Just finished reading...

Faithful Place by Tana French.*

Tana French's first novel, In the Woods, was about Dublin Murder Squad detectives Cassie Maddox and Rob Ryan. Its followup, The Likeness was about Cassie's inauguration into the Undercover Squad, when the body of a woman found just outside Dublin turns out to be the detective's doppelganger. Her latest, Faithful Place has as its protagonist, Frank Mackey, another member of the Undercover Squad.

All three find a strong connection between occurrences of the past. Here, Frank Mackey's weekend with his 9-year-old daughter is interrupted by a phone call from his sister, insisting that he needs to come to his parents' home in Faithful Place right away. Frank is reluctant, not only because doesn't want to give up his time with Holly (and get grief from his ex-wife), but because he's been estranged from most of his immediate family for over 20 years.

When he finally does arrive at the house where he grew up, he learns that an old suitcase has been found hidden in a ramshackle house down the street, where they used to hang out as teens. The bag is eventually identified as having belonged to Frank's high school girlfriend, Rosie Daly, who disappeared 22 years earlier.

At that time, Rosie and Frank had made plans to run away to England together. When Rosie didn't turn up at the appointed place, Frank assumed he'd been dumped and headed to Dublin on his own, not returning until he receives Jackie's panicked call. On a whim, Frank searches the old house, and finds something buried in the basement, which turns out to be Rosie's body.

Knowing only that he didn't kill her himself, and that it was most likely someone from the Place, Frank sets out to determine who killed Rosie. He's hampered by the lead detective, who warns Frank to keep his distance because he's too involved in the case. Of course, Mackey keeps digging, and when the identity of the murder is revealed, it's a complete shock, though ultimately not a surprise.

This is the best of French's Dublin novels yet. She has a real talent for creating a believable first-person protagonist, whatever the gender. Highly recommended!

*Purchased for Sony reader.

Just finished reading...

Winter Bloom by Tara Heavey.*

Eva Madigan, a young single mother, has moved to Dublin with her son Liam to start life anew. Eva chose Dublin because she used to visit her grandmother there as a child.

While in a gourmet shop one day, the shopkeeper mentions that the elderly woman ahead of Eva in line is rumoured to have murdered her husband. A few days later, Eva saves Mrs. Prendergast, from a purse-snatcher, and as the older woman seems a little shaken, Eva insists that she and Liam walk her home. As they are leaving, Eva stops to look at Mrs. Prendergast's walled back garden, which is huge and badly in need of care. Although the woman was curiously ungrateful and brusque, Eva stops by a few days later to check on her anyway.

One of her reasons for stopping by is to ask if she can help Mrs. Prendergast with the garden, which is obviously too much for her. Eventually, the old woman agrees, and Eva puts up a notice in the grocery store for volunteers to help her.

There are only two responses, a retired tailor named Uri and a university student named Emily. Like Eva, they are trying to get over something from their past, and we slowly learn all their stories.

I discovered Heavey when I was in Ireland a few years ago, and picked up Making It Up as I Go Along on a whim. It was well-written and absorbing, so when I saw the e-galley of Winter Bloom I snapped it up. It's also well-written, and absorbed me for the duration of a long airplane trip.



*Downloaded in e-galley form from publisher's website.