French continues the story of Cal Hooper, making a home for himself in Ardnakelty, a small rural village in western Ireland. See my review of French’s first book of this series, The Searcher (https://www.margueritereads.com/home/the-searcher-by-tana-french?rq=tana%20french). Cal, an American, retired Chicago police officer, is now two and a half years on to making his home here. He has developed a steady romantic relationship with Lena, a local widowed woman. His relationship with Trey, local teenage girl from a poor home, develops, teaching her carpentry skills, and basic behaviors like manners and respect. They work together well, enjoying the peaceful quiet of the projects. Trey, with true need of stability and gentle guidance that Cal and Lena offer her, is coming along well, although thoughts of her missing brother, Brendan are never far from her. Enter her ne’er-do-well father Johnny, absent from the family for four years now, bringing an Englishman who claims to have roots in the town. The townland people have a firm distrust of outsiders, eyeing even Dubliners with suspicion. Johnny has a long reputation for lying and petty infractions, a local guy everyone knows to be wary of. The red flags are up as everyone wonders what could be afoot.

Cal and Lena are especially alert and annoyed, as they have worked to help Trey make progress, building her character, provide kindness and stability, and give the girl a chance in life. They realize that this man may hold sway with her, and may selfishly lead her to actions that will only cause her harm. The local men get drawn into Johnny’s plan to make money off the Englishman, who suspects their mountain of having a gold deposit, based on stories from his old granny. Some suspect that Johnny has a double-cross going on, and Cal goes along with the scam, to keep a closer eye, concerned about the blowback for Trey. When the Englishman winds up dead, obviously murdered, the stakes for all involved are greatly heightened.

French does an excellent job at depicting the intricacies of rural Irish townfolk, the loyalties, balance of power, and closing of ranks against outsiders. Cal quickly sees the risk he runs, the possible consequences for Trey, and the careful steps he must take to stay true to his principles, keep those he cares about safe, and his personal risks. The action takes place in the truely beautiful landscape of central Ireland, suffering in the midst of a summer with no rain. The unending heat, a great concern to sheep farmers throughout the region, raises the pressure on all suspects. Some farmers were ripe for a scammer, as they are all fearful that the heat could mean a great financial loss. The hope that gold could underlie their family land, owned for generations, despite their common sense, leaves some vulnerable to such a scheme. French builds suspense very effectively, until the climax we suspected, but enjoy nonetheless. French is a gifted author, and this series is excellent.