stefaniefrei's review
5.0
To Leave the Family Behind
Forensic psychologist Paula Maguire wants to return to her native Northern Ireland only for a wedding, when her former boss asks her to help out in a topical case. A burial site was discovered, not unlikely to those typical for IRA killings, with one man obviously executed in standard manner, but also with a young girl, very carefully disposed of, almost lovingly. Normally, Paula would know the name and find the missing - here, she is to find someone who did never seem to be missed, found on a farm that used to belong to a family deeply involved with the IRA. Paula hates to look at those unidentified female bodies since her mother went missing over twenty years ago and was never seen again. The girl is too young to be a fit for her missing mother, but still...then there is a dolphin pendant on the body that looks exactly like the one Paula used to have. But there had certainly been lots of them, right? The family that used to own the farm has scattered, from being in prison over hiding out still from the police to ...just hiding.
When the ICLVR (Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains) steps upon the scene, there is the risk for the crime to remain unpunished, due to the peace agreement and the fragile compromise of amnesty in trade for information on victims. The Commission has received an anonymous hint the dead man might be a disappeared IRA member, active in a "punishment squad", who set out to deal with those perceived as traitors, cooperators with the British officials. He was last seen in November 1993 - but does that date have a special meaning? And then there is Paula's former colleague Bob Hamilton who has obviously started to visit her almost-husband Aidan, on investigations to help Aidan.
Now this is number six and the last in the mini-series with Paula Maguire. I loved this one and wonder about those seemingly endless series which all seem to lose speed and lack new ideas and just repeat a standard pattern over and over (last disappointments: Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder - Amish-series, so well written, all with some good ideas, a decent start, but then the cases are very repetetive). All through the mini-series, McGowan manages to stick to the missing person - scheme, yet make each case very different. The approach, the setup, she tries out new ideas in each of the books. The case about Paula's mother remains to be Paula's motivation. And what a finale the author created here - so, just read about the strange case within a pro-IRA family with destructive tendencies and find out whether Paula finally finds her mother's body.
6 stars for this one, where some of the clues planted in earlier books cleverly fall into place and overall for the whole series. Great!
Forensic psychologist Paula Maguire wants to return to her native Northern Ireland only for a wedding, when her former boss asks her to help out in a topical case. A burial site was discovered, not unlikely to those typical for IRA killings, with one man obviously executed in standard manner, but also with a young girl, very carefully disposed of, almost lovingly. Normally, Paula would know the name and find the missing - here, she is to find someone who did never seem to be missed, found on a farm that used to belong to a family deeply involved with the IRA. Paula hates to look at those unidentified female bodies since her mother went missing over twenty years ago and was never seen again. The girl is too young to be a fit for her missing mother, but still...then there is a dolphin pendant on the body that looks exactly like the one Paula used to have. But there had certainly been lots of them, right? The family that used to own the farm has scattered, from being in prison over hiding out still from the police to ...just hiding.
When the ICLVR (Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains) steps upon the scene, there is the risk for the crime to remain unpunished, due to the peace agreement and the fragile compromise of amnesty in trade for information on victims. The Commission has received an anonymous hint the dead man might be a disappeared IRA member, active in a "punishment squad", who set out to deal with those perceived as traitors, cooperators with the British officials. He was last seen in November 1993 - but does that date have a special meaning? And then there is Paula's former colleague Bob Hamilton who has obviously started to visit her almost-husband Aidan, on investigations to help Aidan.
Now this is number six and the last in the mini-series with Paula Maguire. I loved this one and wonder about those seemingly endless series which all seem to lose speed and lack new ideas and just repeat a standard pattern over and over (last disappointments: Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder - Amish-series, so well written, all with some good ideas, a decent start, but then the cases are very repetetive). All through the mini-series, McGowan manages to stick to the missing person - scheme, yet make each case very different. The approach, the setup, she tries out new ideas in each of the books. The case about Paula's mother remains to be Paula's motivation. And what a finale the author created here - so, just read about the strange case within a pro-IRA family with destructive tendencies and find out whether Paula finally finds her mother's body.
6 stars for this one, where some of the clues planted in earlier books cleverly fall into place and overall for the whole series. Great!
bgg616's review
4.0
I am hiding this as it's hard to discuss the book without spoilers. Five or six years of Paula Maguire's life is rolled out through this series and you really can't talk about each without revealing spoilers. She is a forensic psychologist from a town in Northern Ireland who ends up back there (again) for the wedding of friends. Of course, she gets involved in a local case which might involve her mother who disappeared 20 years earlier. Paula herself is now a mother, and the man she was going to marry is in prison. Although the story unfolds with the usual complications, I wasn't completely convinced by some of the characters actions. There are many questions about who is on what side of things, but that has been part of life in Northern Ireland for decades. It's a good read and Claire McGowan is an authentic voice and writes about what she knows.
ingera's review
3.0
Good to finally have some threads tied up, but I’m still mad at the paternity issue.
shonagh_catherine's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
julesxbee's review
5.0
Incredible
I enjoyed every single second of every book in this series.
I can't wait for more from McGowan.
Paula Maguire is one of the best characters I've ever read - consistent and complex and whole. I wish I knew her in real life.
I enjoyed every single second of every book in this series.
I can't wait for more from McGowan.
Paula Maguire is one of the best characters I've ever read - consistent and complex and whole. I wish I knew her in real life.
kizzia's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fionaaaaaa's review
4.0
I dont normally read books in order of the series. But you need to for this. I had read a couple of books in this series, which i enjoyed but i wanted to read the final book to see what happened to the characters. I felt invested in the characters and i wanted to make sure things turned out ok for them
I enjoyed it, a peek inside northern Ireland when the 'troubles' were an everyday normal. Sometimes quite harrowing when you think this was a reality that people lived through. I enjoyed reading claire McGowan, would recommend.
I enjoyed it, a peek inside northern Ireland when the 'troubles' were an everyday normal. Sometimes quite harrowing when you think this was a reality that people lived through. I enjoyed reading claire McGowan, would recommend.
trusselltales's review
4.0
A vivid and atmospheric book, continuing the arc of the story of Dr Paula Maguire, psychologist and expert in missing persons. Settled back in London, Paula is called to Ballyterrin, Northern Ireland, where her ex- boss has a dead body but no corresponding missing person...
The book is a great mixture of mystery, character development and delves into the psyche of modern Northern Ireland, where the Troubles still aren’t that far away in the past.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book is a great mixture of mystery, character development and delves into the psyche of modern Northern Ireland, where the Troubles still aren’t that far away in the past.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
amothersmusings1's review
5.0
"The Killing House" by Claire McGowan is the sixth in the forensic psychologist Paula Maguire series and includes the satisfying and shocking conclusion to Paula's past history. Although I haven't read any in this series there was enough information to bring me up to full speed and I felt very attached to Paula by the end of the book, even though this was my first encounter with her.
When two bodies are discovered while renovations are being carried out at a farm, their identities remain a mystery. When Paula Maguire currently living and working in London, returns to her Irish hometown of Ballyterrin to assist in the puzzling missing person's case, an anonymous tip-off claims her own long lost mother is also buried on the farm. When another girl is kidnapped Paula must find the person responsible before more lives are destroyed but even she can't predict the investigation will strike at the heart of all she holds dear. Will the mystery of her own missing mother be solved after her 'disappearance' in 1993?
The first couple of chapters had me drawn in completely and I knew this was going to be a very compelling book. Claire McGowan writes with such passion for her characters that you truly feel you know everyone personally and I particularly took to Paula, she was very interesting and realistic. I liked the way the story was told in the third person and had an alternating time line. My favourite chapters were the flashbacks to the telling of what actually happened with Margaret (Paula's mother) the day she disappeared and the final ending to the whole story was quite tense and emotional.
I'm pleased I've encountered this series albeit right at the end, I'd be happy to still read the previous books in the series to see how Paula's character developed over the years and I'd certainly read more by this very talented and professional author.
All in all an excellent thriller based on the 'troubles' in Northern Ireland which gave a saddening insight to how the residents at the time coped and lived during such terrible times.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
When two bodies are discovered while renovations are being carried out at a farm, their identities remain a mystery. When Paula Maguire currently living and working in London, returns to her Irish hometown of Ballyterrin to assist in the puzzling missing person's case, an anonymous tip-off claims her own long lost mother is also buried on the farm. When another girl is kidnapped Paula must find the person responsible before more lives are destroyed but even she can't predict the investigation will strike at the heart of all she holds dear. Will the mystery of her own missing mother be solved after her 'disappearance' in 1993?
The first couple of chapters had me drawn in completely and I knew this was going to be a very compelling book. Claire McGowan writes with such passion for her characters that you truly feel you know everyone personally and I particularly took to Paula, she was very interesting and realistic. I liked the way the story was told in the third person and had an alternating time line. My favourite chapters were the flashbacks to the telling of what actually happened with Margaret (Paula's mother) the day she disappeared and the final ending to the whole story was quite tense and emotional.
I'm pleased I've encountered this series albeit right at the end, I'd be happy to still read the previous books in the series to see how Paula's character developed over the years and I'd certainly read more by this very talented and professional author.
All in all an excellent thriller based on the 'troubles' in Northern Ireland which gave a saddening insight to how the residents at the time coped and lived during such terrible times.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5