by Kristen B.

Reading a Tana French novel is a bit like riding an old-fashioned roller coaster. First, you have the huge anticipation of slowly, so slowly, tracking up that first big hill, complete with some hitches and wiggles to keep things interesting. Then, the pause at the top before plummeting down headlong into the fast thrills of bumps and twists and loops.

French excels at that slow build of nerves and excitement, teasing you along the way with hints of danger and drama. Her latest, The Hunter, continues the story of American ex-cop Cal Hooper, retired to the west of Ireland, and local teenager Trey Reddy. It picks up two years after the events of The Searcher (Chapter Chats review), with the two still in close contact doing carpentry and other projects. The “townland” figures Cal as a decent foster parent for young Trey and approves of her having a path toward responsible adulthood. Lena Dunne provides the other part of this found family unit, along with the dogs.

All is well until Trey’s dad, Johnny Reddy, blows back into Ardnakelty talking treasure. Sure, and it’s an awful hot summer with no rain with everyone looking for a little distraction. Playing along with Johnny’s con seems like a grand opportunity – even if only for its entertainment value. But matters don’t stay there (because they never do), and the stakes are steeper than anyone realizes.

Still waters run deep, and Trey has never forgiven or forgotten how things ended two years ago. To her, the whole new situation seems, as most cons are, too good to pass up. She’s after the chance to get back a little of her own. The decisions that affect her relationships with the adults in her life – in her families of birth and choice – offer a rare and wonderful study of a traumatized young woman on the edge of adulthood. The Hunter, at its base, is Trey’s book, and it shines even without all the other shenanigans.

This book follows the first one fairly closely if you want to appreciate all the nuances, but you could read it on its own. Most of the characters from The Searcher return, in fine form and fettle. The language and dialogue evoke the rhythms of small town life, especially how there are no real secrets – and ones that remain could be worth their weight in gold, literally.

There’s a bit of a holds list, so you might want to borrow The Searcher first anyways – available in print, large print, e-book, e-audiobook, and audiobook on CD. (Sure, and it will be good fer ya.)

The Hunter by Tana French is available in print, large print, e-book, e-audiobook, and audiobook on CD.

Kristen B. is a devoted bookworm lucky enough to work as the graphic designer for HCLS. She likes to read, stitch, dance, and watch baseball (but not all at the same time).