In the Woods by Tana French

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Rob and Cassie may be relatively new to the Murder Squad of their Ireland town, but no one would react impassively to the murder of a 12-year old girl. Alerted by the team of archeologists who’d stumbled upon the body that morning, they are brought to the scene and immediately get to work trying to figure out what monster may have committed this heinous crime. Throughout the investigation, however, Rob is plagued by one nagging detail: he is also a survivor of sorts. When he was about the age of this victim, he lived in this area and had survived the disappearance of his two best friends. Since that time, he has never been able to recover the memory of what happened to them. But in order to stay on this case, because the two might be linked, he must keep his history a secret – one that plagues him perhaps even more than this murder itself.

This is a well-woven crime novel, narrated through the voice of Rob. With each new slice of evidence, we are engaged more and more, and the intrigue continues to mount. French also writes these characters not just as “detectives” drawing out the facts of the case, but as humans, with deeply complicated pasts, fighting demons of their own. We come to know Rob, in particular, whose struggles and conflicting feelings both help and hinder the investigation.

This story is certainly not a light, uplifting read, nor is it for the feint of heart. There are a few gruesome scenes, ugly characters, grisly twists. But it is suspenseful and fun, perhaps in a twisted, dark fashion. Perhaps read it with the lights on?

The Dry by Jane Harper

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Aason Falk feels himself drawn, almost against his better judgement, to attending the funeral of his old high school buddy, Luke, back in his former, small farming town outside of Melbourne. He’s just learned that Luke, his wife and his older child were murdered in and around their home, and rumor has it that it was Luke himself who carried out this gruesome act. Sitting in the pews of the service, he senses many not-so-friendly eyes upon him, even though it’s been 20 years since he’s returned. The only sets of eyes that welcome him are those of his old friend, Gretchen, and Luke’s parents, the latter having been like parents to Falk himself when he was younger. When Luke’s father asks him to utilize his investigative experience to help the local police find out what really befell the family, Falk promises to assist in an unofficial capacity, immediately finding himself embroiled in the weeds of a sinister mystery.

This is a classic crime fiction novel, replete with a main character saddled with a colored past, reluctant involvement in the investigation, and a twisty, sad, and complicated -even dangerous – path to the truth. There are small town politics, with the stereotypic town bully placed at the center of the conflict. Yet despite these common tropes, the novel still manages to be both surprising and entertaining.

If you’re looking for a quick read that will keep you guessing, this is the one for you!

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Sam Spade, a hard-driving detective in San Francisco in the late 1920’s, is approached by a beautiful young woman, appearing deathly afraid of men pursuing her. She begged for either Sam or his associate to shadow her, and within hours Sam’s associate was murdered. Thus begins Sam’s journey through a maze of shady characters, suspicious dealings and double crossings, all over a valuable statuette.

This novel, made into a well-known movie with Humphrey Bogart, was likely considered good in its time, but has not aged well. The careless treatment of the women and the stereotypical homophobic comments by the obnoxiously “macho” men in the story were impossible to dismiss. Moreover, the story itself was as melodromatic and corny as they come.

I often like to include some of the older classics in my reading – just wondering how this rose to being considered among those!