Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) -
Helpful Score: 2
Tana French's books get categorized under murder mysteries at the book stores and libraries. In some ways, this is entirely accurate, since they are all about members of the Dublin Murder Squad. In another sense, this negatively prejudices potential readers who are not fans of that genre, since Ms. French actually writes incredible character studies about people who happen to be members of the police.
In "The Trespasser", Ms. French continues her tradition of taking supporting characters from one book and giving them the spotlight in her current one. However, she twists the concept by using the same leads from her last book, "Faithful Place", Antoinette Conway and Stephen Moran , but telling the tale from Conway's perspective rather than Moran's as in the prior book. The cast is rounded out with other members of the squad and a few suspects and potential witnesses.
One thing I dread about Ms. French's books is their length this one was spread over 18 CDs in the audio edition I listened to. However, a large part of her books is the detailed interplay between the police and witnesses / suspects. One might be able to "edit" a 20 minute symphony by removing some aspects of the music, but the overall piece would be lesser from their absence. In the same fashion, Ms. French's ability to "conduct" an interview (pun not intended, but I'll go with it) would leave less of an impact had the conversation been shortened for publication. Each sentence, each word, and each nuance helps reflect the characters and the methods by which they are revealed.
For once, I actually figured out "whodunnit" in one of Ms. French's mysteries. I found that this did NOT lessen my enjoyment of the book, as (a) I'm usually wrong so was waiting for the point where the author pulled the rug out from under me, and (b) I totally missed out on HOW the killer was outed.
So, why are you wasting your time reading my ramblings about this book when you could be out there reading the book itself?
RATING: 5 stars. Even by the high standards set by Tana French in her earlier works.
In "The Trespasser", Ms. French continues her tradition of taking supporting characters from one book and giving them the spotlight in her current one. However, she twists the concept by using the same leads from her last book, "Faithful Place", Antoinette Conway and Stephen Moran , but telling the tale from Conway's perspective rather than Moran's as in the prior book. The cast is rounded out with other members of the squad and a few suspects and potential witnesses.
One thing I dread about Ms. French's books is their length this one was spread over 18 CDs in the audio edition I listened to. However, a large part of her books is the detailed interplay between the police and witnesses / suspects. One might be able to "edit" a 20 minute symphony by removing some aspects of the music, but the overall piece would be lesser from their absence. In the same fashion, Ms. French's ability to "conduct" an interview (pun not intended, but I'll go with it) would leave less of an impact had the conversation been shortened for publication. Each sentence, each word, and each nuance helps reflect the characters and the methods by which they are revealed.
For once, I actually figured out "whodunnit" in one of Ms. French's mysteries. I found that this did NOT lessen my enjoyment of the book, as (a) I'm usually wrong so was waiting for the point where the author pulled the rug out from under me, and (b) I totally missed out on HOW the killer was outed.
So, why are you wasting your time reading my ramblings about this book when you could be out there reading the book itself?
RATING: 5 stars. Even by the high standards set by Tana French in her earlier works.
Helpful Score: 1
When does an unreliable narrator (or perspective character) become not just unreliable, but unbearable ... ?
My track record with Tana French is going rapidly downhill: I found "In The Woods" frustrating, but intriguing. I loathed "The Likeness," and when I finished it, I felt like joining a class-action suit for compensation for the hours of my life that I lost on it. I really liked "Faithful Place," as a picture of a working-class Dublin family and its neighbours-- but ultimately thought that the mystery was a damp squib, and very disappointing.
I picked this up in a charity shop, and it's charity shops that I blame for my misguided attempts to give authors who have disappointed me just one more chance ... (I don't blame ME: I am the innocent victim here, you understand ...) I think, everyone raves about her, she must have gotten good, worked out the kinks. But no ...
You might think I would enjoy this, as Antoinette Conway shares my weakness for doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Behave like a loose cannon, and suffer the professional and personal consequences of loose-cannondom. Rinse and repeat. Refuse to be a team player, and whine endlessly about being excluded from the team ... I read enough to decide that, however obnoxious and laddish her colleagues on the Murder Squad might be, a) what did she expect when aspiring to be part of the Murder Squad, colleagues with the temperaments and manners of Trappist monks? And b) she is herself obnoxious and self-centered enough that, however sexist her colleagues may be, perhaps just this once they have a point.
My track record with Tana French is going rapidly downhill: I found "In The Woods" frustrating, but intriguing. I loathed "The Likeness," and when I finished it, I felt like joining a class-action suit for compensation for the hours of my life that I lost on it. I really liked "Faithful Place," as a picture of a working-class Dublin family and its neighbours-- but ultimately thought that the mystery was a damp squib, and very disappointing.
I picked this up in a charity shop, and it's charity shops that I blame for my misguided attempts to give authors who have disappointed me just one more chance ... (I don't blame ME: I am the innocent victim here, you understand ...) I think, everyone raves about her, she must have gotten good, worked out the kinks. But no ...
You might think I would enjoy this, as Antoinette Conway shares my weakness for doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Behave like a loose cannon, and suffer the professional and personal consequences of loose-cannondom. Rinse and repeat. Refuse to be a team player, and whine endlessly about being excluded from the team ... I read enough to decide that, however obnoxious and laddish her colleagues on the Murder Squad might be, a) what did she expect when aspiring to be part of the Murder Squad, colleagues with the temperaments and manners of Trappist monks? And b) she is herself obnoxious and self-centered enough that, however sexist her colleagues may be, perhaps just this once they have a point.
OMG who writes these glowing reviews on her books?
Everyone has the right to their own opinion!
This was so boring in the first 50 pages I just couldn't see it getting any better, just too wordy that didn't make a bit of sense!
Everyone has the right to their own opinion!
This was so boring in the first 50 pages I just couldn't see it getting any better, just too wordy that didn't make a bit of sense!
Eadie B. (eadieburke) -
Book Description
In bestselling Tana French's newest "tour de force,"* being on the Murder squad is nothing like Detective Antoinette Conway dreamed it would be. Her partner, Stephen Moran, is the only person who seems glad she's there. The rest of her working life is a stream of thankless cases, vicious pranks, and harassment. Antoinette is savagely tough, but she's getting close to the breaking point.
Their new case looks like yet another by-the-numbers lovers' quarrel gone bad. Aislinn Murray is blond, pretty, groomed to a shine, and dead in her catalogue-perfect living room, next to a table set for a romantic dinner. There's nothing unusual about her--except that Antoinette's seen her somewhere before.
And that her death won't stay in its neat by-numbers box. Other detectives are trying to push Antoinette and Steve into arresting Aislinn's boyfriend, fast. There's a shadowy figure at the end of Antoinette's road. Aislinn's friend is hinting that she knew Aislinn was in danger. And everything they find out about Aislinn takes her further from the glossy, passive doll she seemed to be.
Antoinette knows the harassment has turned her paranoid, but she can't tell just how far gone she is. Is this case another step in the campaign to force her off the squad, or are there darker currents flowing beneath its polished surface?
My Review
Tana French has drawn an excellent character in Antoinette Conway. She is a very tough detective on the Dublin murder squad but through harassment from the other male squad members she is becoming very paranoid. Along with her partner, Steve Moran, she struggles to find the solution to the murder of Aislinn Murray. French writes with such detail she gives us an opportunity to see and feel what it's like to be a member of the murder squad. Her writing is excellent and she does get wordy but she takes you on a complex, emotional and suspenseful ride like no other. This is the 6th book in the series and in order to get the full impact of her characters it's best to start with the 1st book, In The Woods, and see how her writing progresses. I'm looking forward to her next book and I would highly recommend this series to those people who like complex murder mysteries.
In bestselling Tana French's newest "tour de force,"* being on the Murder squad is nothing like Detective Antoinette Conway dreamed it would be. Her partner, Stephen Moran, is the only person who seems glad she's there. The rest of her working life is a stream of thankless cases, vicious pranks, and harassment. Antoinette is savagely tough, but she's getting close to the breaking point.
Their new case looks like yet another by-the-numbers lovers' quarrel gone bad. Aislinn Murray is blond, pretty, groomed to a shine, and dead in her catalogue-perfect living room, next to a table set for a romantic dinner. There's nothing unusual about her--except that Antoinette's seen her somewhere before.
And that her death won't stay in its neat by-numbers box. Other detectives are trying to push Antoinette and Steve into arresting Aislinn's boyfriend, fast. There's a shadowy figure at the end of Antoinette's road. Aislinn's friend is hinting that she knew Aislinn was in danger. And everything they find out about Aislinn takes her further from the glossy, passive doll she seemed to be.
Antoinette knows the harassment has turned her paranoid, but she can't tell just how far gone she is. Is this case another step in the campaign to force her off the squad, or are there darker currents flowing beneath its polished surface?
My Review
Tana French has drawn an excellent character in Antoinette Conway. She is a very tough detective on the Dublin murder squad but through harassment from the other male squad members she is becoming very paranoid. Along with her partner, Steve Moran, she struggles to find the solution to the murder of Aislinn Murray. French writes with such detail she gives us an opportunity to see and feel what it's like to be a member of the murder squad. Her writing is excellent and she does get wordy but she takes you on a complex, emotional and suspenseful ride like no other. This is the 6th book in the series and in order to get the full impact of her characters it's best to start with the 1st book, In The Woods, and see how her writing progresses. I'm looking forward to her next book and I would highly recommend this series to those people who like complex murder mysteries.
