Tana French livens up the Halloween season with a stand-alone novel, The Witch Elm. Toby Hennessy, a marketing guy at a small art gallery, confronts two intruders in his apartment in the middle of the night and gets beaten badly. Toby wakes up in a hospital with a concussion, broken ribs, and PTSD. The reader who is not used to Tana French’s ways might conclude The Witch Elm will center around Toby’s beating: who were those thugs? What were they stealing? Did someone hire them?
But, no. The Witch Elm pivots to IVY HOUSE and dying Uncle Hugo. Toby travels to be with his beloved uncle to recover from his injuries and to help a relative with cancer. But that isn’t what The Witch Elm is about, either. A body is found in the wych elm tree on Uncle Hugo’s property. Who is the dead man? Was he murdered? Who murdered him? The Witch Elm juggles several plots until the Big Reveal in the last 40 pages. If you’re a Tana French fan, you’ll enjoy this twisty mystery. If you’re looking for an absorbing crime novel, The Witch Elm will keep you guessing for all of its 501 pages. GRADE: B+
I read her first book In the Woods and liked it but have never read anything else by her. I’ll keep this in mind.
Steve, Stephen King wrote a rave review of THE WITCH ELM for the New York TIMES BOOK REVIEW. That review convinced me to move Tana French’s book to the top of the READ REAL SOON stack.
I think I’ve read most of her books (THE LIKENESS is my favorite), but the last one annoyed me with how much harassment (racial, sexual) the female detective had to put up with. I have this on my tbr…but that’s 300-books plus, so not sure when I’ll get to it.
Deb, THE WITCH ELM is a quick read. Just when you think you know where the novel is going, Tana French makes a course change.
George, I have not read the author and will keep her books in mind, for the every near future.
Prashant, Tana French is one of the top mystery writers. You might start with IN THE WOODS and follow up with THE LIKENESS.
Thanks for the tip, George.
I still have her first book on the shelf but so far I’ve been less successful at getting through it than with Proust. Also, 501 pages? Pass.
Jeff, usually it takes me a few days to read a 501 page book, but I blew through THE WITCH ELM in a day and a half.
I’ve read all her books and would recommend most of them, but not this one which I just finished yesterday. The plot, characters, and writing are all excellent, but man! this thing just goes on and on and on. I’d also been excited by King’s review since I usually agree with him, but not this time. C+
Michael, I agree that Tana French has written better books, but THE WITCH ELM kept me guessing right up to the end.
I have read all but the last one and enjoyed them but I think she writes 500 pages when she could write 350.
Patti, I agree. The whole genealogy subplot could have been edited out since it goes nowhere (a red herring, perhaps?). On the plus side, the pages in THE WITCH ELM turned quickly.
Someone on another blog commented that Tana French seemed to have reached “the Elizabeth George stage where she no longer gets edited” and, as a result, her books are bloated with unnecessary subplots and superfluous detail.
Deb, as Patti Abbott pointed out, this 501 page monster could have been edited down to 350 pages…and turned into a better book. I stopped reading Elizabeth George when her books inflated well over the 500 page mark.
Deb, Stephen King himself reached that level a long time ago.
Will the horror/fright/weird season NEVER end? It’s November. Time to read books about happy families, or turkey, or something.
Rick, you’ll be astonished by the book I review tomorrow for FFB!
Has anyone ever written a good book about a happy family? I would rather read something dark. As you can guess I detested The Waltons.
Steve, I suggest P. G. Wodehouse writes about happy families. They’re also very funny!
It not only sounds like something I wouldn’t want to read, it sounds like 501 pages of something I wouldn’t want to read!
Bob, THE WITCH ELM probably wouldn’t appeal to you. But I’m guessing tomorrow’s book might push your buttons!