Complex, subtle, sophisticated. A book for multiple reading.

In Irish literature traditionally fall very often together reality and "otherworld" Mystical and Magical penetrates into everyday life, fairies, goblins and other creatures inhabit the forests, hills, lakes and rivers.
Tana French lives in Dublin and has certainly also engaged in the conflict to Tara, the legendary hill with several prehistoric monuments, which was threatened by a motorway construction. Apart from the fear, to scare tourists, even very many Irish people actually employed by the thought that they could upset the nature spirits of the place.

It may be no coincidence that a very similar story occurs in this novel, here must give way to an ancient woodland.

In the 1980s, disappeared in that same forest two children, the third child, who had played with the two, was found, but had strange nicks on the back and lost his memory. Twenty years later, this young policeman, has changed its name from Adam to Robert and must themselves work on a case of infanticide: A girl was killed on an ancient sacrificial stone found in the woods.

Throughout history, initially weave past and present, Rob tries repeatedly but remember what happened on that day many years ago, but only fragments of before and after him a fall. Or he comes close to the solution yet, but does not dare to think about it?

The novel stands out far above the average of modern thrillers by the countless hidden allusions that one often only become clear pages later in order of importance, the interwoven storylines and the very unusual end that the reader sends back to the Roman, to even own to devise solutions.

Knowing, for example, "Wuthering Heights", which Cassie enthusiastically read in the book, a notice that it may be no coincidence just that here must be a young woman torn between two men decide: the indigenous, wealthy Sam and the slightly crazy to irrationality and sometimes prone to fits of rage Rob, in which you as a reader more and more wondering what to make of him. The fact that the protagonist as a child loses his memory and lives under a different name draws parallels to Bronte novel. Finally, when Rob is angry that a woman from the neighborhood claimed to have seen the ghost of his playmates, but he denied the stay, one thinks: Lockwood.

And this is just to show an example, to what depths French can go. (One more thing:. Cassie told Rob of a fellow student told, which they took advantage and finally mobbte other When asked Rob, as the name was this guy, she replies: "Legion" And you have to know the quote to..)

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Note the end, only if you already know the book, see comment.