Thursday, June 18, 2020

The Mountains Wild by Sarah Stewart Taylor

https://www.amazon.com/Mountains-Wild-Sarah-Stewart-Taylor/dp/1250256437/ref=as_li_ss_tl?adid=082VK13VJJCZTQYGWWCZ&campaign=211041&dchild=1&keywords=The+Mountains+Wild&qid=1592457232&s=books&sr=1-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=doyoudogear-20&linkId=0c0c165c34b10df8ba27775e666e7eaf&language=en_US
Synopsis (via Goodreads): "With its evocative Dublin setting, lyrical prose, tough but sympathetic heroine, and a killer twist in the plot, Sarah Stewart Taylor's The Mountains Wild should top everyone's must-read lists this year!" -- New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie

In a series debut for fans of Tana French and Kate Atkinson, set in Dublin and New York, homicide detective Maggie D'arcy finally tackles the case that changed the course of her life.

Twenty-three years ago, Maggie D'arcy's family received a call from the Dublin police. Her cousin Erin has been missing for several days. Maggie herself spent weeks in Ireland, trying to track Erin's movements, working beside the police. But it was to no avail: no trace of her was ever found.

The experience inspired Maggie to become a cop. Now, back on Long Island, more than 20 years have passed. Maggie is a detective and a divorced mother of a teenager. When the Garda call to say that Erin's scarf has been found and another young woman has gone missing, Maggie returns to Ireland, awakening all the complicated feelings from the first trip. The despair and frustration of not knowing what happened to Erin. Her attraction to Erin's coworker, now a professor, who never fully explained their relationship. And her determination to solve the case, once and for all.

A lyrical, deeply drawn portrait of a woman - and a country - over two decades -
The Mountains Wild introduces a compelling new mystery series from a mesmerizing author.

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I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I don't read a lot of mysteries, but I am so happy I took a chance on The Mountains Wild. I never wanted to put it down! Once I reached a certain point, I wasn't capable of stopping. I stayed up until nearly 4 AM, BECAUSE I HAD TO KNOW. It was crazy! I was second-guessing myself, the characters, and trying to read between the lines. My brain felt overworked, like I was actually there and someone's life depended on me personally (sooo stressful, but also weirdly invigorating). I wasn't able to figure it out, but I really enjoyed the journey! Regardless, the story was fantastic, the characters relatable and authentic, and the Ireland setting was lovely. I could clearly picture the breathtaking views.

I've always wanted to go to Ireland, and this book only solidified those feelings. The pubs! The accents! The views! I have no idea if it's all in my head or not (books tend to impact expectations), but I still want to go one day. I thought the author did a wonderful job of describing where the characters were within the story (what streets they were on, which buildings they passed). I felt like I was there with Maggie, walking down an alley, turning corners, feeling the wind in my hair and on my face. It was so vivid and detailed, but without feeling overdone. Amazing.

I also thought the characters were remarkably well-written. Everyone was interesting and fleshed out, and I loved learning new things about them. I had a mental list going throughout the book, and I would add new facts and details as they presented themselves. I honestly had no idea what was relevant and what wasn't, but I was constantly looking for clues and crumbs. Maggie is a Detective in her own right, but she's a civilian when she's in Ireland. It limits what she can and cannot do regarding her cousin's disappearance, but she never stops trying. Even before she became a detective, she used her gut and intuition to help the actual authorities track down leads and gather information (much to their chagrin).

Roly was one of those people she kept working around and with during both of her visits, and they kept in touch during the 23 years in-between. Roly never stopped investigating her cousin's disappearance, and was quick to phone them when something of interest popped up. He didn't betray anyone's confidence, or do anything that would cost him his job, but he did bend the rules a bit where Maggie was concerned. They were good friends that cared for one another, and it never went beyond that, not even for a second. I loved their relationship, and enjoyed seeing them work together.

Connor wasn't necessarily my type, but I could see why Maggie was interested in him. I was cheering for them the entire time, and really liked how the author handled their story. They fell in like pretty quickly, but their reactions were believable, if a little foolhardy. They were both reasonable people, but the timing wasn't exactly right. I disliked his forwardness after learning something about his personal life, but it was still something I could see two people doing and dealing with IRL. It's always interesting to see how a relationship develops and changes over time (this one just happened to be over two decades).

I really liked reading about someone that was similar to me in age as well. I could relate to her life and what she was dealing with personally, while also losing myself in the mystery surrounding her cousin. There were a few times when the information felt like it was too much, but it was mostly when Maggie and Griz were pouring over the old cases and reviewing files. We're given A LOT of information in a very short amount of time, and I had trouble keeping up with everything being shared.

I definitely didn't see this one coming, and I was thrilled to experience this mystery right along with Maggie and the others. How if unfolds? Genius! Everyone is a potential suspect, and the flashbacks were also a wonderful addition to the story. It gave us a chance to really understand Maggie's relationship with Erin, and how it changed over time. They were like sisters once, but then their relationship became strained and distant. I really loved how the author tied everything together, and how the past and present overlapped to make one big picture.

The Mountains Wild is easily one of my favorite reads this year! I had been in a bit of a slump with mostly three-star books, but this one totally blew me away! The writing, characters, story, setting, mystery𑁋all of it was fucking fantastic. I highly recommend it, even if mystery isn't something you normally go for. (★★★★⋆)

14 comments:

  1. As soon as I read Tana French in the description, I added this one to my list! I LOVE a good mystery, and this one sounds like the best kind!

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    1. I haven't read Tana French, but now I want to! If she writes anything like this, I'll love it. Do you have any recommendations? Mystery hasn't always been my favorite genre, but I've found myself liking it more and more lately. :)

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  2. I've always wanted to go to Ireland too.

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    1. Maybe one day! Also, I'm loving your new profile picture! <3

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  3. I love the setting and as you know I love this genre. Thanks for putting it on my radar. :)

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    1. I hope you have a chance to read it soon, and that you love it as much as I did! :) I'm really curious about the audio (if there is one), and how the accents will sound... I know you love your audiobooks, so if you go that route, you'll have to let me know. I might have to do a re-read! ;)

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  4. Hooray for a book that manages to pull you out of a slump! This one sounds riveting!

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    1. Yay for good books! I'm surprised it was a mystery that kept me up all night, but I really loved the story and the characters. <3 Once you reach that pinnacle moment in a mystery--when everything is about to make sense--there's no way you can put the book down until you know.

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    1. Love, love, LOVED it! If you like mysteries, Chuckles, give this one a go! :)

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  6. I don't really go in for mysteries either but when I do pick one up I find I can't stop reading once it hits the point of no return... And they always have one! lol.

    Ireland is lovely but, like everywhere I guess, it depends on where you go. I've never found the atmosphere in their pubs to be any different to the atmosphere in Scotland's pubs though. England's pubs? Definitely.
    I hope you get to visit one day!

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    1. THEY DO! There's all of this build up, but once you hit that turning point... there's no stopping. The train has left the station!! ;) Interesting! Where would you suggest visiting? What areas/towns?

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  7. Ooh this sounds good! I like mysteries, but I have to be in the mood for them!

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    1. Same!! It's definitely worth it when you're in the mood for one. :)

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― Marissa Meyer, Heartless