In the Woods vs Lady in the Lake: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Homicide, Crimes against, Investigation, Murder, Fiction
In the Woods
A gorgeously written novel that marks the debut of an astonishing new voice in psychological suspenseAs dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this…
vs
Lady in the Lake
"The revered New York Times bestselling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring…
The verdict
- Readers rate In the Woods highest: In the Woods 3.9 · Lady in the Lake 3.5.
- Lady in the Lake is the quickest read — about 7 hours vs 11 for In the Woods.
- Lady in the Lake has the widest readership — 35910 ratings behind its score.
- Lady in the Lake runs the darker storyline; In the Woods stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Want a one-evening read?
Lady in the Lake
≈ 7h vs 11h for In the Woods
Want the crowd-tested pick?
Lady in the Lake
35910 ratings vs 2572 for In the Woods
Just want the better-reviewed one?
In the Woods
3.9 vs 3.5 from readers
New to the genre?
In the Woods
Light vs Moderate for Lady in the Lake
In the mood for something dark?
Lady in the Lake
a darker storyline than In the Woods
Scores by source
| In the Woods | Lady in the Lake | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | — | 3.5 (35910) |
| Hardcover | 3.7 (502) | 3.5 (51) |
| Google Books | 5.0 (1) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (2572) | 4.0 (471) |
Reception
| In the Woods | Lady in the Lake | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 2572 | 35910 |
| Editions | 21 | 12 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | — | 58136 |
| Pages | 608 | 384 |