At this point in the narrative, readers do not know what Ivy House is, but they know that he considers himself lucky to have had it, even though his cousins advise him to forget about it. He calls his cousins, Susanna and Leon, to talk to them about Ivy House. The first chapter begins with a short monologue about Toby’s own luck. Other than the introduction, which takes place after the events of the novel, the novel follows a linear timeline. Because the novel begins with Toby in the present calling his cousins about the past, it is clear that Toby is reflecting in the present on events that have already occurred this is reflected in the tenses, as the bulk of the novel is narrated in the past tense, but begins and ends with the present tense. The narrator, Toby Hennessy, is also the main character.

The Witch Elm takes place in Ireland, and is narrated in the first person.

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.Ī 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.The following edition was used to create this study guide: French, Tana. 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. 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.

įrom 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. “Tana French’s best and most intricately nuanced novel yet.” - The New York TimesĪn “extraordinary” (Stephen King) and “mesmerizing” ( LA Times) new standalone novel from the master of crime and suspense. 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

The witch elm a novel