Wednesday, December 9, 2020

The Searcher by Tana French

The Searcher was another of Tana French's novels which had me hooked from the start.  I loved the setting and having been fortunate enough to visit Ireland a few times, she nailed the atmosphere.  The dialogue, the way the chill and cold was described as seeping into your bones, the banter at the pubs - loved it.

These charatcers were brought to life and I felt I was in the room when they were talking in the pub or at Cal's cottage.  Cal Hooper was a likeable enough character and while he could be villager in a future novel, I don't see him as playing a major part as a detective coming up. I mention this as I saw some reviews which expressed interest in seeing him in an upcoming novel.  I just don't see how that could work.

He is after all a retired American detective trying to find peace and quiet in beautiful Ireland. A child named Trey seems to stalk him and eventually asks Cal to investigate the disappearance of Trey's older brother.  He agrees and while it seems an unlikely scenario for an American to involve himself in an investigation all on his own, it all plays out to a satisfactory ending.  You get some surprises and if you didn't like Witch Elm, her last book, you'll be glad this plot and set of characters was an improvement.

That being said, I much prefered the Dublin Murder Squad series and long for Tana French to return to those type novels.  I loved the way a minor character in an investigation was given a bigger role in the next book.  Give me Frank Mackey, Cassie Maddox, Rob Ryan and Stephen Moran again.

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.




8 comments:

  1. I keep meaning to read books that take place in Ireland but my reading as been way low this year.

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    1. Vicki, I can recommend Tana French for sure. On my side bar I have links for books set in Ireland whcih I have reviewed here if you are interested.

      My reading slowed down a bit this year but I am back at it again :-)

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  2. I read the first Dublin Murder Squad but was so mad at her for not tying up both mysteries I think I had to take a break before I could pick up the second book! This does sound like a good read but I can definitely understand why you're wanting her to go back to the Murder Squad series.

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    1. Katherine, this was a good book though. I had read an interview with Tana French on on Goodreads and she was asked if she would clear up the mystery of Rob Ryan. She said she needed him to get there and not have it explained otherwise. That is was a tramautic event that was blocked so....it was a good interview but I too have always been curious about Rob.

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  3. I'm on the wait list for this one at the library. Now I'm looking forward to it, even more!

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    1. Joy, she's such a talented author. Very atmospheric descriptions.

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  4. I really enjoy this one. The Dublin Murder Squad series has long been on my TBR list, but I haven’t had the time for it

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    1. Shelleyrae, I would start with the first one as some characters are "promoted" into the next books. I love her books.

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Getting current here on my February books.........

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