Brendan O'Connor Crime writer, Tana French - “Women are socialised to think about predators who see us as prey”
Apr 4, 2026
Tana French, award-winning crime novelist known for the Dublin Murder Squad and Cal Hooper books, reflects on a nomadic childhood and decade in theatre shaping her observational craft. She discusses rural Irish life, using murder to reveal community fault lines, themes of youth vulnerability, and how socialisation shapes women's sense of threat.
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Learning Irish By Immersion As A Third Culture Kid
- Tana French describes being a "third culture kid" who moved continents and learned languages by immersion.
- She learned Irish at 14 in summer college by using it in games and conversations, becoming fluent after three weeks.
Third Culture Kids Develop Acute Observational Skills
- Third culture kids form a horizontal culture across countries that makes them highly observant and overrepresented in the arts.
- Constant relocation forces noticing tiny social cues like personal space and tone to avoid communication breakdown.
Code Switching Caused Awkward Hugs
- Tana recounts code-switching from tactile Italian culture to reserved Irish norms and accidental misunderstandings.
- She recalls hugging friends in Italy that were misread in Ireland, forcing her to adapt how she shows friendliness.