Even though I don't often think of it when people ask me what kind of books I like, I really do love a good detective/mystery/crime novel. Jake's aunt Colleen, who I believe reads about 10 times as many books as I do, lent me this one. Set in Ireland, the main character is Rob Ryan, a detective in Dublin's homicide unit. As a child, two of his best friends disappeared while playing in the woods. Rob, the only survivor and eyewitness to the disappearance, was found gripping a tree trunk and standing in a puddle of blood. His memory fails him and he is unable to provide any help to the investigating officers and the disappearance is never solved. Years later, another young girl is found murdered near the same woods. Ryan is assigned to the case and believes the crime is somehow connected to what happened in the woods 20 years earlier. His partner, Cassie, is an amateur psychologist and attempts to put together a profile of the current murderer, while helping Ryan to uncover the memories he lost so long ago. The mystery unfolds slowly, with enough clues for the reader to guess who the murderer is, as well as the underlying motive for the crime (with a few worthy detours along the way). The ending left me slightly unsatisfied in some areas of the story -mostly because unlike many readers, I do like happy endings where all the loose ends are tied up - but as far as murder mysteries go this one had all the right elements, and it made me excited to seek out more thrillers.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
In the Woods - Tana French
Even though I don't often think of it when people ask me what kind of books I like, I really do love a good detective/mystery/crime novel. Jake's aunt Colleen, who I believe reads about 10 times as many books as I do, lent me this one. Set in Ireland, the main character is Rob Ryan, a detective in Dublin's homicide unit. As a child, two of his best friends disappeared while playing in the woods. Rob, the only survivor and eyewitness to the disappearance, was found gripping a tree trunk and standing in a puddle of blood. His memory fails him and he is unable to provide any help to the investigating officers and the disappearance is never solved. Years later, another young girl is found murdered near the same woods. Ryan is assigned to the case and believes the crime is somehow connected to what happened in the woods 20 years earlier. His partner, Cassie, is an amateur psychologist and attempts to put together a profile of the current murderer, while helping Ryan to uncover the memories he lost so long ago. The mystery unfolds slowly, with enough clues for the reader to guess who the murderer is, as well as the underlying motive for the crime (with a few worthy detours along the way). The ending left me slightly unsatisfied in some areas of the story -mostly because unlike many readers, I do like happy endings where all the loose ends are tied up - but as far as murder mysteries go this one had all the right elements, and it made me excited to seek out more thrillers.
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