Reviews

A Distant Grave by Sarah Stewart Taylor

mepresley's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A solid read. While the socio-political context in the background of The Mountain Wild was Ireland's history of colonization and rebellion, in A Distant Grave, there's a dual focus on Ireland's dark history with Mother & Baby homes in the 1960s & 1970s and the violence and chaos emerging under the new US president (unnamed, clearly Trump) in early 2017. Also, there's a bonus examination of the shady actions of

private military contractors

in Afghanistan post-9/11. 

Just before a planned vacation to Ireland, Maggie is called to a crime scene where the victim turns out to be

an Irish national, a humanitarian aid worker named Gabriel.

As such, Maggie once again joins up with Roly on an investigation, though the dynamics are entirely different this time, with Maggie able to play an open, active role in working the case.

A lot of Maggie's decisions drove me up the wall, but I was really invested in the mystery and found it impossible to put down once I reached the halfway point. Sarah Stewart Taylor crafted a

fabulous red herring with DA Cooney

.

Oh, and

RIP, Marty. You were the GOAT.

I think I would have been angry if A Distant Grave didn't end with

the clear implication that Maggie is going to move to Ireland.

I've already placed the last two books of the series on hold at the library. 

agrinczel's review against another edition

3.0

Ugh, I had such high hopes for this book because I had really liked the previous one (Mountains Wild) but there was just too much tension in every aspect of her life I just felt stressed out the whole time. Towards the end the story focuses more on the mystery & solving the case so it got better but it was overall just too stressful for me.

bookph1le's review against another edition

2.0

This book was kind of a letdown, considering how much I enjoyed the first book.

Partially my irritation was due to Maggie's behavior. She seems obsessed with her job to the point of willful ignorance of what her daughter is going through, and that makes me wonder if the elements of the book just didn't blend well. The reader is supposed to believe what's happening with Lilly is of great concern to Maggie, but it's hard to get that sense when Maggie goes trotting off to investigate her case rather than focus on her daughter.

I also wasn't as invested in the mystery this time, and I wonder if that's because the first case was so personal that shifting to a more impersonal one made it harder for me to connect with it. I found that the memory device in this one didn't work as well either. When the memories were Maggie's in book one, they didn't feel out of place with the rest of the book the way they did here, when we're getting memories from someone who's a complete stranger to Maggie.

The pacing didn't do it for me either. It took a long time for things to really get going with regard to the mystery, and I would have liked to have been more drawn into it earlier in the book.

Overall, this book was jarring to me. After going from a deeply personal book in which we knew only Maggie and the people closest to her, she suddenly has a partner I don't remember figuring into the previous book. It was almost like reading books from two different series. Plus, I didn't like the way this one was tied up because it felt too convenient and because I saw it coming long before it happened.

I may still give a third book a shot, if there is one, but I'm surprised by how wide the gulf is between my enjoyment of the first and how I felt about this one.

rmarcin's review against another edition

4.0

Book 2 of Maggie D'arcy, a Long Island cop with ties to Ireland. When a body is found, Maggie and her team are called to investigate. It is Gabriel Treacy, an aid worker. When they find signs of torture, and note that some items are missing, the investigation takes Maggie to Ireland. Due to vacation there with her daughter, Lilly, and see her boyfriend, Conor, the timing is good, but the case interrupts her vacation. Maggie discovers info that Treacy's colleagues are in danger, and there is an investigation into Ireland adoptions tied to the Magdalene laundry scandal. Also involved are several politicians. Maggie is also in danger, and everything comes to an explosive head. 
I am enjoying this series and look forward to reading book 3. 

jennjewell's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

ljsummerlin's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

blogginboutbooks's review against another edition

4.0

I enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was all in for the second. A DISTANT GRAVE, I'm happy to report, is just as compelling, just as engrossing as THE MOUNTAINS WILD. Maggie is an easy heroine to like. She's brave, determined, loyal, and devoted to the people she loves. Her family, partner, and others in her life are equally as warm and appealing. Plot-wise, this one is exciting, with enough action and twists to keep things interesting. I sped through its pages eager to see what would happen next. The book comes to a satisfying end, leaving some intriguing possibilities open for the next book. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to #3.

devylish's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

reneesmith's review against another edition

4.0

Enjoyable! I'm looking forward to reading more about detective Maggie.

irishlibrarian's review against another edition

4.0

Clearly part of a series as a past case is continually mentioned that was never fully explained and that was disappointing since this was the first book I read by the author, but it was a good mystery.