The Searcher

This was a slow burn, which generally I don't mind, and there were moments of great writing, but it let me down as a mystery. The issue was in the plotting. The inciting incident and the climax are so subtle they blend right into the rest of the story. The “big reveal” left me wondering “is that all?” and there weren't really any surprises in the end. It felt particularly pointless afterwards, as there is no meting out of justice, which leaves some dark grey areas not dealt with. I love Ireland and wish the book made me love it more, but it made small town Ireland feel pretty bleak, and the people feel pretty shallow and selfish. Overall, I was in it for the writing but the story didn't leave me with that satisfied feeling I hope to get from mysteries.