The Trespasser by Tana French
Okay, The Trespasser is easily hands down the best book, not just of the Dublin Murder Squad series, but one of the top books I have ever read. I was hesitant after The Secret Place; I was wondering if French had lost the touch that made me fall for the earlier novels, but no, I was wrong. The Trespasser is the best whodunit since Murder on the Orient Express. I could read this over and over and still love it as much, if not more as I do in this moment.
Detective Antoinette Conway is this close to leaving the murder squad. She does not receive respect from anyone except her partner, Stephen Moran; she is constantly harassed; she is left out of squad jokes and activities. She is sure that she is ready to leave. But before that happens, she is handed the murder of Aislinn Murray. It should be a quick solve. Aislinn's boyfriend was due at the house at the time of the murder, although he swears he never entered the house. There are time gaps in his alibi and CCTV has picked him up in places around the house before then, even though that was supposed to be his first time going to her house. But Moran keeps throwing out theories, and with Conway second guessing everything due to harassment making her paranoid, she does not know what to think. Aislinn's friend mentioned that there might have been another guy, but refuses to say more. And now their is a man stalking Conway's house. Conway is uncertain if this case is just another stepping stone in the squad pushing her off, or if this case really is more than what it seems.
I cannot express how happy I am that French went back to just one POV in this novel. I was really scared that it was going to do the back and forth thing again, either between characters or timelines or both. While I like that with some novels, I have appreciated French staying away from that. I also love that there was no supernatural aspect to this book. I feel like that part of the plot in The Secret Place really took away from what the book was about.
But what makes this book so masterful is that you do not know the motive for why Aislinn was murdered. Was it because Rory is just crazy and killed her? Did she do something to upset him? Did he find out that he was not the only man in her life? Or was there even a second boyfriend, or did her friend make him up? Was Aislinn involved with a gang member? Is her murder somehow linked to the disappearance of her father when she was a little girl? There were so many possibilities as to why she could have be killed, and they all seemed to have enough of a possibility of happening. But what is even better is the real reason of why she was killed. French kept that motive a nice little secret until she was ready to reveal it to the readers.
Aislinn, as a murder victim, is very interesting. She is described as beautiful, but in a very generic way. Her house is extremely cutesy, but does not have much personality. The most interesting thing in the house is her collection of books on gangs and missing people. Her best friend describes her as a little naive. But when Aislinn's story comes out, you learn that she was actually extremely smart and would have probably made a good detective or undercover. Aislinn's mistake was that she was too invested in revenge. Her character, although dead, makes the most progress as a character in my opinion.
Conway and Moran are very interesting too. This is the first time since In the Woods and The Likeness that French has used a more prominent character from another book, but I love it. I liked seeing how their partnership and friendship have expanded in the months since they worked the case from The Secret Place. The chemistry between them (as partners) was very strong then, and it still is. Moran has accepted that he is an underdog in the squad because of his relationship with Conway, the squad leper, but he is okay with that. He likes Conway, they work well together, and he is there to solve murders, not be an ass. He does not stand up for Conway, but she also does not tell him everything that happens, and she appreciates that he lets her handle these battles on her own, even if it is taking a toll on her. I feel that after the events of the book, he would be more likely to make sure that she isn't to be messed with.
There was one bit that I was not a big fan on: Conway's stalker. I completely understand that Conway has no care to find out who her father is; he made a choice to not be in her life, and she has made it this long without him. But when you find out that your father has been stalking you for the last week or so and you have finally cornered him, you would really refuse to give him 30 minutes and only ask him how he found you? And then he is not mentioned after she tells Moran about him? There was all this build up about who it could be and how it matched the description of a person that was seen outside Aislinn's home, and then he only acts as a catalyst to bring Conway and Moran back together after a fight so that they can figure out what really happened to Aislinn. I mean, that is huge, don't get me wrong. But her stalker father isn't even an after thought after that. But after the brilliance of the rest of the book, I don't care.
I am serious when I say that this is as good as Murder on the Orient Express. The whole series feel like a modern day Agatha Christie, who is one of my favorite authors. I really hope that this series continues. There are possibilities with different floaters from this crime, or even people from other novels that played minor roles. At this point, I would read anything French published. She is a brilliant writer that has a way of constructing characters and plots in the most intricate of ways, and I would consider her one of the best authors I have ever read.
Rating: 10/10
Author: Tana French
Series: Dublin Murder Squad (Book 6 of 6)
Genres: Crime, Fiction, Mystery
Dates Read: April 19-25, 2019
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| (Source: Kelsey Darling) |
I cannot express how happy I am that French went back to just one POV in this novel. I was really scared that it was going to do the back and forth thing again, either between characters or timelines or both. While I like that with some novels, I have appreciated French staying away from that. I also love that there was no supernatural aspect to this book. I feel like that part of the plot in The Secret Place really took away from what the book was about.
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| (Source: Giphy) |
"Part of me is actually growing some respect for Aislinn Murray. The core idea is idiotic shite, but the way she went about it: fair play to her. She wasn't the limp blog I pictured on that first day in her house, or the pushed-around kid I felt sorry for a minute ago. She was training, taking her time and doing whatever it took, to do some pushing of her own." (p. 343)
Aislinn, as a murder victim, is very interesting. She is described as beautiful, but in a very generic way. Her house is extremely cutesy, but does not have much personality. The most interesting thing in the house is her collection of books on gangs and missing people. Her best friend describes her as a little naive. But when Aislinn's story comes out, you learn that she was actually extremely smart and would have probably made a good detective or undercover. Aislinn's mistake was that she was too invested in revenge. Her character, although dead, makes the most progress as a character in my opinion.
Conway and Moran are very interesting too. This is the first time since In the Woods and The Likeness that French has used a more prominent character from another book, but I love it. I liked seeing how their partnership and friendship have expanded in the months since they worked the case from The Secret Place. The chemistry between them (as partners) was very strong then, and it still is. Moran has accepted that he is an underdog in the squad because of his relationship with Conway, the squad leper, but he is okay with that. He likes Conway, they work well together, and he is there to solve murders, not be an ass. He does not stand up for Conway, but she also does not tell him everything that happens, and she appreciates that he lets her handle these battles on her own, even if it is taking a toll on her. I feel that after the events of the book, he would be more likely to make sure that she isn't to be messed with.
 |
| (Source: Giphy) |
I am serious when I say that this is as good as Murder on the Orient Express. The whole series feel like a modern day Agatha Christie, who is one of my favorite authors. I really hope that this series continues. There are possibilities with different floaters from this crime, or even people from other novels that played minor roles. At this point, I would read anything French published. She is a brilliant writer that has a way of constructing characters and plots in the most intricate of ways, and I would consider her one of the best authors I have ever read.
 |
| (Source: Giphy) |
Author: Tana French
Series: Dublin Murder Squad (Book 6 of 6)
Genres: Crime, Fiction, Mystery
Dates Read: April 19-25, 2019
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