The Witch Elm

by Tana French

Book Overview

Named a New York Times Notable Book of 2018 and a Best Book of 2018 by NPR, The New York Times Book Review, Amazon, The Boston Globe, LitHub, Vulture, Slate, Elle, Vox, and Electric Literature

"Tana French's best and most intricately nuanced novel yet." --The New York Times

An "extraordinary" (Stephen King) and "mesmerizing" (LA Times) new standalone novel from the master of crime and suspense.

From the writer who "inspires cultic devotion in readers" (The New Yorker) and has been called "incandescent" by Stephen King, "absolutely mesmerizing" by Gillian Flynn, and "unputdownable" (People) comes a gripping new novel that turns a crime story inside out.

Toby is a happy-go-lucky charmer who's dodged a scrape at work and is celebrating with friends when the night takes a turn that will change his life--he surprises two burglars who beat him and leave him for dead. Struggling to recover from his injuries, beginning to understand that he might never be the same man again, he takes refuge at his family's ancestral home to care for his dying uncle Hugo. Then a skull is found in the trunk of an elm tree in the garden--and as detectives close in, Toby is forced to face the possibility that his past may not be what he has always believed.

A spellbinding standalone from one of the best suspense writers working today, The Witch Elm asks what we become, and what we're capable of, when we no longer know who we are.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0735224625
• ISBN13: 9780735224629
• Release Date: October 2018
• Publisher: Viking
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 1.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 5.7" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Disturbing

I love Tana French, but this one didn't work for me at all. I just couldn't relate to many of the characters because so many of them were despicable.

Wanted: An Editor

I have been a fan of Tana French and have read everything she has written. It took me a long time to get into this book. Fortunately, it did pick up eventually.

Boring

Had to drag myself through this book - didn't finish it

A Gripping Psychological Thriller

I loved this book and was hooked from the first sentence. I don't need to want to befriend the characters in order to like them, and the characters in this book intrigued me. A gripping psychological thriller that delivers with a satisfying ending.

Not her best

I really liked her Dublin Murder Club series, so I wanted to try this stand-alone book. If I had read this one first, I doubt that I would've tried any of her other books. The characters didn't grab my interest. The only one with any redeeming qualities was the uncle & he, while struggling with debilitating illness, seemed to be the only one willing to take control of the situation. Susanna and Leon bring a new definition to being a friend. Named a Best Book of 2018 by some? Not for me.