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pagesintranslation's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Gun violence
Moderate: Suicide and Child abuse
runbeck's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Animal death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
mstall_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Cal Hooper is a retired cop who, after a failed marriage and strained relationship with his daughter, decides to leave Chicago and move to remote Ireland to get some peace. Unfortunately for him peace has no interest in being got by Cal. As he acclimates to his new village, he befriends a young kid who seeks out Cal's help in finding his brother who has disappeared. Cal, the kid and the village itself set down a path that Cal isn't sure he can see the right ending to.
I can see why Tana French has authored so many books, her writing is top notch. The prose in The Searcher was the best part of this book - there was enough local language thrown in to remind me that I was in Ireland without it being unreadable. Tana was also able to write this book as if you were reading it from the lens of exhausted, tired cop without needing to write it in first person. Pretty genius if you ask me.
The story, however, was lacking the big BANG moment I know and love from mystery/crime books. The book meanders through the first half, building the setting, the relationships, and the narrative. While I was a little bored I figured it would pick up during the second half and unfortunately I was wrong. The climax of the story was more like an exhausted fart -- unimpressive in all ways. At the very start of the book I thought I knew what was going to happen/who did it but talked myself out of it because it couldn't be THAT obvious, right? Wrong. It was that obvious and a pretty substantial let down.
Now, to be fair, this is book one in a new series so maybe Tana was just really laying the backstory/foundation on thick in this book and future books will have better pacing/shock value. I am unlikely to finish out this series unless I read really stellar reviews of the next book first. I will also mention that I might have had a different experience if I read this book a few years down the line when I could have immediately jumped into book two. I will be giving her Dublin Murder Squad series a try since that series has phenomenal reviews.
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Blood, and Child abuse
whirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Gun violence, Child abuse, Violence, Death, Animal cruelty, and Grief
Minor: Homophobia and Sexual violence
kyrajg's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Violence
Minor: Murder and Gun violence
jodar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The MC is a bit stereotypical: a retired policeman looking to rehabilitate himself after an unhappy marriage in a new, apparently peaceful and remote part of the world. That said, the MC is a likeable man who’s aware of his personal strengths and weaknesses. The relationship he develops, almost accidentally, with a young, distressed girl – central to the plot – is developed with care and insight. So too the MC’s internal struggles in reconciling his own code of conduct with his past family and work experiences, the new attitudes of his children’s generation and the repercussions of the crime he works to uncover.
The description of the environment is attractively portrayed and sets up a sharp discordance with the brutality of what the MC eventually uncovers. Some of the seemingly cheerful, friendly inhabitants likewise are at variance with the reality the MC comes to understand.
Well worth reading provided you’re not looking for an action-packed, fast-moving crime thriller.
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Grief, Animal death, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Gore, and Mental illness
Minor: Xenophobia and Suicide
wyabook234's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Alcoholism
kshy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Violence, Blood, Death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Murder, Gun violence, Lesbophobia, Cursing, Alcohol, Police brutality, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Stalking and Suicide
emilye's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Child abuse and Murder
Minor: Drug use and Suicide
chelsl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Child abuse, Bullying, and Animal death