Reviewed by Christy H.
Detectives Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox
had an instant bond when Cassie joined the Dublin Murder Squad. Now partners and best friends, they work
exceedingly well together – interrogating suspects, questioning witnesses, or
just divvying up small, everyday tasks. They know what roles to play, when
needed, to get the best results. But when a twelve year old girl’s body is
found in Knocknaree woods their partnership and friendship is sorely tested.
The Knocknaree woods hold a special
place in Rob Ryan’s heart – not all of it good. When he was twelve years old
himself, he and two friends knew those woods inside and out. They ran and
played there, hid there, witnessed horrible acts of violence there. Then all
three seemingly vanished into thin air. Rob Ryan was the only one found hours
later, clinging to a tree, shoes blood soaked, and unable to remember a thing. He
was Adam Ryan then. Over twenty years later he still doesn’t remember much, and
his friends have never returned.
Soon after he went to boarding
school, started going by his middle name, and eventually became a policeman and
ultimately a detective. When the new Knocknaree case falls into his lap, he
admits who he is to Cassie. He wants to keep working the case so he and Cassie
do everything they can to keep his past secret.
Though I enjoy true crime, police
procedural novels are not generally what I pick up to read. I bought this one
years and years ago though and figured it was more than past time to give it a
go. I really enjoyed it. I liked French’s writing, and I loved Cassie. She’s
good at her job and thick skinned – which she would have to be as the only
woman on the squad. She’s never deterred from speaking her mind when she knows
it’s important, and she doesn’t mind a bit of teasing as long as she can tease
right back. I even liked the relationship between her and Rob, even though Rob himself grated my nerves more
and more as the book went on. He was at times frustratingly naïve or needlessly
cruel. I admit I did at one point consider dropping the book because his point
of view was so irritating but I stuck it out because the mystery was
intriguing, and Cassie was the real star. I’m glad I finished it. The
conclusion was satisfying, creepy, and intense. And I’m interested in the
second in the series The Likeness as well. I’m not a series person but
Cassie is the main character in that one, and I just can’t say no to that.
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