I love Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad police procedurals so was really looking forward to this standalone novel. This is very different from the former and I found it to be a slow paced read that didn't initially grip me. However I stuck with it and it's ultimately a beautifully written, atmospheric and thoughtful novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

As a lover of Tana French books I was excited to receive a copy of The Searcher.

The Searcher is the story of Cal, a former policeman, and his friendship with Trey. It is not a fast paced action packed thriller, as French has written previously, but more a slow creepy burner. It's the story of a missing boy, but it's more about the secrets found in small towns.

Beautiful descriptive writing that flowed and was a joy to read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read and review,

Currently suffering a hangover thanks to overindulgence in this wonderful once-in-a-lifetime novel. I read it in two days which is very unusual for me but I could not put it down. It's a real slow burner which I normally find irksome but with this story it is very necessary and it's important to pay attention to every word and nuance of this incredible novel. Told through the eyes of Cal who is a retired American detective who moved to the outbacks of Ireland hoping for a quiet life. There are so many characters (human and animal) and each carries a significant weight in moving the story forward, with no wasted words. I desperately wanted to novel to carry on because although it ended at the right place and time, with no loose threads, there is so much more I want to know about regarding what happens next.

A good, solidly entertaining read. A little bloated in parts but I enjoyed the writing style and the characters are wonderfully crafted.

A compelling thriller with a disillusioned, retired cop protagonist. It kept me turning the pages. Recommended! Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC

It took me w whole to get into this but I’m glad I continued as I actually really enjoyed it by the time I’d finished! Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the advance copy

I have loved most of Tana French’s books and I did like this, just not as much as the others I have read. It’s nothing like the Dublin Murder Squad, so if you are looking for something similar, this is not it.
It was slow burning and I almost gave up because it was so slow but as Tana is a great author I gave it the benefit of the doubt and continued with it.
Sadly it didn’t grip me enough, it took me a long time to finish it and I felt a little underwhelmed by it.

A slow burner but stick with it as its worth a read. Not as gripping as I would have liked it to have been.

Took me a while to get into this book and I found I had to really push myself to finish it, no fault of the author or the writing just my own preference

This story crept up on me .. the top notch writing drew me in and the deft way French has creating tension almost out of nothing is magic. Ex policeman bonds with abused young girl with all those complications and then .. it's about wild mother and missing brother .. it all works out but you really care about these people .. it's so well done and persuasive..

The Searcher by Tana French is less a thriller and more a literary crime novel. She has always imbued her excellent plots with a literary style and this one is no exception. Readers expecting a page-turning crime read may be disappointed, but I think The Searcher is all the better for its slow pace.

A former Chicago cop, after a divorce and deep disillusionment with law enforcement, has moved to Ireland. While fixing up his cottage and getting to know the local people and customs in his remote village, he gets pulled into a missing person case by a curious child who shows up on his property.

Though the story takes a while to get going, Tana French builds tension on every page until all the clues come together. The book is a study in culture clash, small town secrets and sad truths and is highly recommended

Really enjoyed this book Abd certainly a different take on a crime thriller with an American ex cop living in rural Ireland. Good storyline and well rounded characters.

I’m a huge Tana French fan and have loved all of her previous novels so was keen to pick her new one up. The Searcher isn’t my favourite of French’s novels but I honestly think it’s a case of right book, wrong time though so I wanted to still share what it’s about on here. The novel follows Cal, a former Chicago cop who has moved to rural Ireland to start a new life. Once there he sets about renovating the house he has bought and he starts to meet people in the community. The relationship he forms with Trey was my favourite part of the book, their growing trust in each other which starts out with such wariness was lovely to read. There are also beautiful descriptions of the landscape, so much so that I could really visualise the setting and the weather to the point of feeling like I was there. The blurb of the novel reads as though this is a novel about Cal seeking out a missing young man but that isn’t really the focus and I think had I known that I might have had a better reading experience as I was expecting one thing and got another. Ultimately, this is a novel about small towns and the secrets buried there. I think I may try re-reading this another time as I really did want to love it.

What a gripping thriller.
I love this author. Always amazing

This was a very disturbing but good read.

Thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish and could not get enough of.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension -  impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended!

The Searcher is Tana French's second stand alone novel, set outside the world of The Dublin Murder Squad series. Retired cop Cal moves from Chicago to west of Ireland (Boyle is mentioned in the book so I think it's set in Mayo/Roscommon/Sligo). He's bought an old run down house and plans to do it up and live out his life in the peace and quiet of the countryside. But nothing is ever that simple. Cal's sixth sense kicks in and he feels like he's being watched. When he discovers it's only a 13 year old kid, he waits patiently for the kid to tell him why they've come to him. They've heard he's an ex-cop and want Cal to look into the disappearance of their older brother. Everyone says he's moved on but Trey knows better. Cal reluctantly decides to look into things but the Irish countryside is full of secrets.

This is a slow paced, beautifully written mystery book. It is very slow to get going, if I remember correctly it takes until 20% in to find out why Trey is visiting Cal. But I didn't mind that, as once I got into it I was gripped. Tana has such a wonderful way of writing, the nuances of Irish life and speech is fantastic, so descriptive. I could picture how remote the mountain scenes were. Cal is an interesting character and I liked his relationship with Trey and how he developed to be a father figure. For some of the book, the fear and tension was so palpable . If you've not read any Tana French before, this could be a good place to start as it is a stand alone. It differs as well to her previous stand alone The Wych Elm. The main character for that was a bit of a untrustworthy narrator, while in this one it's all about being the outsider, trying to fit in in a small Irish town.

Loved this! So good, so exciting, so gripping and great story. Can't wait to read more by this author - absolutely brilliant.

Peace and quiet. That’s all he wants. The opposite of his life before. Before Ireland. Before the cottage. Before the kid. But, despite the physical miles between himself and his former life, the mental distance is no more than a step. For Cal, it’s not quite so simple as flipping a switch. His police instincts are still there, hovering just below the surface. So, when a young kid with a mystery shows up at his crumbling cottage, he can’t help but get involved. As it turns out, it doesn’t matter how much you try to deny your instincts. When you’ve spent your life searching for answers and trying to right the wrongs of others, it’s just about impossible to ignore a mystery brewing in your new hometown. So much for peace and quiet. He needs answers.

I thoroughly enjoyed Tana French’s latest novel, The Searcher. It may not have carried the same type of thrill that is ever-present in her Dublin Murder Squad series, but I don’t think that’s any reason to ignore this spine-tingling standalone story. I was completely invested in both the story and the characters, and found that Cal’s curmudgeon-like qualities made him loveably real. I loved the little Irish village in which Cal decided to begin the second half of his life, and found comfort in the ways in which his village mirrored my own in Wales. The green hills and relentless rain, the fields and farmland, the quirky characters. It’s warm and welcoming, but there is an edge. There is no such thing as a secret when you live in a village as small as Cal’s. So you’d best not have anything to hide.

Thank you to Netgalley and Viking Press for a copy of this wonderful novel in exchange for an honest review!

Enjoyed this book and the two main characters were very likeable, though the plot was very weak and the story did not build well. The descriptions of the scenery and thought, feelings were good and those with a good imagination would appreciate this

The story follows retired detective Cal Hoopers move to a small town in Ireland . The locals are distrustful and unwilling to welcome Cal into their close knit community. Cal moves into the dilapidated building he outbidded locals for. He is approached by Trey who needs help finding his missing brother. This excludes Cal further from the locals. Although I didn’t emphasise the detectives I loved solving the mystery!

Tana french is a wonderful author I devour her books. Supporting Irish writers, dark and dramatic with characters that you want to see how their lives go or might have gone depending on the story......