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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
Book 6 and while Duffy has Crabbie and Lawson, it looks like things are changing down at the station. There is a lot going on in Duffy's professional and personal life, after a semi quiet year where he has become a father in a more of less stable relationship Duffy is called in to help with a murder that seems pretty open and shut. A drug dealer that has been murdered for being exactly that, but like every case he has ever had he is convinced all is not as it seems and as he delves deeper Sean finds himself on his knees in the mud with a gun to his head.
Sean Duffy is as brilliant as in the other books in this series, but here he cleans up his act, mostly, both chemical-wise and family-wise.
I don't quite get why Beth leaves him for a few days, but it works out, which is good, because I hate relationship suspense when I'm trying to read a murder story.
Crabbie is my favourite character, but I also like young Lawson. It's interesting to think of Sean as old when he's only 38, but it is a violent career he's in. Also, his failed fitness test, along with a bunch of other officers, and his newly diagnosed asthma, make him look ahead differently.
The murder of a drug dealer which eventually leads to a whole lot more is exciting, and although I could see who was behind it all, I couldn't figure out how or why. The scene in the forest is truly chilling and powerfully written, I feel Sean's fear, resignation, and attempts to change the game.
Really well written, I love McKinty's style of prose, and the intelligence of Sean on so many levels, as a detective and a man of culture and poetry. His perspective on beauty is amazing, with all the garbage he sees in his world, Northern Ireland, in the '80s.
If this is the end of the series, I'm sad to see it go, but either way, it's wrapped up really well.
I don't quite get why Beth leaves him for a few days, but it works out, which is good, because I hate relationship suspense when I'm trying to read a murder story.
Crabbie is my favourite character, but I also like young Lawson. It's interesting to think of Sean as old when he's only 38, but it is a violent career he's in. Also, his failed fitness test, along with a bunch of other officers, and his newly diagnosed asthma, make him look ahead differently.
The murder of a drug dealer which eventually leads to a whole lot more is exciting, and although I could see who was behind it all, I couldn't figure out how or why. The scene in the forest is truly chilling and powerfully written, I feel Sean's fear, resignation, and attempts to change the game.
Really well written, I love McKinty's style of prose, and the intelligence of Sean on so many levels, as a detective and a man of culture and poetry. His perspective on beauty is amazing, with all the garbage he sees in his world, Northern Ireland, in the '80s.
If this is the end of the series, I'm sad to see it go, but either way, it's wrapped up really well.
This is the stellar sixth entry in the Detective Sean Duffy trilogy. The book opens with Duffy being forced into the woods at gunpoint by an IRA Active Service Unit to dig his own grave. Flashback to the beginning of the case where he is called back in from holiday to investigate the crossbow shooting of a drug dealer. Suffice it to say, the investigation isn't simple, doesn't go lead it should, involves some great double crosses, and a solid endorsement of mid-1980s BMWs.
This is an excellent series and I am very excited to hear that there will be three more installments in the trilogy. (So a trilogy squared?) So read these books. Then listen to them, because Gerard Doyle's readings are awesome.
This is an excellent series and I am very excited to hear that there will be three more installments in the trilogy. (So a trilogy squared?) So read these books. Then listen to them, because Gerard Doyle's readings are awesome.
There are a few mystery series of which I'm a avid reader, but none are more consistently well written than the Sean Duffy books. This was another example of Adrian McKinty's mastery of character, plot, prose, details, mood, poetry, violence, and thrill.
Several years ago I chanced upon "Dead I Well May Be" by Adrian McKinty, a novel about a Belfast ex-pat, Michael Forsythe, becoming embroiled in New York gangland, a slice of violent noir, with wonderful dialogue, with the action punctuated with poetic, almost mystical passages. The book and the author quickly became favourites. I read the complete "Dead" trilogy and the rest of McKinty's work and, five years ago, began to follow his new trilogy set in 1980s Belfast. "The Cold, Cold Ground" introduced Sean Duffy, a Roman Catholic in a predominantly Protestant Royal Ulster Constabulary. The books are all five-star, the series uniformly excellent, McKinty one of the best crime-writers currently writing. But nothing has usurped "Dead I Well May Be" - until now...
"Police at the Station...", the sixth in the Duffy trilogy (take that "Hitchhikers..."), may be the best novel Adrian McKinty has written to date and it deserves to be widely read. Duffy, a little older, perhaps slightly wiser, has undergone some life-altering changes since the end of the last novel and is struggling to get used to being a father and nearly-husband. Meanwhile somebody is murdering drug dealers with a crossbow.....
As with McKinty's previous work, the story is filled with snappy, authentic dialogue and the investigation brings Duffy, and his loyal team, McCrabban and Lawson, into contact with real-life 'Troubles" in Belfast, in this case the terrible aftermath of the March 1988 SAS shooting of an IRA team in Gibraltar which led to rioting in Northern Ireland, Michael Stone's attack on the IRA funerals and the televised lynching of two British Army corporals. But, again as usual, there is also a lot of humour in the book as well as Duffy's love of literature and music - he is listening to a lot of 20th Century classical this time around and at one point memorably, and correctly, characterises the 1980s pop-music as “anodyne, conformist, radio-friendly bollocks, lacking in soul, grace, intelligence or joy.”
Adrian McKinty is a literate and intelligent writer of clever and exciting crime thrillers and, despite being completely wrong about Denis Villeneuve's "Arrival" and putting the irritating "I'd of.." in Duffy's mouth twice in this novel, should be on any self-respecting crime fan's to-read list well ahead of any amount of Scandi-bollocks and James Patterson's weekly output.
"Police at the Station...", the sixth in the Duffy trilogy (take that "Hitchhikers..."), may be the best novel Adrian McKinty has written to date and it deserves to be widely read. Duffy, a little older, perhaps slightly wiser, has undergone some life-altering changes since the end of the last novel and is struggling to get used to being a father and nearly-husband. Meanwhile somebody is murdering drug dealers with a crossbow.....
As with McKinty's previous work, the story is filled with snappy, authentic dialogue and the investigation brings Duffy, and his loyal team, McCrabban and Lawson, into contact with real-life 'Troubles" in Belfast, in this case the terrible aftermath of the March 1988 SAS shooting of an IRA team in Gibraltar which led to rioting in Northern Ireland, Michael Stone's attack on the IRA funerals and the televised lynching of two British Army corporals. But, again as usual, there is also a lot of humour in the book as well as Duffy's love of literature and music - he is listening to a lot of 20th Century classical this time around and at one point memorably, and correctly, characterises the 1980s pop-music as “anodyne, conformist, radio-friendly bollocks, lacking in soul, grace, intelligence or joy.”
Adrian McKinty is a literate and intelligent writer of clever and exciting crime thrillers and, despite being completely wrong about Denis Villeneuve's "Arrival" and putting the irritating "I'd of.." in Duffy's mouth twice in this novel, should be on any self-respecting crime fan's to-read list well ahead of any amount of Scandi-bollocks and James Patterson's weekly output.
A fully satisfying read, once again. I was on the edge of my seat for part of it, laughing through some of it, and throughly engaged through all of it. Apparently, three more books are on the way.
3 ½
This one was a very slow start for me but at the end I was again reminded why I love listening to this series.
The novel opens with Sean in a bad place, handcuffed, on the ground in a godforsaken field and a heartbeat away from being executed by an IRA unit. The story backtracks to unfold how he got into that hot mess.
Duffy is still Duffy. He still has his admirable qualities, but he is also still his own worst enemy.
This is a story packed full of the IRA, shady policemen, snitches, nasty weapons, cover ups and with the ever-present vodka gimlet not far off (even though Duffy failed the police fitness test).
It is Irish Noir fiction you will either love or hate.
This one was a very slow start for me but at the end I was again reminded why I love listening to this series.
The novel opens with Sean in a bad place, handcuffed, on the ground in a godforsaken field and a heartbeat away from being executed by an IRA unit. The story backtracks to unfold how he got into that hot mess.
Duffy is still Duffy. He still has his admirable qualities, but he is also still his own worst enemy.
This is a story packed full of the IRA, shady policemen, snitches, nasty weapons, cover ups and with the ever-present vodka gimlet not far off (even though Duffy failed the police fitness test).
It is Irish Noir fiction you will either love or hate.
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Adrian McKinty is an award-winning Australian novelist and I adore his series about Northern Irish detective Sean Duffy in Belfast in the 1980s. Every reader I know who has found this series has loved it and classed it as a must-read but McKinty is still a bit of an unknown. His new stand alone novel The Chain already has an American film deal so he is about to make it big as an author, but I do recommend you read this series as well. Smart, funny and definitely Irish this novel places Detective Seam Duffy in serious jeopardy with the opening scene leaving Duffy with a gun to his head and no hope of escaping. Readers are then lead on a journey of just how Duffy got himself into this predicament. Avoiding his family relationships, Duffy throws himself into a new murder investigation with chaotic consequences. His personal relationship with his girlfriend is also under pressure as the murder investigation ramps up and the personal danger escalates, as only it can in Northern Ireland just after the troubles. Political threads of Catholics and Protestants, violence, and how the IRA channelled their efforts into drugs and crime after the peace was declared are all part of the 1980s scenes in the latest in this series.
Definitely one for all McKinty fans but it can be easily read as a stand alone crime thriller.
Definitely one for all McKinty fans but it can be easily read as a stand alone crime thriller.
Detective Sean Duffy is back on the streets of Northern Ireland during The Troubles but this time he has a girlfriend and a daughter. Yet once again, he ruffles some seriously powerful feathers and gets into hot water with his superiors, so not much has changed! And once again, Adrian McKinty has delivered an intense, funny and poignant (yes!) story, expertly read by Gerard Doyle in this audiobook.
A known drug dealer is murdered late one night in front of his apartment, by a crossbow bolt no less. But no one claims responsibility, which is odd in these days of vigilante justice. His wife is from Bulgaria, which adds to the confusion (and the worry of Duffy's superiors, who are deathly afraid of another expensive international jaunt, like in the previous book, [b:Rain Dogs|26067711|Rain Dogs (Detective Sean Duffy #5)|Adrian McKinty|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446579608s/26067711.jpg|46002985]). The case gets just far enough to get Duffy and his band of brothers, the other two Carrickfergus detectives, into hot water before being told to back off. But where will these connections lead?
The addition of a daughter brings thoughts of his future into Duffy's head. Both he and Sgt. McCrabben contemplate retirement. But how can they leave the whole department in the young, if capable, hands of DC Lawson? What dangers are afoot for Duffy and, gasp!, his family? And where will domestication lead Duffy?
All these questions and more are answered in this great read. The neighbors were probably tempted to call the authorities themselves, wondering about me as I walked the sidewalks giggling to myself. I would also love it if someone would put together a playlist of Duffy's eclectic taste in late 70s / early 80s music. And the narration is cracker - highly recommended!
A known drug dealer is murdered late one night in front of his apartment, by a crossbow bolt no less. But no one claims responsibility, which is odd in these days of vigilante justice. His wife is from Bulgaria, which adds to the confusion (and the worry of Duffy's superiors, who are deathly afraid of another expensive international jaunt, like in the previous book, [b:Rain Dogs|26067711|Rain Dogs (Detective Sean Duffy #5)|Adrian McKinty|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446579608s/26067711.jpg|46002985]). The case gets just far enough to get Duffy and his band of brothers, the other two Carrickfergus detectives, into hot water before being told to back off. But where will these connections lead?
The addition of a daughter brings thoughts of his future into Duffy's head. Both he and Sgt. McCrabben contemplate retirement. But how can they leave the whole department in the young, if capable, hands of DC Lawson? What dangers are afoot for Duffy and, gasp!, his family? And where will domestication lead Duffy?
All these questions and more are answered in this great read. The neighbors were probably tempted to call the authorities themselves, wondering about me as I walked the sidewalks giggling to myself. I would also love it if someone would put together a playlist of Duffy's eclectic taste in late 70s / early 80s music. And the narration is cracker - highly recommended!