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Charlie Parker #16
La jeune femme et l'ogre
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2018)Le nouveau thriller du maître de l'angoisse. Le corps d'une femme est retrouvé enterré dans les bois du Maine. L'autopsie révèle qu'elle est morte en mettant un enfant au monde. A-t-il survécu et, dans ce cas, où se trouve-t-il ?
Charlie Parker est chargé d'élucider ce mystère. Mais il n'est pas le seul à s'intéresser à l'affaire. Deux sinistres personnages, aussi cruels qu'impitoyables, s'efforcent eux aussi de remonter la piste de la défunte, laissant dans leur sillage quantité de cadavres. Et si leur cible n'était pas l'enfant, mais un livre de contes doté d'un pouvoir diabolique volé par sa mère ?
Voici Parker engagé dans une course contre la montre dont l'enjeu n'est pas des moindres : il s'agit de sauver le monde des flammes...
Charlie Parker est chargé d'élucider ce mystère. Mais il n'est pas le seul à s'intéresser à l'affaire. Deux sinistres personnages, aussi cruels qu'impitoyables, s'efforcent eux aussi de remonter la piste de la défunte, laissant dans leur sillage quantité de cadavres. Et si leur cible n'était pas l'enfant, mais un livre de contes doté d'un pouvoir diabolique volé par sa mère ?
Voici Parker engagé dans une course contre la montre dont l'enjeu n'est pas des moindres : il s'agit de sauver le monde des flammes...
624 pages, Pocket Book
First published April 5, 2018
2417 people are currently reading
11989 people want to read
About the author
John Connolly
220 books7,899 followersJohn Connolly was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and has, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a dogsbody at Harrods department store in London. He studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which he continues to contribute.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 919 reviews
June 26, 2018
This is how it’s done!
The Woman in the Woods is a dark, complex, mystery/thriller about a female corpse that’s literally unearthed in the Maine woods.
The plot is almost too complicated to describe, so I am only going to include basic details: Charlie Parker is hired to investigate the corpse of the woman of the woods. His investigation puts him in contact with some unique, dangerous individuals. Characters from previous books make appearances, including Moxie, Jennifer, Sam, and my favorite character, Louis, who has recently discovered the joy of reading while his partner, Angel, is recovering from surgery
While Parker and Louis and are able to eventually dominate evil forces, Trumpian America is the one force that they can't seem to overcome: “Bigotry and hatred appeared newly empowered.”
The Woman in the Woods is a stellar addition to The Charlie Parker series. What makes these books stand out is Connolly’s superb writing--reading this made me realize how badly written some of my recent reads have been. This book is intricately plotted, the characters are dynamic, and Connolly’s use of detail brings to life the otherworldliness that surrounds Parker: “They were not simulacra, but neither were they real; rather, they represented the potential usurpation of one reality, its slow infection by another.”
Connolly seamlessly weaves together a complex plot, consisting of multiple storylines, numerous characters, and various genres. I don’t usually tolerate the supernatural, but for this series I make an exception because it’s so well integrated and Connolly somehow makes it feel plausible. He also adds in bits of humor that had me laughing out loud.
I highly recommend this series. If you like books with mystery, suspense, history, characters with depth, with lots of creepiness woven in, check out The Charlie Parker series. I don’t recommend starting with The Woman in the Woods, as you will miss out on crucial events and details. This series gets better with each book; I cannot wait to see what’s next for Charlie Parker!
The Woman in the Woods is a dark, complex, mystery/thriller about a female corpse that’s literally unearthed in the Maine woods.
The plot is almost too complicated to describe, so I am only going to include basic details: Charlie Parker is hired to investigate the corpse of the woman of the woods. His investigation puts him in contact with some unique, dangerous individuals. Characters from previous books make appearances, including Moxie, Jennifer, Sam, and my favorite character, Louis, who has recently discovered the joy of reading while his partner, Angel, is recovering from surgery
While Parker and Louis and are able to eventually dominate evil forces, Trumpian America is the one force that they can't seem to overcome: “Bigotry and hatred appeared newly empowered.”
The Woman in the Woods is a stellar addition to The Charlie Parker series. What makes these books stand out is Connolly’s superb writing--reading this made me realize how badly written some of my recent reads have been. This book is intricately plotted, the characters are dynamic, and Connolly’s use of detail brings to life the otherworldliness that surrounds Parker: “They were not simulacra, but neither were they real; rather, they represented the potential usurpation of one reality, its slow infection by another.”
Connolly seamlessly weaves together a complex plot, consisting of multiple storylines, numerous characters, and various genres. I don’t usually tolerate the supernatural, but for this series I make an exception because it’s so well integrated and Connolly somehow makes it feel plausible. He also adds in bits of humor that had me laughing out loud.
I highly recommend this series. If you like books with mystery, suspense, history, characters with depth, with lots of creepiness woven in, check out The Charlie Parker series. I don’t recommend starting with The Woman in the Woods, as you will miss out on crucial events and details. This series gets better with each book; I cannot wait to see what’s next for Charlie Parker!
June 20, 2018
***CRACK***
That is the sound of John Connolly hitting it out of the ball park yet again! I honestly think these books are getting better and better! This is the sixteenth book in the series and it feels as if Connolly is only getting warmed up! I was first introduced to this series when I received book twelve, The Wolf in Winter, through a goodreads give away!!! I was hooked!!!! I have gone back and read some previous books but have been on top of the books that have followed The Wolf in Winter. I really love how Connolly blends mystery, suspense, horror, paranormal, and occasionally romance into his books. I also love that two of the supporting characters are two gay men (Louis and Angel) in love with each other who are also Charlie Parker's sidekicks/hired muscle who kick ass and take names - or not. They really don't need your name - they will kick your ass anyway.
Charlie Parker continues to be a man who is troubled yet surviving. He has never gotten over the loss of his wife and daughter who were viciously murdered. He also has a daughter named Sam who lives with her Mother. Parker still loves Sam's mother but knows being with them puts them both in danger and this further adds to his angst and heartache. Charlie Parker is a private investigator who is often hired to solve cases which no one else can solve. He is often assisted by Louis and Angel but in this book, Angel is in the hospital. He has cancer and is awaiting surgery. Louis helps when he can but also needs to be with Angel both before and after his surgery.
A lot is going on with this book, but I found even with all the characters and the action, things never became confusing. A young woman's body has been found in the woods after a storm. The star of David has been cared on a tree near where her body was found. To complicate matters, it appears that she died shortly after giving birth, but a baby was never found or reported missing. The woman's body being found complicates things for several characters while other characters are on a collision course for the town in Maine.
Connolly blends several genres in his books effortlessly. His writing is often quite beautiful and lyrical. He really is a master of the written word. His books have plots and sub-plots that are woven so brilliantly together. He weaves the past and the present together seamlessly in this book. I love the inclusion of his deceased daughter's spirit and how she talks to him, her sister Sam, and in this book to Daniel.
I feel this book would work well as a standalone novel BUT to really appreciate Connolly's work in the Charlie Parker series, I STRONGLY recommend going back to the beginning and reading his earlier books. These books really do build upon the last and there is character development and a continuation of certain story lines and characters. Plus, you are in for some damn good reading!
There are several series which I follow closely, and this is one of them! Stellar writing, great intricate plots, and suspense! Highly recommend! If this is not the typical type of book you read - challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone! You might just be happy you did!
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
That is the sound of John Connolly hitting it out of the ball park yet again! I honestly think these books are getting better and better! This is the sixteenth book in the series and it feels as if Connolly is only getting warmed up! I was first introduced to this series when I received book twelve, The Wolf in Winter, through a goodreads give away!!! I was hooked!!!! I have gone back and read some previous books but have been on top of the books that have followed The Wolf in Winter. I really love how Connolly blends mystery, suspense, horror, paranormal, and occasionally romance into his books. I also love that two of the supporting characters are two gay men (Louis and Angel) in love with each other who are also Charlie Parker's sidekicks/hired muscle who kick ass and take names - or not. They really don't need your name - they will kick your ass anyway.
Charlie Parker continues to be a man who is troubled yet surviving. He has never gotten over the loss of his wife and daughter who were viciously murdered. He also has a daughter named Sam who lives with her Mother. Parker still loves Sam's mother but knows being with them puts them both in danger and this further adds to his angst and heartache. Charlie Parker is a private investigator who is often hired to solve cases which no one else can solve. He is often assisted by Louis and Angel but in this book, Angel is in the hospital. He has cancer and is awaiting surgery. Louis helps when he can but also needs to be with Angel both before and after his surgery.
A lot is going on with this book, but I found even with all the characters and the action, things never became confusing. A young woman's body has been found in the woods after a storm. The star of David has been cared on a tree near where her body was found. To complicate matters, it appears that she died shortly after giving birth, but a baby was never found or reported missing. The woman's body being found complicates things for several characters while other characters are on a collision course for the town in Maine.
Connolly blends several genres in his books effortlessly. His writing is often quite beautiful and lyrical. He really is a master of the written word. His books have plots and sub-plots that are woven so brilliantly together. He weaves the past and the present together seamlessly in this book. I love the inclusion of his deceased daughter's spirit and how she talks to him, her sister Sam, and in this book to Daniel.
I feel this book would work well as a standalone novel BUT to really appreciate Connolly's work in the Charlie Parker series, I STRONGLY recommend going back to the beginning and reading his earlier books. These books really do build upon the last and there is character development and a continuation of certain story lines and characters. Plus, you are in for some damn good reading!
There are several series which I follow closely, and this is one of them! Stellar writing, great intricate plots, and suspense! Highly recommend! If this is not the typical type of book you read - challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone! You might just be happy you did!
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
April 24, 2018
The 16th Charlie Parker novel, “THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS”, went on sale in Ireland at the beginning of February 2018, and will be available in the UK on April 5, 2018 then in the United States, sometime in June 2018.
Does size matter? John Connolly’s new Parker book “The Woman in the Woods” checks in at almost five hundred pages. It’s amazing to realize that these Parker books have been gracing our bookshelves for twenty years now. Dating from the first book in 1999 “Every Dead Thing” the career and life and temporary death of P. I. Charlie Parker has ebbed and flowed. Beginning as a Noir-ish P. I. searching for who or what killed his family in the beginning of the series and now entering further and further into the supernatural, takes one hell of an author. If you enjoy an intricate plot containing both familiar and an abundance of new characters with the additional caveat of some amazing story telling, than you’re in for a treat.
There is so much that happens in this installment of the series my desire to condense events kind of boggles the mind. So, to avoid any spoilers, this review will concentrate on one minor subplot and an overall summery in this, what may be the best book in the series so far.
Angel, Parkers friend and helper is in the hospital undergoing a cancer operation in New York. Angels’ partner Louis is at his wits end due to his concern and worry about Angle, so he travels to Portland Maine to commiserate with Parker. After a night in the bar and while the pair is leaving, they notice a big truck in a nearby parking lot decked out with confederate flags and bumper stickers. The truck is owned by Bobby Ocean, a local slum lord, who has bequeathed the truck to his son the petulant, racist and dumb as a rock, Billy. Louis blows up the truck leading to a series of unfortunate events. However, that’s only one of a number of subplots. The book is mainly about the discovery of a woman’s buried body, deep in the woods, who had recently given birth to a child. There is no trace of the child. Strangely, there is a Star of David carved into a nearby tree.
The mixture of the occult, the supernatural, and exotic book lore makes this a book you cannot bypass. The cabal of evil characters hits new lows. Although it’s part of a series, this book can be read independently. Connolly, an Irish writer has an accumulation of awards, including the Edgar, Barry and Shamus awards. This is a beautifully and richly written book.
Does size matter? John Connolly’s new Parker book “The Woman in the Woods” checks in at almost five hundred pages. It’s amazing to realize that these Parker books have been gracing our bookshelves for twenty years now. Dating from the first book in 1999 “Every Dead Thing” the career and life and temporary death of P. I. Charlie Parker has ebbed and flowed. Beginning as a Noir-ish P. I. searching for who or what killed his family in the beginning of the series and now entering further and further into the supernatural, takes one hell of an author. If you enjoy an intricate plot containing both familiar and an abundance of new characters with the additional caveat of some amazing story telling, than you’re in for a treat.
There is so much that happens in this installment of the series my desire to condense events kind of boggles the mind. So, to avoid any spoilers, this review will concentrate on one minor subplot and an overall summery in this, what may be the best book in the series so far.
Angel, Parkers friend and helper is in the hospital undergoing a cancer operation in New York. Angels’ partner Louis is at his wits end due to his concern and worry about Angle, so he travels to Portland Maine to commiserate with Parker. After a night in the bar and while the pair is leaving, they notice a big truck in a nearby parking lot decked out with confederate flags and bumper stickers. The truck is owned by Bobby Ocean, a local slum lord, who has bequeathed the truck to his son the petulant, racist and dumb as a rock, Billy. Louis blows up the truck leading to a series of unfortunate events. However, that’s only one of a number of subplots. The book is mainly about the discovery of a woman’s buried body, deep in the woods, who had recently given birth to a child. There is no trace of the child. Strangely, there is a Star of David carved into a nearby tree.
The mixture of the occult, the supernatural, and exotic book lore makes this a book you cannot bypass. The cabal of evil characters hits new lows. Although it’s part of a series, this book can be read independently. Connolly, an Irish writer has an accumulation of awards, including the Edgar, Barry and Shamus awards. This is a beautifully and richly written book.
June 19, 2018
John Connolly never lets me down and this book, the sixteenth in his Charlie Parker series, is no exception. The main characters, Charlie, Louis and Angel, are all on my list of book heroes!
This really is a series to read OCD style from book one. Each book, including this one, feeds on earlier characters and story lines and to properly appreciate many of the characters you have to have watched them grow. Charlie in particular has developed into a force to be reckoned with and he has help now behind the scenes from a very unusual source.
Also increasing along the way from book to book is the leaning towards the supernatural. There are some lovely spooky scenes involving a child's toy which would make great viewing in a movie! And the dead and undead are a very strong presence. Despite this it is still a very strong murder mystery with deaths galore, a lot of good investigative work and a good deal of tension. Will they make it in time? Oh and don't forget the humour - lots of witty one liners, usually black humour but still very funny.
There is just so much happening in this story which will need to be followed up in the next book, including a very cleverly contrived last page. I need #17 now! Write faster Mr Connolly!
This really is a series to read OCD style from book one. Each book, including this one, feeds on earlier characters and story lines and to properly appreciate many of the characters you have to have watched them grow. Charlie in particular has developed into a force to be reckoned with and he has help now behind the scenes from a very unusual source.
Also increasing along the way from book to book is the leaning towards the supernatural. There are some lovely spooky scenes involving a child's toy which would make great viewing in a movie! And the dead and undead are a very strong presence. Despite this it is still a very strong murder mystery with deaths galore, a lot of good investigative work and a good deal of tension. Will they make it in time? Oh and don't forget the humour - lots of witty one liners, usually black humour but still very funny.
There is just so much happening in this story which will need to be followed up in the next book, including a very cleverly contrived last page. I need #17 now! Write faster Mr Connolly!
June 22, 2018
At this, the 16th novel in the Charlie Parker series, I find myself still blown away by the quality of the writing and the depth of the story. Charlie Parker rocks!
But it's not just him, is it? It's Louis and Angel, a pair of gay henchmen, (but I mean "henchmen" in the best way), whose story has to be counted among the greatest love stories of all time, at least in my humble opinion. Their relationship is complicated and wonderful all at once, as is my love for them both.
It's Charlie's daughters, both alive and dead, and my fears for them and what might happen in the future.
It's Moxie Castin, the lawyer with a heart of gold and a soft spot for the Star of David, which plays such an important role in this story.
I won't rehash the plot, because the synopsis and about 10 million other reviews already do that. I will say that the end of this book left me rattled and somewhat angry. However, I know that Charlie Parker doesn't fail, (at least he hasn't yet), and I will be there, bright eyed and bushy tailed when it happens. In the meantime? I'll be keeping an eye on those Times of London crossword puzzles.
THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS gets my highest recommendation. Period!
*Thank you to Atria and to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This is it.*
But it's not just him, is it? It's Louis and Angel, a pair of gay henchmen, (but I mean "henchmen" in the best way), whose story has to be counted among the greatest love stories of all time, at least in my humble opinion. Their relationship is complicated and wonderful all at once, as is my love for them both.
It's Charlie's daughters, both alive and dead, and my fears for them and what might happen in the future.
It's Moxie Castin, the lawyer with a heart of gold and a soft spot for the Star of David, which plays such an important role in this story.
I won't rehash the plot, because the synopsis and about 10 million other reviews already do that. I will say that the end of this book left me rattled and somewhat angry. However, I know that Charlie Parker doesn't fail, (at least he hasn't yet), and I will be there, bright eyed and bushy tailed when it happens. In the meantime? I'll be keeping an eye on those Times of London crossword puzzles.
THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS gets my highest recommendation. Period!
*Thank you to Atria and to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This is it.*
October 30, 2021
Do you ever wonder if an author’s been reading too many book reviews? That their books are a response to fans as much as a creative impulse? As this series has progressed, Parker has grown into his role as avenging angel, aided by the highly competent skills of Louis and Angel. The retribution culminated in A Time of Torment when they took on the many members of a cult and their dead god. Perhaps worried by their abilities, the next books have seen the dark heroes struggling with the fragility of their earthly bodies. Parker has recovered from being shot but is feeling spiritual weariness, and Angel starts the story in a hospital bed, after surgery for colon cancer.
This book also feels particularly topical, although looking back, the themes aren’t at all new to the series. There’s an undergrown railroad for women fleeing particularly abusive or controlling people, and Louis has his equanimity challenged by a redneck truck. Honestly, out of everything we’ve witnessed, that felt the most awkward, as the remote and urbane Louis loses his cool out of something that is terribly common in rural areas, north of the Mason-Dixon or not.
Narrative is more straightforward than some of the stories, almost steadily alternating between Parker, the antagonist and the storyline of the missing woman. Like always, the antagonist’s narrative is littered with death, although this time the majority of the torture is behind the curtain. Supernatural elements seem more clearly defined than in the majority of the series, with both the antagonist and the missing woman providing otherworldly elements to world-building. Interestingly, Parker is completely unaware of those pressures for the majority of the book.
So, more cohesive, largely better-integrated supernatural elements, torture moved off-screen, emotional gravitas provided by Louis. What’s missing? I don’t know. Perhaps it can be put down to self-consciousness, that audience-focused writing I mentioned earlier, the feeling that this is an installment more than a work of self-motivated passion.
Despite those misgivings, Connolly still writes beautifully:
“It was the marshes, and the tidal channels running through them, and the smell of salt on the air. It was the light on the water, and the distant sound of the sea, like a whispering at the edge of the world.”
He also does a solid job at describing the antagonist(s): “The man’s slim fingers reached for it like a spider’s forelegs legs testing the air, hovering above the paper but not touching.”
Despite the dread and torture, there is a solid sprinkle of humor that surprised me. Usually not the mocking or bitter kinds, but the kind usually between friends, accompanied by a plethora of lawyer jokes: “Moxie tried to compose his features into something resembling a sympathetic expression. Tried, and failed.”
Fans of the series generally loved this one, but there’s something about it–passion, maybe–that was missing for me. Not enough that I put the book down, mind you. Just enough that I noted it didn’t bring the same emotional responses as other books. Still satisfying, and particularly good as a fall read.
Three and a half stars, rounding up at the moment. Honestly, could go either way on that.
This book also feels particularly topical, although looking back, the themes aren’t at all new to the series. There’s an undergrown railroad for women fleeing particularly abusive or controlling people, and Louis has his equanimity challenged by a redneck truck. Honestly, out of everything we’ve witnessed, that felt the most awkward, as the remote and urbane Louis loses his cool out of something that is terribly common in rural areas, north of the Mason-Dixon or not.
Narrative is more straightforward than some of the stories, almost steadily alternating between Parker, the antagonist and the storyline of the missing woman. Like always, the antagonist’s narrative is littered with death, although this time the majority of the torture is behind the curtain. Supernatural elements seem more clearly defined than in the majority of the series, with both the antagonist and the missing woman providing otherworldly elements to world-building. Interestingly, Parker is completely unaware of those pressures for the majority of the book.
So, more cohesive, largely better-integrated supernatural elements, torture moved off-screen, emotional gravitas provided by Louis. What’s missing? I don’t know. Perhaps it can be put down to self-consciousness, that audience-focused writing I mentioned earlier, the feeling that this is an installment more than a work of self-motivated passion.
Despite those misgivings, Connolly still writes beautifully:
“It was the marshes, and the tidal channels running through them, and the smell of salt on the air. It was the light on the water, and the distant sound of the sea, like a whispering at the edge of the world.”
He also does a solid job at describing the antagonist(s): “The man’s slim fingers reached for it like a spider’s forelegs legs testing the air, hovering above the paper but not touching.”
Despite the dread and torture, there is a solid sprinkle of humor that surprised me. Usually not the mocking or bitter kinds, but the kind usually between friends, accompanied by a plethora of lawyer jokes: “Moxie tried to compose his features into something resembling a sympathetic expression. Tried, and failed.”
Fans of the series generally loved this one, but there’s something about it–passion, maybe–that was missing for me. Not enough that I put the book down, mind you. Just enough that I noted it didn’t bring the same emotional responses as other books. Still satisfying, and particularly good as a fall read.
Three and a half stars, rounding up at the moment. Honestly, could go either way on that.
May 31, 2023
Another fantastic addition!
Good grief, how does Connolly keep writing and producing such great plots and new secondary characters to love in this series?! I have no idea but I’m here for it.
Super excited for the next in the series!
Good grief, how does Connolly keep writing and producing such great plots and new secondary characters to love in this series?! I have no idea but I’m here for it.
Super excited for the next in the series!
February 14, 2018
This is book 16 in the Charlie Parker series. Let’s just take a moment of silence for that one…
Ok that’s quite enough of that – this may be a long running series but it is just as exciting, just as riveting, I’m not even sure what I’m saying – I mean more of course not just as – it gets better and better and changes the game every time.
No different with The Woman in the Woods which had the after effect just a little while ago of me rummaging through the toy box to throw far far away anything that might ring in the night – but that’s neither here nor there except to my children. The point is this is, as usual, beautifully creepy as well as being beautifully written and every time I go into one of these I think it can’t possibly up the ante or make me more desperate for the next than I always am and every time I am wrong.
I’ve reviewed too many of these now to have anything new to say really, so I won’t bother with new I’ll say the usual just in case you, for some obscure and rather random reason, have not yet started to read what is simply the best crime series out there. The mythology is incredibly complex and wonderfully woven, the depth is beyond my ability to articulate and Charlie Parker and his close friends will embed themselves into your soul. Both the living and the dead…
I loved the villainy of this one particularly, especially in the ending because I half thought I knew what to expect, in style if not in substance, but actually our lovely (??!!??) Mr Connolly went a slightly different route into garnering our interest (nay obsession) for book 17 – I might have to have words.
Themes expanded, emotions played upon, nightmares almost guaranteed or at the very least an odd look over your shoulder because you’ll be sure there is someone there, several reasons why the Charlie Parker series continues on as fresh and new as it ever was, because every time you think you’ve got a handle on it everything changes.
Also dead mothers, Angel’s fate, Louis and his unique values, Charlie and his daughters, rogue toys, sinister woods, trauma (and I don’t mean necessarily for the characters) brilliant writing, literary genius and well, that THING. The thing for which there is no name.
All of the above means Highly Recommended isn’t even close to being the right thing. But as it’s the only thing I have you can have it.
Highly Recommended.
Ok that’s quite enough of that – this may be a long running series but it is just as exciting, just as riveting, I’m not even sure what I’m saying – I mean more of course not just as – it gets better and better and changes the game every time.
No different with The Woman in the Woods which had the after effect just a little while ago of me rummaging through the toy box to throw far far away anything that might ring in the night – but that’s neither here nor there except to my children. The point is this is, as usual, beautifully creepy as well as being beautifully written and every time I go into one of these I think it can’t possibly up the ante or make me more desperate for the next than I always am and every time I am wrong.
I’ve reviewed too many of these now to have anything new to say really, so I won’t bother with new I’ll say the usual just in case you, for some obscure and rather random reason, have not yet started to read what is simply the best crime series out there. The mythology is incredibly complex and wonderfully woven, the depth is beyond my ability to articulate and Charlie Parker and his close friends will embed themselves into your soul. Both the living and the dead…
I loved the villainy of this one particularly, especially in the ending because I half thought I knew what to expect, in style if not in substance, but actually our lovely (??!!??) Mr Connolly went a slightly different route into garnering our interest (nay obsession) for book 17 – I might have to have words.
Themes expanded, emotions played upon, nightmares almost guaranteed or at the very least an odd look over your shoulder because you’ll be sure there is someone there, several reasons why the Charlie Parker series continues on as fresh and new as it ever was, because every time you think you’ve got a handle on it everything changes.
Also dead mothers, Angel’s fate, Louis and his unique values, Charlie and his daughters, rogue toys, sinister woods, trauma (and I don’t mean necessarily for the characters) brilliant writing, literary genius and well, that THING. The thing for which there is no name.
All of the above means Highly Recommended isn’t even close to being the right thing. But as it’s the only thing I have you can have it.
Highly Recommended.
June 27, 2019
Someday must I take time off from my busy reading schedule to re- read the Charlie Parker series. It's such a fabulous series and I envy those that have yet read a single book and will discover just how great the books are and have 16 (as of now) books to read. Do you need to read the previous books in this series before you read THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS? No, the books can be read as stand- alone, however, there is a theme running through the books that all starts in the first book when Charlie Parker's wife and daughter are murdered. That event starts off everything and reading this book will give you a hint of past events. To get the full story you do need to start from the beginning, but it doesn't take away from reading this book on its own.
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
June 2, 2023
I know that I keep sounding like a broken record with the praise I lay in each review I give for this series, but it's simply true for me. I continue to love each and every book as I continue to progress through this series.
The depth of the writing, the depth of the characters, the niggling mysteries (both per book and within the expanding series), the sometimes overwhelming sense of darkness, the redeeming brightness of love and friendship and loyalty, the battles of good vs evil, the gray lines of right and wrong and through it all, a sense that this story is bigger than all of it, keeps me awake at night after I finish each one of these. I have nothing but the highest praise for this series and can't wait to continue the journey (and alongside the best of reading friends - who could ask for better!!).
5/5 stars for this book, and for the series as a whole to this point.
The depth of the writing, the depth of the characters, the niggling mysteries (both per book and within the expanding series), the sometimes overwhelming sense of darkness, the redeeming brightness of love and friendship and loyalty, the battles of good vs evil, the gray lines of right and wrong and through it all, a sense that this story is bigger than all of it, keeps me awake at night after I finish each one of these. I have nothing but the highest praise for this series and can't wait to continue the journey (and alongside the best of reading friends - who could ask for better!!).
5/5 stars for this book, and for the series as a whole to this point.
August 3, 2018
I usually have a rule about reading book series in order. The book blurb for this one sounded interesting enough for me to break my rule. The Woman in the Woods is the 16th book in the Charlie Parker series. While some characters from prior novels pop back up in this one, I was able to follow the story and figure things out enough to really enjoy this book. The plot is complex...the characters gritty....and the suspense almost unbearable. I loved it! I now have to back track and start the Charlie Parker series from the beginning! Some events and discussion of past cases will make much more sense if I re-read this after reading the prior books.
A mummified corpse is discovered in the woods. Charlie Parker is hired to investigate and identify the dead woman. Apparently the woman died soon after giving birth, but the infant's corpse is not present. It turns out the case is much more complicated than an unidentified dead woman. And dangerous.
I loved how all the different story lines going in this book all came together. The characters are amazing and the complex plot was just awesome. This is the first book by John Connolly that I have read -- I will most definitely be reading more. A lot more. Like everything this man has written. Just outstanding -- great writing and a creative, suspenseful plot.
**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Atria Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
A mummified corpse is discovered in the woods. Charlie Parker is hired to investigate and identify the dead woman. Apparently the woman died soon after giving birth, but the infant's corpse is not present. It turns out the case is much more complicated than an unidentified dead woman. And dangerous.
I loved how all the different story lines going in this book all came together. The characters are amazing and the complex plot was just awesome. This is the first book by John Connolly that I have read -- I will most definitely be reading more. A lot more. Like everything this man has written. Just outstanding -- great writing and a creative, suspenseful plot.
**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Atria Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
June 26, 2018
What sets these Charlie Parker thrillers apart from many other detective stories is the touch of the supernatural. In this latest in the series, a tree falls in the woods in Maine revealing the shallowly-buried remains of a young woman. Buried with her are a placenta and umbilical cord, so it appears she died in childbirth. But did her baby survive? Is it buried elsewhere?
Charlie Parker is asked to investigate by the Jewish lawyer, Moxie Castin. He is intrigued because whoever buried the woman carved a star of David on a nearby tree. A sign of respect?
As Charlie begins following a trail of clues that lead to an underground network of people helping battered women escape their abusers, someone else is getting there before him and leaving dead bodies in their wake.
Are they after the dead woman's child, who would be five years old now? Or is it something else they want, something worth a great deal more to these hunters?
Short chapters and dramatic tension make for compulsive reading pleasure! Charlie is a damaged man but still honorable. Some scenes with Moxie are laugh-out-loud funny. Most of the story is set in Maine but Charlie ventures into...gasp!...Indiana!! Hey, stop picking on the Hoosiers, Mr Connolly! :)
I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. Many thanks!
Charlie Parker is asked to investigate by the Jewish lawyer, Moxie Castin. He is intrigued because whoever buried the woman carved a star of David on a nearby tree. A sign of respect?
As Charlie begins following a trail of clues that lead to an underground network of people helping battered women escape their abusers, someone else is getting there before him and leaving dead bodies in their wake.
Are they after the dead woman's child, who would be five years old now? Or is it something else they want, something worth a great deal more to these hunters?
Short chapters and dramatic tension make for compulsive reading pleasure! Charlie is a damaged man but still honorable. Some scenes with Moxie are laugh-out-loud funny. Most of the story is set in Maine but Charlie ventures into...gasp!...Indiana!! Hey, stop picking on the Hoosiers, Mr Connolly! :)
I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. Many thanks!
March 29, 2018
When a tree falls in the Great North Woods, revealing the mummified body of a woman who apparently died in childbirth, it does more than make a sound.....it tolls a death knell whose echoes reach far beyond the poor soul nestled in it's roots.
The discovery of the body moves lawyer Moxie Castin to an act of decency...hiring Charlie Parker to discover who this woman was, and to find her child.
Not the simplest of assignments, but Charlie could use something to occupy his mind, as Angel lies fighting for his life in a hospital bed, and Louis contemplates losing not only his lover, but the last shreds of his humanity.
Little does Charlie know that shadows are gathering.....a small boy is terrorized by a voice coming from his toy phone in the dead of night, beckoning him into the woods....and a couple who seek the lost woman for other reasons; he, a dapper killer who claims to be older than he appears, searching for something that will end his existence; her, a lethal sociopath who leaves the scent of corruption wherever she goes.
They're on the trail too, leaving pain and death in their wake.
This one had me considering mortality, my own and that of others, from many viewpoints.
Connolly only gets better and better, the proof of this is not only in the longevity of the series, but the fact that his characters evolve naturally as time passes, growing older, but aging well.
Highly recommended.
The discovery of the body moves lawyer Moxie Castin to an act of decency...hiring Charlie Parker to discover who this woman was, and to find her child.
Not the simplest of assignments, but Charlie could use something to occupy his mind, as Angel lies fighting for his life in a hospital bed, and Louis contemplates losing not only his lover, but the last shreds of his humanity.
Little does Charlie know that shadows are gathering.....a small boy is terrorized by a voice coming from his toy phone in the dead of night, beckoning him into the woods....and a couple who seek the lost woman for other reasons; he, a dapper killer who claims to be older than he appears, searching for something that will end his existence; her, a lethal sociopath who leaves the scent of corruption wherever she goes.
They're on the trail too, leaving pain and death in their wake.
This one had me considering mortality, my own and that of others, from many viewpoints.
Connolly only gets better and better, the proof of this is not only in the longevity of the series, but the fact that his characters evolve naturally as time passes, growing older, but aging well.
Highly recommended.
July 24, 2022
I totally forgot to review the last Charlie Parker— I adore these books so much that it takes me a lot longer to write a review that does my reading experience justice.
But to forget to review a book is worse so… we’re gonna do this short and sweet.
One book is beginning to quickly flow into another with very little time between novels. The Woman in the Woods was a shivery, ghostly tale of vengeance and justice along with setting up a larger and longer storyline for the next book (maybe books) as Parker draws the wrong kind of attention from an other worldly source.
To say more would be to spoil the main and secondary storylines — with Connelly writing the book, complications, violence, evil, and redemption is like his long term recipe for Parker’s menu of cases.
If you are a Charlie Parker fan, you won’t be disappointed.
If you love a spooky tale of maternal love and vengeance, you won’t be disappointed.
If you love a near-cliff hanger of an ending, you won’t be disappointed.
Okay, who loves a cliffhanger? Not me— and for the first time in awhile with the Parker series, I was actually disappointed— but only because I couldn’t open up the next installment right away… ugh, darn Overdrive wait lists!!
But to forget to review a book is worse so… we’re gonna do this short and sweet.
One book is beginning to quickly flow into another with very little time between novels. The Woman in the Woods was a shivery, ghostly tale of vengeance and justice along with setting up a larger and longer storyline for the next book (maybe books) as Parker draws the wrong kind of attention from an other worldly source.
To say more would be to spoil the main and secondary storylines — with Connelly writing the book, complications, violence, evil, and redemption is like his long term recipe for Parker’s menu of cases.
If you are a Charlie Parker fan, you won’t be disappointed.
If you love a spooky tale of maternal love and vengeance, you won’t be disappointed.
If you love a near-cliff hanger of an ending, you won’t be disappointed.
Okay, who loves a cliffhanger? Not me— and for the first time in awhile with the Parker series, I was actually disappointed— but only because I couldn’t open up the next installment right away… ugh, darn Overdrive wait lists!!
August 10, 2020
Eerie, macabre, CHILLING. There's a lot of depth within this book and although, I hadn't read any of the previous Charlie Parker novels, I only wished I had in order to have more history on this intriguing character.
Charlie Parker is hired by a lawyer to find out what happened to a long-buried woman found buried in the woods in Maine, who has apparently just given birth; but where is the baby?
Although this sounds simple and straightforward, it is not. Charlie soon becomes intertwined with a vicious couple, straight from some underworld (hell would be my first choice), who are also anxious to find the child of this woman. Their trail of death is pieced together by Charlie, but not without some trouble for him. Louis, his gunman and wingman, who is understandably devastated by the cancer that has battered his partner Angel, has demolished a Confederate flag decorated truck, belonging to the son of the town's resident bigot who happens to be one very powerful businessman. A lot of people felt that there were some politics inserted due to the support by this businessman for several right-wing groups. I don't like politics inserted but I chose to ignore this based upon the excellent writing and applicability of this to the character and storyline. The plot was so intricate but anyone or anything introduced throughout the book, was there for a reason. There were no loose ends, but the ending does obviously point to a continuation.
Charlie Parker is hired by a lawyer to find out what happened to a long-buried woman found buried in the woods in Maine, who has apparently just given birth; but where is the baby?
Although this sounds simple and straightforward, it is not. Charlie soon becomes intertwined with a vicious couple, straight from some underworld (hell would be my first choice), who are also anxious to find the child of this woman. Their trail of death is pieced together by Charlie, but not without some trouble for him. Louis, his gunman and wingman, who is understandably devastated by the cancer that has battered his partner Angel, has demolished a Confederate flag decorated truck, belonging to the son of the town's resident bigot who happens to be one very powerful businessman. A lot of people felt that there were some politics inserted due to the support by this businessman for several right-wing groups. I don't like politics inserted but I chose to ignore this based upon the excellent writing and applicability of this to the character and storyline. The plot was so intricate but anyone or anything introduced throughout the book, was there for a reason. There were no loose ends, but the ending does obviously point to a continuation.
August 10, 2020
Los restos de una mujer sin identificar son encontrados en mitad de los bosques de Maine. Todo apunta a que murió al dar a luz. ¿Qué pudo pasar con el bebé? El abogado Moxie Castin contrata a nuestro protagonista, el detective Charlie Parker, para averiguarlo. Por otra parte están un par de personajes, Quayle, un misterioso inglés, y su secuaz, Pallida Mors, a cuál más repulsivo, que también están haciendo sus propias investigaciones.
‘La mujer del bosque’ (The Woman in the Woods, 2018), del irlandés John Connolly, es una excelente muestra de la buena forma en la que está el autor. Es un libro de pura investigación detectivesca, mezclada con fenómenos paranormales, que cada vez están más presentes en la serie. Se lee muy bien (Connolly escribe como los ángeles), pero quizás esperaba un final de novela más explosivo. De todos modos, es una gran entrega, inquietante, y dejando la trama por todo lo alto para el siguiente volumen.
‘La mujer del bosque’ (The Woman in the Woods, 2018), del irlandés John Connolly, es una excelente muestra de la buena forma en la que está el autor. Es un libro de pura investigación detectivesca, mezclada con fenómenos paranormales, que cada vez están más presentes en la serie. Se lee muy bien (Connolly escribe como los ángeles), pero quizás esperaba un final de novela más explosivo. De todos modos, es una gran entrega, inquietante, y dejando la trama por todo lo alto para el siguiente volumen.
June 15, 2022
La mujer del bosque
Libro de John Connolly en su serie de Charlie Parker que hace el 16.
Otra novela de Connolly, otra maravilla para sus seguidores. Misterio sobrenatural y amenaza inquietantes.
El cadáver de una mujer es encontrado en un bosque al lado de un árbol caído. La mujer dio a luz antes de morir, pero no hay rastro del recién nacido. Una estrella de David grabada en un árbol cercano hace que el abogado de Parker le encargue la investigación.
Así empieza esta novela en la que Parker se verá metido en la búsqueda tanto de la identidad de la madre como del bebé si sobrevivió. Pero no va a ser el único que los busque
Esta novela es diferente a lo que nos tiene acostumbrados el autor. Ningún afectado por el crimen contrata a Parker para investigarlo, es su abogado, que lo hace por motivos religiosos. Paralelamente a la investigación de lo que le ocurrió al cuerpo encontrado, tenemos un misterio que tiene cada vez más importancia en la historia que nos cuenta Connolly porque va más allá del caso de la mujer del bosque.
En la novela se toca el tema del maltrato a las mujeres y la ayuda a las víctimas, así como el racismo y la homofobia. No hay que olvidar que Connolly siempre vuelca este tema en sus novelas ya que los personajes que representan Ángel y Louis son homosexuales, uno de ellos de color.
Es un libro que se puede leer sin haber leído los 15 anteriores, este es peculiar, el misterio sobrenatural atrae y es constante durante toda la lectura. Se que es duro leer toda la serie, ver un libro que te atrae, y resulta que hay que leerse los anteriores. Pues probad con este, pero recordad que…
En las novelas de esta saga, Parker no deja nada sin resolver, el caso siempre acaba como un asunto personal, si tiene que ajustar cuentas, las ajusta y Connolly... no da puntada sin hilo.
Libro de John Connolly en su serie de Charlie Parker que hace el 16.
Otra novela de Connolly, otra maravilla para sus seguidores. Misterio sobrenatural y amenaza inquietantes.
El cadáver de una mujer es encontrado en un bosque al lado de un árbol caído. La mujer dio a luz antes de morir, pero no hay rastro del recién nacido. Una estrella de David grabada en un árbol cercano hace que el abogado de Parker le encargue la investigación.
Así empieza esta novela en la que Parker se verá metido en la búsqueda tanto de la identidad de la madre como del bebé si sobrevivió. Pero no va a ser el único que los busque
Esta novela es diferente a lo que nos tiene acostumbrados el autor. Ningún afectado por el crimen contrata a Parker para investigarlo, es su abogado, que lo hace por motivos religiosos. Paralelamente a la investigación de lo que le ocurrió al cuerpo encontrado, tenemos un misterio que tiene cada vez más importancia en la historia que nos cuenta Connolly porque va más allá del caso de la mujer del bosque.
En la novela se toca el tema del maltrato a las mujeres y la ayuda a las víctimas, así como el racismo y la homofobia. No hay que olvidar que Connolly siempre vuelca este tema en sus novelas ya que los personajes que representan Ángel y Louis son homosexuales, uno de ellos de color.
Es un libro que se puede leer sin haber leído los 15 anteriores, este es peculiar, el misterio sobrenatural atrae y es constante durante toda la lectura. Se que es duro leer toda la serie, ver un libro que te atrae, y resulta que hay que leerse los anteriores. Pues probad con este, pero recordad que…
En las novelas de esta saga, Parker no deja nada sin resolver, el caso siempre acaba como un asunto personal, si tiene que ajustar cuentas, las ajusta y Connolly... no da puntada sin hilo.
May 4, 2018
“It was the season of awakenings.”
I couldn’t put this one down.
Seriously.
I love this series and this one was fuckin’ awesome from cover to cover. Can’t wait for the next in the series.
If you aren’t reading John Connolly, then you are missing out big time.
Seriously.
I couldn’t put this one down.
Seriously.
I love this series and this one was fuckin’ awesome from cover to cover. Can’t wait for the next in the series.
If you aren’t reading John Connolly, then you are missing out big time.
Seriously.
January 16, 2022
Absurdamente largo.
May 23, 2018
Oh, how I look forward to reading books in this series - this is the 16th, I believe, so I've had lots of practice. Even though my mystery/thriller tastes don't cross the line into the paranormal, I've made an exception for private detective Charlie Parker, who somehow managed to die three times and return to the land of the living. But that experience didn't leave him unscathed; inexplicably, he remains "connected" to that very dark place in which he narrowly escaped making his forever home. He plies his trade just like any other human, but he's acutely aware of the evil that lurks in the hearts of [non]men.
This one begins as Charlie, an FBI consultant, meets with old friend Louis, whose life partner Angel is recovering from surgery to remove a tumor. As they are leaving, Louis - not known for an accepting attitude - spots a truck tricked out in all manner of fancy including a couple of decals Louis considers offensive. One thing leads to another, and let's just say Louis and the truck's owner will never be friends.
Concurrently, a very bad man named Quayle and his even badder girlfriend are on the hunt, looking for a pregnant woman named Karis Lamb. Clearly, they won't stop till they find her - and woe is anyone they run into who can give them any leads (or not). As the story progresses, a storm in Maine topples a tree in the woods, unearthing the remains of a woman who appears to have given birth before she died. Parker is called in to help with the case, but her identity can't be ascertained, there are no clues as to what happened to the infant and Parker has no awareness of Quayle and his quest (much less why he's so determined to find the woman).
Eventually, though, everything begins to come together - meaning that Quayle now knows Parker and Louis may be major roadblocks in his path. Here and there, Parker's dead daughter Jennifer makes an appearance (occasionally speaking to her father as well, since she's tuned into what happened to and what's happening now with the woman in the woods). Needless to say, getting to the end means wading through some gruesome murders; and to get the full enjoyment out of the book, I'll caution readers to keep an open mind about "other-worldly" matters. As with other books in the series, the ending is mostly satisfying, but a few loose ends will, I assume, be picked up in the next installment.
Of course, I'll be waiting; meantime, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read an advance copy of this one. Thoroughly enjoyable!
This one begins as Charlie, an FBI consultant, meets with old friend Louis, whose life partner Angel is recovering from surgery to remove a tumor. As they are leaving, Louis - not known for an accepting attitude - spots a truck tricked out in all manner of fancy including a couple of decals Louis considers offensive. One thing leads to another, and let's just say Louis and the truck's owner will never be friends.
Concurrently, a very bad man named Quayle and his even badder girlfriend are on the hunt, looking for a pregnant woman named Karis Lamb. Clearly, they won't stop till they find her - and woe is anyone they run into who can give them any leads (or not). As the story progresses, a storm in Maine topples a tree in the woods, unearthing the remains of a woman who appears to have given birth before she died. Parker is called in to help with the case, but her identity can't be ascertained, there are no clues as to what happened to the infant and Parker has no awareness of Quayle and his quest (much less why he's so determined to find the woman).
Eventually, though, everything begins to come together - meaning that Quayle now knows Parker and Louis may be major roadblocks in his path. Here and there, Parker's dead daughter Jennifer makes an appearance (occasionally speaking to her father as well, since she's tuned into what happened to and what's happening now with the woman in the woods). Needless to say, getting to the end means wading through some gruesome murders; and to get the full enjoyment out of the book, I'll caution readers to keep an open mind about "other-worldly" matters. As with other books in the series, the ending is mostly satisfying, but a few loose ends will, I assume, be picked up in the next installment.
Of course, I'll be waiting; meantime, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read an advance copy of this one. Thoroughly enjoyable!
February 21, 2019
Какво да кажа - абсолютна благина! 400 страници първокласен хорър, условно поставен в крими-трилърна рамка. Джон Конъли все повече загърбва реалното и отправя взор към непознатите селения, заедно със своя детектив-чешит Чарли Паркър, застанал на пътя на древни сили. А този роман се завъртя и около друга моя любима тема от творчеството на ирландеца - издирването на фрагментите на "Счупения атлас" (виж сборника Нощна музика), за да направи удоволствието от четенето още по-пълно.
July 11, 2018
I really like John Connolly’s Charlie Parker detective series. I’ve been reading them for almost twenty years now and I have found each new addition to be as reliably exciting and enjoyable as a starlit kiss on a Tahitian beach with 1980’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit supermodel and multimillionaire businesswoman Kathy Ireland. Sizzling! Connolly’s newest Parker thriller, The Woman in the Woods, however does not pack the usual heat. Instead of a tropical surf and turf smoocharoni with a bikinied Ms. Ireland, this novel is more along the lines of giving Kathy Ireland a high-five. And let me clarify: not even one of those complicated super high-five routines where you start high, then drop to a low-five, then move in with a fist bump, transition to bumping left feet, then right feet, spin around and act like you are riding down an escalator, then turn back to the Glendale born Ireland and reach for an over headed double high-five only to turn your hands into spiders at the last minute and chase each other around with your hand-spiders squiggling for several minutes type of deal. No, that would still be hot. The Woman in the Woods is tepid. Unfortunately, it just feels ordinary.
This time out, Charlie Parker is enlisted to investigate the circumstances of a dead woman’s body found in the Maine woods after heavy rains. Who is she? How did she meet her maker? And since it appears she had given birth shortly before her death, where is her child? To make matters worse, Parker is not the only one searching for answers. An Englishman named Quayle and his icky henchwoman, Pallida Mors are also on the hunt. The writing is, as usual, excellent and the characters are great. The old cast returns and we meet once again Parker’s daughters, his deadly friend Louis, and many others from the previous books. It’s really great.
So what’s the problem you ask? Well, Connolly seems more interested in writing new characters, describing the different locals, and digging into the procedural minutia of Parker’s investigation then actually completing his story. Now Connolly has always had this quality. He seems to pride himself on the research he puts into the settings in his stories. And he has never been afraid to put this knowledge on the page. But for heaven’s sake, we are already on page 406 and our protagonist, private inspector Charlie Parker, is still in Indiana. He still has no clue to what is happening or who has been killed or even really who Quayle and Mors are!!! The book only has 481 pages total. Let’s move it along!
Now I get it. Connolly is a very fine author and he is writing about what he wants to write about. He’s in charge, he’s the boss. In fact this reminds me of a time a few years ago when I was previously employed as a pirate sailing through the shark-infested waters of the Caribbean. Me and the crew wanted to haul wind all up and down the coast, plunder the towns for gold and jewels and make any scurvy dog that dared cross us walk the plank and end their days in Davy Jones’ locker. But shiver me timbers, our captain, Black Sam, just wanted to drink rum, sing all 28 verses of “Yo Ho (A Pirates Life for Me)", and purchase exotic parrots from the pet stores we would visit. Black Sam was never interested in the maps we found or what might lay buried beneath those huge black X’s. He was perfectly content firing cannonballs (that never hit their targets) from our ship, the Queen Anne’s Constipation, at the strange (and pale) looking people in their rickety boats wearing hats with mouse ears. But he was the boss and I was just along for the ride.
And that seems to be my situation now with Connolly. He’s driving this frigate. And while The Woman in the Woods might not be what I wanted it to be, it is still a Charlie Parker novel with great writing and enough thrills to make any reader scream out, “thar she blows” at the top of their lungs.
This time out, Charlie Parker is enlisted to investigate the circumstances of a dead woman’s body found in the Maine woods after heavy rains. Who is she? How did she meet her maker? And since it appears she had given birth shortly before her death, where is her child? To make matters worse, Parker is not the only one searching for answers. An Englishman named Quayle and his icky henchwoman, Pallida Mors are also on the hunt. The writing is, as usual, excellent and the characters are great. The old cast returns and we meet once again Parker’s daughters, his deadly friend Louis, and many others from the previous books. It’s really great.
So what’s the problem you ask? Well, Connolly seems more interested in writing new characters, describing the different locals, and digging into the procedural minutia of Parker’s investigation then actually completing his story. Now Connolly has always had this quality. He seems to pride himself on the research he puts into the settings in his stories. And he has never been afraid to put this knowledge on the page. But for heaven’s sake, we are already on page 406 and our protagonist, private inspector Charlie Parker, is still in Indiana. He still has no clue to what is happening or who has been killed or even really who Quayle and Mors are!!! The book only has 481 pages total. Let’s move it along!
Now I get it. Connolly is a very fine author and he is writing about what he wants to write about. He’s in charge, he’s the boss. In fact this reminds me of a time a few years ago when I was previously employed as a pirate sailing through the shark-infested waters of the Caribbean. Me and the crew wanted to haul wind all up and down the coast, plunder the towns for gold and jewels and make any scurvy dog that dared cross us walk the plank and end their days in Davy Jones’ locker. But shiver me timbers, our captain, Black Sam, just wanted to drink rum, sing all 28 verses of “Yo Ho (A Pirates Life for Me)", and purchase exotic parrots from the pet stores we would visit. Black Sam was never interested in the maps we found or what might lay buried beneath those huge black X’s. He was perfectly content firing cannonballs (that never hit their targets) from our ship, the Queen Anne’s Constipation, at the strange (and pale) looking people in their rickety boats wearing hats with mouse ears. But he was the boss and I was just along for the ride.
And that seems to be my situation now with Connolly. He’s driving this frigate. And while The Woman in the Woods might not be what I wanted it to be, it is still a Charlie Parker novel with great writing and enough thrills to make any reader scream out, “thar she blows” at the top of their lungs.
October 23, 2020
Updated as of 10/23/2020:
I took another stab at this review after waiting on it a day. I think my main issue with this one is that it really is a filler book to get to the next book. That's not always a bad thing in a series, but it did feel like the momentum in this one slowed down. We already know there is something out there, something that walks in our world and the next and the honeycomb world that Charlie is able to go back and forth to at times. I think I just want all of the answers already instead of us guessing at things. I also think that Angel being out of commission for the book hurt this slightly. Apparently when it's just Charlie and Louis, things don't always work out. I did like the fact that Connolly talked a lot about race in this one (as he has done in other books) and we get the first inclinations that the world that Charlie walks in, is the same one that many Americans are dealing with now with the comments on the rise of racism and hearing about politics. Connolly does not preach though (at least not in my ears). And I liked the ending with Charlie acknowledging that he as a white man should have said something and
Older review from 10/22/2020:
I was surprised at the cliffhanger which is why I gave this 4 stars. I am not a fan of cliffhangers. It appears that things get dealt with in the next book, but feel a bit burned out on Charlie Parker and crew so going to take a break before obtaining A Book of Bones
I don't know what else to say here right now. I liked how some things fell out, but the book felt a bit apart from things at times. I think it's because we were given more indicators that some big battle is coming up and I don't know how that is going to work with what we have seen come before.
I think another reviewer said it best, it sucks that the bad guys (well all of them) don't get their comeuppance in this one.
I took another stab at this review after waiting on it a day. I think my main issue with this one is that it really is a filler book to get to the next book. That's not always a bad thing in a series, but it did feel like the momentum in this one slowed down. We already know there is something out there, something that walks in our world and the next and the honeycomb world that Charlie is able to go back and forth to at times. I think I just want all of the answers already instead of us guessing at things. I also think that Angel being out of commission for the book hurt this slightly. Apparently when it's just Charlie and Louis, things don't always work out. I did like the fact that Connolly talked a lot about race in this one (as he has done in other books) and we get the first inclinations that the world that Charlie walks in, is the same one that many Americans are dealing with now with the comments on the rise of racism and hearing about politics. Connolly does not preach though (at least not in my ears). And I liked the ending with Charlie acknowledging that he as a white man should have said something and
Older review from 10/22/2020:
I was surprised at the cliffhanger which is why I gave this 4 stars. I am not a fan of cliffhangers. It appears that things get dealt with in the next book, but feel a bit burned out on Charlie Parker and crew so going to take a break before obtaining A Book of Bones
I don't know what else to say here right now. I liked how some things fell out, but the book felt a bit apart from things at times. I think it's because we were given more indicators that some big battle is coming up and I don't know how that is going to work with what we have seen come before.
I think another reviewer said it best, it sucks that the bad guys (well all of them) don't get their comeuppance in this one.
May 29, 2023
This book was so great! Edge of the seat, nail biting thrilling. Every time we get answers, we have 10 more questions. John Connolly is a genius. Give that man some awards! This is easily the best and darkest series I have ever read. Book 16 and they have all been so good.
June 9, 2024
Dark, brooding, atmospheric, dense, yet with some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments and great characters. These books are just so consistently good, my reviews are becoming become repetitive.
April 28, 2018
The Woman in the Woods is the sixteenth book in Connolly’s long-running Charlie Parker series yet it somehow feels just as fresh as the first. It’s hard to dive deep into the plot without potentially giving away some light spoilers from prior books, so if you want to remain a virgin to the series, maybe skip this review and go pick up Every Dead Thing already.
The remains of a woman are discovered partially buried in the forest. Evidence suggests that she had given birth shortly before her death but there is no second body to be found. A lawyer takes a special interest in the case and hires Charlie Parker to investigate the whereabouts of the missing child. Unfortunately for Parker, he’s also dealing with the fallout from actions perpetrated by his longtime friend against the son of local crime kingfish Bobby Ocean.
What follows will take Parker through an underground railroad for abused women provided by those that seek to separate them from their tormentors. Hot on his heels is a pair of villains unlike anything Parker has faced before – two merciless killers obsessed with procuring a book dubbed “The Fractured Atlas” that threatens to unmake existence.
Earlier this week, I caught an interview with John from a few years back when he appeared on the podcast, The Bestseller Experiment. Connolly talked about the importance of crafting a compelling character that will make the reader want to return to your long-running mystery series over and over again. Charlie Parker is a wonderful example of patience and long-term planning.
While the series has always maintained elements of the supernatural, ever since Parker’s near death experience at the conclusion of The Wolf in Winter (book twelve), Connolly has ramped up the fear factor maintaining a consistent evolution in storytelling. The Woman in the Woods is no exception. There’s enough gruesome gore and horror to keep series fans satisfied. However, Connolly does not neglect his bread and butter – Parker is at his core a detective and there’s also an intricate mystery here that makes The Woman in the Woods a true page-turner.
To be able to get sixteen books deep in any series is an accomplishment in and of itself, but to keep that series riveting is another thing altogether. Connolly clearly isn’t content just to phone it in and rest on his laurels – this is a tightly-wound, thrilling story that had me on the edge of my seat, dreading the ending knowing I’d have to wait at least another year for the follow-up.
The remains of a woman are discovered partially buried in the forest. Evidence suggests that she had given birth shortly before her death but there is no second body to be found. A lawyer takes a special interest in the case and hires Charlie Parker to investigate the whereabouts of the missing child. Unfortunately for Parker, he’s also dealing with the fallout from actions perpetrated by his longtime friend against the son of local crime kingfish Bobby Ocean.
What follows will take Parker through an underground railroad for abused women provided by those that seek to separate them from their tormentors. Hot on his heels is a pair of villains unlike anything Parker has faced before – two merciless killers obsessed with procuring a book dubbed “The Fractured Atlas” that threatens to unmake existence.
Earlier this week, I caught an interview with John from a few years back when he appeared on the podcast, The Bestseller Experiment. Connolly talked about the importance of crafting a compelling character that will make the reader want to return to your long-running mystery series over and over again. Charlie Parker is a wonderful example of patience and long-term planning.
While the series has always maintained elements of the supernatural, ever since Parker’s near death experience at the conclusion of The Wolf in Winter (book twelve), Connolly has ramped up the fear factor maintaining a consistent evolution in storytelling. The Woman in the Woods is no exception. There’s enough gruesome gore and horror to keep series fans satisfied. However, Connolly does not neglect his bread and butter – Parker is at his core a detective and there’s also an intricate mystery here that makes The Woman in the Woods a true page-turner.
To be able to get sixteen books deep in any series is an accomplishment in and of itself, but to keep that series riveting is another thing altogether. Connolly clearly isn’t content just to phone it in and rest on his laurels – this is a tightly-wound, thrilling story that had me on the edge of my seat, dreading the ending knowing I’d have to wait at least another year for the follow-up.
April 16, 2018
After a year of anticipation the book did arrive and it took me some willpower to not drop everything I was doing and reading to start reading the new installment of this Charlie Parker novel. Which is quite a compliment if the 16th book in a series is that good and does not disappoint and actually makes you want to read the next book.
John Connolly has written & created an interesting series starring PI Charlie Parker whose daughters look after him, not unlike his friends Louis & Angel and a pair of human bulldozers called the Fulci brothers.
In this book we meet the woman in the wood who died in childbirth and who carried a child and a secret away from the abuse occultist father. We meet the people in the life line for abused women and children. Charlie Parker gets asked to investigate the body of the woman found in the forest and while he looks into the matter a couple of English people start looking from the other side and with far less good intentions they will find them opposed to Parker and his friends and allies.
This story is delivered on so many different levels and from so many different angles that you really get caught up.
Once again Connolly delivers with an underlying subject that should get more attention: the fate of women who run from violent relationships and how people strive to save them and help them because the can and should. Even if those who help often end up having troubles because in our society apparently wife & children are considered property. Connolly manages to write about these people without using the sledgehammer to drive some obvious truths home. Which is perhaps why the man is able to deliver his tales so well because subtlety is his craft.
However the story starts with a bang and it consequences vibrate through the story including the the so-called 1st amendment where people can say whatever they want, even if that is untruths and offending other people.
Once again you'll find yourself reading through the American but so gothic written story that you can obviously read as a stand alone but are totally bat-shit-crazy if you do so. Start at the beginning and find out why these books are so much better read in sequence and as a series. A warning this series is somewhat addicting, my wife did know better than interrupting while I was reading this book.
John Connolly lives in Maine USA, not unlike a certain Mr King and Mr Irving which are some of my favorite writers. He is not a native of the American soil but his writing seems to flourish on that soil.
Looking forward to book 17 hopefully a year away.
John Connolly has written & created an interesting series starring PI Charlie Parker whose daughters look after him, not unlike his friends Louis & Angel and a pair of human bulldozers called the Fulci brothers.
In this book we meet the woman in the wood who died in childbirth and who carried a child and a secret away from the abuse occultist father. We meet the people in the life line for abused women and children. Charlie Parker gets asked to investigate the body of the woman found in the forest and while he looks into the matter a couple of English people start looking from the other side and with far less good intentions they will find them opposed to Parker and his friends and allies.
This story is delivered on so many different levels and from so many different angles that you really get caught up.
Once again Connolly delivers with an underlying subject that should get more attention: the fate of women who run from violent relationships and how people strive to save them and help them because the can and should. Even if those who help often end up having troubles because in our society apparently wife & children are considered property. Connolly manages to write about these people without using the sledgehammer to drive some obvious truths home. Which is perhaps why the man is able to deliver his tales so well because subtlety is his craft.
However the story starts with a bang and it consequences vibrate through the story including the the so-called 1st amendment where people can say whatever they want, even if that is untruths and offending other people.
Once again you'll find yourself reading through the American but so gothic written story that you can obviously read as a stand alone but are totally bat-shit-crazy if you do so. Start at the beginning and find out why these books are so much better read in sequence and as a series. A warning this series is somewhat addicting, my wife did know better than interrupting while I was reading this book.
John Connolly lives in Maine USA, not unlike a certain Mr King and Mr Irving which are some of my favorite writers. He is not a native of the American soil but his writing seems to flourish on that soil.
Looking forward to book 17 hopefully a year away.
April 5, 2018
link: Visit the locations in the novel
Enjoyed this with some Irish pancakes on Shrove Tuesday and it was all the topping and filing I needed!
John's writing is short sharp and you can imagine he flicks his pen off to the side when he writes some of these sentences - such is the effect they have on the reader like me. I gasped, cheered and high fived ( as the grave of the women is revealed in very short chapters) before settling in again for the next chapter.
Some darn fine plot and twists here. From the hunter to the hunted and the house in the woods, there's so many stories running parallel to the main mystery but that's not a problem with JC in the writing corner.
The characters come to the page fully formed yet are still developed nicely through the book. Some rough and ready characters. Parker is one of my favourite guys in crime fiction but the guys who live in Cadillac Indiana and beside the Maine Woods - well not a cast of more varied souls could you hope to meet. Gritty and believable.
What I really found interesting was the locations - the rural American settings, the towns by the roadside, the desert like dustbowl. The Jewish angle was an added layer of intrigue and that house in the woods? Oh my...It's all there.
Sit back and enjoy when it's out in April. JC rocks!
August 13, 2018
2.5 🤡 🤡
My first read by this writer and perhaps not the best place to start in this series? I'm not a fan of the supernatural but he's such a good writer he rather pulls it off some of the time. But what the heck was going on with the search for the Buried God, the Atlas, and preparations for the coming of the Not-Gods? Huh? Did I miss something in earlier installments? Do I even care to find out? Definitely had love/hate reactions with this one but would love some input from JC fans.
My first read by this writer and perhaps not the best place to start in this series? I'm not a fan of the supernatural but he's such a good writer he rather pulls it off some of the time. But what the heck was going on with the search for the Buried God, the Atlas, and preparations for the coming of the Not-Gods? Huh? Did I miss something in earlier installments? Do I even care to find out? Definitely had love/hate reactions with this one but would love some input from JC fans.
January 25, 2025
Историята продължава да крета, тази част все пак е малко по-добра от "Игра на духове". :(
Пореден нескопосан и лош превод, като само вродения ми инат ме кара да купувам преводните издания. За сега...
Ейнджъл има рак, Чарли се чуди с какво да си уплътнява времето, братята Фулси искат да отворят бар, почти идилия...
Тогава се появява един зъл търсач на последните фрагменти от "Счупения атлас" и труповете започват да валят.
Пореден нескопосан и лош превод, като само вродения ми инат ме кара да купувам преводните издания. За сега...
Ейнджъл има рак, Чарли се чуди с какво да си уплътнява времето, братята Фулси искат да отворят бар, почти идилия...
Тогава се появява един зъл търсач на последните фрагменти от "Счупения атлас" и труповете започват да валят.
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