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The Secret Place

Book 5 in the series:Dublin Murder Squad

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'The Secret Place' by Tana French revolves around a cold murder case at a private girl's school, St. Kilda's. Detective Stephen Moran gets a chance to join Dublin's Murder Squad when Holly Mackey provides a clue related to the case. The story unfolds as Moran teams up with Detective Antoinette Conway to investigate the tangled relationships and secrets among the schoolgirls, all set against the backdrop of a mysterious 'secret place' at the school. The narrative alternates between the present investigation and the past events at the school, showcasing French's skill in character development and atmospheric storytelling.

Characters:

Characters are deeply developed, with both detectives showcasing unique traits and the teenage girls portraying the complexity of adolescent relationships.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by its lyrical descriptions and deep psychological insight, blending lyrical prose with engaging dialogue.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative unfolds through an investigation into a murder case linked to the inner workings of teenage girls' friendships and their terrible secrets.

Setting:

The setting of a prestigious school adds layers of tension and social dynamics to the plot.

Pacing:

Pacing varies, with some sections very tense and others slower as they delve into character backgrounds and motivations.
She came looking for me. Most people stay arm’s length away. A patchy murmur on the tip line, Back in ’95 I saw, no name, click if you ask. A letter printed out and posted from the wrong town, paper a...

Notes:

The Secret Place is the fifth book in Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series.
The story takes place at a girls' boarding school and involves a murder that occurred a year prior.
The narrative alternates between the present investigation led by detectives Stephen Moran and Antoinette Conway and flashbacks from the perspectives of the teenage girls involved.
The book explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and the pressures faced by adolescent girls.
The character Holly Mackey, daughter of detective Frank Mackey from earlier books, plays a crucial role in reviving the cold case.
The investigation is driven by a postcard from the school's bulletin board, called The Secret Place, claiming to know the murderer.
French's writing style combines detailed character development with psychological tension.
Some readers found the portrayal of teenage girls and their dynamics relatable and accurate.
The inclusion of supernatural elements involving the girls' perceptions of ghosts received mixed reviews among readers.
The plot emphasizes the complexity of growing up and the connections between friendships and secrets.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers may include discussions of murder, bullying, and themes of manipulation among teenagers.

From The Publisher:

"An absolutely mesmerizing read. . . . Tana French is simply this: a truly great writer." -Gillian Flynn

Read the New York Times bestseller by Tana French, author of the forthcoming novel The Searcher and "the most important crime novelist to emerge in the past 10 years" (The Washington Post).

A year ago a boy was found murdered at a girls' boarding school, and the case was never solved. Detective Stephen Moran has been waiting for his chance to join Dublin's Murder Squad when sixteen-year-old Holly Mackey arrives in his office with a photo of the boy with the caption: "I KNOW WHO KILLED HIM." Stephen joins with Detective Antoinette Conway to reopen the case-beneath the watchful eye of Holly's father, fellow detective Frank Mackey. With the clues leading back to Holly's close-knit group of friends, to their rival clique, and to the tangle of relationships that bound them all to the murdered boy, the private underworld of teenage girls turns out to be more mysterious and more dangerous than the detectives imagined.

Ratings (16)

Incredible (3)
Loved It (8)
Liked It (2)
It Was OK (2)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (40):

Read It (15)
Want To Read (16)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (8)

2 comment(s)

Loved It
2 months

the true magic in this book is in its structure

told backwards and forwards, the beginning aligning perfectly with the ending

it taps into what we've learned about frank mackey and his family in a previous book (the first time she's relied on a previous book for plot points)

and adds in that crazy intensity that malinda lo used in

a line in the dark to address the issues between teenage girls

who killed a boarding school boy on the girl's boarding school grounds?

pretty much all of the girls are capable of it, while all of the boys are nearly too stupid to live

i'm not saying boys are too stupid to live, i'm just saying when it comes to high school aged people, the female of the species is far more deadly than the male

that intense, drunken magic of best friends, it can turn on you

it turned on me, although no one ended up dead thank goodness

 
Did Not Like
3 months

DNF

Maybe it’s me but I just couldn’t get into it. Having a hard time with the one I took up in this one’s place too so it’s probably me. No attention span right now.

 

About the Author:

Tana French is the author of In the Woods, The Likeness, Faithful Place, Broken Harbor, The Secret Place, The Trespasser and The Witch Elm. Her books have won awards including the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, and Barry awards, the Los Angeles Times Award for Best Mystery/Thriller, and the Irish Book…

 
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