“Compelling, unexpected twists and a hold-your breath standoff . . . Hand this one to readers of Tana French and to police-procedural fans.” —Booklist It’s been twenty years since Detective Cormac Reilly discovered the body of Hilaria Blake in her crumbling home. But he’s never forgotten the two children she left behind… When Aisling Conroy’s boyfriend Jack is found in the freezing black waters … boyfriend Jack is found in the freezing black waters of the river Corrib in Ireland, the police tell her it was suicide. She throws herself into work, trying to forget—but Jack’s sister Maude reappears in Ireland after years abroad, determined to prove Jack was murdered.
Meanwhile, Detective Cormac Reilly, who was recently transferred to Galway from his squad in Dublin, is assigned to dig into a cold case from twenty years ago—the seeming overdose of Jack and Maude’s drug and alcohol addled mother. Other detectives are connecting Jack’s death to his mother’s, and pushing Reilly to arrest Maude, and fast. But instinct tells him something isn’t quite what it seems…
This unsettling small-town noir draws us deep into the dark heart of Ireland, where corruption, desperation, and crime run rife. A gritty look at trust and betrayal where the written law isn’t the only one, The Ruin asks who will protect you when the authorities can’t—or won’t.
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Great main character
The past usually catches up with people . The book is heart breaking as it exposes how young children were cruelly treated in Ireland before laws to protect where created. The book also shows how siblings love can either be full of love or hate and jealousy. Characterization is first class in this book. The author develops each character in a clear methodical way and their true personalities are slowly revealed. Old secrets are connected to recent events in a small Galway community and the truth is finally revealed. The atmosphere, the setting and the slew of interesting characters makes this a great mystery.
Below is the message I sent to the author upon finishing ‘The Ruin.’ It pretty much covers my thinking on this wonderful book:
I just finished ‘The Ruin’ and was thoroughly pleased by it. I was impressed at such a marvelously well-written, structured, and tight first novel, then I noted the similarity in background with Grisham and Baldacci. Lawyers make excellent writers; after all, a command of the language is a fundamental requirement. A fan of police procedurals, who-done-its, great characters and writing, I’m very happy to have found your work and look forward to many more such experiences over the coming years. Thank you.
PS – Very sorry about the fire conflagrations going on over there. I wish all good health and safety.
Jerry Geiger – USA
Slow developing but a down hill sled the last have. Great characters and police detail. Want to read the next.
I read non stop to get to the end which I didn’t want to come!
Interesting, well-written story.
I am enjoying reading this book just now. It is a very different story. Not the usual predictable story line. Good characters. Page turner.
Twenty years ago Cormac Reilly was called to the scene of a deceased woman. Her 2 children are cold, starving and beaten. Her son, Jack, was taken into foster care and her daughter, Maude, disappeared. Now Jack is dead. The official report is suicide, but Jack’s sister believes it was murder. Cormac Reilly is drawn back into their lives to re-investigate their mother’s death, but evidence from Jack’s death turns up far more interesting activity going on.
This story moved at a good pace and Cormac Reilly is a great character. He’s a good detective and really cares about the cases he works. I like how he works so hard to get every detail he needs to sort out the case. He doesn’t make assumptions. Jack and Maude have turned into productive adults with good heads on their shoulders.
It’s amazing how many twists and turns this story takes. It really keeps the reader wondering and curious. There is a lot of information for the reader to take in, and I found myself baffled by the case. There were so many possibilities. The answer was not one I thought of. I did figure it out before it was revealed, but it was a fun ride getting there. There is no graphic violence in this book, which is nice, and the police work is explained well.
The story goes back and forth between past and present and it helps the reader understand Maude and her decisions. It breaks up the story nicely as well.
This is the first book in the Cormac Reilly series, but the second book chronologically. The Sisters is an Audible Original (and available only on Audible) and takes place about 10 years prior to this novel, when Detective Sergeant Carrie and her sister Aifric were first starting out in their careers.
Compared to The Sisters, this book is exceedingly better. I am glad I read this book despite the fact that I had not been keen on its prequel. This book does not rely whatsoever on any of the storyline in The Sisters, so if you do not have an Audible subscription, you are not missing out.
The story is tragic in many ways, and especially in Aisling’s story. Aisling has just found out that she is pregnant, although she is not ready to be a mother due to just beginning her career as a surgeon, and then her boyfriend Jack is found dead, seemingly having killed himself. Then, there is the story of Jack’s childhood with his sister Maude, neglected by an alcoholic mother and suffering physical abuse. Even more tragedy develops as the story unfolds. These dark themes may be difficult for some readers, but McTiernan addresses them delicately.
Despite the darkness, McTiernan’s writing is crisp and powerful. Her characters have depth, and the protagonists are strong and dedicated. Although the characters have suffered, there is a positivity in each of them that makes them inspirational. The story is original and well-developed, absolutely beautiful against the tragic themes.
The narrator of the audiobook, Aoife McMahon, did a phenomenal job. Her inflections were perfect for the tone of each dialogue. Characters are easily discernable. She is a large reason why I have ordered the next book in the series on Audible. I truly look forward to continuing this series.
Recommended highly by Deadly Pleasures Magazine, ed. George Easter.
A wonderful book I devoured in one evening. I am really looking forward to the second in this series featuring Irish detective Cormac Reilly.
Wow, this was a great mystery. Good twisty plot, well written characters. I will be back for more!
This is Dervla McTiernan’s first novel. Written in Ireland, a first rate psychological thriller and unstoppable read. YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK! IT IS A MUST READ. I CANNOT RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY ENOUGH!
I read this book because I finally took the bait on all the reviews that state that their particular book is “for fans of Tana French” (whom I adore). About a quarter of the way in I was so impressed that I considered the idea that Tana French was writing under a pseudonym (she’s not). The Ruin is a tightly written story and I would definitely read this author again. She does make Ireland out to be a corrupt and creepy place though. My only objection is that too much information about a main character was withheld until the very end. It is a fairly minor criticism and I did enjoy this book. It is far better than most in the crime fiction genre. I would recommend this book.
terrific!
Dervla McTiernan’s deliciously complicated police procedural The Ruin begins when a young man jumps to his death from a bridge in Galway, Ireland—or does he? His girlfriend doesn’t think Jack took his life, and neither does the detective who knew him from another case twenty years earlier. But the harder they dig for answers, the farther the truth recedes, and the more complicated and dangerous their investigation becomes. Fans of Tana French will love McTiernan’s expertly plotted, complex web of secrets that refuse to stay hidden.
The Ruin is dark and compelling, with the satisfaction of a police procedural and the atmosphere of a gothic mystery. I was gripped by it, and by the complicated, resourceful characters of Aisling and Maude.
DI Cormac Reilly has returned to Galway twenty years after he made a horrible discovery: two children in a delipidated country mansion with, their mother in bed dead from a drug overdose. Not long after Reilly’s return, Jack, the younger child is found dead in the river Corrib from an apparent suicide and his sister, Maude, had mysteriously returned from Australia just a few days before his death. While Cormac tries to unravel this mystery, the new-boy hazing he’s been getting from his comrades escalates.
A brilliant debut from author Dervla McTiernan, THE RUIN is a seamless police procedural elegantly told with vivid characters and set in Ireland we don’t see in picture postcards. The audio, read by Aoife McMahon, is one of the best I’ve heard.
Honestly, I am completely awestruck that this title is a debut! The writing within the pages of “The Ruin” is on an expert, seasoned level! This novel is a riveting, gritty, suspenseful, and brillantly plotted novel, that marks the begining of a brand new series. Dervla McTiernan’s un-put-down-able debut is a multiple perspective, multiple time line, police procedural that has all the atmosphere and charm, of a gothic mystery novel! With a place like Galway, Ireland as the setting, the lush lyrical writing, not 1 but 2 murder mysteries filled with betrayal,lies, & secrets; the dark and gripping depth of the plot and the characters, and all the layers the reader peels back to get to the truth…this one is a winner on every level! An amazing, tantalizing start to an undeniably irresistible series! Be sure to pick up Dervla McTiernan’s masterpiece of avdebut “The Ruin”!
Thank You to Penguin First to Read for giving me the oppurtunity to read this title!In exchange I have shared my unbiased opinion!
The story in this book is very good…Dervla McTiernan is a very good writer. However, I think she should not read/compare/write to Tana French scenarios…..She is good enough to stand on her own merit.