was discovered with his back pressed against an oak tree and his shoes filled with blood. He had no memory of what had happened.

Twenty years on, Rob Ryan - the child who came back - is a detective in the Dublin police force. He's changed his name. No one knows about his past. Then a little girl's body is found at the site of the old tragedy and Rob is drawn back into the mystery. Knowing that he would be thrown off the case if his past were revealed, Rob takes a fateful decision to keep quiet but hope that he might also solve the twenty-year-old mystery of the woods.

(P)2008 Oakhill Publishing©2007 Tana French Crime Thrillers Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Thriller Fiction Crime Murder

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Critic reviews

Sharply written and insidiously creepy, this is a mesmerising read that grabs hold of the reader from the very first page and doesn't let go until well past two in the morning.
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.
Lyrical and haunting
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.
A rich multi-layered thriller
This is a real treat for Christmas. In the Woods is a classic murder mystery with plenty of twists and macabre detail. This is Tana French's debut and it's startlingly accomplished . . . French writes beautifully and is far from lazy when it comes to sprinkling clues and red herrings and developing the characters.
An intricate and edgy top-notch psychological thriller.
All stars
Most relevant
This was one of the best choices I have made on Audible. Brilliantly written, excellent characters and dialogues. It was a joy to listen to, kept me on edge the whole time.



My only problem was with the narrator who was a bit annoying. I have never heard anyone speak like this. Not even the Queen pronounces individual words so carefully within a sentence, it just doesn't sound authentic. The accents are great though. When he switches to one the character suddenly comes alive and it doesn't sound like a narrator reading from a book anymore.

Brilliant thriller

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A crime drama that relies on the story line, the characters and quality writing rather than the usual formula of graphic sex and violence. I am new to Ms French but she stands alongside Susan Hill, PD James and the like and I will certainly be looking out for further boks from this author.

Quality crime drame

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The tale of the missing children running parallel to the main plot was very intriguing. I was sorry it came to nothing in the end. Never the less the book was a good read even if the answer to the prime murder mystery was a bit improbable. But then, most of them are. They have to be to keep the mystery alive. I did find the psychological aspect to the story, very interesting and well put.

Intriguing

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The book starts up fantastic as it presents various different enticing mysteries that the main characters, which have great chemistry, will have to solve. The book builds up on the mystery of the burial ground, Adam Ryan's past and how it could all be connected, with some eerie implications that something supernatural is afoot. As one finds themselves on the edge of their seats, the book ends on a dud, with a lot of loose ends and a very unsathisfying finale. Without spoiling the book, the case ends up being even more mondane than expected, one of the best characters gets turned into an unsympathetic c*nt and a lot of details are left either without closure or longing for details that sadly will never be there. I wouldn't recomend just because the ending is so disapointing and makes the book feel like a waste of time. Other than that, the narration was fantastic.

A whole lot of build up for a whole lot of nothing

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found this one very difficult to get into and finish.
It was ok. but wouldn't recommend for first time trying Tana French.

Not the best.

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