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The Ruin cover art

The Ruin

Written by: Dervla McTiernan
Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
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Publisher's Summary

“Compelling, unexpected twists and a hold-your breath standoff . . . Hand this one to readers of Tana French and to police-procedural fans.” —Booklist
  

It’s been twenty years since Cormac Reilly discovered the body of Hilaria Blake in her crumbling Georgian home. But he’s never forgotten the two children she left behind.

When Aisling Conroy’s boyfriend Jack is found in the freezing black waters of the river Corrib, the police tell her it was suicide. A surgical resident, she throws herself into study and work, trying to forget—until Jack’s sister Maude shows up. Maude suspects foul play, and she is determined to prove it.

Cormac Reilly is the detective assigned with the reinvestigation of a seemingly accidental overdose twenty years ago—the overdose of Jack and Maude’s drug and alcohol addled mother. Detective Reilly is under increasing pressure to charge Maude for murder when his colleague Danny uncovers a piece of evidence that will change everything.

This unsettling small-town noir draws us deep into the dark heart of Ireland, where corruption, desperation, and crime run rife. A gritty look at trust and betrayal where the written law isn’t the only one, The Ruin asks who will protect you when the authorities can’t—or won’t.

©2018 Dervla McTiernan (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What the critics say

"Narrator Aoife McMahon delivers Cormac's low-key, hard-working style of detective work in an easy-listening manner in this multilayered police procedural.... This debut novel has a compelling storyline deepened by McMahon's Irish-accented voice, perfect pacing, and riveting attention to details. Building tension seems to come naturally to McMahon; his precise pauses add to the emotional impact. McTiernan's well-written story and McMahon's top-notch narration make this a compelling listen." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Ruin

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book

This book kept me listening. The twists and turns of 20 years keeps you interested.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

not for me

I didn't hate it, but there was something about the tone/vibe that didn't really work for me. I cant explain it. The book was fine, the writing was good, for the most part, the mystery was well-plotted and reasonably interesting, but I don't know.
The characters, though. Cormac was hard to get invested in. There wasn't much to him. His only notable feature was his romantic relationship with a former suspect in a different case. (Which, even though it was clearly pointed out that the relationship began after she was cleared of her mother's murder... it still kind of feels wrong to me? I don't know.) That's it. He was genuinely one-dimensional.
Then we have the secondary protagonist, Ashley (Ashlyn? Ashling? I listened to this one and couldn't make it out), the victim's girlfriend, and one of the least likable protagonists I've ever read. Oof. We are supposed to empathize with her, care for her, like her, but I found her shrieking and sanctimonious. Not gonna lie, there were a few scenes where I wanted to pull a Cher and smack her into snapping out of it. Ugh.
I liked Maude, though. She was probably the best character, the only one (apart from the minor characters of Tom and Hannah) who I really felt for.
The villains were a little one note, but the evil old woman, wow. The author deserves praise for how she wrote her because oh my gosh, my blood boiled.
But yeah. The issues I had with the characters probably accounts for a good part of why I didn't love it. The other thing was, it felt soapy to me? Or like, ~literary~? Both? Someone else described it as monotonous, and that is definitely part of it, too. It was had a very flat, slow pace.
I like my crimes a little more hardboiled and frank, I guess.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

this was an engaging story

this is no intellectual fiction but it is definitely entertaining and the performances are exceptional. two thumbs up.

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6 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good plot

Story line was good. Enjoyed the plot and conclusion. Narrator was inconsistent in her voices which was off-putting and in some places, confusing. Many Interesting characters that could have been better developed.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Very good story, but not amazing

I would give this story three and a half stars if I could. It was a very good story, but not amazing. I loved listening to the narrator's Irish accent. However, the story wasn't overly suspenseful. Also, the main character was supposed to be training as a surgeon, but I didn't feel she came across believably as a young doctor.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book

Worth a listen, especially from the plus catalogue. I liked the narrator, too. Will go for more from this author

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting Book

Lovely story of a family and their losses. it's a slower but detailed mystery that rolled out very smoothly and kept my interest the while way through. Lovely narration. Overall a great way to get lost for a day.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book

I have no complaints with this one. From the story to the characters to the narration, this book is very well executed in every way. I thought the narrator did a really great job adding to the perfect amount of theatrical inflection so that you know who’s speaking all the time. There was no holes in the story, no unbelievable plot twists. I would highly recommend this book if you like a good mystery, who done it.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story, excellent performance

I enjoyed the story and it kept me listening right up until the end. It wasn't quite as compelling as some recent audiobooks so four stars out of five. The narrator was absolutely fantastic! All of her voices were excellent, even the male ones. I really enjoyed her work and would absolutely listen to more audiobooks that she has narrated.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

the ruin

I loved the way this book was narrated and the story was intriguing. love this author.

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2 people found this helpful