I purchased this book for my own collection. I borrowed the audiobook from the library.
Publisher: Penguin Books / Penguin Audio
Published: May 27. 2008
Summary:
As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children. He is gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.
Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a 12-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox (his partner and closest friend) find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.
A gorgeously written novel that marks the debut of an astonishing new voice in psychological suspense.
My thoughts:
This is the first book in Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series, a book I have actually read before. I’ve been wanting to read the rest of this series for a while now, and since it’s been some time since I read this first book, I decided to reread it before moving on to the next one in the series.
I love how dark and twisted this story was, though it is definitely more slow-burning than what I typically pick up. It is character-driven and I found it so compelling how Detective Rob Ryan had connections to the current case – something that happened in his childhood was eerily similar to this case but he keeps that very close to his vest, which calls into question his reliability.
Once again, I’m in awe of just how atmospheric and complex this plot is. As I was making my way through the book, bits and pieces started coming back to me – even though I have read hundreds of books since, which says a lot about this author’s writing! And as I look back at my original review, which can be found here, I find myself thinking the same thoughts. I’m quite eager now to continue on with the series – I already have almost all the books so it’s just a matter of finding the time to fit them in.
Audio thoughts:
This was amazing on audio, with the narrator, Steven Crossley, doing such a fantastic job bringing the story to life. His affect, his pacing, his characterizations – all come together to make this a great listen and one I didn’t want to put down!
Books in this series:
- In the Woods
- The Likeness
- Faithful Place
- Broken Harbor
- The Secret Place
- The Trespasser
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