The Sunday Review

It’s Sunday, they’re reviews, to wit: “Kerrigan’s third novel [DARK TIMES IN THE CITY] is a tense, believable thriller in which one man has to tackle a near-impossible dilemma … this is not an off-the-shelf American-style blockbuster. It’s a damn sight better … Very satisfying,” says Russell James at Crime Time. They like it over at Waterstone’s Quarterly Review too: “Even those readers seldom impressed by crime thrillers will be blown away by this utterly compelling slice of Dublin noir, written in lean, taut prose, with no wrong turns or stylistic errors … Kerrigan’s the real thing, and this is a tough, smart book that’ll give your adrenal glands a sharp prod.” Very nice indeed … And now a big-up brace for Brian McGilloway: “Already it looks like 2009 is going to be a vintage year for Irish crime fiction ... and now Brian McGilloway further enhances his reputation with BLEED A RIVER DEEP. Devlin is an unusual creation in contemporary crime fiction in that he doesn't come burdened with a dark past and this everyman quality allows for a calm certainty when events threaten to spiral out of control,” says the Evening Herald (no link). The Edinburgh Evening News (no link) agrees: “McGilloway has won acclaim for previous novels featuring Benedict Devlin as their hero and he’s kept the standards high here ... BLEED A RIVER DEEP boasts a well-plotted storyline, which has enough twists and turns to keep the reader enthralled to the final page. A great way to pass a rainy spring day!” Speaking of rain, it’s Galway … “Ken Bruen has amazed me always. With SANCTUARY he has taken Jack Taylor from the streamlined to the sublime. With his understanding of the metered word and thoughtfulness towards all that has come before he gives his reader a Jack Taylor outing like none before,” says the inimitable Ruth Jordan at Crime Spree Magazine (no link). But lo! What news of Declan Hughes’ ALL THE DEAD VOICES? “The narrative works through [Loy] and around him, and sometimes you find yourself waiting for another welcome appearance from one of the more morally suspect characters. But then Loy wouldn’t be Loy if he didn't have a streak of the mundane which we recognise in all of us, and Hughes understands this. In the end, an enjoyable and satisfying read,” says Padraig Kenny in the Sunday Tribune. Back to Waterstone’s Books Quarterly for another Squire Hughes hup-ya: “With his terrific sense of place – it’s a great, gritty vision of Dublin – and convincing characterisation, Hughes goes from strength to strength as a writer. As the tension and suspense build, this tightly crafted novel does not disappoint.” Lovely jubbly … A hop, skip and a jump to Canada for the inside skinny on Andrew Nugent’s latest: “SOUL MURDER has a monkish quality about it: a moral seriousness that is reminiscent of P.D. James at her best. Nugent is not a writer of James’s stature, however, and the characters lack the psychological depth, the prose, the brilliance, the plot with the intricacy of the Baroness’s work. Still, it is a satisfying novel of its kind,” nitpicks Michael Wiggins at the Telegraph Journal … Finally, a brace for one of our early contenders for Book of the Year, Adrian McKinty’s FIFTY GRAND: “An amazing page-turner packed with energy and ferocious writing … The writing just bristles with an energy that left me wanting more. This is a novel that promises a thrill ride — at certain points, you’ll want to take a breather, but you’ll keep on reading instead to see how everything comes out,” says Bruce Grossman at Bookgasm. Last word to Ruth Jordan at Crime Spree Magazine (no link): “McKinty’s gift with the Crime Novel is his ability to both unfold and accelerate the plot at the same time. That he does so with a poet’s heart makes the readability factor even higher … This book is a bottle of Pinot Noir amongst an array of table whites, fuller in body and richer in flavour.” It’s a whole new sub-genre, folks – pinot noir. Cheers, hic …

“They Say The Fucking Smog Is The Fucking Reason You Got Such Beautiful Fucking Sunsets.”

Andrew Nugent is an interesting man, being a crime fic writer and a monk in Glenstal Abbey, and he had something interesting to say while reviewing Brian McGilloway’s BLEED A RIVER DEEP on the Op-Ed pages of the Irish Times during the week. Quoth Brother Nugent:

“I was so surprised at the frequency of the F-word that I began counting from page 168. From that point there were 55 sightings. Whatever about what real people do or do not say, with such glorious resources of vituperation available to us – especially in Irish – why repeat so obsessively these Anglo-Saxon grunts?”

  Now, the problem with insulting someone in Irish – as gaeilge – is that very few people are going to be offended, unless of course it’s the Irish-speaking few you’re trying to offend ...
  As for the Anglo-Saxon grunts – as Brother Nugent points out, this is how real people speak in the real world, particularly when they’re under pressure, which is how characters in crime fiction tend to be, particularly as the end of a novel approaches. So it’s possible to argue that an author who aspires to realism has no choice but to use foul language, and particularly ‘fuck’, that gloriously adaptable noun / verb/ adverb / adjective.
  You could also argue that foul language has its own poetry, and that there’s a rare joy to be had in reading a master of the profane (cf: the post title, courtesy of Ray Barboni, in the movie version of Elmore Leonard’s GET SHORTY).
  You could also say, ‘Fuck it, I just like the word “fuck”.’ Personally, I also like “shite”, “cunt”, “bollocks” and “me arse”.
  As always, I blame the parents …

The Sunday Review

Being a cornucopia of reviews of Irish crime writing wot have popped into my inbox this week. To wit:

Cora Harrison, MICHAELMAS TRIBUTE (Monsters and Critics)

Eoin Colfer, ARTEMIS FOWL AND THE TIME PARADOX (Inquirer.net)

Benjamin Black, THE LEMUR (Sunday Telegraph)

Benjamin Black, THE LEMUR (Courier Mail)

Tana French, THE LIKENESS (Sunday Independent)

Andrew Nugent, SOUL MURDER (Shots Magazine)

Philip Bray, INSIDE MAN (RTE Arts)

Brian McGilloway, BORDERLANDS (Mystery Scene Magazine)

Sam Millar, BLOODSTORM (Mystery Scene Magazine)

Ken Bruen, AMERICAN SKIN; Arlene Hunt, UNDERTOW; Andrew Nugent, SOUL MURDER (Irish Times)

The Sunday Review

Being a cornucopia of reviews of Irish crime writing wot have popped into my inbox this week. To wit:

Andrew Nugent, SOUL MURDER (Monsters and Critics)

Alex Barclay, BLOOD RUNS COLD (The Guardian)

Siobhan Dowd, THE LONDON EYE MYSTERY (Semi-Colon Blog)

Cora Harrison, MICHAELMAS TRIBUTE (Monsters and Critics)

Tana French, The Likeness (Films and Books)

Ken Bruen / Jason Starr, THE MAX (Chicago Tribune)

Eoin Colfer, ARTEMIS FOWL AND THE TIME PARADOX (Evening Herald)

Erm, Have We Had A ‘Dear Genre’ Post Yet This Week?

Kevin Power reviewed the latest Paul Howard novel, MR S AND THE SECRETS OF ANDORRA’S BOX, in the Irish Times yesterday, Paul Howard being the creator of Ross O’Carroll-Kelly, a Falstaffian comic foil that has allowed Howard skewer the pretensions of Celtic Tiger Ireland over the course of nine novels. The gist of Power’s review runneth thusly:

Irish fiction hasn’t kept up with Irish reality. So we get “literary” novels about paedophile priests, novels about the Famine, novels in which farmers walk the fields - but who pops into Starbucks and orders a grande chai latte with soy? During the last decade few novelists have bothered to notice what modern Ireland is actually like. This is terrain that Paul Howard … has made his own, seeing - or, more accurately, hearing - what the Irish really are, in south Dublin anyway … You will search the pages of our more distinguished literary novelists in vain for this kind of thing. When was the last time you read a novelist whose ear for the way some Irish people speak was so acute that he was capable of writing a sentence like “Just going back to what you were saying there about the whole non-national thing”?

  About two weeks ago, actually, when I read Kevin Power’s BAD DAY IN BLACKROCK. Power’s novel deals with the same strata of Irish society as Howard’s, albeit in a more serious vein. While I believe that the culture both men target is so hollow as to defy satire – Howard’s novels are much closer in tone to farce – Power certainly recreated the mini-cosmos with a deft touch, in the process showcasing a sharp ear for dialogue.
  Having said that, you have to wonder why Power ignores novels other than “literary” ones when making his point about fiction not dealing with the ‘real Ireland’. There are many examples of women’s fiction, aka chick lit, nailing the zeitgeist, the best and most popular being Marian Keyes. And, naturally, there are any amount of crime fiction novels that do so too. In 2008 alone we’ve had Declan Hughes’s THE DYING BREED, Tana French’s THE LIKENESS, Brian McGilloway’s GALLOWS LANE, Andrew Nugent’s SOUL MURDER, and Ingrid Black’s CIRCLE OF THE DEAD.
  You can argue in your own time about the literary merits, or otherwise, of those novels, although I’d argue that when it comes to storytelling, language is a tool akin to the sculptor’s chisel or the filmmaker’s camera – in other words, it needs to be first and foremost functional before it can start claiming any other virtues. The point being, there are plenty of novels relevant to the ‘real Ireland’ – there are novels due from Gene Kerrigan, Christy Kenneally, Declan Hughes and Tana French next year – that are being written with an ear for who we are now and where we are going.
  This is not to damn “literary” novels for not engaging with modern Ireland; a little birdie, for example, tells me that Gerard Donovan, for one, is currently at work on ‘a novel of crimes’, while David Park’s THE TRUTH COMMISSIONER, published earlier this year, is a powerful work about the post-Troubles political landscape in Northern Ireland. But why is it that only “literary” novels are accorded sufficient weight and credibility when it comes to recording the authentic experience of what is ‘real’ about the way we live?

The Best Things In Life Are Free … Books

Another week, another giveaway, and this time your generous benefactors are the good folk at Hachette Ireland, who are offering three copies of Andrew Nugent’s latest novel, SOUL MURDER. First the blurb elves:

When a house master is found dead at a leading boys’ boarding school in Ireland, Superintendent Denis Lennon and Sergeant Molly Power of the Irish Police Force struggle to uncover any probable motive for this brutal killing. Perhaps it was a bungled kidnapping attempt? Or a revenge attack? Or simple robbery but with extreme malice? But when the existence of a letter from an old boy is discovered, their investigation becomes much more complicated. Something very sinister has provoked this violent bloodshed and, with so much at stake, will the killer stop at one murder?

  Erm, probably not. To be in with a chance of winning a copy of SOUL MURDER, just answer the following question.

Is the appropriate way to address a Benedictine monk:
(a) Brother;
(b) Father;
(c) Your Monkness;
(d) With a valid stamp on the top-right corner.

  Answers via the comment box please, leaving an email contact with an (at) rather than @ to confuse the spam-munchkins, before noon on Wednesday, October 22. Et bon chance, mes amis …

Andrew Nugent: Soul Brother

Our favourite crime-writing monk is back-back-back, folks. Andrew Nugent’s SOUL MURDER hits a shelf near you on October 2nd, with the blurb elves wittering thusly:

A riveting crime novel by Irish Benedictine Monk Andrew Nugent, which explores the terrible darkness in our souls. When a house master is found dead at a leading boys’ boarding school in Ireland, Superintendent Denis Lennon and Sergeant Molly Power of the Irish Police Force struggle to uncover any probable motive for this brutal killing. Perhaps it was a bungled kidnapping attempt? Or a revenge attack? Or simple robbery but with extreme malice? But when the existence of a letter from an old boy is discovered, their investigation becomes much more complicated. Something very sinister has provoked this violent bloodshed and, with so much at stake, will the killer stop at one murder?

  Our guess is no. SOUL MURDER is Nugent’s third offering, with the general gist of the verdict on THE FOUR COURTS MURDER and SECOND BURIAL running thusly:

‘An erudite, witty and altogether delightful debut, full of characters laced with eccentricity and Irish charm’ – Kirkus Reviews (starred)

‘It would take an iron will not to find oneself swept along by the pace at which the story is told’ – The Irish Times

‘Excellent ... Nugent deploys all the intellect and linguistic brilliance required of his former profession, coupled with the deep humour, understanding and genuine interest in his fellow human beings essential to his vocation’ – The Guardian

  Come on, admit it – aren’t you just the teensiest bit intrigued as to how a Benedictine monk would go about writing crime fiction?

Crime And Publishment

A Minister for Propaganda Elf writes: “The Sunday Independent carried a feature on Irish crime fiction yesterday, in which Anne-Marie Scanlon investigated the reasons for ‘the emergence and rapid growth of home-grown Irish crime fiction’. Being bloody-minded about such things, the Grand Viz would have it known that the piece – which highlights the authenticity of Irish crime writing, and the black humour inherent therein – does not mention Gene Kerrigan, purveyor of the most grittily realistic Irish crime fiction, nor Ruth Dudley Edwards (right), recent winner of the Last Laugh Award at Bristol’s Crime Fest, two very fine authors who are also exceptional journos who happen to write for the Sunday Indo. A self-deprecating Sindo? Shurely shome mishtake. Anyhoo, on with the show …”

Plenty Of Loot In Crime And Publishing

As George Gordon Liddy once said, “obviously crime pays, or there’d be no crime,” and as an ex-Nixon aide, he’d know. In the past decade, Ireland has experienced a wave of unprecedented affluence and, with that, a major explosion in crime. Aside from the obvious side effect of an increase in criminality, Ireland has, in the past 10 years, experienced another – the emergence and rapid growth of home grown Irish crime fiction.
  Declan Hughes, whose first book, THE WRONG KIND OF BLOOD, appeared in 2004, sees a definite correlation between prosperity and the emergence of Irish crime fiction, but thinks the genre goes beyond the mere detailing of a society in catharsis.
  “Crime novels provide a flexible format to deal with society as it is and the way we live now. Crime novelists can tackle how society works, as well as what occurs in the human heart,” he says.
  Hughes’ sentiments are echoed by Tana French whose first novel, IN THE WOODS, published last year won the highly prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar for best first novel.
  “Crime and crime fiction are two of the best barometers of any society,” French says. “A crime novel will give you a clear snapshot of the priorities and deepest fears of a society at that given moment.”
  French cites the glut of serial killer novels published on the opposite side of the Atlantic during the late-Eighties and Nineties as an example of how crime fiction mirrors the real world.
  “American society at that time was becoming more and more anonymous,” she explains, “people were frightened by the anonymity of modern life, of not knowing who the person beside you really is. During that same period in Ireland, the murder rate was pretty low, and when a murder did occur, it was generally pretty obvious who the culprit was.”
  Paradoxically most crime fiction is extremely moral, and while (to paraphrase Oscar Wilde) the good might not always end happily, the bad usually finish unhappily. It is these themes that drew international bestseller and Godfather of Irish crime fiction, John Connolly, to the genre in the first place.
  “I wanted to write about justice, morality and redemption, themes which run through crime fiction like writing through a stick of rock,” he says.
  All three writers agree that the phenomenon of the Celtic Tiger and the subsequent transformation of Irish society has contributed greatly to the corresponding output of crime fiction. “The Celtic Tiger smashed into this country at 100mph,” French says, “we still haven’t assimilated it; we’re still trying to reconcile the past and present.”   The sins of the past feature prominently in French’s first book and are a consistent theme in all three of Declan Hughes’ novels.
  “Ireland used to be a place where ‘whatever you say, say nothing’.” Hughes explains. People didn’t ask questions and “there were plenty of skeletons in the closet, but in the past 10 years, those skeletons have started walking.”
  Hughes’ third novel, THE DYING BREED, which came out in May of this year, explores these themes, as well as examining the clash between “New Ireland” and the past.
  In THE LIKENESS, the second novel by Tana French, the young inhabitants of the “Big House” are shunned by the local community because of things that happened almost a century earlier. In MISSING PRESUMED DEAD, by Arlene Hunt, the past returns in the shape of a woman who was abducted 26 years earlier (and presumed dead.) The theme of the past and present struggling to coexist is also at work in Andrew Nugent‘s SECOND BURIAL, which deals with the murder of a young Nigerian immigrant and the effect this has on his community.
  “Logically,” Nugent says, “you would think an increase in affluence would lead to a decrease in crime, whereas the reverse is true.”
  Money, while both funding the boom and the parallel rise in crime is also, Hughes thinks, the catalyst that enabled people to speak out and enquire about things covered up in the past.
  Although he gives the ongoing tribunals, the Magdalene laundries and the industrial school system as examples of the “murkier secrets” of pre-Celtic Tiger Ireland, he makes the point that the emergence of secrets and confronting the past are universal themes and not wholly unique to Ireland, which no doubt contributes to the increasing sales of Irish crime fiction abroad.
  Hughes goes on to say that the poor economy and lack of money in society was only one aspect inhibiting Irish writers from tackling crime fiction.
  “The Troubles were a contributing factor in hindering the development of the genre,” he says, adding that, in a violent society where there is a lot of killing (as opposed to individual murders) crime fiction is not much of a diversion. John Connolly shares this opinion. “What was happening then (terrorism) was so appalling nobody wanted to write about it.”
  Connolly sees a bright future ahead for Irish crime fiction, saying that, while a lot of modern crime fiction adheres to conventional formats and constructs, this isn’t the case with Irish crime writing, where “interesting things are happening. The great hunt in British publishing is to find the Irish Ian Rankin,” he says, referring to the highly successful Scottish author who created the best-selling Inspector Rebus series.
  Rankin was at the forefront of the boom in Scottish crime writing (known as Tartan Noir) which began in the late-Eighties. Connolly thinks there is a definite similarity between Tartan Noir and what began in Ireland a decade ago.
  “Social changes were occurring in Scotland at that time and society was being transformed,” he says, adding that the Scots are “grittier.”
  Arlene Hunt thinks part of the appeal of Irish crime writing is its realism. “People can relate to the characters,” Hunt says. “It’s not just about escapism; they like to hear the spoken word and the different accents and not just read about glamorous characters gambling in casinos in the south of France.”
  There is almost always an underlying thread of humour in Irish crime novels. In Declan Hughes’ THE DYING BREED, “Tommy Owens greeted me with a shake of the head and a look of appalled fascination, as if to say he’d seen some gobshites in his time, but I could be their king”. And a character in Tana French’s THE LIKENESS says of his stepmother, “she’s a dreadful woman, you know ... Everything about her is pure faultless middle-class -- the accent, the clothes, the hair, the china patterns -- it’s as if she ordered herself from a catalogue”. Like the other authors, Arlene Hunt sees the consequences of the Celtic Tiger boom reflected in current crime writing. Neither does Hunt desire to turn back the clock. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing that we’re a more aware, fast-moving, youthful sort of nation,” she says. “I remember the Eighties, when people had to emigrate because there was no work and no money.”
  John Connolly agrees. “People forget how grim Dublin was in the Seventies and Eighties,” he says. “There’s a lot of false nostalgia. I’m happier to see people working than not working.” Given the increasing popularity of Irish crime fiction, there’s certainly more than enough work for the authors who are busy making crime pay. – Anne Marie Scanlon

This article was first published in the Sunday Independent

The Monday Review

It’s Monday, they’re reviews, to wit: “The whole setup of this novel reminded me immediately of Raymond Chandler’s first novel … Hughes seems bent on doing the same thing for Dublin that Ross MacDonald did for the Los Angeles area. Hughes twists and turns his characters and events so much that even a close reader has to stay on his toes in order to keep that. And the writing is packed with detail, emotion, and history. This is a gifted storyteller at work,” says Mel Odom at Blog Critics of THE COLOUR OF BLOOD. Meanwhile, is this the first review of THE PRICE OF BLOOD? “In his third appearance (see THE COLOR OF BLOOD and THE WRONG KIND OF BLOOD) Loy does what he does best: gets tattered and threatened but keeps on ticking. The story line is fast-paced … and though filled with neat twists never slows down until the final altercation … Private investigative fans will enjoy Declan Hughes’ strong Irish mystery,” says Harriet Klausner at Genre Go-Round Reviews … Derek Landy’s SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT gets the hup-ya from Jerry Jarrell at Lithography 101: “Fans of Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series or anyone who likes a dash of violence and danger served up with magical humour will enjoy this book.” Lovely … “A well thought-out plot with interesting twists, engaging characters, and a likeable protagonist have been the hallmarks of Paul Charles’ previous novels. The author has received stellar reviews from the British press for good reason,” says Bob Walch at I Love A Mystery of THE DUST OF DEATH … Crimefic at It’s A Crime! likes Andrew Nugent’s SECOND BURIAL: “He creates strong believable characters and a plot to keep you guessing. The circumstances of Shad’s death are so heart-breaking you are compelled to read on … This novel offers something different in the genre and excellently so.” Harriet Klausner was a busy bee this week. Here she reviews Ken Bruen’s AMERICAN SKIN in the Mystery Gazette: “Violence may be as American as cherry pie, but Mr. Bruen takes murder and mayhem to caricature levels in this fun tale.” Amy at The It Blog likes Benny Blanco’s CHRISTINE FALLS: “This was a pretty good mystery from Irish writer John Banville … I almost feel like this could be considered just general fiction.” Meanwhile, Emer O’Kelly in the Sunday Independent gives THE SILVER SWAN the big-up: “The book is in some ways a sordid read in its creeping credibility; there is an angry stench of corruption from its pages because Benjamin Black is as much a master describing the life of the criminal gutter as John Banville is of the metaphysical exploration of human relationships.” Here’s posh – Brian McGilloway’s BORDERLANDS was reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement. “This is a well-written crime novel ... If this indeed, as seems the case, the first in a series, then the ending leaves plenty of scope for development and much to look forward to in future books,” says Karen Latimer … Writing in The Times, Alyson Rudd liked Tana French’s IN THE WOODS: “Even frustrated readers praised French’s style and dialogue. She writes with spark, wit and pace … it pulls you in with a mixture of ghostly reminiscence and the gory present.” The late, lamented Siobhan Dowd’s latest, BOG CHILD, got a very positive review in the Sunday Independent: “This important, challenging and powerful book will grip any mature teenage or adult reader,” says Sarah Webb. Finally, the Florida wing of Irish crime fiction, Michael Haskins, has been wallowing in some pretty strong big-ups for his debut CHASIN’ THE WIND this week, to wit: “Haskins weaves a political conspiracy plot to equal Grisham or Ludlum, and then pumps it with patriotism, camaraderie and a touch of romance,” says Jackie Houchin in the American Chronicle, while the ubiquitous Harriet Klausner was equally impressed at Genre Go-Round Reviews: “CHASIN’ THE WIND is an engaging crime thriller that will have readers (with the exception of those who still expect to find the WMDs) rethinking the relationship with Cuba … an offbeat, entertaining thriller.” Wot? There were no WMDs? Sheesh, how come we’re always the last to know?

Irish Crime Fiction, Eh? Now That Is A Novel Idea …

John Spain, literary editor at the Irish Independent, lamented the State of the Irish Novel back at the end of December, the gist of his piece running thusly:

“In that sense 2007 was another year in Irish fiction when not much emerged that was new or engaged with Celtic Tiger Ireland … It was more of the same misery, sexual unhappiness and navel-gazing. Isn’t it time our best writers got over themselves and started to tackle the Ireland of today? […] Non-fiction writers like historian Roy Foster and economist David McWilliams have been trying to capture the changes of the last 20 or 30 years in their most recent books. But so far our fiction writers – even the gifted [Anne] Enright – have dodged the challenge. It’s time to move on, guys.”

Erm, John? You might want to try, in no particular order, Gene Kerrigan, Ken Bruen, Tana French, Declan Hughes, Brian McGilloway, Andrew Nugent, Ingrid Black, Sean Moncrieff, Mia Gallagher … Actually, it’s a pretty long list of diverse stories and storytellers, with a common theme being that they’re all investigating what makes the Ireland of today tick. Just thought we’d mention it …

The Monday Review

It’s Monday, they’re reviews, to wit: “It’s possible that Banville is the best writer at work in the genre at the moment, in terms of artfulness at least. His prose is simply brilliant, gorgeous and evocative and poetic. The sentences he writes stun, the descriptions of the people and the city seem lovingly penned,” says Fiona Walker of Benny Blanco's THE SILVER SWAN over at Euro Crime. “Grubby, creepy, sexy and dark, THE SILVER SWAN marks John Banville’s arrival as an unlikely new voice on the crime scene, rather than a snooty one-off visitor slumming it,” reckons Claire Sutherland at Perth Now. Over at the Daily Telegraph, Susanna Yager agrees: “Benjamin Black, John Banville’s crime alter ego, has followed up the acclaimed CHRISTINE FALLS with THE SILVER SWAN, another beautifully written but bleak tale featuring the melancholy pathologist, Quirke.” As does Joanna Hines at Time Out: “Black / Banville is unable to suppress his delight in observation and description, the need to stay and explore the endless present moment, and that is both the glory and the downfall of this valiant effort to fit in with a particular genre … This novel will probably appeal more to Banville’s existing fans than to anyone expecting the undemanding promise held out by crime fiction.” Hmm, snooty. No such quibbles from Jake Kerridge, also at the Daily Telegraph: “If CHRISTINE FALLS was an angrier book, [THE SILVER SWAN] is sadder. Black ensures that the familiar satisfactions of unravelling a mystery plot lead us to a very unsatisfying fact: that despicable crimes stem as easily from the most humdrum emotions of ordinary people as from the machinations of the power-hungry.” Meanwhile, here’s a late one for CHRISTINE FALLS: “A stylish, atmospheric thriller that is both beautifully written and solidly plotted … this elegantly crafted book with its haunting story is deeply satisfying,” raves Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, via Mystery Books Reviews. Onward to Claire Kilroy’s most recent offering: “TENDERWIRE is a carefully-balanced book, constructed with as much skill and precision as the instrument at the centre of it, and as haunting as the strains of its music,” says Hags, Harlots and Heroines, via Faye L. Booth … They’re still tumbling in for IN THE WOODS, to wit: “Just finished IN THE WOODS by Tana French and loved it. A great atmospheric mystery ...” says Janey at Book Crossing. “Brilliant! I enjoyed this book more than any I have read for quite a while. It is very well written and the story builds up beautifully. An astonishing first novel. It is very atmospheric and weaves a web of intrigue. The characters are believable and the whole book is excellent,” reckons one of the Bailiff Bridge Library Crime Readers’ Group. Oline H. Cogdill at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel includes IN THE WOODS in her ‘Best of 2007 debuts’ round-up: “An intelligent, atmospheric thriller blends the gothic novel with the modern mystery.” Spookily, the Baltimore Sun agrees virtually word-for-word: “Beautifully written, this intelligent thriller is laden with an atmosphere that blends shades of the gothic novel with the modern mystery.” On to Ronan Bennett’s latest: “ZUGZWANG is a novel worth a few days of your time, and if you love the game of chess, you won’t be able to get enough of this text that profiles the somewhat bizarre traits of a few well known chess players,” says iGoChess. There’s a double whammy for Andrew Nugent from Jill at Murder By The Book: “THE FOUR COURTS MURDER is written in the wry, elegant style of Cyril Hare and Edmund Crispin; SECOND BURIAL FOR A BLACK PRINCE is a more serious and affecting work, exploring the murder of a member of London’s Nigerian community with sensitivity, power, and astonishing insights into a little-known culture.” Mmm, lovely … LitMs at the Stinging Fly discussion board likes Mia Gallagher’s HELLFIRE quite a lot, to wit: “An amazing book – from its sprawling dark mythology to its spot-on Dublin skanger speak. A vivid, audacious, messy masterpiece … a brave and rare achievement.” Finally, Gerard Donovan’s JULIUS WINSOME is still generating raves, and from all points on the globe. First to the Caribbean: “The writing is sparse yet superb. The characters are heavy yet approachable. The story is quick yet involved. The result is an enthralling expose on the fall of an ostensibly normal man who is doomed by his inability to allow emotions or morality to impact fundamental decisions,” says a reader’s review at ttgapers, while Brienne Burnett, at The Program in Oz, is also impressed: “As a novel JULIUS WINSOME is constructed and written extremely well, with each chapter journeying you through Julius’s mental states which alternate from grief to anger to detached madness … The story ends like it begins, mysterious and quaint. It really is a lovely piece of writing.” It most certainly is that, ma’am …

The Monday Review

Benny Blanco from the Bronx, aka Benjamin Black, aka John Banville, is still getting hup-yas for CHRISTINE FALLS even as THE SILVER SWAN hits the shelves. Quoth Nick Rennison in the Sunday Times: “Readers who found [THE SEA] suffocatingly pretentious will be pleased to learn that his new venture, set in a claustrophobic 1950s Dublin awash with rank secrets, is a breath of fresh air by comparison … What unfolds is a potently involving and deftly evolving intrigue … A dark pleasure.” Meanwhile, reviewing THE SILVER SWAN for the Irish Times, Ruth Dudley Edwards can hardly contain herself: “Black has produced two highly intelligent, disconcerting, unpredictable and beautifully written page-turners which tell us a great deal about our past and address serious moral issues. In a sane literary world THE SILVER SWAN would be considered for another Booker prize …” Cripes! Speaking of prizes, Eoin Colfer has just been long-listed for the Carnegie Prize … “I enjoyed reading ARTEMIS FOWL AND THE LOST COLONY. This is my favourite book of the series. Eoin Colfer, the author, constantly surprises the reader more than any of his other books that I’ve read,” reckons Squid at BookWorld … Over at Reviewing the Evidence, Sharon Wheeler kinda likes Ingrid Black’s latest, THE JUDAS HEART: “On the whole … Black has written a fluent page-turner which is strong on atmosphere, sound on plotting and somewhat lacking in characterisation.” Anna North, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, is much more impressed by Ronan Bennett’s latest, to wit: “The novel becomes a noirish page-turner, complete with shifting allegiances and executions in dark alleyways … ZUGZWANG does not merely offer pleasures both high and low – it erases the distinction. The novel is exciting not despite but because of the moral seriousness of its situations. Bennett’s premise may not be unique, but his talent is, and writers of slicker thrillers would do well to take his work as a lesson in the titillation of the mind.” Sweet. Is it time yet for the inevitable John Connolly big-up? Yes it is, starting with our ol’ buddy Bob the Wordless: “Awesome book. Connolly’s Charlie Parker novels are superb noir. If you like a little bit of horror with your noir, read any of his books … Dark, suspenseful, disturbing, lyrical, emotional. That’s all you need to know about his latest Charlie Parker book, THE UNQUIET. Get it. Highly, highly recommended.” Thank you, sir. Duran Duran fan Write Out, over at I’ll Cross That Bridge When I Find It, concurs: “This was a great, great read. Connolly is a lyrical writer who knows how to pace his story for maximum effect. I highly recommend this author’s stuff, and not just his Parker stories.” Huzzah! Onwards to Andrew Nugent’s latest, courtesy of Jill Hinckley at Murder By The Book: “SECOND BURIAL is a … serious and affecting work, exploring the murder of a member of London's Nigerian community with sensitivity and power. The characters are unforgettable, the insight into a little-known culture astonishing, and the plot development intense and sometimes terrifying or heart-breaking.” They’re still coming in for Paul Charles’ new series, to wit: “It is all presented in a style that’s restrained and slightly old-fashioned. And humane too. Altogether THE DUST OF DEATH is a relief from the in-your-face descriptions of post-mortems and ingenious sadism which is standard fare in plenty of current US and UK crime fiction. The book also conveys a great sense of place. Not quite a cosy but definitely not gritty (despite that crucifixion), THE DUST OF DEATH may not be to everyone’s taste but I suspect that Starrett and co may pick up quite a following after this quirky, individual opening,” says Philip Gooden at Shots Mag … Pithy Review of the Week goes to Henderson at BookCrossing, casting his eye over AMMUNITION: “Third book by [Ken] Bruen I have read, this is the second one that I read in one day (nine stars).” Finally, Tana French’s IN THE WOODS is still jazzing ’em. “A mystery with complex, interesting characters and wonderfully written prose … The characters and their relationships are intricate and plot is well written – a good mystery!” reckons Judi at the Manhattan Public Library, while Maxine Clarke at Euro Crime weighs in with, “Although long, IN THE WOODS is a cracking read. I have often read the word “unputdownable” to describe a book, but in this case it is true … the villain is easy for the seasoned reader to identify, but even so this does not matter, as the way in which the case is solved is chillingly suspenseful, and the writing style superb.” Thank you kindly, ma’am …

Nobody Move, This Is A Review: SECOND BURIAL by Andrew Nugent

SECOND BURIAL, Andrew Nugent’s second novel, follows the murder investigation of Shadrack Okafor, a young Nigerian restaurant owner in Dublin. Shad is found, alive, in the Dublin Mountains – his leg has been crudely amputated and his body dumped in a ditch. Somehow managing to crawl to a nearby house, Shad dies in hospital, with Molly Power from the Murder Squad by his bedside. She and her partner Jim Quilligan try to make sense of the death – was it an intra-African murder, a racially motivated attack, or even a gangland killing? While Molly and Jim interview Dublin’s immigrant community around ‘Little Africa’ on Parnell Street, they even briefly travel to Nigeria in search of answers, a move which offers an insightful juxtaposition of both countries and cultures. Meanwhile, Shad’s brother Jude is five steps ahead of them, ready to avenge his brother’s death. The plot is tautly strung from end to end - it begins with a death and ends with a death; but Nugent also unravels a fascinating story along the way, whilst also providing a meticulously researched snapshot of the African experience in Dublin. The narrative is rich in cultural details and anecdotes, right down to the speech rhythms and patterns of Nigerian English, which are superbly rendered. Although the ‘whodunit’ element of the novel doesn’t offer many options, the finely wrought tension and engaging cast of characters more than makes up for the ending’s slight predictability. – Claire Coughlan

Crime Spraoi

Crikey! Has Irish crime fiction finally gone mainstream? There was a smashing piece in the Sunday Tribune, brilliantly titled ‘Crime Spraoi’, on the new breed of Irish crime writers, with the gist of the piece running thusly:

It seems we now have writers who have successfully absorbed the lessons of the past masters, and deployed them with an almost clinical skill in response to a society which is rapidly transforming. If anything, the detective novel or thriller is becoming a more accurate measure of what Irish society is now like than any other genre …

Hooray! The grubbikins have landed! The piece name-checks Tana French, Declan Hughes (above right, and Shamus-winner last weekend for Best First Novel), Paul Charles, Arlene Hunt and particularly the Irish crime-writing monk, Andrew Nugent, to wit:

In his latest novel, Second Burial, Andrew Nugent investigates the murder of the owner of a Nigerian restaurant in inner city Dublin, and the effect this has on the victim’s younger brother. Yet uniquely among the current group of crime fiction writers, Nugent is not directly influenced by past masters. Like Tana French, he cites Donna Tartt’s The Secret History as a seminal text, but that’s where the similarity ends. Instead Nugent claims his work as a theologian has had greater impact. Regarding his most recent spiritual book he claims that, “It comes from the same place within myself as the murder mysteries. They’re just two sides of the same coin, being as they are about the growth and development of people.” He is representative of a refreshing distinctiveness in a group of stylistically diverse writers.

Lumme! Crime writing is the new spirituality? That’s an acceptance too far, wethinks. Still, two thumbs up to the Trib for giving Irish crime writing some oxygen, albeit with two little caveats. Firstly, where the hell is Brian McGilloway? Is it ’cos he’s a Nordie? Secondly, on the very weekend the article was published, a certain Ken Bruen (left) was claiming his second Shamus, and a Barry to boot, at the Alaska Bouchercon. Did the Godfather of Modern Irish crime writing get a mention in the Trib piece? Erm, no. Seriously, there are days when we think we’ve only imagined Ken Bruen …

The Monday Review

The late, lamented Siobhan Dowd may be gone but she is by no means forgotten. “Dowd’s prose is simple, yet masterful, and her sense of humour jumps off the page. The tension is kept high throughout the story and the reader is left guessing until the very last … A must-read for fans of the traditional mystery genre!” reckon the folks at the MS Readathon of The London Eye Mystery … “Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony is a good story. Artemis is redeemed, but still a saucy adolescent who is just feeling the effects of puberty. He’s also learning about senses of humour … I enjoyed the Lost Colony before bed, by the pool and on the bus,” says Miss Kate of Eoin Colfer’s latest … Yet more big-ups for Derek Landy’s Skulduggery Pleasant, this time from Joon Scribble at Live Journal: “The story breezes through and while danger is afoot, it’s never high enough to make you feel actually worried. But it’s a nice, fast read and I grew to like the characters enough so that even if I didn’t get too involved in their actual story, I did want to read about them.” … Delving into Crime Spree’s back issues, Judy Clemens is impressed by Andrew Nugent’s Second Burial, to wit:“(T)his beautifully written book … Nugent’s knowledge of the African community in Ireland is written into this book in an interesting and engrossing way, and by the end of the book I felt I learned something completely new … I am so glad to have discovered Nugent – to me a new author – and will certainly be looking up more of his work.” … The Irish Emigrant makes Ingrid Black’s The Judas Heart its Book of the Week, concluding: “As with all rewarding crime stories, this is a book that requires concentration to keep abreast of the twists and turns of the plot, twists and turns which reflect the distorted thinking of a number of the characters. The third in a series featuring agent Saxon, it manages to keep the suspense alive until the very last pages.” … The inevitable John Connolly review is a Crime Spree magazine double-whammy. In Issue 14, Ruth Jordan declares that, “The Book of Lost Things is a wonderful moment in literature. It’s not a mystery. It’s a fairytale for adults. And children. Every sentence wraps its heart around anyone who loves words. The protagonist himself loves words and therefore has an open imagination. The writer? He’s operating upon another level.” Pat Frovarp takes up the baton in Issue 15, to wit: “David’s experience in this monster-filled other-world is brought to life by Connolly’s unique imagination as it carries the reader along a wickedly clever path that will keep you turning the pages. The Book of Lost Things is certainly a departure for Mr. Connolly, but a story so entrancing that one ought not to pass it by.” We couldn’t agree more … “Christine Falls, despite an ultimately less-than-believable resolution, is a delight in itself, and it’s also a promising experiment. The book fuels the best kind of suspense, not just about Quirke’s future adventures but about the effects of the crafty Benjamin Black on John Banville’s art,” says Gideon Lewis-Kraus at The Slate … “I read until my eyes ached, rested a bit and went back to finish this amazing book. Michael Collins lays the American lifestyle out there for our examination in a “can’t put it down” tale that most of us can relate to,” says Nancy, via Powell’s Books, of Death of a Writer, aka The Secret Life of Robert E. Pendleton … Back to Crime Spree magazine, and a major hup-ya from Jon Jordan for Adrian McKinty in Issue 18, to wit: “Adrian McKinty has garnered nothing but praise for his first two books. This third in the trilogy, The Bloomsday Dead, should leave no doubt that he is a true star. Fast moving and highly engaging, this is a great book. McKinty just gets better and better, a true star of crime fiction.” Finally, a timely boost for Cora Harrison in the week in which My Lady Judge is published in the US, delivered by Dave Biemann of Mystery One Bookstore: “Cora Harrison writes with an easy grace. The relationships between her characters reminds one, very much, of Ellis Peters and her Brother Cadfael … Fans of the traditional mystery, Irish history, off-stage violence, subtle romance and a well paced and plotted read should thoroughly enjoy My Lady Judge.” The Judge judged, eh? Oooh, the humanity, etc.

The Monday Review: Yet More Hup-Ya Frippery From The Interweb Margins

Good vibes for Eoin McNamee’s 12:23 this week, to wit: “Although McNamee’s in-between of fact and fiction is blurred – with some characters from real life, some fiction and others hard to tell – its blend is part of its skill, and the novel is more than just an entertainment using the princess’s death as a point of commercial departure. In keeping with McNamee’s previous explorations of the unaccountable worlds of secret intelligence, it offers a serious meditation on the nature of conspiracy,” says Chris Petit at The Guardian … They’re inclined to agree at Reading Matters: “Despite the roller-coaster of emotions that this book delivers, this is not an easy read. It’s written in the cold, emotionally distant manner of a spy thriller, employing language that is clipped, dry and very sparse … But McNamee has a way with words and is able, through just a handful of phrases, to evoke all manner of dark emotion.” Meanwhile, Tom Adair of The Scotsman comes over all historical: “The text of his story is flawlessly polished, you can’t see the join between documentary and invention, though some of the spooks are reminiscent of Graham Greene’s finest early creations.” Lovely stuff … “I am not the first to remark on the importance of plot in Glenn Meade’s books, and The Devil’s Disciple could not carry on at the speed and length it does if was not tightly plotted, and if every character did not have surprising secret or at least was capable of being suspected of having some surprising secret,” reckons LJ Hurst at Shotsmag … But stay! T’would appear Critical Mick has allowed a shaft of sunlight into his deep, dark dungeon of Critical Mickism, to wit: “[Andrew] Nugent’s narrative was told in a good-humoured, hopeful, and sincere voice that gradually charmed even my cranky heart. By its conclusion, The Four Courts Murder had won me over, snakes and bell-ropes and all. How could I, of all people, forget: the one rule is that there are no rules, it is whatever an author can make work.” From the monk to the priest: Publisher’s Weekly is impressed with Andrew M. Greeley’s latest Blackie Ryan outing, The Bishop at the Lake: “A few chapters … jar, but strong character development, snappy dialogue and a multilayered plot make this one of the better entries in the series,” quibble they via Amazon US … The Library Journal of Review likes Gerard Donovan’s Julius Winsome: “This novel of great emotional impact is enthusiastically recommended,” they say rather tersely via Powell’s Books, where you’ll also find Mr and Mrs Kirkus offering a glowing report thusly: “Donovan’s command of language is astonishingly precise, eerily reflecting Julius’s disarmingly mild-mannered pathology as it ascribes no more importance to the cold-blooded shooting of a hunter than to going into town for groceries. Finely tooled outsider fiction, as chilling as it is ultimately humane.” Which is nice … “The New Heroes must remain the superhero series of choice for the sophisticated young reader, bringing many disparate and literary elements to the much-maligned and often ill-served genre,” says Write Away of Michael Carroll’s latest, Absolute Power … Love Reading loved reading Declan Hughes’ The Wrong Kind of Blood, to wit: “A great new voice in the thriller genre, gripping and authentic, and even when you get close to figuring out ‘who’ you have to read to the end to understand ‘why’. Ed Loy is the central character and we can’t wait for the next in the series – make sure you don’t miss out.” Message received and understood, folks … “His most visceral, satisfying effort yet …[Adrian] McKinty writes masterful action scenes and he whips up a frenzy as the bullets begin to fly,” says Publishers Weekly of The Bloomsday Dead over here … Finally, some Ken Bruen / Ammunition hup-yas to start the week off in traditional pirate fashion: “This reviewer’s reaction to the novel is ambivalent. The writing is interesting, characterizations poignant. Yet the story is confusing, except for the main theme of the shooting and Brant’s reaction to it … the other players and their stories are less meaningful, and, more important, perplexing, at least to me,” reckons the comma-crazy Theodore, Feit, at, Films and Books … Happily, Book Reporter was a little less baffled: “Like McBain, [Bruen] can make you laugh at human foibles and absurdity one moment and then bring you right back into the random terror of modern life the next … Bruen is a master of noir, taking that very American genre and putting a unique Irish twist on it. Books like Ammunition are quick, fun reads, excursions to the dark side of the street. If you haven’t read them, then search out the entire series.” And, so, say, all, of, us – except, Theodore, Feit, obviously …

Free Books? God Bless You, Andrew Nugent

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but you could always read to distract yourself from that rumbling tummy. Yep, it’s a Crime Always Pays giveaway courtesy of the lovely, lovely people at Hodder Headline, who are stumping up three copies of Andrew Nugent’s (right) Second Burial, which gets a paperback release on August 23. First, the blurb elves:

“Sergeant Molly Power of the Irish Police Force Murder Squad is on duty when the call comes in. A young African man, Shad, has been attacked and left for dead on the Dublin Mountains. He crawls to the nearest house and raises the alarm, but he dies later in hospital. Shad’s injuries are strange and deeply disturbing. Was he the victim of a racist attack, sadism, a punishment, or some mysterious sacrificial ritual? Inspector Quilligan and Molly Power launch a murder investigation like none they have ever experienced before.”

Oooh, spooky. To be one of three lucky readers who get their hands on a gratis paperback copy of Second Burial ahead of the sweaty posse, just answer the all-important question: What is the title of Andrew Nugent’s debut novel? Vote early and often, people, via dbrodb(at)gmail.com, putting 'Andrew Nugent free books' in the subject line. Oh, and don’t forget to leave an address where we can send the book. The closing date is Friday, August 3.

“Ya Wanna Do It Here Or Down The Station, Punk?” # 247: Andrew Nugent

Yep, it’s rubber-hose time, folks: a rapid-fire Q&A for those shifty-looking usual suspects ...
What crime novel would you most like to have written?
The Secret History by Donna Tartt.
Who do you read for guilty pleasures?
Bill Bryson. He is so politically incorrect.
Most satisfying writing moment?
When I have tried up to twenty times - and it suddenly clicks: I just know I have got it right.
The best Irish crime novel is …?
My guilty secret: I don’t read much crime – so I don’t really know.
What Irish crime novel would make a great movie?
Ditto.
Worst / best thing about being a writer?
Worst thing: It is bloody hard work. Best thing: You are present to yourself in a new and deeper way.
Why does John Banville use a pseudonym for writing crime?
It must be because he regards it as “guilty pleasure”.
The three best words to describe your own writing are …?
Good-humoured, hopeful, sincere.

Andrew Nugent’s Second Burial goes into paperback in August.

Free Books? No Best, There Is None …

So there we were, toddling along and more or less minding our own business, when we received a very nice mail from one Peter McNulty at Hodder Headline Ireland offering to put us in touch with authors such as Tana French, John Connolly, Arlene Hunt, Declan Hughes and Andrew Nugent, the fruits of which last you see in the Q&A above. Not only that, Peter offered copies of the authors’ books – and being greedy little elves, we took ’em all! Which kind of takes the whole ‘interweb free economy’ malarkey a bit far, but we’re certainly not complaining. We particularly liked Dec Hughes' debut, The Wrong Kind of Blood, so we’ll probably dive into the follow-up The Colour of Blood (right) first – but don’t be even slightly surprised if you see reviews for them all popping up in the next few weeks.
Yep, we’re a cheap date, and getting cheaper by the minute …

The Monday Review

It’s Monday, so it must be the Monday Review, and by logical extension time for another cracking big-up for Arlene Hunt’s latest, to wit: “Missing Presumed Dead is an enjoyably fast-paced caper … It is rare to come across a thriller like this, which is as well written and amusing as it is gritty and suspense-filled,” says the Irish Daily Mail, which is very nice indeed … Let’s get the inevitable The Unquiet review out of the way early this week, eh? “Connolly weaves elements of the supernatural into a disturbing, very dark tale … The disquieting subject, coupled with Connolly’s dark, lyrical prose, will leave unshakable images lurking on the edge of the reader’s consciousness,” reckons Booklist (and a host of others) over here … What of Cora Harrison’s My Lady Judge, say you? “It is the sort of book that one is sad to end, as it paints such an appealing picture of how life ought to be that the series is bound to have great appeal, and run and run. If you want a feel-good read, this is definitely the feel-good book of 2007 so far,” says one of the reviewing shelves over at My Shelf … “The key to this excellent Irish police procedural is not the cops though they do a great job … Andrew Nugent provides a deep thriller in which his stars take a back seat to the support cast,” says Harriet Klausner of Second Burial … John over at Things I’d Rather Be Doing casts a critical one over Benny Blanco’s (from the Bronx) Christine Falls: “While Banville is clearly a gifted writer – his descriptions of people and places are at times breathtaking – his attempt at mimicking the verbal sleights and shadows of the best thrillers, never mind the pace, show just how difficult it is to write a gripping page-turner.” Hmmm. Much more of that and Benny’ll be sending his boys around, John … How long has it been since we mentioned The London Eye Mystery? Too long, that’s how long: “We don’t stock many hardcover books, but this one by Siobhan Dowd is one of them because it’s so good … For readers nine and above, but adults will love this too,” says Malcolm at Story Time Books … “Fans of the Artemis Fowl series will be glad to know that the latest book in the group, The Lost Colony, returns to the heights of some of the previous books … Good fun regardless of your age. If you like the idea of real fairies, dwarfs, pixies, and centaurs, and you like your science current and inventive, then you’d probably enjoy the book,” says Donna at Candle Wasters, while the Bogormen (!) are in agreement: “I get more and more fond of both Artemis and Butler with each book. And the end is heartbreaking. I can’t wait for the next one.” Erm, you’ll just have to, Bogorman … Bernard Knight has been a busy reader over at Tangled Web. First he has a squint at Murdering Americans, to wit: “Another delightful satire by the author of a string of novels, each using the mystery genre to carry her outrageously iconoclastic themes … The many quotes she slips in from learned philosophers on the subject shows that she has taken the issue very seriously and that it is more than just a cynical satire meant to entertain,” he says of Ruth Dudley Edwards’ latest, and then turns his piercing gaze on Gene Kerrigan’s The Midnight Choir: “The complex plot is handled very well but it is the writing and the immaculate conveying of the atmosphere of contemporary Ireland that is this author’s strength.” Lovely … The Irish Emigrant is impressed with Thomas McShane’s true crime offering Loot: “McShane is obviously not only very knowledgeable, but also very appreciative of the various art forms, and the mixture of the higher echelons of the art world with the decidedly seedy world of the mafia and small-time criminals gives Loot an entertaining and almost filmic quality.” Can’t say fairer than that … Publishers’ Weekly likes Shamus nominee Declan Hughes’ The Colour of Blood: “Irish playwright Hughes follows up his successful contemporary crime debut, The Wrong Kind of Blood (2006), with another gripping and gritty whodunit set in his native Dublin … The sharp writing and strong local colour distinguish this novel from the common run of thrillers.” Marvellous. Finally, those krazy kids at the Irish Times are still subscription-only, so you’ll have to take our word for it that Aisling Foster was impressed with Eoin McNamee’s 12:23 (etc.), to wit: “The last section of the book is a triumph. By the end, the borderline between truth and McNamee’s imagination hardly matters … McNamee’s chronicle of a death foretold promises what one would have thought impossible – a new dimension to the mythology of her end.” And whether that’s actually a good thing or not we’ll leave up to you to decide, gentle reader …