Liam Taggert hasn't been back to his home in Ireland for seen years. He became estranged from his family, the aunt and uncle who raised him, feeling betrayed when they found out what his actual job was. It was the time of the Trouble, an intense time, a time when nothing could he counted on and there was danger everywhere. Now married, with a young son, he returns to Ireland, after a phone call from his cousin Janie, informing him his Uncle's had passed. What he finds in Ireland, opens them all to hidden danger, he being informed his uncle was n fact murdered. He himself has been appointed the executor of his Uncle's trust, a trust that cannot be dispensed to the heirs, until the murder is solved.

This one was fantastic, a wonderful mix of history, character and thriller. Who is picking off members of this family? Is it one of the family members, or someone from the past, a revenge motive? Everyone is in danger, and the stress begins to tell on the family. There is much going on here, but it is seamlessly interwoven into the storyline. Interesting characters, family dynamics, and it was quite suspenseful. I have read all but one of this series, and this was by far my favorite. Definitely exceeded my expectations.

ARC from Netgalley.

I would like to thank Ronald H. Balson, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for giving me this book for my honest review.


Review By Stephanie


Liam is an Ex CIA agent and private investigator who returns to his homeland Ireland for his uncle's funeral. He is reluctant to go due to the fact that he hasn't talked to his family since the day he turned on them over sixteen years ago. He finds out that his uncle's death is very suspicious and decides to stay and investigate it. While investing he uncovers a hidden family secrets.....
Trust is a compels mystery full of twists and turns that will keep you glued to your kindle! The back drop of Ireland is amazing! You will totally feel like you are there!

A fan of Ronald Balson since his fabulous book "Once We Were Brothers", his latest offering of "The Trust" reminds me of why I enjoy his books so much.

There is always an intriguing story line, with lots of action, several twists, and complex, well-written and believable characters. He also does a great job of explaining the historical background of his tales. His writing draws me in, envelops me, and keeps me turning pages until I am sorry to see the book end.

Liam Taggart is a PI from Chicago. He is drawn back to Ireland to attend the funeral of his Uncle Fergus, the man who raised him for several of his childhood years. Taggart has not spoken with any of his family since leaving Ireland in 1999. He had been working for the CIA to capture ring-leaders on both sides of the Troubles in an attempt to bring peace to the area. His family found out, felt betrayed and disowned him.

When Liam arrives for the funeral, he learns that his favorite uncle didn't just die; Fergus was murdered, and what's more, feared he would be murdered, and he put Liam in charge of his trust. Part of the trust specifies that none of the estate is to be dispersed to the beneficiaries until his murderer is caught and brought to justice. In fact, the beneficiaries and terms of the trust are to remain secret until that occurs. This puts many of the family in an uproar as they are none too happy to have Liam back in Ireland, let alone in charge of what their inheritances.

There is plenty of action and no shortage of suspects as more family members are killed one by one and the rest are threatened.

A very engaging read. If you have not read Ronald Balson before, I suggest you add him to your list.

Many thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with ARCs of this book

Great book, really had me hooked from the start. I would highly recommend this book and will be looking out for the author more

This story has a historical base, family relationships, a series of violent murders, suspense as old and new lovers are brought together,and a police procedural with suspense right up to the end. The writing is clear and direct, and fills a variety of characters in with great detail. The Taggart clan of Northern Ireland falls under siege as the elders face violent deaths. Liam Taggart travels back to Ireland after the murder of an estranged uncle who had been a father to him when he was young. He quickly becomes the center of controversy from all sides. The book is engrossing emotional on many levels and keeps the reader hooked to the very end. After finishing the book I began recommending it to every one I knew.

This is the first book that I have read in this series but it won't be the last. This is a wonderful murder mystery. I could not put this book down. I really like Liam and his wife Catherine. They work so well together. This is the fourth book in the series but you don't have to read the first three to enjoy this one but I hope to read the others sometime. This book takes Liam back to Ireland to help solve his Uncles murder. Liam has a lot of thinking to do during this time. I received a copy of this from St. Martin's Press for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I enjoyed this novel very much. It is the second book by Balson that I've read and I'm definitely going to read his others.The setting in Northern Ireland was interesting with the information on the Troubles and history's influence on the present. I found the mystery well written and complex enough to keep me interested. I think it was very enjoyable and a worthwhile read.

There are so many good things going on in this book. I sped right through it. Not only was there suspense, action, and great plot twists, you also got to learn a little history of the "Troubles" in Ireland.

I went back and forth guessing the suspect so many times I thought I would get dizzy. Always a good thing when you are reading a "Whodunit".

I really grew to like Liam and his family and I was a little sad when it was over.

A great read with action, suspense, great character development, history of Ireland and totally unputdownable.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

The Trust
Liam Taggart and Catherine Lockhart #4
Ronald H. Balson
St. Martin’s Press, September 2017
ISBN 978-1-250-12744-0
Hardcover

From the publisher—

When his uncle dies, Liam Taggart reluctantly returns to his childhood home in Northern Ireland for the funeral―a home he left years ago after a bitter confrontation with his family, never to look back. But when he arrives, Liam learns that not only was his uncle shot to death, but that he’d anticipated his own murder: In an astonishing last will and testament, Uncle Fergus has left his entire estate to a secret trust, directing that no distributions be made to any person until the killer is found. Did Fergus know, but refuse to name, his killer? Was this a crime of revenge, a vendetta leftover from Northern Ireland’s bloody sectarian war? After all, the Taggarts were deeply involved in the IRA. Or is it possible that the killer is a family member seeking Fergus’s estate? Otherwise, why postpone distributions to the heirs? Most menacingly, does the killer now have his sights on other family members?

As his investigation draws Liam farther and farther into the past he has abandoned, he realizes he is forced to reopen doors long ago shut and locked. Now, accepting the appointment as sole trustee of the Fergus Taggart Trust, Liam realizes he has stepped into the center of a firestorm.

Every now and then, a novel (or a movie) comes out in which an inheritance is withheld until a certain monumental task is completed. In the case of The Trust, that task involves solving a crime, a murder, and our hero, private investigator Liam Taggart, is perforce right in the middle of everything and it’s a most uncomfortable place to be.

Years ago, Liam had been an agent for the CIA and spent some time in Northern Ireland watching some of his own family, eventually leading to a deep estrangement, including with his uncle, but his cousin, Janie, called to ask him to come to the funeral. As it turns out, Uncle Fergus apparently knew he was going to be murdered and who better to solve the case than Liam? As he soon discovers, fighting over potential inheritances is greatly exacerbated by longlasting resentments going back to his activities during the Troubles so his task is much more difficult.

The story is rife with red herrings and with a plethora of suspects among family and others, enough to set my head spinning as well as there’s this obligation Liam feels, a burning need to make things as right as he can with the late Uncle Fergus and the rest of his family. The core of the story lies in the events during the Troubles and how they still affect the family years later but there’s also a good deal of character development with all of these people, to the point where I could envision myself among them. Even the Belfast police, Sergeant Megan Dooley and Inspector McLaughlin, are well-rounded and important players in the tale and, in the end, Liam learns something that’s life-changing for himself.

Interestingly, Liam’s P.I. instincts don’t work well this time, perhaps because he’s too caught up in family dynamics, and readers may be a bit put off by his…and his wife, Catherine’s…seeming inability to develop and follow the clues but I found it made this couple and the case more intriguing. I wouldn’t want it to happen often or even occasionally but it worked in The Trust because of the family and national history. All in all, this was a very engaging read.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, September 2017.

Liam was banished from his family in Northern Ireland years ago when they discovered that he was working undercover for the CIA.......it certainly didn't go down well in a family heavily involved with the IRA.....and so he is surprised and not too happy when he has to return to the family home after the death of his uncle.

It turns out that the uncle had predicted that he would be murdered and so his estate was all in a trust with Liam as the trustee and couldn't be touched until the murderer was found and Liam being in charge hardly endeared him again to his family!

A great book dealing with the troubles of Ireland with a really compulsive story that had plenty of secrets to be uncovered and twists and turns to keep your interest. I loved Karolina's twins so was really pleased when this one didn't disappoint either

I really enjoyed this book which is set in Ireland. A somewhat different setting for this author but still following his excellent story lines. Historic fiction mixed with intrigue and suspense. A very enjoyable read.

Ex CIA agent and private investigator Liam has been asked to return home to Northern Ireland for his uncle Fergus’s funeral. He reluctantly goes even though he has been estranged from his long-distance family due to a significant betrayal 16 years prior. Upon arrival, he learns his uncle died under mysterious circumstances and that he has been named Trustee. He agrees to stick around and investigate the murder and in doing so, uncovers a tumultuous past and family conflict. The Trust has rich, complex characters and enough believable suspects, twists and mystery to keep me guessing until the end.

Having recently been to Ireland, I appreciated the author’s meticulous research, the descriptive settings and the reminder of the historical reality of Northern Ireland’s Troubles conflict.

When I was pitched this book, I had no clue it was the 4th in a series, but the story is mostly self contained, so you can start here, but I am hoping to go back to the beginning and start there! Saying all that to say that if I spoil something from the previous books I will be clueless since I am starting here on this one.

Liam Taggart has been living in the United States far away from Ireland and the family that has had its ups and downs. He is happily married with a small child and life as a private investigator is working and life is good, of course until he gets a phone call - his uncle has passed away and he is being called home to say goodbye. Obviously it can't be that easily and there are suspicions as to his uncle's death and he is in the center of it all and must solve before he can return to the life he had going on.

I loved this epic story with quite a cast of characters and you can tell there was a ton of history amongst all of them. As soon as I started I felt like I was dropped in the middle of the story and was sad to see that I was right and this was the 4th in the series, so I would say you may want to start at the beginning, I could tell that I had missed some details that the author tried to enlighten any new reader, but nothing beats reading the previous books.

I will say that after reading this one, I wanted to stop all reading and start at book one and get caught up. If I didn't have quite the blogging calendar lined up with many readings I would have done so. I may have to mark a week in 2018 as the week of Liam Taggart and start at the beginning!

I admit I am woefully uninformed about Irish history and 'the Troubles' but I was soon caught up in the Irish people's feelings in this book. Vendettas and scores to settle and old animosities were at every twist and turn. A fractured family, guilt, forgiveness and secrets peppered this story. The characters were complex and intriguing, and so was the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book though I confess I found myself wanting to shout at Liam in frustration when I thought he was missing some clues!! Sadness and happiness drove the narrative throughout the book and it had a satisfying conclusion.

A well-written and fascinating book.

Five top reasons you should read the Trust by Ronald H. Balson:

1. You love a good setting and what could be better than the lush land of Ireland?
2. Characters that are fleshed out, captivating and completely complex but still down to earth and believable.
3. You love a good murder mystery.
4. You like a little bit of history mixed in with your fiction. I love how this story interwove the mystery of Liam's uncles death and the horrible chaos and strife that still runs rampant through Ireland.
5. You never know what to expect. Just when you think you've learned it all, that all has been revealed, something new surfaces and you feel like you are right back at the beginning of the mystery but in a very good way.

Overall this story was riveting and not at all what I was expecting. I am definitely intrigued to try the others he has written that involve both Liam and his wife Catherine.

I was expecting such great things from this well admired author. This book was predictable from the start and lacked any suspense. I was intrigued by the history of the troubles and wish Ronald Balson had made this more of a historic fiction than a crime book.

This was a bit disappointing. The book had potential to make readers more aware of the political issues of Northern Ireland, which was part of the reason I wanted to read it. However, I felt I had figured out the "who" early in the book, and I was right.

The Trust is the latest spellbinding thriller by Ronald H. Balson. Balson reunites his readers with private investigator Liam Taggart and his wife, attorney Catherine Lockhart. They are now proud parents of baby Ben. This novel removes Taggart from his family in Chicago and returns him to his roots in Northern Ireland, where he was born and lived until he was 10. Liam’s Uncle Fergus has died in Ireland under suspicious circumstances. Liam’s cousin pleads with him to return for the funeral. Although Uncle Fergus was like a father to him, Liam has not spoken to him for 16 years. Liam moved back to Northern Ireland in 1994 and worked there for five years. During this time he became engaged to Annie, one of only 600 Jews in Northern Ireland. He treasured being surrounded by his family, but Liam was living a lie. He left Northern Ireland in 1999, estranged from Fergus and maligned by his relatives.
Liam reluctantly returns for the funeral and is shocked to discover Fergus named him trustee of his trust. Fergus specified if he died in any way other than by natural causes his assets would remain in trust until the person responsible for his death was apprehended and prosecuted. How did Fergus know he would be murdered? In his instructions he implores Liam to trust know one. Liam begins his investigation and suddenly everyone is at risk and every person is a suspect. No one is safe, including Catherine and Ben. While proceeding with the investigation, Liam is stunned to learn the truth about his personal history. The Taggart family is full of captivating characters and Liam and Catherine remain appealing. The Trust is an enthralling novel and convincing proof that Balson’s storytelling can be relied on for hours of enjoyment.

Liam Taggart is a PI, after having spent 6 or so years in the CIA. Five of those years were undercover in Northern Ireland, spying on the Nationalists, including members of his own family. Needless to say, when they discovered his clandestine operation, he was bid a not so fond farewell. Now, 16 years later, his uncle is dead and he's invited back for the funeral. Turns out, his uncle was murdered and some of the family want his help finding the killer.

The uncle was expecting to be killed and has placed all his assets in a trust with Liam named as the trustee. This doesn't go over well with Liam or other family members. Balson nails the discord that can develop when a family member dies and inheritances are at stake.

Balson uses remembrances to provide you with the background of The Troubles and it works well. This is a gripping story and really held my interest. There’s no shortage of suspects here, from old family enemies to actual members of the family. There are lots of secrets and Liam struggles to unravel them. He seems a bit dense to me and I felt McLaughlin and Dooley had a much better grasp of the situation. I had a strong suspicion as to who was to blame, but that just kept me intrigued to see if I was correct.

I was not a huge fan of Karolina’s Twins, but this book worked for me.

My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

I could easily give this 4 1/2 stars. I really enjoyed this book. It was different than the books I normally enjoy. It was about a big Irish family. The nephew that has migrated to America is called back to Ireland after his favorite uncle is killed. I won't give away any more of the storyline but it has kept me interested and entertained. I loved reading about this big family and all of their trials and tribulations. The characters are real and the story is captivating. I did solve the mystery before the end but continued to read to find out why and what happened to everyone. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.