The Rúin
The Rúin is the debut crime novel by Irish/Australian writer Dervla McTiernan. It was originally published by HarperCollins in Australia in 2018.
It is the first in the author's Cormac Reilly series of novels, later following by The Scholar and The Good Turn.
Synopsis
Twenty years ago, young policeman Cormac Reilly finds two young children sitting on the steps of a decrepit house, with their mother dead upstairs. Now the young boy, Jack, has been found dead in Dublin and Reilly is drawn back into the investigation.Publishing history
After its initial publication in Australia by HarperCollins in 2018, the novel was reprinted as follows:- Penguin Books, USA, 2018
- Little, Brown, UK, 2018
Critical reception
A reviewer in The Telegraph, noted: "This unsettling small-town noir draws us deep into the dark heart of Ireland, where corruption, desperation, and crime run rife. A gritty look at trust and betrayal where the written law isn't the only one, The Ruin asks who will protect you when the authorities can't-or won't."Writing in The Guardian, Sam Jordinson thought the powerful opening was let down somewhat by the rest of the novel: "Too many of the plot's mechanics feel equally clunky...There’s still enough sympathetic writing and talent on display to make you stick with The Ruin, but in the end it feels frustrating and unsatisfying. It turns out that that 'what happened next' wasn't quite as intriguing as that powerful opening."
Awards
- Davitt Award – Best Adult Crime Novel, 2019, winner
- Ned Kelly Award – Best First Novel, 2019, winner
- Barry Award – Best Paperback Original, 2019, winner