The Unquiet Grave
The new novel in the thrilling Irish detective series from the bestselling author of The Ruin and What Happened To Nina, for fans of Jane Harper and Robert Galbraith
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4.4 • 534 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
Every grave has a story ... The much-anticipated new novel in the Cormac Reilly series, from the no.1 bestselling author of The Ruin and What Happened to Nina.
Shortlisted for General Fiction Book of the Year at the ABIA's 2026
Shortlisted for the Audiobook of the Year at the ABIA's 2026
Shortlisted for the ABA Book of the Year Award 2026
For years the boglands of Northern Europe have given up bodies of the long-deceased. Bodies that are thousands of years old, uncannily preserved. Bodies with strange injuries that suggest ritual torture and human sacrifice.
When a corpse is found in a bog in Galway, Cormac Reilly assumes the find is historical. But closer examination reveals a more recent story. The dead man is Thaddeus Grey, a local secondary school principal who disappeared two years prior.
There's nothing in Grey's past that would explain why he was murdered, or why his body was mutilated in a ritual manner. At first, progress on the case is frustratingly slow and Cormac struggles to keep his mind on the job. His ex-girlfriend, Emma Sweeney, is in trouble, and she's reached out to him for help - Emma's new husband has gone missing in Paris, and the French police are refusing to open an investigation into his disappearance.
Cormac is sure that he has found Grey's killer, and is within hours of an arrest, when another mutilated body is discovered on the other side of the country. Two days later, a third body is found. Press attention is intense. Is there a serial killer at work in Ireland? Has Cormac been on the wrong trail? And if so, can he find the murderer before they strike again?
'McTiernan is a bestselling crime writer for good reason, and this is another brisk, moody police procedural with an effortless command of pace and suspense' Sydney Morning Herald
'Excellently tangled' Washington Post
Praise for the Cormac Reilly novels:
'Dervla McTiernan just gets better and better' Chris Hammer
'A haunting mystery that will have you turning pages late into the night. This is Gone Girl-level good writing.' Janet Evanovich
'Intelligent and fast-paced' Wall Street Journal
'Taut, dense and darkly addictive. A treat for lovers of fine crime writing.' Candice Fox
'As moving as it is fast-paced' Val McDermid
'Cormac Reilly [is] a cop to follow to hell and back' Bookseller+Publisher
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
After a five-year gap and several standalone titles, Dervla McTiernan returns with her fourth novel starring Cormac Reilly. The Unquiet Dead sees the Galway-based Detective Sergeant investigating first one mysterious death and then an unnerving series of them. Again relying on her intimate knowledge of Ireland’s rich culture and landscape, Western Australian transfer McTiernan takes readers through festering bogs and tight-knit communities alike, all while ensuring that Cormac and other characters feel grounded and lived-in. This is crime fiction with an unmistakably literary edge, thanks to its layered language and developed backstories. Yet, the satisfying mechanics of police procedurals still shine through, and Cormac remains a reliable companion as he intently pieces together the mystery.
Customer Reviews
Another great read
Loved this book. Now I am looking forward to Book 5 in the Cormac Reilly series.
Unquite Grave
A top notch murder mystery that twists and turns in unexpected directions. Multiple stories which interconnect and kept me interested.
Great book
Riveting story line.