The Mountains Wild by Sarah Stewart Taylor

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 Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.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. (★★★★⋆)