The Hunter

The Atlantic headline of the book review for the Hunter was “Tana French has broken the murder mystery...can she put it back together?”

I didn't read their review, but the answer is no, she can't. Look, I get her point: glorification of police is causing political problems in real life and it feels dirty to keep writing police books. But then just...stop. Don't do this, it's sad and it's more sad because we all know how talented Tana French can be.

Since there is literally no plot for the first 179 pages, I spent a lot of time thinking about where Tana French went wrong with the non Dublin Murder Squad books. Yes, it's rural, which is usually not of high interest to me, but the Witch Elm was urban and not much better. I think it's that I really don't care very much about Cal Hooper and Trey Reddy and Lena Dunne and Mart. They have no real interiority except a desire for peace, a shared reticence for speaking and a loose allegiance to the truth.

The plot starts on page 179, which you'd think would improve things, but it weirdly feels the need to close the loop at all times, so first Cal tells the narrator which lie he'll tell, then he tells it, then he tells Lena he told it, then he thinks about how Trey will feel about him telling it, then we hear about how Trey feels about him telling it and then Mart comes around and summarizes how the town feels. Over, and over and over again.

One could be forgiven for not realizing that this is supposed to be a murder mystery, even a post-modern one, since no one dies until page 275. It's not very mysterious, though, the murder and the motive were obvious to me less than a third of the way in the 100 pages between then and the reveal, simply because the book is so sparse that there was literally only one choice.

I never would have picked up a book about a retiree living on the countryside and navigativing his relationship with the townsfolk if it hadn't been written by Tana French, and I think, sadly after a third dud in a row, I'm done with Tana French.

The Hunter by Tana French is a compelling mystery novel that delves into the hidden depths of a close-knit Irish community. While some prior knowledge of the series opener, The Searcher, might enhance certain references, French expertly crafts a standalone story that allows new readers to dive right in.

The narrative unfolds at a steady pace, drawing the reader into the small-town atmosphere with immersive prose. Cal Hooper, the retired cop from Chicago, takes a backseat in this installment. Instead, the story revolves around an ensemble cast of residents, each with their own secrets and motivations. This shift in focus might not appeal to everyone who enjoyed Cal's central role in the first book.

French's talent for character development shines through. The townspeople become almost tangible, their struggles and complexities interwoven into the fabric of the mystery. The novel could be classified as a literary mystery, as it prioritizes character exploration alongside the central whodunit.

The Hunter is a captivating read for those who appreciate intricate characters and a strong sense of place. However, readers seeking a fast-paced, action-driven thriller might find the deliberate pacing a touch slow. Fans of the first book will likely find this sequel enjoyable, but the focus on the town itself over Cal might leave some wanting more from the retired detective.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Well that was intense! I'd say 10% mystery, 90% interpersonal intrigue. I did miss the Trey and Cal spending time getting to know each other and the more frequent cheeky shit-talking amongst the Irish villagers featured in the first of the series. This second novel definitely feels more serious, higher stakes, and it bothered me a bit, even as gray morality did feature in that first book, that both Cal and Lena, but mostly Trey, went a lot farther outside their standard codes and behaviours than I previously thought those characters would. I liked how things resolved, but this was a much more stressful reading experience than I generally prefer. I'm honestly not sure if this will be a series, feels more like a duology, a lot of tight connections to the first plot, and I'm not sure how you'd keep having murder mysteries in a village this close knit and original in their solutions. I think I've established enough interest to check out French's other works, in any case. Probably going to take break between them, though.