Ken Bruen
Ken Bruen (born 1951) is an Irish writer of hard-boiled and noir crime fiction. Biography. Education and teaching career. Born in Galway, he was educated at Gormanston College, County Meath and later at Trinity College Dublin, where he earned a PhD in metaphysics. Bruen spent twenty-five years as an English teacher in Africa, Japan, S.E. Asia and South America. His travels have been hazardous at times, including a stint in a Brazilian jail. Writing career. Bruen is part of a literary circle that includes Jason Starr, Reed Farrel Coleman, and Allan Guthrie. His works include the  well-received "White Trilogy" and "The Guards". In 2006, Hard Case Crime released "Bust", a collaboration between Bruen and New York crime author Jason Starr. Bruen's short story "Words Are Cheap" (2006) appears in the first issue of "Murdaland". He has also edited an anthology of stories set in Dublin, "Dublin Noir". Jack Taylor's informant, named China, is a nod of the head by Ken Bruen to author Alan Hunter's original informant character named China, in the George Gently series of novels, first published in 1955. Bruen is also the recipient of the first David Loeb Goodis  Award (2008) for his dedication to his art. Other works of note include "The Killing of the Tinkers", "The Magdalen Martyrs", "The Dramatist" and "Priest", all part of his Jack Taylor series, which began with "The Guards". Set in Galway, the series relates the adventures and misadventures of a disgraced former police officer working as a haphazard private investigator whose life has been marred by alcoholism and drug abuse. It chronicles the social change in Ireland in Bruen's own lifetime, paying particular attention to the decline of the Catholic Church as a social and political power. Themes also explored  include Ireland's economic prosperity from the mid-1990s onwards, although it is often portrayed as a force which has left Ireland as a materialistic and spiritually drained society which still harbours deep social inequality. This is the side of the Celtic Tiger best portrayed in Bruen's Ireland-based novels. Immigration is also a theme to be found in these works. Literary awards. Bruen is the recipient of many awards: The Shamus Award in 2007 ("The Dramatist") and 2004 ("The Guards"), both for Best P.I. Hardcover; The Macavity Award in 2005 ("The Killing of the Tinkers") and 2010 ("Tower", cowritten  by Reed Farrel Coleman), both for Best Mystery Novel; The Barry Award in 2007 ("Priest") for Best British Crime Novel; the Grand Prix de Literature Policiere in 2007 (Priest) for Best International Crime Novel. He was also a finalist for the Edgar Allan Poe Award in 2004 ("The Guards") and 2008 ("Priest"), both for Best Novel. Bibliography. Adaptations. Beginning in 2010, nine of the Jack Taylor novels were made into a TV series starring Iain Glen in the title role. His Brants and Roberts novel "Blitz" was adapted into a 2011 film of the same name, starring Jason Statham, Paddy  Considine and Aiden Gillen. Bruen's 2014 novel "Merrick" was adapted for TV as the series "100 Code", starring Dominic Monaghan and Michael Nyqvist. His 2001 novel, "London Boulevard", was adapted for the big screen in 2010 and starred Keira Knightley, Colin Farrell, David Thewlis and Ray Winstone.