The Searcher
The mesmerising new mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling author
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3.9 • 271 Ratings
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- £3.99
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
'Terrific - terrifying, amazing' STEPHEN KING
'Completely, indescribably magnificent' MARIAN KEYES
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A DISAPPEARANCE. A SMALL TOWN. A QUESTION THAT NEEDS ANSWERING...
Cal Hooper thought a fixer-upper in a remote Irish village would be the perfect escape. After twenty-five years in the Chicago police force, and a bruising divorce, he just wants to build a new life in a pretty spot with a good pub where nothing much happens.
But then a local kid comes looking for his help. His brother has gone missing, and no one, least of all the police, seems to care. Cal wants nothing to do with any kind of investigation, but somehow he can't make himself walk away.
Soon Cal will discover that even in the most idyllic small town, secrets lie hidden, people aren't always what they seem, and trouble can come calling at his door.
A gripping tale of breath-taking beauty and suspense that asks how we decide what's right and wrong in a world where neither is simple, and what we risk if we fail.
WINTER RICHARD AND JUDY BOOKCLUB PICK
THE SUNDAY TIMES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2021
THE TIMES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2021
FT BEST BOOK OF 2020
THE GUARDIAN BEST CRIME AND THRILLER BOOK OF 2020
THE TIMES THRILLER OF THE YEAR 2020
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'I'm a big fan of Tana French' IAN RANKIN
'I didn't want it to end' HARRIET TYCE
'To say Tana French is one of the great thriller writers is really too limiting. Rather she's simply this: a truly great writer' GILLIAN FLYNN
'Immersive and atmospheric ... Cal and Trey could very well be the new sort of heroes we need in this strange world' ARAMINTA HALL
'This is a tour de force of suspense and storytelling. Comes closer to perfection than anything I've read in the last decade' SARAH HILARY
'The Searcher is its own kind of masterpiece' WASHINGTON POST
'One of the most compulsive psychological mysteries since Donna Tartt's The Secret History' THE TIMES
'French offers a masterclass in unreliability' SUNDAY TIMES
'[Crime fiction's] biggest contemporary star' GUARDIAN
'One of the finest writers of contemporary crime fiction' THE DAILY MAIL
'An audacious departure for this immensely talented author . . . not to be missed' THE NEW YORK TIMES
'Nuanced and compelling' THE NEW YORKER
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Even moving halfway around the world can’t stop a true detective from doing what he does best. Seeking a fresh start, retired police investigator Cal Hooper relocates from Chicago to a ramshackle cottage in the Irish village of Ardnakelty. Soon, he strikes up a friendship with a teenage boy named Trey whose brother has gone missing—and none of the locals seem to remotely care. This pulls Cal into old habits as he digs into the circumstances of the boy’s disappearance and shakes things up in his adopted hometown. Fans of Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series will appreciate the change of pace of this mystery about a lone wolf who faces resistance from the suspicious locals at every turn. French is a master of creating an unsettling atmosphere that leaves you spooked without quite knowing why. The Searcher is just that kind of delicious creepy.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
After 25 years as a Chicago cop, Cal Hooper, the protagonist of this superb standalone from Edgar winner French (The Witch Elm), decided he needed a change. So he moved to a village in the West of Ireland, "no bigger than the little end of nothing," where people leave their doors unlocked. After three months, his prosaic new life ends when he's sought out by 12-year-old Trey Reddy, who has learned of Hooper's former profession. Trey fears something bad has happened to his 19-year-old brother, Brendan, who hasn't been seen in about six months. Because their mother, Sheila, is convinced Brendan took off on his own, Trey hasn't gone to the police, though the boy's certain his brother wouldn't have done that. Despite Hooper's cynicism ("Anyone could do anything," he thinks), he agrees to look into the matter, starting with questioning Sheila. The more Hooper digs, the more he finds that his new community conceals dark secrets. Insightful characterizations, even of minor figures, and a devastating reveal help make this a standout. Crime fiction fans won't want to miss this one.
Customer Reviews
A great read
Beautifully written with engaging characters.
Searcher by Tana French
The story line was so expertly beguiling. It hoiked me in and wouldn’t let me go. Loved it.
What’s next Tana?
The Searcher
Very readable