Great book! Full of atmosphere. Perfect book for a cold autumn night by the fire. My first Tana French book believe it or not! Will definitely be checking out her other works

Last year, I read The Wych Elm, by Tana French. It was my first TF novel, and I absolutely loved it, so I was keen to read this next standalone novel, The Searcher.

Cal has spent 25 years as an officer working in the Chicago Police Department. He takes early retirement and buys an old, run-down house in rural Ireland. Here, in this close-knit community, he hopes to find peace. He initially spends his days renovating the house, restoring furniture and fishing. His bachelor neighbour, Mart, takes him under his wing and introduces him to many of the local men who frequent the pub. Cal soon begins to feel almost accepted, but his newly found status quo is disrupted when Cal is drawn into an off-the-record investigation into a missing local teenager. He soon discovers that this seemingly quaint, rural town is full of secrets, and is a lot darker and more unsettling than it appears on first impressions. 

The sense of place in The Searcher is wonderful - the wild, boggy mountains and rural terrain made for a perfect setting for this story.  I love how Tana French slowly builds suspense and tension, while presenting readers with fully formed characters who are as appealing and gripping as the mystery itself. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Cal, really enjoyed discovering his backstory, along with seeing his reactions as we made our way deeper into the story. Thoroughly recommend this.

'That's what I came looking for,' he says. 'A small place. A small town in a small country. It seemed like that would be easier to make sense of. Guess I might've had that wrong.'

Cal Hooper, former detective with the Chicago police, left the States for a small village in Ireland. He bought an old run-down house that he is now repairing to make it a liveable place. For a couple of days already, he has felt somehow observed but couldn't see anybody, when suddenly a small boy appears. At first, Trey is shy and does not speak and only reluctantly comes closer. It takes some time for him to open up and reveal why he has come to Cal. His older brother Brendan has gone missing and nobody seems to be concerned or willing to do something about it. Trey is convinced that Brendan did not just pack his bag and leave to find his luck in Dublin, something really bad must have happened to him. Cal has come to like the shy boy who is eager to learn about repairing old furniture and has become a pleasant company, therefore, he agrees to use his experience as a cop and ask some questions. It does not take long for Cal to realise that his new home is all but an idyllic and peaceful place.

Tana French's novel combines a mystery about a missing teenager with a heart-wrenching story about two lonely people who by chance find each other. It also shows a reality which nobody wants to see, a place which is out of the focus of any institutions and where some kind of parallel law has been established nobody dares to interfere with. The people, quite sadly, do not play an important role in this concept. Neglected youngsters either adapt or risk their lives.

The biggest star of the novel, at least for me, is surely Trey. A courageous small kid, about 12 years old, who obviously lacks all education but has the heart in the right place and definitely an understanding of right and wrong. Even though well known in the small village, he does not know anybody to turn to and has to address a total stranger to find help. Everything connected to him is touching deeply and it is heart-breaking to see how Cal manages to gain his trust and build a friendship. 

The mystery part of the novel advances slowly but then accelerates and turns into a suspenseful crime story. The whole plot lives on the atmosphere and the characters who are brilliantly created and make it a great read.

Another excellent thriller from Tana French.

Ex Chicago cop Cal Hooper is now living in the remote Irish countryside, seeking a new more peaceful life.

Of course things aren't going to stay this way... enter Trey, a disturbed youth whose brother has gone missing. Cal finds himself drawn in, and enter lots of intrigue, violence, and a whole lot of interesting characters - ticking all the boxes for a satisfying thriller read.

Where to start, whilst the beginning is normally the best place. This book whilst following the path from start to finish, this bounces around. This is not a complaint it flows well even if it deviates in places.

OK, for starters, there's a a retired Chicago cop who has moved to Ireland for a quiet life, the troubled family; that everyone knows, the missing teenager and the big boys from Dublin. Oh yes, and the villagers.

I don't want to give to much away, as this is something that you need to read. Hats off, this really is THAT GOOD.


Status: Comleted

Rating: 4.8/5.0

The Searcher is an intense, slow burner of a novel which does have elements of mystery and crime in, but this wasn’t the main crux of the novel. The story centers on Cal’s life in rural Ireland having moved from America; the way he becomes entangled with teenager Trey, who he helps to look for his missing older brother, is a vehicle for their friendship but the mystery side of the story wasn’t what drew me in, which is unusual for me! I was far more captivated by Cal and Trey’s bond.

The story took a good 30% to draw me in as it starts off quite slow. I definitely found I was gripped much quicker when reading her other novels – particularly the Dublin Murder Squad series that I’m such a big fan of. This novel is significantly different from those so can’t really be compared fairly – the atmosphere and setting of the story really took me to that remote Irish village and I enjoyed reading about the interesting characters – Cal, Lena, Mart, Noreen, Trey, and others. I felt like I was right there with them, among the wild landscape and gritty everyday lives, where things are much more rough and ready than city life.

Various important topics are addressed in The Searcher. We hear Cal’s memories and thoughts of his previous life in Chicago working as a cop, and the police brutality which eventually caused him to step away from the job, as well as issues such as homophobia and classism. Trey is from a poor family and often speaks of how his family are judged by others because of this; the locals comment so often on families that are seen as trouble or rough, and this illustrates how embedded these judgements are.

I also liked that, where there could have been romance, French kept the story realistic and understated; the female character in question is a really strong woman who I immediately liked and she certainly isn’t falling into Cal’s arms – in fact we don’t see any real romance take place, despite other people in the village adding the pressure. Still we hear other characters say ridiculous things to Cal warning him about speaking to multiple women in case they start fighting over him, etc, which further shows the gossipy nature of the village. It also highlights how people are so fixated on relationships and women wanting to find partners.

I really enjoyed The Searcher novel and would recommend it to anyone looking for an atmospheric, multi-layered read.

I finished this book last night, and wrote a very hasty review in Goodreads. 

In the cold light of day, I'm still not sure what I've just read -  I thought this was a lovely slow burn of a book for the first half. Then figured there might some epic twist at the end to make it worth the read.

Other than a beautiful portrayal of the Irish countryside, I’m not sure what this book achieves? Who is the searcher in this one? Cal? Trey? Lena? Who knows. And to be honest? Who cares. It really is a wild book in which nothing much happens. The ending is a nonentity and the ‘twists’ are barely worth mentioning.

It’s my first book by Tana and not sure this makes me want to read more.

After twenty-five years in the Chicago police force, Cal Hooper thought a fixer-upper in a remote Irish village would be the perfect escape.

But then a local kid, Trey, comes looking for his help. His brother has gone missing, and no one, least of all the police, seems to care. Despite his initial hesitation, Cal decides to help Trey and soon begins to discover that even in the most idyllic small town, secrets lie hidden.

This was a slow burn mystery but definitely intriguing
.
I loved the portrayal of rural Ireland, the description and the atmosphere throughout the book was great. It was more character driven so we do get to read some very interesting characters, who tend to reiterate the fact that people aren't always what they seem. 

The investigation into what happened to Trey’s brother felt like kind of secondary to me. But the ending even though not surprising was good and quite positive.

This was a literary novel rather than the usual mystery and psychological thriller, that I generally read. So, it did take me a while to get into but I am glad I did, because was so different and captivating. 

Thank You NetGalley and Penguin General UK for this ARC!

When ex Chicago cop, Cal decides to settle down in an Irish backwater, his life is going to be calm, quiet and without drama, isn’t it? Please don’t read this book if that’s what you’re expecting, but do read it if you want a well written, well plotted mystery, some excellent characterisations, vivid descriptions of place and plenty of Irish wit. The Irish wit is just a little forced at times, but otherwise this is a great page turner and a real pleasure.

Not much happens in Ardnakelty, and it’s exactly this reason that drew Cal Hooper to the small farming town in rural Ireland. After spending 20 years on the Chicago police force, Cal has decided to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city and has bought himself an old farmhouse on some abandoned land on the outskirts of Ardnakelty. He plans to spend his days fixing up the house, restoring old furniture, and fishing in the nearby river – after all, he turned in his badge and his gun for a peaceful, uneventful retirement.

Then one day, a young boy appears on Cal’s property. The boy won’t speak to Cal, but Cal can sense that something is haunting the boy. Over time, Cal learns that the boy is Trey Reddy, and that his brother disappeared six months previously, never to be seen or heard from again. Nobody is particularly perturbed by the disappearance of Brendan Reddy, who hails from a family of miscreants who pay little attention to the law and norms of social behaviour. The police are convinced that he has run away of his own volition; his mother believes that he’ll be back; only Trey thinks something is wrong and enlists Cal’s help to find out what happened to his brother … no matter how sinister.

The Searcher is the first book I have read by Tana French, and I was relatively pleased by it. The mystery was definitely a slow burn, and the atmosphere of the book was exquisite – I truly felt transported to the Irish countryside with its icy rain and its lush vegetation. I think the characters were intriguing and the story moved along steadily. Often, in the case of slow-burn books, the plot drags along at the beginning before being rushed and crammed into a couple of chapters at the end of the book, almost as if the author had forgotten that they needed to deal with the plot. This book certainly was not like that – the plot moved along steadily and progressed relatively linearly throughout the book. I didn’t ever feel like the core of the book had got lost as a result of side plots or diversions, which is not always an easy feat to accomplish in a slow-moving book. 

Where this book did disappoint me was in the resolution of the mystery. I found the mystery predictable and the conclusion felt as if it were a lazy ending to a story that could have been much deeper and, I feel, more interesting with a bit more creativity. When a book is a slow-burn mystery, I want to feel that the build-up was worth it, and I just didn’t get that feeling with this book. Everything had been built up so carefully, each brick in the wall of the plot laid with such care, that for the ending to be a predictable, uninspired one was a massive letdown. I have no doubt that Tana French is an incredibly talented writer, and that she has it in her to produce excellent resolutions to complex and atmospheric mysteries, but this book just did not live up to that standard. 

In many ways, though, there is a lot to enjoy in this book if you look past the ending. The characters seemed real and tangible to me, and I felt the writing was atmospheric. In fact, I complained at one point that I was reading the entire book in an Irish accent to myself (which was slightly off-putting given that I am South African), which goes to show how deeply the setting of the book draws you in. I felt that there was enough character development through subplots to be believable, and none of these plots felt forced. On the basis of this, I can see why French is lauded for her skill in crafting “gothic mysteries” – there is a certain magic to her writing that draws you in and keeps you hooked. 

As I mentioned above, this book is a slow burn. Fans of the James Patterson, or Michael Connelly type of novel, where action is more freely available, may find this book hard to work through. People who have read and appreciated the Robert Galbraith books, or even Elizabeth George may find similar enjoyment in Tana French’s writing. Overall, I am glad that I got the opportunity to read this book myself – it wasn’t my favourite book of the year (by a long shot), but the glimmerings of promise shone through. Perhaps, given the quality of the Dublin Murder Squad books (also by French), it is good to have started here and have those (as I believe) masterpieces ahead of me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Carl has left the Chicago Policeforce behind for a remote town in Ireland. He wants a new start after a messy divorce and plans a quiet life renovating his new home.
A local boy comes to seek his help to find his missing brother. He doesn't really want to help but feels compelled to.
His new home may be remote but it hold secrets which he needs to unravel and people who may not be what they seem.
Will he find the brother and if so at what cost?

I've read every one of Tana French's novels and my reactions to them have ranged from Wow! to Meh. Her first book is one of my favourite crime stories ever. Atmospheric with brilliant characters and stunning dialogue Into the Woods is a classic and I bitterly regret giving it away. The Searcher didn't wow me at all. It's slow with lots of description of the west of Ireland (which is very well done - don't get me wrong French has a way with words all right). I didn't warm to Cal, the main character at all and to be honest found him a bit cliched. Nor was I convinced by the plot. Overall, I didn't warm to this novel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is getting such great reviews and buzz in the book community. I have spent a few weeks plugging away at it but am still only 40% of the way through. It's just not grabbing me and moving very slowly. But that's just me. Everyone else is loving it so I know it's going to be a great success!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I came to this expecting a thriller, something page turning with lots of suspense, what I got was a very slow burn read which was an excellent piece of writing with great characters and location but a mystery that had me disinterested as it seemed like an incidental element of the story. If you like a dark atmospheric character lead read then this is great but it you’re after a page turner this might not be for you.

A most thoughtful and engrossing story of interesting and disparate characters set in a tranquil idyllic location. A Chicago cop has his life shattered when his wife leaves him for reasons he cannot understand. With his views of life shattered he decides to resign to find a new life and buys a derelict cottage in rural Ireland with some land, with a copse by a stream, surrounded by sheep farms. He spends his time repairing and renovating his new home and getting to learn a different culture and getting to know his neighbours in the farms and nearby little village. He cannot lose the sixth sense that was honed in the urban jungles of Chicago so while his is working on his house he senses that he is being spied upon, he discovers it is a young fearful child. How he slowly coaxes and lures the child to join him in his work and form a trust and friendship with fearful consequences makes a touching and exciting story.

A good and interesting read!

I would recommend this to everyone who loves a good story with captivating characters! Definitely a good read!

Cal is a retired Chicago cop, seeking calm and tranquility in rural Ireland. Until the disappearance of a local teenager forces him to confront the dark underbelly of the local community.

The story proceeds at a glacial pace and takes a long time to burst into action. As Cal's investigation proceeds, violence erupts but character reactions seem false and unrealistic.

I found Cal's 'code' so cliched and predictable and macho. Trey, a local youth who seeks Cal's assistance is a much more interesting character but everything is seen through Cal's eyes. Despite that, their burgeoning friendship is one of the more appealing aspects of the narrative.

This story appears a rather obvious attempt to tap into the Jack Reacher readership and, for fans of Child's work, it may well have appeal. But the vigilante approach to justice has limited appeal for this particular reader.

The Dublin murder squad stories have proved excellent crime thrillers but French's latest novels have failed to reach such levels. A real disappointment.

When Cal Hooper left both the Chicago PD and his wife his eventual destination was Western Ireland. Now, living in a remote, pretty much derelict house which he plans to do up while relaxing into his new lifestyle and location, he is quite satisfied with his lot in life. 

Cal's new neighbour has made it his job to keep an eye on him while the owner of the local shop is trying to marry him off, preferably to her sister! He knows he won't be totally isolated except by choice but he didn't expect to have a young stalker! Trey's brother is missing but no-one, not even the local police, will help so Cal is the next best bet. 

This is a very slow burner and although the descriptive portions are beautifully written I spent a lot of time waiting for something to happen. It is definitely a winter, snuggled up, read which will take time to get lost in. I liked Cal, and the idiosyncratic locals were believably drawn. This is the second book I have read by this author and I'm sure it won't be my last. 

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and happily recommend it.

The Searcher by Tana French
I have a read a few other books by Tana French and preferred this to the latest I had read, The Wych Elm.   This is a slow burn of a novel where the landscape and the small town of Western Ireland is as much a character as the people.  Cal, the American ex detective, has escaped his life in Chicago for a remote, dilapidated Irish cottage.  His plan has been to renovate the cottage, fish and generally wind down.
He begins to join the locals in the pub and to try the local poteen. He finds a youngster enters his life and try as he might he cannot shake them off.  Trey, a thirteen year old from a “bad” family, wants his helps to look for a missing brother.  He tries not to allow himself to become embroiled in this mystery but cannot stop himself.
The developing relationship between the two is very sensitively handled and there are well drawn supporting characters such as Noreen, who runs the local store.  Noreen thinks she knows what is best for everyone and tries to manoeuvre a relationship between Cal and her sister Lena.  
I felt that the character of Trey was believable and well-drawn and I could see the comparisons between the way Cal dealt with Trey and the way he approached the young pup he was considering adopting.  
There are some wonderful descriptions of the landscape; early in the novel Cal says:-
“Landscape is one of the few things he knows of where the reality doesn’t let you down. The West of Ireland looked beautiful on the internet; from right smack in the middle of it, it looks even better. The air is rich as fruitcake, like you should do more with it than just breathe it; bite off a big mouthful, maybe, or rub handfuls of it over your face.”
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and although it took a while to draw me in I was very pleased that I persisted.  I will definitely recommend this to my various reading groups.  Many thanks to the author, the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this novel in return for an honest, unbiased review.

I've always enjoyed this author's books and in my opinion this is her best so far.
Cal. Hooper has retired from the Chicago police after twenty five years service.  He is divorced with a grown up daughter.  He has bought a run down house in rural Ireland.  The house has been empty sometime and he spends most of his time painting and repairing.  His nearest neighbour is a local Mart. Lavin.  Cal soon realises this is a close community with secrets.  He gets to know some of the locals down at the Pub.  Some of the farmers sheep have been killed and mutilated.  There is talk of U.F.Os  Noreen who runs the local shop tries to match him with her widowed sister Lena.
Everything starts to change when he is befriended by Trey Reddy.  Cal knows that Trey wants something from him.  Eventually he learns that Trey's elder brother Brendan has gone missing in mysterious circumstances.  Trey's mother struggles, her husband has deserted them leaving  several small children.  Trey is determined to enlist Cal's help to find Trey's brother, little realising the trouble it will bring to them both.
Very enjoyable.  I highly recommend this book.  Is the title a reference to the highly acclaimed John Ford western "The Searchers"?