Five top books from modern Ireland

One title on the Barnes & Noble Review's list of five top books from Ireland's newer voices:

In the Woods
by Tana French

Ireland, too, houses bold new crime fiction in the traditions of Stieg Larsson and Ian Rankin -- and hard-boiled author Tana French brings a native's touch to the unique perimeters of the Irish underworld. The debut of the immensely popular Dublin Murder Squad series is a profile in courage: detectives Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox are on the case to find an alarming series of missing children trapped in a dire predicament that Ryan knows all too well. The sleepy town of Knocknaree rises to a thrilling mystery and dark secrets within its borders, but it's French's crackerjack dialogue and action that will rouse crime fiction fanatics, and all others seeking a singular look into present-day Eire.

Read about another novel on the list.

The Page 69 Test: In the Woods.

Also see Alan Barra's top twelve postwar Irish novels, Brian McGilloway's top ten modern Irish crime novels, Foyles's top 10 list of contemporary Irish novels, and Frank Delaney's top 10 Irish novels.

--Marshal Zeringue