The Trespasser's Companion

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As the pair begin to investigate, Aislinn’s boyfriend, Rory, soon becomes their prime suspect. However, Conway and Moran have a few alternate theories, they are batting around and want to hold off on arresting ‘lover boy’, to see what falls to earth after they ‘shake a few trees.’ The Trespasser's Companion is a rallying cry for greater public access to nature and a gently seditious guide to how to get it: by trespassing. This novel also features one of French’s most enigmatic and powerful characters: Antoinette Conway. Since French’s second novel (2008's The Likeness) her central protagonist and narrator have been introduced in the previous novel. In 2014’s The Secret Place, we were introduced to Conway as a tough woman detective with a chip on her shoulder. French was only just getting started with Conway who besides being a hard nosed badass Irish murder detective also has some significant family issues and is about as complicated a figure as this genre can present. Assuming my assessment is halfway fair, whether this book is a good one or not, whether I agree with it or not, hardly matters. It is well written with some excellent illustrations. It is also all over the place, has inherent contradictions, and the author aims to simplify a complex area to achieve a political end. It is thus a political tract, propaganda. I view this as a terrible shame. Hayes’s idea of recommoning (however anthropocentric), and how we have unconsciously been excluded from something without us realising it, are good ideas, upon which a fine book could be written. Hayes is clearly capable of penning that work. Instead he has done something rather different. Think of it this way. He tells his readership that some of us wear funny clothes, that we gained our wealth and land by oppressing people, and has told numerous untruths including that we somehow manage to exclude the good people of England from 92 per cent of the country 62 which by rights is already theirs. Next thing you know people will be throwing objects through our shop windows. as with all her novels, tana french shines in the way she understands and portrays the innerworkings of the justice system - the way crimes are investigated, the hierarchies within the various divisions, the relationships between detectives and their informants and the press, the slippery nature of undercover work, and her meticulous detailing of the process of everything from interviewing witnesses to paperwork, somehow making it fascinating and also surprising, even to people who have watched wayyyy too many crime dramas in their lifetimes.

Now is the time to return to one of Hayes’s early premises, that “trespass is harmful to the landowner,” and as such is a ‘legal fiction.’ 57 It depends upon who is considered to be the owner. If people were to trespass on what is legally my land, it would cause me harm, emotionally, psychologically, to the extent I would have to move away, but not for the reasons most would assume. It is because, no doubt arguably in an also fictional manner – but with a fundamentally practical outcome – I have given my land to someone else, and the harm done to them by trespass is easily demonstrable. Hayes evidences this himself. 58

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Tbh, if I got chopped up by CoHo and thrown into the Rideau River, I'd rather remain a cold case than have Antoinette assigned to investigating my death. Stay tf away from my decapitated body PLS!!!!

A young woman is found dead in her home. Evidence isn't really pointing in any particular direction. Conway and Moran come up with multiple theories, and it seems like they are being pushed toward one by a third detective, Breslin, who was also assigned to the case. But in England most mountain bikers are so compliant, the argument seems to be that you need to work with governing bodies etc. to improve the situation or else current permissions might be revoked. But if you don’t care about what “permissions” you’re “granted” then it doesn’t matter what’s revoked. Just a different attitude I suppose. Antoinette pursues the psychological in all her interviews. Cops conducting interviews must mask their feelings and intentions and the suspect must survive insinuation or barrage on their most closely held secrets. It is hurtful on both sides. One can only be steeped in slime for so long before it feels like it covers everything. What does a star rating mean? Does it mean this is a work of greatness, that deserves to be read by every generation? That each word is empathetically chosen,* each sentence crafted, each paragraph placed with an eye to flow? That through metaphor, symbolism and theme it exposes the reader to some kind of truth? That it inspires a passionate response? That at this moment, I loved it? That it made me happy?I must thank one of my dearest friends, Kris, for "persuading" me to read this enjoyable book. Without Kris, I would have not experienced this gifted author. Guy Shrubsole’s Who Owns England? is the companion piece to The Book of Trespass. A Right to Roam by Marion Shoard,Peter Linebaugh’s Stop, Thief, Guy Standing’s Plunder of the Commons. There is lots of radical literature that tells an alternative folk story of how the common people were robbed of the land.

This novel in the Tana French series about Irish murder detective Antoinette Conway is universally loved and considered among her best in a long line of terrific mystery novels. Why? There is little action in this novel. It is a novel of psychologies and pathologies. The plot seemed straight-forward. While I knew it couldn't be as simple as it initially appeared, French had me doubting myself quite a bit. Every twist exposed new wrinkles in the case, making the book really hard to set aside. There was one twist I should have seen coming half a mile away but I ran into it like a station wagon plowing a deer. We need everyone to get involved if we want free, fair and informed access throughout England. Remember: trespass is not a criminal offence! The pattern seems to be continuing one morning when she and her partner, Stephen Moran, are assigned a new case that appears to be open and shut. An attractive young woman named Aislinn Murray is found dead in her home, apparently the victim of a lovers' quarrel that has spun out of control. The two detectives bring in Aislinn's new boyfriend, Rory Fallon, and question him under the watchful eye of a senior detective who's inserted himself into the case. Fallon is obviously nervous, and there are problems with the story he tells. To the senior detective, the case seems a slam dunk and he presses Conway and Moran to charge Fallon and move on to new business. This is an excellent police procedural and, to my mind, Tana French's best book yet. At its center is Detective Antoinette Conway who is new to the Dublin Murder Squad and who has gotten a very cool reception. Many of her new mates actively dislike her; she's subjected to continued harassment, and she's assigned a lot of crap cases.I loved this woman. It's clear she is protecting past pain. She's self absorbed, and self conscious. She's tough - but also touchy! Smart, callous...and shhhhh 'sensitive'...

Tana French's writing is as rich as every but flows really well. Unlike a lot of literary-leaning works, I never once thought the writing didn't serve the story. The style was accessible and went down like moderately-priced wine. The cover? I like the cover, and I am very keen on the illustrations right through this book, which are also by the author. However, does it tell us anything about the book or its contents except that they are likely to be stylish? Not really. I think there are a couple of illustrations within the book which would have made better covers but I do like it – I’ll give it 7/10 just because I do like it. And it is a crow and the CROW Act is relevant to some of the UK – I get that. The Trespasser’s Companion is the ‘little sister’ to Hayes’s The Book of Trespass (2020), and comprises a “plan (and a provocation) to change the definition of how we connect to nature … It is not an incitement to break the law, it is a call to change it. Treat its chapters like the ingredients in a spell…” 24 This is fine evocative writing, but let’s pause to think what is being said. First, the book is an incitement to trespass; we are given clear guidelines how to do so by using animal trails 25 (which they would not appreciate). Second, Hayes is hereby explaining upfront that his book is a collection of thoughts, vignettes, perspectives, expert witness accounts (written by other authors) with which, waving his wand, Hayes hopes to achieve his political objectives. But those same elements or views expressed, some of which I feel close affinity to such as my shared outrage at the Sheffield tree killing, could result in a very different alchemy with radically alternative outputs. 26 For example, Hayes cannot be surprised to learn that paganism has declined worldwide and not just because of enclosure. 27 I am acquainted with a woodland owner, however, who allows a witches’ coven to meet at the base of his ancient Yew. No R2R required. My spirit animal, or sawaldeor, 28 are the deer gracing our woods, who Hayes scared the life out of in The Book of Trespass. 29 Same ingredients, but quite different magic. Losing the plot Writing: shrug | Plot: had potential but was ruined by Antoinette | Ending: oh sweet salvation!!!!! Mama we made it!!!! I am reminded of a story a friend told many moons ago, they were trespassing somewhere around the Ribble estuary and were accosted by an angry landowner. Said landowner was asked how he came to own all his land. The reply “my ancestors fought for it” at which point one of the trespassing birders took off his coat and said” In that case I’ll fight you for it now.”

Grant, Harriet, ‘“We’re a Thorn in Their Side”: The Battle over Green Space in London’s Estates’, The Guardian, 4 November 2022, section Politics < https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/nov/04/battle-over-green-space-london-estates-social-housing> [accessed 4 November 2022] A certain line is snort-out-loud funny because you know the characters so well; you can just picture Detective Conway delivering it. Another scene is creepy because French has built the story up to that moment so well. And I can't quote the whole book to you... so I guess you'll just have to read it! liked Hayes’s reference to planting trees (p. 262), for example, though in my experience volunteers can be found to plant trees but are not so keen on doing other work like coppicing, hay making etc. And I know, dead certain, that the rest of the squad is gonna be on that moment like sharks on chum.” Other than one of the worst FMC I've encountered, this book was WAAAAYYY too long. The fact the audiobook is TWENTY HOURS should be a crime. Too much closed caption writing. Too many monologues. And too slow. It took forever and a day to get to the point, only for things to be wrapped up all easy, breezy in the last 5%. What????? Ugh. If you're looking to something comparable but with tolerable characters, try Sharon Bolton's Lacey Flint series.