Book giveaway: The Secret Place by Tana French

I loved this book. I knew I would when I read the first few pages - boarding school story mixed with detective story? - right up my street. I managed to save properly reading it until we were away on holiday, but once I started I was hooked. I carried on reading until I finished at 4am (dh still not very happy with me). I just had to know what happened. Unlike most detective stories / thrillers I read, I really liked the characters and cared what happened to them, which added to the suspense. I was dreading that someone I liked would turn out to be the killer...(no spoilers)
After I'd finished it I couldn't stop thinking about it - partly because I hadn't taken it all in in my late night reading, partly because I was so enchanted by the world of the book. In the end I read the whole book again two days later - it still worked, the story hung together, I still loved it, it was still magical.

One thing I wasn't prepared for was how funny it is - both the teenage girl main characters and the detectives are sharp and witty in their different ways. I genuinely laughed out loud a couple of times. The writing is good - nothing grates (and I'm fussy). Not being Irish or a teenage girl I can't comment on the how authentic the dialogue is (would love to know) but I enjoyed it anyway.

The absence of social networking is slightly odd - but is explained early on and can presumably be enforced in a strict boarding school. It's just that I had a teen ds in a boys school who only ever seemed to meet girls from the girls school next door via facebook, and then had long chats on Skype. If only the boys and girls in the book had just stayed in and skyped each other....

I've not come across Tana French before but will be seeking out her other books now.

Really enjoyed the 'to and fro' of this book. As others have mentioned, I too disliked the supernatural bits. It has a long ending - as Becca had seemed the obvious culprit for a while, and there was a lot of book left to go, I expected another twist towards the end - Finn jealous over Chris & Julia perhaps.

Sorry, meant Littleturkish. It's been a long day.

I have already posted some thoughts on this already. Just coming back to say that I have finished this. I did enjoy it a lot. Fiendarina has it spot on for me. I also felt it was too long and it could have been edited to be more succinct. The 'woo' bits did not fit with the story in places. I appreciate that some were needed but not all.

THanks. Will pm you Butch as happy to send mine on for postage cost.

Just got back from holiday and picked the book up from the post. Thanks ever so much for sending. Cannot wait to read it.

Very excited to receive this enormous book and very impressed with the whole design - cover and matching bookmark!

Have just started to read and will come back as soon as possible - I loved her previous book so hope this is as good.

Was so excited to receive my copy of The Secret Place, even down to design of the cover and matching bookmark! I am new to Tana French and this series of books, so was not sure what to expect. However I was quickly hooked by the story and characters, and as said before it is a real page turner! Although I wasn't keen on the supernatural element in the book, or any book really. I will now have to catch up on all the previous books in this series. Thanks Mumsnet!

I found it a little hard going to start with but am several chapters of each half odf the story in now and am getting annoyed my day is getting in the way of reading!! I like the alternating chapter style and am interested to see where it is going. Sure is no Mallory Towers boarding school!!!

Firstly, thank you for the opportunity to read this book for free. Here are my thoughts (contains spoilers, so don't read if you haven't finished):

Like everyone else, I thought the packaging made it exciting, and the blurb really draws you in. This book is obviously being heavily marketed, and for me, that added to the excitement; I'm enjoying being part of a wider discussion.

I'm not normally a fan of crime, but I got into the story quickly. As others have said, it's certainly a page turner. Tana French has a short, choppy style, and I'm not sure if this is typical of crime novels. It took me a while to acclimatise, but once I did, I was hooked. This is the sort of book that makes you neglect everything else as you are desperate to find out who killed him. I loved the banter between Moran and Conway, and think this could stretch into other books too.

A few caveats: the book is too long, and I agree with whoever said upthread that you could have condensed the story a little without losing the impetus. Secondly, I did get a bit impatient with the supernatural, telekinesis element. I don't like that sort of thing - personal prejudice I admit - and I think the story would have been stronger without this. I did see Becca as the guilty party from about p300, so the ending didn't come as a surprise.

However, it's still a book I would recommend - come on, you've got to be part of this big online conversation. You know you're being manipulated, but it's still a lot of fun. Go read!

Upto chapter 6. I didn't take to it immediately but it's growing on me.

Got my copy-am on chapter 3! Liking it so far! I too appreciate the matching bookmark!

Marking place as uve received my copy, and am getting stuck in.

butch that's really lovely of you, thank you! Here's hoping your mum is a super quick reader and has already finished it...

Oh Little I've just given it to my mum to read. I would gladly have posted it otherwise.

butch you and me both! I really want to know if SHE knows, and if she ever plans on telling the story.

As an aside- if anyone has finished the book, would anyone be willing to post it to me if I paid the postage and I'd post it back afterwards? I will go and buy it when it's out anyway, but it's killing me knowing you've all read it and I haven't.

If that's against the rules, then I'm really sorry, I just had to ask!

Littleturkish- no I didn't know the film rights had been bought. I hope it lives up to the book.
I think Ryan and Cassie have to be my favourite partnership of all time. There was so much potential for them and it just seemed so final and cut short (I'm aware that it's only a book and that I probably need to get out more)

I have so many unanswered questions about In the Woods. What happened to his friends.

Just starting to settle into this book! It got me hooked. 54 pages in and I am hooked!! I have mentioned to Friends and they are looking forward to the release date!!

butch I feel exactly the same about Ryan and Cassie. Have you seen the film rights have been bought? I would love to see a cinematic version of the story.

Thank you so much for the lovely book. Not started it yet, only just got back from my hol. Sorry won't be able to 'tweet' as I am not on 'Twitter'.

Releasethehounds I agree with you actually. I really did enjoy the book though!

Thanks for the book - I actually managed to read it before I go away today! I was interested enough to keep turning pages, and of course, I wanted to know who the killer was. However, I couldn't describe this book as gripping, tense or full of suspense - in that way I felt it was lacking. I'm a big reader and have often reached such a tense point in novels that I'm having palpitations, but this book never took me there.

I also felt that the girls' characters were very one-sided and the amount of attitude and rudeness shown to each other and adults in authority a bit over the top. I have two girls, one of which is a teenager (with all the trimmings) and I also work with young people so I know about attitude, but I think the girls in this book were too much. I also attended a girls' school and none of us would ever have spoken to teachers, police etc in that manner (I know - times were different back in the day blahdeblah). I found the style of writing a little irritating also - too many words in italics in general conversation. On the plus side I enjoyed watching the two detectives' relationship develop and I imagine that they will feature again in future novels.

Sorry to be a little negative - I did enjoy the book but I don't think it lived up to all the hype that went with it. Clearly others have loved it. Please don't exclude me from reviewing other books - I have loved reading previous Mumsnet book offers!

Thanks for the book.
I too read it really quickly !
I loved all the mean girls action & although didn't find it totally gripping I did find it very well written & interesting
I haven't read any of her others so have ordered them from my local library - will get stuck into them when kids are back to school & have more free time

Just receieved the book, it looks amazing - it's a really lux looking book, I can't wait to get started, it's pretty thick and the school holidays so I don't know when I will have time to get through it!

Right my review

I love Tana French. I love following the different stories of the murder squad. This has to be my favourite alongside In the Woods. I have to admit that I always hope to hear a mention of Ryan in the books and desperately hope there is another novel featuring him and Cassie as they became so real to me that I long to know what they are upto.

Anyways back to The a Secret Place.
I liked the way the story was told in different time periods in alternate chapters. I liked both police officers and as with all her books found myself caring about both. At the point where he thinks Conway has listened to Mackey and is dropping him I felt genuinely gutted for him.
I couldn't put the book down. I found the characterisation of the teenage girls brilliant and it took me back to my teenage days and the amount of love time and energy you invest in your teenage friendships. I also enjoyed the "magic" within the story. I spent many hours with my friends convincing ourselves we could move objects etc and found this to be a very real part of the intense teenage friendship.

I don't want to give too much away as others will still be reading. But again as with all her books I flipped from being on the edge of my seat tense with worry over my favourite characters to almost weeping with nostalgia for memories that Tana French's writing always evokes in me. I love her books. I always feel like I'm there in the thick of the action. I can smell the school and the gardens and can feel the grass under my feet.

I'll stop now as I'm gushing but suffice to say this book did not disappoint and I'm now waiting for her next novel with great anticipation!

Received my copy with thanks Mumsnet....this was one hefty read! The story is told in 2 perspectives, the first voice is the detective's, investigating the murder of a boy in the grounds of a Dublin boarding school. The second voice is recounting the lead up to the murder and involves a group of 4 girls. I found both "stories" well written and mostly believable and appropriate for the reflected characters. However, I did find the book overly long and felt that some of it could have been edited away without harming the integrity of the storyline. This is the first Tana French book I have read and found her writing very entertaining. The only criticism I would have is that in trying to reflect the younger voice authentically I found the language rather dated which resulted in me feeling a bit annoyed. These criticisms are only minor and I truly enjoyed the book and found the writing and storyline gripping.