A Tana French book not set in Dublin, but in the countryside. An ex Chicago cop moves to a remote Irish village and buys a doer upper to live the simple life. A slight bit cliched perhaps from this author, and a predictable storyline where a local boy needs his help with finding out what happened to his missing brother.

I enjoyed it, as with all her books. But I did think it was predictable in the end.

This was my first Tana French book and unfortunately it just wasn't for me. calling this book a slow burn is an understatement, I kept reading for so long and nothing was actually happening. I grew tired of reading about shopping lists and desk repairs so I decided to DNF this one. Hoping this book finds its intended audience and they love it.

Having read previous publications by this author, I had a fair idea of what to expect from her and wasn't disappointed in the slightest.
In reality this is a simple story (I don't mean that in any disrespectful way whatsoever) but Ms French has a nack of providing a very descriptive narrative that I feel draws me in to the story and makes me vividly imagine and feel part of the scene she describes.
I'll leave the plot to others as always wary of inadvertently giving away part of the story line in my reviews.
Thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading Tana French's next publication

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Viking for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first introduction to Tana French, and I'll be back for sure! I can't quite put my finger on it, but although this didn't 100% work for me, the writing is so completely compelling that it draws you back in anyway.

This is a beautifully atmospheric book, and I can be totally sold on any book that leaves me with a strong sense of place, almost regardless of the events that are happening in it, so this was a huge plus for me. The author paints a vivid picture and well-developed characters that, between them, carry a few other misgivings here.

Set in rural Ireland the isolation factor is strong here too, and that sense of cold dread that creeps up on you in the dark corners on a rainy day... and I just LOVE that!

I would warn readers against going in thinking this is a thriller, as for me I think this is slow-paced enough to verge on the side of mystery, rather than a thriller. Which personally is a bonus as traditional mysteries are my preference!

Where this didn't quite reach its potential for me is in the plot device at its core; it takes a good while for this novel to get going, and as such it's difficult to fully invest in what's happening or be gripped by the unfolding events, but if you can get past that and simply enjoy the outstanding writing then this is a solid read for sure.

3.5 beautifully atmospheric stars

This was just ok, I'm not sure I get why people are raving about it.
It is well written and a good enough story but nothing remarkable or special, in my opinion.

tana french is one of my all time favourite crime writers and this was the first i've read that doesn't revolve around the dublin murder squad

it follows cal, an ex chicago cop, who has moved to rural ireland for some peace and quiet. there he is accosted by a local kid who asks for help to find their missing brother. from there cal meets the various people around the town, gets on better with others, and attempts to poke his nose into this small town's past

it's a long meandering book that is so so atmospheric and languid in both its character study and its subject matter. i felt like i was in the rain drenched mountains and the isolation of cal's house really seeped through

it just felt so so long and it took so long for anything to happen. on one hand i quite liked that, on the other i was just too impatient and bored to find out what happened. i enjoyed the ending, the brief climax, the alliances made, and the future that's promised

i hope tana french returns to the dublin murder squad one day

I received an ARC of this book via netgalley In return for an honest review. I am afraid I have little positive to say about this book which like e In the Woods drowns in an unnecessary depth of detail that adds nothing to building of narrative or scene setting. I could care less how about the detail of his desk repair and less about his grocery shopping at Noreens. Apart from Cal and Trey none of the characters are given any real body. This is my last Tara French I could watch paint dry faster and with more enthusiasm

This was a book that I Really enjoyed this read and I would recommend to others easily, I will be looking out for other titles by this author.

I was really excited to read this book as I've loved Tana French's Dublin murder squad series.

Unfortunately, I didn't get on with this one at all. Calling the book 'a thriller' does it a huge disservice, as it's one of the slowest books I've ever read. Perhaps if it was marketed as a slow burn or a sinister drama, my expectations wouldn't have been so high. I found it quite disheartening that I was 50% through the book and nothing of any note had occurred. I was left wondering how much more of this banality I would have to endure.

Once I finally got to the end, it felt like a relief. I didn't particularly like any of the characters, I didn't feel any empathy towards them and actually found myself resenting them for taking up so much of my time.

I'd definitely consider reading this if you like slow moving, highly descriptive stories, but I'm sad to say this one wasn't for me.

"The Searcher" is a slow burn novel set in a rural Irish countryside and my first book by the author.

We follow Cal, an ex Chicago policeman, who, in a search of a quiet and peaceful life, decided to move to a remote village in Ireland. But he is proven wrong when one day a strange teenager shows up in his garden.

As I mentioned above it was my first book by Tana French and I instantly fell in love with the writing style. The author did a fantastic job describing the characters and painting a great portrait of a closed community and relationships between villagers. The characters are very well crafted in my opinion and three dimensional which is a great plus.

Unfortunately where the book failed me is the plot and and a slow pace. I would not necessary called "The Searcher" a thriller, it is more of a character driven contemporary fiction with a mystery in its centre. And perhaps it's here where my disappointment started as I was expecting a murder mystery instead. Nothing much happens in the first 80% of the book and I was hopping the ending will rescue my review but unfortunately I was left disappointed.

Overall it's a great solid read and if you are looking for a character driven novel I would recommend "The Searcher". I will be definitely checking author's previous work as the writing was fantastic.

Tana French is a fantastic writer! This book had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. It twists along like a serpent, and left me feeling edgy and nervous- in a good way!

Cal Hooper starts his new life in rural Ireland, after spending 20+ years on the Chicago PD. But obviously there is criminal activity in even the smallest village. Therefore, Cal is soon busy trying to find out what happened to a 19 year old boy half a year ago. And since he has no CSI team and no piece of evidence, he has to solve this puzzle solely with (unreliable) statements and his own wit.

Tana French takes her time to tell her story, which makes it slow especially in the beginning. But the author wants to paint a complete picture, and this includes detailling minor characters or an evening in the pub. And it pays off - I could perfectly visualize all these people and their surroundings.
I was just as curious as Trey and Cal what happened to Brendan, although I could not see for a long time how Cal would be able to solve this case - with the few information he got. But that made the last quarter of the book so much more exciting.

This was a very detailed story and it was easy to become immersed in the storyline. There were some surprises along the way which kept the tension high. Some very entertaining characters and the spirit of Ireland came through. A thoroughly enjoyable story from beginning to end.

What I imagine could be liked by some readers as a slow burn thriller, I found this book tolerable, but lacking in the page turning compulsion that I would hope for from a French novel. It wasn't so much the slow pace or brevity of events which helped to tumble the story towards a conclusion - it was the lack of compelling character or plot development within the storytelling that left me wanting something more from The Searcher.
Initially, the premise intrigued me, and hence I was excited to read the newest offering from this author, with thanks to NetGalley. There is definite texture in the written prose - we've no doubt Tana French is skilled as a writer particularly. Problematically, approximately 300 pages in, in terms of the narrative structure, I was still waiting for something significant to happen...
The story, founded on the notion of an outsider, ex- Chicagoan detective Cal Hooper, and the premise of his buying of a long abandoned shack in rural Ireland. There's a missing child, complexities of family dynamics, subsequent family drama and from this the eventual suspense is introduced. It becomes the mystery thriller with a reluctant authority figure at the heart of it. What is sold as the thriller genre, I actually found to be a much more about the developing relationship between Cal and the young Trey. Which, arguably, is heart warming; is very well drawn and believable. And perhaps if this had been better insinuated as a drama over a thriller at heart, the expectations of readers would be directed more to the observations of human nature at the heart of the tale. Sadly, for me reading, there was the overriding frustration at the long waits between the events linked to the central mystery, meaning I felt unsure or unable to fully appreciate the relationship which evolves between the two.
Well-written, textured prose and undoubtedly some depth in the characters central to the plot. Unfortunately, the promise and drive of a thriller didn't quite win out for me...

#netgalley #thesearcher

I found this book to be rather predictable in parts. It was a slow burn and I nearly gave up at one point. However, I am glad I persevered as the characters began to come to life.

A gritty mystery novel set in the rural Irish countryside


Ex-cop Cal Hooper decides to retire early from his job on the police force and moves from crime-filled Chicago to a dilapidated cottage in an isolated Irish village. His plans are to leave behind his old life of catching criminals, setting the world to right, and instead spending his days doing up the cottage and walking in the countryside. However, it is not long before Trey, a local boy, seeks Cal out for help – his older brother is missing, and no one in the village seems to care. Unable to ignore his cop instincts, Cal reluctantly agrees to investigate the teenager’s disappearance. He quickly discovers that there may be something sinister going on in this rural community, and the tightly knit locals don’t take kindly to strangers prying into their business.

This was a slow burner, but overall, also an enjoyable mystery novel that focussed more on subtlety and suspense than thrills and action. I found Cal to be an interesting and well-written character, who, despite being weary from his long years on the force, can’t turn his back on an unsolved case despite knowing that getting involved won’t do him any good. A refreshing change from most crime novels was that the rural setting and Cal’s retirement meant he had to rely on his wits and cunning to investigate the disappearance, rather than the usual team of well-trained officers and unlimited police resources that often crop up in these types of books. The atmosphere of the Irish countryside was also very well-rendered, and I enjoyed how the author managed to make the reader feel both the sense of tranquillity and idyllic calm that the countryside brings and the unnerving sensation of being an outsider and not quite trusted by those around you. The camaraderie and loyalty that the village locals have for each other transitions very subtly throughout the story to a slightly more menacing ‘us and them’ attitude against Cal. His relationship with Trey was quite endearing as well.

Unfortunately, the plot was a bit slow-paced, which meant it took a little while to get through the book. I also felt that some aspects of the story didn’t feel like they belonged in modern times, with some of the characters behaving as if they lived several decades ago. This could be due to the countryside setting, but it didn’t quite work for me. Finally, the ending felt like a bit of an anti-climax after such a long, slow, build-up, but it did tie things together nicely.

In conclusion, I enjoyed The Searcher and would read more by this author, who clearly has a good eye for engaging characters.


Daenerys


Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.

This was a brilliantly written, well paced novel.
The storyline was different to most psychological thrillers and I found it truly interesting and engrossing right to the very end.
Each of the characters had their own unique personalities with many layers that made them realistic and really pulled you in and made you feel a connection with them and caring about what happened to them throughout.
A thoroughly enjoyable, thrilling read that I would certainly recommend to others.

What a wonderful novel - I thoroughly enjoyed it. The subject matter was interesting & different, I really enjoyed the characters who had big personalities and I cared what happened to them. It was thrilling and compelling and so much more than just a psychological thriller.

I had to quit this book halfway through and admit to myself that if I wasn't engaged by that point, I never would be. It was so slow, I kept checking my progress and felt like I'd been reading forever. The final straw was reading the reviews and realising that nothing really happens until 80% onwards and that's about 200 pages away, so it's a DNF for me.

A slow burning and well written novel that kept hooked.
I think that Tana French is a master storyteller and I loved the setting and the great characters.
The plot is tightly knitted and found it highly entertaining.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine