This third installment is an elaborately twisted saga of class resentments, family burdens, regret and passion. The story alternates between 1980’s Ireland and the present day and is told in the wry, bitter and plain voice of Dublin police detective Frank Mackey as he describes the people and the depressed neighborhood he was raised in. “Faithful Place” is a journey, a psychological escape into the intense feelings of the protagonist’s youth and the constant undermining of his self-esteem by his family.
At an early age Frank planned to flee his small Irish hometown with his sweetheart Rosie, however she never turned up at the agreed rendezvous point. With his mind made up he left without her, he assumed she had cold feet or her parents had gotten wind and prevented her from following him. We fast-forward twenty years to when Frank learns Rosie’s decayed body has been discovered under mysterious conditions. Determined to get to the root the situation, Frank heads home and quickly becomes involved in the case. The bulk of the novel, beyond the question of who killed Rosie, revolves around the Mackey family and their complex relationships.
This novel is a long 400 pages, the melodramatic story of the families is over worked and blends poorly with the plotting of the mystery. “Faithful Place” is one of those books you love or hate, I am leaning towards the latter. Looking back I found the drama uneventful and unconvincing and this overshadowed all of the good points the novel possessed.
I enjoyed the first installment of this series; however I have been somewhat disappointed ever since.
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