The Witch Elm Summary
Tana French

The Witch Elm Overview

The Witch Elm by Tana French is a realistic fiction novel narrated in first-person from the perspective of Toby Hennessy, an Irish 20-something who becomes implicated in a murder investigation. The novel follows Toby from an attack in his apartment in an unnamed Irish city, to his move to the family home where he spent his childhood to care for his ailing uncle, and finally to his conviction for killing the lead detective in the murder case. French uses the theme of luck and natural imagery to create a magical atmosphere despite the ultimately mundane universe in which the novel takes place. The novel's major themes include agency, privilege, and the relationship between urbanity and nature.