Welcome to British Isles Friday! British Isles Friday is a weekly event for sharing all things British and Irish — reviews, photos, opinions, trip reports, guides, links, resources, personal stories, interviews, and research posts. Join us each Friday to link your British and Irish themed content and to see what others have to share. The link list is at the bottom of this post. Pour a cup of tea or lift a pint and join our link party!

Last week, I researched how the UK does Black Friday. Sim found us locations from Bleak House and The DaVinci Code during her virtual walk in London. Mike traced George Washington’s genealogical roots in Lancashire. Becky reviewed the first book in a new Regency series: The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill.

Book: In the Woods by Tana French
Genre: detective novel
Publisher: Viking
Publication date: 2007
Pages: 429

Source: e-book from the library

The first novel in the Dublin Murder Squad series of mysteries.

Summary: Detective Rob Ryan convinces himself that the secret trauma from his childhood is unrelated to the case he’s working on. The woods are the same, though. How many more commonalities will be revealed? Ryan draws clues and discovers complexities with fellow detective Cassie Maddox, the archaeology crew who found the body while excavating in the woods, and neighbors he barely remembers.

Thoughts: Thanks to Tina for recommending Tana French’s series that begins with In the Woods during previous British Isles Friday posts. In the Woods presents a gripping story with characters who are just likable enough for me to enjoy spending time with them.

I enjoy novels set in Dublin. I only spent a few days there, but it’s such a walk-able city that I have a good mental map of the place. When I’m reading about characters in Dublin, I can imagine the spaces where they live and work.

I’m looking forward to more of the Dublin Murder Squad novels — there are six of them now. It will take me a while to get through them because the e-book waiting list at the library is long.

Appeal: In the Woods will appeal to those who love modern crime novels where the character of the detective is a big part of the story. The setting of Dublin is a definite plus!

Have you read this series? What do you think?