Description
Book SynopsisJack Taylor has finally traded in his violent life in Galway for a quiet retirement in the country. But on a day trip back into the city, Jack is hit by a truck and left in a coma, mysteriously without a scratch on him. When he awakens weeks later, he finds Ireland in a frenzy over the so-called 'Miracle of Galway'. People have become convinced that the two children who tended to him are saintly, and the site of the accident sacred. The Catholic Church isn't so sure, and Jack is commissioned to help find the children – to verify the miracle or expose the stunt. But Jack isn't the only one looking for these children, and he'll need all the help he can get – and a stiff drink of Jameson – once he finds them.
Praise for Ken Bruen: 'Bruen is an Emerald Noir maestro' –
DUBLIN SUNDAY INDEPENDENT 'The best-kept literary secret in Ireland' –
INDEPENDENT 'One of Ireland's most original voices in crime fiction' –
IRISH INDEPENDENT 'Bruen's visceral writing and anger brings a fierce, almost surreal intensity to this mad story of a heretical book that turns up in Galway' –
METROTrade ReviewIt is 20 years since Jack Taylor – the ex-Garda turned private eye – made his debut in
The Guards. Like his creator, he has made a career out of being unlike anyone else... The welter of violence is punctuated with typographical tricks and quips' * The Times Crime Club *
This is Irish noir to the core and Ken Bruen, with his unique poetic style, is at its dark beating heart * Shots Mag *
The plot Bruen spins out is serviceable and offers the right complement of thrills and adventure, but many of us don't read him for rollercoaster storylines, but for the quirky, telegraphic style, the insights into bruised psyches and the often poetic insights and digressions into books, music and religion that make Bruen's bruised universe somewhat unique * Crime Time *
Bruen is truly an original writer, wickedly entertaining, stylish and sardonic. A masterclass in how to write funny crime fiction like a shark bite * Crime Time *
Gritty, violent at times and generously garnished with expletives that reflect the brutal world in which the detective lives and works. Taylor is a thought-provoking, sometimes infuriating and always entertaining maverick. The novel is a page-turner that can be read perfectly well as a stand-alone and recommended for all those who like a twist of Byron with their Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe. I loved it * Promoting Crime Fiction *
It sounds bizarre to say that the book is a pleasure to read, given how dark it is. But it really is! * Crime Review *
Bruen, the master of Galway noir, once again takes us down the mean streets of the Claddagh * RTÉ *
An enjoyable read, funny in parts and gripping – Jack is a character you'll continue to root for * Belfast Telegraph *
