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Paula Maguire #6
The Killing House
When a puzzling missing persons' case opens up in her hometown, forensic psychologist Paula Maguire can't help but return once more.
Renovations at an abandoned farm have uncovered two bodies: a man known to be an IRA member missing since the nineties, and a young girl whose identity remains a mystery.
As Paula attempts to discover who the girl is and why no one is looking for her, an anonymous tip-off claims that her own long-lost mother is also buried on the farm.
When another girl is kidnapped, Paula must find the person responsible before more lives are destroyed. But there are explosive secrets still to surface. And even Paula can't predict that the investigation will strike at the heart of all she holds dear.
Renovations at an abandoned farm have uncovered two bodies: a man known to be an IRA member missing since the nineties, and a young girl whose identity remains a mystery.
As Paula attempts to discover who the girl is and why no one is looking for her, an anonymous tip-off claims that her own long-lost mother is also buried on the farm.
When another girl is kidnapped, Paula must find the person responsible before more lives are destroyed. But there are explosive secrets still to surface. And even Paula can't predict that the investigation will strike at the heart of all she holds dear.
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 22, 2018
220 people are currently reading
1115 people want to read
About the author
Claire McGowan
43 books2,052 followersClaire McGowan grew up in a small village in Northern Ireland. After a degree in English and French from Oxford University she moved to London and worked in the charity sector. THE FALL is her first novel, which is followed by a series starring forensic psychologist Paula Maguire. She also writes as Eva Woods.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
October 10, 2018
"The Killing House" by Claire McGowan is the sixth in the forensic psychologist Paula Maguire series and includes the satisfying and shocking conclusion to Paula's past history. Although I haven't read any in this series there was enough information to bring me up to full speed and I felt very attached to Paula by the end of the book, even though this was my first encounter with her.
When two bodies are discovered while renovations are being carried out at a farm, their identities remain a mystery. When Paula Maguire currently living and working in London, returns to her Irish hometown of Ballyterrin to assist in the puzzling missing person's case, an anonymous tip-off claims her own long lost mother is also buried on the farm. When another girl is kidnapped Paula must find the person responsible before more lives are destroyed but even she can't predict the investigation will strike at the heart of all she holds dear. Will the mystery of her own missing mother be solved after her 'disappearance' in 1993?
The first couple of chapters had me drawn in completely and I knew this was going to be a very compelling book. Claire McGowan writes with such passion for her characters that you truly feel you know everyone personally and I particularly took to Paula, she was very interesting and realistic. I liked the way the story was told in the third person and had an alternating time line. My favourite chapters were the flashbacks to the telling of what actually happened with Margaret (Paula's mother) the day she disappeared and the final ending to the whole story was quite tense and emotional.
I'm pleased I've encountered this series albeit right at the end, I'd be happy to still read the previous books in the series to see how Paula's character developed over the years and I'd certainly read more by this very talented and professional author.
All in all an excellent thriller based on the 'troubles' in Northern Ireland which gave a saddening insight to how the residents at the time coped and lived during such terrible times.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
When two bodies are discovered while renovations are being carried out at a farm, their identities remain a mystery. When Paula Maguire currently living and working in London, returns to her Irish hometown of Ballyterrin to assist in the puzzling missing person's case, an anonymous tip-off claims her own long lost mother is also buried on the farm. When another girl is kidnapped Paula must find the person responsible before more lives are destroyed but even she can't predict the investigation will strike at the heart of all she holds dear. Will the mystery of her own missing mother be solved after her 'disappearance' in 1993?
The first couple of chapters had me drawn in completely and I knew this was going to be a very compelling book. Claire McGowan writes with such passion for her characters that you truly feel you know everyone personally and I particularly took to Paula, she was very interesting and realistic. I liked the way the story was told in the third person and had an alternating time line. My favourite chapters were the flashbacks to the telling of what actually happened with Margaret (Paula's mother) the day she disappeared and the final ending to the whole story was quite tense and emotional.
I'm pleased I've encountered this series albeit right at the end, I'd be happy to still read the previous books in the series to see how Paula's character developed over the years and I'd certainly read more by this very talented and professional author.
All in all an excellent thriller based on the 'troubles' in Northern Ireland which gave a saddening insight to how the residents at the time coped and lived during such terrible times.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
January 5, 2018
A brilliant “conclusion” to Paula Maguire’s journey. A genuinely compelling and thought provoking series overall and this one had me on the edge of my seat to find out if Paula would get her happy ending. Y’all better read to find out..
From the first book to this book, the stories have been absolutely gripping – each separate mystery brilliantly plotted and compelling – throughout though has been the thread of loss- what did happen to Paula’s mother? Every book has had a moving forward of sorts, now here we are and the end is in sight…
Claire McGowan writes with a quiet intensity that just draws you in, her characters are beautifully flawed and authentic, the Irish setting comes to life not only in style but in substance. There is an underlying emotional sense to these books that is really impressive. Poor Paula, she has been through the wringer over the years, with her relationships and her difficult career – the author offers no guarantees that the rug won’t be pulled out from underneath her yet again in this final reckoning – so to call it a page turner doesn’t really do it justice. You honestly wont be able to put it down.
As a reader who has followed these from the start I was very emotional myself when I got to the end of The Killing House – whether in a good, cathartic way or a completely destroyed sobbing heap way I’ll leave you to find out for yourselves – but I HIGHLY recommend this and the books leading up to it. If you haven’t read them yet get the lot, go on a binge read, it’ll be more addictive than anything on Netflix I can promise you that. If you, like me, have been waiting for this “closure” then you won’t be disappointed. Absolutely and completely brilliantly done.
From the first book to this book, the stories have been absolutely gripping – each separate mystery brilliantly plotted and compelling – throughout though has been the thread of loss- what did happen to Paula’s mother? Every book has had a moving forward of sorts, now here we are and the end is in sight…
Claire McGowan writes with a quiet intensity that just draws you in, her characters are beautifully flawed and authentic, the Irish setting comes to life not only in style but in substance. There is an underlying emotional sense to these books that is really impressive. Poor Paula, she has been through the wringer over the years, with her relationships and her difficult career – the author offers no guarantees that the rug won’t be pulled out from underneath her yet again in this final reckoning – so to call it a page turner doesn’t really do it justice. You honestly wont be able to put it down.
As a reader who has followed these from the start I was very emotional myself when I got to the end of The Killing House – whether in a good, cathartic way or a completely destroyed sobbing heap way I’ll leave you to find out for yourselves – but I HIGHLY recommend this and the books leading up to it. If you haven’t read them yet get the lot, go on a binge read, it’ll be more addictive than anything on Netflix I can promise you that. If you, like me, have been waiting for this “closure” then you won’t be disappointed. Absolutely and completely brilliantly done.
April 8, 2018
Ach, how I love it when things come right in the end...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2018
So here it is the last Paula Maguire. Claire McGowan does add that's it from Paula for the next time being at least and thanks for following her on this six year journey with Claire.
December 31, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Headline for an advance copy of The Killing House, the sixth and possibly final novel to feature forensic psychologist and missing person expert Dr Paula Maguire.
Paula is bored in her new job in London and jumps at the chance to consult with her old team when she returns to Ballyterrin for a wedding. DI Helen Corry has an interesting proposition for her, instead of finding a missing person she uses her skills to identify bones that have been found on a local farm with IRA connections. Could it have something to do with her mother's disappearance in 1993.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Killing House which is an absorbing novel with plenty of twists and turns. It reaches deep into the past and shows that The Troubles have cast a long shadow which still permeates present day life in Northern Ireland. It seems to me that Ms McGowan does this in a very practical way, choosing to highlight individual experiences rather than concentrating on the politics, although the brief mentions the politics do get made me see them in a different light. It's an extremely complicated and emotive subject but I have to admire Ms McGowan's skill in making it easily understood.
The novel is told in the third person and alternates between Paula's present day investigation and personal problems and her mother Margaret's experiences in 1993. Somehow the two narratives dovetail extremely well and had me gripped. I felt as if I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what was coming next. It is, however, not an easy novel to read as the casual violence is upsetting and the fear felt during The Troubles almost palpable. Apart from this atmosphere it requires a fair amount of concentration to keep up with the characters, their motivations, secrets and intertwining relationships.
The novel is not without its moments of humour. The descriptions of the run up to Avril and Gerard's interfaith marriage are amusing and all too believable (I walked the same tightrope 30 years ago), deadly because they are so unimportant in the grand scheme.
Paula is an interesting character. Her life is overshadowed by her mum's disappearance and she is fairly obsessive about finding out what happened to her, regardless of the consequences. I'm unsure of how to view this obsession. Is it incredibly selfish or will it help her to heal and allow her deal with her chaotic personal life? Ms McGowan is at pains to point out some of the pitfalls and pain it may cause so I suspect she may be in two minds herself.
The Killing House is an excellent read, thoughtful and exciting at the same time, which I have no hesitation in recommending.
Paula is bored in her new job in London and jumps at the chance to consult with her old team when she returns to Ballyterrin for a wedding. DI Helen Corry has an interesting proposition for her, instead of finding a missing person she uses her skills to identify bones that have been found on a local farm with IRA connections. Could it have something to do with her mother's disappearance in 1993.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Killing House which is an absorbing novel with plenty of twists and turns. It reaches deep into the past and shows that The Troubles have cast a long shadow which still permeates present day life in Northern Ireland. It seems to me that Ms McGowan does this in a very practical way, choosing to highlight individual experiences rather than concentrating on the politics, although the brief mentions the politics do get made me see them in a different light. It's an extremely complicated and emotive subject but I have to admire Ms McGowan's skill in making it easily understood.
The novel is told in the third person and alternates between Paula's present day investigation and personal problems and her mother Margaret's experiences in 1993. Somehow the two narratives dovetail extremely well and had me gripped. I felt as if I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what was coming next. It is, however, not an easy novel to read as the casual violence is upsetting and the fear felt during The Troubles almost palpable. Apart from this atmosphere it requires a fair amount of concentration to keep up with the characters, their motivations, secrets and intertwining relationships.
The novel is not without its moments of humour. The descriptions of the run up to Avril and Gerard's interfaith marriage are amusing and all too believable (I walked the same tightrope 30 years ago), deadly because they are so unimportant in the grand scheme.
Paula is an interesting character. Her life is overshadowed by her mum's disappearance and she is fairly obsessive about finding out what happened to her, regardless of the consequences. I'm unsure of how to view this obsession. Is it incredibly selfish or will it help her to heal and allow her deal with her chaotic personal life? Ms McGowan is at pains to point out some of the pitfalls and pain it may cause so I suspect she may be in two minds herself.
The Killing House is an excellent read, thoughtful and exciting at the same time, which I have no hesitation in recommending.
October 14, 2018
In this, the 6th and final novel of this compelling series, it is eventually revealed what happened the Doctor Paula Maguire’s mother Margaret back in 1993. This is the central mystery which has run like a leitmotif throughout the previous five books.
Before that, Paula has more recent problems to deal with. There is the discovery of two bodies buried by an abandoned farmhouse; one of them that of a teenage girl. Also, despite it being almost 20 years since the ceasefire and Good Friday Agreement, several former IRA members are found murdered. Everything points to a family of Diehard Republicans, the Wallaces. Do they have the answer to Margaret’s disappearance too? As in the previous five books, everything builds up slowly to a thrilling finale.
It was rather sad to know that there’ll be no more books in this series. As well as featuring a strong cast of well-defined characters and some intriguing mysteries, it also gave one a chilling insight into the sectarian divisions that still haunt the Irish borderlands.
Before that, Paula has more recent problems to deal with. There is the discovery of two bodies buried by an abandoned farmhouse; one of them that of a teenage girl. Also, despite it being almost 20 years since the ceasefire and Good Friday Agreement, several former IRA members are found murdered. Everything points to a family of Diehard Republicans, the Wallaces. Do they have the answer to Margaret’s disappearance too? As in the previous five books, everything builds up slowly to a thrilling finale.
It was rather sad to know that there’ll be no more books in this series. As well as featuring a strong cast of well-defined characters and some intriguing mysteries, it also gave one a chilling insight into the sectarian divisions that still haunt the Irish borderlands.
April 11, 2018
I’ve been following this series from the start and can say that this is the best of the six books. McGowan has always been superb at conjuring up the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and this book, especially, deals with the politics of the peace process in a knowledgeable and sophisticated fashion.
In the foreground are characters and families traumatised and torn apart by their history, trying to build and re-build lives shattered by violence. For all that, Paula has been an inconsistent main character: her role as a psychologist has never really fitted into the structure of these books as she does no ‘psychologising’ and seems to spend all her time conducting her own investigations which the PSNI never try to stop. That said, she seems to have dropped her most irritating traits in this book and is at her most sympathetic.
With a local plot intersecting with the long-term question of what happened to Paula’s mother, this book seems to bring things to a satisfactory and emotionally rewarding conclusion. I hope McGowan isn’t tempted to renew the series: as it stands it reaches the end of a narrative arc and is best left there: 4.5 stars.
In the foreground are characters and families traumatised and torn apart by their history, trying to build and re-build lives shattered by violence. For all that, Paula has been an inconsistent main character: her role as a psychologist has never really fitted into the structure of these books as she does no ‘psychologising’ and seems to spend all her time conducting her own investigations which the PSNI never try to stop. That said, she seems to have dropped her most irritating traits in this book and is at her most sympathetic.
With a local plot intersecting with the long-term question of what happened to Paula’s mother, this book seems to bring things to a satisfactory and emotionally rewarding conclusion. I hope McGowan isn’t tempted to renew the series: as it stands it reaches the end of a narrative arc and is best left there: 4.5 stars.
April 7, 2018
And so this wonderful series ends and it finishes brilliantly. Without doubt this is my favourite. I've been longing to see how this would resolve. You do need to have read the others first and you'll be fully rewarded. Review to follow on For Winter Nights shortly.
June 11, 2018
What a fantastic finish to Book 6 - the final in the Paula Macquire series
March 20, 2018
With thanks to Netgalley and Headline for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
I had the Dr Paula Maguire series on my TBR list for sometime. Last year I listened to the whole series in one go so I really felt I knew the characters. If you have never read this series I would suggest you start with the first book The Lost to understand the characters and their relationships.
At the moment The Killing House will be the final book in the series. Although the author hinted Paula may return in the future.
Throughout this series the disappearance of Margaret, Paula's mother has been in the background. Paula found out that Margaret was a informer for the British army. She had been having an affair with her handler Edward and was pregnant with his child.
The start of the story is the POV of Margaret in 1993 when she was kidnapped from home. In the present day Paula and her daughter Maggie are back living in London, Paula is back at The Met and is working with her ex colleague Guy Brooking on missing persons.
One day she receives a call from her friend DI Helen Corry back in Ballyterin. The body of a unknown female had been found in the farm that used to owned by the Wallace's who had IRA connections. Paula was due to go back to Ballyterin for a wedding and could she come home early to look at the body. Bored Paula jumped at the chance to return to Ballyterin. When Paula examined the body she found the female was wearing a dolphin pendant that looked similar to one Paula was given by her parents when she was 13.
Meanwhile Ex fiance Aidan O'Hara is still in prison for murdering the man who shot his father. Although Aidan admits he attacked the man he was certain he was still alive when he left him. After some thought Aidan has decided to appeal his conviction. As Paula gets sucked into the secrets of Ballyterin again she worries the body is Margaret.
I am glad to finally find out what happened to Margaret. Once again with this series I was glued and read more than half the book in one sitting. The chapters about poor Margaret were dark and menacing, the threat of violence was palpable. The story of the Wallace's and their farmhouse was well thought with many interwoven threads to the story.
I enjoyed the conclusion of this book and feel glad Paula, Aidan and Saiorse got the ending they deserve. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and look forward to reading more from Claire McGowan.
I had the Dr Paula Maguire series on my TBR list for sometime. Last year I listened to the whole series in one go so I really felt I knew the characters. If you have never read this series I would suggest you start with the first book The Lost to understand the characters and their relationships.
At the moment The Killing House will be the final book in the series. Although the author hinted Paula may return in the future.
Throughout this series the disappearance of Margaret, Paula's mother has been in the background. Paula found out that Margaret was a informer for the British army. She had been having an affair with her handler Edward and was pregnant with his child.
The start of the story is the POV of Margaret in 1993 when she was kidnapped from home. In the present day Paula and her daughter Maggie are back living in London, Paula is back at The Met and is working with her ex colleague Guy Brooking on missing persons.
One day she receives a call from her friend DI Helen Corry back in Ballyterin. The body of a unknown female had been found in the farm that used to owned by the Wallace's who had IRA connections. Paula was due to go back to Ballyterin for a wedding and could she come home early to look at the body. Bored Paula jumped at the chance to return to Ballyterin. When Paula examined the body she found the female was wearing a dolphin pendant that looked similar to one Paula was given by her parents when she was 13.
Meanwhile Ex fiance Aidan O'Hara is still in prison for murdering the man who shot his father. Although Aidan admits he attacked the man he was certain he was still alive when he left him. After some thought Aidan has decided to appeal his conviction. As Paula gets sucked into the secrets of Ballyterin again she worries the body is Margaret.
I am glad to finally find out what happened to Margaret. Once again with this series I was glued and read more than half the book in one sitting. The chapters about poor Margaret were dark and menacing, the threat of violence was palpable. The story of the Wallace's and their farmhouse was well thought with many interwoven threads to the story.
I enjoyed the conclusion of this book and feel glad Paula, Aidan and Saiorse got the ending they deserve. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and look forward to reading more from Claire McGowan.
March 23, 2019
There's some pretty terrific crime writing coming out of Ireland in recent times (Northern and Republic), and Claire McGowan's series featuring forensic psychologist Paula Maguire have become among my most highly recommended. It's an outstanding, must-read series set against the ongoing shadow cast by the Troubles - thirty years of sectarian violence that cost thousands of lives and left tens of thousands maimed and injured. McGowan grew up among the rural landscapes of a small village in Northern Ireland during the tail end of the Troubles, and delivers a rich and textured portrayal of her home nation in exciting books that bring past and present together.
The sixth and (possibly, hopefully not) final novel in the series sees Maguire now based in London but returning home to Ballyterrin for a wedding. Two bodies are unearthed on a local farm, and the locals ask Maguire for help in an historic case that threatens to entwine with the disappearance of Maguire's own mother decades before. How much should Maguire dig? For years she's wondered what happened to her mother, but does she really want to know the truth? Their country has a brutal history, and how would any potential 'closure' effect her and her father and their current lives?
McGowan is one of those talented novelists who has readers relaxing into the story within the first few paragraphs. Her prose has a freshness and energy to it, without being 'try hard'. It's quickly clear you're in good hands. Like other books in the series, THE KILLING HOUSE is intelligent and layered crime writing. If you had a scorecard, it would tick boxes across the board: fascinating plotlines, interesting characters, pacy while still having depth, rich settings, plenty of personal and societal issues woven through without stifling the story. But that misses some of the magic - THE KILLING HOUSE is more than the sum of its excellent parts. It's crime writing of a very high level, that excites, engages, that tickles the mind and makes you ponder, while also snatching at your heart.
A brilliant coda to a tremendous series. I read it at the end of 2018 while putting together a 'best of' list for a major magazine, and loved it so much I had to bump another favourite from the list.
Highly recommended.
The sixth and (possibly, hopefully not) final novel in the series sees Maguire now based in London but returning home to Ballyterrin for a wedding. Two bodies are unearthed on a local farm, and the locals ask Maguire for help in an historic case that threatens to entwine with the disappearance of Maguire's own mother decades before. How much should Maguire dig? For years she's wondered what happened to her mother, but does she really want to know the truth? Their country has a brutal history, and how would any potential 'closure' effect her and her father and their current lives?
McGowan is one of those talented novelists who has readers relaxing into the story within the first few paragraphs. Her prose has a freshness and energy to it, without being 'try hard'. It's quickly clear you're in good hands. Like other books in the series, THE KILLING HOUSE is intelligent and layered crime writing. If you had a scorecard, it would tick boxes across the board: fascinating plotlines, interesting characters, pacy while still having depth, rich settings, plenty of personal and societal issues woven through without stifling the story. But that misses some of the magic - THE KILLING HOUSE is more than the sum of its excellent parts. It's crime writing of a very high level, that excites, engages, that tickles the mind and makes you ponder, while also snatching at your heart.
A brilliant coda to a tremendous series. I read it at the end of 2018 while putting together a 'best of' list for a major magazine, and loved it so much I had to bump another favourite from the list.
Highly recommended.
April 2, 2018
For the sixth episode in this series set on the border between North and South Ireland Paula Maguire returns to Ballyterrin from her new London home for a wedding. Home to where her determination to discover more about her mother’s disappearance when she was just a teenager are strongest.
This is the best series about ‘The Troubles’ that I have read. Paula Maguire’s personal story along with those of her friends, including Aiden whose father was shot dead when he hid under a table as a young boy, really underline what it was like for those who lived there at this time. But the series isn’t just about the past, in this book two bodies have been found at a remote farmhouse and Paula Maguire is asked, as a former member of the missing persons team, and forensic psychologist, to find out who they were.
As in the previous books in the series, Paula’s work in the present is told alongside her determination to understand the past. This is easier said than done when what she discovers could be devastating for her former Police Officer father and the life he now has as husband, father and grandfather. Paula Maguire is just the type of protagonist I like most, she is brave and yet conflicted, she makes mistakes and she tries to put them right and she loves and loses along the way – in other words under Claire McGowan’s pen she has truly come to life.
I love the style of storytelling, and in The Killing House, we are transported back in time to hear the voice of one person held by the punishment team who have them held captive to find out the information for their cause. There are some horrific characters in this book but all held together by the basic goodness of many others, even those who may have done wrong in the past. The author has a way of differentiating between those who got caught up in the times, and those who enjoyed being part of it, exceptionally well so that the reader is able to look at this point in history at a personal level.
The current investigation, and the resultant politics which take into account the peace process are fascinating to learn about. The legal challenges in respect of crimes committed many years ago are put into the context of how the victims and their families, and of course the police officers, are trying to bring comfort in the form of knowledge, without the firm expectation that those who killed will face a trial. This book is full of the action which also underpins the series with danger around many a corner for all involved. There were many fast page-turning moments where I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.
There is never any doubt at all about the setting, the turns of phrase, without going to ridiculous lengths to recreating the accent, remind you on every page, the remoteness of some of the places describe and of course the interactions between the characters which are both heart-warming at times and so very practical at others.
I suspect that this is the last in this series, and I will miss Paula and what a ride it has been! This book has been meticulously plotted to ensure that the story arc which precedes it is wrapped up properly and although I think the time was right, I will miss the characters which I have invested in over the entire series. It was lovely to be given a proper conclusion to Paula’s personal story which I’m sure mirrors, at least in part, the stories of many others who lived through this time.
As this is what I suspect is the final episode in the series, I wouldn’t recommend starting with this one, you really should read the books in order.
This is the best series about ‘The Troubles’ that I have read. Paula Maguire’s personal story along with those of her friends, including Aiden whose father was shot dead when he hid under a table as a young boy, really underline what it was like for those who lived there at this time. But the series isn’t just about the past, in this book two bodies have been found at a remote farmhouse and Paula Maguire is asked, as a former member of the missing persons team, and forensic psychologist, to find out who they were.
As in the previous books in the series, Paula’s work in the present is told alongside her determination to understand the past. This is easier said than done when what she discovers could be devastating for her former Police Officer father and the life he now has as husband, father and grandfather. Paula Maguire is just the type of protagonist I like most, she is brave and yet conflicted, she makes mistakes and she tries to put them right and she loves and loses along the way – in other words under Claire McGowan’s pen she has truly come to life.
I love the style of storytelling, and in The Killing House, we are transported back in time to hear the voice of one person held by the punishment team who have them held captive to find out the information for their cause. There are some horrific characters in this book but all held together by the basic goodness of many others, even those who may have done wrong in the past. The author has a way of differentiating between those who got caught up in the times, and those who enjoyed being part of it, exceptionally well so that the reader is able to look at this point in history at a personal level.
The current investigation, and the resultant politics which take into account the peace process are fascinating to learn about. The legal challenges in respect of crimes committed many years ago are put into the context of how the victims and their families, and of course the police officers, are trying to bring comfort in the form of knowledge, without the firm expectation that those who killed will face a trial. This book is full of the action which also underpins the series with danger around many a corner for all involved. There were many fast page-turning moments where I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.
There is never any doubt at all about the setting, the turns of phrase, without going to ridiculous lengths to recreating the accent, remind you on every page, the remoteness of some of the places describe and of course the interactions between the characters which are both heart-warming at times and so very practical at others.
I suspect that this is the last in this series, and I will miss Paula and what a ride it has been! This book has been meticulously plotted to ensure that the story arc which precedes it is wrapped up properly and although I think the time was right, I will miss the characters which I have invested in over the entire series. It was lovely to be given a proper conclusion to Paula’s personal story which I’m sure mirrors, at least in part, the stories of many others who lived through this time.
As this is what I suspect is the final episode in the series, I wouldn’t recommend starting with this one, you really should read the books in order.
February 22, 2018
The Paula Maguire series enters its sixth book and while I feel there’s plenty of legs left in it, author Claire McGowan has taken the understandable decision to make this the last Maguire book. I’ve become really attached to these characters and I’m really going to miss them. The book opens with Paula in London, doing mainly paperwork behind a desk, her life having fallen into some kind of normalcy. The pull of Ballyterrin is strong, however, and Paula finds herself heading back to investigate the discovery of two bodies under a remote farmhouse. To complicate matters further, Paula gets an anonymous tip that her missing mother was held there too. So begins a complicate dig through the past, covering the Troubles the Good Friday agreement and a whole raft of personal problems in between.
This is another excellently written book from Claire McGowan. The dialogue is sharp and witty and there’s no cardboard cutout characters here with what could have easily turned into cliche in the hands of a lesser writer being ably handled by McGowan. At long last the reader gets an insight into what happened to Paula’s mother, long a source of mystery with Paula alternating between thinking she’s dead or hiding out somewhere, there’s a definate answer for the reader. It’s smartly plotted and there’s plenty jammed into its 300 odd pages.
I’m going to miss this series but I’m really excited to see what Claire McGowan has planned next. A fitting end to a fantastic series.
I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
This is another excellently written book from Claire McGowan. The dialogue is sharp and witty and there’s no cardboard cutout characters here with what could have easily turned into cliche in the hands of a lesser writer being ably handled by McGowan. At long last the reader gets an insight into what happened to Paula’s mother, long a source of mystery with Paula alternating between thinking she’s dead or hiding out somewhere, there’s a definate answer for the reader. It’s smartly plotted and there’s plenty jammed into its 300 odd pages.
I’m going to miss this series but I’m really excited to see what Claire McGowan has planned next. A fitting end to a fantastic series.
I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
March 23, 2018
I have read and enjoyed all 6 books in the Paula Maguire series. It's been a great journey with her.
Book 6 is just as good, if not better than the others. I felt this time around one or two things were settled. Although there certainly is scope for a lot more of Paula Maguire, her character is first class. She's by no means perfect, yet wants to do the right thing, most of the time. She has a knack of getting herself into quite a bit of trouble at times.
After moving to London to start a new life with her young daughter, it's not long before Paula ends up back in Ballyterrin. Back to the old ways in no time.
Paula has returned when she was asked to help try to identify two bodies. The bodies have been found buried on a farm that is currently being renovated.
It soon comes to light that Paula's mother, who as been missing for many years could have a link with this farm. Is Paula finally going to be able to solve the mystery of her missing mother, and find out once and for all if she is 'Dead or Alive'.
Claire McGowan has certainly created a series here that drags you in, as each book ends you just can't wait for the next one.
Superb writing that draws you in right from the word go.
Book 6 is just as good, if not better than the others. I felt this time around one or two things were settled. Although there certainly is scope for a lot more of Paula Maguire, her character is first class. She's by no means perfect, yet wants to do the right thing, most of the time. She has a knack of getting herself into quite a bit of trouble at times.
After moving to London to start a new life with her young daughter, it's not long before Paula ends up back in Ballyterrin. Back to the old ways in no time.
Paula has returned when she was asked to help try to identify two bodies. The bodies have been found buried on a farm that is currently being renovated.
It soon comes to light that Paula's mother, who as been missing for many years could have a link with this farm. Is Paula finally going to be able to solve the mystery of her missing mother, and find out once and for all if she is 'Dead or Alive'.
Claire McGowan has certainly created a series here that drags you in, as each book ends you just can't wait for the next one.
Superb writing that draws you in right from the word go.
April 1, 2018
When I requested this book from NetGalley I didn’t realise it was book 6 in the series but I think there’s enough background information given for this book to be read as a stand-alone.
I really liked this book and Paula’s character is hard not to like.
Paula has been working in London for a while but she’s asked to go back to Ireland as some bodies have been found buried at a farm.
The big pull for Paula is that her mum has been missing since she was a girl and she’s desperate to know if she’s one of the people found on the farm.
Paula’s fiancé is in prison in Ireland and while she’s visiting another contact she comes face to face with him. Deep down she knew he wasn’t a killer but how can they prove this?
It soon becomes clear that the barn on the farm was used by the IRA and in particular the Wallace family. As the story progresses we learn what went on in this barn, otherwise known as ‘the killing house’
This is a really good read and I’d highly recommend it.
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
I really liked this book and Paula’s character is hard not to like.
Paula has been working in London for a while but she’s asked to go back to Ireland as some bodies have been found buried at a farm.
The big pull for Paula is that her mum has been missing since she was a girl and she’s desperate to know if she’s one of the people found on the farm.
Paula’s fiancé is in prison in Ireland and while she’s visiting another contact she comes face to face with him. Deep down she knew he wasn’t a killer but how can they prove this?
It soon becomes clear that the barn on the farm was used by the IRA and in particular the Wallace family. As the story progresses we learn what went on in this barn, otherwise known as ‘the killing house’
This is a really good read and I’d highly recommend it.
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
February 20, 2018
A satisfying conclusion to this series of books. Really enjoyed this one.
March 4, 2019
I am hiding this as it's hard to discuss the book without spoilers. Five or six years of Paula Maguire's life is rolled out through this series and you really can't talk about each without revealing spoilers. She is a forensic psychologist from a town in Northern Ireland who ends up back there (again) for the wedding of friends. Of course, she gets involved in a local case which might involve her mother who disappeared 20 years earlier. Paula herself is now a mother, and the man she was going to marry is in prison. Although the story unfolds with the usual complications, I wasn't completely convinced by some of the characters actions. There are many questions about who is on what side of things, but that has been part of life in Northern Ireland for decades. It's a good read and Claire McGowan is an authentic voice and writes about what she knows.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2018
This last entry in the Paula Maguire series is maybe not my favorite, but it is certainly very good and it brings an uneasy and uncomfortable -- yet fitting -- closure.
The series began with Paula solving mysteries while being someone dealing with fallout from The Troubles, and even while we were reading really well-written and interesting standalone mysteries, the tide was inexorably turning, so by the time we get to this installment, the series focuses squarely on fallout from The Troubles, and how it creates mysteries for Paula to solve.
(Also: passes the Bechdel Test. My wants, they are few.)
The series began with Paula solving mysteries while being someone dealing with fallout from The Troubles, and even while we were reading really well-written and interesting standalone mysteries, the tide was inexorably turning, so by the time we get to this installment, the series focuses squarely on fallout from The Troubles, and how it creates mysteries for Paula to solve.
(Also: passes the Bechdel Test. My wants, they are few.)
December 19, 2019
Het laatste deel met Paula Maguire in de hoofdrol en deze keer eindelijk de ontknoping wat er met haar moeder gebeurd is. Het is echt nagelbijten tot het einde.
Paula woont ondertussen met haar dochter in Londen, maar een bruiloft maakt dat ze terug naar haar geboortestad trekt. Paula is gespecialiseerd in vermissingen, maar deze keer gaat het niet direct om een vermissing, maar om twee lichamen die niet geïdentificeerd geraken en misschien is een van de twee haar moeder. Paula werkt mee aan deze zaak omdat ze haar werk in Londen toch niet zo heel spannend vind en er daar ook momenteel geen lopende zaak is.
Zoals in alle boeken komt er veel over IRA in dit boek voor, hoe die zaken aanpakten, overlopers werden niet getolereerd, geweld was normaal. Iedere familie had wel iemand die of door het geweld om het leven was gekomen of vermist.
Een razendspannend laatste deel omdat er best nog heel veel verschillende lijntjes afgewerkt moeten worden, maar Claire McGowan heeft dat heel netjes gedaan. Jammer dat dit het einde van de reeks is, ik was er wel een beetje verslaafd aan.
Paula woont ondertussen met haar dochter in Londen, maar een bruiloft maakt dat ze terug naar haar geboortestad trekt. Paula is gespecialiseerd in vermissingen, maar deze keer gaat het niet direct om een vermissing, maar om twee lichamen die niet geïdentificeerd geraken en misschien is een van de twee haar moeder. Paula werkt mee aan deze zaak omdat ze haar werk in Londen toch niet zo heel spannend vind en er daar ook momenteel geen lopende zaak is.
Zoals in alle boeken komt er veel over IRA in dit boek voor, hoe die zaken aanpakten, overlopers werden niet getolereerd, geweld was normaal. Iedere familie had wel iemand die of door het geweld om het leven was gekomen of vermist.
Een razendspannend laatste deel omdat er best nog heel veel verschillende lijntjes afgewerkt moeten worden, maar Claire McGowan heeft dat heel netjes gedaan. Jammer dat dit het einde van de reeks is, ik was er wel een beetje verslaafd aan.
May 1, 2021
The series ending felt like losing a friend. I hope the series picks up again someday it was fantastic. I recently had a daughter of my own and the emotion of this series really took my breath away. A distant relative disappeared in Northern Ireland from our extended family in the 1980s, the same time the series was set. Perhaps this deepened the significance for me but I think anyone would adore this series. What vibrant, frustrating, real characters.
January 19, 2020
Fantastic finale to this series. All the loose ends tied up and a very good storyline as well .
Read
December 31, 2020Very satisfying ending to a really good series.
October 28, 2018
Mooie afsluiting van de serie over Paula Maguire.
September 23, 2020
The whole series was really good. I would definitely recommend it.
March 27, 2018
This is the sixth book in this series and almost certainly the last so not really the best book to go in to cold. It basically ties up a lot of the loose ends that have been floating round since book one so, to get the best from it, and indeed the whole series should you want to read them too, I would strongly recommend you start from the beginning and read in order.
Paula is back in London and to be honest she's a bit bored. Due to go back home to attend a wedding, she jumps at the chance to go back early when she is asked to consult on the discovery of two bodies, buried on an old farm during renovations. A farm that has links to certain people who were instrumental players in the troubles of years ago. Players who could also be the keepers of secrets to what happened to her mother. A story that Paula is so eager to understand fully, especially after finding the note.
When she arrives there, she is shown some evidence and is shocked when she recognises an item of jewellery. That, along with a tip that her mother may have been held for interrogation at that same farmhouse, taken there on the day she vanished, makes Paula all the more determined to find out what really happened once and for all.
I have loved this series from book three. Yes, book three. I made that heinous mistake. But I did go back and play catch up with the first two and I am so glad that I did. I have got to know Paula and the other characters quite well along the way and I am in two minds about this being the last book. Yes, the story is complete and it has obviously been plotted out like a six book series rather than an open ended one but I am also still a little sad to be leaving them behind. On the flip side, I have previously abandoned series that have gone on way beyond their sell by dates and that have fallen rather flat for me so, in a way, I am also happy to leave them at a point when it is all still fresh. Anyway, you never know what will happen in the future. Maybe the author will revisit some or all of them in future books. All I do know is that, for me, the series is as it should be and it also ends well. As it should do.
Ms McGowan really does put Paula through the wringer in this book. More so than in previous as this is the book where all world seem to collide. her mother's disappearance, her partner's incarceration, her daughter's parentage. And all at the same time as her trying to do her job; heavy stuff! But she is made of strong stuff and there's always the inter-faith marriage of her friends to lighten the mood, especially with some of the shenanigans that go with that from the future in-laws! All very respectfully handled by the way, which is the same for the troubles. They are obviously quite prevalent throughout this series and with them still being fresh in people's memories there is a level of respect that must be upheld when using them in fiction and here Ms McGowan achieves this very admirably. There is also quite a bit around the Good Friday agreement which I was previously unaware of but which made me think quite a bit. And do a bit of looking up. Again handled well and objectively.
Plotting is tight and has been congruent throughout the series. In this book, most of the loose ends are tidied up quite satisfactorily. As with life, not everyone will be happy with every outcome and there will be some fallout to be had but, speaking as a reader, as I turned the final page I was left wholly satisfied. What better feeling...
It's quite an emotional book all told. Not just because it is the last of the series. More that there are so many key things happening that affect the characters on an emotional level. And, because I have invested in the characters, also affecting me as a reader. But again, at the end of the day, when the truth is revealed at the end the overall feeling is that of balance.
All in all, a perfect conclusion to a series I have loved. Although sad to wave goodbye to Paula et al, I am excited to meet the new characters that the author will create next.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Paula is back in London and to be honest she's a bit bored. Due to go back home to attend a wedding, she jumps at the chance to go back early when she is asked to consult on the discovery of two bodies, buried on an old farm during renovations. A farm that has links to certain people who were instrumental players in the troubles of years ago. Players who could also be the keepers of secrets to what happened to her mother. A story that Paula is so eager to understand fully, especially after finding the note.
When she arrives there, she is shown some evidence and is shocked when she recognises an item of jewellery. That, along with a tip that her mother may have been held for interrogation at that same farmhouse, taken there on the day she vanished, makes Paula all the more determined to find out what really happened once and for all.
I have loved this series from book three. Yes, book three. I made that heinous mistake. But I did go back and play catch up with the first two and I am so glad that I did. I have got to know Paula and the other characters quite well along the way and I am in two minds about this being the last book. Yes, the story is complete and it has obviously been plotted out like a six book series rather than an open ended one but I am also still a little sad to be leaving them behind. On the flip side, I have previously abandoned series that have gone on way beyond their sell by dates and that have fallen rather flat for me so, in a way, I am also happy to leave them at a point when it is all still fresh. Anyway, you never know what will happen in the future. Maybe the author will revisit some or all of them in future books. All I do know is that, for me, the series is as it should be and it also ends well. As it should do.
Ms McGowan really does put Paula through the wringer in this book. More so than in previous as this is the book where all world seem to collide. her mother's disappearance, her partner's incarceration, her daughter's parentage. And all at the same time as her trying to do her job; heavy stuff! But she is made of strong stuff and there's always the inter-faith marriage of her friends to lighten the mood, especially with some of the shenanigans that go with that from the future in-laws! All very respectfully handled by the way, which is the same for the troubles. They are obviously quite prevalent throughout this series and with them still being fresh in people's memories there is a level of respect that must be upheld when using them in fiction and here Ms McGowan achieves this very admirably. There is also quite a bit around the Good Friday agreement which I was previously unaware of but which made me think quite a bit. And do a bit of looking up. Again handled well and objectively.
Plotting is tight and has been congruent throughout the series. In this book, most of the loose ends are tidied up quite satisfactorily. As with life, not everyone will be happy with every outcome and there will be some fallout to be had but, speaking as a reader, as I turned the final page I was left wholly satisfied. What better feeling...
It's quite an emotional book all told. Not just because it is the last of the series. More that there are so many key things happening that affect the characters on an emotional level. And, because I have invested in the characters, also affecting me as a reader. But again, at the end of the day, when the truth is revealed at the end the overall feeling is that of balance.
All in all, a perfect conclusion to a series I have loved. Although sad to wave goodbye to Paula et al, I am excited to meet the new characters that the author will create next.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
September 10, 2018
A vivid and atmospheric book, continuing the arc of the story of Dr Paula Maguire, psychologist and expert in missing persons. Settled back in London, Paula is called to Ballyterrin, Northern Ireland, where her ex- boss has a dead body but no corresponding missing person...
The book is a great mixture of mystery, character development and delves into the psyche of modern Northern Ireland, where the Troubles still aren’t that far away in the past.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book is a great mixture of mystery, character development and delves into the psyche of modern Northern Ireland, where the Troubles still aren’t that far away in the past.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 15, 2024
I have loved this series from the first one. I know this may not be a lot of people’s feelings but I’m utterly disappointed that Paula didn’t end up with Guy. He was Maggie’s father and much more reliable than Aidan who was a loose cannon. Aidan did try and kill Hanlon so he should have stayed in prison for attempted murder. Paula was so lovely and needed security! I can’t believe Aidan went behind her back and did a paternity test and never told her, that really annoyed me! I also think Paula shouldn’t have accepted that her mum never got in contact with her and forgiven her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2021
This is the final book. All the books were very enjoyable to read. However I was disappointed in this one. Paula’s personal problems weren’t completely resolved. Her feelings for two different men bounced around so much I couldn’t tell which one meant the most to her. Not once did I read the words “I love you”. Maybe I’m a hopeless romantic. Six books Paula was looking for her mother and finally found her. I wanted a little more fan fare with that too.
The history of the troubles in Ireland was graphic and well written. I learned a lot. All in all I love this series.
The history of the troubles in Ireland was graphic and well written. I learned a lot. All in all I love this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2018
Thank you Claire McGowan for concluding the Paula Maguire series in such a believable and consistent way.....I thought at one point we might get a # 7 out of this, but I think I'm with you in that this is it for Paula....she's had a good run and although you've left it that there could be some more dramas on the horizon for her and those she cares about, I think I'd like to keep the memory of her happy...she certainly deserves it.
March 20, 2019
The final book in the series and we finally find out what happened to Paula’s mum. Paula comes back home for a wedding and to help out on a case where two bodies have been found. Aidan is still in prison and refusing visits from her. The trauma of the disappeared is well done but the tying up of the loose ends for Paula and her friends is speedy and a bit too simplistic. Have enjoyed reading the series.
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