Broken Harbour - Softcover

French, Tana

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1444705113 ISBN 13: 9781444705119

Publisher: Hachette Books Ireland, 2013

Synopsis

'One of the most talented crime writers alive' Washington Post

'I've been enthusiastically telling everyone who will listen to read Tana French' Harlan Coben, author of Safe

Sometimes there is no safe place.
Nothing about the way this family lived shows why they deserved to die.
But here's the thing about murder: ninety-nine times out of a hundred, it doesn't break into people's lives.
It gets there because they open the door and invite it in...

In Broken Harbour, a ghost estate outside Dublin - half-built, half-inhabited, half-abandoned - two children and their father are dead. The mother is on her way to intensive care. Scorcher Kennedy is given the case because he is the Murder squad's star detective. At first he and his rookie partner, Richie, think this is a simple one: Pat Spain was a casualty of the recession, so he killed his children, tried to kill his wife Jenny, and finished off with himself. But there are too many inexplicable details and the evidence is pointing in two directions at once.

Scorcher's personal life is tugging for his attention. Seeing the case on the news has sent his sister Dina off the rails again, and she's resurrecting something that Scorcher thought he had tightly under control: what happened to their family, one summer at Broken Harbour, back when they were children. The neat compartments of his life are breaking down, and the sudden tangle of work and family is putting both at risk . . .

About this title

Review

'Tana French is one of modern Ireland's great novelists. Broken Harbour isn't just a wonderful mystery novel, it's also the era-defining post-Celtic Tiger novel the Irish literati have been crying out for.' (Declan Burke, Evening Herald)

'The queen of Irish fiction ... This is a writer working at the height of her powers. As always with Tana French, you can expect humour, pathos and well-observed social commentary, but above all, a cracking story that keeps you guessing until the end' (Sunday Independent)

'Broken Harbour is a complex, well crafted psychological thriller as well as an exemplary dissection of the plight of the disappointed and desperate human wreckage washed up in post-Celtic Tiger Ireland. As always, French's carefully wrought prose is a delight ... A hugely impressive and intelligent book, with writing to savour. It confirms French as the First Lady of Irish Crime.' (Irish Independent)

'Nothing short of a masterpiece. French's first three thrillers were all brilliant but this is by far her best and reaches a level of spine-chilling, gripping moreishness that will leave readers open-mouthed with admiration. If I encounter a better novel than Broken Harbour before French publishes her fifth, I'll eat a milliner's shop full of hats.' (Sophie Hannah, Daily Express)

'Gripping' (Image magazine)

'Establishing atmosphere is one of French's many strengths. Gradually, an emotionally jolting story of love, obsession and madness is played out to incredible effect. Since her first novel, In The Woods, was larded with awards in 2007 French has garnered a huge legion of fans and they will be thrilled with this, her fourth and possibly best novel.' (Daily Mail)

'I've been enthusiastically telling everyone who will listen to read Tana French. Her novels are poignant, compelling, beautifully written and wonderfully atmospheric. Just start reading the first page. You'll see what I mean.' (Harlan Coben)

Every holiday needs a good crime novel and French's skilful thrillers are tailor-made to terrify (Guardian)

Book Description

Sometimes there is no safe place. Nothing about the way this family lived shows why they deserved to die. But here's the thing about murder: ninety-nine times out of a hundred, it doesn't break into people's lives. It gets there because they open the door and invite it in...

About this edition

• Publisher: Hachette Books Ireland
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1444705113
• ISBN 13: 9781444705119
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 544