Immersive and occasionally unsettling, The Wych Elm by Tana French is an engrossing exploration into the fracturing of one’s identity amidst an unexpected crisis. The story revolves around Toby, a charismatic young man from Dublin who suffers a debilitating head injury after a brutal home invasion. French pairs this personal jeopardy with the shocking discovery of a skull in an elm tree at Toby’s family’s ancestral garden, pulling him into a whirlwind investigation that discloses uncomfortable realities about his past.

French’s delicacy in portraying the protagonist provides a deep insight into human nature, memory, and self-deception. Toby is written sympathetically, despite being an unreliable narrator, which further enhances the intrigue. The gradual disintegration of Toby’s erstwhile life, bundled with the eeriness of uncovered family secrets, creates a thick layer of psychological suspense.

Although tangled at times, French’s narrative delivers unfolding layers of truth encapsulated in an atmosphere of fear and disbelief. The eerie ambience echoes long after finishing. The illustrations of privilege, luck, and the malleability of truth make The Wych Elm an engrossing read. However, ambiguity in resolution might leave some readers craving more closure. Despite its few drawbacks, French succeeds in delivering a compelling blend of thrill and introspection.

***Purchased and read for my own enjoyment.

 

For any interested, the seed for this story lies in an unsolved true crime case that did, indeed, involve a female skull found in a Wych elm in 1943. The following year the graffiti phrase ‘Who put Bella down the Wych elm’ showed up. Forensics has determined her likely time of death was in or around October 1941. The case remains unsolved.