What do you think?
Rate this book
DS Claire Boyle #2
Are You Watching Me
Dear Elizabeth,
I've been watching you
I hope to see you . . .
Soon.
Liz Cafferky is on the up. Rescued from her dark past by the owner of a drop-in centre for older men, Liz soon finds herself as the charity's face - and the unwilling darling of the Dublin media.
Amidst her claustrophobic fame, Liz barely notices a letter from a new fan. But then one of the centre's clients is brutally murdered, and Elizabeth receives another, more sinister note.
Running from her own ghosts, Liz is too scared to go to the police. And with no leads, there is little Sergeant Claire Boyle can do to protect her.
I've been watching you
I hope to see you . . .
Soon.
Liz Cafferky is on the up. Rescued from her dark past by the owner of a drop-in centre for older men, Liz soon finds herself as the charity's face - and the unwilling darling of the Dublin media.
Amidst her claustrophobic fame, Liz barely notices a letter from a new fan. But then one of the centre's clients is brutally murdered, and Elizabeth receives another, more sinister note.
Running from her own ghosts, Liz is too scared to go to the police. And with no leads, there is little Sergeant Claire Boyle can do to protect her.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2015
42 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 3, 2015
I was a huge fan of Sinead Crowley's first book and so was very excited to get this one - and it was a corker.
Claire Boyle is back (thank heavens I LOVE her), having had her baby and working to get her feet firmly back in the world of Policing. Meanwhile, Liz Cafferky is receiving some disturbing mail. When a body is discovered, Claire finds herself embroiled in the secrets and lies surrounding a local men's shelter.
I love how the author mixes police procedural with intense character drama - a touch of the Tana French about it as we follow along with someone external to our main series protagonist and see a snapshot of their lives before, during and after - always intriguing to see both sides of the fence so to speak.
There is an addictive mystery element running through the narrative, some lovely little twists and turns and some real world issues once more getting a spotlight. That alongside some great characters make this a real page turner and a welcome addition to the ever growing Crime and Mystery family.
Overall a terrific read. Highly Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
Claire Boyle is back (thank heavens I LOVE her), having had her baby and working to get her feet firmly back in the world of Policing. Meanwhile, Liz Cafferky is receiving some disturbing mail. When a body is discovered, Claire finds herself embroiled in the secrets and lies surrounding a local men's shelter.
I love how the author mixes police procedural with intense character drama - a touch of the Tana French about it as we follow along with someone external to our main series protagonist and see a snapshot of their lives before, during and after - always intriguing to see both sides of the fence so to speak.
There is an addictive mystery element running through the narrative, some lovely little twists and turns and some real world issues once more getting a spotlight. That alongside some great characters make this a real page turner and a welcome addition to the ever growing Crime and Mystery family.
Overall a terrific read. Highly Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
September 5, 2015
3.5 stars
Liz Cafferky is the face of Tír na nÓg, a drop-in-centre for men who are down on their luck or feeling lonely. Liz has broken away from a grimy past and is now a well known and respected figure, regularly appearing in the media and the subject of many hashtags. The comments on facebook and twitter are causing her discomfort, but things take a more sinister turn when she receives letters from a 'fan'. The murder of a regular at Tír na nÓg means the police are already in-situ, and Sergeant Claire Boyle is more than ready to get to work. But is she too late to help Liz?
This is the second book from Sinéad Crowley, featuring Sergeant Claire Boyle and for those who know this character from Can Anybody Help Me?, she is a feisty, independent woman . Claire has just given birth to her first child and is dying to get back to work. The mundane life of motherhood does not appeal to her and with the help of her husband, Matt, the time has come to get back to police work. The body of an elderly man is discovered in his own home and this leads the investigation to the door of Tír na nÓg, a refuge for men (similar to men-sheds). This is a place where men can meet, play cards, drink copious amounts of tea and pass the day with a shred of dignity. Inevitably, there are some connections to alcoholism, addiction and more troubled pasts, but for the visitors to Tír na nÓg, no one is there to judge. But the murder brings uncertainty to the refuge, and tensions build. Who can be trusted?
Sergeant Boyle is a different voice in the predictable role of female police officer. She is far from perfect, does not give a hoot about her appearance, never feels the need to 'bond' with other female officials from other law enforcement agencies and is subject to bouts of crankiness and exhaustion. Her daughter is not yet sleeping through the night and herself and Matt have not had a proper date in months. A night in front of Netflix is a luxury and when the couple are actually in the house at the same time, there is an uneasy feeling lingering. Actually, I found Claire to be a bit of a bitch. She is dismissive, arrogant and demanding. Matt is doing his best. Trying to work from home, with a new baby, is not easy. He needs help and Claire is not the one to offer it.
The overall story of this novel is hard to pin down. A murder/mystery, a crime/thriller, a psychological thriller? All apply, yet the narrative is a bit weak. There are lots of boxes ticked; homelessness, addiction, loneliness, depression, yet each link is just not strong enough to have a lasting effect. Liz's 'murky' past is pastel rather than opaque and the writer of her 'fan mail' is a predictable victim of circumstance. There is also an uncomfortable edge to Liz's dealings with the lads in Tír na nÓg. She is not happy there and is an unlikely media heroine, due to this uncertainty.
I really enjoyed Can Anybody Help Me? and was a little disappointed with this sequel. Sergeant Boyle is now just a little too sharp around the edges and the main storyline wasn't strong enough. It is still a good thriller and an ideal summer read, as it is well paced and is not too demanding. It can be read as a stand alone, but to get the full feel of Sergeant Boyle, it would be best to read Can Anybody Help Me? first. Luckily, Claire's character seems to flip a little towards the end of this installment and this bodes well for book three...
Liz Cafferky is the face of Tír na nÓg, a drop-in-centre for men who are down on their luck or feeling lonely. Liz has broken away from a grimy past and is now a well known and respected figure, regularly appearing in the media and the subject of many hashtags. The comments on facebook and twitter are causing her discomfort, but things take a more sinister turn when she receives letters from a 'fan'. The murder of a regular at Tír na nÓg means the police are already in-situ, and Sergeant Claire Boyle is more than ready to get to work. But is she too late to help Liz?
This is the second book from Sinéad Crowley, featuring Sergeant Claire Boyle and for those who know this character from Can Anybody Help Me?, she is a feisty, independent woman . Claire has just given birth to her first child and is dying to get back to work. The mundane life of motherhood does not appeal to her and with the help of her husband, Matt, the time has come to get back to police work. The body of an elderly man is discovered in his own home and this leads the investigation to the door of Tír na nÓg, a refuge for men (similar to men-sheds). This is a place where men can meet, play cards, drink copious amounts of tea and pass the day with a shred of dignity. Inevitably, there are some connections to alcoholism, addiction and more troubled pasts, but for the visitors to Tír na nÓg, no one is there to judge. But the murder brings uncertainty to the refuge, and tensions build. Who can be trusted?
Sergeant Boyle is a different voice in the predictable role of female police officer. She is far from perfect, does not give a hoot about her appearance, never feels the need to 'bond' with other female officials from other law enforcement agencies and is subject to bouts of crankiness and exhaustion. Her daughter is not yet sleeping through the night and herself and Matt have not had a proper date in months. A night in front of Netflix is a luxury and when the couple are actually in the house at the same time, there is an uneasy feeling lingering. Actually, I found Claire to be a bit of a bitch. She is dismissive, arrogant and demanding. Matt is doing his best. Trying to work from home, with a new baby, is not easy. He needs help and Claire is not the one to offer it.
The overall story of this novel is hard to pin down. A murder/mystery, a crime/thriller, a psychological thriller? All apply, yet the narrative is a bit weak. There are lots of boxes ticked; homelessness, addiction, loneliness, depression, yet each link is just not strong enough to have a lasting effect. Liz's 'murky' past is pastel rather than opaque and the writer of her 'fan mail' is a predictable victim of circumstance. There is also an uncomfortable edge to Liz's dealings with the lads in Tír na nÓg. She is not happy there and is an unlikely media heroine, due to this uncertainty.
I really enjoyed Can Anybody Help Me? and was a little disappointed with this sequel. Sergeant Boyle is now just a little too sharp around the edges and the main storyline wasn't strong enough. It is still a good thriller and an ideal summer read, as it is well paced and is not too demanding. It can be read as a stand alone, but to get the full feel of Sergeant Boyle, it would be best to read Can Anybody Help Me? first. Luckily, Claire's character seems to flip a little towards the end of this installment and this bodes well for book three...
June 24, 2015
When the users of a drop in centre for old men in Dublin start dying, is there a link? That is the hook in this police procedural/suspense novel from Sinead Crowley. The story is told mostly from two perspectives. Firstly, that of Liz Mcafferkey, a young woman who works at the centre and who is fast becoming a media superstar following her TV interviews endorsing the work that goes on at the centre. But Liz is running from a past that she is ashamed of and is terrified that the media attention will bring her skeletons out of them closet.
The deaths are being investigated by DS Claire Boyle in her first case since returning to work from maternity leave. We watch Claire struggling to juggle her work, especially a big case like this and her home life with her husband and baby. Now Claire does digress a lot and I did get a little weary of listening to her thoughts about work-life balance and childcare etcetera and ended up skimming through some of her internal monologues. Similarly with Liz, who I got quite exasperated with. If you want a fresh start in life and don’t want your lurid past catching up with you – surely you would leave and start again in a new town or city? Claire is not the only person who seems to go all around the houses though, I found that most of the characters did exactly the same thing when explaining something and it did get a little tiring at times.
On the whole though, this isn’t a bad read – it is an interesting story line that in the end wasn’t as predictable as I first thought. Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
The deaths are being investigated by DS Claire Boyle in her first case since returning to work from maternity leave. We watch Claire struggling to juggle her work, especially a big case like this and her home life with her husband and baby. Now Claire does digress a lot and I did get a little weary of listening to her thoughts about work-life balance and childcare etcetera and ended up skimming through some of her internal monologues. Similarly with Liz, who I got quite exasperated with. If you want a fresh start in life and don’t want your lurid past catching up with you – surely you would leave and start again in a new town or city? Claire is not the only person who seems to go all around the houses though, I found that most of the characters did exactly the same thing when explaining something and it did get a little tiring at times.
On the whole though, this isn’t a bad read – it is an interesting story line that in the end wasn’t as predictable as I first thought. Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
June 10, 2015
I enjoyed this author’s previous novel “Can Anybody Help Me?” and so I was looking forward to the second mystery featuring Detective Sergeant Claire Boyle. Claire now has a baby, Anna, and is attempting to juggle motherhood, marriage and career. Maternity leave has left her eager to get back to work and she is soon involved with the investigation into the murder of an elderly man. James Mannion was a retired teacher, living in squalor and a visitor to a drop in centre called Tir na nOg (‘Land of Youth’).
Liz Cafferky is the new ‘poster girl’ for the centre. Taken from a life of drink and drugs by centre owner, Tom Carthy, Liz literally feels she owes Tom her life and does all she can to help. She is persuaded by Tom and by a man she knew at school, Dean Evans – now a journalist – to appear on television to bring the centre publicity and donations. Liz is uncomfortable with her new role in the spotlight, especially when she begins to receive threatening notes. Then, another man from the centre is found murdered…
Set in Dublin, this is an interesting mystery, but does not quite live up to expectations after the first book. Many characters have secrets and Boyle, and partner Flynn, need to go back to the past to solve the crimes of the present. Overall, I enjoyed this, but not quite as much as the first book, and found the conclusion a little predictable. However, I will certainly read on in the series as I am sure that Boyle has more to offer. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
Liz Cafferky is the new ‘poster girl’ for the centre. Taken from a life of drink and drugs by centre owner, Tom Carthy, Liz literally feels she owes Tom her life and does all she can to help. She is persuaded by Tom and by a man she knew at school, Dean Evans – now a journalist – to appear on television to bring the centre publicity and donations. Liz is uncomfortable with her new role in the spotlight, especially when she begins to receive threatening notes. Then, another man from the centre is found murdered…
Set in Dublin, this is an interesting mystery, but does not quite live up to expectations after the first book. Many characters have secrets and Boyle, and partner Flynn, need to go back to the past to solve the crimes of the present. Overall, I enjoyed this, but not quite as much as the first book, and found the conclusion a little predictable. However, I will certainly read on in the series as I am sure that Boyle has more to offer. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
April 4, 2018
Formulaic. A new mom with an often unsympathetic attitude. A book with a lot of chapters in italic from the point of view with a stalker of DS Claire Boyle. I find this format tiring and though occasionally done well, too often not. I could go on and on.
Boyle is a Dublin police officer. There is little in her manner, way of thinking etc. that appealed to me as a reader of crime fiction. The only "local" color was mention of the Spire on O'Connell St., the name of the drop in center for elderly men, Tir naOg (Land of Eternal Youth - as if any respectable elderly man would find this appealing). The victim of the stalker is Liz McCafferky. Her surname is from Mayo and one I'd never come across. So what's she doing in Dublin? An example of the lack of local details and "color".
This reads like someone who followed a "how to write a crime novel" program. Irish crime fiction is a fairly new phenomenon and loads of people are jumping on the bandwagon. It was a 3 for me but the ending was better than I expected so I pushed it up to 3.5.
Boyle is a Dublin police officer. There is little in her manner, way of thinking etc. that appealed to me as a reader of crime fiction. The only "local" color was mention of the Spire on O'Connell St., the name of the drop in center for elderly men, Tir naOg (Land of Eternal Youth - as if any respectable elderly man would find this appealing). The victim of the stalker is Liz McCafferky. Her surname is from Mayo and one I'd never come across. So what's she doing in Dublin? An example of the lack of local details and "color".
This reads like someone who followed a "how to write a crime novel" program. Irish crime fiction is a fairly new phenomenon and loads of people are jumping on the bandwagon. It was a 3 for me but the ending was better than I expected so I pushed it up to 3.5.
August 3, 2015
I love this authors books, however I struggled with this one.
Its based around a drop in center for men. Men start dying
The there is Liz who is media connected to Facebook, twitter and the like, but when she receives a 'fan' message things start to turn.
I loved Liz [and still do] from the book Can anybody help me? but for me, although the story was OK, Liz won out for me, she was still the character like before, it was the plot that let it down for me.
There were quite a few people in this book to keep up with too.
This still is a good book, although not as fast paced and 'unputdownable' as her first for me.
^^My thanks go to the author and to Quercus Books on Net Galley for my copy to read and review ^^
December 30, 2015
Are You Watching Me? A Creepy Irish Thriller
Are You Watching Me? Is the latest crime thriller from Irish writer Sinead Crawley, and another outing for Sergeant Clare Boyle. Sinead Crawley has given us an excellent female detective who is trying to balance motherhood, marriage and a high pressured career, like many of the readers.
The premise may seem simple, a couple of murders all connected to a drop-in-centre in Dublin that is the only connection. At the same time there is a suggestion of abuse from thirty years prior, between teacher and pupil and that pupil is at the heart of the story. The problem is it would be easy to solve the crime if there were no twists, or trips back to a sleep Irish town in the middle of nowhere, where everyone knows your business.
Boyle and her colleague Flynn have to work through are the clues and there does not seem to be many of them in any of the murders. Liz, the centre worker, seems to be at the centre of what is happening and they think she is hiding something, but cannot prove it. Liz is also gaining a lot of publicity for her drop in centre and is trying to overcome crippling anxiety and is the media face of the charity.
The writing is great and what is better is seeing a female cop not reverting to the usual stereotype of being a loner a defective detective. Clare Boyle is the sort of woman we all know trying to get on in life while balancing many things at once including a child and a husband.
A great book, a pacey thriller, with a few twists and turns and a very clear female hero who we will all love. I cannot wait until her next outing.
Are You Watching Me? Is the latest crime thriller from Irish writer Sinead Crawley, and another outing for Sergeant Clare Boyle. Sinead Crawley has given us an excellent female detective who is trying to balance motherhood, marriage and a high pressured career, like many of the readers.
The premise may seem simple, a couple of murders all connected to a drop-in-centre in Dublin that is the only connection. At the same time there is a suggestion of abuse from thirty years prior, between teacher and pupil and that pupil is at the heart of the story. The problem is it would be easy to solve the crime if there were no twists, or trips back to a sleep Irish town in the middle of nowhere, where everyone knows your business.
Boyle and her colleague Flynn have to work through are the clues and there does not seem to be many of them in any of the murders. Liz, the centre worker, seems to be at the centre of what is happening and they think she is hiding something, but cannot prove it. Liz is also gaining a lot of publicity for her drop in centre and is trying to overcome crippling anxiety and is the media face of the charity.
The writing is great and what is better is seeing a female cop not reverting to the usual stereotype of being a loner a defective detective. Clare Boyle is the sort of woman we all know trying to get on in life while balancing many things at once including a child and a husband.
A great book, a pacey thriller, with a few twists and turns and a very clear female hero who we will all love. I cannot wait until her next outing.
July 17, 2015
This review was originally posted on [Between My Lines]A vulnerable, sensitive young woman who has hit the headlines for her work in a charity centre is suddenly the target for hate mail. More than hate mail, threatening mail. With its paranoid-inducing title, I couldn’t wait to dive right in to this one.
First Line of Are You Watching Me by Sinead Crowley:
My Thoughts on Are You Watching Me by Sinead Crowley:
This book features Claire Boyle, the Sergeant who was the central character in Can Anybody Help Me? And it was great to catch up again with this independent, working mother who is struggling to balance the full on demanding and stressful nature of her police job with that of a new mother. And she doesn’t want to be a stay at home mother, she thrives in her chosen profession but work and home are pulling her in very different directions.
The main setting for the book is a drop in centre for older men and I liked how the book highlighted the lack of support for men in society as they get older. Liz is working in the centre and is also the face of the centre in the media. However Liz is hiding some secrets and the unwanted attention makes her jittery and nervous. And then she gets a threatening letter...
I really enjoyed how all the strands of the story came together in this one. At first it seems like the various characters have no common ground but with a bit of digging by Claire, it becomes obvious that lots of the characters have pasts to hide. And those pasts are not staying buried.
This isn’t one of those scary thrillers that frighten the pants off you. Instead it is a quieter book with a relatable setting and a series of events that seem all too plausible. This in the long run is even scarier than those over-the-top unrealistic thrillers.
I liked the contrast between Liz and Claire as the two main female characters. Claire is strong and feisty but with moments of vulnerability. And Liz is the opposite, she is weaker and fragile but with moments of strength. But both are fully rounded, fully developed characters that I thoroughly believed in. Their flaws drew me in and made me want to see both succeed in their own individual challenges.
I thought the mystery was intriguing enough. I had a pretty good idea whodunit but it took me a while to fully slot all the pieces into place. I loved all the secrecy and how we had to travel back a generation to unravel it all. And the pace was spot on as the element of danger and furtive notes kept me turning the pages quickly.
Overall another stellar book from Sinead Crowley. I love the way she mixes up identifiable but thought-provoking settings with realistic characters and an engaging mystery.
Who should read Are You Watching Me by Sinead Crowley?
I’d recommend this to fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy unravelling old secrets and who appreciate fully developed characters. Fans of Sarah Hillary, Lindwood Barclay and Lucy Atkins should also enjoy this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
First Line of Are You Watching Me by Sinead Crowley:
"She had forgotten how to breathe."
My Thoughts on Are You Watching Me by Sinead Crowley:
This book features Claire Boyle, the Sergeant who was the central character in Can Anybody Help Me? And it was great to catch up again with this independent, working mother who is struggling to balance the full on demanding and stressful nature of her police job with that of a new mother. And she doesn’t want to be a stay at home mother, she thrives in her chosen profession but work and home are pulling her in very different directions.
The main setting for the book is a drop in centre for older men and I liked how the book highlighted the lack of support for men in society as they get older. Liz is working in the centre and is also the face of the centre in the media. However Liz is hiding some secrets and the unwanted attention makes her jittery and nervous. And then she gets a threatening letter...
I really enjoyed how all the strands of the story came together in this one. At first it seems like the various characters have no common ground but with a bit of digging by Claire, it becomes obvious that lots of the characters have pasts to hide. And those pasts are not staying buried.
This isn’t one of those scary thrillers that frighten the pants off you. Instead it is a quieter book with a relatable setting and a series of events that seem all too plausible. This in the long run is even scarier than those over-the-top unrealistic thrillers.
I liked the contrast between Liz and Claire as the two main female characters. Claire is strong and feisty but with moments of vulnerability. And Liz is the opposite, she is weaker and fragile but with moments of strength. But both are fully rounded, fully developed characters that I thoroughly believed in. Their flaws drew me in and made me want to see both succeed in their own individual challenges.
I thought the mystery was intriguing enough. I had a pretty good idea whodunit but it took me a while to fully slot all the pieces into place. I loved all the secrecy and how we had to travel back a generation to unravel it all. And the pace was spot on as the element of danger and furtive notes kept me turning the pages quickly.
Overall another stellar book from Sinead Crowley. I love the way she mixes up identifiable but thought-provoking settings with realistic characters and an engaging mystery.
Who should read Are You Watching Me by Sinead Crowley?
I’d recommend this to fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy unravelling old secrets and who appreciate fully developed characters. Fans of Sarah Hillary, Lindwood Barclay and Lucy Atkins should also enjoy this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
June 22, 2015
3.5 Stars
Sergeant Claire Boyle is a new mum to daughter Anna, and has just returned to work when a gruesome murder case lands on her work pile. She and partner Flynn need to try to solve it before others get hurt.
Liz Cafferky is working for a men's charity, has secrets in her past, and is now starting to get threatening letters. However as she doesn't keep the evidence it doesn't help Claire protect her. And the charity she works for is linked to the murder.
I found Are You Watching Me to be an interesting thriller, with plenty of plot twists. I loved the chapters written from the letter writers point of view, as they gave a fascinating interest into his past, and psyche. Always good to know what a potential stalker could be thinking.
There were a few shocks, and I definitely didn't guess at the outcome, which is always good for a thriller. I would definitely like to read any future books featuring Sergeant Clare, and the picture given of her home life away from work were really enjoyable to read. I loved baby Anna, even though she was too young to really be a part of anything, but she clearly has devoted and loving parents.
The murders weren't overly gruesome, nor particularly terrifying, and the overall villain although someone I clearly didn't like, I just didn't hate either. Are You Watching Me, seems to be missing the grit, and grippiness that others of its genre have, but I still liked the book regardless.
Sergeant Claire Boyle is a new mum to daughter Anna, and has just returned to work when a gruesome murder case lands on her work pile. She and partner Flynn need to try to solve it before others get hurt.
Liz Cafferky is working for a men's charity, has secrets in her past, and is now starting to get threatening letters. However as she doesn't keep the evidence it doesn't help Claire protect her. And the charity she works for is linked to the murder.
I found Are You Watching Me to be an interesting thriller, with plenty of plot twists. I loved the chapters written from the letter writers point of view, as they gave a fascinating interest into his past, and psyche. Always good to know what a potential stalker could be thinking.
There were a few shocks, and I definitely didn't guess at the outcome, which is always good for a thriller. I would definitely like to read any future books featuring Sergeant Clare, and the picture given of her home life away from work were really enjoyable to read. I loved baby Anna, even though she was too young to really be a part of anything, but she clearly has devoted and loving parents.
The murders weren't overly gruesome, nor particularly terrifying, and the overall villain although someone I clearly didn't like, I just didn't hate either. Are You Watching Me, seems to be missing the grit, and grippiness that others of its genre have, but I still liked the book regardless.
June 30, 2015
On the whole this wasn't a bad book. There were just a few key aspects of it that didn't really gel with me.
DS Boyle returns back to work after having her baby and is thrust right into what turns out to be a nasty murder. Meanwhile Liz has been thrust into the limelight as spokeswoman for a men's drop in centre where coincidentally (or not) the victim used to go. Then another man from the centre is found dead, Liz is threatened and the heat is on to catch the killer.
I found the Police procedural aspect of the book to be good but there was for me a bit too much peripheral stuff going on around and about that I was, at times distracted from the point of things. I know most people have secrets and pasts but to have so many main characters in the same book with them really was imo a little OTT. Coupled with Boyle's personal life (which I grew not to care about) I did find it quite hard at times following the plot as it twisted and turned itself and by the end of the book, I didn't much care who had done it!
I also found the characterisation to be a little hit and miss. I know that people display different sides of their personalities to different people and often hide behind masks but I found the characters in this book to be inconsistent enough for me to get in a bit of a pickle sometimes with who was who!
I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
DS Boyle returns back to work after having her baby and is thrust right into what turns out to be a nasty murder. Meanwhile Liz has been thrust into the limelight as spokeswoman for a men's drop in centre where coincidentally (or not) the victim used to go. Then another man from the centre is found dead, Liz is threatened and the heat is on to catch the killer.
I found the Police procedural aspect of the book to be good but there was for me a bit too much peripheral stuff going on around and about that I was, at times distracted from the point of things. I know most people have secrets and pasts but to have so many main characters in the same book with them really was imo a little OTT. Coupled with Boyle's personal life (which I grew not to care about) I did find it quite hard at times following the plot as it twisted and turned itself and by the end of the book, I didn't much care who had done it!
I also found the characterisation to be a little hit and miss. I know that people display different sides of their personalities to different people and often hide behind masks but I found the characters in this book to be inconsistent enough for me to get in a bit of a pickle sometimes with who was who!
I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2015
Thanks to Quercus for the review copy.
Couldn't wait to get my hands on this as I loved Can anybody help me.
Liz, the main character hasn't always had it easy in life but her new job at Tir na nog is helping. Its giving her a purpose in life.
Tir na nog is like a safe haven for Men in the heart of Dublin city center. It's a place where they can go just to sit and have a cup of tea or just to chat and be warm. It's a place of comfort and hope.
That is until one of the regulars is found murdered in his home and Liz receives a letter informing her that she may be next. Lizs' life is thrown into disarray as she tries to figure out who would want her harmed and why.
Sargent Claire Boyle is struggling with life as a new mother and still trying to do her job to the best of her abilities. She is determined to get to the bottom of this murder before its too late but with little to go on she finds her self stumbling in dark.
The book is paced well I flew through it. You could finish it in one sitting if you had the mind to.
It was an enjoyable read but I found it a little predictable. I guessed very early on who the killer was but as usual I have to keep going in case I'm wrong.
Not quite as gripping as Can anybody help me but still an enjoyable read
Couldn't wait to get my hands on this as I loved Can anybody help me.
Liz, the main character hasn't always had it easy in life but her new job at Tir na nog is helping. Its giving her a purpose in life.
Tir na nog is like a safe haven for Men in the heart of Dublin city center. It's a place where they can go just to sit and have a cup of tea or just to chat and be warm. It's a place of comfort and hope.
That is until one of the regulars is found murdered in his home and Liz receives a letter informing her that she may be next. Lizs' life is thrown into disarray as she tries to figure out who would want her harmed and why.
Sargent Claire Boyle is struggling with life as a new mother and still trying to do her job to the best of her abilities. She is determined to get to the bottom of this murder before its too late but with little to go on she finds her self stumbling in dark.
The book is paced well I flew through it. You could finish it in one sitting if you had the mind to.
It was an enjoyable read but I found it a little predictable. I guessed very early on who the killer was but as usual I have to keep going in case I'm wrong.
Not quite as gripping as Can anybody help me but still an enjoyable read
February 4, 2018
A scarily 'possible' story. Kudos to Sinead Crowley for her imaginative plot. I'm a fan, was kept guessing until very near the end and even then could hardly believe whodunit! I'll be reading more from this author when I get my hands on her books!
September 16, 2017
This has a large twist in it that I didn't see coming. Kudos to Sinead for sneaking one in on me. The biggest problem with this novel which stopped the rating from going higher than a 3 was the characters. I hated most of them. None of them appealed to me, most of them were miserable or whingey. Their flaws were very dislikable when I'm sure they were supposed to be endearing. The plot twist though, was amazing.
April 27, 2017
This was a totally unexpectedly fantastic read. I picked it up, as we do, distracted when trying to find something else in a shop, not a book shop? I read the blurb and thought it sounded good. However, it was more than good. I couldn't put it down. You are taken on a journey full of twists and turns. Lots of mystery and full of red herrings. You never really find out the full story of most of the characters. You discover the three main characters all have secrets, but they are only fully revealed right at the end of the story. Of course they are not the alone with their secrets, and you are taken right to the final chapter to learn who the real threat is and why. I loved this book it was full of emotive and frightening situations made more intense because you didn't know where the real danger was. A heart pounding read. Definitely a 5 star. Read it if you dare!
December 22, 2015
I enjoyed reading this second novel by Sinéad Cowley. The story is mainly told through the two female characters and deals with the murder of two men who are associated with Tír na Nóg, a safe haven for lonely men. Good plot which allowed the story to develop including a nod at the changing attitudes in Ireland. I feel the author has much more to offer hence 3 stars.
October 29, 2017
Tír na nÓg a drop in centre for men is right at the heart of this, the second book in the Sergeant Claire Boyle series. With the realistic Dublin setting as a backdrop the lonely men who visit the centre make for a refreshing change which more than justly follows up on the author’s debut novel Can Anybody Help Me?
The drop in centre is run by Tom who gave Liz Cafferky a job when she was down on her luck and so she is unable to refuse when he wants her to do a TV interview to raise the profile of the drop-in centre with the aim to garner donations. There’s a downside for Liz though, she has become a bit of a media star and now she’s getting unwanted attention.
Meanwhile Claire Boyle is back at work following her maternity leave and feeling that all too familiar feeling of guilt despite her husband Matt staying at home to mind the baby. That’s until one of the drop-in centre’s regulars is murdered then her mind is focussed on the investigation.
I love this author’s work, it should be classed as a police procedural, after all there is an investigation with a solid mystery with the obligatory red-herrings and devilish plotting but we are also treated to a far more in-depth view of those civilians caught up in the investigation. By that I don’t mean a cursory this is how a major crime investigation impacts my life but we are given full insight into Liz Cafferky’s life beforehand too. This gives the book a totally different feel to the more traditional police procedural, a welcome one that gives this book a feeling of weight. Of course this approach wouldn’t work if the other secondary characters weren’t also fully fleshed out and there is something appealing about the care and compassion shown towards the visitors to Tír na nÓg that had me feeling quite sentimental at times. These are real people, not cardboard cut-outs and the interactions between themselves is as equally heart-warming, on the whole, after all this isn’t a book populated by saints!
You could be forgiven for expecting that with so many character-led scenes that the tension dips as we join the men in a game of cards or a chat but it really doesn’t, the feeling of foreboding is lurking at the edges whilst Liz tries to put her dodgy letters to the back of her mind and wonder instead at her new media personality the reader is still pondering a murder and a stalker so there really is a lot going on! I am thoroughly impressed by the author’s skill at keeping the tension high whilst at times, particularly at the end allowing me the release of the odd tear as that is how much I cared about some of the people I met through this book.
If I had one minor criticism it’s that Claire seems a little bit harder and so a little less approachable than when she appeared in Can Anybody Help Me? but then she’s had a baby, and so her slightly more brusque style is understandable.
The drop in centre is run by Tom who gave Liz Cafferky a job when she was down on her luck and so she is unable to refuse when he wants her to do a TV interview to raise the profile of the drop-in centre with the aim to garner donations. There’s a downside for Liz though, she has become a bit of a media star and now she’s getting unwanted attention.
Meanwhile Claire Boyle is back at work following her maternity leave and feeling that all too familiar feeling of guilt despite her husband Matt staying at home to mind the baby. That’s until one of the drop-in centre’s regulars is murdered then her mind is focussed on the investigation.
I love this author’s work, it should be classed as a police procedural, after all there is an investigation with a solid mystery with the obligatory red-herrings and devilish plotting but we are also treated to a far more in-depth view of those civilians caught up in the investigation. By that I don’t mean a cursory this is how a major crime investigation impacts my life but we are given full insight into Liz Cafferky’s life beforehand too. This gives the book a totally different feel to the more traditional police procedural, a welcome one that gives this book a feeling of weight. Of course this approach wouldn’t work if the other secondary characters weren’t also fully fleshed out and there is something appealing about the care and compassion shown towards the visitors to Tír na nÓg that had me feeling quite sentimental at times. These are real people, not cardboard cut-outs and the interactions between themselves is as equally heart-warming, on the whole, after all this isn’t a book populated by saints!
You could be forgiven for expecting that with so many character-led scenes that the tension dips as we join the men in a game of cards or a chat but it really doesn’t, the feeling of foreboding is lurking at the edges whilst Liz tries to put her dodgy letters to the back of her mind and wonder instead at her new media personality the reader is still pondering a murder and a stalker so there really is a lot going on! I am thoroughly impressed by the author’s skill at keeping the tension high whilst at times, particularly at the end allowing me the release of the odd tear as that is how much I cared about some of the people I met through this book.
If I had one minor criticism it’s that Claire seems a little bit harder and so a little less approachable than when she appeared in Can Anybody Help Me? but then she’s had a baby, and so her slightly more brusque style is understandable.
July 29, 2015
Are you Watching Me? is the second novel from Irish crime writer Sinéad Crowley (no relation might I add). She is a successful correspondent on the RTE news here in Ireland and has now turned her attention to writing. I readily admit I am not a huge fan of this genre. The only books I have really read would have been the Stieg Larsson series (yes I jumped on that bandwagon and enjoyed them) and Swedish female writer Camilla Lackberg. So to make me read a crime novel it must be tense and gripping. I certainly got that in Sinéad’s first novel Can Anybody Help Me? as it provided me with that jaw dropping moment of reveal, I genuinely had no clue as to the ending. I love to be proven wrong as to who is committing the crimes and that’s how a good book in this genre should be. Are You Watching Me? wasn’t as riveting as our first encounter with the characters but none the less it was still a great read for someone like me who dips in and out of the crime/thriller genre.
Detective Sergeant Claire Boyle is back on patrol after her maternity leave with baby Anna left in the capable hands of Matt or the local crèche. She has been itching to continue to make her mark in the Dublin police force. Claire is a career minded woman, independent, hardnosed, determined and with a temper that can be released with full force when needed. She is not your typical woman detective as she avoids as much interaction with female co-workers as possible preferring the company of her right hand man Flynn. She loves her daughter Anna but has been itching to sink her teeth into a new investigation and this is provided when the body of an elderly man is discovered in his own home. Soon she is embroiled in a twisting, sinister turn of events. Claire must work as fast as she can to protect Liz before any more murders can be committed.
Liz Cafferky is communications executive at Tir na nÓg a kind of drop in centre for men. Assistance, support and a place to talk is provided for those in need. Established by Tom several years ago the centre does its best but Liz is often at her wits end trying to keep the place running. We soon realise Liz is starting over and this job is helping her to do that. They are hints alluding to her past and we understand something has made her nervous and anxious especially when it comes to appearing in public. Yet she goes ahead and gives an interview on national TV promoting the centre .This showed her appreciation that she is now in a job in which she does her best to make someone else's life just that little bit easier. All is not well when strange comments on the centres Facebook page materialise and random unnerving letters arrive at her door signed by some unknown man. Murder and intrigue soon follow.
I know she loved Matt but at times Claire seemed more married to the job than she was to him. She didn’t always treat him fairly and often put her own career ambitions ahead of what Matt was asking her to do at home. If a work thing came up that was put first on her agenda even if she had promised Matt some time for himself away from the baby. I’d question whether Claire views the marriage as an equal partnership. On the one hand she is to be admired for wanting to achieve so much in an often male dominated career. But then she shouldn’t forget her family and support system. Matt is selfless to me he can see the ruthless ambition in Claire but he doesn’t want her to loose sight of their marriage and baby Anna. They need to work out a balance and near the end there was some discussion but I feel the author has left more of Claire’s personal life open to further exploration in future books. This will help balance nicely the personal alongside the investigative side.
There were links between characters tentatively established early on but the impatience in me wanted answers immediately. But I suppose that’s what a good thriller does, keep you on the edge of your seat turning the pages in the quest for information. This book ebbed and flowed for me and not always in a good way, some parts were very slow and at the time felt surplus to requirements. Liz annoyed me several times, I wanted her to get her act together and do the right thing. When she lets some men get too close to her during activities at the centre if she had been strong enough she would have given them the brush off. I know if it was Claire in that position she would have had no qualms about telling them where to go. The author did well to include so many topical issues such as homelessness, anxiety, depression, abuse and addiction. But parts just fell flat for me. Yes there was the element of mystery and I thought I had it all worked out. Yet when that moment came I wasn’t that surprised. I think I wanted something a bit more gruesome with more of an element of adventure instead I think social issues and personal issues featured heavily.
Are You Watching Me is a good read as is evident in the fact I read it an afternoon. Diehard fans of the thriller /mystery/crime genre mightn’t get what they expect from this book. But for people like me it did the job although not all the time as I said. There is plenty more to come from Claire Boyle any reader can plainly see that. I will certainly be reading the next release as I feel Sinead Crowley is only getting warmed up and can go way deeper into the murky world of the police force in Ireland. In the meantime sit back and enjoy this book for what it is a good murder mystery.
Detective Sergeant Claire Boyle is back on patrol after her maternity leave with baby Anna left in the capable hands of Matt or the local crèche. She has been itching to continue to make her mark in the Dublin police force. Claire is a career minded woman, independent, hardnosed, determined and with a temper that can be released with full force when needed. She is not your typical woman detective as she avoids as much interaction with female co-workers as possible preferring the company of her right hand man Flynn. She loves her daughter Anna but has been itching to sink her teeth into a new investigation and this is provided when the body of an elderly man is discovered in his own home. Soon she is embroiled in a twisting, sinister turn of events. Claire must work as fast as she can to protect Liz before any more murders can be committed.
Liz Cafferky is communications executive at Tir na nÓg a kind of drop in centre for men. Assistance, support and a place to talk is provided for those in need. Established by Tom several years ago the centre does its best but Liz is often at her wits end trying to keep the place running. We soon realise Liz is starting over and this job is helping her to do that. They are hints alluding to her past and we understand something has made her nervous and anxious especially when it comes to appearing in public. Yet she goes ahead and gives an interview on national TV promoting the centre .This showed her appreciation that she is now in a job in which she does her best to make someone else's life just that little bit easier. All is not well when strange comments on the centres Facebook page materialise and random unnerving letters arrive at her door signed by some unknown man. Murder and intrigue soon follow.
I know she loved Matt but at times Claire seemed more married to the job than she was to him. She didn’t always treat him fairly and often put her own career ambitions ahead of what Matt was asking her to do at home. If a work thing came up that was put first on her agenda even if she had promised Matt some time for himself away from the baby. I’d question whether Claire views the marriage as an equal partnership. On the one hand she is to be admired for wanting to achieve so much in an often male dominated career. But then she shouldn’t forget her family and support system. Matt is selfless to me he can see the ruthless ambition in Claire but he doesn’t want her to loose sight of their marriage and baby Anna. They need to work out a balance and near the end there was some discussion but I feel the author has left more of Claire’s personal life open to further exploration in future books. This will help balance nicely the personal alongside the investigative side.
There were links between characters tentatively established early on but the impatience in me wanted answers immediately. But I suppose that’s what a good thriller does, keep you on the edge of your seat turning the pages in the quest for information. This book ebbed and flowed for me and not always in a good way, some parts were very slow and at the time felt surplus to requirements. Liz annoyed me several times, I wanted her to get her act together and do the right thing. When she lets some men get too close to her during activities at the centre if she had been strong enough she would have given them the brush off. I know if it was Claire in that position she would have had no qualms about telling them where to go. The author did well to include so many topical issues such as homelessness, anxiety, depression, abuse and addiction. But parts just fell flat for me. Yes there was the element of mystery and I thought I had it all worked out. Yet when that moment came I wasn’t that surprised. I think I wanted something a bit more gruesome with more of an element of adventure instead I think social issues and personal issues featured heavily.
Are You Watching Me is a good read as is evident in the fact I read it an afternoon. Diehard fans of the thriller /mystery/crime genre mightn’t get what they expect from this book. But for people like me it did the job although not all the time as I said. There is plenty more to come from Claire Boyle any reader can plainly see that. I will certainly be reading the next release as I feel Sinead Crowley is only getting warmed up and can go way deeper into the murky world of the police force in Ireland. In the meantime sit back and enjoy this book for what it is a good murder mystery.
March 17, 2019
I enjoyed this book. Reasonable paced, building the tension. I was a little disappointed by the reveal, which hadn't really been sign-posted, although it did have the merit of the Garda getting a result due partly to good luck, as is often the case in reality. It also drew a believable and touching picture of the central character struggling to balance her work with the pressures of motherhood.
February 10, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed this, the second in the Claire Boyle trilogy. Better than the first one, Can Anybody Help Me. I think the characters and their back stories are well written, believable and interesting. I found this one easy to follow whilst there was still a twist at the end that I didn't see coming.
Read
July 23, 2019This was just 'grand'. Still the same punctuation issues as the first book and I found myself kind of forgetting about the characters as they aren't particularly likable or memorable. I do like the story line though so that's what kept me going. I'd recommend buying the 3 series deal on Amazon for Kindle rather than full whack for each book as I don't think it's worth the full fee.
August 27, 2017
Good story
A good gripping story. Lots of complicated characters with their own stories to tell. Well written and a twist at the end. I enjoyed this story.
A good gripping story. Lots of complicated characters with their own stories to tell. Well written and a twist at the end. I enjoyed this story.
October 2, 2017
3.5 rounded down to 3. Enjoyed it but found it dragged a bit in points. Particularly with Boyles home life. But a good read, looking forward to reading more from Sinéad
March 23, 2019
Found this a bit dull if I’m honest , easy read with a bit of a twist
December 1, 2022
Good read. Well written.
January 19, 2025
A very enjoyable read full of twists and false trails and good characters. I love the Irish turns of phrase and humour.
July 2, 2015
Well, this got a wee bit sinister, didn’t it? All of the characters have their fair share of issues between them, and although the story starts at a relatively gentle pace, it works itself up to quite the psychological crescendo.
After a shaky few years, Liz Cafferky now works as an assistant at a centre in Dublin for homeless / troubled men. It reaches out to a few ‘regulars’ and she can stand the company of some more than others. (Some are just down on their luck, some are simply lonely, and some are downright creepy.)
But her boss, Tom Carthy, has instilled in her the mantra: treat everyone with kindness and don’t judge – everyone has a story. Well, it’s not easy, but she just wants to continue her quiet life, so she tries to appease him.
Following a television interview to raise the Centre’s profile, that quiet life has unexpectedly disappeared and she’s become something of a local celebrity. When donations start coming in she realises that perhaps it might be worth it.
Except the TV appearance has earned this private lass a special ‘fan’, who is sending her little notes. Even though the whole thing strikes her as incredibly weird she is reluctant to alert the police, as he fears she’ll be forced to give the skeletons in her own cupboard a good airing.
While Liz frets over her anonymous ‘admirer’, we are treated to a read insight into the obsessive state of mind, as we get to read their unnerving, little monologues when their thoughts are of the young Liz. The author has been careful to conceal the culprit’s identity, which adds to the escalating tension.
When the body of a man is discovered in his house by one of his neighbours and he’s identified as one of the centre’s regulars, alarm bells should be pealing, particularly as it’s not natural causes. But as the victim’s a loner who fell out of step with his old life some time ago, and no one except Liz knows about her weird correspondence, the police are well and truly in the dark.
And that’s all the authorities need – a suspected murder case with practically no leads. This is not in the slightest bit helpful to Detective Sergeant Claire Boyle, who is the investigating officer and is recently returned from maternity leave. She *thinks* she’s got everything sussed, but her family balance has changed with the arrival of her daughter. Although motherhood is ‘never-bloody-ending’ (her words) she’s trying not to let her personal circumstances get in the way of her investigation. Life inevitably becomes strained, which is something she doesn’t have time for, especially when she needs to knuckle-down and catch a killer.
With so many flawed characters hanging around the scene, each one carrying their own secret baggage, it was impossible to point the finger at any one of them until the story progressed much further and a motive establishes itself.
And I just love a book that uses local dialects to their full advantage in conversation exchanges. I’ll admit I don’t know anything about Ireland, but for me the phrases and accents gave another dimension to the peeps that starred in Are You Watching Me?
This is full of genuinely fascinating characters with a whole lot of past affecting their current lives. Simply sit back and enjoy the suspense as it bubbles to the surface. Well worth a read.
(My thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review via Netgalley)
After a shaky few years, Liz Cafferky now works as an assistant at a centre in Dublin for homeless / troubled men. It reaches out to a few ‘regulars’ and she can stand the company of some more than others. (Some are just down on their luck, some are simply lonely, and some are downright creepy.)
But her boss, Tom Carthy, has instilled in her the mantra: treat everyone with kindness and don’t judge – everyone has a story. Well, it’s not easy, but she just wants to continue her quiet life, so she tries to appease him.
Following a television interview to raise the Centre’s profile, that quiet life has unexpectedly disappeared and she’s become something of a local celebrity. When donations start coming in she realises that perhaps it might be worth it.
Except the TV appearance has earned this private lass a special ‘fan’, who is sending her little notes. Even though the whole thing strikes her as incredibly weird she is reluctant to alert the police, as he fears she’ll be forced to give the skeletons in her own cupboard a good airing.
While Liz frets over her anonymous ‘admirer’, we are treated to a read insight into the obsessive state of mind, as we get to read their unnerving, little monologues when their thoughts are of the young Liz. The author has been careful to conceal the culprit’s identity, which adds to the escalating tension.
When the body of a man is discovered in his house by one of his neighbours and he’s identified as one of the centre’s regulars, alarm bells should be pealing, particularly as it’s not natural causes. But as the victim’s a loner who fell out of step with his old life some time ago, and no one except Liz knows about her weird correspondence, the police are well and truly in the dark.
And that’s all the authorities need – a suspected murder case with practically no leads. This is not in the slightest bit helpful to Detective Sergeant Claire Boyle, who is the investigating officer and is recently returned from maternity leave. She *thinks* she’s got everything sussed, but her family balance has changed with the arrival of her daughter. Although motherhood is ‘never-bloody-ending’ (her words) she’s trying not to let her personal circumstances get in the way of her investigation. Life inevitably becomes strained, which is something she doesn’t have time for, especially when she needs to knuckle-down and catch a killer.
With so many flawed characters hanging around the scene, each one carrying their own secret baggage, it was impossible to point the finger at any one of them until the story progressed much further and a motive establishes itself.
And I just love a book that uses local dialects to their full advantage in conversation exchanges. I’ll admit I don’t know anything about Ireland, but for me the phrases and accents gave another dimension to the peeps that starred in Are You Watching Me?
This is full of genuinely fascinating characters with a whole lot of past affecting their current lives. Simply sit back and enjoy the suspense as it bubbles to the surface. Well worth a read.
(My thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review via Netgalley)
October 23, 2015
Smart mystery from modern Ireland connecting the lives of two women.
Social worker Liz Cafferty is trying to help her boss Tom and their charitative center for lonely elders called Tír na nÓg and agrees to appear on TV. But nobody is more shocked than her that she became an overnight sensation and a kind of "new saint" of our times (with great arse, these are our times truly :)). Liz is recovering from her wild past days - but she was no rebel, just a vulnerable girl trying to find some assurance and that went wrong. Her past and shyness make her uncomfortable, but this is just a start, as soon she receives a first weird letter. Yes, this happens to anyone appearing on TV, right? But then a client of the Tír na nÓg is found dead. Could be his murder somehow connected to centre or to a letter writer signed "Stephen"?
Police detective Claire Boyle is trying to juggle the lives of a mother to baby Anna, wife and fully functioning detective and her hands are very full as everything is a priority. How to handle and ill baby, loving, but a bit frustrated husband and murder case, which becomes "murders" case as the second body connected to Tír na nÓg is found?
THe book is intelligent, the writing is tight and the mystery solution is unexpected - thanks be to God for that, as mysteries nowadays tend to be pretty violent and non-intelligent (no problem with the former category, but a serious problem with the latter). I like that the inteligent play with motifs authoress play with us.
I also like all the hurt, normal people pictured here: lovable and real Liz with her wild past, Tom with his past and humanity shining through him even in his bad days, journalist Dan hunting sensations, but not without compassion, and even Stephen, broken as a child. I love real characters.
The whole idea of Tír na nÓg is great. I would support charity like that.
So why 3 stars? I like the "Tír na nÓg" side, but I dont like the investigative side. They are a bit less human. Claire strikes me as very cold person preferring attack as a way of communication. Her partner Flynn is just a sidekick and feels quite bland. I find it hard to connect with them, which is vital in following a detective series in my book.
Having said that, I quite liked the book and will read more of Sinead Crowley.
Social worker Liz Cafferty is trying to help her boss Tom and their charitative center for lonely elders called Tír na nÓg and agrees to appear on TV. But nobody is more shocked than her that she became an overnight sensation and a kind of "new saint" of our times (with great arse, these are our times truly :)). Liz is recovering from her wild past days - but she was no rebel, just a vulnerable girl trying to find some assurance and that went wrong. Her past and shyness make her uncomfortable, but this is just a start, as soon she receives a first weird letter. Yes, this happens to anyone appearing on TV, right? But then a client of the Tír na nÓg is found dead. Could be his murder somehow connected to centre or to a letter writer signed "Stephen"?
Police detective Claire Boyle is trying to juggle the lives of a mother to baby Anna, wife and fully functioning detective and her hands are very full as everything is a priority. How to handle and ill baby, loving, but a bit frustrated husband and murder case, which becomes "murders" case as the second body connected to Tír na nÓg is found?
THe book is intelligent, the writing is tight and the mystery solution is unexpected - thanks be to God for that, as mysteries nowadays tend to be pretty violent and non-intelligent (no problem with the former category, but a serious problem with the latter). I like that the inteligent play with motifs authoress play with us.
I also like all the hurt, normal people pictured here: lovable and real Liz with her wild past, Tom with his past and humanity shining through him even in his bad days, journalist Dan hunting sensations, but not without compassion, and even Stephen, broken as a child. I love real characters.
The whole idea of Tír na nÓg is great. I would support charity like that.
So why 3 stars? I like the "Tír na nÓg" side, but I dont like the investigative side. They are a bit less human. Claire strikes me as very cold person preferring attack as a way of communication. Her partner Flynn is just a sidekick and feels quite bland. I find it hard to connect with them, which is vital in following a detective series in my book.
Having said that, I quite liked the book and will read more of Sinead Crowley.
July 11, 2015
3.5/5 Rounded up to 4
Last year, Sinéad Crowley's Can Anybody Help Me? was one of my favourite reads. It gave a fresh new voice to the Detective genre in the form of Detective Sergeant Claire Boyle and her no-nonsense professionalism. When it was revealed that her next novel would also feature Detective Sergeant Boyle, I was dubious - would the notoriously difficult second book live up to my expectations?
I needn't have worried. While it didn't grab me instantly in the same way the first book did, it was a solid, engaging read and one I'd be happy to recommend.
We revisit Detective Sergeant Boyle, now mother to a seven month old baby girl, as she investigates a murder linked to Tír na nÓg, a drop-in centre for elderly men who have no other source of interaction or companionship in the community.
Twenty-something Liz McClafferky is the reluctant public face of Tír na nÓg - but with her newfound celebrity status comes some very unwanted attention in the form of some creepy letters from someone who is constantly watching Liz.
When another crime is linked to the centre - Liz needs to come clean about some incidents in her past, and she's not the only one.
Meanwhile, Claire's marriage has become an exercise in score-keeping that will be all too familiar with parents. I remember an argument when our twins were about two months old over one of us claiming to have slept an hour less than the other one. There's no happy families here - interestingly, it's Claire's husband, Matt, who feels trapped. That's usually a role dished out to the female parent in novels, so it was great to get the perspective of a tired husband who just wants to get out of the house for an hour or two. The battle between wanting to be a good parent/spouse and still maintain some shred of independence was realistic and well written.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC.
Last year, Sinéad Crowley's Can Anybody Help Me? was one of my favourite reads. It gave a fresh new voice to the Detective genre in the form of Detective Sergeant Claire Boyle and her no-nonsense professionalism. When it was revealed that her next novel would also feature Detective Sergeant Boyle, I was dubious - would the notoriously difficult second book live up to my expectations?
I needn't have worried. While it didn't grab me instantly in the same way the first book did, it was a solid, engaging read and one I'd be happy to recommend.
We revisit Detective Sergeant Boyle, now mother to a seven month old baby girl, as she investigates a murder linked to Tír na nÓg, a drop-in centre for elderly men who have no other source of interaction or companionship in the community.
Twenty-something Liz McClafferky is the reluctant public face of Tír na nÓg - but with her newfound celebrity status comes some very unwanted attention in the form of some creepy letters from someone who is constantly watching Liz.
When another crime is linked to the centre - Liz needs to come clean about some incidents in her past, and she's not the only one.
Meanwhile, Claire's marriage has become an exercise in score-keeping that will be all too familiar with parents. I remember an argument when our twins were about two months old over one of us claiming to have slept an hour less than the other one. There's no happy families here - interestingly, it's Claire's husband, Matt, who feels trapped. That's usually a role dished out to the female parent in novels, so it was great to get the perspective of a tired husband who just wants to get out of the house for an hour or two. The battle between wanting to be a good parent/spouse and still maintain some shred of independence was realistic and well written.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC.
June 20, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Liz Cafferky has her own past, but she is pushing through this to promote the work of the drop-in centre for men where she has been working for a while, to try and pay her dues to founder Tom, who rescued her from her own demons. However, when men start being murdered, and their only connection is the centre where she works, Liz starts questioning everything – even whether she could be the next to die. Can Liz escape her past – and the killer?
I hadn’t read ‘Can Anybody Help Me?’ which was the début novel from Sinéad Crowley, and apparently her first featuring Sergeant Claire Boyle of the Irish Garda in Dublin. And having read this second in the series, I don’t really feel that it is necessary, as the book definitely stands alone. However, I understand that there may be some who have read the first and may have a vested interest in this novel as they may have already bonded with Claire, especially as she has returned to her role after a few months maternity leave – and all that brings for her and her family.
Coming to this book as a Crowley virgin however, I almost felt that there was too much emotional and personal content about Boyle, and I didn’t buy into it. I understand that all those that HAVE read the first book may already feel that they have a history with her, and may have got more from those parts of the story.
The actual thriller was OK, no great shakes, but cruised along as a fair enough page-turner. I DID actually want to know what happened, I was invested enough to care, but didn’t feel that there was enough excitement to make it stand out amongst others that I have read.
The parts with Boyle and her baby and her husband kind of slowed the pace down, and that may have been on purpose, to add to the next in the series, but as a brand new reader to the Boyle series, it was just an irritation. Perhaps you actually NEED to read ALL the books in this series!
Liz Cafferky has her own past, but she is pushing through this to promote the work of the drop-in centre for men where she has been working for a while, to try and pay her dues to founder Tom, who rescued her from her own demons. However, when men start being murdered, and their only connection is the centre where she works, Liz starts questioning everything – even whether she could be the next to die. Can Liz escape her past – and the killer?
I hadn’t read ‘Can Anybody Help Me?’ which was the début novel from Sinéad Crowley, and apparently her first featuring Sergeant Claire Boyle of the Irish Garda in Dublin. And having read this second in the series, I don’t really feel that it is necessary, as the book definitely stands alone. However, I understand that there may be some who have read the first and may have a vested interest in this novel as they may have already bonded with Claire, especially as she has returned to her role after a few months maternity leave – and all that brings for her and her family.
Coming to this book as a Crowley virgin however, I almost felt that there was too much emotional and personal content about Boyle, and I didn’t buy into it. I understand that all those that HAVE read the first book may already feel that they have a history with her, and may have got more from those parts of the story.
The actual thriller was OK, no great shakes, but cruised along as a fair enough page-turner. I DID actually want to know what happened, I was invested enough to care, but didn’t feel that there was enough excitement to make it stand out amongst others that I have read.
The parts with Boyle and her baby and her husband kind of slowed the pace down, and that may have been on purpose, to add to the next in the series, but as a brand new reader to the Boyle series, it was just an irritation. Perhaps you actually NEED to read ALL the books in this series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews