Tana French is a literary force, renowned for her gripping psychological thrillers and her masterful weaving of complex characters with haunting settings. Her protagonists are often deeply flawed, wrestling with their inner demons as they relentlessly pursue their investigations. As a writer, French says she is interested in “what's lurking underneath the surface with people. What they present to the world, but also how that intersects with who they really are, the good and the bad”.
French often uses Ireland as a backdrop and the setting becomes a character in itself. The country’s rich history and sometimes bleak landscapes seem to mirror the emotional turmoil within the characters in her stories.
The Dublin Murder Squad Series
Tana French is best known for her Dublin Murder Squad series. Each of the six novels in the series focuses on a different detective within the Dublin Murder Squad, tackling a new case that pushes them to their personal and professional limits. While the crimes themselves are central, it's the psychological exploration of the detectives and the lingering effects of the investigations that elevate the series.
Each book functions as a standalone novel with a self-contained mystery. However, subtle threads connect the characters within the overarching atmosphere of the Dublin Murder Squad throughout the series. French dives deep into the psyche of each detective, revealing their vulnerabilities and past traumas, and the detectives become as much a mystery as the crimes they attempt to solve.
While the books can be read in any order, this sequence below might allow you to better appreciate the character development:
In the Woods: The first novel introduces the Dublin Murder Squad and focuses on Detective Rob Ryan and his partner and best friend Cassie Maddox as they investigate the brutal murder of a young girl in the woods. The woods hold significance for Rob as the scene of a traumatic incident in his childhood that his colleagues are unaware of.
The Likeness: Detective Cassie Maddox, haunted by the events of In the Woods, goes undercover in a chilling investigation involving a missing girl who bears a striking resemblance to Cassie.
Faithful Place: In the third instalment in the Dublin Murder Squad series, detectives Frank Mackey and Stephen Moran investigate a murder in a seemingly ordinary suburban neighbourhood. When evidence related to a long-vanished girl is found in the abandoned townhouse of Frank's childhood, the investigation takes a chilling turn.
Broken Harbor: Mick Kennedy is the star of the Dublin Murder Squad. He plays by the books and plays hard, and that’s how the biggest case of the year ends up in his hands, that of a murder on one of the half-abandoned "luxury” developments that litter Ireland, in a neighbourhood that holds strong memories for Mick and his troubled sister.
The Secret Place: Detectives Stephen Moran and Antoinette Conway reopen a case of murder at a prestigious girls' boarding school, with the private underworld of teenage girls turning out to be more mysterious and more dangerous than the detectives could have imagined.
The Trespasser: Detectives Antoinette Conway and Steve Moran are assigned to what appears to be a simple case of domestic violence gone wrong. Conway, a seasoned detective, feels an immediate connection to the case. As the lone female detective on the Murder Squad, she's constantly battling sexism and disrespect. The case feels like a chance to prove herself, and yet things quickly become more complicated.
The Dublin Murder Squad series is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling and character development. French's exploration of the human psyche and the lingering darkness within seemingly ordinary lives will stay with you long after you finish the novels.
Outside of the Dublin Murder Squad series, a standalone novel by Tana French worth exploring is The Witch Elm (2018). This atmospheric novel explores family tragedy and its lingering effects on those left behind. Following a shocking incident, a family moves to a new house overshadowed by a massive, ancient elm tree. As they try to rebuild their lives, the secrets of the past and the unsettling presence of the tree begin to unravel their fragile peace.
In 2020, French wrote another novel called The Searcher, featuring Cal Hooper, a retired Chicago cop seeking a fresh start in a quiet Irish village. When a young boy goes missing, Cal becomes fixated on finding him, uncovering dark secrets within the seemingly idyllic community. His past as a detective and the haunting memories he carries resurface as he delves deeper into the mystery.
French’s latest 2024 novel “The Hunter” features Cal Hooper again as he becomes entangled in a new mystery along with characters from the previous book.