July 2018 Indie Next List

“In a thrilling debut police procedural, Dervla McTiernan's The Ruin introduces readers to honest and likeable Cormac Reilly, a 20 year veteran detective recently relocated to Galway, Ireland trying to figure out where he fits in at his new police station. Tasked with closing cold case files, Reilly's investigation of a case from his rookie days soon intersects with the current case of an apparent suicide that proves to be much more than it appears. With a detailed setting that allows visualization of the unfolding plot, McTiernan has introduced readers to a mystery that has intriguing characters and tense, suspenseful plot twists The Ruin will compel readers to keep turning the pages until they reach the satisfying conclusion that will leave them impatiently waiting for the next installment in this promising series.”
— Betsy Von Kerens, The Bookworm, ,

Winter 2018 Reading Group Indie Next List

“This solid debut from Irish author Dervla McTiernan, a compelling story that spans two decades and multiple mysteries, examines the ways that public servants can provide resources for those in need or fail them utterly—or worse. But the core element that won my praise was McTiernan’s constant reminder of the fact that characters’ deaths leave holes in the other characters’ lives; they are not just plot devices to drive a whodunnit, but individuals who are mourned.”
— Maryelizabeth Yturralde, Mysterious Galaxy Books, San Diego, CA