The Unquiet Grave is the fourth novel in the Cormac Reilly series by Irish-born Australian author, Dervla McTiernan. DS Cormac Reilly and Garda Peter Fisher are called away from reading the riot act to a harassing ex-husband when a body is discovered in a bog near Monivea.

While the body displays some unusual mutilations, police pathologist Dr Yvonne Connelly quickly disabuses them of the notion that it is an ancient bog body: this is a recent murder victim. Follow up with the current owner of the bog field and the attached cottage reveal that the tenant of that cottage went missing two years earlier. Might this be local secondary school headmaster, Thaddeus Grey?

As Cormac and Peter try to learn what they can about him, many they speak to depict him as a strict authoritarian who wasn’t well-liked, but the one parent who confronted him has an ironclad alibi. Two years on, the students he picked on most are at college or on an Asian gap year, and not responding to calls and messages: are they being evasive, or just typically self-absorbed teens?

Distracting Cormac from the case is the Commissioner of the Garda Siochana’s urging that he apply for promotion to Inspector: Kevin Matheson needs him to head up the Complaints section of Gardai’s Internal Affairs, investigating other garda when warranted. It would mean less time in the field, more time behind a desk, and would make him even less popular. But the role needs someone who believes in it, and Cormac is probably that man.

Also distracting him is the visit from his ex-girlfriend, Emma Sweeney, now married and pregnant. Emma begs for his help in finding her husband, Finn O’Ceallaigh, a fifteen-year Irish Army veteran who failed to return home from Paris on the previous Friday evening. The Gardai have no jurisdiction in Paris, while the French police have a policy of not actively searching for missing adults, leaving Emma feeling helpless. Of course, Cormac will do what he can, call in favours from influential friends.

When two more bodies turn up in bogs in quick succession, the case is handed to a young Dublin DI more determined to track down a serial killer than listen to input from his team, even though there are some significant differences between how the bodies have been damaged. And after a slow start, Cormac finally has strong suspicions about who murdered Grey, if only the DI would let him go back to Galway for a face-to-face interview…

With this fourth instalment, McTiernan yet again gives the reader a terrific dose of fast-paced crime fiction: an excellent plot, twists and red herrings to keep the reader guessing, an exciting climax or two (Peter gets to be a hero), and a very satisfying resolution. Luckily this is fiction, so the reader can darkly delight in the way a certain nasty character is meted out just deserts. With each instalment, McTiernan develops her regular characters a little further and adds new ones. It will be interesting to see what’s in store for Cormac. Irish crime fiction at its best.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins Australia

Dervla McTiernan burst onto the Australian crime writing scene with her multi-award winning debut The Rúin. That book introduced readers to Irish policeman Cormac Reilly and his complicated life. Riley would return in The Scholar and The Good Turn in which his world became even more complicated. While not exactly settled, The Good Turn left Reilly in a reasonable place that could possibly have been the end of the series. McTiernan went on to write two US-based novels - The Murder Rule and What Happened to Nina? – but has now returned to the world of Cormac Reilly with The Unquiet Grave.
The cold open of The Unquiet Grave is particularly cold. A family of German tourists who have inherited a small house near Galway are out in a bog, digging out peat in the rain when they stumble across a floating body. This brings in Cormac Reilly and his offsider Peter Fisher who soon find that the dead man is a missing school principal who was not well liked. At the same time Cormac is contacted by his ex-girlfriend Emma, now married and pregnant, whose husband has disappeared while working in France. And in a seemingly unrelated thread that eventually becomes very relevant, distinctly unlikeable computer programmer Carl is thinking about a way he can rig the lottery.
As with previous books in this series, in The Unquiet Grave, McTiernan delivers a great mix of the personal and the professional in Reilly and Fisher. Reilly finds himself being offered a promotion that he is not sure he wants, is dealing with regret when having to support Emma and feels betrayed by Peter Fisher’s alternative career plans. All of this means he cannot give his full attention to the murder investigation which allows it to spiral a little until he manages to bring it all together. And both Reilly and McTiernan do end up bringing all of the strands of this novel together in a satisfying way.
The Unquiet Grave brings McTiernan back into her sweet spot – a series of puzzling mysteries, interesting central characters (and minor characters) with complex lives and plenty of Irish atmosphere. And an ending that has plenty of opportunity for more, including, possibly (finally?) an Australian connection.

This is my first book by Dervla McTiernan and I love it! So much so that even before I finished this book I went out and bought a few others on her backlist and I can’t wait to read them all.

This was an excellent detective crime/ murder mystery that I did not want to put down. There were a few other stories in the book that seemed completely unrelated to the main story line, but I had faith that there was a reason and when it all came together, it blew my mind. I was completely wrong on who was responsible for the death of Thaddeus Grey and I loved that I was!

As for our Cormac Reilly, I just loved him and as I said can’t wait to read the previous 3 books in the series and hope there are more to come!

This is not related to the book, but feedback on the reading flatform on which I read the book Since the changes made by netgalley, this book could not be downdloaded to my kindle and the only way I could read it was on my iPad via NetGalley Reader. This was not a pleasant experience and the platform was unstable. I had to change the font size each time I “turned” the page. Sometime the pages would jump forward or go backwards and as I could it on my iPad it restricted when and where I could read it, Please reinstate send to kindle option for each book.

As much as I loved What Happened to Nina?, I’m so glad Cormac is back! It was great to also have Emma return, and to meet Cormac’s sister Lili and his partner, Garda Peter Fisher.

The Unquiet Grave continues Cormac’s ongoing pursuit for justice, as he tries to find who killed the teacher in the bog. He also is helping find Emma’s missing husband, and as the mysteries deepen, we wonder if there a connection between the two.

The story wraps up neatly, but I wanted more! Thankfully the ending hints about opportunities to delve into police corruption. As a huge fan of the TV series Line of Duty, I am here for all this! A big door was also left open for a spin-off with Peter (yes please!).

Let’s hope we don’t have to wait so long for Cormac’s next case.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Harper Collins AU and NetGalley for sending me an advance copy.

I actually didn't realise this was the 4th instalment in this series when I first requested this book but as someone who had no background on Cormac Reilly, I found the story easy to follow and was able to keep up.

This is my first Dervla McTiernan book and I was captivated by the way she writes and especially her descriptions of Ireland where the story takes place. The Unquiet Grave centres around a body found in a peat bog in Ireland, later identified to be a missing principal Thaddeus Grey, who appears to have been murdered.

The journey to find out who did it and why - while the web starts to unravel and several stories start to weave themselves into another had me hooked and the further and further I got into the book, the harder it was to put down.

I'm definitely going to go back and read the other three books in the series now, as I am so intrigued by the character of Cormac Reilly.

A huge thank you Harper Collins Australia and Netgalley for the eARC copy of this book!

Dervla McTiernan, The Unquiet Grave Book 4 of The Cormac Reilly Series, HarperCollins Publishers Australia | HarperCollins AU, April 2025.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Dervla McTiernan returns to Ireland and Cormac Reilly, creating a deftly woven seemingly multitude of ideas, crimes, and personal relationships in The Unquiet Grave. The book revisits Cormac’s commitment to integrity in the police force, where it has impacted his past and looms in his present relationships with his co-workers and future. A bizarre murder is unearthed by a German family visiting a remote bog surrounded cottage in Ireland, and although they appear for only a short time, they establish a feeling of unease as the father’s approach to the finding betrays his desire to impart knowledge unhindered by his wife and daughter’s opinions. This unease is reflected in various relationships as the case, and the causes of additional murders, develop.

Cormac’s romantic past complicates his life, at the same time as drawing one relationship to what now seems to be a close. Others are also ending, and new beginnings are suggested. The twists that accompany the investigations into the murders are logical, well developed, and although startling, are not confected merely to lead the reader astray.

The importance of integrity, personal and public is the overwhelming theme in this novel, as is the feeling of unease about some of the male /female relationships. These are subtle, rather than dramatic, and stronger because they, like difficult relationships outside fiction, become part of the fabric of society, or in this case, the novel. Once again, Dervla McTiernan has demonstrated her ability to not only develop an intriguing criminal case to solve but has produced social commentary that is woven neatly into the plot. Finishing a novel by this discerning writer as usual leaves me wanting to read the next one. As soon as possible!

Cormac Reilly is back and this reader is so happy!! After some standalone books, Dervla has come back to our favourite Irish detective and he has one doozy of a case on his hands. I always love how many strands there are happening in this authors books, always multiple storylines that keep readers interested and guessing . Nothing is ever obvious in these cases and there is so much mystery.

Cormac is living alone in Galway, just plodding along. He has been approached about a new job in a new division but he isn’t sure if he wants it. He is called a location where a body has been found in a bog. Is it recent or historical? Who is this man and how did he end up here? At the same time, Cormacs ex girlfriend contacts him out of the blue asking him for help. More bodies are found, are they the same killer or copycat?

I don’t know when Cormac gets any sleep! He is always so busy working ion so many things at once. Emma coming back into his life brings up a lot of emotions and memories for him and he starts to realise that he is stuck in a rut. I always love reading these books and I never pick the killer.

Thank you so much to Harper Collins Australia for my early copy of this book, I devoured it! Publishes on April 30th.

The Unquiet Grave by Dervla McTiernan

The Unquiet Grave is book four in the DS Cormac Reilly series. I have read all of Dervla's books, and I am a huge fan.

The Unquiet Grave establishes a slow-building tension and continues Cormac's relentless pursuit of justice. A corpse is found in a bog in Galway; at first, it's presumed that it's a well-preserved relic, and the unusual injuries suggest human sacrifice and torture. Right when Cormac is sure that he has found the killer, another mutilated body is discovered, and then another. Is this a serial killer at work?

Set several years after The Good Turn, Cormac still hasn't put down roots in his new home; following his break-up, his girlfriend, Emma, contacts him seeking help to find her missing husband. This side story helps humanise Cormac, and the two stories intertwine at the end, and some closure on Cormac's relationship with Emma.

I started to believe there might be a new off-shoot series when Cormac's side-kick Garda Peter Fisher contemplates a move to the Australian outback (come on! That would be AWESOME), something happens at the end of the book that would either throw a spanner in that or speed it along but SPOILERS.

I've got my ticket to see Dervla McTiernan in Conversation with @JPPomare at the end of the month; I can't wait to ask her about a Peter Fisher spin-off.

A big thumbs up 👍

Body count: 3

Thank you to Harper Collins Au and NetGalley for giving me an ARC to review; The Unquiet Grave by Dervla McTiernan is out on April 30 2025.

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Book #4 - another brilliant engrossing mystery & thriller! The characters are well written and I hope we still get to read more of DS Cormac Reilly.

I really loved this series!

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher HarperCollins Publishers Australia for the ARC.

What a brilliant read. It was so good to be back in Galway and in the world of Cormac Reilly.

Cormac and his team have their work cut out for them when a body is discovered in the bogs. Firstly determining if the body is historical or more recent, then trying to sort out the conflicting information about the victim. Was he liked or despised?

Two more bodies being found over the next couple of days don't help matters and it's hard to tell if they are connected or copycat crimes.

I loved how there were many story threads in this book that kept me on my toes and wondering how and if they were associated with our first victim.

As is always the case with Cormac he has so many things going on in his life, both professionally and personally. He is offered a new role that he doesn't feel he has much choice about accepting. I really feel for Cormac here as he knows he would be good at it but it will come at a cost.

Then there is Cormac's ex Emma, now married and pregnant. When she comes to Cormac for help when it appears her husband is missing, he will help her but it just makes him think about what they had, what he lost and what he may never have.

Cormac is a career detective and lives for his job. Honest to the core he may find himself in a position this time where he needs to act or turn a blind eye.

Dervla always writes taut, interesting, and plausible police procedurals and Cormac has easily become one of my favourite detectives to dive into a story with. There is a chance that the next one Dervla writes will be set in Australia. Fingers crossed!

This is the fourth book featuring Cormac Reilly and they are all fabulous stories with great pacing, intricate storylines and great characters that have a realism about them that makes these books so easy to read. If you haven't read them yet they are worth checking out.

Dervla McTiernan knows her Ireland and she also knows how to put together an excellent police procedural. The book begins with a grave in a peat bog, the first of many murders in a twisty turny story. Cormac is busy with this case when Emma pops up in his life again, needing his help. There are other story lines too, some of them apparently quite separate but the author ties them all up very neatly at the end.

This turns into one of those books you just do not want to put down. I hope the author is planning more Cormac Reilly for us to enjoy. She certainly leaves the end of this one open for a possible change of scene for him so fingers crossed.

Wow, what a thriller this book was.

This was a story about Cormac who was looking to solve a murder which then turned into three murders and the hunt for a possible serial killer. The book was very fast paced but enough for you to keep up with. I just wanted to keep turning those pages to find out what happens in the end. Cormac and his partner Peter were involved in a few cases in this book so there was always something happening, from domestic violence to murder.
The story involved Cormac’s ex partner who brought in a story of her own in this book, only for her new partner to assist Cormac with his case in the end to help solve the murders.
It will be very interesting to see in Cormac’s new role how he deals with what Peter did at the end. No spoilers of course, you will have to grab yourself a copy when the book is released to find out.
This story was full of twists and turns and you just never knew what was going to happen. I am very much an in the moment reader so don’t always thing about the end until it happens but the story was tied up very well in the end. Not a feat all authors can do well but Dervla McTiernan did not disappoint.
Do yourself a favour and grab this book when it is released. You won’t be disappointed at all, only from your lack of sleep for wanting to keep reading!

Thank you to Net Galley and Dervla McTiernan for providing a copy of this ARC to read and provide my honest feedback.

I will definitely be buying more of the authors books. This is the second one I have read of hers and I will definitely be looking at the others in this series for sure. Great storyteller and keeps you hooked on the edge of your seat.

Dervla McTiernan has once again written a marvellous Cormac Reilly story. Absolutely wonderful!

There are several plot threads that run through this story; at times I must admit I became confused and wondered where this was leading and how they were all linked. All the lot threads were interesting and captivating so it was wonderful how Dervla McTiernan wove them in and then portrayed all the connections! Very impressive.

The characterisations were excellent.


This review is based on a complimentary copy from HarperCollins Publishers Australia via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheUnquietGrave #NetGalley

At last, another Cormac Reilly crime mystery tale, The Unquiet Grave (2025) by Dervla McTiernan is a truly enjoyable Irish police procedural. A visiting family decide to go out on a bog in Galway to dig peat and end up discovering a body. Detective Sergeant Cormac Reilly is called in to investigate, eventually identifying the murder victim as a missing school principal. With no apparent leads or motive, Cormac is approached by his ex-girlfriend, Emma whose husband has gone missing. A second and then third murder in Dublin complicates the case, which is then transferred to another specialist taskforce. Meantime, Cormac is offered a promotion as his team focus is prioritised and the multiple cases competing for priority. A classic crime mystery, with its sophisticated mix of cases, fantastic characters, and vagaries of human nature make for a five star must-read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given. With thanks to HarperCollins Publishers Australia and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

When I started this book I realised that I had somehow missed the previous book in this series and that book had held information that would have been helpful when reading this. The books can be read as stand alones but why miss the back story of the characters.
A body is found in the marsh, the nipples have been removed and willow twigs inserted through cuts in the arms, the body turns out to be that of a local school teacher and when Cormac starts investigating he finds that no one liked the man. At the same time Cormac’s previous partner, Emily, comes to see him. She is now married and is expecting a child. Her Husband Finn is missing. As Cormac works on both cases he reflects on his time with Emily and realise he still has feelings for her. Then Cormacs boss offers him a promotion in the form of another position and to top it all off Peter, his side kick, has told Cormac he is moving to Australia.
As usual the writing is fabulous and you really connect with Cormac and his life.
Highly recommend
.
#TheUnquietGrave. #NetGalley

This is definitely the best book out of the Cormac Reilly series, the plot was interesting, Dervla's writing is tight, and the various side plots were done well. My only gripes would be that I wanted some plot points to be fleshed out more, especially Emma's plot with her husband, and Peter's situation. The ending also left me a little frustrated, the Cormac series tends to wrap up quite quickly, leaving plots to be tied up in a couple of paragraphs. It's still a good, fast, interesting read regardless, just felt myself wanting more.

Thank you HarperCollins Publishers Australia and NetGalley for my ARC!
All opinions are my own

‘What she was seeing was a human back, a curved spine, and a tangled mess that was human hair.’

Galway, Ireland. A body is found in a bog. While Cormac Reilly initially thinks it may be an historical find, evidence quickly points to a more recent death. The body belongs to Thaddeus Grey, a local school principal who disappeared two years earlier. He was murdered and his body subjected to ritual mutilation.

Who murdered Thaddeus Grey, and why?

In addition to this investigation, Cormac becomes involved in helping his former girlfriend Emma Sweeney, whose husband has disappeared in Paris. He is also under pressure to accept promotion, and his offsider Peter Fisher seems preoccupied.

But even as Cormac thinks he has identified Grey’s murderer, another mutilated body is found on the other side of Ireland. And then a third body. Is there a serial killer at work? And can Cormac find the murderer before anyone else is killed?

There are several separate strands to this story. While I had no difficulty fitting a couple of the strands together, I was less certain about a third. Of course, it all made sense by the end, and I remain in awe of Ms McTiernan’s ability to weave together such disparate threads.

Yes, I have enjoyed all of Ms McTiernan’s novels so far, but I particularly enjoy the Cormac Reilly series. I hope that there will soon be another
instalment.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

~~~~~~

I do enjoy Dervla McTiernan’s books. This is the 4th in her Cormac Reilly series and it doesn’t disappoint. In this story, Cormac is investigating the discovery of a body, disfigured in a specific manner, in the bog. A second body follows, and Cormac is left trying to determine what, if any, link there is between them. As usual, the book neatly combines elements of police procedural, and thriller, in keeping the reader trying to figure out what has happened, and who is responsible.
This is a book that is well worth reading if you’re a fan of Dervla McTiernan’s work. If you haven’t tried her books, it’s time to start.

Once again, Dervla McTiernan delivers an engrossing, well thought out novel with interesting characters, including the much loved Cormac Reilly. This is the fourth book in the series and I hope there will be many more to follow. Highly recommended. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is McTiernan at her finest, I think. It was refreshing and comforting to return to moody, misty, miserable Galway. The eldritch twist to the bog murders was genuinely creepy and the mystery unwound itself in a very satisfying and intriguing way - was interested in the answers from the very beginning. The ending felt a tiny bit rushed and so fell a little flat compared to the skillful building of the rest of the book, but honestly it was so atmospheric and compelling that it really didn’t matter. Probably my fave McTiernan so far, and I REALLY liked What Happened to Nina?