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Cal Hooper #3
The Keeper
Not yet published
Expected 31 Mar 26Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2026 by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, Oprah Daily, Today, BookPage, and Goodreads
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 Ardnakelty, 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.
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 Ardnakelty, 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.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 31, 2026
45 people are currently reading
38652 people want to read
About the author
Tana French
26 books30.2k 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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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
January 19, 2026...but I still await for the Dublin Murder Squad sequel... :(
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 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.
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!
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.
February 7, 2026
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 escaping 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
Want to read
October 16, 2025Release now please. Just kidding Ms. French, take all the time you need. It'll be stunning
January 16, 2026
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and Viking Penguin in exchange for an honest review.
Reading this book solidified Tana French as my favorite writer from a purely prose perspective. I am obsessed with her ability to use language to create the most tangible and emotionally resonant scenes. Her writing activates my brain in such a specific way that I feel like I could live in her words forever. This is definitely the most introspective and drawn out of the Cal Hooper series, and it really takes a while to build. But when it does hit, it hits particularly hard.
Reading this book solidified Tana French as my favorite writer from a purely prose perspective. I am obsessed with her ability to use language to create the most tangible and emotionally resonant scenes. Her writing activates my brain in such a specific way that I feel like I could live in her words forever. This is definitely the most introspective and drawn out of the Cal Hooper series, and it really takes a while to build. But when it does hit, it hits particularly hard.
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am a longtime fan of Tana French's books and writing style. I was offered an advance copy of The Keeper on Netgalley; all opinions are my own.
I have to start by saying, you should definitely read the first two books in this series; this is the third and final book. It would read fine as a standalone, BUT there is so much longtime character development (mostly in Trey), that you would miss by not reading books 1 and 2.
The next thing to say is, this book is LONG. Not by any means bad! But if you don't like books that take their time to set up and tell their story, this is not the book/series/author for you. I usually very much prefer books that can get to the point and draw me in quickly. But this series....French's writing is so lyrical and poetic that I enjoy all of it, even when it takes 25% of the book for the story to really get going.
This is supposed to be the final book in the series. And while it wrapped up fine and I would be satisfied with this as the ending, I LOVE that French left it open enough for more stories to be told in this setting.
5 stars for all of it. The story, the characters, the plotlines weaved in, and even the character death that I saw coming 50% before it happened, surprised me. All in all, I have to say - READ. THIS. BOOK.
I have to start by saying, you should definitely read the first two books in this series; this is the third and final book. It would read fine as a standalone, BUT there is so much longtime character development (mostly in Trey), that you would miss by not reading books 1 and 2.
The next thing to say is, this book is LONG. Not by any means bad! But if you don't like books that take their time to set up and tell their story, this is not the book/series/author for you. I usually very much prefer books that can get to the point and draw me in quickly. But this series....French's writing is so lyrical and poetic that I enjoy all of it, even when it takes 25% of the book for the story to really get going.
This is supposed to be the final book in the series. And while it wrapped up fine and I would be satisfied with this as the ending, I LOVE that French left it open enough for more stories to be told in this setting.
5 stars for all of it. The story, the characters, the plotlines weaved in, and even the character death that I saw coming 50% before it happened, surprised me. All in all, I have to say - READ. THIS. BOOK.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A really gripping read centred around the area and its old secrets and rivalries. Love how the main characters bond together but are never flawless. As a reader you feel deeply immersed in the whole way of life. Its a rare talent French has that can spin mystery into literary fiction and never miss a beat.
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
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.
January 21, 2026
I do love the dense meatiness of Tana French’s writing. This was an excellent installment of the Cal Hooper arc and one that had great turns all with the subtle nuance we expect of this work but also of the lives of those in the village. Loved this one.
Want to read
October 10, 2025794 pages?! I don't know whether to be excited or scared
to-read-find
January 9, 2026Who recommended this book to me: It's Tana French. I'm reading it.
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.
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