#The Searcher #Tana French #NetGalley
Having never read a Tana French book and seeing some rave reviews about her work I was excited to see what The Searcher had to offer. An ex Chicago cop moves to Ireland for a fresh start and ends up helping a young boy find his brother - sounds good. However, I struggled to make it through the first half which was an awful lot of description about the surroundings and the locals and a plot doesn’t seem to come together until over half way through by which point I’m afraid i has lost interest. If, like me, you’re a fan of a page turner then this is definitely not it but for those who like a slow burner and something to think about this might be more up your street.

I usually love Tana French, but this book was very disappointing. The writing's good but it is far too slow and meandering. I skipped most of the second half and then skipped to the end to find out (most of) what happened.
The Wych Elm was similarly slow, but I did finish that.
Can we go back the Dublin Murder Squad please ?

This book kept me reading as I wanted to know what happened to Brendan but I found it drawn out and slow, I thought I may be near the end at one point but when I checked I was only at 50%. There were plenty of times I thought of giving up, could I read about another wall being stripped and painted or that desk being sanded or being at the shop or in the pub. I guessed a certain person would be involved early on. The French books I have read in the past (albeit a fair few years ago) have had shocking content that you didn't see coming that is why I kept reading, but not with this one it was bland for 99% of the time. I was disappointed with this book.

You should read this if only for the lovely Irish banter. Marian Keynes meets Maeve Binchy with Patricia Cornwall joining in. This book is so much more. How can a book be lovely, sweet and also terrifying. I will definitely be on the look out for more Tana French books.

a spare stripped back narrative that reflects the life chosen by its protagonist in rural ireland fare the hectic city cop goes through divorce.As a fan of Tana French it wasnt what i was expecting but still compelling and genuine. A mystery that a man just has to solve despite the resistance he can feel all around him. He has come for a quiet life but he cannot leave this one alone.
read the full review at booketybook.com

Thank you to Penguin UK and Netgalley for giving me an arc for this novel in exchange for an honest review!

The Searcher is my first Tana French novel and it has definitely left me intrigued to try some of her other work. The searcher follows the story of Cal Hooper, a retired and recently divorced cop from Chicago who moves to a remote Irish village in the hopes of having a quiet space to explore this next stage of his life. His plans are interrupted when a local boy, Trey, pesters Cal into looking for his missing brother Brendan. Unable to ignore the request Cal decides to look into it and soon realises that the peaceful Irish landscape of his new home has an underbelly of dark secrets and hidden motives.

This novel was a hard one for me to rate but overall I have settled for 3.5/5 stars.
So let’s start with what I loved about this book.

The setting. The setting was incredible. From the very first page French brought the sights and smells of Ireland alive. Throughout the novel you can just close your eyes and picture every rolling hill and mossy stone, the feel of the rain on your face and the call of rooks in the trees. The setting really felt like it’s own character and I loved that. When a book can completely transport you to where the story is taking place is just one of the best feelings and this book did that for me. The other part of this book that was alive were the characters. This is definitely a novel that is more character driven than plot based. I loved seeing the tumultuous and unlikely relationship between Cal and Try develop throughout the book, their scenes together were amongst some of my favourites. The other villagers were all so fully developed and had so much personality. There was a lot of humour sprinkled throughout which was really enjoyable to read within such a sombre tale.

Where this book did fall short was the plot, because there wasn’t that much of it. This book meanders along very slowly and the real action of the novel only really starts to take place at about 70-80% of the way through. If like me you enjoy slower, atmospheric tales than this might not be such an issue, but if you are going into this expecting an exciting , edge of your seat thriller then you are going to be disappointed. The main mystery/crime of this novel is also not the most exciting. There is no great mystery with twists and turns, it’s one you can see the outcome of from the start which is why it felt quite disappointing.

Even though this book had a slower plot and is still grips you. The setting digs it’s fingers in and doesn’t let you go because each time you open the book, you experience it. The characters are memorable and there is a beautifully sad underlying message of lost youth and family. Although not necessarily a heart-racing mystery thriller, The Searcher is still an atmospheric mystery that is a more than enjoyable read.

Powerful book about love, family and relationships, and a Thriller too! Will be recommending to friends and family. This book will stay with me for sometime.

I had high hopes for this. The premise of an ex Chicago PD cop, moving to Ireland to start fresh but deciding to help a young boy find his brother was so appealing. BUT, the first 20% is all description of the surroundings and local people and the real plot doesn’t really come into it until 1/3 of the way through. There was too much description and not enough action for me. It’s definitely not a thriller and maybe, if you enjoy a slow burn, this one is for you. I however, can’t do slow burners...

I am a huge, huge fan of Tana French and so I was really looking forward to this.
There is something about French's writing that I find almost hypnotic, especially in the descriptions of countryside and the flow of dialogue.
I don't want to give away any of the plot but its beautifully written and I loved it. Hugely recommend.

A slow burner that you do need to invest some time in. It pays off though as if gathers pace in the second half. Lots of twists and turns deliver a solid plot with well rounded characters.

Very much enjoyed this.

The concept of a detective retiring to a rural area and the characters he meets there is a bit different.

It’s a slow burn but full of suspense and keeps you hooked.

Cal Hooper has retired from the Chicago police force after 25 years and relocated to Ardnakelty, a small backward village in Ireland. He is hoping that he can be left in peace to lick his wounds following a difficult divorce and devote his time renovating the old house he has bought. However, once a policeman always a policeman and when a young lad comes knocking asking for help to find his missing brother, Cal finds himself unable to turn him down.

Tana French is one of my favourite authors and I have read every single one of her books. She is the absolute master at setting an atmospheric scene. She quickly drew me into the colourful world of Ardnakelty. My view from the widow was no longer tarmac, but instead rolling hills. I could hear the crows and feel the heat from the logs crackling in the open fire.

The inhabitants of Ardnakelty hold many secrets close to their chests. Cal may have thought he was buying into a nice quite backwater but under the radar runs a dark seam with a village hierarchy that threatens to destroy him. Does he carry on with his quest to find Trey’s brother or pack up and go back to Chicago!

Ms French, your twist halfway through the story blindsided me. That was one massive gamechanger that I never saw coming!

What I would like more than anything is for the author to write a sequel because my time with Cal was far too short.

This wonderful dark thriller was a joy to read from beginning to end.

Another gorgeous book by Tana French: I’ve loved all her other novels and this one doesn’t disappoint, it was thrilling captivating & you won’t be able to put it down. It was a little slow at first but when you get sucked in I can guarantee you’ll be stuck!

I am a huge fan of Tana French's, and have loved almost all her books so far. Unfortunately, i found i am unable to say the same for The Searchers. This book had me feeling difficult to get into right from the beginning and u had to try twice before i got the hang of it and started reading. But even then, i find i am not completely invested in the novel. I am 50% done and i realise i don't care about the characters or the person missing. So, this is a dnf for me. But there is some great writing here and French seems to capture. the essense of the Irish wilderness very well

Would Cal give up or would he help the young, heartbroken girl find her brother? Had he gone away, been kidnapped or killed? A story of community and resilience.

4.5 stars. I have read and loved all of Tana French's books, and this standalone is no exception. I adore all things Irish, so you can imagine how much I enjoyed the rural Irish setting, the locals with their Irish vernacular and Irish customs - Sing Songs and poteen in the pub down the road. I also really liked Cal Hooper, a recently retired and divorced Chicago detective, who just bought a dilapidated house outside of the small Irish town, expecting to finally be able to just relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. As our very likable protagonist soon finds out all is not as it seems, and the best laid plans often go awry.

Although this is still not what you would call a fast-paced thriller, it definitely included more action than her 2018 offering, The Witch Elm. I would say this is now my fourth favorite book by Tana, with number one to three being: Faithful Place, Broken Harbor and In the Woods. The only reason this is not rate higher in the sequence is because I still miss the focus on the complex relationships of the detectives in The Dublin Murder Squad series.

This is a must read if you enjoy literary thrillers, and The Searcher is definitely a contender for my favorite mystery for 2020.

Cal Hooper, divorced, father of one, retired Chicago cop moves to a quiet village in Ireland, he speaks to his neighbour, Mart, Noreen from the shop and a couple of other people. He spends his time doing up his home which he bought sight unseen.

His daily routine is hindered when he feels he is being watched, eventually he is approached by Trey Reddy who wants Cal to find out what happened to Brendan Reddy who disappeared one day and is assumed to have just left the village to find his fortune elsewhere.

Unfortunately, Cal opens a can of worms in the village, and no one is being honest with the truth.

I hadn't read Tana French before, and to be totally honest I am not sure I would again. The story is definitely a slow burner, for pages and pages, not very much happens. There is an awful lot of descriptive prose which does drag on, I did skim read some of the pages.

The story, for me, wasn't greatly original, in fact for a lot of the time I was convinced I had read it before. The ending was fairly predictable, but also left some things unanswered.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business for giving me the chance to read the book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved The Searcher. Tana French is a master storyteller and she is on form here.

It is the tale of Cal, starting out his retirement in a new country and his interactions with the young Trey, that set the premise for this mystery novel.
The characters are very well written, I enjoyed them all, in particular Cal, Trey and Mart. I liked the interactions between the townsfolk and small town Ireland was described in great detail. Tana French is fantastic at giving her novels authenticity.

The plot was set at a reasonable pace and I was intrigued from start to finish. I wanted to get to the cusp of the matter and I thoroughly enjoyed the tale and it's outcome.

Tana French writes incredibly well. She has a way of drawing the reader in and making them a part of the story. This is a great skill to have and she has once again delivered and excellent book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book.

I liked The Searcher book a lot. I found the beginning very slow and it almost plodded along until the main part of the plot kicked off, but once it did it was very engaging and intriguing. It's not like the usual mystery book I read in that it has more of a literary fiction feel to it than a straight up mystery thriller. But it was a nice change of pace. I liked the imagery and setting, Tana French really shines when she's describing settings, I loved the way she wrote the characters, where she revealed parts of their personality slowly, like a person really getting to know you. Masterfully written, very interesting.

I will be writing a full review on www.notesandanovel.com to coincide with the release date of The Searcher.

Cal Hooper has retired early from the Chicago police department and is worn out. He is divorced and has moved to Ireland to find a more peaceful life. While working to fix up his isolated home, he realises that someone is spying on him. This turns out to be Trey, a teenager from a local family with little money or prospects. They silently befriend each other. In time, Trey asks him to find out where the eldest sibling is. It seems Brandon went missing out of the blue several months previously.
It takes you about a third of the way through the book to get to this point as the author spends a lot of time slowly introducing the local Irish community and scenery. You also get to know Cal and his feelings about his daughter who is still in America. This book has violence and mystery but it’s greatest asset is the atmospheric painting of the town and the people in it. I felt like I knew what it would be like to live there. I also felt that the friendship and trust built between Cal and Trey was very well written. An enjoyable read.