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Liked It “I put it down twice before finally finishing it. Dark, but I love the way he writes.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“I put it down twice before finally finishing it. Dark, but I love the way he writes.”
Richard M wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Outstanding. A must read for Bruen fans.”
joe g wrote this review Wednesday, July 1 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Amazing book. Jack Taylor, the heart breaking protagonist and substance abuser, is swamped by the moral ambiguity of his world. Both highly competent and deeply flawed he keeps trying to save the world as a one eyed man who needs to watch with both eyes. Love this book. ”
jeannemarie1 wrote this review Tuesday, February 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“My new literary hero - brilliant”
gary d wrote this review Friday, September 26 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Rarely, if ever, do I give a series opener 5 stars, but I just couldn't help myself. I started this book last night, stayed up way too late and finished it and was totally blown away. What a great book; what a great author. I would recommend this to anyone looking for something different in the mystery field, but with a caution: the plot isn't the central focus here -- it is most definitely the characters, especially that of Jack Taylor, the main character.
quinnsmom wrote this review Thursday, July 10 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Jack Taylor lives in Galway, Ireland, is a serious alcoholic and has lost his job with the Garda. He has set himself up as a private detective, knows his is prone to self-destruction, has issues with his mother, and may be one of the most darkly-tormented individuals in crime fiction. But on the other hand, he turns to reading and poetry for comfort and has a soft spot for people he truly cares about.
His office the pub of the day, he gets involved in the case of a suicidal teen whose mother hires him to prove that her daughter's death was murder rather than self-inflicted. The only real lead he has is that she worked in a place with other girls, a few of whom have also committed suicide.
But as I noted above, the plot is not the real story here, so this novel shouldn't be read for the mystery storyline. Jack Taylor stands out as an incredibly fascinating character, one for whom you can't help but feel sorry. The other characters surrounding him really help to draw out Jack's personality; they are also very well drawn. And the writing ...the book is divided into very short chapters that don't always have very much to say, but what's there is to the point and absolutely necessary. I love how the author is able to be very understated yet can get Jack's story out just as if Jack was a real-life, personal friend and the author's telling you all about him. The style is very original; sparse, but yet packs a punch.
I definitely, most highly recommend this book and plan to read all of the Jack Taylor series here shortly. A great read!”
“Excellent book! I plan to read ALL of Ken Bruen's now.”
Mark wrote this review Monday, May 26 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“first”
anysnaders wrote this review Tuesday, March 25 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“I love his use of language and the sheer fun of his works. A uniquely Irish perspective on life.”
vincent M wrote this review Tuesday, December 18 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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