Not only is In the Woods Tana French's first novel, but it is also the first novel in her critically-acclaimed "Dublin Murder" series. In the Woods tells the story of two Irish detectives who are investigating the murder of a 12 year-old girl. One of those detectives had an eerily similar experience in the same woods the girl was murdered in several decades before. He, along with two other children, ventured onto into those woods one night to play. However, only he remained at the end of the night. At its core, In the Woods tells the story of a man who has to confront his past -- all while helping uncover the murdered girls killer.
When it was released, In the Woods received mostly positive reviews. Writing for Booklist, Thomas Gaughan called In the Woods “...a superior novel about cops, murder, memory, relationships, and modern Ireland. The characters of Ryan and Maddox, as well as a handful of others, are vividly developed... Equally striking is the picture of contemporary Ireland, booming economically and fixated on the shabbiest aspects of American popular culture. An outstanding debut and a series to watch for procedural fans." French's novel also won a number of awards, including: the Edgar Award, the Barry Award, and the Macavity Award (all three of which for the best first novel that year).
