A stunning murder mystery, yes, Tana French has awards that say so, but as with all her novels it is so much more. An exploration of friendship, the deep do-or-die kind, and an intricate peek into the teenage psyche, a forgotten world for many of us. It steps right up to the cusp of the supernatural, it draws you in and sweeps you along. Told partly in first person by Stephen Moron, who we know from a previous book (which you do not have to read to enjoy this) and partly as the narrative of what happened the year before, the events lead slowly and inevitably to a killing. It is a beautiful book, a compelling book, an amazing book. And check out her others; they’re amazing too.
The photo shows a boy who was murdered a year ago. The caption says, 'I KNOW WHO KILLED HIM'. Detective Stephen Moran hasn't seen Holly Mackey since she was a nine-year-old witness to the events of Faithful Place. Now she's sixteen and she's shown up outside his squad room, with a photograph and a story. Even in her exclusive boarding school, in the graceful golden world that Stephen has always longed for, bad things happen and people have secrets. The previous year, Christopher Harper, from the neighbouring boys' school, was found murdered on the grounds. And today, in the Secret Place - the school noticeboard where girls can pin up their secrets anonymously - Holly found the card. Solving this case could take Stephen onto the Murder squad. But to get it solved, he will have to work with Detective Antoinette Conway - tough, prickly, an outsider, everything Stephen doesn't want in a partner. And he will have to find a way into the strange, charged, mysterious world that Holly and her three closest friends inhabit and disentangle the truth from their knot of secrets, even as he starts to suspect that the truth might be something he doesn't want to hear.
Stephen King knows who killed him. 'It's terrific - terrifying, amazing, and the prose is incandescent'
Kate Mosse knows who killed him. ‘Gripping and ingenious.'
Sophie Hannah knows. 'The thing Tana French does better than almost any living crime writer is create suspense.'
DO YOU?
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'An absolutely mesmerising read' - Gillian Flynn
'A gripping read for those still pining for Gone Girl' Elle magazine - Top 5 Beach Read
Author
About Tana French
Tana French grew up in Ireland, Italy, the US and Malawi, and has lived in Dublin since 1990. She trained as an actress at Trinity College, Dublin, and has worked in theatre, film and voiceover.
