Customer Reviews

False Mermaid

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

In this well-crafted and well-researched novel, Erin Hart stays on geographical territory familiar to her--- Minnesota and Ireland--- while spinning an intriguing murder mystery tale that incorporates Irish legend and language.

It seems that the heroine, Nora Gavin, had her sister brutally murdered a few years back. Suspicion fell heavily on her brother-in-law but nothing could be proven. Nora took it on herself to solve the case, but failed, and went off to Ireland to work for some while to get away from it all. But the unsolved crime would not let her rest, and now she is leaving her new boyfriend to return to Minnesota to work on the now-cold case once more.

Intertwined with the main story is a traditional Irish tale of the selkie, half-woman and half-seal, and an old death on the Irish coast. Each section or "book" of the novel is introduced with a quotation having to do with stories, myths, or the selkies themselves. And the solution to the story, and some of the climactic events, depend heavily upon these traditional tales, but to say more than this would spoil things. Perhaps, indeed, things depend a little too much, as I'll describe.

The writing is excellent, and the main character well-drawn. Although her obsessions are clear--- she must, must solve the case--- we sympathize with her readily. The supporting characters: a St. Paul detective, Nora's parents, her Irish boyfriend; all are good enough if perhaps not great. Nora's brief and regretted romantic involvement with the detective drags on the story a little and perhaps could have been skipped, and her romance with Cormac could have been a little less sterile in feeling. Her niece, Elizabeth, is a terrific depiction of a child who has suffered loss and she too easily draws our sympathy.

The use of Irish myth is a great strength of the story--- and also the only significant weakness. Author Erin Hart certainly knows the subject and we end up knowing it as well before we're done with the novel. She weaves in text in the beautiful Irish Gaelic language (with translations) and this sets a mood that couldn't have been achieved any other way. Ms. Hart's appreciation of the old stories and the old ways is clear, and she deserves much credit for presenting them in such a respectful and appealing manner.

The problem? The blend between old ways and new ways was not easy to achieve, and it is done through some overuse of coincidence. Again, I won't spoil the story with specifics, but as you will see when you read the book, some critical things just happen in the right place and at the right time, and credibility does get rather stretched. But lest I push this too far, this is not a fatal flaw and the story is, all in all, a great one.

If you love a good mystery, if you find Irish culture and language of interest (or want to know more about it), then by all means read this book. Four stars for sure.

This book was basically well written, although there wasn't much to distinguish it from every other book in the genre. You have your basic cold case murder, the grieving family member who can't let it go unsolved (in this case a sister), the cast of characters all carrying their own baggage which will interfere in the murder investigation (in this case maybe too much baggage - EVERYONE, from the surviving family members, to the investigating police officers, to the new boyfriend and his family and friends....everyone has some deep dark secret or emotional issue that also needs to be explored and resolved before we can solve our crime). At the end of the day I'd say this book was a fine diversion, good enough for a light summer/beach read, but nothing extraordinary.

This book is not brilliantly written. The prose isn't lovely or compelling, the characters seem 2-dimensional much of the time. However, I was camping when I read it, and it was good entertainment while lying in a hammock in the woods. I hadn't read the first novel with this character...gosh, it's been two weeks and I can't remember her name...and didn't feel like I needed to. I also didn't feel like I was all that interested in reading the next one. I got it free from Vine, so I wasn't too picky. Had I paid full price for a hard cover novel I would have felt ripped off.

There is one pretty ugly sex scene, the rest is PG-13, thriller, murder, lady investigator with lots of emotional baggage, a messed-up relationship, tension between her and her parents, a guy she doesn't like who is hitting on her, the usual stuff. As for the Ireland part of the story, it would have been good except that the author creates a character whose sole purpose in the book is to recount selkie legends to the main character (and us). Old murder, recent murder, it ha SUCH GREAT POTENTIAL, but was "just ok"

Nora Gavin, the protagonist in "False Mermaid," is a pathologist specializing in the study of preserved human remains. She has been living in Ireland for several years studying "bog people," ancient corpses that have been preserved in peat bogs for extended periods of time. As is often the case with thrillers, Nora has an unresolved issue from her past: her sister Triona was murdered five years ago, and the murder remains unsolved. Gavin decides to return to Minnesota and focus, once and for all, on solving her sister's murder. She is convinced that her sister's husband was the killer but the police have been unable to prove it, and Gavin's obsession with nailing her former brother-in-law for the murder caused her to be labeled a wacko. It's not too tough to see where this is headed: Gavin returns to her hometown, where she manages to uncover new information and evidence notwithstanding the five-year time lapse and the failure of the police to find these critical clues. Will she discover enough information in order to nail her sister's killer? Is the killer who she thinks it is? Will her relationship with the enigmatic Irishman Cormac Maguire survive her quest for the truth?

"False Mermaid" is a better-than-average thriller, although certain predictable elements and some of the less-than-entirely-credible plot developments prevent it from transcending the genre. It's fast-moving, has the requisite plot twists, and the characters are likeable. A good beach read for those looking for a smart if somewhat predictable thriller with lots of Irish color.

"False Mermaid" is a combination of two stories: one is the story of Cormac Maguire, who is in Ireland taking care of his ill father, and his love interest, Nora Gavin, who has returned to the United States (Minnesota) from several years in Ireland. Nora's sister Triona was murdered, and she is certain that the husband did it, but the police have no evidence against him. Nora is determined to find it. Meanwhile in Ireland, Cormac meets a woman (Roz) who is fascinated by the selkie legend -- a Celtic legend of a seal /woman who can be held captive as a human for only as long as her captor has her sealskin. Roz spends her time trying to find historical facts that could be the basis of a selkie legend.

The relationship between Nora and Cormac is used to switch between locations, and the narrator changes frequently, not just between Nora and Cormac, but among other characters as well. The idea of the selkie is used, but not convincingly, as a unifying factor. Despite the romance of the idea, it doesn't really relate to Nora, her sister, and her niece. It's just there. In addition, Cormac's side of the story doesn't amount to much other than his thoughts about his father, his life, etc.

In sum, the author seems more interested in writing about relationships than writing a thriller, but the relationship story, while quietly pleasant, is not really compelling.

This is my first exposure to Erin Hart and her heroine Nora Gavin. There are two previous books in this series Haunted Ground: A Novel & Lake of Sorrows: A Novel. I plan to go back and read at least the first of those as it was nominated for the Agatha and Anthony awards and won the Friends of American Writers Award. (I do love a good mystery with elements of the fantastic.) I imagine reading the first two books might add to the readers enjoyment of this novel, but can assure you that this book can be understood and enjoyed on its own.

For the most part I enjoyed this novel. The plot is interesting and the characters are engaging. The story moves along nicely and there are scores of secondary characters and storylines to keep things interesting. The basic premise here is Nora Gavin's sister, Triona, was murdered five years ago. Nora is certain that her brother-in-law, Peter, had a hand in her sister's murder but she has never been able to find solid evidence against him. Years ago when Nora attempted to investigate the murder Peter manipulated people and evidence and made it appear that Nora was as unstable as her sister appeared to have been. (Salacious evidence uncovered after the murder indicated that Triona was living a double life.) At her wits end, Nora abandoned her investigation and traveled across the sea to live in Ireland. (The first two books apparently deal with this time in her life.) In time Nora realizes that she must finish her investigation for both herself and her eleven year old niece who could possibly be in danger from her ruthless father. Complicating matters are: Peter's upcoming remarriage, an unresolved relationship with the lead investigative officier and the recent discovery of another young woman's body found in the same area where Triona was thought to have been killed and with the same manner of injuries she suffered. There are also a number of factual and mystical accounts of mermaids and selkies and a vein of fantastic chance runs through the entire book.

I generally do enjoy a touch of well-fitted mysticism in a story line. Odd things happen everyday and some things appear to be knowable only when it is time for them to be known. What I do not enjoy is when evidence or events magically appear as a convenient plot contrivance for a lazy author. I am definitely not saying that Ms. Hart is such an author, I am saying that at times I did not think the fantastical element worked enough to make Nora's discoveries entirely plausible. Evidence that was apparently unavailable five years ago now falls magically into her lap. A vagabond with possible evidence not only appears shortly after she has thought of him but also appears wearing attire that may have been worn in the murder and so on. I won't even get into the protective charm, one-eyed guardian seal or frozen-in-time fisherman's cottage. It was all just a bit too much for me. It felt as though the author relied too much on the fantastic and not enough on good old plot development. Thus turning what had been a four star read for me into a very middling three star.

A decent mystery mystically undone.

Hello Irish lovers, it's St. Patrick's Day 2010.

I just finished the third Erin Hart novel about an Irish archeologist, Cormac Maguire, and American pathologist, Nora Gavin, who have been studying ancient remains recovered from peat bogs in Ireland for three years and two full novels.

FALSE MERMAID is a bit of a diversion. Nora has left Ireland for her home in Saint Paul, Minnesota to probe her sister Triona's murder. Cormac's little-known father has resurrected again and lives in his Aunt Julia's home in western Ireland.

Lots of new characters. Frank Cordova, a Minnesota police detective with a haunted past, and his female partner: Holly Blume, a biologist at the University of Minnesota's Saint Paul campus; Peter Hallett, Nora's brother-in-law who is about to remarry; Elizabeth Hallett, Nora's eleven-year-old niece; Harry Shaughnessy, a Saint Paul vagrant with a bloodied Gaillard College sweatshirt and running shoes with false mermaid seeds in the soles; Natalie Russo, an American Olympian-bound rower; a Cambodian fisherman. And an interesting ginger-haired colleague of Cormac's from Dublin.

The colleague is Roz Byrne, a folklorist, who has come to Donegal to add to her collection of selkie stories. Selkies are seals that have slipped from their skins and walk about land as humans; they are considered mermaids by some. Roz is particularly interested in a Donegal woman who disappeared in 1896 and is believed to be a selkie who found her skin.

The disappearance of Mary Heaney in Donegal parallels the investigation of Triona's murder in Saint Paul.

Hart solves both mysteries but spends too much time in America. Her description of the landscapes and seascapes of Western Ireland only partially evoke the Irish sense of place so prominent in her other novels, HAUNTED GROUNDS and LAKE OF SORROWS. But the Irish myths, songs, and stories of seals and selkies are fascinating.