According to the online booksellers, and probably anywhere else where her work is described, Tana French writes police procedural mysteries.
I disagree.
Tana French writes character studies of people who happen to be employed by the police. The murder investigation(s) contained within her books are more of a thread to interweave the various individuals of the novel, rather than the purpose of the work.
In "Faithful Place", Ms. French deals with a cop returning to his old neighborhood and estranged family when past events are dredged up in the present. (Literally - some sort of mystery has to be included so the book stores know which shelf to stock it on!) We learn of the family through the eyes of our protagonist, Frank Mackey. However, we also watch while he lives through events, so our opinions of them are sketched through his eyes and voice, rather than fully fleshed out for the reader.
In addition, it is clear in each of Ms. French's books that the characters are Irish - Dublin or the surrounding area feels like another supporting character in her novels. I don't want to read a fictional travelogue describing various tourist haunts when I pick up a novel, BUT I prefer books that don't have the feel that they can simply be set anywhere in the world without any changes to their plot or focus
One other recurring thread in Ms. French's works continues - a supporting character in one novel will become the lead character in her next one. This is true in Faithful Place, where we got to see snippets of Frank Mackey. AND it will continue in her next novel, in which Mick "Scorcher" Kennedy emerges from the sidelines of "Faithful Place" to become the focus of "Broken Harbor" (due to be released in the US any minute now).
NOTE: This review is based on the 13-CD audio version of the book (while my wife reads my copy of the paperback version).
I disagree.
Tana French writes character studies of people who happen to be employed by the police. The murder investigation(s) contained within her books are more of a thread to interweave the various individuals of the novel, rather than the purpose of the work.
In "Faithful Place", Ms. French deals with a cop returning to his old neighborhood and estranged family when past events are dredged up in the present. (Literally - some sort of mystery has to be included so the book stores know which shelf to stock it on!) We learn of the family through the eyes of our protagonist, Frank Mackey. However, we also watch while he lives through events, so our opinions of them are sketched through his eyes and voice, rather than fully fleshed out for the reader.
In addition, it is clear in each of Ms. French's books that the characters are Irish - Dublin or the surrounding area feels like another supporting character in her novels. I don't want to read a fictional travelogue describing various tourist haunts when I pick up a novel, BUT I prefer books that don't have the feel that they can simply be set anywhere in the world without any changes to their plot or focus
One other recurring thread in Ms. French's works continues - a supporting character in one novel will become the lead character in her next one. This is true in Faithful Place, where we got to see snippets of Frank Mackey. AND it will continue in her next novel, in which Mick "Scorcher" Kennedy emerges from the sidelines of "Faithful Place" to become the focus of "Broken Harbor" (due to be released in the US any minute now).
NOTE: This review is based on the 13-CD audio version of the book (while my wife reads my copy of the paperback version).
very interesting. hooks you in the beginning and does not let you go until the end.
