Faithful Place by Tana French

Twenty-two years ago, Frank Mackey had it all planned out.  He was getting away from his dysfunctional family and the place he grew up where he would never be anything more than the son of a drunk who beat his wife and kids.  More importantly, the love of his life, Rosie Daley, was coming with him and they had a bright new life planned.  They'd never be able to be together in Faithful Place, Ireland as her family was totally opposed to her dating a Mackey.

But something went wrong.  When Frank went to their meeting place, Rosie never showed.  He went to their backup place and found a note, apologizing for the fact that she was disappointing him.  Crushed, he decided to head out anyhow.  He got himself to Dublin and found work.  As soon as he could he joined the police and carved out a life and a career for himself there.  In twenty-two years, he's never looked back.  He has cut off his entire family without a word except for his sister who also lives in Dublin.

Then he gets the word.  A suitcase has been discovered in the derelict house at the end of the street in Faithful Place.  That's the place that was his and Rosie's backup meeting place.  Against his better judgment, Frank heads back and meets his brother there to show him the case.  He realizes it was Rosie's and soon Frank has discovered a body in the house.  It seems that Rosie never dumped him that night like he thought.  Someone prevented her from leaving.

The police in the area want none of Frank's help.  But he can't leave this case alone.  He knows people who will talk to him although they would never talk to the police.  He knows the backgrounds and the environment that bred the crime.  Most of all, he knows his family and the Daley family. Even though he is considered a traitor on the street for joining the police, the families there will talk to Frank when they will talk to no one else.   Frank is determined to get justice for Rosie but can he live with that justice?

Faithful Place is the third Tana French novel.  She has won numerous awards such as the Edgar, the Irish Book Award for Crime Fiction and the Macavity.  She writes about the men and women who make up the Dublin Murder Squad, and an interesting concept is that a minor character in one novel may be the main narrator in the next.  This novel, told in Frank Mackey's voice, portrays a man who wants to do right but is constantly fighting the barriers his early life and family ingrained in his character.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.