The Trespasser

A Novel

By: Tana French

Narrated by: Hilda Fay

The New York Times bestselling novel by Tana French, author of the forthcoming novel The Hunter, is “required reading for anyone who appreciates tough, unflinching intelligence and ingenious plotting” (The New York Times). She “inspires cultic devotion in readers” (The New Yorker) and is “the most important crime novelist to emerge in the past 10 years” (The Washington Post).

“Atmospheric and unputdownable.” —People


In bestselling author Tana French’s newest “tour de force” (The New York Times), being on the Murder Squad is nothing like Detective Antoinette Conway dreamed it would be. Her partner, Stephen Moran, is the only person who seems glad she’s there. The rest of her working life is a stream of thankless cases, vicious pranks, and harassment. Antoinette is savagely tough, but she’s getting close to the breaking point.

Their new case looks like yet another by-the-numbers lovers’ quarrel gone bad. Aislinn Murray is blond, pretty, groomed-to-a-shine, and dead in her catalog-perfect living room, next to a table set for a romantic dinner. There’s nothing unusual about her—except that Antoinette’s seen her somewhere before.

And that her death won’t stay in its neat by-numbers box. Other detectives are trying to push Antoinette and Steve into arresting Aislinn’s boyfriend, fast. There’s a shadowy figure at the end of Antoinetteʼs road. Aislinnʼs friend is hinting that she knew Aislinn was in danger. And everything they find out about Aislinn takes her further from the glossy, passive doll she seemed to be.

Antoinette knows the harassment has turned her paranoid, but she can’t tell just how far gone she is. Is this case another step in the campaign to force her off the squad, or are there darker currents flowing beneath its polished surface?

Critic reviews

“A tour de force . . . When you read Ms. French—and she has become required reading for anyone who appreciates tough, unflinching intelligence and ingenious plotting—make only one assumption: All of your initial assumptions are wrong.”
—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

"Tana French is the most interesting, most important crime novelist to emerge in the past 10 years."
—The Washington Post

"[Tana French] inspires cultic devotion in readers…most crime fiction is diverting; French's is consuming."
—The New Yorker

“Atmospheric and unputdownable.”
—People

“Thrilling.”
—Buzzfeed

"A fierce examination of the chasm between how women choose to present themselves before the world and the more complicated truth underneath--and not to mention a total page-turner."
—Harper's Bazaar

“Beautifully crafted . . . may be her best yet.”
—Entertainment Weekly

“This is the kind of book you’ll want to dig into with all the lights on.”
—Cup of Jo

“There's nothing standard about French's approach to crime fiction, which plays the form much like a jazz musician improvising on a standard. Even when the outlines of the mystery seem familiar…she finds a way to get at enriching themes and powerful emotional truths in fresh and surprising ways.”
—Chicago Tribune

“As in all of the author's work, meaning lurks beneath every quip and glance. French not only spins a twisty cop tale, she also encases it in meticulous prose, creating a read that is as elegant as it is dark."
—Associated Press

Praise for Tana French

“To say Tana French is one of the great thriller writers is really too limiting. Rather she’s simply this: a truly great writer.”­
—Gillian Flynn

“Terrific—terrifying, amazing, and the prose is incandescent.”
—Stephen King

“French is a poet of mood and a master builder of plots.”
­—Maureen Corrigan, The Washington Post

“One of the most distinct and exciting new voices in crime writing.”
—The Wall Street Journal

Loved the Narrator - Loved The Story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

i make it a rule not to buy an audiobook without listening to the sample, but I broke that rule in order to get this one the minute it was released. I wasn't sorry and I am surprised by the number of people who gave Hilda Fay poor reviews. To me, she gave the primary character a perfect cop voice and did an admirable job of voicing the secondary characters. I would definitely listen to her again.

In this book, Tana French gives us another classic "page turner" murder mystery, every bit as good as any of her previous Irish Detective Squad books, that keeps the reader guessing up till the end.

I always enjoy her ability to give us a bit of the back story on her primary character while not letting it overtake the objective of giving the reader a ride on the mystery train. As with most of her books, French gives us a look at the dynamics of the detective's partnership. In this one, she also fleshes out the dynamics of being a woman on the squad. Perhaps the poor reviews are from men who wanted a male cop as the lead character??

Kept me guessing

If you like roller coasters, you'll Tana French's latest. Her characters are so well drawn and her plot thick as the best soup your granny ever made you. Every time you think you know what's coming next, just turn the page to see how wrong you were. Fast-paced, deep, exciting. Ms French's best to date.

Best since Faithful Place.

Not sure why all the complaints about the performance as I think it was solid. I enjoyed this book better than any by the author with the exception of Faithful Place. Worth your credit without a doubt.

Enjoyed the ride. The mystery was...

The writing and journey was great. I was engaged the whole time. Enjoyed the characters. I even enjoyed the narrator with her thick Irish accent. My only problem was the actually mystery was mediocre. This was my first Tana French mystery and won't be my last.

Satisfying police procedural; phenomenal narration!

An Irish police procedural that keeps the listener teetering on the edge till the last two chapters. Hilda Fay is one of the best narrators around.