Thursday, March 10, 2011

Faithful Place, read a long


I've just finished reading the first portion of our read along.  chapters 1-6.  The book is set in Ireland, in a small village.  We meet Francis/Frank Mackey who is a cop in Dublin, he's introduced to us as a divorced father of one daughter, Holly..  On his weekend with his daughter he gets a call from his sister Jackie.  Other than Jackie,  Frank has been estranged from his family for 22 years.  The call brings him back to his childhood home.  Apparently a suitcase was found containing items which give Frank reason to believe his girlfriend of the time Rose left this suitcase in a house where teens met to do their socializing.  The house had been vacant and was now under construction, the suitcase found stuffed in a fireplace.  Frank returns to his home to discover that his parent had not really changed, and other than deaths and marriages things in his home town are pretty much the same.  When he begins his investigation he soon discovers the possibly of Rose never leaving the abandoned house and calls in a possible crime.  By the end of chapter six we have a pretty good idea that Rose is the skeleton in the basement of Number 16.  Frank is both devastated by losing Rose for a second time and relieved to know that she didn't leave him, as he had thought for the 22 years he has been away from Faithful Place.

My Thoughts:  OOOOOOOOoooo! I love Frank.  I love how French describes the dysfunctional community of Faithful Place.  I know little about the Irish, but from the description in the book, they are people with families and lives much like anyother community.  I have no guesses yet as to the murderer.  And I'm off to keep reading...

8 comments:

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

This sounds really good. Do you need to read her first 2 books first?

Irene said...

Diane, apparently you do not have to read the first two books. I have them on my shelf but have not read them yet. When I jumped into this read along, it was mentioned and other bloggers have said it was not necessary to read the first two. Thanks for stopping by.

Jenny said...

I envy all the time you find to read, dear Irene. Or perhaps I should drop some things and spend the time reading! By the way I am loving the book you sent me. Thanks again.

Jenners said...

Did you read the other Tana French books yet? I am saving this for myself so I just skimmed your review. I love this author!

Irene said...

Donna, from Cottage Days, I love your bird feeder photo. I still can't comment on your blog. Keep on taking those beauties.

giorno26 ¸¸.•*¨*•. said...

Buongiorno Irene,
è sempre un grande piacere condividere le nostre proprie passioni con altri bloggers !
E Jake è veramente una grande passione !!
Peccato che sia così lontano ( Km ed età ) da me !!! Sigh !
Buona giornata.
Myriam :)

Carrie K. said...

I'm glad you're enjoying it - it's hard to put down, isn't it?

kathy d. said...

It's very hard to put down. It's multi-dimensional, as I describe it to friends: a police procedural, a novel about Ireland, a family, people beset by the economic problems there, and a love story.

And French is an excellent writer, whom I believe is now rated as a top Irish writer.

One does not have to have read her first two, although they are good on their own merits. The plots don't overlap.

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to my wonderful son,  it's bee 33wonderful years. Hope this year proves to be the best yet.