Name: Mazie Caudill

Job title: Information services assistant for the Jackson County Public Library

What’s the name of the book and author you are recommending?

“The Searcher” by Tana French

What made you want to pick up the book in the first place?

I had previously read some of Tana French’s work and I enjoyed it. I wanted to check out more of her books and I was intrigued by the premise of this one.

Once you got into the book, what made you want to keep reading it?

I love the twist on mystery that she delivers. This book in particular was a very slow burn but I thought that helped raise the intensity. It builds and builds and you want to see what will cause everything to come to a head. Plus, the characters are rich, interesting and realistic. There are many different dynamics explored and all are compelling.

What is this book about?

Retired detective Cal Hooper decides he wants a slower life so he moves to a village in Ireland. The village is small and everyone that lives there knows everything about each other. As he fixes up the cottage he purchased on a whim, he is dragged back into the life of a detective when local kid Trey Reddy comes to him for help to lok for Trey’s missing brother. Cal begins to suspect this town has a lot of secrets and he’s pretty sure some of those involve the missing boy.

Why would you recommend this book to others?

While also being an interesting mystery, “The Searcher” explores human relationships and gives an authentic and fun look into the lives of small town Irish people. If you like well-written prose, complex characters and found family, this could be the book for you.