sarahjay
Written on Feb 1, 2016
From Tana French, author of the forthcoming novel The Hunter, “the most important crime novelist to emerge in the past 10 years” (The Washington Post), the New York Times bestseller called “the most stunning of her books” (The New York Times) and a finalist for the Edgar Award.
Back in 1985, Frank Mackey was a nineteen-year-old kid with a dream of escaping hisi family's cramped flat on Faithful Place and running away to London with his girl, Rosie Daly. But on the night they were supposed to leave, Rosie didn't show. Frank took it for granted that she'd dumped him-probably because of his alcoholic father, nutcase mother, and generally dysfunctional family. He never went home again. Neither did Rosie. Then, twenty-two years later, Rosie's suitcase shows up behind a fireplace in a derelict house on Faithful Place, and Frank, now a detective in the Dublin Undercover squad, is going home whether he likes it or not.
- ISBN10 0143119494
- ISBN13 9780143119494
- Publish Date 28 June 2011 (first published 1 June 2010)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Publisher Penguin Putnam Inc
- Imprint Penguin USA
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 416
- Language English
- URL https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780143119494
Reviews
ibeforem
Written on Apr 16, 2012
This book is every bit as good as In the Woods and The Likeness were. Like those, on the surface this is a mystery, but deep down it is much more about the main character. French gives the gruff Mackey a surprising amount of depth. His reluctant return to the home of his youth shows us the motivations behind everything he does. We root for him despite his flaws and despite our inability to completely trust him. Solving the mystery is a bit like solving Frank.
I find it difficult to convey exactly what it is about French’s writing that pulls me in so completely. Part of it is the characters she creates. They’re just plain interesting, even the minor players. Another part of it is the dynamics between the characters. There are layers to every interaction.
I listened to the audio version of this book, and it was just as gorgeous as The Likeness was. Hearing the story in an Irish brogue lends it an extra touch of authenticity. I was sucked in from the very first chapter.
I was excited to discover that French’s fourth book, Broken Harbor, comes out this summer!
mrs_mander_reads
Written on Mar 29, 2012
empressbrooke
Written on Jul 18, 2010
It did have excellently realized characters though, and for the first time, I really FELT like these books were taking place in Ireland. I also zipped through it in two sittings, which is the fastest I've gotten through a book in a very long time. If I didn't have the first two to compare it to, I wouldn't have found a single flaw in it. It kept me at just enough distance, though, that I didn't feel like I was inside Frank Mackey's head, the way I felt I was in Rob's and Cassie's heads, and I didn't have to forcefully extricate myself from the pages when I was done.
I feel like I'm being unfairly negative, because it was a very good mystery, so I'll just blame it on Ms. French for being so startlingly good the first two times around.