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DI Cormac Reilly #3
The Good Turn
The unputdownable new novel from the bestselling author of The Ruin and The Scholar.
Police corruption, an investigation that ends in tragedy and the mystery of a little girl's silence - three unconnected things that will prove to be linked by one small town.
While Detective Cormac Reilly faces enemies at work and trouble in his personal life, Garda Peter Fisher is relocated out of Galway with the threat of prosecution hanging over his head. But even that is not as terrible as having to work for his overbearing father, the local copper for the pretty seaside town of Roundstone.
For some, like Anna and her young daughter Tilly, Roundstone is a refuge from trauma. But even this village on the edge of the sea isn't far enough to escape from the shadows of evil men.
Police corruption, an investigation that ends in tragedy and the mystery of a little girl's silence - three unconnected things that will prove to be linked by one small town.
While Detective Cormac Reilly faces enemies at work and trouble in his personal life, Garda Peter Fisher is relocated out of Galway with the threat of prosecution hanging over his head. But even that is not as terrible as having to work for his overbearing father, the local copper for the pretty seaside town of Roundstone.
For some, like Anna and her young daughter Tilly, Roundstone is a refuge from trauma. But even this village on the edge of the sea isn't far enough to escape from the shadows of evil men.
Audible Audio
First published February 24, 2020
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About the author
Dervla McTiernan
15 books5,224 followersNumber one internationally bestselling author Dervla McTiernan is the critically acclaimed and award-winning author of six novels, including the much-loved Cormac Reilly series and two number 1 bestselling standalone thrillers, The Murder Rule and What Happened to Nina?, both New York Times Best Thrillers of the Year and both currently in development for screen adaptation. Dervla is also the author of four novellas, and her audio novella, The Sisters, was a four-week number one bestseller in the United States. Before turning her hand to writing, Dervla spent twelve years working as a lawyer in her home country of Ireland. Following the global financial crisis, she relocated to Western Australia where she now lives with her husband, two children and too many pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,587 reviews
May 21, 2025
The Good Turn (Cormac Reilly #3)
by Dervla McTiernan, narrated by Aoife McMahon
This is now my favorite book in the Detective Cormac Reilly series. I like how we get to be into the heads of the featured characters in this Irish police procedural. This time Cormac shares the limelight with a member of his team, Garda Peter Fisher. Cormac's superiors have it out for him and thanks to some nepotism on top of that, Cormac's team is down to a handful of people. The rest of his team have been commandeered by the drug squad so Cormac has very little to work with when it comes to solving general crime. Surely when a witness sees a little girl being kidnapped, Cormac's boss will release people to help with this time sensitive investigation. A little girl's life is at stake, but no, Cormac is told to deal with the situation with his handful of people.
With the team stretched thin and unable to contact Cormac for advice, Peter takes the initiative to confront a suspect on his own, resulting in tragedy, and Cormac's superiors being able to railroad him off the case and maybe off the job. Peter is shuffled off to do paperwork at the Roundstone two man police station run by his estranged father. Even Cormac and Peter are estranged from each other since their last conversation ended with angry words and what appears to be no hope of reconciliation. Things look pretty bad for both Cormac and Peter's career, but despite their differences, the two seem to be more alike than either would want to admit. Each on their own, being told not to do so, they follow the leads on several cases, determined to not let suspects get away with crimes that are being shelved. I am hoping there will be more in this series because I want to see what happens next.
Pub Feb 24 2020
This was an Audible selection.
by Dervla McTiernan, narrated by Aoife McMahon
This is now my favorite book in the Detective Cormac Reilly series. I like how we get to be into the heads of the featured characters in this Irish police procedural. This time Cormac shares the limelight with a member of his team, Garda Peter Fisher. Cormac's superiors have it out for him and thanks to some nepotism on top of that, Cormac's team is down to a handful of people. The rest of his team have been commandeered by the drug squad so Cormac has very little to work with when it comes to solving general crime. Surely when a witness sees a little girl being kidnapped, Cormac's boss will release people to help with this time sensitive investigation. A little girl's life is at stake, but no, Cormac is told to deal with the situation with his handful of people.
With the team stretched thin and unable to contact Cormac for advice, Peter takes the initiative to confront a suspect on his own, resulting in tragedy, and Cormac's superiors being able to railroad him off the case and maybe off the job. Peter is shuffled off to do paperwork at the Roundstone two man police station run by his estranged father. Even Cormac and Peter are estranged from each other since their last conversation ended with angry words and what appears to be no hope of reconciliation. Things look pretty bad for both Cormac and Peter's career, but despite their differences, the two seem to be more alike than either would want to admit. Each on their own, being told not to do so, they follow the leads on several cases, determined to not let suspects get away with crimes that are being shelved. I am hoping there will be more in this series because I want to see what happens next.
Pub Feb 24 2020
This was an Audible selection.
February 27, 2020
What a wonderful series this is turning out to be. In The Good Turn, the third book in the Cormac Reilly series, Cormac is left to investigate the abduction of a young girl with a woefully inexperienced and understaffed team, while officialdom puts all their resources into a potential drug bust. When a tragedy happens Cormac and his team are sitting ducks, and left as scapegoats.
With his career on the line, yet again, Cormac finds himself fighting for himself and his team, while his enemies in the ranks are out for his blood.
An unputdownable read, I found The Good Turn to be full of surprising twists and turns. With memorable characters, and a well thought out plot, it is well worth adding to your reading list. Recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With his career on the line, yet again, Cormac finds himself fighting for himself and his team, while his enemies in the ranks are out for his blood.
An unputdownable read, I found The Good Turn to be full of surprising twists and turns. With memorable characters, and a well thought out plot, it is well worth adding to your reading list. Recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2022
4.5 rounded up
One sentence review: A bangerlicious book to end this wonderfully written series
SYNOPSIS
A missing child leads to Cormac Reilly and his protege Peter Fisher being on the outs. While Peter is shipped to Roundstone to work with his estranged father, Reilly digs deep into the corrupt police dept he is being forced out of.
MY OPINION
OOOHHWEEEE!! I've said it before and I'll say it again: THIS is Dervla McTiernan... whoever wrote The Murder Rule stole her identity. McTiernan flexed her skillz in the last book the series (hopefully there is more to come). Beautifully written, deftly plotted, and fast-paced... what more could a hoe ask for?
I did find The Ruin (book #1) to be a tad slow, as it takes nearly 100 pgs to really get to the case at hand, but #3 was off to the races from pg 1. My butt cheeks were CLENCHED for the first 20% as Cormac and his skeleton crew race to find the kidnapped girl. She was relentless with it. And even though it did slow down to more of a casual trot, there was still lots of meat to the story.
Like the rest of the series, this is very character driven. McTiernan explores the fractured relationship between Cormac and Emma, as well as Peter's difficulties with his bum ass father. She does a fantastic job with showing, not telling, how complex adult relationships are – whether they are platonic, familial, or romantic. To keep it a stack, I'm not upset about the whole Cormac and Emma drama. I just don't feel it.
My rich homie qualm with this book (hence 4.5) is the ending is a lil too neatly tied up for corruption of that magnitude. The homies had been struggling for years and then Captain Cormac comes in and saves the day. Also they were being a lil daft to the connections between some characters, but it wasn't full on dumbassery. However, the plot was so intricately woven and captivating that it didn't justify being turfed down to a 4. And tbh I'm not really into the whole police corruption storyline (especially since it was prevalent in book #1) but this one snatched my ass in.
All in all, an enjoyable read. I hope she leaves the popcorn thriller genre behind and comes back to her roots. This series BANGS aggressively. Yes, this is a short review, but I really don't have anything to bish about.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: wonderfully written, fast-paced, great character depth, dark humor here and thurr, captivating plot
Cons: a lil too neatly wrapped up at the end and some obtuse moments to drive the plot forward
One sentence review: A bangerlicious book to end this wonderfully written series
SYNOPSIS
A missing child leads to Cormac Reilly and his protege Peter Fisher being on the outs. While Peter is shipped to Roundstone to work with his estranged father, Reilly digs deep into the corrupt police dept he is being forced out of.
MY OPINION
OOOHHWEEEE!! I've said it before and I'll say it again: THIS is Dervla McTiernan... whoever wrote The Murder Rule stole her identity. McTiernan flexed her skillz in the last book the series (hopefully there is more to come). Beautifully written, deftly plotted, and fast-paced... what more could a hoe ask for?
I did find The Ruin (book #1) to be a tad slow, as it takes nearly 100 pgs to really get to the case at hand, but #3 was off to the races from pg 1. My butt cheeks were CLENCHED for the first 20% as Cormac and his skeleton crew race to find the kidnapped girl. She was relentless with it. And even though it did slow down to more of a casual trot, there was still lots of meat to the story.
Like the rest of the series, this is very character driven. McTiernan explores the fractured relationship between Cormac and Emma, as well as Peter's difficulties with his bum ass father. She does a fantastic job with showing, not telling, how complex adult relationships are – whether they are platonic, familial, or romantic. To keep it a stack, I'm not upset about the whole Cormac and Emma drama. I just don't feel it.
My rich homie qualm with this book (hence 4.5) is the ending is a lil too neatly tied up for corruption of that magnitude. The homies had been struggling for years and then Captain Cormac comes in and saves the day. Also they were being a lil daft to the connections between some characters, but it wasn't full on dumbassery. However, the plot was so intricately woven and captivating that it didn't justify being turfed down to a 4. And tbh I'm not really into the whole police corruption storyline (especially since it was prevalent in book #1) but this one snatched my ass in.
All in all, an enjoyable read. I hope she leaves the popcorn thriller genre behind and comes back to her roots. This series BANGS aggressively. Yes, this is a short review, but I really don't have anything to bish about.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: wonderfully written, fast-paced, great character depth, dark humor here and thurr, captivating plot
Cons: a lil too neatly wrapped up at the end and some obtuse moments to drive the plot forward
January 31, 2020
This excellent series is improving with each book and in this third in the series Dervla McTiernan has really ramped up the suspense and the pressure on DS Cormac O'Reilly. The writing is terrific with a gripping plot that kept me enthralled.
Cormac is still struggling after his move to the Garda Station in Galway where he is resented by those outside his team. The Superintendent doesn't make his life easy, refusing him the extra man power he needs when a young girl is snatched of the street. Cormac also suspects that some of the detectives may be involved in corrupt activities. When their shortage of man power leads to Peter Fisher, an inexperienced Detective acting on his own a terrible mistake occurs that could end his career. Cormac is help responsible by the Super and put on suspension, while Peter is shunted off to work in his father's Garda station in Roundstone, the little village where he grew up.
Dervla McTiernan has created a strong character in Cormac. One who is fair and refuses to give up. He is playing a dangerous game hunting for corruption in the Garda and stands to lose his career if he fails. His personal life is not doing so well with his girlfriend working in Brussels and he will soon have to make some difficult decisions about their future together. Peter is also developing into a very likeable character. He refuses to sit back and be a village policeman in Roundstone and puts Cormac's training into practice to investigate some cases of his own. Also woven through the novel is the story of Annie and her daughter Tilly, recently arrived in Roundstone under mysterious circumstances, who will be important for both Cormac and Peter. This is an excellent police procedural series which I highly recommend. Can't wait for the next episode!
With many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Australia for an ARC to read.
Cormac is still struggling after his move to the Garda Station in Galway where he is resented by those outside his team. The Superintendent doesn't make his life easy, refusing him the extra man power he needs when a young girl is snatched of the street. Cormac also suspects that some of the detectives may be involved in corrupt activities. When their shortage of man power leads to Peter Fisher, an inexperienced Detective acting on his own a terrible mistake occurs that could end his career. Cormac is help responsible by the Super and put on suspension, while Peter is shunted off to work in his father's Garda station in Roundstone, the little village where he grew up.
Dervla McTiernan has created a strong character in Cormac. One who is fair and refuses to give up. He is playing a dangerous game hunting for corruption in the Garda and stands to lose his career if he fails. His personal life is not doing so well with his girlfriend working in Brussels and he will soon have to make some difficult decisions about their future together. Peter is also developing into a very likeable character. He refuses to sit back and be a village policeman in Roundstone and puts Cormac's training into practice to investigate some cases of his own. Also woven through the novel is the story of Annie and her daughter Tilly, recently arrived in Roundstone under mysterious circumstances, who will be important for both Cormac and Peter. This is an excellent police procedural series which I highly recommend. Can't wait for the next episode!
With many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Australia for an ARC to read.
February 23, 2020
Dervla Mc Tiernan returns with book three of her Cormac O'Reilly series and she continues excel.
Things are as bad as they could be for poor DS Cormac O'Reilly . Nothing is going right for him in any area of his life right now. His girlfriend is living and working overseas, many of his colleagues appear to dislike him, and worst of all the management seem to want him long gone. I felt sorry for him for much of the book but also admired him for his conscience and his determination to do the right thing in the face of an obviously corrupt police force.
I enjoyed the way the author planned the book. Cormac and his protégée Peter Fisher are split up by events early on and the book is told from alternate points of view. It is obvious to the reader that each of them knows things the other needs to know and the tension builds right up to the end. The book is a police procedural which shows clearly the ways the police should and should not work. It is very well done.
This was an entertaining, interesting and thoroughly enjoyable read. I am already looking forward to what happens next.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Things are as bad as they could be for poor DS Cormac O'Reilly . Nothing is going right for him in any area of his life right now. His girlfriend is living and working overseas, many of his colleagues appear to dislike him, and worst of all the management seem to want him long gone. I felt sorry for him for much of the book but also admired him for his conscience and his determination to do the right thing in the face of an obviously corrupt police force.
I enjoyed the way the author planned the book. Cormac and his protégée Peter Fisher are split up by events early on and the book is told from alternate points of view. It is obvious to the reader that each of them knows things the other needs to know and the tension builds right up to the end. The book is a police procedural which shows clearly the ways the police should and should not work. It is very well done.
This was an entertaining, interesting and thoroughly enjoyable read. I am already looking forward to what happens next.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
April 7, 2020
5★
“Cormac took a breath, a sudden involuntary inhalation. He felt as if the solid ground beneath his feet had been removed, as if he was standing, swaying, at the top of a cliff and the wind was at his back. ‘I don’t understand,’ he said.”
Of course not. Reilly has been working with a smaller and smaller team of garda (Irish police) in circumstances obviously designed to set him up to fail. He’s a nuisance, because he’s smart, thorough, asks questions, and follows through.
He’s also the sort of fellow that Peter Fisher admires. Peter is a young garda, son of an established senior officer, Des Fisher, in another town, who has his own, lax style of policing. At one point, he says to Peter
“‘But Reilly’s a black-and-white operator in a world that’s all grey. And that just doesn’t work.’”
Des's style is to live and let live and accumulate favours that he can call in when he needs to. When Peter gets into trouble and has to work with his father, he gets the lecture.
“‘Maintaining a healthy community, that takes a bit of discretion. You have to leave room for people to be human. To make the odd mistake. You have to be able to tell the difference between someone destructive, or dangerous, and someone who’s generally a contributor, and who just wanted to let off a bit of steam.
. . .
‘But working in the grey, it can get messy. People make mistakes. Even the best of people. So we have to look out for each other. We’re caught between a rock and a hard place.’”
Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? Sounds like a country copper, whereas Cormac Reilly has come from Dublin and wants to cross every T and dot every i. But Peter has seen enough of Reilly’s methods to question his father’s rather dismissive air and his demands that Peter stop questioning people about something which Des considers an open-and-shut case.
[You know, of course, that Peter will disregard that, don’t you?]
“He would think of his father as he would any other difficult senior officer. Someone to be avoided, or managed.”
There are a few stories going on, all of them interesting. Cormac’s girlfriend is working in Brussels, so they see each other only when he can fly over – not a healthy situation. Peter’s closest friend is the girl who grew up with him at boarding school since they were eight. They’ve been sharing a flat (no romance). We see just enough of them to help fill out the characters of Cormac and Peter.
And alongside this is Anna and her daughter Tilly, currently mute from some unnamed trauma. They begin as a separate thread and join the other threads as the story moves on.
There’s a kidnapping, police shooting, unusual deaths in a small town, protection, drugs and crooked police. There’s even a touch of Interpol – what more could you want?
Plus, it is COLD and it is SNOWY and it is ICY and impossible to get around. I was reading this in sub-tropical weather and felt the chill from here.
I think this might be my favourite so far. Clever, well-written, and with people I look forward to meeting again in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.
“Cormac took a breath, a sudden involuntary inhalation. He felt as if the solid ground beneath his feet had been removed, as if he was standing, swaying, at the top of a cliff and the wind was at his back. ‘I don’t understand,’ he said.”
Of course not. Reilly has been working with a smaller and smaller team of garda (Irish police) in circumstances obviously designed to set him up to fail. He’s a nuisance, because he’s smart, thorough, asks questions, and follows through.
He’s also the sort of fellow that Peter Fisher admires. Peter is a young garda, son of an established senior officer, Des Fisher, in another town, who has his own, lax style of policing. At one point, he says to Peter
“‘But Reilly’s a black-and-white operator in a world that’s all grey. And that just doesn’t work.’”
Des's style is to live and let live and accumulate favours that he can call in when he needs to. When Peter gets into trouble and has to work with his father, he gets the lecture.
“‘Maintaining a healthy community, that takes a bit of discretion. You have to leave room for people to be human. To make the odd mistake. You have to be able to tell the difference between someone destructive, or dangerous, and someone who’s generally a contributor, and who just wanted to let off a bit of steam.
. . .
‘But working in the grey, it can get messy. People make mistakes. Even the best of people. So we have to look out for each other. We’re caught between a rock and a hard place.’”
Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? Sounds like a country copper, whereas Cormac Reilly has come from Dublin and wants to cross every T and dot every i. But Peter has seen enough of Reilly’s methods to question his father’s rather dismissive air and his demands that Peter stop questioning people about something which Des considers an open-and-shut case.
[You know, of course, that Peter will disregard that, don’t you?]
“He would think of his father as he would any other difficult senior officer. Someone to be avoided, or managed.”
There are a few stories going on, all of them interesting. Cormac’s girlfriend is working in Brussels, so they see each other only when he can fly over – not a healthy situation. Peter’s closest friend is the girl who grew up with him at boarding school since they were eight. They’ve been sharing a flat (no romance). We see just enough of them to help fill out the characters of Cormac and Peter.
And alongside this is Anna and her daughter Tilly, currently mute from some unnamed trauma. They begin as a separate thread and join the other threads as the story moves on.
There’s a kidnapping, police shooting, unusual deaths in a small town, protection, drugs and crooked police. There’s even a touch of Interpol – what more could you want?
Plus, it is COLD and it is SNOWY and it is ICY and impossible to get around. I was reading this in sub-tropical weather and felt the chill from here.
I think this might be my favourite so far. Clever, well-written, and with people I look forward to meeting again in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.
April 28, 2022
This is an amazing well written series that I don’t want to end, in this we find Cormac Reilly on the outer with hierarchy while trying to solve the disappearance of a little girl who got grabbed outsideFred Fletchers house he called it in he was 11 years old the same age as the girl who went missing, while understaffed the pressure cooker situation that Cormac is in trying to solve a drug bust, but the powers that be will stop him at every Corner.
To top it all off there is a murder to solve this book is packed with red herring, twists & turns at every corner all I can say is READ THIS SERIES! you won’t be disappointed it’s compelling quick paced & I love the characters. 5 awesome stars ⭐️
To top it all off there is a murder to solve this book is packed with red herring, twists & turns at every corner all I can say is READ THIS SERIES! you won’t be disappointed it’s compelling quick paced & I love the characters. 5 awesome stars ⭐️
August 21, 2021
Dervla McTiernan does it again, writing a book vastly different from most police procedurals. Three moving parts - police corruption, a kidnapping investigation gone horribly wrong and a young girl’s silence. McTiernan pulls them together as easily as braiding hair. She just continues to impress me.
Cormac Reilly’s boss has it in for him and now thinks he’s finally found a way to get rid of him. He’s suspended after Peter, one of his team, shoots a suspect. Peter is sent to another precinct run by his father. His father, Des, was a fascinating character. He believes in favors done and returned, a blind eye when necessary and his own brand of justice occasionally meted out. I really couldn’t figure him out. Was he finally trying to help his son? Or did he have a different motivation? Regardless, it’s the sign of a well written mystery that has you second guessing a character every other page.
McTiernan also continues to develop Reilly. As Des tells Peter, Cormac is a black and white man in a grey world. He can never just look away or play along, even if it will mean the end of his career.
The book moves along at a brisk pace, helped by switching between the three plot points. The ending was fabulous.
I’ll be curious to see where McTiernan goes with the next book in the series. And there better be a next book!
While Alice McMahon did a fine job as the narrator, she must have taped this from home during the COVID seclusion. There was an odd, sort of echo chamber sound that cropped up at times.
Cormac Reilly’s boss has it in for him and now thinks he’s finally found a way to get rid of him. He’s suspended after Peter, one of his team, shoots a suspect. Peter is sent to another precinct run by his father. His father, Des, was a fascinating character. He believes in favors done and returned, a blind eye when necessary and his own brand of justice occasionally meted out. I really couldn’t figure him out. Was he finally trying to help his son? Or did he have a different motivation? Regardless, it’s the sign of a well written mystery that has you second guessing a character every other page.
McTiernan also continues to develop Reilly. As Des tells Peter, Cormac is a black and white man in a grey world. He can never just look away or play along, even if it will mean the end of his career.
The book moves along at a brisk pace, helped by switching between the three plot points. The ending was fabulous.
I’ll be curious to see where McTiernan goes with the next book in the series. And there better be a next book!
While Alice McMahon did a fine job as the narrator, she must have taped this from home during the COVID seclusion. There was an odd, sort of echo chamber sound that cropped up at times.
July 22, 2021
Lies spread quicker than the truth.
Dervla McTiernan gifts us with another exceptional read in the Cormac Reilly Series. Not to worry. The Good Turn reads as a standalone with all the necessary details intact. Now back to those lies.....
The twisted part of a lie is that it sometimes drips from the very mouth of those we hold in high regard. The sting of it has the grip of a scorpion's venom. DS Cormac Reilly will be faced with sifting through a trail of its aftermath knowing full well that someone in the ranks is determined to end his long career with the slam of untruths. And how do you untangle yourself from the web of deceit?
It's October of 2015 in Galway when a call comes in reporting the abduction of a young girl. What makes this one most unusual is that an eleven year old is on the line. Fred Fletcher was home sick in bed with fever when he saw a young girl being shoved into an auto that drives away. With IPad in hand, young Fred records what he sees. Understaffed with not many options, Detective Peter Fisher has no other choice but to check out the situation. Fisher could never imagine the consequences of this action. It will lead to a formal reassignment to work under the jurisdiction of his father, Des, in charge of the Garda in Roundstone. That movement will require a locked-in seatbelt for a rough, rough ride.
And Reilly will have his hands full protecting his good name while the forces around him do highkicks slinging mud in his direction. What he suspects in the upper ranks may just seal his fate.
The Good Turn circles around the games that people play and the innocent that are swept up in the turmoil. McTiernan does a fine job of surrounding her storyline with deeply carved characters of all backgrounds who are either submerged or rise to the surface in the midst of it all. It's a worthy read that should get your attention from the onset. Hope that McTiernan is shuffling the cards for the next one. Can't wait.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Blackstone Publishing and to Dervla McTiernan for the opportunity.
Dervla McTiernan gifts us with another exceptional read in the Cormac Reilly Series. Not to worry. The Good Turn reads as a standalone with all the necessary details intact. Now back to those lies.....
The twisted part of a lie is that it sometimes drips from the very mouth of those we hold in high regard. The sting of it has the grip of a scorpion's venom. DS Cormac Reilly will be faced with sifting through a trail of its aftermath knowing full well that someone in the ranks is determined to end his long career with the slam of untruths. And how do you untangle yourself from the web of deceit?
It's October of 2015 in Galway when a call comes in reporting the abduction of a young girl. What makes this one most unusual is that an eleven year old is on the line. Fred Fletcher was home sick in bed with fever when he saw a young girl being shoved into an auto that drives away. With IPad in hand, young Fred records what he sees. Understaffed with not many options, Detective Peter Fisher has no other choice but to check out the situation. Fisher could never imagine the consequences of this action. It will lead to a formal reassignment to work under the jurisdiction of his father, Des, in charge of the Garda in Roundstone. That movement will require a locked-in seatbelt for a rough, rough ride.
And Reilly will have his hands full protecting his good name while the forces around him do highkicks slinging mud in his direction. What he suspects in the upper ranks may just seal his fate.
The Good Turn circles around the games that people play and the innocent that are swept up in the turmoil. McTiernan does a fine job of surrounding her storyline with deeply carved characters of all backgrounds who are either submerged or rise to the surface in the midst of it all. It's a worthy read that should get your attention from the onset. Hope that McTiernan is shuffling the cards for the next one. Can't wait.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Blackstone Publishing and to Dervla McTiernan for the opportunity.
February 23, 2020
Have you read The Ruin and The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan? If you are a crime and police procedural fan then you really need to get your hands on them. The Good Turn is the 3rd book in the Cormac Reilly series and in my opinion the best one yet. Police corruption, a missing girl and the mystery of another girl who is traumatised, this book has everything you want in a crime and thriller read.
The Good Turn is a twisty and well executed story following 3 main storylines . Cormac is struggling with his superiors who are still making life hard for him. On top of that his personal life is just going from bad to worse. Garda Peter Fisher is relocated out of Galway after he is put in an impossible position and faced with prosecution he moves to Roundstone, a small town and is set to work with his father, a man that he has never seen eye to eye with. We also hear about Anna and her daughter Tilly who escape Dublin when Tilly stops talking.
The stories work well together and is is not until close to the end that we see the connections. Set in Ireland in winter, the cold and bleakness comes through. I could not put this book down, wanting to see how it was all going to play out. Peter and Cormac are so similar in personality and their need to seek the truth. They are both the type of people that will not give up and take the easy way out.
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
The Good Turn is a twisty and well executed story following 3 main storylines . Cormac is struggling with his superiors who are still making life hard for him. On top of that his personal life is just going from bad to worse. Garda Peter Fisher is relocated out of Galway after he is put in an impossible position and faced with prosecution he moves to Roundstone, a small town and is set to work with his father, a man that he has never seen eye to eye with. We also hear about Anna and her daughter Tilly who escape Dublin when Tilly stops talking.
The stories work well together and is is not until close to the end that we see the connections. Set in Ireland in winter, the cold and bleakness comes through. I could not put this book down, wanting to see how it was all going to play out. Peter and Cormac are so similar in personality and their need to seek the truth. They are both the type of people that will not give up and take the easy way out.
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
February 15, 2020
DS Cormac Reilly needed men – his Superintendent wouldn’t oblige, saying they were all out on a drug bust. Cormac had never seen eye to eye with his super, but he’d thought he was a fair man; that when a young girl had been abducted, he’d throw everything at the search for her before it was too late. But no – Cormac was working with a skeleton crew and when Garda Peter Fisher hadn’t been able to contact Cormac, he’d gone on his own, after the suspect he was sure was the culprit. The results were dire…
Peter was sent to the small town of Roundstone where he would have to work with the father he hated, while Cormac was suspended with an investigation to follow. But Peter would find himself pitting against his father, mired in a two-month-old murder. And Cormac would find heartache in all parts of his life. What would be the outcome for Cormac, who wanted nothing more than to be part of "the Guards", the police service of the Republic of Ireland that he’d been with for more years than he could count? Would Peter be lost in the mire of corruption and death that shrouded the countryside? And who were Anna and Tilly?
The Good Turn is the 3rd in the Cormac Reilly series by Aussie author Dervla McTiernan and it was suspenseful, filled with tension and an excellent addition to the series. I loved every minute of it, drawn into the lives of the main characters and the cold, relentless winter in Ireland. An exceptional read, The Good Turn is one I have no hesitation in recommending highly. Bring on #4 😊
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Peter was sent to the small town of Roundstone where he would have to work with the father he hated, while Cormac was suspended with an investigation to follow. But Peter would find himself pitting against his father, mired in a two-month-old murder. And Cormac would find heartache in all parts of his life. What would be the outcome for Cormac, who wanted nothing more than to be part of "the Guards", the police service of the Republic of Ireland that he’d been with for more years than he could count? Would Peter be lost in the mire of corruption and death that shrouded the countryside? And who were Anna and Tilly?
The Good Turn is the 3rd in the Cormac Reilly series by Aussie author Dervla McTiernan and it was suspenseful, filled with tension and an excellent addition to the series. I loved every minute of it, drawn into the lives of the main characters and the cold, relentless winter in Ireland. An exceptional read, The Good Turn is one I have no hesitation in recommending highly. Bring on #4 😊
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2021
Book three of another series to which I've become addicted. Not that I needed another series, but this one is set in Galway and the scenario is one that is intriguing. Cormac is a man, a Garda, a leader who does things by the book. He is honest, almost to a fault, which puts him in the trigger line of those in the Garda who are not. His demand for adherence to rules, protocols, make some feel that he thinks he is better than them. This has gained him the trust of a few and the dislike of more.
His personal life is faltering and this case could be the end of his career. What can he do? Well, that's the dilemma he is facing and there is much at stake.
His personal life is faltering and this case could be the end of his career. What can he do? Well, that's the dilemma he is facing and there is much at stake.
February 29, 2020
EXCERPT: It was so cold now. He was vaguely aware that he'd started to shiver again. How long would it take the others to arrive? He should call in. He searched his pockets for his phone, didn't find it. An image of the phone propped up on the central console of the police car presented itself to him. He'd left it there. Oh Christ. Peter swallowed against a wave of nausea. He wasn't going to puke here, not at the scene, where the contents of his stomach could be later dissected in a forensics report. The helicopter made another pass but showed no signs of coming in to land. He needed to call in. He should get his phone. Peter turned and looked back into (the) car. When if he'd been wrong? What if he'd missed a weak pulse? Peter leaned into the car, placed his fingers at (his) neck, then his wrist. Nothing. Nothing but cold, inert flesh, and fingers that came away sticky with blood.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Police corruption, an investigation that ends in tragedy and the mystery of a little girl's silence - three unconnected things that will prove to be linked by one small town.
While Detective Cormac Reilly faces enemies at work and trouble in his personal life, Garda Peter Fisher is relocated out of Galway with the threat of prosecution hanging over his head. But even that is not as terrible as having to work for his overbearing father, the local copper for the pretty seaside town of Roundstone.
For some, like Anna and her young daughter Tilly, Roundstone is a refuge from trauma. But even this village on the edge of the sea isn't far enough to escape from the shadows of evil men.
MY THOUGHTS: I took a while to really get into The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan. It may possibly be because this is book three in a series of which I haven't read either of the two previous titles.
There are several separate threads-a mother whose young daughter hasn't spoken for three months; the violent abduction of another young girl; the suspension of Cormac Reilly and the banishment of officers who support him.
While the threads initially appear unconnected, they gradually come together to weave an intricate plot of police corruption that spills over into other cases that crop up in the course of the book.
My favourite thread was that concerning Garda Peter Fisher's grandmother and the family doctor.
There was an interesting blend of very believable characters, and a great variety of cases. The main character, Cormac Reilly, has a great talent for pissing people off, particularly his superiors. Garda Peter Fisher has a sharp mind and a kind heart. I hope that Anna and Tilly will feature in future story lines.
I have developed quite a taste for Cormac. This was an enjoyable read that has me determined to read the earlier two titles and any further titles that are published in the future.
😉🙂😊😀
#TheGoodTurn #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Dervla McTiernan was born in County Cork, Ireland to a family of seven. She studied corporate law at the National University of Ireland, Galway and the Law Society of Ireland, and practiced as a lawyer for twelve years. Following the global financial crisis she moved with her family to Western Australia, where she now works for the Mental Health commission. In 2015 she submitted a story for the Sisters in Crime Scarlet Stiletto competition and was shortlisted. This inspired her to complete the novel that would become The Rúin. She lives in Perth with her husband and two children. (Courtesy of Harper Collins)
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins Australia for providing a digital ARC of The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Police corruption, an investigation that ends in tragedy and the mystery of a little girl's silence - three unconnected things that will prove to be linked by one small town.
While Detective Cormac Reilly faces enemies at work and trouble in his personal life, Garda Peter Fisher is relocated out of Galway with the threat of prosecution hanging over his head. But even that is not as terrible as having to work for his overbearing father, the local copper for the pretty seaside town of Roundstone.
For some, like Anna and her young daughter Tilly, Roundstone is a refuge from trauma. But even this village on the edge of the sea isn't far enough to escape from the shadows of evil men.
MY THOUGHTS: I took a while to really get into The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan. It may possibly be because this is book three in a series of which I haven't read either of the two previous titles.
There are several separate threads-a mother whose young daughter hasn't spoken for three months; the violent abduction of another young girl; the suspension of Cormac Reilly and the banishment of officers who support him.
While the threads initially appear unconnected, they gradually come together to weave an intricate plot of police corruption that spills over into other cases that crop up in the course of the book.
My favourite thread was that concerning Garda Peter Fisher's grandmother and the family doctor.
There was an interesting blend of very believable characters, and a great variety of cases. The main character, Cormac Reilly, has a great talent for pissing people off, particularly his superiors. Garda Peter Fisher has a sharp mind and a kind heart. I hope that Anna and Tilly will feature in future story lines.
I have developed quite a taste for Cormac. This was an enjoyable read that has me determined to read the earlier two titles and any further titles that are published in the future.
😉🙂😊😀
#TheGoodTurn #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Dervla McTiernan was born in County Cork, Ireland to a family of seven. She studied corporate law at the National University of Ireland, Galway and the Law Society of Ireland, and practiced as a lawyer for twelve years. Following the global financial crisis she moved with her family to Western Australia, where she now works for the Mental Health commission. In 2015 she submitted a story for the Sisters in Crime Scarlet Stiletto competition and was shortlisted. This inspired her to complete the novel that would become The Rúin. She lives in Perth with her husband and two children. (Courtesy of Harper Collins)
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins Australia for providing a digital ARC of The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
November 25, 2020
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and was looking forward to this one. What a disappointment! This was nowhere near as good. It started slowly, was quite plodding in the middle and then finished quickly with some helpful coincidences and luck.
Most of the book takes place over 8 days and for much of the book Cormac isn’t the centre of it. Police corruption that seems endemic (there’s about 3 or 4 good cops in total!) and apparently impossible to overcome keeps Cormac sidelined and the book is less interesting because of that for me. The initial crime of a kidnapped girl is background for drug deals and the corruption stuff. Another Garda is moved to a smaller town where he investigates a murder.
There’s a lot of detailed descriptions in the book which seem totally unnecessary in the end. It added to the atmosphere I guess (all the snow, the trips to the supermarket, Cormac and his girlfriend Emma and more) but just made it slow and overly long.
Looking at other reviews, mine seems an unpopular opinion! Maybe I went in with too high expectations. I’m sure there’ll be more in the series, here’s hoping the next is as good as the first two.
Most of the book takes place over 8 days and for much of the book Cormac isn’t the centre of it. Police corruption that seems endemic (there’s about 3 or 4 good cops in total!) and apparently impossible to overcome keeps Cormac sidelined and the book is less interesting because of that for me. The initial crime of a kidnapped girl is background for drug deals and the corruption stuff. Another Garda is moved to a smaller town where he investigates a murder.
There’s a lot of detailed descriptions in the book which seem totally unnecessary in the end. It added to the atmosphere I guess (all the snow, the trips to the supermarket, Cormac and his girlfriend Emma and more) but just made it slow and overly long.
Looking at other reviews, mine seems an unpopular opinion! Maybe I went in with too high expectations. I’m sure there’ll be more in the series, here’s hoping the next is as good as the first two.
September 20, 2022
4.5 Stars
February 22, 2021
Review also published on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Dervla McTiernan does it again with another installment in this brilliant series!
A Police Procedural involving Detective Cormac Reilly, and Garda Peter Fisher that delivers.
Suspenseful, intriguing, and intense.
When a young girl goes missing, Garda Peter Fisher investigates with the support of Detective Cormac Reilly. Unfortunately for Peter Fischer, in doing so, he ends up getting himself into a terrible bind. Getting out of it will take a lot more than he bargained for.
Cormac Reilly cares more about doing the right thing and finding justice, than the ramifications. If he has to buck the system to find the truth, well then, that’s just the way it is.
Once upon a time, Reilly and Fisher were a team. Now they’re on their own.
Three intertwining stories told with incredible care, masterful character development, and high intrigue, “The Good Turn” is a gripping, well-written mystery/suspense and is also a fabulous addition to the Cormac Reilly series.
If you haven’t considered reading the Detective Cormac Reilly series by Dervla McTiernan’s novels, I have to ask: What are you waiting for?! The entire series is smart, mysterious, and pulse-pounding and will keep you guessing till the very end.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Insta.
Dervla McTiernan does it again with another installment in this brilliant series!
A Police Procedural involving Detective Cormac Reilly, and Garda Peter Fisher that delivers.
Suspenseful, intriguing, and intense.
When a young girl goes missing, Garda Peter Fisher investigates with the support of Detective Cormac Reilly. Unfortunately for Peter Fischer, in doing so, he ends up getting himself into a terrible bind. Getting out of it will take a lot more than he bargained for.
Cormac Reilly cares more about doing the right thing and finding justice, than the ramifications. If he has to buck the system to find the truth, well then, that’s just the way it is.
Once upon a time, Reilly and Fisher were a team. Now they’re on their own.
Three intertwining stories told with incredible care, masterful character development, and high intrigue, “The Good Turn” is a gripping, well-written mystery/suspense and is also a fabulous addition to the Cormac Reilly series.
If you haven’t considered reading the Detective Cormac Reilly series by Dervla McTiernan’s novels, I have to ask: What are you waiting for?! The entire series is smart, mysterious, and pulse-pounding and will keep you guessing till the very end.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Insta.
August 4, 2022
4.5
Oh my, that was really good! Thank you Bega Valley Shire library. Poor old DS Cormac Reilly is being frozen out by his pompous Superintendent Brian Murphy. He catches a child abduction case and pleads with Murphy for more officers but - no! They are all beavering away on some drug bust case. You could wonder what is more important. So Cormac marshals his meagre troops and leaves Peter Fisher in charge while he interviews the parents. Peter and a couple of other strays get a lot done and reckon they’ve got a lead on the abductor and his vehicle. Cormac is uncontactable so Peter chases the guy down on his own - with disastrous results. And girl is not even in the car. Peter is in real trouble here and gets sent to the boondocks to work with his father, Sergeant Fisher, in a rural backwater for his sins.
Cormac promised him he would clear it up and get him exonerated but it will take time. Meanwhile Cormac flies to Brussels to visit Emma. He has a vague idea of joining Interpol so goes via Lyon on his way home to meet with his friend Matt. It seems Interpol has a watching brief over the same drug trafficking operation that the Galway cops are working on. He also meets with Internal Affairs on his return to Ireland and it seems there are suspicions of misdeeds within the police. But Cormac gets a heads up about a big raid planned. He passes it on and tags along but things don’t go as planned and he is suspended. It seems his career is over and he won’t be able to help Peter.
But all is not lost. He goes to visit Peter and apologise personally when he learns of something that could break the police corruption ring wide open. But who can he trust to tell about it.
This was excellent, brilliantly plotted and very character driven. I really felt for Peter and Cormac and a bunch of other people who had a lot to fear. I really hope the series continues. Much as I love action books, this series is also very sort of personal and you really relate to the characters.
Oh my, that was really good! Thank you Bega Valley Shire library. Poor old DS Cormac Reilly is being frozen out by his pompous Superintendent Brian Murphy. He catches a child abduction case and pleads with Murphy for more officers but - no! They are all beavering away on some drug bust case. You could wonder what is more important. So Cormac marshals his meagre troops and leaves Peter Fisher in charge while he interviews the parents. Peter and a couple of other strays get a lot done and reckon they’ve got a lead on the abductor and his vehicle. Cormac is uncontactable so Peter chases the guy down on his own - with disastrous results. And girl is not even in the car. Peter is in real trouble here and gets sent to the boondocks to work with his father, Sergeant Fisher, in a rural backwater for his sins.
Cormac promised him he would clear it up and get him exonerated but it will take time. Meanwhile Cormac flies to Brussels to visit Emma. He has a vague idea of joining Interpol so goes via Lyon on his way home to meet with his friend Matt. It seems Interpol has a watching brief over the same drug trafficking operation that the Galway cops are working on. He also meets with Internal Affairs on his return to Ireland and it seems there are suspicions of misdeeds within the police. But Cormac gets a heads up about a big raid planned. He passes it on and tags along but things don’t go as planned and he is suspended. It seems his career is over and he won’t be able to help Peter.
But all is not lost. He goes to visit Peter and apologise personally when he learns of something that could break the police corruption ring wide open. But who can he trust to tell about it.
This was excellent, brilliantly plotted and very character driven. I really felt for Peter and Cormac and a bunch of other people who had a lot to fear. I really hope the series continues. Much as I love action books, this series is also very sort of personal and you really relate to the characters.
May 1, 2020
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**4.5 stars**
The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan. (2020).
(Cormac Reilly #3).
Police corruption, an investigation that ends in tragedy and the mystery of a little girl's silence - three unconnected things that will prove to be linked by one small town. Detective Cormac faces enemies at work and trouble in his personal life. Garda Peter is relocated out of Galway with the threat of prosecution hanging over his head, and now he has to work for his overbearing father, the local copper for the pretty seaside town of Roundstone. For some, like Anna and her young daughter Tilly, Roundstone is a refuge from trauma. But even this village on the edge of the sea isn't far enough to escape from the shadows of evil men.
I've mentioned before in other reviews that I don't like to commit myself to a series. But, this is one series I'm very happy to continue along with (noting that you can read these as standalones if you like)! This particular novel differed from the previous two as it had two protagonists, being Cormac and Peter. The first half felt mainly about Peter and while it was interesting and engaging, I did miss Cormac a bit so I was glad when the narrative started showing more of his perspective later on. The author is very clever with her plotlines and successfully combines a few different crime/mysteries without it getting confusing. You may have heard the term unputdownable, this novel fits that definition. If you enjoy crime and detective fiction, don't miss out on this book!
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**4.5 stars**
The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan. (2020).
(Cormac Reilly #3).
Police corruption, an investigation that ends in tragedy and the mystery of a little girl's silence - three unconnected things that will prove to be linked by one small town. Detective Cormac faces enemies at work and trouble in his personal life. Garda Peter is relocated out of Galway with the threat of prosecution hanging over his head, and now he has to work for his overbearing father, the local copper for the pretty seaside town of Roundstone. For some, like Anna and her young daughter Tilly, Roundstone is a refuge from trauma. But even this village on the edge of the sea isn't far enough to escape from the shadows of evil men.
I've mentioned before in other reviews that I don't like to commit myself to a series. But, this is one series I'm very happy to continue along with (noting that you can read these as standalones if you like)! This particular novel differed from the previous two as it had two protagonists, being Cormac and Peter. The first half felt mainly about Peter and while it was interesting and engaging, I did miss Cormac a bit so I was glad when the narrative started showing more of his perspective later on. The author is very clever with her plotlines and successfully combines a few different crime/mysteries without it getting confusing. You may have heard the term unputdownable, this novel fits that definition. If you enjoy crime and detective fiction, don't miss out on this book!
![Profile Image for Terence M [on a brief semi-hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1712357414i%2F6658001._UY200_CR4%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
February 18, 2021
4.5-Stars ^ to 5.0 : "An Excellent Book"!
"The Good Turn (Cormac Reilly, #3)", was an excellentread listen.
I actually started listening to it on January 7th and this is the first book I have completed in 2021, on 14th February! Don't ask ... dealing with old illnesses, self-pity, adding new ones, self-pity, medications old and new, self-pity, added depression, self-pity, growing old, self-pity, all contributed to a total lack of interest in actually listening to a book, any book. Anyway, the drought is broken and I am back ... I hope, having listened to a very fine book indeed!
What a fine author is Dervla McTiernan! In "The Good Turn", she splits the narratives early in the book, with Garda Cormac Reilly being suspended and remaining in Galway, and another young Garda, Peter Fisher, a protégé of Reilly, being sent to the seaside village of Roundstone as a banishment for a suspected unlawful killing.
While writing alternative stories to a significant degree, McTiernan develops Reilly's head-butting with authority in Galway, despite more senior officers' warnings, and Fisher's dealing with his father who is his boss at the Garda station in Roundstone. Fisher Snr. has an 'old-school' approach to policing, with an "I'll help you and you'll owe me one later" approach. Both narratives have smaller, side-narratives, and McTiernan draws them all together in a most satisfying denouement.
Once again I have to praise the outstanding narration by Aoife McMahon of this Audible audiobook! She has an excellent reading voice, a beautiful variety of Irish accents and her vocal characterisations in both the higher and lower registers are second to none.
"The Good Turn (Cormac Reilly, #3)", was an excellent
I actually started listening to it on January 7th and this is the first book I have completed in 2021, on 14th February! Don't ask ... dealing with old illnesses, self-pity, adding new ones, self-pity, medications old and new, self-pity, added depression, self-pity, growing old, self-pity, all contributed to a total lack of interest in actually listening to a book, any book. Anyway, the drought is broken and I am back ... I hope, having listened to a very fine book indeed!
What a fine author is Dervla McTiernan! In "The Good Turn", she splits the narratives early in the book, with Garda Cormac Reilly being suspended and remaining in Galway, and another young Garda, Peter Fisher, a protégé of Reilly, being sent to the seaside village of Roundstone as a banishment for a suspected unlawful killing.
While writing alternative stories to a significant degree, McTiernan develops Reilly's head-butting with authority in Galway, despite more senior officers' warnings, and Fisher's dealing with his father who is his boss at the Garda station in Roundstone. Fisher Snr. has an 'old-school' approach to policing, with an "I'll help you and you'll owe me one later" approach. Both narratives have smaller, side-narratives, and McTiernan draws them all together in a most satisfying denouement.
Once again I have to praise the outstanding narration by Aoife McMahon of this Audible audiobook! She has an excellent reading voice, a beautiful variety of Irish accents and her vocal characterisations in both the higher and lower registers are second to none.
March 30, 2022
Yuuuuusssss Cormac! Now that's what I am talking about and been waiting 3 books for!
Wow that was a gripping and stressful book where Cormac and his loyal team faced roadblock after roadblock in their attempts to vindicate the actions of one of their own. With corruption rife it's hard to know who to trust. I am alarmed to see that there is no mention of a book 4. I am reading the two novellas at the moment but I hope the series continues! Superb police thriller! I am obsessed.
Wow that was a gripping and stressful book where Cormac and his loyal team faced roadblock after roadblock in their attempts to vindicate the actions of one of their own. With corruption rife it's hard to know who to trust. I am alarmed to see that there is no mention of a book 4. I am reading the two novellas at the moment but I hope the series continues! Superb police thriller! I am obsessed.
August 6, 2020
The third book in this series and no momentum lost. Cormac the central character appears to have rubbed enough people up the wrong way that his hand is forced and he is suspended for his actions. Weighing on his conscious is that his colleague Peter Fisher is also hung out by being sent to a remote location as a punishment. Cormac feels responsible and wants to set the record straight.
Unfortunately elements appear to be conspiring against him and the situation goes from bad to worse. Will this mark the end of his career? Will he be forced to live overseas with his partner, Emma?
Highly recommended, make sure you read the series in order or I don't think this book would read well as a standalone.
Unfortunately elements appear to be conspiring against him and the situation goes from bad to worse. Will this mark the end of his career? Will he be forced to live overseas with his partner, Emma?
Highly recommended, make sure you read the series in order or I don't think this book would read well as a standalone.
February 17, 2020
I enjoyed The Ruin and The Scholar but I think McTiernan stepped it up another notch with this, the third in the Cormac Reilly series.
Although the series is named after Garda Cormac Reilly, McTiernan wrote much of The Ruin and The Scholar from the point of view of other characters. In The Good Turn she does this again. It kind of annoyed me in the first two books (I like Reilly and I want to read more about him!) but this time I felt like I accepted it more graciously. This is probably a combination of becoming more accustomed to McTiernan's style and the fact that I liked the other lead characters much more this time around.
One is Peter Fisher, Reilly’s protege and subordinate detective at their Gallway station. Due to a series of misunderstandings and mismanagement, Fisher is forced to chase down a child kidnapper alone and, in the process, things go awry. Until an investigation can take place, he is sent away to basically eat humble pie and pound the beat at the small coastal village where he grew up and his father is still the police officer in charge.
Riley, meanwhile, is suspended in the fallout of Peter’s actions. He believes there is much more to his and Peter’s disciplinary punishment than meets the eye, so he keeps busy, investigating secretly the [alleged] corruption within the force.
Anna is the other character featured in the book. With her young daughter, she also ends up living in the same village as Peter. It’s pretty obvious early on she’s running away from someone and it’s quite enjoyable when her plot weaves its way into Riley and Fisher’s.
I thought the crime/mystery plot was really well done. I had no idea just who Peter and Cormac should trust. Even when I thought I might guess some plot points, I still wondered if I might be incorrect with my assumptions. And, as I said, McTiernan really pulled all the plots together cleverly; it all made sense and was connected in the end with no unnecessary cliffhangers left to annoy the reader.
McTiernan’s real strength, however, is her characterisation. Cormac and co are all so easy to imagine. (This would be a great book series for someone to turn into a television series.)
McTiernan really makes Ireland another character too. From the talk of playing Camogie and rugby to the wild coastal views from the small village farms, I felt like I was in Ireland. (The only thing I do have trouble imagining is the snow and cold as I swelter in the 42 degree Celsius heat…)
I highly recommend The Good Turn. It would help if you've read the previous two books but I don't think it's completely as essential as some other series I've read. I definitely think McTiernan is getting better with each book and, given that she does use a plethora of characters, I look forward to reading and enjoying her titles for a long time.
A good 5 out of 5.
Although the series is named after Garda Cormac Reilly, McTiernan wrote much of The Ruin and The Scholar from the point of view of other characters. In The Good Turn she does this again. It kind of annoyed me in the first two books (I like Reilly and I want to read more about him!) but this time I felt like I accepted it more graciously. This is probably a combination of becoming more accustomed to McTiernan's style and the fact that I liked the other lead characters much more this time around.
One is Peter Fisher, Reilly’s protege and subordinate detective at their Gallway station. Due to a series of misunderstandings and mismanagement, Fisher is forced to chase down a child kidnapper alone and, in the process, things go awry. Until an investigation can take place, he is sent away to basically eat humble pie and pound the beat at the small coastal village where he grew up and his father is still the police officer in charge.
Riley, meanwhile, is suspended in the fallout of Peter’s actions. He believes there is much more to his and Peter’s disciplinary punishment than meets the eye, so he keeps busy, investigating secretly the [alleged] corruption within the force.
Anna is the other character featured in the book. With her young daughter, she also ends up living in the same village as Peter. It’s pretty obvious early on she’s running away from someone and it’s quite enjoyable when her plot weaves its way into Riley and Fisher’s.
I thought the crime/mystery plot was really well done. I had no idea just who Peter and Cormac should trust. Even when I thought I might guess some plot points, I still wondered if I might be incorrect with my assumptions. And, as I said, McTiernan really pulled all the plots together cleverly; it all made sense and was connected in the end with no unnecessary cliffhangers left to annoy the reader.
McTiernan’s real strength, however, is her characterisation. Cormac and co are all so easy to imagine. (This would be a great book series for someone to turn into a television series.)
McTiernan really makes Ireland another character too. From the talk of playing Camogie and rugby to the wild coastal views from the small village farms, I felt like I was in Ireland. (The only thing I do have trouble imagining is the snow and cold as I swelter in the 42 degree Celsius heat…)
I highly recommend The Good Turn. It would help if you've read the previous two books but I don't think it's completely as essential as some other series I've read. I definitely think McTiernan is getting better with each book and, given that she does use a plethora of characters, I look forward to reading and enjoying her titles for a long time.
A good 5 out of 5.
January 14, 2024
The 3rd Cormac Reilly book continues what has been a strong police procedural series set in Galway, Ireland.DS Cormac Reilly has finally settled into his job after transferring from Dublin but there’s friction between him and his commanding officer over the chronic shortage of officers available for day to day policing roles. It’s a complaint that’s about to play out in dramatic circumstances.
A brazen abduction of a young girl off the streets in plain view of residents kicks off a desperate hunt with all of the time pressures that are linked to these cases. But with most detectives assigned to working a major drugs operation it’s left to the inexperienced Garda Peter Fisher to chase up the case.
With Cormac unavailable interviewing the missing girl’s family and a solid lead to be followed, Fisher makes the decision to pursue it on his own. The resulting chaos finds Peter transferred to the small town of Roundstone and Cormac on suspension.
To make matters hugely difficult for Peter, the Roundstone police sergeant is his father, a man he has despised for years. And, hardly surprising, his father appears hell bent on making his life a misery. An outstanding murder case provides Peter with the opportunity to immerse himself in work that somewhat distances himself from his father. It’s a seemingly simple case that turns out to have legs.
Back in Galway and Cormac is left contemplating his own career. He feels he’s been harshly treated and is highly suspicious of some of the actions of his fellow Garda. But suspecting and proving are two very different things and exposing corruption in the police force is a very dangerous game.
Whereas the earlier books in the series focused on a single case investigated with Cormac as the lead, this one has multiple storylines running in tandem. The focus is shared between Cormac and Peter who, up until now, has been a peripheral player in the series. Through his banishment to the tiny town of Roundstone we get to learn more about him, his background and his talents as a careful and insightful detective.
The dual focus is handled very deftly with alternate chapters flipping our attention between Peter and Cormac. It creates a sense that everything is unfolding at an accelerated pace and also allows for the creation of dramatic moments to build our anticipation of what’s going to happen next.
Wedged neatly into the police work is the unpacking of a significant amount of personal baggage. The father / son relationship in Roundstone and the Cormac and Emma relationship in Brussels helps humanise both main characters to an even greater extent. It underlines the fact that neither men are automatons, they’re burdened by human emotions and have to deal with more than the simple facts of a criminal case. It highlights the fact that this is far more than a by-the-numbers police procedural story and helps to draw even greater empathy to both men.
I enjoyed The Ruin and The Scholar, books #1 and #2 in the series, but felt The Good Turn had greater depth and a more intricate plot. My way of saying I feel this is the best of the series.
A brazen abduction of a young girl off the streets in plain view of residents kicks off a desperate hunt with all of the time pressures that are linked to these cases. But with most detectives assigned to working a major drugs operation it’s left to the inexperienced Garda Peter Fisher to chase up the case.
With Cormac unavailable interviewing the missing girl’s family and a solid lead to be followed, Fisher makes the decision to pursue it on his own. The resulting chaos finds Peter transferred to the small town of Roundstone and Cormac on suspension.
To make matters hugely difficult for Peter, the Roundstone police sergeant is his father, a man he has despised for years. And, hardly surprising, his father appears hell bent on making his life a misery. An outstanding murder case provides Peter with the opportunity to immerse himself in work that somewhat distances himself from his father. It’s a seemingly simple case that turns out to have legs.
Back in Galway and Cormac is left contemplating his own career. He feels he’s been harshly treated and is highly suspicious of some of the actions of his fellow Garda. But suspecting and proving are two very different things and exposing corruption in the police force is a very dangerous game.
Whereas the earlier books in the series focused on a single case investigated with Cormac as the lead, this one has multiple storylines running in tandem. The focus is shared between Cormac and Peter who, up until now, has been a peripheral player in the series. Through his banishment to the tiny town of Roundstone we get to learn more about him, his background and his talents as a careful and insightful detective.
The dual focus is handled very deftly with alternate chapters flipping our attention between Peter and Cormac. It creates a sense that everything is unfolding at an accelerated pace and also allows for the creation of dramatic moments to build our anticipation of what’s going to happen next.
Wedged neatly into the police work is the unpacking of a significant amount of personal baggage. The father / son relationship in Roundstone and the Cormac and Emma relationship in Brussels helps humanise both main characters to an even greater extent. It underlines the fact that neither men are automatons, they’re burdened by human emotions and have to deal with more than the simple facts of a criminal case. It highlights the fact that this is far more than a by-the-numbers police procedural story and helps to draw even greater empathy to both men.
I enjoyed The Ruin and The Scholar, books #1 and #2 in the series, but felt The Good Turn had greater depth and a more intricate plot. My way of saying I feel this is the best of the series.
May 8, 2025
4.5
It all starts with the abduction of young Peggah, which, whilst the girl is thankfully unharmed, ends badly for Detective Cormac Reilly who is suspended and Garda Peter Fisher who is relocated to Roundstone in Connemara thanks to the intervention of his father Des. Cormac knows that the Galway station is riddled with corruption but just how high does it go and can he prove it whilst suspended?? Meanwhile, Peter has a dual murder to investigate and there’s the mystery of Anna and her young daughter Tilly. Why is Des so keen to protect her?
This is another terrific addition to this excellent series and I thoroughly enjoy reading the dual investigations of Cormac and Peter, who are great characters. It’s a really good mystery thriller with plenty of tension and suspense in a rollercoaster plot. My suspicion antenna flicks back and forth in several directions and whilst some play out as expected, there are shocks and surprises in store as well as some very satisfying moments.
Overall, Dervla McTiernan has knocked it out the park again and I’m eagerly anticipating number 4 which is out next week (16/5/25).
It all starts with the abduction of young Peggah, which, whilst the girl is thankfully unharmed, ends badly for Detective Cormac Reilly who is suspended and Garda Peter Fisher who is relocated to Roundstone in Connemara thanks to the intervention of his father Des. Cormac knows that the Galway station is riddled with corruption but just how high does it go and can he prove it whilst suspended?? Meanwhile, Peter has a dual murder to investigate and there’s the mystery of Anna and her young daughter Tilly. Why is Des so keen to protect her?
This is another terrific addition to this excellent series and I thoroughly enjoy reading the dual investigations of Cormac and Peter, who are great characters. It’s a really good mystery thriller with plenty of tension and suspense in a rollercoaster plot. My suspicion antenna flicks back and forth in several directions and whilst some play out as expected, there are shocks and surprises in store as well as some very satisfying moments.
Overall, Dervla McTiernan has knocked it out the park again and I’m eagerly anticipating number 4 which is out next week (16/5/25).
October 1, 2020
2.5 stars. I had enjoyed the previous Cormac Reilly book a lot, so it really sucked to have the series take such a turn for the worse here. The problem, really, isn't with pacing or character or anything like that. The problem is that the central idea of the book contradicts everything we see happen until a certain point.
Books about police are complicated. For me they always have been. Even when they're not set in the US. But in this book, even more than the previous two, gives us Reilly as the One Good Cop. She spends an awful lot of time showing us how the One Good Cop cannot take down systemic corruption, but then of course at the very last minute somehow it all works out for our Cormac. It doesn't really work unless you are a reader who can ignore the previous 95% of the book where it was made fully clear to us that this level of corruption is impossible to destroy. And of course to make it all work McTiernan has to give us some ridiculous coincidences and the kind of irrefutable evidence that never exists in the real world. It starts as critique and then turns into outright fantasy and they don't go together.
There's another significant problem, which is that here we have Two Good Cops, but one of them is a cop who kills suspect early in the book. And the word "suspect" is generous, it's someone who might have done something. And then everyone spends an awfully long time telling him that it was okay that he did the right thing and then McTiernan must make sure that we confirm this person really was bad so that we can all feel good about them getting shot before we had any significant evidence.
It's really wild to have all this in a book that wants to examine the ways in which police can be corrupt and hurt the communities they're in. Not just in the big systemic corruption ways but in the small ways, as we see when Peter is stuck working under his father in a small town where they don't worry about DUI's and talk a big game about looking after their own, even when it isn't always legal. This book hurt my brain because it so insists that these good guys are good and eventually they will make it work out when every other thing in the book makes this so clearly not the case.
I know that a lot of people will disagree with my review entirely. And I get it. You have to do some real magical thinking to read crime fiction, you have to be able to live in a fictional world where good cops can take down bad ones. For a lot of people that's the attraction. I just couldn't do it this time.
This book isn't available in the US yet and I'm not sure when it will be but it turns out it's on Audible so you can get the audiobook if you're looking to keep reading in the series. Note on the audio: I like this reader a lot, but I didn't like her for this book. Her male voices sound to put on and not natural and most of the dialogue here is with men.
Books about police are complicated. For me they always have been. Even when they're not set in the US. But in this book, even more than the previous two, gives us Reilly as the One Good Cop. She spends an awful lot of time showing us how the One Good Cop cannot take down systemic corruption, but then of course at the very last minute somehow it all works out for our Cormac. It doesn't really work unless you are a reader who can ignore the previous 95% of the book where it was made fully clear to us that this level of corruption is impossible to destroy. And of course to make it all work McTiernan has to give us some ridiculous coincidences and the kind of irrefutable evidence that never exists in the real world. It starts as critique and then turns into outright fantasy and they don't go together.
There's another significant problem, which is that here we have Two Good Cops, but one of them is a cop who kills suspect early in the book. And the word "suspect" is generous, it's someone who might have done something. And then everyone spends an awfully long time telling him that it was okay that he did the right thing and then McTiernan must make sure that we confirm this person really was bad so that we can all feel good about them getting shot before we had any significant evidence.
It's really wild to have all this in a book that wants to examine the ways in which police can be corrupt and hurt the communities they're in. Not just in the big systemic corruption ways but in the small ways, as we see when Peter is stuck working under his father in a small town where they don't worry about DUI's and talk a big game about looking after their own, even when it isn't always legal. This book hurt my brain because it so insists that these good guys are good and eventually they will make it work out when every other thing in the book makes this so clearly not the case.
I know that a lot of people will disagree with my review entirely. And I get it. You have to do some real magical thinking to read crime fiction, you have to be able to live in a fictional world where good cops can take down bad ones. For a lot of people that's the attraction. I just couldn't do it this time.
This book isn't available in the US yet and I'm not sure when it will be but it turns out it's on Audible so you can get the audiobook if you're looking to keep reading in the series. Note on the audio: I like this reader a lot, but I didn't like her for this book. Her male voices sound to put on and not natural and most of the dialogue here is with men.
July 29, 2020
This third offering in the police procedural series featuring Irish Garda Detective Cormac Reilly takes a dark turn. Both Reilly, and Garda Peter Fisher are literally ‘out in the cold’. The two of them are aware that there is corruption within the police department, but efforts to uncover the perpetrators are thwarted by their superiors. A child abduction case ‘blows up in their faces’ and Cormac is suspended and Peter is transferred to the hinterlands to serve under his despised father. Enjoy this well-written police procedural with intriguing twists and turns.
November 20, 2020
A little girl goes missing, believed abducted. Garda Peter Fisher sets out to investigate and call in re-enforcements to help in the search for the abducted girl. Detective Cormac Reilly, when he hears of the alleged crime wants support and officers sent to help deal with the problem. He fears the child’s life is in danger and knows every hour is critical. But the hierarchy are too intent on a supposed drug bust to spare any men to help. Left to their own resources Peter and Cormac try and do the best they can with limited resources. When tragedy occurs they both end up as scapegoats. It seems too clear that Cormac’s enemies are out to get rid of him. And given his father’s intervention in Peter’s situation, Peter is faced with a choice he never anticipated having to make. The trouble is, as far as Cormac is concerned that corruption is within the police force itself, which makes exposing it a dangerous prospect. With both Peter’s and Cormac’s career hanging by a thread, who can they trust?
Along with these two is the story of Anna and her daughter, Tilly, who is suffering selective mutism. Why Is she silent? Anna and Tilly flee from issues in the past and end up in Roundstone, where Anna comes into contact with and help cares for Peter’s elderly grandmother. Maggie But evil is lurking close by.
I haven’t read either of the author’s two earlier books in this series, but this read fine as a standalone. I quickly got up to speed with Cormac whose love life Emma, is living in Brussels while he is in Ireland. Similarly it is easy to pick up the positive relationship Peter has with his grandmother Maggie and the negative relationship with his father Des, also in the police force. The characters come across well and the plot moves along as the various story threads weave together. It is a very well-crafted police procedural, showing the inability of some parts of the police force and their unwillingness to cooperate with other sections of the police. At times they seem very quick to turn on their own or at least those who view the law clearly in terms of black and white.
Pace is good and I liked the way it moved between Peter and Cormac’s and the addition of Maggie, Anna and Tilly. It certainly kept my interest throughout. A bit of language peppered throughout but that aside, this is a well told story. I’ll probably go back now and read the earlier two if I can find them at the library. The strength of this book I thought was not just the plot and the way events fit together but in the strong characterisation. A recommended read for anyone who likes crime novels and police procedurals with characters you can really care about.
Along with these two is the story of Anna and her daughter, Tilly, who is suffering selective mutism. Why Is she silent? Anna and Tilly flee from issues in the past and end up in Roundstone, where Anna comes into contact with and help cares for Peter’s elderly grandmother. Maggie But evil is lurking close by.
I haven’t read either of the author’s two earlier books in this series, but this read fine as a standalone. I quickly got up to speed with Cormac whose love life Emma, is living in Brussels while he is in Ireland. Similarly it is easy to pick up the positive relationship Peter has with his grandmother Maggie and the negative relationship with his father Des, also in the police force. The characters come across well and the plot moves along as the various story threads weave together. It is a very well-crafted police procedural, showing the inability of some parts of the police force and their unwillingness to cooperate with other sections of the police. At times they seem very quick to turn on their own or at least those who view the law clearly in terms of black and white.
Pace is good and I liked the way it moved between Peter and Cormac’s and the addition of Maggie, Anna and Tilly. It certainly kept my interest throughout. A bit of language peppered throughout but that aside, this is a well told story. I’ll probably go back now and read the earlier two if I can find them at the library. The strength of this book I thought was not just the plot and the way events fit together but in the strong characterisation. A recommended read for anyone who likes crime novels and police procedurals with characters you can really care about.
February 12, 2020
4.5★
Cormac Reilly #3 is the best so far, in what has been a must-read series right from the start. Dervla McTiernan is a first class storyteller.
In The Good Turn, Garda Peter Fisher is called back in to work on his long-awaited day off, after a child-abduction is reported in suburban Galway. Fisher interviews the witness on his way back to the station and instinctively knows it's legitimate. His boss, DS Reilly, has no choice but to put all other cases on hold because his team is severely under resourced due to almost everyone in the station being temporarily deployed to the drugs taskforce. So with everyone in the team stretched very thin it's no real surprise when something goes terribly wrong.
Whereas books #1 and #2 both had one main, obvious crime, the fabulous thing about this story is that there are actually a number of different things going on at the same time. Some of the issues that popped up towards the end of The Ruin are now under Reilly's magnifying glass, along with the events occurring in a few other seemingly disparate threads. The way McTiernan weaves the story together is just brilliant.
We get to know Fisher even better this time around, and he shines. While Reilly doesn't exactly take a backseat, I think it would be fair to say he shares the spotlight with Fisher. What a team! I hope McTiernan is already working on #4.
With thanks to NetGalley + HarperCollins Australia for an uncorrected advance copy to read and review.
Cormac Reilly #3 is the best so far, in what has been a must-read series right from the start. Dervla McTiernan is a first class storyteller.
In The Good Turn, Garda Peter Fisher is called back in to work on his long-awaited day off, after a child-abduction is reported in suburban Galway. Fisher interviews the witness on his way back to the station and instinctively knows it's legitimate. His boss, DS Reilly, has no choice but to put all other cases on hold because his team is severely under resourced due to almost everyone in the station being temporarily deployed to the drugs taskforce. So with everyone in the team stretched very thin it's no real surprise when something goes terribly wrong.
Whereas books #1 and #2 both had one main, obvious crime, the fabulous thing about this story is that there are actually a number of different things going on at the same time. Some of the issues that popped up towards the end of The Ruin are now under Reilly's magnifying glass, along with the events occurring in a few other seemingly disparate threads. The way McTiernan weaves the story together is just brilliant.
We get to know Fisher even better this time around, and he shines. While Reilly doesn't exactly take a backseat, I think it would be fair to say he shares the spotlight with Fisher. What a team! I hope McTiernan is already working on #4.
With thanks to NetGalley + HarperCollins Australia for an uncorrected advance copy to read and review.
February 28, 2020
This new book features Detective Cormac Reilly and is set in Dublin, Ireland 2015. Cormac Reilly has appeared in two previous books by this best selling author. This is the first book of the series that I’ve read and I can’t wait to read the others.
The story opens with Anna and her young daughter Tilly sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, Tilly hasn’t spoken in 3 months! What is the mystery of her little girls silence?
Elsewhere the violent abduction of a young girl punched and shoved into the boot of a car takes place and is witnessed by a young boy. When Garda Peter Fisher is called to the scene to investigate he finds himself making a fatal mistake in the case.
One suspended the other banished, we find both Detective Cormac Reilly and Garda Peter Fisher are facing the possibility of their careers ruined, who can they trust?
This was a good, pacy, murder mystery with an intricate plot of police corruption, drugs and edgy characters.
I wish to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a copy to read in return for an honest review
The story opens with Anna and her young daughter Tilly sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, Tilly hasn’t spoken in 3 months! What is the mystery of her little girls silence?
Elsewhere the violent abduction of a young girl punched and shoved into the boot of a car takes place and is witnessed by a young boy. When Garda Peter Fisher is called to the scene to investigate he finds himself making a fatal mistake in the case.
One suspended the other banished, we find both Detective Cormac Reilly and Garda Peter Fisher are facing the possibility of their careers ruined, who can they trust?
This was a good, pacy, murder mystery with an intricate plot of police corruption, drugs and edgy characters.
I wish to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a copy to read in return for an honest review
June 27, 2022
This series is a perfect example of why the books should be read in order to get the full understanding and appreciation of character evolvement. The first book in the series was a little shaky but the elements were all there, enough for me to want to read the next one. And that one was better. This one? Excellent! I am really enamored now. Cormac, the main character, is at a low point, working out of Galway. Peter Fisher is also at a low point, having been relocated to another small station, where his father is in charge, and with a long-standing rift between them. . Most of the story takes place with them in different locations, with them working on two different things. It is not until much later that they meet up again, and help each other with their separate cases.
I love the way the story is told. I love the detective parts, and I love the personal issues and how they deal with them. A fabulous read. And now we wait for #4!
I love the way the story is told. I love the detective parts, and I love the personal issues and how they deal with them. A fabulous read. And now we wait for #4!
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