38 pages 1 hour read

Tana French

The Trespasser

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2016

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Important Quotes

Quotation Mark Icon

“In Murder, if you put someone away, anyone else he would’ve killed stays alive. You’re fighting one killer at a time, instead of the whole worst side of human nature, and you can beat one killer.”


(Chapter 1, Page 10)

Conway explains why the Murder Squad is different than other branches of police work. It doesn’t destroy hope because it offers a single achievable goal; they can at least stop one killer. 

Quotation Mark Icon

“The slit-open eyes give her face a sly look, like a kid cheating at hide-and-seek.” 


(Chapter 1, Page 17)

Conway’s first impression of Aislinn is prophetic. Aislinn is playing a “sly” game: To get at McCann, she cheats by manipulating perceptions of who she is. 

Quotation Mark Icon

“Murder isn’t like other squads. When it’s working right, it would take your breath away: it’s precision-cut and savage, lithe and momentous, it’s a big cat leaping full-stretch.”


(Chapter 2, Page 34)

Conway frequently uses a hunting analogy to describe the work she does. She also views herself as a top predator hunting other predators lower down on the food chain.