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4.1k reviews for:
The Searcher: The mesmerising new mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling author
Tana French
3.72 AVERAGE
4.1k reviews for:
The Searcher: The mesmerising new mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling author
Tana French
3.72 AVERAGE
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.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I much prefer her Dublin Murder Squad books to her stand-alone novels. This one, like The Witch Elm, is okay. Very slow in the first half; picked up a bit in the second half. Unexpected ending--though probably if you were really reading carefully, you would see that it was inevitable. Two main characters are good characters.
This was an interesting read. I enjoyed reading the beginning half. I normally like slow-paced books and this is no exception! I loved seeing Cal and Treys relationship grow and Cal learning to navigate being the new guy in town and investigating the disappearance of Brendan Reddy. The one thing I wasn't too fond of is the ending. About 70% into the book, I anticipated what happened and I was pretty themes close. But I was expecting the ending to be...more, I guess. Overall, it was good but the ending wasn't to my liking.
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes