Book #27 The Magdalen Martyrs

The Magdalen Martyrs by Ken Bruen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Back to Jack. Cannot help it. I love Ken Bruen's books - the Jack Taylor series. This is the third. The ex-Garda protagonist, hapless alcoholic, one might say hopeless as well, Jack staggers through life in Galway as a kind of honorary private detective and a mess of a human being. Hired by thugs who recognise his tough-guy bravado. Doesn’t quite work out for Jack, never does. He does get laid; the drugs help. This is real Irish noir. I know there are those that don’t like this series. But I enjoy Jack’s company. He loves reading and festoons his narrative with apt quotes from favourite authors. His hangovers are legendary. But somehow he always finds a way back. And the plot, for what it is, ingeniously incorporates the Magdalen laundry, a notoriously harsh home for wayward girls.

This series is a treat. Number three is dark, bleak and very funny at times. The best so far, for me.

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Book #12 The Guards

The Guards by Ken Bruen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first of the Jack Taylor series by Ken Bruen, first published in 2001. Wonderful, dark Irish noir. Lyrical, funny and deeply moving. A blend of Chandler, Macdonald and Spillane with a deft, staccato rhythm that is unforgettable. Jack Taylor, dismissed from the Irish guardai for punching a senior officer (who deserved it by the way), becomes an alcoholic private eye (what else is he going to do?), ignores requests to return Item 8234 - a regulation garda all-weather coat ("Would I return it? Would I fuck") - stumbles in and out of and gets barred from most Galway bars and takes on a case to gather evidence that a teenage girl who committed suicide - didn't (or did she?) For me, this is a mesmerising work of crime fiction, so different to anything I have read before. Excuse me Ken but I feckin' loved it!

And a brief note to reviewers who have called Bruen's writing pretentious. Pretentious?! Re-read your own reviews. Isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery? The Guards is original, hilarious and above all, it's Irish. Get it? I did....

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