"THE MOUNTAINS WILD"--by Sarah Stewart Taylor --a lyrical, deeply drawn portrait of a woman - and a country - over two decades - "The Mountains Wild" introduces a compelling new mystery series from a mesmerizing author

The Mountains Wild

"With its evocative Dublin setting, lyrical prose, tough but sympathetic heroine, and a killer twist in the plot, Sarah Stewart Taylor's The Mountains Wild should top everyone's must-read lists this year!" -- New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie

In a series debut for fans of Tana French and Kate Atkinson, set in Dublin and New York, homicide detective Maggie D'arcy finally tackles the case that changed the course of her life.

Twenty-three years ago, Maggie D'arcy's family received a call from the Dublin police. Her cousin Erin has been missing for several days. Maggie herself spent weeks in Ireland, trying to track Erin's movements, working beside the police. But it was to no avail: no trace of her was ever found.

The experience inspired Maggie to become a cop. Now, back on Long Island, more than 20 years have passed. Maggie is a detective and a divorced mother of a teenager. When the Garda call to say that Erin's scarf has been found and another young woman has gone missing, Maggie returns to Ireland, awakening all the complicated feelings from the first trip. The despair and frustration of not knowing what happened to Erin. Her attraction to Erin's coworker, now a professor, who never fully explained their relationship. And her determination to solve the case, once and for all.

A lyrical, deeply drawn portrait of a woman - and a country - over two decades - The Mountains Wild introduces a compelling new mystery series from a mesmerizing author.

Reviews

 

“This mystery, evocative of the Irish diaspora, interrogates both a young woman’s disappearance and the meaning of homeland.” ― Kirkus Reviews

“Taylor’s affection for Irish geography, history, and culture suffuses the tale, adding texture and atmosphere. Fans of Elizabeth George should take note.” ― Publishers Weekly

"Sarah Stewart Taylor has written a beautiful, bittersweet novel about loyalty and loss and how they can blind us to the truth." ― Minneapolis Star Tribune

“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 . . . Taylor, a mystery veteran, shifts into noirish territory after her humorous Sweeney St. George series, and it works just fine.” ― Booklist

"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 are sure to welcome her to the crime scene." ― BookPage

“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.” ― Library Journal (starred review)

"Lyrical, moody, THE MOUNTAINS WILD unfolds like an Irish ballad, at turns stirring, tender and tragic. Sarah Stewart Taylor has written a book as much about the mysteries of the human heart as the questions surrounding the long-missing woman at the silent center of the tale. A triumphant return to the genre." ― New York Times bestselling author Julia Spencer Fleming

"Atmospheric and lyrical, THE MOUNTAINS WILD is that rare thing ― a riveting thriller with a beating heart. In this beautifully wrought portrait of love and family, secrets and lies, Sarah Stewart Taylor dives deep into character, all the while ratcheting up the suspense, page by gripping page, through to the stunning end." ― New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger

"A tale of suspense, gorgeously told, eerily atmospheric, set in an Ireland so vivid you can smell the peat smoke. Not to be missed.” ― International bestselling author Michele Campbell

"The Mountains Wild has all the ingredients you'd want in a tasty thriller ― twisted plots, uncertainty about who to trust, dogged investigators and a gripping climax ― but it also has two extra spices. First, the setting of Ireland is so vivid and precise, you can practically taste the pints and smell the peat fires. Second, this novel has incredible tenderness and emotional accuracy. This is a thriller with a big heart." ― Stephen P. Kiernan


Sarah Stewart Taylor

 
 
Sarah Stewart Taylor grew up on Long Island and was educated at Middlebury College and Trinity College, Dublin. She lives with her husband and three children on a farm in Vermont where they raise sheep and blueberries.

Sarah is also the author of the Sweeney St. George mystery series, about an art historian who studies funerary art, "the art of death," from Minotaur Books. The first book in the series, O’ Artful Death, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel.

Her non-fiction has been published in The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and many other publications.  

http://www.sarahstewarttaylor.com/