I loved this first in a new series for French. It has most everything I desire in a good book...great characterization, beautiful writing about the setting, a complex plot, a resolution that doesn't need to tie up every little detail to be convincing, an evocative atmosphere, and underlying themes that made me think. It gets bonus points for an extended metaphor involving birds.

The new character is Cal, a retired Chicago policeman who has moved to rural Ireland to escape the violence and gain some sort of peace. In his new home, he meets up with a teenager, and they slowly develop a relationship. There is beauty in the way French makes this happen. It's convincing and touching at the same time. Unfortunately for Cal, but fortunately for the reader, the Irish countryside is not all peace and tranquility. A young man has gone missing and the brutality of rural poverty is in evidence. This forms the basic plot line, which becomes deeper and more convoluted (but never unbelievable) as the book progresses.

French's wonderful writing and the stength of character that Cal exhibits will both draw me back for the next in this series.

I was entranced by this book and felt completely sucked in by the small-town Irish setting as well as the complex politics of the place as our outsider ex-cop main character gets sucked in as well, almost against his will, to discover the truth about a rumor no one wants to discuss. The language and the psychology was fascinating and I read the whole thing through in under two days.

I absolutely love all of Tana French's books. She can do no wrong in my book. The Searcher was so good! It was creepy, intriguing, moody, and just an all-around awesome read. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

My first Tana French and I actually liked a lot about it! It was definitely a slower (longer) read, but it was an enjoyable, character-driven mystery. Thanks so much for the gifted copy!

This fall, I was on a spooky Tana French kick, and THE SEARCHER delivered. French just barely breaks out of the police procedural model, and delivers a delicious thriller with incredibly tender protagonists. I am not sold on the ways the author shoe-horns modern politics (especially around police in the U.S.) into the novel; it felt like an afterthought, rather than anything essential to the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking for the ARC.

Well ... what had happened was ... This is not a mystery, folks. Not really. Though there are mystery elements in the unanswered question of the disappearance of a young man from his rural village, and a retired Chicago cop enlisted by his young neighbor to find him, this book is decidedly not about any of that. Not really. Not by my read. It is about a dying way of life in rural Ireland, about abandoned farmland that is beautiful but of no modern value and young people desperately seeking out a new way to live in new world, when everything surrounding them still cleaves to the old ways and the Old World. It's about aging men in small places, fighting the only way they know how, to hold on to the traditions, the way of life and the values they were raised with, and failing but fighting nevertheless. It took me getting to about 85% in before I realized what I was reading and had read, and once I did, I settled into it and enjoyed the lush language and the incredible talent of this writer.

I should warn you though, that if you're looking for the twists and turns of this writer's prior work you're not really going to get it here. Or, at least, you won't get it at the same pace. In this one, Tana French takes her time, and for many, present company included, she took too much time. Let's just say, the time it took me to figure out what kind of book this is, is mirrored in the time it took the main protagonist to realize he wasn't in Chicago anymore, and that the laws and rules he was accustomed to using to help order his world did not apply in this new place. If you apply that principle to the reading of this novel, I suspect you'll like it just fine. I rate it 3.5 stars. Recommended.

I first encountered Tana French through the show adapted from her books The Likeness and In the Woods (known as the Dublin Murders) and was instantly captivated by Cal's character when I went searching for the novels upon which the show is based. So to see his character pop up again here was a pleasant surprise, though the mystery here was somewhat less supernaturally tinged and more down to Irish earth. It tells the story of Cal, trying to recenter himself amid the backlash of a divorce and a shooting incident from his time as a police officer, by fixing up a cottage on the Irish countryside. While there, despite his best efforts to keep to himself, he encounters a young person in search of the truth of what happened to their brother and is soon wrapped in a small town mystery fraught with tension and secrets.

This one was, admittedly, a bit of a slower one to get through for me, which I credit more to the shift in POV telling than the story itself. In the Woods is told from the first person, and in The Searcher Cal's story is slightly more detached by way of the third person perspective. Nonetheless, his determination to find the truth almost despite himself is compelling enough to keep the story and the reader moving forward, and the relationships we see him build still feel as impactful as always. French has a knack for vividly drawing the scene around her characters and putting readers right alongside them. It does occasionally feel slower than previous works in places, but when the action picks up it is enough to keep you turning the pages for answers. Whether supernatural or bucolic, French is also grand at revealing twists and secrets with impact, and proves her talent for it once again here.

The Searcher is another worthy entry into Tana French's oeuvre, and may prove a successful lure for both regular readers and new-encounters alike.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge Tana French fan and I love the way she writes a story. He characters are so well drawn and her stories pack a punch that stays with you long after you've finished the last page. This was a slow burn start so it took me awhile to get into this story. Don't get me wrong the slow beginning really set up the story giving us a glimpse into Cal's personality and the slow pace of the rural life in Ireland from an American POV. Once it started going I couldn't put it down until I found out what happened to Trey's brother. I enjoyed the mystery but the relationship between Cal and Trey is the real heart of this story. Thank you #NetGalley and #Viking for my ARC.

This is a beautiful story of a Man with a Past and the child who charms a way into his heart. It’s my first Tana French and definitely won’t be my last.

Tana French does it again. With her characters being relatable, and drawn into situations that seem so run of the mill, but end up being an adventure of the mind. The reader is thrown into a whirlwind of 'what is going to happen next?!' and faster and faster page turning. Her books may be heavy in weight, but no reader will notice the time investment while reading through one of these magnificent stories of deep characters.

This is my second attempt at reading a book by Tana French. I didn’t finish the first one; one of the Dublin Murder series. Reviewers have said this was very slow and tedious compared to that series. Yes, this is an atmospheric novel. One can feel what it would feel like to leave a big city and move to the middle of nowhere. Few characters were fleshed out; mainly the major ones. SPOILER I was very dissatisfied with the lack of justice and that Cal was going to settle for that. Maybe a realistic take on the situation, but I wouldn’t have stayed in that lawless town. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review

Tana French's second novel The Likeness is one of my favorite mystery/thrillers of all time. I have read all of her books up to this point and she automatically goes to the top of my TBR list when a new novel is published. When it came to The Searcher, however, I just couldn't get into it and did not finish this one. I recognize the superb writing and character building that exists in all of French's works, and this one is no exception. This book just wasn't for me due to the slow plot. Perhaps I went into it with the wrong expectations based on her previous work.

I had just finished In the Woods, so I was very excited to read French's newest standalone novel. The actual mystery unfolds very slowly, and I get the impression that is typical for French. She trusts that her readers will stick through the first hundred pages or so of set up to find out what the mystery actually is. The atmospheric set-up at the beginning leads to something of a let-down when we find out what has been spooking the main character and giving him a sense of dread.

I was disappointed by The Searcher mostly because the story simply wasn't that interesting. And the solution is really mundane. Maybe part of the problem is that the narrator, Cal, isn't all that compelling, and his problems with his ex-wife feel contrived to give him a backstory. The character Trey is fairly well drawn, although the most engaging character in the novel is Lena, who only shows up on the margins. On the whole, the story felt a bit tired.

The Searcher is a character driven mystery set in a small Irish village. Cal, a retired Chicago cop plans to spend his time fishing, hunting, and renovating a small cottage on the outskirts. A young teen approaches Cal for help locating a brother who had suddenly disappeared. The action is rather slow, but this is a rewarding read with a well developed setting , characters and good plotting.

When I heard French had written a "modern Western set in Ireland", I was intrigued. This book, though it starts slow, wound itself around me and kept me guessing in all the good ways. The characters and sense of place rang true, and the slow-burn mystery was so subtly suspenseful I was surprised by how well it held my interest. Listening to the audio version really brought the villagers to life, as the narrator does a great job highlighting their humor. But the earnestness of both Cal and Trey and the cautious way they circle themselves into a tenuous friendship is what stayed with me.

I would say this is my least favorite of this authors titles however, a strong read when compared to other authors.

A solid mystery that put together a memorable cast of characters. The reader was able to switch between accents fluidly. The relationship between Cal and Trey progressed naturally, even with some surprises. This was an enjoyable listen.

Another wonderful book by Tana French! A bit of a slow starter but retired Detective Cal Hooper is interesting, well-rounded character. I would like to see more books that follow his journey. I gave it 3 stars instead of 4 because I so enjoyed the Dublin Murder Squad books and this one is just not quite as good.

Tana French’s latest, slow-burn mystery is set in a remote, fictional Ireland town where a retired and recently divorced cop has moved. Upon his arrival he meets a young man named Trey, whose teenage brother is missing. For those who have the time and patience to see a title through to its’ completion will find a wonderful novel with The Searcher. Those who are looking for a fast paced, quick to the climax story this may not be your top choice. Instant gratification isn’t the case with this one, but boy does it pay off when you see it through.

Tana French does it again! I loved this book. It was compelling, well thought out, and insightful. Its characters were complex but relatable and the story kept me riveted until the very end. Can’t wait for her next one!