False Mermaid [Hardcover]

Erin Hart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2, 2010

AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR ERIN HART DELIVERS A SEARING NEW NOVEL OF SUSPENSE, BRILLIANTLY MELDING MODERN FORENSICS AND IRISH MYTH AND MYSTERY IN THIS CHARGED THRILLER.

American pathologist Nora Gavin fled to Ireland three years ago, hoping that distance from home would bring her peace. Though she threw herself into the study of bog bodies and the mysteries of their circumstances, she was ultimately led back to the one mystery she was unable to solve: the murder of her sister, Tríona. Nora can’t move forward until she goes back—back to her home, to the scene of the crime, to the source of her nightmares and her deepest regrets.

Determined to put her sister’s case to rest and anxious about her eleven-year-old niece, Elizabeth, Nora returns to Saint Paul, Minnesota, to find that her brother-in-law, Peter Hallett, is about to remarry and has plans to leave the country with his new bride. Nora has long suspected Hallett in Tríona’s murder, though there has never been any proof of his involvement, and now she believes that his new wife and Elizabeth may both be in danger. Time is short, and as Nora begins reinvestigating her sister’s death, missed clues and ever-more disturbing details come to light. What is the significance of the "false mermaid" seeds found on Tríona’s body? Why was her behavior so erratic in the days before her murder?

Is there a link between Tríona’s death and that of another young woman?

Nora’s search for answers takes her from the banks of the Mississippi to the cliffs of Ireland, where the eerie story of a fisherman’s wife who vanished more than a century ago offers up uncanny parallels. As painful secrets come to light, Nora is drawn deeper into a past that still threatens to engulf her and must determine how much she is prepared to sacrifice to put one tragedy to rest . . . and to make sure that history doesn’t repeat itself.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* It’s been a long wait since Hart’s Lake of Sorrows (2004), the follow-up to her outstanding debut, Haunted Ground (2003), which introduced Nora Gavin, the American forensic pathologist who works in Ireland with archaeologist Cormac Maguire. The novel begins with Nora returning to Minneapolis, hoping to solve at long last the murder of her sister, Triona. Convinced that Triona was killed by her husband, Peter, but unable to prove it, Nora retreated to Ireland and began a new life. But now Peter is returning to Minneapolis, and Nora feels she must tackle the unsolved crime before he has a chance to wreak more havoc on her family, especially Triona’s daughter, 11-year-old Elizabeth. Meanwhile, back in Ireland, Cormac becomes ensnared in another long-standing mystery, this one concerning the century-old disappearance of a woman believed to be a selkie a (mermaid who becomes human when she loses her sealskin). The two plot elements are skillfully combined through the feminist view of the selkie’s plight: a woman torn between loyalty to her human family and the lingering need for a return to the independence of the sea. Series writers attempting to send their protagonists on road trips often invite missteps, but Hart lands firmly on her feet by intermingling the Minneapolis scenes with the Ireland subplot and by bringing both together for the finale. And, as always, the novel is rich in human drama, complex relationships, and vivid local color. Few writers combine as seamlessly as Hart does the subtlety, lyrical language, and melancholy of literary fiction with the pulse-pounding suspense of the best thrillers. --Bill Ott

Review

“Rich with atmosphere and Irish legend, this exceptionally crafted story of murder, family secrets, and redemption is a welcome addition to Hart's suspenseful series.” --Library Journal, starred

“Evocative descriptions …captivating characters… [and] lush romanticism. The story races to a breathless confrontation.” –Minneapolis Star-Tribune

“Few writers combine as seamlessly as Hart does the subtlety, lyrical language, and melancholy of literary fiction with the pulse-pounding suspense of the best thrillers.” --Booklist, starred

“A haunting, eerie page-turner that combines a wealth of Irish mythology...with archeology and the compelling forensic details of several linked murders, all set against gorgeously rendered settings.”

--Irish America

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Scribner; 1 edition (March 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416563768
• ISBN-13: 978-1416563761
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #776,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ERIN HART introduced pathologist Nora Gavin in one of the most lauded mystery debuts of 2003: HAUNTED GROUND was a Book Sense 76 Pick, a winner of the Friends of American Writers Award, a winner of the Romantic Times Best First Mystery Award, and a nominee for the Anthony Award and the Agatha Award for Best First Novel and Best First Mystery, respectively. Her second novel in the series, LAKE OF SORROWS, was shortlisted for a 2004 Minnesota Book Award. The third in the series, FALSE MERMAID, was released in March 2010, and received broad critical acclaim. A Minnesota theater critic, a former communications director of the Minnesota State Arts Board, and a founder of the Twin Cities Irish Music & Dance Association, Hart received an M.A. in English and Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota. She lives in Saint Paul with her husband, Irish accordion player Paddy O'Brien, and makes frequent visits to Ireland. Visit her website at http://www.erinhart.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric mystery, March 12, 2010

By 

Z Hayes (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: False Mermaid (Hardcover)

I became a fan of Erin Hart's writing after reading Haunted Ground: A Novel which had as its central character American forensic pathologist Nora Gavin, and the story in Haunted Ground was set in Ireland, centering around the mystery of a decapitated head belonging to a flame-haired lass nicknamed the Cailin Rua found in a peat bog. Together with Irish archaeologist Cormac Macguire, the pair attempt to solve the mystery, whilst finding themselves involved in another mystery of a missing mother and son. Then in Lake of Sorrows: A Novel, Nora and Cormac are back, once again investigating bodies found in the Irish peat bogs.

In "False Mermaid", Nora returns to the United States, having come to the realization that she can only find peace of mind once she resolves what actually happened to her younger sister, Triona, who was found murdered in St. Paul a couple of years back. Nora is convinced that it was Triona's husband, Peter Hallett, who is responsible, though she needs to find compelling evidence. Peter has since moved on and remarried Miranda Staunton, the sister of Nora's ex-fiance. Nora is particularly concerned about the welfare of her young niece, 11-year-old Elizabeth. Some people from Nora's past are also featured here such as police detective Frank Cordova who still has a thing for Nora.

Back in Ireland, Cormac hopes to be together with Nora, but his father's illness proves a strong deterrent, and then he gets intrigued by studies of Irish folklore conducted by a female acquaintance, Roz. The focus of the study is on the selkie, a mythical creature, part-human and part-seal. Interestingly, there's a local story about a woman who was reputed to be a selkie who disappeared sometime in 1896, believed to have been murdered by her husband. This parallels Nora's own beliefs about her brother-in-law's guilt in her sister's murder.

Just as in her previous novels, this book is rich in atmosphere as well as in-depth characterizations. Though the story itself may seem rather complex, Ms. Hart credibly weaves the various story arcs together. The two main settings, St. Paul and Ireland are vividly portrayed, which further enhance the story. However, despite all these strengths, there is one complaint on my part - the fact that Nora's investigation seems to be helped along mainly by coincidences. This gets to the point where it seems almost incredulous (if she is able to find all these helpful bits of info, how is it that they were not as easily found five years ago?). It also seemed rather remiss on the part of the detectives investigating the case to have missed all these clues in the first place. I also found myself missing the lush descriptions of the Irish landscape which were bountiful in the previous two novels (which were set entirely in Ireland).This particular installment favors the American setting more, and Ireland itself is not covered much. Yet, on the whole, I enjoyed this novel as I did the previous two mainly because I love atmospheric mysteries, especially those with a supernatural/otherworldly element as this one is. The rich elements of folklore, i.e. of the mythical selkie make this an engaging read. The author's strength lies in weaving such a tale in a compelling manner rendering the story quite plausible. I would suggest that readers new to Ms. Hart's works begin with Haunted Ground followed by Lake of Sorrows and then this, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the main characters. I hope Erin Hart continues this series with Nora and Cormac, preferably another intriguing story set mainly in Ireland.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Solid story-telling, March 7, 2010

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N. Arens - See all my reviews
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This review is from: False Mermaid (Hardcover)

I enjoyed the two books, Haunted Ground and Lake of Sorrows, prior to False Mermaid, and was glad to see more from Erin Hart. False Mermaid is another good example of solid mystery story-telling. The ending felt a little too tidy and some elements seemed contrived or sensational, but a worthwhile read for the return of complex characters and an enjoyable portrayal of Irish folklore and culture. The characters did not develop much further in this story, but I enjoyed the book. The resolution of the 'selkie' folklore subplot was unnecessary and unbelievable. Unfortunately this left me with a sour final impression of an otherwise entertaining read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars False Mermaid: Fabulous Mix of Mystery and Fairy Tales, November 19, 2010

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Mermaid (The Atlantic Ocean) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: False Mermaid (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Ms. Hart clearly did her research evident with each section beginning with an excerpt from various books or essays on folklore, fairy tales, shape changers and the like. Irish folklore of the selkie (a seal-turned-woman) is beautiful interwoven into this murder mystery.

I give this book a solid 4 stars because it was so beautifully written. You must suspend disbelief, not so much of the mythical folklore and the role of the seal, but because of the coincidences of everything happening within a four day period five years after the murder of Nora's sister, Triona. The book addresses the "coincidences" of everything happening and being revealed at the same time but goes on to explain that the universe isn't as random as that.

The whodunit aspect of the book isn't really a giant surprise and I don't think it's meant to be either. I was very pleased with the way the story ended and who the murderer was. I also really appreciated learning about a local folk tale that I'd never even heard of and that is the story of the selkie, Mary Heany. Again, the reader's suspension of disbelief is necessary to accept the way the local folk tale completes itself. It's not meant to be plausible in the real world. With that in mind, the reader should truly enjoy all aspects of this beautifully written tale.