The Scholar

From the bestselling author of THE RUIN

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Pub Date 7 Mar 2019 | Archive Date 31 Mar 2019

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Description

'A truly fine police procedural' - IRISH INDEPENDENT
'Utterly compelling' - JANE CASEY
'A superbly paced, engaging read' - WOMAN'S WAY

BRILLIANCE CAN BE DEADLY . . .

When Detective Cormac Reilly's girlfriend Emma stumbles across the victim of a hit and run early one morning, he is first on the scene of a murder that would never have been assigned to him.

The investigation promises to be high profile and high pressure: the dead girl is carrying an ID, that of Carline Darcy, heir apparent to Ireland's most successful pharmaceutical company. Darcy Therapeutics has a finger in every pie, including the laboratory where Emma works.

As Cormac investigates, evidence mounts that the death is linked to the lab and, increasingly, to Emma herself. Cormac is sure she couldn't be involved, but how well does he really know her? After all, this isn't the first time Emma's been accused of murder . . .

******

Praise for Dervla McTiernan's debut novel, THE RUIN:

'Dervla McTiernan is a future star of the genre' CHRIS BROOKMYRE

'Cormac Reilly is a brilliant new character' SAM BLAKE

'Brilliantly crafted . . . incredibly real-feeling characters. An absolute treat!' SUNDAY MIRROR

'An exciting new voice in Irish noir' SUNDAY TIMES

'Corruption, clandestine cover-ups and criminal conspiracy ... as moving as it is fast-paced' VAL McDERMID

'Loved THE RUIN by Dervla McTiernan. A compelling story with beautifully drawn characters I really cared about' LAURA MARSHALL

'Absolutely brilliant. Wonderful characters, authentic setting, and a sublime, twisty plot' IRISH EXAMINER

'Heartbreaking and heart-stopping' CAZ FREAR

'THE RUIN is as convincing as it is multi-layered, as compelling as it is complex . . . Dervla is a future star of the genre' CHRIS BROOKMYRE

'Fans of Tana French will love McTiernan's expertly plotted, complex web of secrets that refuse to stay hidden' KAREN DIONNE

There are not many books that will keep me reading from start to finish but Dervla McTiernan's THE RUIN did just that . . . An excellent story, very well written . . . this one was a winner for me! ALEX GRAY

'Loved every page . . . Cormac Reilly is a brilliant new character, so real you can hear his footsteps on the stairs. Utterly gripping, brilliantly executed story' SAM BLAKE

'Intelligent, compassionate and believable' SINEAD CROWLEY

'A truly fine police procedural' - IRISH INDEPENDENT
'Utterly compelling' - JANE CASEY
'A superbly paced, engaging read' - WOMAN'S WAY

BRILLIANCE CAN BE DEADLY . . .

When Detective Cormac Reilly's...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780751569346
PRICE £13.99 (GBP)
PAGES 384

Average rating from 44 members


Featured Reviews

Having thoroughly enjoyed Dervla McTiernan’s first novel ‘The Ruin’, I looked forward to following the fortunes of her intelligent, thoughtful detective Cormac Reilly in ‘The Scholar’. Set in present-day Galway, the prologue takes us back to Dublin 2006 in which young, lonely rich girl Carline Darcy learns of her father’s death in a skiing accident and is horrified at the thought of having to live with her unreliable mother. She visits her millionaire grandfather, John Darcy, CEO of Darcy Therapeutics, to beg for a different life.
Fast forward to 2014 and we read that she appears to be the victim of a hit and run accident outside her grandfather’s research laboratories in which Cormac’s partner Emma holds a prestigious research position. However, she is found safe and well in her penthouse flat and we learn that the girl who was carrying Carline’s lab pass was genius, impoverished drop-out student Della Lambert. Much of the novel centres on working out why Della has been killed and, without giving away the reason, this narrative is just about plausible if the reader is prepared to believe that Della is as clever and intellectually mature as she would need to be for this storyline to work.
However, the main reason why this novel is a good read is because of the way that McTiernan builds the relationships between the police and their partners. Carrie O’Halloran and Peter Fisher are properly fleshed out characters rather than stereotypical side-kicks to Reilly and there must be more developments due for Moira Hanley, a workshy, unpleasant colleague. Why is she as she is? The team can only grow more interesting as the series progresses.
Nevertheless, the Henderson case which Cormac is working on initially, linked to the main crimes only by its theme of dysfunctional families, could have been developed further. Focusing on the topical subject of coercive control, the author makes the situation both horrifying and very believable. Likewise, Della Lambert’s family circumstances were worse than depressing and it would have been interesting to have seen their impact in more detail. Whilst police procedural is used well in ‘The Scholar’, characterisation is McTiernan’s greatest strength.
My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

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I was a huge fan of “The Ruin” so was very much looking forward to reading this, the follow up due in March 2019.

Once again this author immediately sucked me into Cormac’s world, the beautifully descriptive sense she brings to both character and place is gorgeously immersive, the challenges faced here different but still utterly compelling.

Money talks, the rich are different, in The Scholar this finds Cormac once more fighting a political minefield as he tries to solve a most horrific murder – whilst protecting his girlfriend Emma, caught up accidentally in the aftermath. Or at least he hopes accidentally…

The Scholar is a brilliant literary mystery set in the world of big pharmaceuticals, of research and secret projects, a foreign world to most of us and one that challenges Cormac in his search for the truth. It is also a very human story, of family and connection, of love and the lengths we’ll go to in order to protect what is important to us.

It is unpredictable and beautifully plotted, with twists of story and character, I loved every minute.

Fascinating, emotional and completely addictive, The Scholar just confirms my view that Dervla McTiernan is one to watch, not only in 2019 but beyond.

Highly Recommended.

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I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an advance copy of of The Scholar, the second novel to feature Galway based DS Cormac Reilly.

When Cormac’s girlfriend, Emma, finds the victim of a hit and run she phones him and edged out of current investigations over the past year, he immediately takes charge because it looks more like murder than accident to him. The pressure mounts when the dead girl appears to have links to a Darcy Pharmaceuticals lab where Emma works.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Scholar which has a bit of everything, including some good twists, and makes for a great read. I was hooked from start to finish. Essentially the novel is a police procedural charting the investigation into the hit and run with minor detours into other cases but with Cormac taking on a lone wolf role at times procedure falls by the wayside. It’s maybe not realistic but it’s very readable. Equally the plot, in parts, requires a certain suspension of disbelief but it doesn’t get in the way of good storytelling and I really like the cynical eye Ms McTiernan casts on the self interest and sense of entitlement the rich have. I also enjoyed the petty jealousies, slights and gossiping that surround Cormac at the station as they bring a sense of the everyday to the novel. I also think the subplot of a would be family annihilator with its Swirl of misunderstandings is well done. All this disparate threads are woven together seamlessly into a clever whole.

Characterisation is another strong point in the novel, especially in the minor characters where a couple of sentences are enough to expose a whole personality. Many aren’t particularly attractive but they are human. I really liked the portrayal of Cormac’s ally DS Carrie O’Halloran. She’s smart and dedicated but inexperienced and the grind of the job is not just wearing on her but on her marriage too. It’s so realistic and lifelike. Cormac is supposed to be the smart, experienced detective but his worry over Emma sees him make some less than smart decisions. Nevertheless it is he who drives the investigation on and makes the relevant connections.

The Scholar is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

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It was a very gripping book with a very good pace. I couldn't turn the pages faster. I liked the story and characters too. The plot was not perfect, but I'd read from this writer again.
Thanks a lot Netgalley and the publisher for this complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I really enjoyed "The Ruin" and eagerly anticipated the next book featuring Cormac Reilly. It did not disappoint as The Scholar is a thoroughly engrossing read from beginning to end. Set in Ireland, the plot centres around the pharmaceutical industry, it is well written and full of corruption and intrigue. A very enjoyable read with a great ending. My thanks to Net Galley for my ARC. Reviewed on Goodreads and Facebook.

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#TheScholar #NetGalley Having thoroughly enjoyed The Ruin, I eagerly awaited the second in the series starring Cormac Reilly. Sometimes the second book does not live up to the first book but not in this case and I raced through it in just over a day! I love the character of Cormac and it was great to see his relationship with Emma and with his colleagues at his new station in Galway. This book is so fast paced with plenty going on there is not a moment to be bored or impatient and I found that I couldn't put it down. I liked the fact that Cormac was working two cases as it keeps my interest level high when it switched between the two. I am really looking forward to reading further books in this series. A cracker of a five star read!!

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I loved every single minute of this. Read in one day this is a total unputdownable read. Number 2 in the series and Cormac is still trying to fit in in Galway. Emma his partner comes across a dead girl, the victim of a hit and run and suddenly they are both swept up in a twisting turning plot that keeps you rivited. Brilliant characterisations and great character development. The subplot has so much more to give, and we start to get a glimpse of how interesting the rest of the team could be too, I Ican’t wait to catch up with them all again in number 3.

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I loved Dervla McTiernan’s first book featuring detective Cormac Reilly, The Ruin, so I was delighted to get my hands on the second, and I’m glad to say it was just as good.

When Cormac’s partner Emma, a scientist working on a major medical breakthrough, finds the body of a young woman killed in a hit and run near her lab, Cormac’s work and personal lives become far too close for comfort. As the police strive to identify the dead girl, links emerge with the huge pharmaceutical company Emma works for, its founder John Darcy, and Darcy’s granddaughter Carline, a gifted student hoping to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps.

An excellent police procedural featuring the likeable Cormac and his colleagues, particularly Carrie O’Halloran who I was pleased to see more of following her fairly brief appearance in the previous book. Great read and I look forward to more in this series.

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4.5 stars
I loved Cormac Reilly's first outing - The Ruin - when I read it last year so I was quite excited to see what he would be faced with in this follow up book. I was also hoping that the "thing" with him and girlfriend Emma would be resolved, rather than dragged out through the series, and I am pleased to note that it was indeed, not really where I thought it'd go but, there you are!
Emma is on her way to work when she comes across the body of a girl. She calls Cormac and he is first on scene, along with his partner. The dead girl is carrying id and Emma agrees that she looks to match it. One Caroline Darcy, heir to Darcy Theraputics, the company who funds Emma's work. But, when Cormac goes to inform her flatmates they laugh and, out of her bedroom, comes the girl herself. But they fail to recognise the dead girl and Caroline admits that she lost her id months ago.
Obviously with Emma's involvement and also Cormac's reputation, the powers that be are reluctant to allow him to investigate further but he manages to wheedle his way back in, after doing a whole load of investigation off his own back, and it is him that puts the final piece of the puzzle in place.
Yes, it's a bit implausible in places, yes there were things that they took far too long to cotton on to things that I found blatantly obvious, but apart from that, it all flowed along pretty nicely and the ends were nicely wrapped up at the conclusion of the book. That definitely can't be said for Emma and Cormac's relationship which takes a bit of a strained direction when certain things are exposed.
Unlike most police procedural series I read, the team don't seem as tight knit. There isn't much fun and frivolity between them, no banter or mickey taking. But this in itself make a pleasant change. After all, not everyone is all pally pally with the people they work with so why should we expect all characters in a team in a book to be so?
All in all, apart from the already mentioned niggles, this was a good solid read for me. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for book three. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

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Having read the previous book in this series my expectations were high and I was not disappointed.
The descriptive writing style brought the mist and rain of Ireland to life. It flowed beautifully from beginning to end.
The plot was deliciously convoluted and kept me guessing almost to the end. Twists and turns and intrigue aplenty kept me hooked from the beginning.
The characters were well thought out and cleverly drawn. They fit well with the plot and interacted with each other in an easy and believable way.
Definitely one to add to your bookshelf! I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book.

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I was very much looking forward to reading The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan. It's a classic police procedural with complex characters, including the police officers themselves. McTiernan is often compared to Tana French as they both write in a similar domain, personality driven mystey, and in a similar goeggraphic region, Ireland. I've very much enjoyed Tana French and so was very optimistic about this work.
The premise too was one that interested me in that it is set in a researcg/academic context and involves researchers and students working together on innovations. I too as a researcher and academic feel I know this world and on the whole the book does it justice, without becoming boringly recondite about academia. Certainly McTiernan captures that sense of the research lab, where everyone is focused on highly specialist knowledge creation. However, I'm not sure that the book achieves this quite as well as P.D. James' Death of an Expert Witness for example, where you get a real sense of the closeted and obsessive atmosphere and vicious internal politics of such an establishment.
This is the second book in McTiernan's Cormac Reilly series and it follows on from The Ruin. I rather wish that I had read The Ruin first as with this second outing Reilly is back on active duty and reference is made to the earlier story which the reader can struggle with if they've not read the first book. I shall certainly go and read Book 1 now.
Cormac Reilly is an interesting and symathetic character, although some of his decisions seem unprofessional in a police context - but where would we be in mystery fiction if the hero always followed procedure? Some of the secondary characters are just as interesting - Carrie O'Halloran has an engaging backstory and certainly could take the lead in a future title and Peter Fisher comes across well. The team as a whole is evolving nicely here - though Moira is a bit of a textbook hate object and it would be nice to moderate this a little in future.
The plot is fast moving and keeps the reader (pretty much) guessing. The descriptions of Galway are well done and overall this is a thoroughly good read and a very welcome new addition to the crime and mystery series pantheon.

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Dervla McTiernan embeds her series featuring DS Cormac Reilly set in Galway, Ireland, with flair here. I loved The Ruin, and this is a brilliant sequel. Reilly is still being shunted into cold cases, but overworked DS Carrie O'Halloran fights his corner as at long last he is assigned current investigations, including the Henderson case, where Rob Henderson planned to wipe out his wife, Lucy and their children. It has been difficult to get Lucy to co-operate with the police inquiry, and Cormac just might be able to break the impasse. By sheer chance, Reilly lands a case which technically he should not have when his partner, Dr Emma Sweeney, becomes a witness when she comes across a hit and run victim outside the Darcy research laboratories that she works at. It appears the dead young woman is Carline Darcy when they find ID on the body, but it turns out Carline, the granddaughter of John Darcy, CEO of Darcy Pharmaceuticals, is very much alive and she claims that she lost her ID some time ago.

Cormac is sceptical about Carline's claim, but he is unable to follow up when he is warned to leave the Darcy family alone, unless he has strong evidence, as the political clout of the Darcy family has the police treading extremely carefully. Determining the identity of the dead woman takes some time to verify until a desperately worried 15 year old boy, Paul Lambert, reports his 18 year old sister, Della, as missing. Della was an extremely bright student that had started university early at the age of 16 before dropping out and working as a waitress, why would anyone want to kill her? It soon becomes clear that the murder has connections to the Darcy Laboratories, and to Cormac's consternation Emma comes under police scrutiny, surely his beloved Emma is incapable of murder? As Cormac finds himself suspended from the case because of his relationship with Emma, another tragic murder takes place. This fires Cormac's determination to get to the truth no matter what and nail a killer, helped by a police team that includes his colleague, the loyal Peter Fisher.

McTiernan engages in some stellar character development with Cormac and the others in this hugely compelling addition to the series. I really adored the supporting characters of Peter Fisher and Carrie O'Halloran. It is wonderful to observe Cormac slowly being accepted and supported by his police team, with the exceptions of McCarthy, his boss, with his political manoevres, and Moira Hanley, who resents Cormac and not above causing him as much trouble as she can get away with. More insights are provided on Emma and Cormac's personal relationship and history with her. This is a gripping and entertaining read, full of suspense and tension, and an absolute thrill ride. Cannot wait for the next in the series! Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.

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The Scholar is a gripping mystery that crafts a twisting route to discovering the identity and the motive of the killer, which may seem apparent at first, but cause you to shift your own verdict with each turn of the page. Dervla McTiernan has created a character in Cormac Reilly that you cannot help but empathise with due to the past events in his home life that have brought him to Galway and that continue to haunt him as he desperately seeks to disprove the answer he fears the most. As Cormac works his way through identifying and eliminating the potential killers, a mutual respect between him and Carrie is highlighted out as they have to handover the case when his objectivity is called into question. This solidifies your faith in Cormac, leaving you rooting for him to crack the case.

Very well written with plenty of twists to keep you guessing throughout and characters that draw you even further into the case.

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I read and enjoyed Dervla McTiernan’s first novel, The Ruin, which was about Irish Detective Cormac Reilly so I was excited to receive The Scholar to review via NetGalley.
Cormac and his scientist partner, Emma are living in Galway where Emma is working for Darcy Pharmaceuticals and Cormac is reviewing cold cases for the Gardai. His boss, Murphy, will not give him any live investigations as he doesn’t trust him and it is only when Carrie, one of Cormac’s colleagues complains about her own workload that Cormac is finally given some proper cases to investigate.
However just as things start to improve for Cormac, Emma finds a dead body on her way into work one evening; she calls Cormac who begins to investigate who the person is and why she has been murdered.
There is some difficulty identifying the victim and wealthy Carline Darcy, granddaughter of the owner of Darcy pharmaceuticals becomes involved.
I liked the way the other detectives within the Gardai gradually start to trust Cormac and his keen investigative skills. Detectives Pete Fisher and Carrie O’Halloran certainly come alive in this book and become real people as the novel progresses and they really help Cormac with the investigation.
Dysfunctional families seems to be a major theme in this book. Cormac’s other case is about a controlling husband trying to kill his family. Carline’s family is completely estranged- her mother cares little for her and her Grandfather despises her.
The murder victim’s family is not a happy one and it becomes clear that she does not have a good relationship with her mother who comes across as cold and self serving.
Characterisations are great in this novel- the author is wonderful at bringing her characters to life.
A great book, thoroughly enjoyable and completely gripping. I just had to keep reading to see how it would all pan out.
I’m now looking forward to the next book in the series to find out more about Cormac, Emma, Carrie and Fisher.

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Having read The Ruin I was delighted to receive an e-arc of The Scholar. We are revisiting Cormac Reilly in Galway City for another case.

Emma, Cormac's girlfriend, is working for Darcy Laboratories, who have a lab on the campus of NUIG (Galway University) with top security as the work they are researching is highly secretive and potentially very lucrative. On her way to the lab one evening, she calls Cormac to say she has come across a body in the grass verge, that of a young woman who appears to be the victim of a particularly callous and horrific hit and run. Cormac, now a fully accepted and liked member of the Garda team, speeds to the scene of the crime with his colleague and superior, Carrie. From here, Cormac and his team unravel a series of leads, dead ends and connections that raise further questions along the way as to the identity of the dead girl, her connection with Darcy Laboratories, why she was carrying the security swipe belonging to the grand-daughter of the head of the company when clearly she didn't work there, and why someone would want her dead.

This is another fantastic police procedural and crime thriller from Derval McTiernan. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is even better than The Ruin. The story in itself is believable and current. The characters are so well drawn out that I felt particularly fond of the team the second time around, Cormac, still grappling with being accepted in the police station by his colleagues, Carrie dealing with the day to day juggles and guilt ridden anxieties of balancing work and family life, Moira - bitter, jealous and resentful but still a good cop, and Fisher, who rises to the challenges put to him and shows his true colours as a detective with excellent instincts. I felt like I knew them all! I particularly loved the writer's use of a few "Irish-ism's" - giving someone the "bums rush" and he's a "gouger" - all little phrases that made me smile throughout the book! I absolutely cannot wait for Book 3. 5/5*

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This was a great Irish detective story, was hooked from page one and it kept my attention all the way through and an excellent sequel to The Ruin.
#TheScholar #NetGalley

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The Scholar is Dervla McTiernan’s second book with DS Cormac Reilly, and as a crime writer, she has reinforced her position as one of the best new talents around.

Cormac Reilly is an ex-anti-terrorist officer who moved from Dublin to the Galway Gardaí to accommodate his partner, Dr Emma Sweeney, with her new job working with Darcy Therapeutics in a BioTech lab hosted at the University in Galway (NUIG). There is a horrific past attack involving Emma, and moving from Dublin was important for her recovery and provides a new start. The incident details were not revealed in the first book, but Cormac is incredibly protective of her and worries what long term effect the trauma may have had.

Cormac’s relationships within the Galway police force has been anything but straightforward as he is viewed with caution, suspicion and mistrust. There are those members of the force that recognise his talents and those that are openly difficult. Inter-Relationships play an important part without dominating the story. The careful management of the story threads add depth to the environment and are often the catalyst for the opportunities and skills proffered by Reilly, to become apparent. His boss, Superintendent Murphy, has had Cormac working cold cases with the live workload falling onto DS Carrie O’Halloran, which is now at breaking point and he is eventually given a live case.

"In Galway, he had the constant sense that things were not exactly right, that everything was slightly off-kilter. A year had passed and he still didn’t know his team well enough to trust them. Murphy may finally have given him a live case but he’d given it reluctantly and he was looking over Cormac’s shoulder. It might be paranoia, but Cormac wondered if he was being set up to fail."

Late one evening, on her way to the Lab, Emma discovers the victim of a hit and run which has left the young woman, dead and badly disfigured. The initial identification comes from a staff ID card in her pocket and it is none other than Carline Darcy, the granddaughter of John Darcy the multi-billionaire owner of Darcy Therapeutics. Emma calls Cormac who arrives on the scene and manages to convince his bosses that he should take the case, which they agree. A decision that will have ramifications for Cormac, a potential conflict of interest and another cause for office misgivings. The victim is eventually confirmed as Della Lambert, but why was she carrying Carline’s ID and what is the connection. Cormac is, however, warned off talking to Carline Darcy, by his superiors.

The novel’s complex and insidious plot is brilliantly developed with misdirection wonderfully structured and believable. What I find extremely impressive with Dervla is not only her ability to imagine multiple diversions but give real life to them. Even when the reader sees threads that are hidden from certain people, the characters still feel totally committed to their version of the truth and it is given room to play out. All the characters are superbly drawn, unforgettable, and it’s impressive to follow the gradual uncovering of personalities and relationships. The background with Emma and the connection with Cormac is revealed in this story and completely adds to the suspicion and actions that may be at play.

The Scholar is a complex and totally captivating crime thriller that promises to fortify Dervla’s connection with a dedicated and rapidly growing fan-base.

I would like to thank Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.

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The follow up to The Ruin, The Scholar does not disappoint. Yet again a brilliantly written complex tale which is both character and plot driven. Yet again Cormac Reilly finds himself involved in live cases rather than being side-lined as he is used to. The Prologue introduces Carline as a young girl in 2006 learning of her father's death in an avalanche. The main story then begins in 2014 with Emma, Cormac's partner, finding a young woman dead and the hunt for the perpetrator takes off from there.
The writing flows, when historical information is required it is introduced in a natural manner. The characters are well portrayed and the plot is well planned. A thoroughly good read.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Dervla McTiernan/Little, Brown Book Group UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

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I loved the Ruin and could not wait for the follow up. It was worth the wait!!!! An excellent read. Highly recommended. Five stars from me

Many thanks to Netgalley and Dervla McTiernan for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

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I was a huge fan of ‘The Ruin’ and Dervla’s Second novel did not disappoint. Again I was sucked right in to Cormac’s world, beautiful setting for the story. Mctiernan writes so well and I was completely absorbed in this story. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. Highly recommended

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