I thoroughly enjoyed McTiernan’s first three novels featuring investigator Cormac Reilly; she is a clever novelist, with attention to detail and clever twists and turns that puts her a cut above most mystery writers.
The Murder Rule is based on the work of the real-life Innocent Project, a small group of dedicated lawyers and students who work tirelessly to ensure miscarriages of justice are overturned, often with dramatic success. As the novel starts, we meet Hannah, a talented law student at the University of Maine, who is keen to join the Project. She is leaving her troubled and unwell mother and it’s obvious that she is willing to be manipulative and untruthful to join the Project team. Although it’s highly competitive, the leader of Innocent Project accepts her application. The focus of the team’s current project is to free Michael Dandridge, in prison for 11 years for a rape and murder he is adamant he didn’t do. But Hannah has access to her mother’s youthful diary, which tells harrowing stories about Dandridge; maybe he is innocent of this murder, but Hannah’s keen that he pays for his other crimes.
There were times some of the things Hannah said and did were a tad far-fetched. Unlike with McTiernan’s other books, some of the twists and turns I could see coming and the end was a little too tidy for me. But it is still a very clever, well-crafted novel and certainly a roller coaster of a ride worth reading.
Reviewed by Lesley West
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Internationally bestselling and critically acclaimed writer, Dervla McTiernan is the author of The Ruin, The Scholar, The Good Turn (together the ‘Cormac Reilly’ series), and her stand-alone novel, The Murder Rule, as well as her novellas, The Roommate, The Sisters, The Wrong One and The Fireground.
Dervla’s novels and novellas have been number one bestsellers in multiple territories — The Murder Rule was No. 1 for four weeks in Australia, The Sisters was No. 1 Audible for four weeks in the US, and most recently, The Fireground was No. 1 Audible Australia (Fiction).
The Murder Rule is in development as a premium limited series at FX.
Dervla has won numerous awards, including two Barry Awards, a Davitt Award, a Ned Kelly Award and in International Thriller Writer Award.
Dervla spent 12 years working as a lawyer. Following the global financial crisis, she moved from Ireland to Western Australia and turned her hand to writing. Dervla lives in Perth, with her husband, two children and far too many pets.
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