February 5, 2024
Edgar winner French’s slow-burn sequel to 2015’s The Searcher underlines her knack for setting and character development. Teenager Trey Reddy is less than pleased by her ne’er-do-well father Johnny’s unexpected return to the small Irish village of Ardnakelty to execute a get-rich-quick scheme he believes will finally enable him to provide for his family. On a recent visit to a London pub, Johnny claims to have spoken up when a stranger asked whether anyone present was from Ardnakelty; the man, Cillian Rushborough, then revealed to him that the village was home to a hidden trove of gold. Johnny’s account is met with skepticism from Cal Hooper, the ex-Chicago cop who retired to the village and became a surrogate father to Trey after the events of The Searcher. Cal’s suspicion proves warranted, and Rushborough’s subsequent arrival in Ardnakelty sets in motion a series of crimes, including a murder, that upend Cal’s and Trey’s once peaceful existence. While this isn’t quite up to French’s best—the gears of the plot take too long to start turning—it’s a pleasure to spend time with her finely drawn characters, and the murder investigation, when it finally gets underway, has impressive scope. This may be a step down from its predecessor, but it’s still a cut above similar fare. Agent: Darley Anderson, Darley Anderson Literary.
June 1, 2024
French's follow-up to The Searcher returns with familiar characters, including former Chicago police detective Cal Hooper, who has retired to a small village in Ireland. He's involved with a local woman, Lena, and has taken on a bright teenage girl named Trey as his carpenter's assistant. Cal and Trey repair and restore old furniture, giving her much-needed marketable skills. Then Trey's ne'er-do-well father comes home unexpectedly with a get-rich scheme bound to go wrong. He spins a legend about gold being found in the local river and enlists the support of a posh Englishman eager to gain access to the nearby farmland so he can start digging. The whole enterprise is a scam, and when there's a reckoning, Cal and Lena must act quickly to extricate themselves and Trey from danger. Roger Clark narrates beautifully, deftly moving from American to Irish accents and providing an engaging presentation of French's well-paced dialogue and full-bodied characters. VERDICT French's slow-burn mystery about small-town insularity, loyalty, and vengeance captivates. French's many fans will have this on their lists, but it's a great fit for fans of Gillian Flynn and Jane Harper, too.--Joanna M. Burkhardt
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