In the Woods

When he was twelve years old, Adam Ryan went playing in the woods 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.

Winner of The Anthony Award 2007 (UK)
Winner of The Macavity Award 2007 (UK)
Winner of The Barry Award 2007 (UK)
Winner of Edgar Awards 2007 (UK)
Winner of Clarion Award 2007 (UK)

“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. - The Times 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. - Irish Independent Lyrical and haunting - Scotland on Sunday A splendid, page-turning debut. - She A rich multi-layered thriller - Choice An intricate and edgy top-notch psychological thriller. - Woman and Home”

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. - The Times

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. - Irish Independent

Lyrical and haunting - Scotland on Sunday

A splendid, page-turning debut. - She

A rich multi-layered thriller - Choice

An intricate and edgy top-notch psychological thriller. - Woman and Home

Tana French grew up in Ireland, Italy, the United States and Malawi. Her first novel, IN THE WOODS, was published in 2007: it won the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity and Barry awards for Best First Novel and the IVCA Clarion Award for Best Fiction. IN THE WOODS and her other two novels, THE LIKENESS and FAITHFUL PLACE, were all New York Times bestsellers. She lives in Dublin with her husband and daughter. Visit Tana's website at

When he was twelve years old, Adam Ryan went playing in the woods 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.

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