... razor-sharp ... uses the evocative background of Ireland to further explore its characters who share the Emerald Isle’s remoteness, mystique and complicated past ... smoothly alternates between 2016 and 1993 ... In addition to her intelligent characters, Taylor has sculpted The Mountains Wild as a valentine to Ireland, delving into its beauty, history and varied landscape — all of which lead to 'a warm, homecoming sort of feeling' ... We may not be able to travel to Ireland right now, but Taylor has brought the country to us. The Mountains Wild is a terrific series launch. Readers will relish spending more time with Taylor’s storytelling and her smart characters.
... a bubbling broth of a book. It’s a paean to Ireland. It’s a love letter to its inhabitants in all their multifaceted splendor. It made me homesick for Dublin ... Taylor skillfully switches time periods from 1993 to 2016 in this splendid, atmospheric mystery that artfully blends the history and romance of Ireland with a contemporary police investigation. The Irish setting is so vividly evoked that you can practically hear that dulcet brogue, taste the Guinness and smell the peat fires. The Mountains Wild is a beautifully plotted novel that builds to a stunning, unforgettable conclusion.
Far beyond a simple mystery, The Mountains Wild is a gorgeous rendering on paper of Ireland in all its beauty. Sarah Stewart Taylor captures the moodiness of the Irish mist, the bustle of Dublin’s streets, and the crisp bite of the morning air. You can hear the Irish brogue in the pubs, smell the Guinness in the pint glasses, and feel the warmth of the peat fire after stepping in from the cold. Taylor has a lyrical style to her writing that makes every sentence a pleasure to read, and every pleasurable sentence brings readers closer to answering the crucial question: What happened to Erin? This is a five-star read.
Taylor takes her time in unspooling the strands of the mystery, keeping the reader on edge all the while. Through transportive details of Dublin pubs and the Wicklow wilderness and a wonderful command of Irish history, she fashions an immersive setting for the narrative, which moves nimbly through the decade ... Featuring a memorable cast that includes cheeky Irish Gardaí, sinister suspects and a not-to-be-messed-with female lead, The Mountains Wild makes for perfect summer reading. Maggie is a first-class protagonist—an ace investigator and appealing everywoman with smarts and heart. Suspense fans will welcome her to the crime scene.
The atmospheric, intricately plotted story builds to a stunning, unforgettable conclusion. This series starter by the Agatha-nominated author of O’ Artful Death introduces an intelligent detective caught up in a personal cold case ... Taylor skillfully switches time periods from 1993 to 2016 in an atmospheric mystery that blends the history and romance of Ireland with a contemporary police investigation. This outstanding book will please fans of mysteries set in Ireland and readers of police procedurals.
Sarah Stewart Taylor has a dab hand in bringing locales to life ... Taylor skillfully weaves three different time periods together, in a non-linear fashion...Like real life, it’s complicated and messy: the narrative is infused with significant details and asides ... Criminal profiler Maggie D’arcy is a believable, dogged guide to despicable behavior.
Layers of Dublin details will ensnare biblio-travelers, and this series starter offers a compelling introduction to Maggie D’arcy as she faces her life’s mystery, struggles to reconcile the deterioration of her relationship with Erin, and explores possibilities with an unforgettable love interest. Taylor, a mystery veteran, shifts into noirish territory after her humorous Sweeney St. George series, and it works just fine.
...[a] languorous series launch ... Woolly plotting saps momentum and the denouement feels contrived, but Taylor’s affection for Irish geography, history, and culture suffuses the tale, adding texture and atmosphere. Fans of Elizabeth George should take note.
