Reviews

The Mountains Wild by Sarah Stewart Taylor

bookph1le's review

4.0

This is exactly the sort of character-driven mystery that I like. It has a twist that feels natural, something I always appreciate in a genre that sometimes offers up the most ludicrous plot elements possible.

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition

3.0

The Mountains Wild is a police procedural novel featuring Maggie D’arcy. Erin Flaherty, Maggie’s cousin, disappeared from Ireland twenty-three years ago in 1993. The only thing that was found was her silver claddagh necklace where Erin had been walking that day. Maggie’s uncle, Daniel Flaherty gets a call that the scarf Erin had been wearing was found with blood on it. Maggie heads to Dublin determined to get the answers they have been seeking. The Mountains Wild turned out to be different from what I expected after reading the blurb. It turns out that several women have gone missing over the years with the latest being Niamh Horrigan. While the police were searching for Niamh, they found Erin’s bloody scarf. I can tell from the author’s writing and descriptions that she loves Ireland. Her word imagery brings Dublin and the surrounding to life. She weaves in Ireland’s history, literature, language, and politics into the story. Maggie D’arcy is a good detective and she has solved several high profile cases. Looking into Erin’s disappearance in 1993 led Maggie to become a police officer. Maggie is now a lieutenant leading a team in the homicide division. The story is told from Maggie’s point-of-view. We are taken back to 1993 to see how the initial case played out. As Maggie investigates in 2016, we get a glimpse of Erin and Maggie’s growing up years. I found the pacing to be slow with just a slight uptick near the end. The mystery was convoluted with a “twist” near the end. I found the investigation to be tedious. It was long and drawn out. It lacked excitement and suspense. Whether you find the twist surprising, depends on how many mysteries you have read. I felt that over a hundred pages could have easily been edited from this book. I did like DI Roland Byrne and Griz. They were great characters. There is repetition of information and too many characters. A pronunciation guide would have come in handy for the Irish names. Maggie’s romance felt out of place considering what was happening. I also did not feel there was chemistry between Maggie and her love interest. The Mountains Wild was just not a good fit for me. I suggest you obtain a sample to see if it is your type of mystery. The Mountains Wild is a whodunit with a curious cousin, exiguous evidence, a distraught dad, and a rare romance.

gkelch's review against another edition

4.0

This is an atmospheric and compelling mystery with a surprising twist and great characters. I'd recommend for fans of Tana French.

I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

allysonwbrunette's review against another edition

3.0

The story follows Maggie D’Arcy, a homicide detective from Long Island, NY who returns to Ireland 23 years after her cousin (Erin) mysteriously disappeared while hiking in a rural area. Her motivation to enter the field of law enforcement was directly related to her cousin’s disappearance and while she has attained a high profile as an exceptional detective in the States, she remains frustrated at never gaining closure about what actually happened to Erin. When new information arises in another disappearance in the same area of Ireland that may connect to Erin, Maggie returns to Ireland two decades later to assist local law enforcement with the case. I’m not a mystery super fan by any means (I read maybe 2-3 a year), I loved the way this author writes in such a sensory fashion. She really created a full sensory experience around Ireland that made me want to take a trip there post-COVID.

candacesiegle_greedyreader's review

5.0

After finishing "The Mountains Wild" I rushed to see what else Sarah Stewart Taylor had written. I see her other books are characterized as "cozies." This is surprising. This novel is no cozy but is a tight psychological thriller with depth and an ending that will floor you.

After nearly twenty years, Long Island detective Maggie D'Arcy gets a call saying that there is a development in the disappearance of her cousin Erin. who vanished during a visit to Ireland.

She drops everything--this is a good time to do that in her wrought personal life--and goes to Dublin.

What she finds there makes for a compelling, twisty mystery that did remind me of Tana French--not for the setting but for the layers upon layers of intention in the characters. Taylor propels her characters forward more urgently than French, which is an excellent trait. "The Mountains Wild" will whet your appetite for more from this writer.

~~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader

drbatfcc's review against another edition

5.0

First in a very compelling mystery series

crotchoxide's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

markeefe's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

tessajohnson's review against another edition

4.0

An interesting mystery with a large cast of characters spanning two time periods (1980s and 2016). Lots of twists and turns. The audio book is narrated with a lovely Long Island accent. :)

michellerivard's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

2.75