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96 reviews for:
Police at the Station and They Don't Look Friendly: A Detective Sean Duffy Novel
Adrian McKinty
4.29 AVERAGE
96 reviews for:
Police at the Station and They Don't Look Friendly: A Detective Sean Duffy Novel
Adrian McKinty
4.29 AVERAGE
4.5
Best of the series, so far! Great opening that ramps up the tension and resolves with a perfect mix of action, brains and pitch black humor. Looking forward to the next book. So I am.
Best of the series, so far! Great opening that ramps up the tension and resolves with a perfect mix of action, brains and pitch black humor. Looking forward to the next book. So I am.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm an avowed fan of Adrian McKinty. In fact he's so good he's spoiling me for any other crime writers. I love his wry sense of humour; every conversation is a work of art. I read his books as much for the witty dialogue and musical asides as I do for the plot. They're just a joy. And that's without the poetry, the existential angst about Ireland, and the wonderfully drawn side characters of Crabbie and Lawson. I defy you not to fall for the charm and wit of Sean Duffy.
fast-paced
dark
emotional
tense
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Belfast 1988, and even though things are supposed to be calming down in Belfast after all the troubles of the 80's, that is not what Sean Duffy finds when he investigates the death of a drug dealer by a crossbow bolt on a wet night in Northern Ireland. The whole thing gets blown out of proportion as all Sean Duffy's cases are, and then he's dealing with the disappearance of the drug dealer's wife, and he is threatened on all sides by Internal Affairs, Special Branch, and even in his own division of the ROC. With really nowhere to turn but to his connected neighbour when the guns come into his home, he almost gives up. But that is not Sean Duffy. He will continue to pursue the case even if it puts his life at great risk. With the help of his sidekicks Lawson and McCrabben. they dig way down deep in old IRA history to find the motives and the perpetrators. This is an edge-of-your-seat thriller where the tension never lets up. Sean is trying to keep his girlfriend and daughter safe from all the threats that they are experiencing. This is one of the best crime thriller series out there, and why we have not seen a television series of this stellar series I don't know I've almost caught up to Adrian McKintey, and will be forced to wait with bated breath for him to write his next book.
Sean Duffy has spent the last 15 years as the token “fenian peeler” at the Carrickfergus RUC station. He may be hated by Catholics & Prods alike but the fact he’s still breathing has earned him a grudging respect.
It’s 1988 & the Troubles have simmered down somewhat. So Sean & colleagues Lawson and Crabbie have more time to investigate “normal” crimes. Well…maybe that’s a bit optimistic. When they’re called to a rough neighbourhood, the last thing they expect to find is a man killed with a crossbow. But before he can deal with the victim Sean has to subdue a crazy wife, an angry mob & a goat (don’t ask).
The man is eventually identified as a drug dealer who recently moved back to N. Ireland. Should be a no-brainer. He was probably killed by a faction of the IRA or a business rival. Either way, the case is likely destined for the unsolved bin. But the choice of weapon bothers Sean & when the man’s wife disappears, his team begins some serious digging.
The investigation is a welcome distraction for Sean. Things at the station are a little tense these days. An old nemesis is about to become boss & there’s a rumour they may have to actually pass a fitness test. On the home front, Beth wants to move house & her father would prefer that Sean stay behind. Jeeze….don’t they know he’s trying to quit smoking?
Batten the hatches, people. This one takes off in directions you’ll never see coming. A simple murder soon escalates into an intricate web of death threats, old secrets & some seriously pissed off IRA enforcers. And that’s before an international incident reignites the Troubles.
It has to be a challenge for any author writing a series to produce something fresh while staying true to their characters. McKinty accomplishes this by aging his cast in real time. As the books progress, we watch as they bump into all the milestones that make up a life. The result is we become deeply invested in characters who feel authentic. Sean is 38 now & worn down by the daily battle. He’s had a front row seat for more than a decade as his country tears itself apart. His cocky, self deprecating attitude is still intact but you sense he’s becoming resigned to a bleak future. One little ray of hope is baby Emma whose smile lights up his world but the fact her daddy is a marked man just adds to his stress.
What hasn’t changed is sharp, witty dialogue that showcases the frequently hilarious vernacular of Northern Ireland. One moment you’re breathless from the hair raising action while the next has you giggling as Sean debates politics with his cat.
Descriptions of Carrickfergus & its residents put you smack dab in the middle of this desperate time. It’s clear the author loves his home & knows its history. Actual people & events provide a tense background which adds to the dark atmosphere of the story.
So consider yourself warned. Don’t pick this up until you have a few spare hours because the prologue is killer & you won’t want to stop. I’ve enjoyed every book in the series but this is one of the best.
It’s 1988 & the Troubles have simmered down somewhat. So Sean & colleagues Lawson and Crabbie have more time to investigate “normal” crimes. Well…maybe that’s a bit optimistic. When they’re called to a rough neighbourhood, the last thing they expect to find is a man killed with a crossbow. But before he can deal with the victim Sean has to subdue a crazy wife, an angry mob & a goat (don’t ask).
The man is eventually identified as a drug dealer who recently moved back to N. Ireland. Should be a no-brainer. He was probably killed by a faction of the IRA or a business rival. Either way, the case is likely destined for the unsolved bin. But the choice of weapon bothers Sean & when the man’s wife disappears, his team begins some serious digging.
The investigation is a welcome distraction for Sean. Things at the station are a little tense these days. An old nemesis is about to become boss & there’s a rumour they may have to actually pass a fitness test. On the home front, Beth wants to move house & her father would prefer that Sean stay behind. Jeeze….don’t they know he’s trying to quit smoking?
Batten the hatches, people. This one takes off in directions you’ll never see coming. A simple murder soon escalates into an intricate web of death threats, old secrets & some seriously pissed off IRA enforcers. And that’s before an international incident reignites the Troubles.
It has to be a challenge for any author writing a series to produce something fresh while staying true to their characters. McKinty accomplishes this by aging his cast in real time. As the books progress, we watch as they bump into all the milestones that make up a life. The result is we become deeply invested in characters who feel authentic. Sean is 38 now & worn down by the daily battle. He’s had a front row seat for more than a decade as his country tears itself apart. His cocky, self deprecating attitude is still intact but you sense he’s becoming resigned to a bleak future. One little ray of hope is baby Emma whose smile lights up his world but the fact her daddy is a marked man just adds to his stress.
What hasn’t changed is sharp, witty dialogue that showcases the frequently hilarious vernacular of Northern Ireland. One moment you’re breathless from the hair raising action while the next has you giggling as Sean debates politics with his cat.
Descriptions of Carrickfergus & its residents put you smack dab in the middle of this desperate time. It’s clear the author loves his home & knows its history. Actual people & events provide a tense background which adds to the dark atmosphere of the story.
So consider yourself warned. Don’t pick this up until you have a few spare hours because the prologue is killer & you won’t want to stop. I’ve enjoyed every book in the series but this is one of the best.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Part history lesson, part social exploration, the Sean Duffy series from Irish-Australian writer Adrian McKinty is required crime fiction reading. Reviewed at: Newtown Review of Books