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4.08k reviews for:
The Searcher: The mesmerising new mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling author
Tana French
3.72 AVERAGE
4.08k reviews for:
The Searcher: The mesmerising new mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling author
Tana French
3.72 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
This took me quite a while to get into and it just never really hit it's stride for me. Overall kind of a grim story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Violence, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well written with vivid descriptions of the rural Irish environment
I can understand the folks who are frustrated by the slow start. The pace picks up significantly about two thirds in
I nearly put this book down a few times. Each time, Cal pulled me back in. The reluctant character growth is surprisingly enthralling, and relatable, in some ways
The locals are more complicated, sometimes skirting the edges of lazy rural working class stereotypes. Some of the opinions they share are not great, yet I don’t get the sense this is the author’s voice leaking through
The reveal is disappointing and the ending won’t be satisfying for many. I don’t usual correctly predict the culprit, yet the foreshadowing was overwhelming at points. The book recovers by bringing it back to Cal, with the emotional complications that brings
The audio performance is accomplished yet reserved, without overdoing the accents
Interesting read and I liked the development of Cal’s relationship with the kid, but I thought it dragged at times. Pacing could have been better.
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cal Hooper, freshly divorced and freshly retired from the Chicago PD, buys a fixer-upper in rural Ireland and sets himself to starting a new life, free of the complications of his old one - only to get drawn into the mystery of a neighbor kid's missing brother and discover that small towns have just as many dirty secrets as big cities, if not more... Gorgeously written, with lush descriptions of the Irish countryside serving to amp up the tense atmosphere and unsettling story. Cal is trying his best and doesn't always know what that is; Trey is determined, frightened, and in desperate need of direction; Lena is unspeakably wonderful and nuanced - and our wide range of supporting characters are varied, complex, and much more than they seem at first glance. Things unfold slowly, but the pace never lets up. A very satisfying novel.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
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
4.5/5 stars
This book follows an American, Cal, as he renovates a house in the Irish countryside. He thinks it's the perfect escape from 25 years as a Chicago cop, and his recent divorce. There he comes across a local kid who asks for his help tracking down his missing brother, which leads them on all sorts of twists and turns and uncovers some dark secrets in this picturesque countryside.
My favorite part of this book is truly the character arc that Cal goes through. He's not a perfect character, and he's not perfect in the end either, but he discovers so much throughout this story and becomes a better man because of it. The backstory to his daughter and the comparison between Cal's response to that and the events to this book come through so clearly and vividly, you cannot help but feel appreciation for the changes Cal has gone through.
I also really enjoyed the twists and turns of this book. You know something is not right in the town (secrets, hidden agendas) and this makes the rising action so much stronger. Some people may have figured out the surprise in the ending, but personally, it came as a shock to me.
The reason this book didn't get a full 5 stars from me, is because at points (particularly in the first half) the narrative was too slow or wordy to keep me focused on the words on the page. There were parts that jumped out and kept me reading the book, but it wasn't until the second half of the book where I really hit that point where I couldn't put the book down at all.
I don't quite know what the symoblism of the rooks is in the book, but I liked how it both started and ended with scenes of them in the trees.
Ultimately, I thought this book was wonderful and told an interesting and thought-provoking story. Would read this one again.
This book follows an American, Cal, as he renovates a house in the Irish countryside. He thinks it's the perfect escape from 25 years as a Chicago cop, and his recent divorce. There he comes across a local kid who asks for his help tracking down his missing brother, which leads them on all sorts of twists and turns and uncovers some dark secrets in this picturesque countryside.
My favorite part of this book is truly the character arc that Cal goes through. He's not a perfect character, and he's not perfect in the end either, but he discovers so much throughout this story and becomes a better man because of it. The backstory to his daughter and the comparison between Cal's response to that and the events to this book come through so clearly and vividly, you cannot help but feel appreciation for the changes Cal has gone through.
I also really enjoyed the twists and turns of this book. You know something is not right in the town (secrets, hidden agendas) and this makes the rising action so much stronger. Some people may have figured out the surprise in the ending, but personally, it came as a shock to me.
The reason this book didn't get a full 5 stars from me, is because at points (particularly in the first half) the narrative was too slow or wordy to keep me focused on the words on the page. There were parts that jumped out and kept me reading the book, but it wasn't until the second half of the book where I really hit that point where I couldn't put the book down at all.
I don't quite know what the symoblism of the rooks is in the book, but I liked how it both started and ended with scenes of them in the trees.
Ultimately, I thought this book was wonderful and told an interesting and thought-provoking story. Would read this one again.