I’ve been wanting to check out the Maggie D’arcy mystery series by Sarah Stewart Taylor because I’ve heard it is recommended for fans of Tana French and I am certainly a Tana French fan. I got the opportunity to read the latest book, A Stolen Child and I jumped at it. The series revolves around a former Long Island homicide detective Maggie D’arcy who is living in Ireland with her daughter Lilly and working towards becoming a detective.

The events of A Stolen Child take place several months after the prior book. In this book, Maggie is living with her boyfriend Conor, his son, and her daughter Lilly. She has completed her Garda training program and she is now working as a Garda in Dublin, assigned with a fellow Garda. One evening she and her partner are called to a possible domestic incident, but when they arrive the woman who answered the door informs them that all is fine. A few days later, they report to the same apartment to find Jade Elliott is dead.

As they are waiting for the Criminal Investigation Unit to arrive and process the crime scene, Maggie notices signs that a child lives in the residence but there is no child in the apartment. They learn that Jade has a 2 year-old daughter named Laurel Maguire and a nationwide search is launched for the missing child.

The mystery unfolds as part police procedural, part deductive investigation. Maggie has strong gut instinct from years working as a homicide detective in Long Island. While she is working as a Garda in Ireland, she understands how to investigate, what to look for, and how to press for answers.

Despite working as the Irish equivalent of a patrol cop, Maggie is called to help the detective because they are short staffed, she has extensive experience, and the skills needed (and it doesn’t hurt that she is friends with Detective Byrne). Maggie’s background has leant her the ability to read people and her lie radar is strong. The challenge is convincing others to go based on her instinct, but her instinct is what will eventually help solve the case.

I like the dynamic between her and Detective Byrne—even being new to the series, their friendship is easy to see and a lot of fun to watch. They are still getting to know one another and trusting the other’s instinct, but they also respect one another.

The investigation was front and center and the issues in Maggie’s personal life were a subplot. Because of that, this was easy to jump into without having read the prior books first. The victim Jade Elliott was a young model who got pregnant by a man named Dylan Maguire—older and well off. Dylan pays her bills but the two are not together. Initially it seemed like Dylan is the obvious suspect—it’s his child that went missing and the child’s mother who was murdered. But there was a complication with that theory because Dylan has a solid alibi, despite Jade’s sister feeling sure that he must be behind it.

Meanwhile the public is fascinated by the crime due to the beautiful victim and missing child. Dylan isn’t the only suspect that Maggie and the team had. Jade’s mother had mental health issues, and Jade’s sister seems suspicious. How to solve a crime when the prime suspect has a rock solid alibi? It’s going to take some good old fashioned detective work and deductive reasoning!

A solid book that made me curious to read the rest of the series! Because I enjoyed it so much, I do wish I had started with the first book, but I also felt like I was easily able to jump in on A Stolen Child without having read the prior books. The fact that this works as a standalone and made me want to read the full series is my compliment to Sarah Stewart Taylor and her incredible writing and well-assembled mystery.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.

I will probably read most things with an Ireland setting. This is the first book I read in this series and I didn't feel lost. I learned that Maggie was working in the US and then is adjusting to being a Garda in Dublin. The writing was very fast paced and the storyline was intriguing. I would probably read the series from the beginning if I didn't have such a big TBR lol

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

This was my first book by this author, and even though I haven’t read the first books of this series, I still found this a very enjoyable read. I didn’t feel like the last books, while there are a few spoilers in it, make this hard to follow or understand the dynamics. D’arcy is an American working as a Garda and gets pulled into a homicide/missing child case. The twists in this book are well done and kept me guessing. I will definitely be going back to read the previous books!

So the main female character moves from New York - moves to Ireland with her daughter. I had no idea this was apart of a series. But it worked very well for me as a standalone. The characters were wrote extremely well and very easy to connect with and like. I enjoy the plot and I'm looking forward to reading more of this authors books.

After years as a detective on Long Island, Maggie D’arcy has relocated to Dublin to live with her boyfriend and train for the Garda. Given all her experience, she’s frustrated to be on street patrol, but DI Roly Byrne, whom she’d worked with on several cases before becoming a Garda, wants to expedite her move to detective. Her chance comes when a woman is murdered and her child stolen in the neighborhood patrolled by Maggie and her partner, Jason Savage. Jade Elliott was a gorgeous young model who got pregnant and kept now-2-year-old Laurel but refused to stay with the father, Dylan Maguire, a well-to-do older man who still pays her bills. Finding phone numbers for Dylan and Jade’s sister and mother, Maggie and Jason call around, but none of them have Laurel. Because the crime took place in Maggie's area, Byrne gets her temporarily assigned to the case, whose combination of a missing toddler and a murdered beauty has provoked a nationwide sensation. Using her nose for sleuthing, Maggie follows up numerous leads and turns up some clues, but Laurel remains missing. Jade, who had made some dicey connections in her modeling career, had a mother with mental health issues and an older sister who wasn’t up to helping out. Maggie senses that the sister is hiding something and also suspects Dylan, who has a solid alibi but gives off an odd vibe. Some old-fashioned police work, luck, and hunches will lead to a killer.

I should know myself better now that I'm a mom -- I can't read books like this anymore. Not the fault of the author.

I was hooked from the start of this one! I loved the way the city of Ireland came alive. It was a quick, addictive read; I did not want to put it down. It is a little dark, with many twists and turns.

A Stolen Child is Book 4 in the Maggie D'arcy series. There are series that you can go in on book four and really not miss much, but this isn't one of those series. Start with book one and get all the backstory. It keeps getting better and better as it matures, and I, for one, hope there's no end in sight. It's impossible not to get attached to Maggie and Conor as they build their lives together. I wish I could give this series more than five stars!

Title: A Stolen Child
Author: Sarah Stewart Taylor
Release Date: June 20th, 2023
Page Count: 343
Format: Netgalley
Start Date: June 6th, 2023
Finish Date: July 8th, 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Review:

I discovered this book thanks to Netgalley. The cover immediately pulled me in. I didn’t know anything about it. I didn’t know anything about the author. All I know is that my gut told me that this is a book I need to read. I follow my gut. Always. I have never had a book that I didn’t love in that regards.

After getting the book, I discovered that it is a part of a series. I’m going to assume that because it’s a mystery type series that it’s okay to read them as a standalone. However, I still went out of my way to make sure I had copies of the first three. I haven’t read them yet, but I fully plan to.

I loved this book so much that I just know I will love them as well. This book takes place in Ireland. There were some terms that I had to verify my guesses to what they meant. That’s okay though. I enjoy learning things. I also found it really awesome that the main character is an American. From what I gathered, she was still adjusting to living in Ireland.

I want to say I’d love to see the backstory behind all of that, but I have this very strong feeling that it will be referenced or lead up to where we are in the fourth book. I’m sure I will find out soon enough myself.

I usually am able to guess things with mysteries. That’s why I love them so much. Especially when I’m right. Even more so when I was nowhere close. It’s a thing of mine. I couldn’t guess anything at all. Just when I thought I had it, I was wrong.

One final thing I want to talk about is the “side mystery” in the story. They found a photograph in the wall while they were remodeling. The daughters and the significant other did some work to find out who the photo belonged to. They even had some theories as to why it was in the wall. It was so stinking cute! Definitely worth the read.

This is the fourth installment in the Maggie D'arcy series, and it was just as good as the first three. I love traveling through the streets of Dublin and other parts of Ireland as Maggie works toward solving crimes.

The mystery had me guessing until the very end. I truly didn't figure it out on my own,but when all was revealed, everything made perfect sense. The clues were all there and easily put together at the conclusion.

I'm definitely looking forward to more mystery solving with Maggie and her colleagues.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book wasn't my favorite. I never really got sucked in or cared about any of the characters. I appreciated the cross-continent vibes but ultimately it fell flat for me.

I love a good fast-paced police procedural and A Stolen Child had me hooked right from the beginning. This was my first book by Sarah Stewart Taylor, so I wasn't familiar with the Maggie D'Arcy character or storyline, so there were some points that I felt confused about her past and how she ended up in Ireland. However, this still worked great as a standalone novel. After reading, I would definitely consider going back and reading the first three books and getting to know the D'Arcy character better.

The plot as a whole moved fast and it's a page-turner. I was really surprised by the ending. This is definitely a great book to check out.

Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

A Stolen Child continues Sarah Stewart Taylor’s Maggie D’arcy series, with an American police detective in Ireland. This book is my introduction to the series and Maggie’s introduction to finally being a Garda police officer. She’s not a detective though hopes to become one in her new country eventually. One night, Maggie and her partner are notified of a serious crime at a nearby address and find a woman’s lifeless body. So begins an investigation with some twists I didn’t see coming, but that were earned by this well constructed plot.

Because of being in the right place at the right time, and being known by the lead detective assigned to this murder case, D’arcy is temporarily assigned to the detective unit to assist for a few days in the combined murder/kidnapping case. Yes- there’s a missing two year old too!

I definitely recommend this book for the procedural itself, the domestic storyline of Maggie’s new life in Ireland and the complex but well constructed plot. I plan to read the earlier books in the series and look forward to future episodes.

Minotaur Books and NetGalley provided a copy of this book. The review is mine.

This is the fourth book in the series and I enjoyed it as much as the others. I love the descriptions and the people of Ireland. My ancestors came from there and I hope to be able to go one day. It would be great to go to some of the places mentioned here. In this book, Maggie has decided to stay in Ireland with Conner and she has taken her Garda training. She is only an officer though, and not a detective. When a young woman is killed and her 2 year old child goes missing, Maggie is very frustrated that she can't help. Roly manages to pull a few strings and suddenly she is working both jobs. There is also a small sub story about the house that she and Conner are currently living in. I hope there is a fifth book in the series. hanks, Net Galley and Minator for the chance to read this.

In this 4th book in the series, Maggie, a former Long Island detective, now living in Ireland has completed her training to work as a Garda, police officer there. She becomes involved in investigating the murder of a young woman, and the kidnapping of her two year old daughter. I like the characters and the author dies a great job of unfolding the clues as the case is resolved.

A STOLEN CHILD is the fourth novel in the Maggie D’Arcy police procedural series by author Sarah Stewart Taylor. The series features a former Long Island, New York detective of twenty years now living in Ireland along with daughter Lily at the home of boyfriend Conor and his son Adrian. Now working as a Garda patrolling the streets of Dublin, Maggie D'Arcy will have to pay her dues and wait for an opening before rising up the ranks to once again work as a detective. However, when her friend Detective Inspector Roly Byrne's team is short-handed, Maggie is temporarily called up to assist in investigating high profile cases which she does without hesitation.

Garda Maggie D'Arcy is on patrol with her partner Garda James Savage when they get a call about a possible homicide at the same apartment where they answered a domestic distress call from former model Jade Elliott a few days earlier. She assured them all was okay . . . but had they missed something? While investigating the scene, Maggie recognizes signs of a child's presence in the apartment, but where's the child? A murder investigation quickly morphs into a kidnapping case, and Maggie is excited when she's called up to partner with Detective Sergeant Padraig Fiero to assist in the case. Her expertise as a homicide detective is priceless to the understaffed police department, and Maggie is thankful for the opportunity to do what she does best. As the story unfolds, Maggie and Fiero dive into Jade's personal and professional past for any links that may lead to the kidnapper. What they uncover is a convoluted, twisted web of lies that ties their investigation up in knots. Clock's ticking, and they fear time is running out for one scared little girl.

Author Sarah Stewart Taylor has gifted readers with another riveting story in A STOLEN CHILD. Her distinctive, descriptive writing style transports readers to the beautiful land of Ireland with its colorful scenery and people with all the sights and sounds of Dublin. I appreciated the author's attention to detail when it comes to highlighting the differences in the hierarchy and structuring of the law enforcement department in Ireland vs. the American ways and system of justice. The intriguing plot line is steadily propelled forward by a series of dead ends and investigators' increasing panic as days pass without finding the child and leads turn cold. The author keeps readers on their toes sorting through an impressive list of red herrings as the investigation evolves. Fans of the series will enjoy the side story involving Maggie and Conor's personal lives including scenes of the renovation of their home with old photographs found hidden within walls becoming a story within a story. The subtle blending of story lines adds needed dimension to the characters with intimate peeks at their personal journeys.

A STOLEN CHILD is a highly engaging, totally immersive police procedural that continues Maggie D'Arcy's story with her move to Ireland. While this book can certainly be read as a standalone with the author filling in needed backstory nicely, I recommend readers start at the beginning with book one and read the series in order for the overall character development. I predict fans of the series are going to love the direction Taylor is taking these characters along with the roadblocks she continuously challenges them to scale. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries and police procedurals

I love the title and the cover but this book wasn't for me. I found myself skimming and not caring about the main character. I put it down for a while and came back to it but found myself skimming again.
I really do not like finishing a book but I needed to move onto something I would enjoy.

I love the Maggie D'arcy series. It is wonderful traveling around Dublin and Ireland with Maggie as she tries to solve murders. I did not guess the ending on this mystery at all and yet when the killer is revealed it made perfect sense, all of the clues were there and I was blind to them.

Looking forward to reading the next book in the series when it is released.

Meticulous, sinister and sharp!

In this fourth instalment in the Maggie D’Arcy series, A Stolen Child, we head back to Dublin where former Long Island Detective and now Garda police officer Maggie D’Arcy finds herself working once again with DI Byrne as a part-time detective when she suddenly becomes immersed in a tricky investigation involving a murdered model, a missing toddler, a father with something to hide, and a few family members who don’t seem to be as concerned or helpful as one would expect them to be.

The writing is seamless and precise. The characters are flawed, diligent, and persistent. And the plot is a menacing tale full of twists, turns, deception, mayhem, lies, secrets, suspicious personalities, revelations, familial dysfunction, mental illness, and murder.

Overall, A Stolen Child is an ominous, sophisticated, entertaining tale by Taylor that had just the right amount of mystery, intrigue, atmosphere, and intensity to keep me engaged from start to finish and left me, a huge fan of this series, more than satisfied and eager for more.