Bought this on impulse on the way through Dutyfree for a short holiday in Spain and finished a good chunk of it on the plane. I hadn't heard of this author before, but bought it just because of the on cover reviews, which sounded like a page turner – something that could be read while lying in the sun, on a lounger with the book in one hand and a G&T in the other.

And so it proved. The drinks ice melted to water often during the few days in the sun, G&T forgotten and it was only hunger pangs that brought me back from Southern Ireland (where the story is set) to Andalusia, for some tapas and to refresh the gin.

I liked the 'Oirish' phrases that are scattered through the book “Jaysus, you eejit!” and “...he got on the bus to be sure, I'm only after remembering that now.” to give example from each extreme. This syntax had me thinking all the narrative passages in an Irish accent.

A detective, psychological, murder thriller, easy to read and hard to put down. It soon becomes apparent that this is a secound book in what might be a series, now I must get the prequel. ( )

Are You Watching Me? A Creepy Irish Thriller

Are You Watching Me? Is the latest crime thriller from Irish writer Sinead Crawley, and another outing for Sergeant Clare Boyle. Sinead Crawley has given us an excellent female detective who is trying to balance motherhood, marriage and a high pressured career, like many of the readers.

The premise may seem simple, a couple of murders all connected to a drop-in-centre in Dublin that is the only connection. At the same time there is a suggestion of abuse from thirty years prior, between teacher and pupil and that pupil is at the heart of the story. The problem is it would be easy to solve the crime if there were no twists, or trips back to a sleep Irish town in the middle of nowhere, where everyone knows your business.

Boyle and her colleague Flynn have to work through are the clues and there does not seem to be many of them in any of the murders. Liz, the centre worker, seems to be at the centre of what is happening and they think she is hiding something, but cannot prove it. Liz is also gaining a lot of publicity for her drop in centre and is trying to overcome crippling anxiety and is the media face of the charity.

The writing is great and what is better is seeing a female cop not reverting to the usual stereotype of being a loner a defective detective. Clare Boyle is the sort of woman we all know trying to get on in life while balancing many things at once including a child and a husband.

A great book, a pacey thriller, with a few twists and turns and a very clear female hero who we will all love. I cannot wait until her next outing. ( )