The Witch Elm: A Novel (Unabridged)
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- $22.99
Publisher Description
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.
Customer Reviews
Different but still good!
I have always enjoyed Tana French books. She somehow grabs my attention straight on, gets me interested in or to care about the characters and hooks me. This is a slight departure from her previous series books, but I loved it. It was a slow burning story and one that felt straight and true and kept my attention from the start. If you’re a fan of her work this is again a great read/listen.
Big Disappointment
This was my 4th Tana French audiobook. It did not compare with the three previous ones “In The Woods”, Broken Harbour” and “The Secret Place”. This was full of long rambling soliloquies by the central character that were painfully boring to hear. The ending was unsatisfying and had this been my ‘first’ Tana French book, I would not have listened to another one.
A slow read with an unexpected but lame plot
It took a long time for the plot to develop. The author spent more time describing abstract thoughts and surroundings rather than character dialogue and plot sequences. None of the characters were particularly likable and the ending was just plain sad. I probably won’t read anything more from this author.