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Cal Hooper #3
The Keeper
Not yet published
Expected 31 Mar 26Win a free print copy of this book!
26 days and 15:49:23
20 copies available
U.S. only
From the iconic crime writer who “inspires cultic devotion in readers” (The New Yorker) and has been called “incandescent” by Stephen King, “absolutely mesmerizing” by Gillian Flynn, and “unputdownable” (People), comes the third and final book in the million-copy-bestselling Cal Hooper trilogy.
On a cold night in the remote Irish village of Arknakelty, a girl goes missing. Sweet, loving Rachel Holohan was about to be engaged to the son of the local big shot. Instead, she’s dead in the river.
In a close-knit small town, a death like this isn’t simple. It comes wrapped in generations-old grudges and power struggles, and it splits the townland in two. Retired Chicago detective Cal Hooper has friends here now, and he owes them loyalty, but his fiancée Lena wants nothing to do with Ardnakelty’s tangles. As the feud becomes more vicious, their settled peace starts to crack apart. And when they uncover a scheme that casts a new light on Rachel’s death and threatens the whole village, they find themselves in the firing line.
“One of the greatest crime novelists writing today” (Vox) crafts a masterwork of atmospheric suspense that brings the story of one of her most beloved characters to a spellbinding conclusion.
On a cold night in the remote Irish village of Arknakelty, a girl goes missing. Sweet, loving Rachel Holohan was about to be engaged to the son of the local big shot. Instead, she’s dead in the river.
In a close-knit small town, a death like this isn’t simple. It comes wrapped in generations-old grudges and power struggles, and it splits the townland in two. Retired Chicago detective Cal Hooper has friends here now, and he owes them loyalty, but his fiancée Lena wants nothing to do with Ardnakelty’s tangles. As the feud becomes more vicious, their settled peace starts to crack apart. And when they uncover a scheme that casts a new light on Rachel’s death and threatens the whole village, they find themselves in the firing line.
“One of the greatest crime novelists writing today” (Vox) crafts a masterwork of atmospheric suspense that brings the story of one of her most beloved characters to a spellbinding conclusion.
794 pages, Paperback
Expected publication March 31, 2026
31930 people want to read
About the author
Tana French
25 books30k followersTana French is the New York Times bestselling author of In the Woods, The Likeness, Faithful Place, Broken Harbor, The Secret Place, The Trespasser and The Witch Elm. Her books have won awards including the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity and Barry Awards, the Los Angeles Times Award for Best Mystery/Thriller, and the Irish Book Award for Crime Fiction. She lives in Dublin with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
November 10, 2025
Tana French doesn’t just tell a story — she builds a world that breathes, aches, and remembers. With The Keeper, the final book in the Cal Hooper trilogy, she closes the curtain not with fireworks, but with something far more haunting: the quiet echo of truth finally unearthed.
From the very first page, the air in Ardnakelty feels charged — with grief, suspicion, and that distinctly Irish kind of silence where every look says more than words ever could. The death of Rachel Holohan may appear like a tragedy wrapped up neatly in police tape, but in French’s hands, nothing is ever that simple. What begins as a mystery becomes a deep excavation of loyalty, guilt, and the cost of belonging.
Cal Hooper, the American outsider who once sought peace in Ireland’s rolling hills, finds himself caught again between justice and kinship, love and conscience. His relationship with Lena feels beautifully lived-in — tender, weary, and true — and when the shadows of the village begin to seep into their life, the emotional tension is every bit as gripping as the central mystery.
French’s prose is hypnotic in its restraint. She writes with the precision of a detective and the soul of a poet. Every sensory detail — the river’s cold shimmer, the smell of peat smoke, the press of muddy boots against wet grass — draws you deeper into this melancholy world. And while The Keeper may not rush toward resolution, it rewards patience with moments of piercing emotional truth.
It’s a story not just about what happened to one girl, but about what happens to a place when innocence and tradition collide. About how people justify the unforgivable, and how sometimes, mercy and guilt wear the same face.
As I turned the final page, I felt that rare, beautiful ache that comes only when you’ve walked alongside characters who feel utterly real — and now must let them go.
Tana French has given us not just a trilogy, but a testament to the human heart’s capacity to both wound and heal.
💬 Huge thanks to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for sharing with me this digital reviewer copy of one of my auto-approved authors’ most anticipated thrillers — in exchange for my honest thoughts. It’s been an honor to witness the end of Cal Hooper’s journey.
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From the very first page, the air in Ardnakelty feels charged — with grief, suspicion, and that distinctly Irish kind of silence where every look says more than words ever could. The death of Rachel Holohan may appear like a tragedy wrapped up neatly in police tape, but in French’s hands, nothing is ever that simple. What begins as a mystery becomes a deep excavation of loyalty, guilt, and the cost of belonging.
Cal Hooper, the American outsider who once sought peace in Ireland’s rolling hills, finds himself caught again between justice and kinship, love and conscience. His relationship with Lena feels beautifully lived-in — tender, weary, and true — and when the shadows of the village begin to seep into their life, the emotional tension is every bit as gripping as the central mystery.
French’s prose is hypnotic in its restraint. She writes with the precision of a detective and the soul of a poet. Every sensory detail — the river’s cold shimmer, the smell of peat smoke, the press of muddy boots against wet grass — draws you deeper into this melancholy world. And while The Keeper may not rush toward resolution, it rewards patience with moments of piercing emotional truth.
It’s a story not just about what happened to one girl, but about what happens to a place when innocence and tradition collide. About how people justify the unforgivable, and how sometimes, mercy and guilt wear the same face.
As I turned the final page, I felt that rare, beautiful ache that comes only when you’ve walked alongside characters who feel utterly real — and now must let them go.
Tana French has given us not just a trilogy, but a testament to the human heart’s capacity to both wound and heal.
💬 Huge thanks to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for sharing with me this digital reviewer copy of one of my auto-approved authors’ most anticipated thrillers — in exchange for my honest thoughts. It’s been an honor to witness the end of Cal Hooper’s journey.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Cal Hooper #3
It’s November in Ardnakelty, the nights are drawing in and it’s raining cats and dogs. At the start, Tana French gives readers a glorious sense of place, the people and the craic as well as those who are important to American blow in, Cal Hooper.
Rachel Holohan goes missing and the community comes out into the cold night to help her parents search for her. Has it got anything to do with a potential souring of her long-term relationship with Eugene Moynihan, who, by general consent, is extremely short on charm. The folk of Ardnakelty have stronger descriptions but let’s keep it clean! Rachel is eventually found, face down in the river, her long hair streaming in the water and with no pulse. Accident, suicide or murder? Ardnakelty lives under a cloud until the answers eventually come. In the interim, rumours abound and the Moynihan family are under the spotlight, especially as patriarch Tommy is clearly up to something. Now, Ardnakelty lives by its own rules and it seems Cal is being drawn into its ways which makes his fiance Lena uncomfortable.
I’m very conflicted about this book as there are aspects I love such as the atmosphere the author creates around Ardnakelty and the wonderful character development as well as the dogs! However, I think she overdoes the focus on the place because the pace in the first half rarely goes above that of a snail and honestly, very little happens except Rachel and the fallout. It’s clear Tana French loves the place she has created but in my opinion she’s been self-indulgent in overdoing it.
However, in the second half the scene setting of the first does pay off because then I feel like I’m sitting on the top of a volcano waiting for it to erupt and it does. The tension builds and builds and it all kicks off. All the friction, divisions, grudges, and suspicions fly around the place fuelled by rumours, gossip and accusations. There’s greed, control and viciousness as a darkness seems to have settled over the place but there’s also loyalty and sticking together to face what’s coming. In addition, there’s humour often courtesy of the rooks but also in the banter which helps to break the tension. I really like the ending which brings the trilogy to a good end.
Overall though, it’s way too long and much as I realise it’s about what living in Ardnakelty is like and what it does to people, how it draws them in, who’s inside and who’s outside and so on, you can have too much of a good thing.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Random House, Viking for the much appreciated early copy and return for an honest review.
It’s November in Ardnakelty, the nights are drawing in and it’s raining cats and dogs. At the start, Tana French gives readers a glorious sense of place, the people and the craic as well as those who are important to American blow in, Cal Hooper.
Rachel Holohan goes missing and the community comes out into the cold night to help her parents search for her. Has it got anything to do with a potential souring of her long-term relationship with Eugene Moynihan, who, by general consent, is extremely short on charm. The folk of Ardnakelty have stronger descriptions but let’s keep it clean! Rachel is eventually found, face down in the river, her long hair streaming in the water and with no pulse. Accident, suicide or murder? Ardnakelty lives under a cloud until the answers eventually come. In the interim, rumours abound and the Moynihan family are under the spotlight, especially as patriarch Tommy is clearly up to something. Now, Ardnakelty lives by its own rules and it seems Cal is being drawn into its ways which makes his fiance Lena uncomfortable.
I’m very conflicted about this book as there are aspects I love such as the atmosphere the author creates around Ardnakelty and the wonderful character development as well as the dogs! However, I think she overdoes the focus on the place because the pace in the first half rarely goes above that of a snail and honestly, very little happens except Rachel and the fallout. It’s clear Tana French loves the place she has created but in my opinion she’s been self-indulgent in overdoing it.
However, in the second half the scene setting of the first does pay off because then I feel like I’m sitting on the top of a volcano waiting for it to erupt and it does. The tension builds and builds and it all kicks off. All the friction, divisions, grudges, and suspicions fly around the place fuelled by rumours, gossip and accusations. There’s greed, control and viciousness as a darkness seems to have settled over the place but there’s also loyalty and sticking together to face what’s coming. In addition, there’s humour often courtesy of the rooks but also in the banter which helps to break the tension. I really like the ending which brings the trilogy to a good end.
Overall though, it’s way too long and much as I realise it’s about what living in Ardnakelty is like and what it does to people, how it draws them in, who’s inside and who’s outside and so on, you can have too much of a good thing.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Random House, Viking for the much appreciated early copy and return for an honest review.
October 4, 2025
perfect
2026
November 10, 2025📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Viking
November 8, 2025
A masterful example of literary crime fiction, The Keeper, will grip readers of many persuasions and genres.
Retired Chicago detective Cal Hooper has spent close to four years living among the people of the remote Irish village, Arknakelty. He unofficially adopted Trey, a once troubled, nearly feral local girl, who has grown with grace from his mentoring in woodworking. Furniture Cal and Trey built sit in most of the homes in the village. He is also engaged to Lena, the deep rooted town vet and the three enjoy a content life as a post-nuclear family before tragedy strikes.
At first, the catalyst of misfortune is believed to be more of the sad and unfortunate variety than criminal or evil. But as rumors and gossip flare like small-town currency, opinions change and characters with questionable motivations intentionally murky the waters. Cal naturally digs for truths, but can only mine the men for what they know. Lena collects evolving scuttlebutt from the women of the town, and Trey navigates the uniquely confusing arena of modern teenagerdom for answers. Differing conclusions are reached by our trio and the families of Arknakelty draw lines. Infighting was planned and serves as a smokescreen for deeper nefariousness. Cal, Lena and Trey are not spared from tumult and perhaps the bonds they’ve spent the past few years forming are not as strong as they believed.
French's innovative tale builds momentum in an incredibly authentic environment. The reader smells loam and wet hay and feels the humidity of the fog soaked air on the pages. Dialogue is pitch-perfect whether a car full of teenagers or middle-aged farmers having a pint. Locals speak around issues, never saying exactly what they mean or directly asking what is on their mind. Long scenes immerse the reader in a wonderfully evocative story that is sometimes paced gradually and at other times speeds forward with tension and violence.
This is a serious book that never forgets to the ever important rule of staying entertaining. A scene may contain huddled characters discussing murder, but then a squirrel appears and is chased away with frying pans.
Highly recommended to fans of the author. Long-time readers of French will reach the last page impressed and satisfied. The Keeper also works well as a standalone and should be checked out by any fans of the genre.
Thanks to NetGalley, Edelweiss and Viking Penguin for a review copy.
Retired Chicago detective Cal Hooper has spent close to four years living among the people of the remote Irish village, Arknakelty. He unofficially adopted Trey, a once troubled, nearly feral local girl, who has grown with grace from his mentoring in woodworking. Furniture Cal and Trey built sit in most of the homes in the village. He is also engaged to Lena, the deep rooted town vet and the three enjoy a content life as a post-nuclear family before tragedy strikes.
At first, the catalyst of misfortune is believed to be more of the sad and unfortunate variety than criminal or evil. But as rumors and gossip flare like small-town currency, opinions change and characters with questionable motivations intentionally murky the waters. Cal naturally digs for truths, but can only mine the men for what they know. Lena collects evolving scuttlebutt from the women of the town, and Trey navigates the uniquely confusing arena of modern teenagerdom for answers. Differing conclusions are reached by our trio and the families of Arknakelty draw lines. Infighting was planned and serves as a smokescreen for deeper nefariousness. Cal, Lena and Trey are not spared from tumult and perhaps the bonds they’ve spent the past few years forming are not as strong as they believed.
French's innovative tale builds momentum in an incredibly authentic environment. The reader smells loam and wet hay and feels the humidity of the fog soaked air on the pages. Dialogue is pitch-perfect whether a car full of teenagers or middle-aged farmers having a pint. Locals speak around issues, never saying exactly what they mean or directly asking what is on their mind. Long scenes immerse the reader in a wonderfully evocative story that is sometimes paced gradually and at other times speeds forward with tension and violence.
This is a serious book that never forgets to the ever important rule of staying entertaining. A scene may contain huddled characters discussing murder, but then a squirrel appears and is chased away with frying pans.
Highly recommended to fans of the author. Long-time readers of French will reach the last page impressed and satisfied. The Keeper also works well as a standalone and should be checked out by any fans of the genre.
Thanks to NetGalley, Edelweiss and Viking Penguin for a review copy.
Want to read
October 9, 2025I love this author! can't wait to get to this one - #3 in the series that started with The Searcher
*** Hands down one of my favorite authors!! SO EXCITED! ARC REC'D THANK YOU!! ***
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
*** Hands down one of my favorite authors!! SO EXCITED! ARC REC'D THANK YOU!! ***
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
November 16, 2025
thank you to NetGalley and Viking for the ARC!
4.5. probably only rounded down because like, high standards for this author. idk what else to say about Tana at this point, guys. boy is she is a good writer. I will say that I don't think this is tippy-top Tana French, as it is a very slow book sometimes and I didn't feel that HEAVY pull to read it like I do with the best of her best, but it's still super good. so many scenes absolutely shimmer with unspoken malice and a lot of the dialogue really frequently reminded me of the absolute triumph of the murderer's confession in The Witch Elm, where you are utterly baffled as to how something as simple as written dialogue could pull you in SO hard. the descriptions are gorgeous. I do think it took a long time to get to the deep emotion of it all, but when it did... I'll just say it definitely hit ;_;. it's also laugh-out-loud funny quite a bit, in a way I don't really remember any other book by her being.
I dunno what Tana is gonna write next, as I guess this is the end of the Cal Hooper trilogy, and she hasn't written in the Dublin Murder Squad in nearly a decade. but I know I will be reading it!
4.5. probably only rounded down because like, high standards for this author. idk what else to say about Tana at this point, guys. boy is she is a good writer. I will say that I don't think this is tippy-top Tana French, as it is a very slow book sometimes and I didn't feel that HEAVY pull to read it like I do with the best of her best, but it's still super good. so many scenes absolutely shimmer with unspoken malice and a lot of the dialogue really frequently reminded me of the absolute triumph of the murderer's confession in The Witch Elm, where you are utterly baffled as to how something as simple as written dialogue could pull you in SO hard. the descriptions are gorgeous. I do think it took a long time to get to the deep emotion of it all, but when it did... I'll just say it definitely hit ;_;. it's also laugh-out-loud funny quite a bit, in a way I don't really remember any other book by her being.
I dunno what Tana is gonna write next, as I guess this is the end of the Cal Hooper trilogy, and she hasn't written in the Dublin Murder Squad in nearly a decade. but I know I will be reading it!
November 18, 2025
This is the final book of French’s trilogy that takes place in the small village of Arknakelty. While I enjoyed revisiting these familiar characters, I found the small town devious and underhanded activities to be wearying and the reasons for some of the characters’ maneuvering to be thin. I am a fan of French but this novel wasn’t among her strongest.
October 16, 2025
I’ve been sad all day since finishing this exquisite novel. The Keeper is the finale in the literary mystery trilogy that started with The Searcher and The Hunter. The books need to be read in order to fully appreciate the depth of the characters, their relationships, and the role that the small Irish village of Ardnakelty plays in all three novels (can a village count as a main character, because I swear it feels like one!)
This is another slow burn mystery involving all the main and supporting characters from the previous books in the series. Cal, Lena and Trey have all become increasingly integrated into society, despite their hesitations and reservations about this. When Rachel Holohan, young, well-liked, and about to be engaged, goes missing and is found dead in the river, the whole town is soon entangled. Of course there’s more to Rachel’s death than first meets the eye. While unraveling the true nature of Rachel’s death is the main plot point, doing so causes all the characters to grapple with their relationships to the town and to one another and to confront their own emotional baggage.
French’s prose, ability to capture emotions, and sense of place are as superb as ever. The book is gorgeously written and engaging from start to end. I’m jealous of those who haven’t read the series yet, and can immediately jump from one book to the next and savor the character development and bonds that form and stretch across all three novels.
A huge thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC!!
This is another slow burn mystery involving all the main and supporting characters from the previous books in the series. Cal, Lena and Trey have all become increasingly integrated into society, despite their hesitations and reservations about this. When Rachel Holohan, young, well-liked, and about to be engaged, goes missing and is found dead in the river, the whole town is soon entangled. Of course there’s more to Rachel’s death than first meets the eye. While unraveling the true nature of Rachel’s death is the main plot point, doing so causes all the characters to grapple with their relationships to the town and to one another and to confront their own emotional baggage.
French’s prose, ability to capture emotions, and sense of place are as superb as ever. The book is gorgeously written and engaging from start to end. I’m jealous of those who haven’t read the series yet, and can immediately jump from one book to the next and savor the character development and bonds that form and stretch across all three novels.
A huge thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC!!
October 16, 2025
I will miss the Arknakelty trilogy. I have so many mixed feelings about the place and its people but was fully immersed in each of the novels as if it were real, which is a testament to Tana French's writing. These novels are a love letter to the (quickly disappearing) places where the land shapes the people, and the people are fiercely loyal to it in return. They do not follow normal rules of social engagement and will readily sacrifice the individual to keep the community and the relationship to the land. Like Cal, the "blow-in" who moved from Chicago, it took me a little while to understand the internal logic of the place. Like Lena, his girlfriend, and Trey, his semi-adopted daughter, I do not know if I would want to live there because the level of enmeshment is so high. But the alternative is the atomistic, impersonal capitalism that we are all stuck with now and that is quickly coming to rural Ireland. As far as the book itself goes, it took awhile to get to the point, but I did not mind. I did not want it to end. I will miss all the characters. but Mart most especially. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
November 15, 2025
First of all, thanks to Viking Press and NetGalley for this ARC. As a big fan of Tana French, I was so excited to be able to read this! And it did not disappoint. Once again, we are reunited with Cal, Lena and Trey from the first two books in what I now know is a trilogy. French does literary mystery SO well. This mystery takes place in a rural village in Ireland, where a girl is found dead in a river. Is it suicide…. Or something more sinister? Cal finds himself nosing around where he’s not wanted and this time around Lena and Trey get involved in the investigation and all three may be putting themselves in danger. A couple of “bonuses” I appreciated about this story were the found family aspect, and the very satisfying ending, which made up for having to say goodbye to the village of Arknakelty.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Keeper by Tana French is the third in the Cal Hooper series. As the book begins, the season is turning from fall to winter, with the dark and cold creeping in. The town’s gossip mill is in full swing and the characters we have come to love are teasing each other at the local pub. When a local young woman, Rachel, turns up missing everyone comes together to help find her, but sadly they find her body in the river.
I absolutely love how atmospheric the author’s writing is. I can see the fields, feel the bite of the cold air, and hear the dogs in the fields. Life in Ardnakelty seems quiet and simple, but it’s anything but. There is an underlying tension that runs through every conversation, no matter how seemingly benign it is. Cal is trying to navigate the complexity of life here and despite being slowly accepted, he still has a lot to learn.
As the mystery slowly unfolds we learn more about the different forces at play. The story was not only a mystery but it also felt like a poignant statement about how modern life is changing small town farming traditions.
As a huge fan of the author’s work, especially the Cal Hooper books, I really appreciated the opportunity to read and review The Keeper. I highly recommend this for mystery readers. Thank you to the publisher Viking Penguin | Viking, author Tana French, and NetGalley for the gifted digital ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely love how atmospheric the author’s writing is. I can see the fields, feel the bite of the cold air, and hear the dogs in the fields. Life in Ardnakelty seems quiet and simple, but it’s anything but. There is an underlying tension that runs through every conversation, no matter how seemingly benign it is. Cal is trying to navigate the complexity of life here and despite being slowly accepted, he still has a lot to learn.
As the mystery slowly unfolds we learn more about the different forces at play. The story was not only a mystery but it also felt like a poignant statement about how modern life is changing small town farming traditions.
As a huge fan of the author’s work, especially the Cal Hooper books, I really appreciated the opportunity to read and review The Keeper. I highly recommend this for mystery readers. Thank you to the publisher Viking Penguin | Viking, author Tana French, and NetGalley for the gifted digital ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
October 27, 2025
A big thank you to Viking Penguin and Tana French for the ARC of The Keeper! I’ve loved Tana French’s books for years, and getting to read the third Cal Hooper novel early was such a gift.
I couldn’t wait to return to Ardnakelty, and this book did not disappoint. The mystery is compelling, but it’s the characters that truly shine. Cal, Lena, Trey, Mart — and the whole wonderfully messy, goofy, and endearing cast of locals — they’re what make this series so special. I especially love the sassy ones who bring humor and grit to the story.
One of the things I appreciate most is how the characters have grown across the three books. From The Searcher to The Hunter to The Keeper, you really feel like you’ve lived alongside them.
I couldn’t wait to return to Ardnakelty, and this book did not disappoint. The mystery is compelling, but it’s the characters that truly shine. Cal, Lena, Trey, Mart — and the whole wonderfully messy, goofy, and endearing cast of locals — they’re what make this series so special. I especially love the sassy ones who bring humor and grit to the story.
One of the things I appreciate most is how the characters have grown across the three books. From The Searcher to The Hunter to The Keeper, you really feel like you’ve lived alongside them.
Want to read
October 16, 2025Release now please. Just kidding Ms. French, take all the time you need. It'll be stunning
December 20, 2025
Cal Hooper as a truly classic detective: blurred morals, tragic deaths, no doing what’s right rather than what’s proper. He’s been assimilated into the age and accepted as one of them - the cost might be high, but there’s no scaling it now. Felt like proper American 90s crime - I could imagine Robert B Parker writing this, and I love Robert B Parker. Thanks to NetGalley for the proof
October 7, 2025
I'll write a long review closer to the pub date but I'll just say now that The Keeper is another can't put it down Tana French book. The writing is superb--I kept going back over sentences--and the story interesting. I'm sad to say goodbye to Cal and the denizens of Ardnakelty but I'm left with the beauty of rural Ireland and the power of those who stand together and for something that matters.
November 16, 2025
The Keeper beautifully concludes a three book series. Tana French once again spins an immersive story of a culture full of knots and layers.
Cal Hooper has struggled to become accepted in his new home in the Irish countryside, but he is finally there. So when Ardnakelty loses a young woman under troubling circumstances, the former Chicago detective wants to leave the case alone. He has never even met her. Only, he slowly discovers that every relationship he has built there, as well as the survival of Ardnakelty itself, hangs in the balance.
There’s no spoilers here for the previous novels. But remembering how the characters have developed from suspicious strangers to dependent found family adds to the experience. Remembering the twisted beauty of Ardnakelty’s ways adds even more. Cal moved to Ireland seeking a peaceful easy life and discovered a home instead.
Thanks to Netgalley and Viking Penguin for the advance read.
Cal Hooper has struggled to become accepted in his new home in the Irish countryside, but he is finally there. So when Ardnakelty loses a young woman under troubling circumstances, the former Chicago detective wants to leave the case alone. He has never even met her. Only, he slowly discovers that every relationship he has built there, as well as the survival of Ardnakelty itself, hangs in the balance.
There’s no spoilers here for the previous novels. But remembering how the characters have developed from suspicious strangers to dependent found family adds to the experience. Remembering the twisted beauty of Ardnakelty’s ways adds even more. Cal moved to Ireland seeking a peaceful easy life and discovered a home instead.
Thanks to Netgalley and Viking Penguin for the advance read.
November 20, 2025
Another great Ardnakelty story of Cal and Lena and Trey and the very different ways the three of them connect with their community during yet another murderous crisis. Really digs into the meaning of rural/small town life with all its complexities even more than in the first two books in the series. I had a tough time in the middle because I was STRESSED about my little found family and really didn't see how it was ever going to come to good in the end, and it took me a while to care as much as I should about the murder and its related intrigue; I got there, though, and the last third really made up for it.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
Read
January 10, 2026Fog cover many path
crime got betwen tow finger of hunter
fom was all around
search the truth nt easy under unmoon sky
sew the information was great war
search to lost symbol at little villag was great hunt
ntfuny that smell was there
keep the belive was revuliton job
over jeoulus and many emotion lost my card
joker put at the end
fog nt be here for ever
sun kiss dead tomp at down
crime got betwen tow finger of hunter
fom was all around
search the truth nt easy under unmoon sky
sew the information was great war
search to lost symbol at little villag was great hunt
ntfuny that smell was there
keep the belive was revuliton job
over jeoulus and many emotion lost my card
joker put at the end
fog nt be here for ever
sun kiss dead tomp at down
November 13, 2025
read if you like:
📍 Ireland
🏡 small-town crimes
💁🏻♀️ strong characters
summary:
Small town. Local secrets. A murder that won’t let go. The story follows Cal Hooper, an American transplant who moved to Ireland for peace and belonging, to a small village, Ardnakelty. When Rachel Holohan’s body is discovered, Cal and the local detectives are pulled into a web of mystery, family secrets, and town politics that goes far deeper than anyone expected. As always with Tana French, the focus isn’t just on the crime itself, but on the people — their flaws, fears, and the ways the past shapes their present.
One thing to note: if you aren’t familiar with Irish characters, customs, or slang, you may need to pay a little closer attention to the dialogue. It’s real and authentic, but sometimes requires a second read to follow. That said, the characters, the immersive small-town setting, and the slow-burn suspense make it worth the extra attention.
I really love Tana French mysteries — her ability to craft complicated, realistic characters in a town that feels alive makes her books thrilling to read, even if the plot twists can be dark and troubling. Cal, in particular, is an interesting protagonist, navigating relationship drama, personal trauma, and the secrets of a town that seems to hold onto its past in every corner.
If you enjoy character-driven mysteries and small town drama, check this book out when it releases on March 30! Thanks to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
December 16, 2025
thank you to netgalley and viking for a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review. it’s been a while since i read the first two books, so i did have a reread before starting this one, which i would highly recommend if you can! tana’s ability to immerse her reader in the atmosphere of a story is absolutely incredible. you can see, feel, and hear everything she describes. she also has a way of making you feel so emotionally invested in her characters and what is going on. i have to say i’m a bit sad to be ending this trilogy! i have thoroughly enjoyed connecting to the characters in this series and i definitely see myself working through this author’s entire backlog! overall, highly recommend for mystery readers.
Want to read
October 10, 2025794 pages?! I don't know whether to be excited or scared
December 26, 2025
The final Cal Hooper was amazing and I was sad to finish the book and the series. I've loved every book Tana French has ever written but this Cal Hooper series has been perfection. I think I've even enjoyed it more than the Dublin Murder Squad. In the Keeper once again the atmosphere was perfection and it was a perfect book vacation to Ardnakelty. The characters were warm, real, and written with such depth that you'd swear they are real people. I loved the character development over the three books and the way that Cal has become a part of the village. You just want to root for them all throughout the book. I loved both the characters and the storyline, and that the town is a character as well. This book is so beautifully written that you can feel the swell of the town as the story takes place. The plot and the dilemma our favorite characters and the town find themselves face in this final installment was nuanced and so well done. Brilliant pacing and writing that left me in a puddle of tears at the end of this book with my heart ripped out in the best way. This was a five star read that only has me longing for the next Tana French book.
October 24, 2025
I'm going to look for
Tana French no longer needs performances like "the Irish Donna Tartt", she has taken a place among modern mainstream authors and is successfully mastering the field of great literature. Tana French can be different. A psychologically sophisticated "Secret place" with a considerable amount of mysticism in the setting of an expensive closed school for girls. The modern Gothic of the Witch's Elm: a rich estate, a belated cruel reckoning for former luck (against expectations, without mysticism at all).
"The Keeper" is a social drama wrapped in a rural detective story. The search for the missing young man, which will lead to finding his place in a new life. Moving from Chicago to the Western Irish countryside, retired police officer Calvin Hooper is going to change everything, and certainly does not plan to do what he did before. He doesn't even look like a cop anymore, he's grown his hair and grown a beard. I bought a house with land, I'm going to put my apartment in order, then I'll think about what to do.
Relations are gradually forming with the locals, he is not naive, he understands that the attitude towards strangers in a closed community is wary, but he is ready to adapt. Now the Kel is alone, and man is a social animal, you can survive alone, you can't live. That's why Martha treats her neighbor to cookies and chats with him for a long time, which is why she doesn't immediately and flatly refuse the local shopkeeper Nora, who can't wait to marry him to one of the local charmers. Therefore, sensing surveillance and soon figuring out the starved teenager who is doing this, he does not give the boy a kick in the ass, but adapts him to the work he is currently engaged in, and waits for him to tell what he needs.
It won't take long, Troy wants him to find Brandon's older brother. A nineteen-year-old boy disappeared some time ago and since then there has been no news from him or about him, everyone around is convinced that he just got tired of living in this dump, without a job, without prospects, moved to the city. Only now, Troy knows that there's no way Bren would leave without saying something, and he thinks he's been kidnapped. You won't be surprised when Cal starts looking, will you?
One of the greats said that hell is doing the usual work with primitive tools. If that's the case, Kel will have to descend into a personal hell. There are no established contacts with criminologists and criminologists, there are no full-time informants, and there are no credentials. He doesn't know which direction to go in the reality here, as viscous as the Irish swamps, but he's a cop, damn it, and the skill is with him.
A great novel. It has a feeling of a tightening spring behind the external slowness, unexpected plot twists, subtle and precise observation combined with depth of penetration and impeccable internal logic. And this is a worthy continuation of the traditions of great countrymen, the scene with singing in the pub is a perfect "Ulysses", who understands).
Я иду искать
Тана Френч уже не нуждается в представлениях, вроде "ирландская Донна Тартт", она заняла место в ряду современных авторов мейнстрима и успешно осваивает поле большой литературы. Тана Френч может быть разной. Психологически изощренное "Тайное место" с немалой долей мистики в обстановке дорогой закрытой школы для девочек. Современная готика "Ведьмина Вяза": богатое поместье, запоздалая жестокая расплата за прежнюю удачливость (против ожиданий, вовсе без мистицизма).
"Искатель" социальная драма, обернутая в деревенский детектив. Поиски пропавшего юноши, которые приведут к обретению своего места в новой жизни. Переезжая из Чикаго в западно-ирландскую глубинку, отставной полицейский Келвин Хупер собирается переменить все, и уж конечно не планирует делать того, чем занимался прежде. Он даже внешне теперь на копа не похож, отрастил волосы, отпустил бороду. Купил дом с землей, приведет сейчас в порядок жилье, дальше будет думать, чем заняться.
С местными отношения понемногу завязываются, он не наивен, понимает, что к чужакам в закрытой общине отношение настороженное, но готов приспосабливаться. Теперь Кел один, а человек - животное социальное, в одиночку выжить можно, жить нельзя. Потому угощает печеньем соседа Марта и подолгу болтает с ним, потому не отказывает сразу и наотрез местной лавочнице Норе, которой не терпится сосватать ему какую-то из здешних чаровниц. Потому, почувствовав слежку и скоро вычислив заморыша-подростка, который этим занимается, не дает мальцу пенделя под зад, а приспосабливает к работе, какой сам сейчас занят, и ждет, пока тот расскажет, что ему нужно.
Долго ждать не придется, Трой хочет, чтобы он нашел старшего брата Брендона. Девятнадцатилетний парень пропал некоторое время назад и с тех пор ни от него, ни о нем никаких вестей, все вокруг убеждены, что просто достала его жизнь в этой дыре, без работы, без перспектив, подался в город. Только вот, Трой знает, что Брен нипочем не ушел бы, не сказавшись, и думает, что его похитили. Вы ведь не удивитесь, когда Кел начнет искать?
Кто-то из великих сказал, что ад - это делать привычную работу примитивными инструментами. Коли так, Келу предстоит спуститься в персональный ад. Тут нет налаженных связей с криминологами и криминалистами, нет штатных осведомителей, нет полномочий, даруемых удостоверением. Он не знает, в каком направлении двигаться в здешней вязкой, как ирландские болота, реальности, но он коп, черт возьми, и мастерство с ним.
Отличный роман. В нем ощущение все туже сжимающейся пружины за внешней неспешностью, неожиданные сюжетные твисты, тонкая и точная наблюдательность, соединенная с глубиной проникновения и безупречной внутренней логикой. И это достойное продолжение традиций великих земляков, сцена с пением в пабе - совершенный "Улисс", кто понимает).
Еще только несколько слов о языке. Тана Френч умеет не только в средне-социальный городской, действие "Искателя" разворачивается в сельской глубинке, где речь уснащена неизменными просторечиями и диалектизмами, и, таки да, книге повезло с переводчиком. Дважды лауреат премии Норы Галь, и главный в нашем отечестве популяризатор ирландской литературы Шаши Мартынова подарила персонажам аутентичную черноземную мову.
Tana French no longer needs performances like "the Irish Donna Tartt", she has taken a place among modern mainstream authors and is successfully mastering the field of great literature. Tana French can be different. A psychologically sophisticated "Secret place" with a considerable amount of mysticism in the setting of an expensive closed school for girls. The modern Gothic of the Witch's Elm: a rich estate, a belated cruel reckoning for former luck (against expectations, without mysticism at all).
"The Keeper" is a social drama wrapped in a rural detective story. The search for the missing young man, which will lead to finding his place in a new life. Moving from Chicago to the Western Irish countryside, retired police officer Calvin Hooper is going to change everything, and certainly does not plan to do what he did before. He doesn't even look like a cop anymore, he's grown his hair and grown a beard. I bought a house with land, I'm going to put my apartment in order, then I'll think about what to do.
Relations are gradually forming with the locals, he is not naive, he understands that the attitude towards strangers in a closed community is wary, but he is ready to adapt. Now the Kel is alone, and man is a social animal, you can survive alone, you can't live. That's why Martha treats her neighbor to cookies and chats with him for a long time, which is why she doesn't immediately and flatly refuse the local shopkeeper Nora, who can't wait to marry him to one of the local charmers. Therefore, sensing surveillance and soon figuring out the starved teenager who is doing this, he does not give the boy a kick in the ass, but adapts him to the work he is currently engaged in, and waits for him to tell what he needs.
It won't take long, Troy wants him to find Brandon's older brother. A nineteen-year-old boy disappeared some time ago and since then there has been no news from him or about him, everyone around is convinced that he just got tired of living in this dump, without a job, without prospects, moved to the city. Only now, Troy knows that there's no way Bren would leave without saying something, and he thinks he's been kidnapped. You won't be surprised when Cal starts looking, will you?
One of the greats said that hell is doing the usual work with primitive tools. If that's the case, Kel will have to descend into a personal hell. There are no established contacts with criminologists and criminologists, there are no full-time informants, and there are no credentials. He doesn't know which direction to go in the reality here, as viscous as the Irish swamps, but he's a cop, damn it, and the skill is with him.
A great novel. It has a feeling of a tightening spring behind the external slowness, unexpected plot twists, subtle and precise observation combined with depth of penetration and impeccable internal logic. And this is a worthy continuation of the traditions of great countrymen, the scene with singing in the pub is a perfect "Ulysses", who understands).
Я иду искать
Тана Френч уже не нуждается в представлениях, вроде "ирландская Донна Тартт", она заняла место в ряду современных авторов мейнстрима и успешно осваивает поле большой литературы. Тана Френч может быть разной. Психологически изощренное "Тайное место" с немалой долей мистики в обстановке дорогой закрытой школы для девочек. Современная готика "Ведьмина Вяза": богатое поместье, запоздалая жестокая расплата за прежнюю удачливость (против ожиданий, вовсе без мистицизма).
"Искатель" социальная драма, обернутая в деревенский детектив. Поиски пропавшего юноши, которые приведут к обретению своего места в новой жизни. Переезжая из Чикаго в западно-ирландскую глубинку, отставной полицейский Келвин Хупер собирается переменить все, и уж конечно не планирует делать того, чем занимался прежде. Он даже внешне теперь на копа не похож, отрастил волосы, отпустил бороду. Купил дом с землей, приведет сейчас в порядок жилье, дальше будет думать, чем заняться.
С местными отношения понемногу завязываются, он не наивен, понимает, что к чужакам в закрытой общине отношение настороженное, но готов приспосабливаться. Теперь Кел один, а человек - животное социальное, в одиночку выжить можно, жить нельзя. Потому угощает печеньем соседа Марта и подолгу болтает с ним, потому не отказывает сразу и наотрез местной лавочнице Норе, которой не терпится сосватать ему какую-то из здешних чаровниц. Потому, почувствовав слежку и скоро вычислив заморыша-подростка, который этим занимается, не дает мальцу пенделя под зад, а приспосабливает к работе, какой сам сейчас занят, и ждет, пока тот расскажет, что ему нужно.
Долго ждать не придется, Трой хочет, чтобы он нашел старшего брата Брендона. Девятнадцатилетний парень пропал некоторое время назад и с тех пор ни от него, ни о нем никаких вестей, все вокруг убеждены, что просто достала его жизнь в этой дыре, без работы, без перспектив, подался в город. Только вот, Трой знает, что Брен нипочем не ушел бы, не сказавшись, и думает, что его похитили. Вы ведь не удивитесь, когда Кел начнет искать?
Кто-то из великих сказал, что ад - это делать привычную работу примитивными инструментами. Коли так, Келу предстоит спуститься в персональный ад. Тут нет налаженных связей с криминологами и криминалистами, нет штатных осведомителей, нет полномочий, даруемых удостоверением. Он не знает, в каком направлении двигаться в здешней вязкой, как ирландские болота, реальности, но он коп, черт возьми, и мастерство с ним.
Отличный роман. В нем ощущение все туже сжимающейся пружины за внешней неспешностью, неожиданные сюжетные твисты, тонкая и точная наблюдательность, соединенная с глубиной проникновения и безупречной внутренней логикой. И это достойное продолжение традиций великих земляков, сцена с пением в пабе - совершенный "Улисс", кто понимает).
Еще только несколько слов о языке. Тана Френч умеет не только в средне-социальный городской, действие "Искателя" разворачивается в сельской глубинке, где речь уснащена неизменными просторечиями и диалектизмами, и, таки да, книге повезло с переводчиком. Дважды лауреат премии Норы Галь, и главный в нашем отечестве популяризатор ирландской литературы Шаши Мартынова подарила персонажам аутентичную черноземную мову.
November 3, 2025
Another excellent read from French!
Review of advance copy
When I read and reviewed Tana French’s standalone novel The Witch Elm in 2018, I noted that I would have enjoyed seeing more of the Dublin Murder Squad characters (Antoinette Conway, Stephen Moran, and others), but that I had enjoyed getting to know a “whole new cast of characters.” Her next book was The Searcher (2020), another standalone and I got my wish: a whole new cast of characters! This one introduced us to Cal Hooper, a former police detective in Chicago who has moved to an isolated stretch of the Irish coast, and develops a friendship with a young (early teens) woman named Trey, who initially comes to ask for his help locating her missing brother.. It was a 5-star for sure! Then in 2023 we got The Hunter (the sequel which can be read and enjoyed as a standalone). I’ve been a Tana French fan since I read In The Woods, the first book in the Dublin Murder Squad series, back in 2007. When I recently received The Keeper, the final book in the Cal Hooper trilogy from Viking Penguin and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, I had such mixed feelings: “I cannot WAIT to read this!!” was competing with “Oh NO! I am not ready for this series to end!”
Once again, the setting is the village of Ardnakelty, a village that “...is too small for much stratification; if you want company, you hang out with anyone who diesn’t drive you crazy, and probably some people who do.” Familiar characters include Trey and her mother, Cal’s fiance Lena, and his neighbor Matt (plus his dog Rip “...who has both the bark and the self-esteem of a Rottweiler.” There is also Tommy Moynihan, who has been buying up land in the village. Matt explains that “Saint Tommy brought jobs…not allowed to say a word against the man.” The younger Moynihan, Eugene, has been dating Rachel Holohan, and the main storyline follows Rachel’s disappearance, the subsequent search, and the relationships between and among various Ardnakety residents as the mystery unfolds.
Cal’s skills as a detective and his experience come in handy, even his method for getting his questions answered. Although he’s been there for a few years, “Every time he thinks he finally counts as settled in Ardnakelty, the place comes up with something that makes him feel like a big dumb greenhorn all over again…He’s always found big-dumb-redneck to come in in handy against people who enjoy looking down on other people…doesn’t like guys like Tommy who carefully collect power and use it to force their will down other people’s throats.”
Cal and Lena both come under scrutiny for possible roles in Rachel’s disappearance. Cal “wishes he were a cop again, but he knows it’s probably a good thing that he’s not.” Lena is a strong character: she “no longer believes that any man or woman can be another’s salvation,”and it’s not clear whether their relationship can or will survive this shared experience.
I’m notoriously not good at figuring out mysteries, which is actually part of why I enjoy those written by a few favorite authors. Tana French is absolutely at the top of the list. And my strongest feeling as I finished The Keeper turned out to be the “Oh NO! I’m not ready for the series to end!” I look forward to whatever Ms. French writes next. FIVE STARS!
Once again, the setting is the village of Ardnakelty, a village that “...is too small for much stratification; if you want company, you hang out with anyone who diesn’t drive you crazy, and probably some people who do.” Familiar characters include Trey and her mother, Cal’s fiance Lena, and his neighbor Matt (plus his dog Rip “...who has both the bark and the self-esteem of a Rottweiler.” There is also Tommy Moynihan, who has been buying up land in the village. Matt explains that “Saint Tommy brought jobs…not allowed to say a word against the man.” The younger Moynihan, Eugene, has been dating Rachel Holohan, and the main storyline follows Rachel’s disappearance, the subsequent search, and the relationships between and among various Ardnakety residents as the mystery unfolds.
Cal’s skills as a detective and his experience come in handy, even his method for getting his questions answered. Although he’s been there for a few years, “Every time he thinks he finally counts as settled in Ardnakelty, the place comes up with something that makes him feel like a big dumb greenhorn all over again…He’s always found big-dumb-redneck to come in in handy against people who enjoy looking down on other people…doesn’t like guys like Tommy who carefully collect power and use it to force their will down other people’s throats.”
Cal and Lena both come under scrutiny for possible roles in Rachel’s disappearance. Cal “wishes he were a cop again, but he knows it’s probably a good thing that he’s not.” Lena is a strong character: she “no longer believes that any man or woman can be another’s salvation,”and it’s not clear whether their relationship can or will survive this shared experience.
I’m notoriously not good at figuring out mysteries, which is actually part of why I enjoy those written by a few favorite authors. Tana French is absolutely at the top of the list. And my strongest feeling as I finished The Keeper turned out to be the “Oh NO! I’m not ready for the series to end!” I look forward to whatever Ms. French writes next. FIVE STARS!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Slow burn Ardnakelty trilogy winds up the tension, and explores ambiguity 4.5
I had meant to leave my very advanced ARC of French’s end of trilogy of Cal Hooper novels, to a little closer to its publication date. However, willpower to avoid a French novel is low to non-existent.
I did re-read The Hunter, the second in the series, before assaying this, to remind myself of the ‘Greek chorus’ community, surrounding the central 3 characters of Cal, Lena and Trey, and was really glad I had done so. I do think that this trilogy IS one better read in order, more so than the even more wonderful ‘Dublin Murder Squad’ series was, as that Ardnakelty community are integral to this series, whereas, though ‘Dublin Murder’ did have some squad members whose stories existed and developed across the otherwise stand alone books, the cases, and the communities they were happening within, were new
The Keeper delves deeper into its community, as, unlike in The Hunter, the tragedy which is the event precipitating all else, also comes from within, whereas the second book had involved characters who had either left the community and returned, or were completely from outside.
Like the previous Ardnakelty books, this is slow burn. Effectively, the backdrop is a fairly isolated, rural, farming one, and there is more than a whiff of the darkly folkloric, with a deep community connection to the land, farms being handed down over generations, and the challenges posed by the ever rapid changes which are happening in similar places across the world, developed or developing.
The central character in this, as in the previous, is an outsider, Cal Hooper, a Chicago city cop who made a break with his past, and is, now both an outsider, but is being drawn, more and more, to being part of the community. His partner and fiancée, Lena, is someone from the community who has always held herself away and aloof from the suck of its tangled past. Trey, who was a half feral pre-adolescent in the first book, very much due to that dark community history, is now firmly in an adolescent nearing the end of schooldays, and is both a typical and a still untypical person.
I have deliberately kept this review as sparse on detail as I can, in the hope that anyone who hasn’t read the two earlier books, and might be thinking of reading this one, to go back and read The Searcher, and then The Hunter, as, really, this last book will be so much more meaningful with that journey taken
I remain, to some extent, pleasantly troubled by this book’s title, as I’m not altogether certain who – or is actually the ultimate ‘Keeper’ of this title. It could indeed be a ‘what’ as the land itself, and time within it, and wider relationships through time, are also keepers.
I had meant to leave my very advanced ARC of French’s end of trilogy of Cal Hooper novels, to a little closer to its publication date. However, willpower to avoid a French novel is low to non-existent.
I did re-read The Hunter, the second in the series, before assaying this, to remind myself of the ‘Greek chorus’ community, surrounding the central 3 characters of Cal, Lena and Trey, and was really glad I had done so. I do think that this trilogy IS one better read in order, more so than the even more wonderful ‘Dublin Murder Squad’ series was, as that Ardnakelty community are integral to this series, whereas, though ‘Dublin Murder’ did have some squad members whose stories existed and developed across the otherwise stand alone books, the cases, and the communities they were happening within, were new
The Keeper delves deeper into its community, as, unlike in The Hunter, the tragedy which is the event precipitating all else, also comes from within, whereas the second book had involved characters who had either left the community and returned, or were completely from outside.
Like the previous Ardnakelty books, this is slow burn. Effectively, the backdrop is a fairly isolated, rural, farming one, and there is more than a whiff of the darkly folkloric, with a deep community connection to the land, farms being handed down over generations, and the challenges posed by the ever rapid changes which are happening in similar places across the world, developed or developing.
The central character in this, as in the previous, is an outsider, Cal Hooper, a Chicago city cop who made a break with his past, and is, now both an outsider, but is being drawn, more and more, to being part of the community. His partner and fiancée, Lena, is someone from the community who has always held herself away and aloof from the suck of its tangled past. Trey, who was a half feral pre-adolescent in the first book, very much due to that dark community history, is now firmly in an adolescent nearing the end of schooldays, and is both a typical and a still untypical person.
I have deliberately kept this review as sparse on detail as I can, in the hope that anyone who hasn’t read the two earlier books, and might be thinking of reading this one, to go back and read The Searcher, and then The Hunter, as, really, this last book will be so much more meaningful with that journey taken
I remain, to some extent, pleasantly troubled by this book’s title, as I’m not altogether certain who – or is actually the ultimate ‘Keeper’ of this title. It could indeed be a ‘what’ as the land itself, and time within it, and wider relationships through time, are also keepers.
December 10, 2025
The Keeper by Tana French is number 3 in the Cal Hooper series and was provided to me pre-publication in exchange for an impartial review.
The series features early retired Chicago detective, Cal Hooper, settling into a quieter life in a small town of Ardnakelty in the west of Ireland. Cal is happy to leave his cop past behind and concentrate on building his small-scale furniture restoration business with his previously wayward and feisty young friend / semi-adopted daughter, Trey and as such has the idyllic lifestyle he was searching for.
The tranquillity of Ardnakelty is shattered one cold evening when a local girl goes missing and is later found dead in a local river. Her death is soon reported to be from a combination of poisoning by drinking anti-freeze, hyperthermia and drowning and a potential for scandal soon ensues. What could possibly lead charming Rachel Holohan to commit suicide especially this close to the eve of her expected engagement to the son of the local business mogul and self-declared local patriarch, Tommy Moynihan.
Grief and suspicion prevail with a combination of gossip amongst some elements of the community and a wary silence amongst the remainder. In such a small community any death hits heard but this is heightened when it is one so popular and young, and rumours abound reopening ancient grudges and grievances splitting the town in two.
Cal is part of the community now and he is drawn into the furore causing a distancing to his fiancé Lene who wants nothing more to do with the political and personal wranglings of Ardnakelty as she has personally been on the receiving end of these herself in the past. The disputes become more vicious and violent leading Cal to investigate the root cause thus uncovering a contentious industrial scheme which is likely to blow the town apart and which also casts doubt on the determination of Rachel’s death by suicide.
Cal has to navigate his way through a myriad of unscrupulous and sinister behaviour to try and protect those he holds dear, and also the future of Ardnakelty, which he fears may implode if unchecked.
Like the previous instalments this story has a wistful charm which is clearly a product of the author's knowledge of life in small Irish communities. There's a natural and unsentimental humour within the stories neatly avoiding the usual cliches, which together with good character led plots makes them an easy and enjoyable read, a little different from usual crime thrillers. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ plus from me on this occasion as it was the most enjoyable instalment to date. Here’s hoping more follow!
The series features early retired Chicago detective, Cal Hooper, settling into a quieter life in a small town of Ardnakelty in the west of Ireland. Cal is happy to leave his cop past behind and concentrate on building his small-scale furniture restoration business with his previously wayward and feisty young friend / semi-adopted daughter, Trey and as such has the idyllic lifestyle he was searching for.
The tranquillity of Ardnakelty is shattered one cold evening when a local girl goes missing and is later found dead in a local river. Her death is soon reported to be from a combination of poisoning by drinking anti-freeze, hyperthermia and drowning and a potential for scandal soon ensues. What could possibly lead charming Rachel Holohan to commit suicide especially this close to the eve of her expected engagement to the son of the local business mogul and self-declared local patriarch, Tommy Moynihan.
Grief and suspicion prevail with a combination of gossip amongst some elements of the community and a wary silence amongst the remainder. In such a small community any death hits heard but this is heightened when it is one so popular and young, and rumours abound reopening ancient grudges and grievances splitting the town in two.
Cal is part of the community now and he is drawn into the furore causing a distancing to his fiancé Lene who wants nothing more to do with the political and personal wranglings of Ardnakelty as she has personally been on the receiving end of these herself in the past. The disputes become more vicious and violent leading Cal to investigate the root cause thus uncovering a contentious industrial scheme which is likely to blow the town apart and which also casts doubt on the determination of Rachel’s death by suicide.
Cal has to navigate his way through a myriad of unscrupulous and sinister behaviour to try and protect those he holds dear, and also the future of Ardnakelty, which he fears may implode if unchecked.
Like the previous instalments this story has a wistful charm which is clearly a product of the author's knowledge of life in small Irish communities. There's a natural and unsentimental humour within the stories neatly avoiding the usual cliches, which together with good character led plots makes them an easy and enjoyable read, a little different from usual crime thrillers. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ plus from me on this occasion as it was the most enjoyable instalment to date. Here’s hoping more follow!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Tana French, The Keeper, Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business | Viking, April 2026.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
The Keeper returns to Cal, Lena and Trey and sundry other characters in Ardnakelty, with much of the emphasis on the village and its values. French takes what seems to be an inordinate amount of time in establishing the background to the village, the long-term characters’ motivations and values and the relationships, open and hidden that underpin the way in which decisions are made in this small enclosed social environment.
The initial chapters of the novel progressed at a slow pace; with characters whose introspection and dialogue were not particularly engaging. Although the emphasis is necessary for understanding the resolution offered at the end of the novel, it did little to foster a connection with the protagonists. Unlike my enthusiasm for the way in which Cal’s, Trey’s and Lena’s narratives were woven in The Hunter, the previous novel in this series, I felt distanced from the main characters in The Keeper.
Eventually the story begins to increase pace, and Trey’s growth toward maturity, with enough residual rough edges, shows some of the elegance with which her character was developed in The Hunter. Cal and Lena’s resistance to each other and the village values is a more difficult progress, their decisions sometimes seeming to be less about maintaining their relationship than rejecting or accepting the people and ideas around them. French’s sensitivity and facility with weaving together a story, character and ideas which resonate well after the book is finished lies with Rachel Holohan’s story. Her character is developed gently and compassionately, throughout the novel, unburdened by extraneous detail that mars some of the other characterisations. Rachel makes it possible to believe that Ardnakelty is worth saving, and that for some, no price is too high.
The Keeper brought resolution to Cal’s, Lena’s, and Trey’s narratives, which were so skilfully crafted in The Hunter. It also foreshadows the future for Ardnakelty where eventually the mainstay of the village, its ability to weave decisions and resolution based on hidden but understood motivations and values, will be overtaken. For these reasons, The Keeper is a valuable read despite what I felt were shortcomings.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
The Keeper returns to Cal, Lena and Trey and sundry other characters in Ardnakelty, with much of the emphasis on the village and its values. French takes what seems to be an inordinate amount of time in establishing the background to the village, the long-term characters’ motivations and values and the relationships, open and hidden that underpin the way in which decisions are made in this small enclosed social environment.
The initial chapters of the novel progressed at a slow pace; with characters whose introspection and dialogue were not particularly engaging. Although the emphasis is necessary for understanding the resolution offered at the end of the novel, it did little to foster a connection with the protagonists. Unlike my enthusiasm for the way in which Cal’s, Trey’s and Lena’s narratives were woven in The Hunter, the previous novel in this series, I felt distanced from the main characters in The Keeper.
Eventually the story begins to increase pace, and Trey’s growth toward maturity, with enough residual rough edges, shows some of the elegance with which her character was developed in The Hunter. Cal and Lena’s resistance to each other and the village values is a more difficult progress, their decisions sometimes seeming to be less about maintaining their relationship than rejecting or accepting the people and ideas around them. French’s sensitivity and facility with weaving together a story, character and ideas which resonate well after the book is finished lies with Rachel Holohan’s story. Her character is developed gently and compassionately, throughout the novel, unburdened by extraneous detail that mars some of the other characterisations. Rachel makes it possible to believe that Ardnakelty is worth saving, and that for some, no price is too high.
The Keeper brought resolution to Cal’s, Lena’s, and Trey’s narratives, which were so skilfully crafted in The Hunter. It also foreshadows the future for Ardnakelty where eventually the mainstay of the village, its ability to weave decisions and resolution based on hidden but understood motivations and values, will be overtaken. For these reasons, The Keeper is a valuable read despite what I felt were shortcomings.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars! The book is evidently the last book in the three part series, which should be read in order. I'm sorry to see it end. French has a wonderful way of putting you right in the town. I felt like I was looking in on the small town and its people, its habits and its secrets. I could certainly envision the surrounding fields and glades and rabbit holes and see the dogs herding the sheep while the townspeople went about their daily business.
The plot centers around a suicide (or was it a murder) of a young woman engaged to the son of the town's "master". Cal and his young sidekick, Trey, are determined to find out what really happened and, if it was suicide, what propelled the young woman to do it. What he uncovers goes to the real heart of the town and its history- how land is the very thing that ties them all together, "the intricate webs, constructed over centuries that bind people to one another to their land". Cal uncovers a plot by the town "master" to buy up all the land for megafactories, taking away the legacy and livelihood of the people while spreading vicious rumors to drive the people apart.
Although the inevitable is coming, progress and development, French muses "these people and their way of life are turning into myth in front of his eyes". Not only in small town Ireland, but all over the world as the need for housing and the greed of developers eats away at the life many people have known through generations.
This is a book to be pondered for its look into today's world in a small farming village and the looming destruction of a society that will never be again.
I must quote my favorite scene, however. Picture a noisy Irish pub where all the town is gathered for the the reception after a funeral. Everyone is jockeying for the food being passed around and all the gossip they can catch. "'I'm starving,' Bobby says dolefully. At a long table at the end of the room, a scrawny kid with an unconvincing mustache is ladling soup from a tureen into bowls, for a line of the kind of old women who can't be killed by anything short of a lightning strike. Bobby eyes wistfully, 'I'd eat the hind leg off the Lamb of God'."
Great book! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The plot centers around a suicide (or was it a murder) of a young woman engaged to the son of the town's "master". Cal and his young sidekick, Trey, are determined to find out what really happened and, if it was suicide, what propelled the young woman to do it. What he uncovers goes to the real heart of the town and its history- how land is the very thing that ties them all together, "the intricate webs, constructed over centuries that bind people to one another to their land". Cal uncovers a plot by the town "master" to buy up all the land for megafactories, taking away the legacy and livelihood of the people while spreading vicious rumors to drive the people apart.
Although the inevitable is coming, progress and development, French muses "these people and their way of life are turning into myth in front of his eyes". Not only in small town Ireland, but all over the world as the need for housing and the greed of developers eats away at the life many people have known through generations.
This is a book to be pondered for its look into today's world in a small farming village and the looming destruction of a society that will never be again.
I must quote my favorite scene, however. Picture a noisy Irish pub where all the town is gathered for the the reception after a funeral. Everyone is jockeying for the food being passed around and all the gossip they can catch. "'I'm starving,' Bobby says dolefully. At a long table at the end of the room, a scrawny kid with an unconvincing mustache is ladling soup from a tureen into bowls, for a line of the kind of old women who can't be killed by anything short of a lightning strike. Bobby eyes wistfully, 'I'd eat the hind leg off the Lamb of God'."
Great book! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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