I received a free ARC from NetGalkey in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first Tana French that I’ve read, and it was a good one. I really liked her writing style and the way you can see what she’s describing. The characters were well developed and interesting. The story was very relatable. It had enough twists to keep you interested, but not too many to make it confusing.

While The Searcher is quite a departure from Tana French's typical MO, it still felt familiar and comforting when I needed the Tana French style of book in my life. French's writing to me is quiet, almost calming even when it deals with murder and mystery; it transports me to an older and distant time and place.

I may be secretly hoping for a return to the Murder Squad in French's next novel, but truth be told... I will read whatever she writes and find something to enjoy in it.

Much better than The Witch's Elm! Cal, an ex cop from Chicago, moves to Ireland and starts to renovate an old cottage. Trey, a 14 year old neighbor, stalks Cal only to get his attention. She wants him to find her missing brother. Cal is kind of intrigued but doesn't really want to get involved. But he does. Good cast of characters but I wish French would write about the Dublin Murder Squad again. I miss that series!

Tana French's writing is epic, her descriptions of Ireland beautiful. I appreciate stand alone mysteries a lot and while this wasn't my favorite Tana French, all of the elements she usually has - the dark twists and turns, meticulous style, and deeply complicated characters - were there. A solid mystery.

Tana French's books are always great and this did not disappoint. I learned a lot and look forward to her next effort.

Cal Hooper recently retired from the Chicago Police Department after twenty-five years on the force. He decides to spend his retirement years in Ireland. He paid cash for a little cottage that needs a lot of work outside a small village in Western Ireland. Cal spends his days working on the cottage and his nights sitting on his back step drinking a cold beer. But one day he gets the sensation that he is being watched. And he is being watched by a thirteen-year-old kid who wants his help. Trey's brother, Brendan, has been missing for months, and nobody but Trey seems to care. Trey hopes that Cal Hooper will help to find Trey, but it soon becomes clear that somebody out there doesn't want Cal Hooper to find out what happened to Brendan. Will he be able to put it all together before it is too late?


Cal Hooper is the character who is living my dream. Moving to Ireland. My husband and I took our kids to Ireland last summer and we weren't on the Irish soil for a full day before we started looking at real estate. Cal Hooper is a wonderful character. Steady and fair. I listened to the book on audiobook and I really enjoyed hearing Cal's gruff Chicago accent mixed in with the thick Irish brogues. It was everything I love about books set in Ireland. One of the things I love most about Tana French is the slow way she builds a story. Her way with descriptions of the scenery and scenes places the read in Ireland. I can't help but love it. -CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS. I will tell you this, though. Tana French doesn't do twisty types of novels with shocking reveals. And that is almost refreshing.

Bottom Line - The Searcher is one of my favorite books of the year. I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed Cal Hooper and his experience in Ireland.

Details:
The Searcher by Tana French
On Facebook
Pages: 464
Publisher: Viking
Publication Date: 10/6/2020
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Being a fan of the Dublin Murder Squad series, I was looking forward to reading this new French book. However, I just couldn't relate to any of the characters in a way that I have in her previous novels. The characters of the village are varied and amusing and the conversations between them are entertaining. However, the overall story was a bit unappealing to me.

The Searcher by Tana French is a new stand-alone murder mystery set in Ireland. The book's setting is fabulous for those of us who can not travel in real life during this pandemic. Cal is a retired Chicago police officer who has settled into what he hopes is a quiet life of solitude where he plans to fix up his house and keep to himself. Little does he know that the town's residents are intent on drawing him into their lives. He becomes quite traveled up in the case of a missing young man and finds himself much deeper into the local crime life than he wants to be. Such a good escape book! Read and enjoy!

Although the pace of the story is slower than I usually like, French develops characters that invite you to get to know them. The book elicits many emotions stemming from the character development and their interactions.

Tana French does it again. Great book. I could not put it down and did not want it to end. I cant wait until her next book comes out.

Tana French is a masterful author. She has never disappointed me and THE SEARCHER is NO exception.

If you are new to French's novels, this would be a great place to start because it's a standalone. She wrote a series entitled The Dublin Murder Squad, however this book is not part of that.

This was a dark and atmospheric novel that takes place in French's trademark setting of Ireland. For me, setting really can make or break a novel. When an author executes the setting of a book properly, I feel as if I'm transported to that place. In my opinion, that is an art form that an author paints in their mind and transforms onto the pages. French did exactly that.

Well Done!

O Tana, Queen Tana! Tana French simply cannot be beaten. This book was a departure in many ways (third person narrator, American protagonist, not set in Dublin...), yet none of them knocked her from her throne. It was very interesting to see her exploring new territory in so many different ways. No one does quiet, slow-burn thrillers quite the same!

A slow burn from Tana French, I found the setting to be one of the most compelling aspects of the story. The book is set in rural Ireland where a retired Chicago detective decides to fix up a cottage and gets to know the villagers before the tension builds and unsettling events start to unfold. The rugged terrain helps lay the foundation for the gritty story ahead.

Hoping to find peace and space from the constant responsibilities experienced as a police officer in the US, Cal Hooper purchases a house and land in rural Ireland sight unseen. With nothing on his agenda but rehabbing the cottage, Cal remains aloof from the daily activities of a small village. Once Cal discovers who is spying on him, an unlikely friendship with a teen develops which ultimately leads to a promise which demands greatly from Cal. The setting and the village occupants are richly fleshed out as only Tana French can do. The ending is rather unsettling however very plausible and provides much discussion fodder for book clubs.

The Searcher is a thoughtful, quiet portrayal of an American ex-cop, Cal, who retires to Ireland. Against his better judgement, he is soon wrapped up in the mysterious disappearance of a young boy's brother. Cal is a stranger in a strange land, trying to decipher the subtext and secrets of his town while dealing with his past. I think it will probably be too slow for many, but I seriously loved this book. It isn't a page-turning, twist a minute thrill ride (although there are some unexpected and shocking discoveries), but rather a slow-burn character study of very compelling characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to review the book.

I can't get enough of Tana French's writing, whether it's her Dublin Murder Squad series or her standalone novels. Her latest book, "The Searcher," doesn't disappoint. This atmospheric suspense novel is deliberately unrushed, a slow-burn read with vividly drawn characters that keep you riveted, even when the plot's not quite as twisty as some of her past work. Those willing to let the mystery unfold at its own pace will find another worthy entry in French's catalog.

Definitely quieter than The Dublin Murder Squad, but just as satisfying! I really enjoyed the transplanted protagonist and French's first American main character. The story was a slow burn, but a great read. I would suggest that fans keep an open mind as they read this stand alone.

A departure from Tana French's Dublin detective series, The Searcher is a modern Irish western that flips the traditional western on its head.

My favorite part of French's writing is how descriptive her writing is especially concerning the setting of the stories. The descriptions of the countryside set the tone very well. I miss the Dublin Murder Squad action, but this is a deep dive of a whole different sort.

It was a delight to chat with Tana French about the themes of masculinity in this book for Feminist Book Club: The Podcast (episode forthcoming on 11/5/2020). French is especially skilled at writing lush landscapes with a sense of foreboding. At the center of THE SEARCHER is a small rural town that becomes a character all its own. We meet all kinds of townies, none of whom you can really trust. At the center of it all is Cal, who is just a regular guy wanting to do right in this world. He's likeable but flawed, stoic but familiar.