Broken Harbor: Dublin Murder Squad, Book 4

While those who have read Faithful Place were introduced to Frank “Skorcher” Kennedy, we obviously didn’t scratch the surface. He starts Broken Harbor in about the same place French last left him spouting cop jargon and bragging about solve rates. Though the events from the Faithful Place novel have left his reputation a little tarnished. In a bid for redemption, Frank takes a case involving the attack on a family after which only the mom survived. He’s also showing a relative newbie the murder squad ropes, the uncannily perceptive Ritchie. He’s also dealing with a mentally ill sister who has shown up just in time to upend his life. When the case ends up more complicated than he could have imagined, Frank’s path to the killer requires him to question everything he was certain he knew.

First, I’m a fan of the entire Dublin Murder squad series. I find that Tana French ups her skill with every subsequent book. Broken Harbor has officially replaced Faithful Place as my favorite. Second, everything I love about the series is here: complex mysteries with genuine surprises, a fascinating and layered view of modern Dublin, and some of the best interrogation scenes I have ever read. French also tackles another “partner” relationship which she hasn’t touched much since Rob and Cassie in her debut, In the Woods. One of the things that stand out the most in Harbor is French’s vivid portrayal of the victim’s marriage and family life. Through some clever plot situations we get layered depictions of this family which makes their story fascinating. Frank’s character development is also entirely honest which by the end of the book makes the reader a genuine fan. Broken Harbor is a gift for mystery fans. And while each book in the series stands alone, once you read one, you will want to read all four. I for one cannot wait for the next installment.

I listened to the audio version performed by Stephen Hogan. About 90% of Steven Hogan’s reading is wonderful. However, he does a really screechy impression of Frank’s sister which unfortunately puts the listener off.

This listen has left me stunned. It is such a powerful, insightful and brilliantly woven story that I can't even bear to begin another book for fear of losing the magic of Tana French. This is one of those books you wish you had never listened to, so that you could go back and experience it again and again for the first time.

I have never read a novel of this genre, nor of this magnitude that is this nuanced, layered, and so real it gets under your skin, even though the work of P.D. James comes close. In fact I spent an entire day in Paris in my hotel room reading most of it, aided by the grey, wintery, snowy weather that boosted the eerie tone of the book, and kept me inside.

There are not many books in this, what, all-encompassing genre that we call "mystery", the books that include police procedurals, psychological thrillers, courtroom dramas, lawyer capers, that have this level of depth, and add an additional character: the geographical setting, a setting in this case intended as a joyful, benign refuge, a harbor to all who lived there, but was "broken" on so many levels, to its very core.

Tana French has a background in theater, and that came through loud and clear. There are are some of the best interrogation scenes I have ever read. I truly felt these people, I felt the strategies, the emotions, the investigational blind alleys of the two cops and the suspect, and I felt the narrator's subtleties as strongly as if I had seen this on the big screen. Stephen Hogan was truly channeling Tana French and her star gumshoe, Mike "Scorcher" Kennedy.

The set design was masterful, as was the quality of description. This reader/listener feels the presence of a harbor that is truly "broken" on all levels.

Not to detract from Hogan's performance, I did find myself hearing the voices of both Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne. Perhaps either one of those actors would be a good choice for another book in the Dublin Murder Squad series.

"Broken Harbor" is intimidating, frightening, and strikes a deep chord of vulnerability. But there is no question that within all the frailties and failings of the characters and their crumbling senses of safety and life-altering violation of their comfort zones, this is a novel of overpowering beauty.

This book held my interest throughout. The setting in an unfinished housing development by the ocean sets the mood for things to come. A"perfect little family of four" begins to unravel when Father loses his job. Unrequited love appears, psychological problems arise, unexplained noises in the attic and walls of the couple's poorly built house, creepy neighbor boy, voyeurism... what's not to like? I didn't want to put the book down, I had to know what was happening next. All this makes for a really terrific listen. I have read another book from this author that I liked, now I will definitively read more.

This story grabbed me from the start and never let me go. I was glued to my Ipod for the last three days. Ms French is so very good at character development. The narrator sounds plausibly Irish to my American ears. (He may well be an Irishman but if not, he does a great job with the accent) I highly recommend this entire series.

Once again Tana French delivers another absorbing, twisty tale about broken families, power of guilt, cultural decline and career suicide in the Dublin police force. This book was about a different set of characters than those featured in the first three books, and through some clever distraction, managed to surprise me at the conclusion. I listened to this book almost on the heels of The Likeness, and was feeling a bit 'mental' like the book's characters at the end.

I think that the audio book producers are doing the right thing with the production of Tana French's books- a new reader for each one, well-paced, good character voices. Each one sounds fresh and unique. I find it particularly annoying with intensely psychological books when the reader reads too slowly and over-dramatizes. This book's reader does an excellent job.

I've read all of Tana French's books. This one started strong, but the plot got lost about 2/3 into the book and was preachy at the end. Could have used tighter editing.

Another great listen from Tana. I remembered Scorcher from the first French novel I read then had to listened to, Faithful Place. French's character development is great, fresh and edgy without being bleak just for the sake of being dark. The characters are utterly human.

I read a lot of crime novels, I only read crime novels. Tana French paints a picture better than any I have read. You find a little movie playing in your head as you read. The character development is top notch. She doesn't try to let you know all about them all a once, there are surprises throughout. And the narrator, wow! This is where listening to a book is better than reading it. As a typical american I could never have put an Irish accent to the words, especially the slang phrases/words. I am actually dreaming in an Irish accent!

I had recently found Tana French and listened to all the books in a short period of time, waiting impatiently for July 24th when Broken Harbor came out. I am sad to realize it will probably a while before her next great novel will grace us.

Over the past month, I have read all 4 of Tana French's Dublin police mysteries. I have enjoyed their complex characters; their reflection on the effects of modern globalization on traditional values and culture; their discussion of the devastation wrought by the economic downturn; and French's flair for poetic and descriptive language.

With "Broken Harbor," however, the author has gone too far. As in the case the first and third series entries, the book is just too long. These characters and this plot never for a moment rang true to me, and I figured the conclusion out well ahead of the end. There's a real disdain expressed here for young professionals and the manner in which prosperity has supposedly 'destroyed' the Irish culture and way of life. It seems to me that French's pessimistic and judgmental attitude diminishes "Broken Harbor".

What a disappointment!