Reviewed by Ephantus Gold
“Three Reasons for Revenge” by Dervla McTiernan begins at Melbourne West Police Station, where Detective Sergeant Judith Lee has received a complaint from a psychologist, one Robert Walker, who claims to have been sexually assaulted. On hearing his name, Lee freezes. The complaint is soon followed by a video of him assaulting a patient, which gets sent to his wife, Vanessa Walker, the host of ‘Let’s Talk, Australia.’ She fears that, although it looks like a deepfake to her, an online leak could end her career. As you read on, you learn that Robert resents her and her success, which makes her next move critical. Purchase Here.
Lee finds her bike destroyed- its leather seat and tires slashed, brake lines and wire harness cut in multiple places. More talk follows about other women who might have fallen victim to Walker. But then, Walker gets murdered. With no one left to investigate or prosecute, Lee is left with only one deep conviction- that she might be missing something. The case is not finished; rather, it has been interrupted.
“Three Reasons for Revenge” by Dervla McTiernan begins at Melbourne West Police Station, where Detective Sergeant Judith Lee has received a complaint from a psychologist, one Robert Walker, who claims to have been sexually assaulted. On hearing his name, Lee freezes. The complaint is soon followed by a video of him assaulting a patient, which gets sent to his wife, Vanessa Walker, the host of ‘Let’s Talk, Australia.’ She fears that, although it looks like a deepfake to her, an online leak could end her career. As you read on, you learn that Robert resents her and her success, which makes her next move critical.
Lee finds her bike destroyed- its leather seat and tires slashed, brake lines and wire harness cut in multiple places. More talk follows about other women who might have fallen victim to Walker. But then, Walker gets murdered. With no one left to investigate or prosecute, Lee is left with only one deep conviction- that she might be missing something. The case is not finished; rather, it has been interrupted.
I loved how this story’s tension deepens, especially through a protagonist whose greatest strength was not only in solving but in doubting. I could feel her isolation right in my bones, especially when she was dealing with a complainant who wasn’t fully honest, yet remained desperate for quick action and justice. The author didn’t underline every betrayal or motive; instead, it was up to me to decode the characters’ silences, avoidance of eye contact, and heightened emotions when questioned. For me, this was unique, as were the retaliations, which felt like a minefield of words I couldn’t say.
“Three Reasons for Revenge” is a story that seems to understand what happens to disturbed individuals who seek help but end up getting taken advantage of. McTiernan doesn’t exploit their situation for shock value but to demonstrate how a predator operates. She also understands that employing twists and threatening constant action is the perfect way to build tension. One moment, she brings you a victim, and just as you start growing sympathy towards them, you see their other side. Her pace moves like a master chess player, and her characters breathe through contradictions, leaving the reader with the feeling of being alive beyond the pages. You will notice that she grants them weight instead of long back stories, a weight that makes the choices they make, as well as those they fail to make, land with a punch. This is a greatly rewarding story for fans who prefer deeply layered mysteries and character-driven tension over cheap thrills.