The Hunter, by Tana French

Tana French remains my favorite crime novelist. The Hunter gives me what I’ve come to expect: Vibrant characters, strong Irish setting, prose that shines, and a plot that takes you unexpected places, but without rushing to get there.

Moving away from the police procedurals where she got her start, French takes us back to Ardnakelty, the small town where retired American detective Cal Hooper moved to a few years ago, in The Searcher. You don’t need to read that one to appreciate this sequel, though the first book introduces characters we see again in The Searcher.

Cal is resolutely not doing police work these days. He’s dating Lena, the young widow, and he’s teaching carpentry to Trey, the urchin from up the mountain. There’s a quiet sameness to the days, which is just how Cal likes it.

And then Trey’s absent father reappears, singing a song about gold buried in land, and carrying a posh Englishman in tow.

I especially liked this book because I correctly guessed who the murderer was, for a damn change.

If you enjoy audiobooks, I implore you to listen to the narration of Roger Clark, who nails the American and Irish accents. It’s a pleasure to listen to him shape the cadences of French’s characters.