Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
Tana French is responsible for some of the most all-consuming, vivid characters I’ve ever experienced. Reading her books, for me, is often like becoming a different person for a little while. She doesn’t just write characters; she seems to channel them. More than just about any other writer’s, her characters are like real people to me - and these are not simple, happy people. These people have pasts. They have layers and layers of coping mechanisms and justifications and habits that shield them from those pasts. And most of all, they have gaps in those layers – tiny ones that even they don’t know about – where the outside world can get in.
Mick “Scorcher” Kennedy has his rules and he has control. Oh sure, his childhood was a bit difficult (is what he’ll tell you), but he got over that. He put in the work – in therapy, rigid vigilance, and in his precious hard-earned control – and it paid off. Now he has the best record on the Dublin Murder Squad. When a high profile case comes in – the murder of two children and their parents in the quiet suburbs – Scorcher is assigned the case. With his rookie partner-in-training Richie, he dives into it with single-minded determination.
“My solve rate is what it is for two reasons: because I work my arse off, and because I keep control. Over situations, over witnesses, over suspects, and most of all, over myself. If you’re good enough at that, you can compensate for just about anything else. If you’re not, Richie, if you lose control, then it doesn’t matter how much of a genius you are: you might as well go home. Forget your tie, forget your interrogation technique, forget all the things we’ve talked about over the last couple of weeks. They’re just symptoms. Get down to the core of it, and every single thing I’ve said to you boils down to control.”
The case appears simple at first, but of course there’s far more to the story. I'm not going to give away any details, because I don't want to ruin it for anyone. Tana French truly got me with this one. For the first time in one of her books, I genuinely had no idea who the murderer was or what happened on the night of the crime until she wanted me to. All I want to say is that, in my opinion, this is the most tense, frightening book she’s ever written. There were a few places where I had to put it down for a while and go hug my family for comfort. And of course, this is Tana French, so a large part of the reason I was so deeply unsettled was because I could relate at least in part to just about everyone here – the victims, the family, even the murderer. But most of all, I related to Scorcher Kennedy. He got under my skin so very much.
In his mind, the world falls into a rigid order – if you play by the rules and do everything right, then you will survive. If you don’t, then you will pay the price. But what if there is no rhyme or reason to this world? What if horrible, unthinkable things can happen to people who do everything right? Everything that he believes about himself rests entirely on his flawless control. So what happens when he loses it? Who is he then?
“All those years of endless excruciating therapy sessions, of staying vigilant over every move and word and thought; I had been sure I was mended, all the breaks healed, all the blood washed away. I knew I had earned my way to safety. I had believed, beyond any doubt, that that meant I was safe.”
He infuriated me with his self-important lectures to Richie, he disturbed me with his unhealthy relationship with his sister, and he surprised me with how viciously pleased I felt at some of his more callous policing tactics. His loss of control felt satisfying and thrilling and terrifying and painful and so very real. This book is another triumph in psychological mystery for Tana French.
Perfect Musical Pairing
Arcade Fire: The Suburbs
Tana French does another brilliant turn in this book by overlaying the entire mystery with the current economic climate in Ireland. With thousands unemployed and many suburban housing developments that were half-built during the economic boom now sitting abandoned, the suburbs of Ireland have a lot of dark, desperate potential these days. The setting here immediately made me think of Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs, which is about loss of innocence and the slow but unstoppable crumbling of suburban life.
Tatiana and I both reviewed this over at The Readventurer.
Mick “Scorcher” Kennedy has his rules and he has control. Oh sure, his childhood was a bit difficult (is what he’ll tell you), but he got over that. He put in the work – in therapy, rigid vigilance, and in his precious hard-earned control – and it paid off. Now he has the best record on the Dublin Murder Squad. When a high profile case comes in – the murder of two children and their parents in the quiet suburbs – Scorcher is assigned the case. With his rookie partner-in-training Richie, he dives into it with single-minded determination.
“My solve rate is what it is for two reasons: because I work my arse off, and because I keep control. Over situations, over witnesses, over suspects, and most of all, over myself. If you’re good enough at that, you can compensate for just about anything else. If you’re not, Richie, if you lose control, then it doesn’t matter how much of a genius you are: you might as well go home. Forget your tie, forget your interrogation technique, forget all the things we’ve talked about over the last couple of weeks. They’re just symptoms. Get down to the core of it, and every single thing I’ve said to you boils down to control.”
The case appears simple at first, but of course there’s far more to the story. I'm not going to give away any details, because I don't want to ruin it for anyone. Tana French truly got me with this one. For the first time in one of her books, I genuinely had no idea who the murderer was or what happened on the night of the crime until she wanted me to. All I want to say is that, in my opinion, this is the most tense, frightening book she’s ever written. There were a few places where I had to put it down for a while and go hug my family for comfort. And of course, this is Tana French, so a large part of the reason I was so deeply unsettled was because I could relate at least in part to just about everyone here – the victims, the family, even the murderer. But most of all, I related to Scorcher Kennedy. He got under my skin so very much.
In his mind, the world falls into a rigid order – if you play by the rules and do everything right, then you will survive. If you don’t, then you will pay the price. But what if there is no rhyme or reason to this world? What if horrible, unthinkable things can happen to people who do everything right? Everything that he believes about himself rests entirely on his flawless control. So what happens when he loses it? Who is he then?
“All those years of endless excruciating therapy sessions, of staying vigilant over every move and word and thought; I had been sure I was mended, all the breaks healed, all the blood washed away. I knew I had earned my way to safety. I had believed, beyond any doubt, that that meant I was safe.”
He infuriated me with his self-important lectures to Richie, he disturbed me with his unhealthy relationship with his sister, and he surprised me with how viciously pleased I felt at some of his more callous policing tactics. His loss of control felt satisfying and thrilling and terrifying and painful and so very real. This book is another triumph in psychological mystery for Tana French.
Perfect Musical Pairing
Arcade Fire: The Suburbs
Tana French does another brilliant turn in this book by overlaying the entire mystery with the current economic climate in Ireland. With thousands unemployed and many suburban housing developments that were half-built during the economic boom now sitting abandoned, the suburbs of Ireland have a lot of dark, desperate potential these days. The setting here immediately made me think of Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs, which is about loss of innocence and the slow but unstoppable crumbling of suburban life.
Tatiana and I both reviewed this over at The Readventurer.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
I like this for the most part. I really could have done without the crazy sister, though. And I got annoyed at Kennedy for always thinking he was right. I really thought there was going to be a twist at the end involving the house and I didn't like that there was no definite resolution to the case.
This is a heavy book because of the crime. The book is written in first person by Detective Scorcher but I HATED him! He's so pompous and egotistical but this case isn't an easy solve like he thought so you go along on this ride with him while he figures things out. I love this series by Tana French. Each book is special. I was going to rate it low because of how much the character bugged me but then I realized the book made me feel real emotion & I thought about the crime & the ending for days after. Books that make me feel raw emotion deserve high stars. My favorite in this series is still the first one "In The Woods" but this one is good too. In fact it's pretty creepy, not only the crime but the description of the house, the area surrounding it n just everything that goes with it. I recommend.
It was an IDIOTIC idea to read this book while pregnant. But Tana French is one of my favorite writers even if she messes with my head, heart, and soul in every book. This was another very satisfying read, however troubling.