I read this book whilst on holiday and I was sorely disappointed with the ending. I was sure that the case of the missing children would be solved, however, as I came to the last few pages, it became apparent that I was going to be left none the wiser as to what happened to Ryan's friends.

Ruth, ardrossan, Ayrshire, SCOTLAND

Pamela M
No you weren't the only one!
After reading this brilliant (until the end!) page turner I have just finished the book and am beside myself with frustration - as you said I was far more interested in the older case. I feel as if I have beent he victim of a cruel trick, giving my total committment to the story under false pretences.
Having said that all the positive comments about the book I agree with and I may be tempted to read the next book if only in the vain hope that eventually there will be an answer!
Andrea D, UK

Andrea, WSM, UK

This is an incredible book. I can't seem to get the characters and story out of my mind. I have two thoughts about the jagged piece of metal. Ryan sees a faint outline of a stag/man on the metal and it could have been used in the sacrifices made on the altar stone. It also could have been used in the killing of his friends and the slashing of his shirt. Or, it could be representative of the spirit that kept manifesting itself in the woods, in the distortion of reality that occurred to Ryan and the teenagers. The Ryan/Maddox/Sam trio seemed a recreation of the Adam/Jamie/Peter, with,again,two leaving and one remaining and grieving. Fabulous book and gifted author.

Paula H., cleveland, ohio,USA

I loved this book. Couldn't put it down, in fact. But the ending was SO disappointing. What did I miss?? What was the metal thing found during the bulldozing of the woods at the end? Was it a clue to the older case? Why didn't we find out what actually happened 20 years ago? I was more curious about that than about the recent case. Am I the only one who feels this way?

Pamela M. , Mountain View, CA

I was impressed by Tana French's first novel. What a tangled web she weaves! As the narrative unfolded I was drawn into this murder mystery, held fast and still reading at 3 a.m. She is skilled in describing memories of happy childhood as well as evidence of gruesome murder. If I have any criticism it is that sometimes too much background detail slows the pace. Characters are finely drawn - the Devlins, archaeologists, police. In spite of his arrogance I found Ryan sympathetic; the psychological damage of childhood meant I did not judge him too harshly. I was fascinated by the Ryan-Maddox relationship and the humour these two generated as a double act. The many twists in the plot added to the suspense and excitement. If you like classic detective stories written in less lyrical, more concise prose, perhaps this book is not for you. However, if you prefer a mystery 'set on the jagged edge where convention meets reality', then read In the Woods. Tana French 'bends the formula' superbly.

Jean Marshall, Bushey, Hertfordshire

I enjoy crime fiction and now Tana French is on my list of favourite authors. Oh, what a tangled web she weaves! As the narrative unfolded I was drawn into this murder mystery and held fast…and still reading at 3 a.m. She is skilled in describing the memories of a happy childhood as well as the evidence of a gruesome murder. If I have any criticism it is that sometimes there is too much background detail and this slows the pace of the thriller. The characters are finely drawn – the Devlins, the archaeologists, the police. In spite of his arrogance I found Rob Ryan sympathetic; the psychological damage he suffered as a child meant I did not judge him too harshly. I was fascinated by the Ryan-Maddox relationship and loved the humour they generated as a double act. The many twists in the plot added to the suspense and excitement. If you like classic detective stories written in less lyrical, more concise prose, then perhaps this book is not for you. However, if you prefer a mystery ‘set on the jagged edge where convention meets reality’ (to quote the author), then read In the Woods. Tana French ‘bends the formula’ superbly.

Jean Marshall, Bushey, Hertfordshire

Tana French has a good literary style and I enjoyed reading this book although murder mysteries are not my favourite genre. Nevertheless I would recommend "In The Woods" to any fan of this style. I do feel that Rob Ryan is rather feminised and that perhaps it would have been more credible if Cassie had been the narrator. However because of the odd unmasculine quality to Ryan's personality he is a dubious character and a possible suspect. Therefore he could be a psychopathic killer and this creates suspence. The solution of the case was as expected but it was disappointing that the old case gets filed away.
A good read.
Karen Bucks

Karen, High wycombe,

I hated this book.
I was taken in by the cover,which is fantastic,but found it dull,unrealistic and over long with a total anti climax at the end.
Dont bother buying it.

eve gaffney, cambridge, uk

Not very impressed, I'm afraid. I just could not believe in the main character, Rob Ryan, because no man, however traumatised by past events, would ever spend so much time exploring his own feelings and emotions.

Ken Cox, York,

Although I felt this was a good read, I realised early on why the little girl had been murdered, and was very disappointed that the other mystery is not explained. Thinking about it, though, I wonder if there are clues.

Does Ryan's relationship with his two police colleagues mirror his childhood relationship with Jamie and Peter? Does the way his relationship with Cassie falls apart hint in any way at what happened in the wood?

I might go back and re-read this.

Anthony Holden, Brighton,

This is a tale of missed opportunities, missed chances and a missing childhood. The characters were well drawn, if not necessarily sympathetic, and the story was engrossing. The picture of Ireland portrayed both in flashback and in the present was vivid, almost touchable at times.

Although I found the novel ultimately frustrating with too many plot devices and felt that it trailed off toward the end, it is definitely worth reading.

If there is a sequel then I will be in the queue to get a copy.

C Horne, London,

An outstanding first novel. I measure my enjoyment and captivation by how long it takes me to finish a book; in this case three days, two of which I was at work and only reading at night. Progressively more emotional, the ending, largely a tale of failure at all levels, left me drained and disappointed on behalf of the main characters. Those characters were painted boldly but with genuine compassion throughout. I suspect that the failure to bring one major storyline to conclusion, means that a sequel can be expected. Recommended.

Ivor Mason, Tonbridge, Kent

I am not a great fan of crime fiction, because its conventions seem by definition to restrict creativity.

This book reminded me of my problems with the genre. At the start, I felt there was a little too much telling rather than showing (that may be to do with the need to explain the Irish context to a non-Irish audience). After that, however, there is genuine flair in the dialogue and that leads to convincing portrayal of character, but all in all the suspension of disbelief demanded was too much for me. As in any other crime novel, however, the major problem comes with the reveal.

The tension is sustained brilliantly up to that climactic moment; it may have been as well to finish the book there and then, because the rest of the book eschews the deliberate untidiness of what has gone before to tie up all the loose ends, bar that which really matters (what really happened in the woods 20 years ago). I can only think that is left open to allow for some sort of sequel.

Glyn Haggett, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire