4.05 AVERAGE

gemtea2000's review

4.0

Not bad at all. A good twist but with almost the old Hollywood style ending. Michael Forsythe is a fascinating character. Just not THAT damned fascinating. I'd still recommend this if your taste is geared to bloody, action packed suspense with plenty of clever, humorous touches. I can't wait to get back to Ross Macdonald or even another Chandler although I've read all of his a minimum of three times. For more modern thrillers and for better story telling, I'd read Dennis Lehane before even considering McKinty.

I do have a strange feeling that this book may stick in my mind for a while and that's why reviewing a book immediately sometimes doesn't do it justice. I think maybe the Irish thing may just not be my deal. Also, maybe a 3 star book if I had read only this one but reading the series in order is mandatory to get the real kick and push it to a 4 star rating. Read them all and decide for yourself.

everydaymaur's review

2.0

Meh. I enjoyed The Chain so much and looked forward to reading this book. It was a messy MISS for me.
kchisholm's profile picture

kchisholm's review

4.0

THE BLOOMSDAY DEAD is the third book in the Michael Forsythe "Dead" Trilogy - [b:DEAD I WELL MAY BE|21282|Dead I Well May Be A Novel|Adrian McKinty|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167321280s/21282.jpg|22463] and THE DEAD YARD are the earlier books. There's an awful lot to really like in THE BLOOMSDAY DEAD.

Firstly, it is the third book in a trilogy but I've been very remiss and haven't yet read the first two (which failing I vow to rectify). Didn't matter. You can follow the story, you can glean the back story of Michael and how he got himself into the mess that he's trying to resolve in THE BLOOMSDAY DEAD. And it is a big mess. Michael Forsythe has been in a Witness Protection Program - hidden in Lima, Peru trying to stay off arch-enemy Bridget Callaghan's radar. He had killed her fiancée Darkey years before, and after taking over Darkey's criminal empire, Bridget vowed revenge. She'd had quite a few attempts, but as one assassin puts it - Michael's 'un-fucking-killable'. But hostilities are temporarily shelved when two assassins in Michael's bedroom "suggest" a chat on the phone with Bridget is in order. Michael's somewhat confused to find she's not wanting to gloat over his final hour - instead she's asking for his help. Bridget's daughter has been kidnapped - and Michael has a deal on his hands. Get back to Belfast and find Siobhan in 24 hours - much will be forgiven.

Secondly, it is written in a wonderful voice. Whilst the book is dark and the violence is overt and extreme, it's balanced with a lovely touch of gallows humour. Not put on, the tone of the book fits with the world that the story inhabits. There are little observations of how much Ireland has changed since Michael had to run - small glimpses into Michael's mind and out through Michael's eye. The style of writing is compelling - lyrical - quintessentially Irish, at least to this reader. The story rips along at a rapid pace, but all the time you're allowed to feel you know Michael, you can understand him. He's a blunt, brutal man on one level - prepared, willing and able to do whatever it takes to stay alive, but on another level, he's a bit of softie. He's got a history with Bridget and for what it's worth - that means a lot to him.

Finally, it's just a darn good story. Perhaps this is where reading the first two books might, just might, give the reader the edge. There's obviously some threads being tied off in THE BLOOMSDAY DEAD. Knowing the full extent of the back story may just heighten the sense of finality - it certainly didn't make this book any less enjoyable. Really the only thing that wasn't enjoyable about THE BLOOMSDAY DEAD is that it looks like this is meant to be a trilogy and it's now over. And that's just flat out disappointing.


Michael Forsythe #3. Unusual writing style was distracting but the trilogy was very satisfying.
deb_o_rah's profile picture

deb_o_rah's review

3.0

3.5 a thrilling action series with the 3rd being my least favorite of the three
laneamagya's profile picture

laneamagya's review

4.0
mysterious

tove_reads's review

5.0

I love with when the best book in the trilogy is the last one! Michael has been running the security in a hotel in Peru when he is nearly killed in his own hotel. Turns out the wife of the man he murdered back in the US is looking for him. Her mission has been to find him and kill him, but this time around she needs him. Her daughter has been kidnapped. Michael is forced to return to his native Belfast.

I really enjoyed the book. Written in the typical gloomy way of McKinty it was really great to visit the gray and rainy Northern Ireland. This book ties together the trilogy nicely and it was by far my favourite. Michael is not really a likeable character, yet you can’t help but rooting for him. I recommend this trilogy to everyone who enjoys reading crime and thrillers!
jdarnold's profile picture

jdarnold's review

4.0

The final book in McKinty's "Dead" trilogy ([b:Dead I May Well Be|21282|Dead I Well May Be A Novel|Adrian McKinty|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167321280s/21282.jpg|22463] and [b:The Dead Yard|21283|The Dead Yard A Novel|Adrian McKinty|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167321286s/21283.jpg|22464] are the first two) is yet another rollicking action packed book. Michael Forsythe, the trilogy's protagonist, is a fast talking, literary quoting, violent man, prone to shooting first and asking questions later and in this book he heads back home to Belfast, Ireland to confront his main antagonist.

The book starts with Forsythe finally finding a comfortable hiding place in Peru, but of course this comes crashing down in a violent episode, which leads him running straight to danger as his old flame and now mortal enemy Bridget calls to him to help her out as her last hope. It seems far-fetched, but he has nothing better to do and hopes the resolution, however it should happen, might finally get her to stop chasing him.

So he flies into Ireland on Bloomsday, the celebration of James Joyce's [b:Ulysses|338798|Ulysses|James Joyce|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173877044s/338798.jpg|2368224], on June 16, where all the "action" takes place. Like "Ulysses", "Bloomsday Dead" mostly takes place in a fast, crazy, violent 48 hours, where Forsyth kills and maims more "bad" guys, while reminiscing about his violent Northern Ireland past.

It's a really excellent action book, with a deeper darker edge than most mass market books of its ilk. The 3 "Dead" books are pretty interconnected, so you're best off starting with the first [b:Dead I May Well Be|21282|Dead I Well May Be A Novel|Adrian McKinty|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167321280s/21282.jpg|22463] (what a great title). But you won't regret it!

mhughes383's review

5.0



Awesome book. Didn't think the series could get better, but it did
hpnyknits's profile picture

hpnyknits's review

4.0

Action packed, edge of your seat. How many more lives can Michael have???
It was obvious from the beginning that Siobhan is Michael’s daughter.
The ending was completely crazy and not believable at all. Out of character for the trilogy. And - The idea that Michael and Brigitte would live happily Ever After is a disappointing ending to this blood bath of a book. They have so much blood on their hands, they don’t deserve it.