The Hunter is the second book in the Cal Hooper series, set in Ardnakalty, a rural community on the side of a mountain on the west coast of Ireland.   Cal is a retired American detective who wants to live a peaceful and quiet life, but finds himself caught up in the secrets and hidden crimes, the fodder for local talk, a combination of conjecture, pieces of information, and hinted suspicions.    He is forced to deal with difficult decisions, some on the edge of his own moral code.     The story is a slow burn, rich in the local dialect of farmers and their traditions, full of nuance and complexity.   The mood is tense and dark.     The talk in pubs and over fence gates reveals secrets, but always indirectly and meanings have to be gleaned by inference.    The characters are well-developed and we learn about their hidden layers in small glimpses over many conversations.    The story line winds through the lives of the main characters, and the resolution of the problems is hard to predict.      A murder brings the “Guard” from Dublin to investigate, and Cal finds himself having to make hard choices, ones that will impact the people he cares about.

Themes of revenge, redemption, and conflicting loyalties to family and the community are wound into a complex, layered story, rich and rewarding for readers.    Another fine book by Tana French.

Recommended – 4.7 out of 5.0 stars4.7

Note – I have read all of Tana French’s books.    Most of the books are crime books, but they are unlike other police procedural or mystery novels.    They are in their own blended genre that stand apart and shine on their own merit.