Review: Gritty crime thriller
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 8, 2012
I enjoyed this book immensely. While the main character, Detective Ben Jordan, embodies a familiar trope in crime fiction - world-weary cop who (ab)uses alcohol as a way of coping with his job - the characterization is really strong. The writer has a great ear for Dublin slang (the taxi-drivers were especially amusing), which really adds to the atmosphere of the book. The villains were pitched just right - sick and ruthless, without being too over-the-top. And there's just enough humor to dispel the bleak, gritty nature of the narrative. Being from Ireland, he has really captured the time (early 2000s) very well. It's an interesting start to (what I hope is) a series, and I'll be looking out for the next one.