Tana French brings us back to the quiet Irish village of Ardnakelty in The Hunter, a follow-up to The Searcher. Former Chicago detective Cal Hooper has settled into a peaceful life, growing close to teenager Trey Reddy and starting a relationship with Lena. But when Trey’s estranged father, Johnny, rolls into town with a shady Englishman named Cillian Rushborough, that peace is shattered. Their get-rich-quick scheme—hunting for hidden gold in the hills—drags the locals into a dangerous game, and Cal finds himself once again caught in the middle.

French’s writing is as immersive as ever, painting the rugged landscape and tight-knit community with vivid detail. The tension builds slowly, focusing on character dynamics rather than fast-paced action. Trey, in particular, steals the show—her fierce loyalty and internal struggles make her one of the most compelling parts of the story.

The novel takes its time unfolding, which may not suit readers looking for a high-energy thriller. But if you love deep character work, rich atmosphere, and moral complexity, The Hunter is a rewarding read.

I was excited to read another book about Cal and Trey and see how their friendship develops after reading the first book in this series. I love the setting of this series and the characters, the double speak and hidden meanings in conversations is also done really well.

This book delves more into Trey's family with the return of her dad seemingly pulling a scam on his friends and neighbours. The story unfolded with a few twists that I enjoyed and didn't see coming and overall I was satisfied with the ending of the book and how it wrapped up.

This is a very atmospheric novel which really depicts the relentlessly hot summer days. I found the book to be very long and descriptive and was definitely a slow burn with great plot building.

The Hunter follows on from The Searcher, in the Cal Hooper series. Retired, American Detective Cal, has settled into life in the remote Irish village of Ardnakelty. His relationship with Lena has progressed, and Trey (Theresa Reddy) is maturing and becoming a skilled carpenter, under Cal’s guidance. The sudden return of Johnny Reddy, Trey’s father, upsets the dynamics of the whole village. Trey sees this as an opportunity to seek revenge for her brother Brendan’s death. Like The Searcher, The Hunter is an atmospheric, slow burning mystery that gives a sense of unease throughout. These books are best read in the correct order to understand the tension and motives of the townspeople. I really enjoyed Tana French’s second book in this series. Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC.

Tana French’s The Hunter showcases her undeniable talent for creating atmospheric suspense in the second book in her series. While the author's earlier works in my opinion are better, The Hunter still provides an engrossing read. French beautifully captures the complexities of Irish village life, with its rich local culture and unique mentality. The novel also delves into the archaic traditions governing family relationships, and how these influence interactions with both locals and strangers. The characters are as intriguing as ever, with layers that make them both relatable and mysterious.

An excellent sequel to The Searcher. The characters absolutely jumped off the page. Tana French does character development like no other. The slow burn of the mystery was doled out at excellent pace and the writing conveyed such a sense of place. Looking forward to the next book if there is one!

I absolutely loved The Searcher, in fact it's my favorite novel by Tana French which is quite an achievement given how highly I rate her work. I found The Hunter much more of a slow burner however, in fact so slow, it took me three goes to really tackle the novel. It's beautifully written, of course, and French has clearly put much care into crafting her village and its inhabitants but I would rather see her go back to an urban setting where, for me, she is more at home.

Noir in rural Ireland sums this series of books up perfectly. According to Noreen Ayres, noir's “distinguishing feature is an alienated protagonist, a person on the edge of moral breakdown or has completed it, even though his or her actions may be understandable. The setting may be shoddy or upscale, but the internal conversation is bleak,” and that summarises our protagonist pretty well.

These are much more than your standard retired detective series - the rural location, the fish-out-of-water protagonist, plus French's sharp writing elevate these to bleak but brilliant reads. If you've ever watched the "True Detective" TV series, you'll get the comparison between it and standard TV cop/mystery shows; this has the same feeling.

Cal Hooper, a retired American detective, moves to the remote Irish townland of Ardnakelty, and it becomes apparent that all is not as idyllic as it seems. Each book deals with a different issue, but both have an air of oppressiveness, realistically portraying the minutiae of rural life and how being part of such a close-knit community can have a very negative (and dangerous...) undercurrent. Cal is pessimistic and suspicious that anything can go wrong, like any well-worn noir hero. Still, plenty of little sparks of wit, astuteness and hope are sprinkled throughout, ensuring this is a slow-burning but engaging series. You won't have the twists and turns many current mystery/cop novels utilise, but the creeping sense of dread and eventual payoff is more than worth it.

Absolutely fantastic addition to the shelf, French’s world building is addictive and her characters feel true to life.

The Hunter by Tana French, was an immersive experience that captivated me from start to finish. The book delves deep into the complexities of its characters and the enigmatic Irish village of Ardnakelty.
This novel is much more than a mystery—it’s a beautifully crafted exploration of trust, loyalty, and the secrets that bind and divide people. French once again immerses readers in the lush yet foreboding Irish countryside, while crafting a story that lingers long after the final page.

At the heart of the novel is Cal Hooper, the retired Chicago detective still trying to carve out a peaceful life in Ardnakelty. His bond with Trey Reddy, the teenager he helped in the first book, is one of the highlights of the story—layered, poignant, and incredibly real.

Lena, Cal’s neighbor and one of his closest connections in the village, plays an even more significant role this time around. She’s a fascinating character—independent, sharp, and carrying her own share of mysteries. Her relationship with Cal is one of the most compelling parts of the book, offering moments of warmth and genuine connection while also hinting at the fragility of trust in such a tightly wound community. Through Lena, we get an even deeper look at Ardnakelty and its unspoken rules, adding a rich layer of complexity to the story.

The writing is as atmospheric as ever, bringing the misty hills and claustrophobic village to life in vivid detail. The setting feels like a character in itself—at once beautiful and menacing, holding secrets that refuse to stay buried. The mystery unfolds slowly, with the focus on the characters’ motivations and choices rather than on big, shocking twists. Yet the suspense is palpable, with moments of genuine surprise that kept me turning the pages late into the night.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tara Fench did not disappoint... again.
A very atmospheric, slow burning, deep diving tale of revenge, karma and bringing down the walls...
A small Irish village is so small, close-knit and isolated from outside and within, that people take forever and more to accept newcomers... and pridigal sons.
What will it take to clean up the air?
Retired cop (Cal Hooper) is still trying to fit in. Will he?
If you have time and are inclined to dive very deep into Irish valleys' fog to get to the bottom (almost) of what's what and who's done it, this book is for you.

The second Hooper novel and the quiet but oppressive setting along with the deep summer heat is as evocative as ever. A great set of characters and a slowly enveloping tense plot. Recommended.

I love everyone bh Tana French - this may not have the thrust of the Dublin Murder Squad but the creation of character and the insular Irish community here is exquisote!

My first French dnf, seems Cal's life is taking us in a new direction and a settled lifestyle in Ieland. Though French's writing remains stunning, this series is moving too far from the series' previously loved.

Tana French returns with " The Hunter" to the village of Ardnakelty/ Ireland,  where Cal Hooper, a retired Chicago cop, has settled and semi adopted Trey who was running wild in a very troubled disfunctional family. When her crook of a father returns with another friend and a money making scheme, the whole village is thrown into chaos with Trey heading for serious trouble.

What I love about French is her skill to describe so vividly every character in the novel, that I had a complete picture of everyone in my  head and they are still there!  Add to that a complex, slowly building plot where the crime is a minor factor making place for colorful protagonists  and you are set up for a great read. 5 stars!

Thank you Penguin and Netgalley
Sadly I struggled with this - I usually speed through Tana's books but not this one.
I just couldn't get to gris with this series in the same way as the Irish series.
I saw it through to the end, but just not for me!

Once I understood relationship of Trey and Cal, (and making furniture!) Who is a retired cop, I started to got the hang of the narrative .. but I wasnt gripped i'm afraid. Dialogue and implied character interactions too are autentic and well done. But it took too long for me for the story to.begin and I couldn't hang in there ...

It's a long hot summer in the small Irish town of Ardnakelty. Everything is edgy. Then who should turn up but Johnny Reddy, notorious local bad boy, who had abandoned his wife, Sheila, and children for the bright lights of London. He has a money-making scheme to put to the untrusting locals…

‘Something that’d be good for this place, he said. What the hell would that guy reckon would be good for a place? A casino? An escort agency? A monorail?’

It’s obvious that no good will come of all this, and that there are layers in the con trick, but it is very much up to the reader to try to predict and enjoy the slow unpicking of the story.




The Hunter and its predecessor, The Searcher, make more sense when you know that author Tana French sees them as cowboy stories, set in the equivalent of the Wild West. A frontier town with its own rules and sense of justice. Cal Hooper (an American) is the outsider trying to make a home there, and make sense of the situation.

***It is not essential to have read the first book – here on the blog - to enjoy this one, but the 2nd one does spoiler some aspects of the first, so bear that in mind if you are considering them.***





The first book showed his friendship with Trey, a young local girl, now 15 – who is the daughter of Johnny Reddy, and not at all delighted that he is home. Her mother and siblings live in poverty, out on the mountain, out of favour with the town. The first book (in which Johnny didn’t appear) dealt with Trey’s attempts to find out what happened to her older brother Brendan. What she found out, with Cal’s help, was incomplete, and made her very angry with the townspeople.

Johnny, his plan – which involves the possibility of gold in local land – and the bad-for-farmers weather unsettle everyone. Johnny introduces a London friend, Cillian Rushborough, who says his forebears came from the town, and that he has passed-down information of interest.




So these layers of good and bad, who knows what, who trusts whom, are very complex and make for very compelling reading and quite a few surprises. Cal has a low-key partner, Lena, a local woman who tries to stay aloof from the town, but whose sister runs the local shop and is at the centre of all gossip.

Cal, Lena and Trey are all following their own hearts and minds in this, sometimes with misunderstandings. The jeopardy is very clear and quite concerning. The book seems to move slowly at first, it’s a long time before anything major happens: exactly half-way through someone is found dead. But the plot is twisting and turning along throughout, and the picture of life in the town is entrancing.




Tana French excels in dialogue, which sings with conviction, and it gets even better when she has multiple-person conversations, especially in the shop or, even more so, Sean Og’s bar, hilarious, pointed, conveying information, and making you feel you are there in the pub with them. I said about the first book in this series ‘She describes a hard evening’s drinking almost in real time and you feel you lived through it with them’.

Mart Lavin, Cal’s neighbour, is a tremendous character: funny and delightful, but with a hard centre, not to be underestimated, and up with modern ways:

‘Are you one of them influencers on the side? Are you on the TikTok shaking yourself to Rihanna? I’d watch that.’

‘I’ll get right on it,’ Cal says. ‘Soon as I can find a black leather dress that fits.’



Mart represents the town to Cal: dripping information and news of attitudes and suggestions when he thinks the time is right.

And the townspeople know what they are up to with the new visitor:

He’s seen these guys leprechaun up before, at innocent tourists who were proud of themselves for finding a quaint authentic Irish pub that wasn’t in any of the guidebooks.

- - but Cal wonders who is fooling whom.

It IS like a Western, a John Ford one (note the name of the first book), or Shane.

(there is also a fake engagement in it, which pops up twice in Margery Allingham books – which French’s do not otherwise resemble)




I preferred French’s urban books, particularly ones set in Dublin, and in general am fairly immune to writing about nature and landscapes, but French breaks through that:

They lean on the wall, watching, as the rain flecks their skin more thickly and the bright outline of the mountains hangs in the night sky.



One thing that has to be faced is the relationship between Cal and Trey. It is quite clear that the author (and it is her sayso) makes it completely innocent with no hint of anything wrong: he is something of a surrogate father. But even Cal says that if his own, now grown-up, daughter ‘was hanging around some middle-aged guy when she was that age, I wouldn’t’ve been nice to him. I’d a punched his lights out.’

I discussed this with another keen reader of French, who felt it was done perfectly convincingly: she had no qualms, and thought it was good to have such a well-drawn, unusual teenager in a book. Whereas it gives me a slight discomfort, because you would have to take a very cool view of the relationship in real life. (French insists that Trey has friends her own age, but they are only mentioned in a distant sort of way, they never appear or are named.)

One of the few things that I don’t like in the book is a macho romantic tweeness: Cal calls Trey ‘Kid’ all the time, and is teaching her his code of manners and morals (‘when it comes to his code, Cal is inflexible’). Cal insists that Trey calls his friend ‘Miss Lena’, and it is a given that Cal, an ex-cop, is a perfect judge of people, he has seen everything, he has the measure of everyone, he’s seen it all before. French is not shy about telling you what to think. So we’ll take it that this is all part of the Western ethos, and let it go by, along with the unlikely friendship.

In the end, French is an exceptional writer and plotter, with wonderul characters and dialogue, and this book is well worth reading – I have read it twice.

Im afraid this wasnt the one for me- I love love love Tana French's Irish crime series and would read those in a flash, but I can't get to grips with the US series in the same way. Im sure its me though not her, there are lots of rave reviews for this one but I didnt see it through til the end. Sorry.

I read this in one sitting. Thanks goodness I started it in the morning on a day I had no plans!! What a thriller, fantastic. Retired Chicago cop retires to what he hopes will be a quiet town in Ireland. A real rollercoaster.

I’m a long time fan of Tana French. I read and loved her Dublin Murder Squad series back in the day, and I still regularly recommend those books to people who read crime/mystery.
This is not part of that series, but is a sequel to The Searcher, which came out in 2020 to mixed reviews. I liked it but felt it was a much slower paced read than I was used to with this author. I was intrigued with where she was going to bring that story though, so here we are!

Cal Hooper is a retired 48 year old police detective from Chicago. Divorced with a grown up daughter he rarely sees, he took a chance and moved to Ireland, setting up home in the back arse of nowhere; Ardnakelty.
At this point in his story he’s established himself in the town with a girlfriend, a few locals he has the occasional drink with in the pub, and Trey; “an at-risk” teenage girl he took under his wing who now mends furniture with him. So far, so hum-drum.

Step in Trey’s dad, a good-for-nothing who after abandoning his family years ago, has returned with a potentially dodgy British man, looking for (literal) gold in Ardnakelty. Cal’s cop spidey senses immediately start tingling and it’s not long before everyone in town is in trouble, with worse to come.

This is again, a slow paced read. There’s an unsettling, dark vibe to the town; on the surface it’s shamrocks and leprechauns but the reader is in on the truth; you don’t want to mess with the locals, so we know things are going to get more sinister, it’s just a matter of when that’s going to happen in a 467 page long book.

That said! I listened to it on audio and I sped it up a bit; it needs both, in my opinion. The narrator does a couple of dodgy accents at times but I still think it’s a story that needs narration, be it on audio or in an RTE tv series. I enjoyed this book more than The Searcher, and I did like that book too. French is a great writer, I just still prefer her Murder Squad books and would LOVE a return to that world next (please!).

If you enjoy a slower paced crime drama, I think you’ll like this. It works well on audio and would be a good autumn/winter read.

With many thanks to @netgalley and @penguinuk for my early copy, all opinions are my own, as always! The Hunter is available to buy now.