The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan

 

Detective Cormac Reilly has recently transferred from his Dublin assignment to Galway.  He has done so to follow his girlfriend who has gotten a great new job in Galway.  He was sure he could do this, but now that he is here, he has doubts.  The other men are standoffish and he has been assigned to nothing but cold cases.  His boss keeps saying he hears Cormac is the real deal but seems intent on keeping him from doing anything to prove it.

One of Cormac's first jobs was a domestic abuse case.  He found the body of Hilaria Blake, a drug overdose.  Her two children, sixteen year old Maude and four year old Jack had both been abused.  He takes the children to the hospital and has never forgotten them.  Jack was quickly adopted but Maude disappeared. 

Now Cormac hears that Jack has committed suicide.  His girlfriend, Aisling, doesn't believe that nor does Maude who has returned home after years away.  Did the abuse Jack suffer as a child lead to a suicide later?  Or was it a murder that is being mislabeled?

Cormac's only friend in the office also has troubles.  His little sister was involved in a crime some months ago and has now disappeared.  Danny seems remote as he tries to handle both his law and home responsibilities and Cormac isn't sure their friendship is solid.  On top of that, his boss has decided that Maude killed Hilaria all those years ago and assigns Cormac to prove it.  Cormac doesn't believe that is true but all the evidence seems to point to her.

This is the first Cormac Reilly mystery and the series has continued and is successful.  Cormac is a detective who refuses to take the easy way or shortcuts.  He only wants the truth and to do his job successfully.  He has a strong love interest and that is appealing about him.  McTiernan is an Irish author who worked as a lawyer before turning to writing mysteries.  In Cormac Reilly she has created an interesting character who should be able to carry the series for quite a while.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.