The Trespasser

The Tresspasser by Tana French,   464 pages.  On sale 10/4/2016 (I read an e-galley of this book courtesy of Edelweiss).

The Murder Squad is nothing like where Detective Antoinette Conway came from. Apart from her partner, all the other detectives on the squad seem to have it out for her and while’s she’s holding on, she’s close to the breaking point.  When a new case lands in her lap, Antoinette and her partner dive right in to what appears to be a typical lovers’ fight turned murder, with young Aislinn Murphy discovered dead in her flat.  However, as she uncovers more details, it becomes clear that this murder isn’t typical.  Why is the rest of the squad pushing for Antoinette to arrest Aislinn’s boyfriend when it seems clear he isn’t the murderer?  And what is one of the squad detectives really hiding?  There’s clearly more to Aislinn than previously thought.  This taut, quick-paced thriller will have you looking in dark corners and following Antoinette as she determinedly digs out the truth.

This is the 6th book in the Dublin Murder Squad series, and although I hadn’t read any other books in the series, I dove right into this story with no problems.  There’s just enough background on Antoinette to make you understand her current situation, and feel like you get a good grasp on her as a character.  The author uses descriptive writing, as well as deft use of language and slang, to put you firmly in the Dublin setting and make everything feel quite real.   This is the kind of story where although it’s tempting to whip right through, it’s important to slow down a bit and pay attention to the details.  Because the information about some of the characters unravels, it’s key to be able to remember things to understand what’s happening to them in the story, and how they play a part in the bigger picture.  What I found interesting was I was equally vested in the main character as I was in finding out who committed the murder and why.  Antoinette is a complicated character, and this adds depth to the entire story.   After reading this one, I’m thinking it would be a good idea to go back and start at the beginning of the series, just because I enjoyed this one so much.

I’d give this book (and probably the whole series) to readers who enjoy books by Mo Hayder.

The Secret Place

The Secret Place, by Tana French, 464 pages

Stephen Moran is trying to get out of Cold Cases and into The Murder Squad- the group of detectives in Dublin who investigate murder cases.  It looks like he has his chance when a girl from an upscale boarding school approaches him with what may be a clue to a previously unsolved murder on the school grounds. This mystery had lots of restating of conversations and situations that had already been explained, and dialogue with teenage girls that featured so many "like"s and italicized emphases and upward inflections that it literally gave me a headache to read.  It felt very padded, and the ending was not much of a surprise.  However, if you really wanted to read a mystery that reminds you of how very mean and cruel teenage girls can be, then this may appeal. Other book club members spoke very highly of the other books by Tana French, so maybe this one was an outlier.  

The Madman Of Piney Woods

The Madman Of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis, 363 pages

This book is from the perspective of two boys; Benji, an African Canadian boy from Buxton and Red, and Irish Canadian boy from Chatham.  At the beginning, the two boys don’t know each other at all and the stories are simply about their separate lives.  We get to learn a lot about them.  Benji has a younger sister and brother who are extremely gifted at woodworking and he wants to be a writer and a journalist.  Red’s mother died when he was young and his grandmother, who had a hard life growing up and actually abuses Red somewhat, lives with him and his father.  Both boys are aware of the legend of the Madman of Piney Woods, although Red has a different name for him, and both boys have a healthy fear of him.  However, both of their lives change when they actually meet the man and each other.  This is a very good reality story for kids who like historical fiction.

Fingal O'Reilly, Irish Doctor

Fingal O'Reilly, Irish Doctor by Patrick Taylor, 431 pages

Fingal is back in the eighth book in the series. He has just married Kitty and returned from his honeymoon and they are settling back into life at home. Fingal is trying to help people get used to the idea of a woman doctor, since his new assistant is a woman and worrying that Kinky may leave as she has a new beau herself. The story also gives some insight into how Fingal got started, as the chapters alternate between present  times and Fingal’s past, specifically his first working months. Excellent, as always.