Right on Time

Leo Street #3

by Pauline McLynn

Every second counts for private investigator Leo Street on her latest case. She must find a missing teenager in the drug-fuelled streets of Dublin before it’s too late. But with a watch that’s stopped and a biological clock that’s taken over, it’s not going to be easy.
Leo’s irrepressible sidekick Ciara, her mischievous mutt No. 4, and Ciara’s gorgeous twin brother Ronan, lend a helping hand. But can they track down the missing girl and save the day, or will a case of bad timing put all their lives at risk?

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction

Paperback

First published July 7, 2003

About the author

Pauline McLynn (born 11 July 1962) is an Irish actress, comedienne and author, best known for playing Mrs Doyle on the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. McLynn was born in Sligo but grew up in Galway. She studied History of Art and Modern English at Trinity College, Dublin. She was heavily involved in Trinity's Dublin University Players (college drama society). She is married to the producer and agent Richard Cook. She supports both Aston Villa and Bohemian F.C.

Reviews

[Hannah Polley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quirky kind of book and I quite liked it. It has an odd rambling internal thought monologue kind of style but it works quite well with the character.

It is the third book in a series but the first one that I have read.

Leo Street is a failed Police Officer turned Private Investigator, with a teenage assistant and a dog to help her. In this book, Leo is asked to help find a missing teenager but is quickly swept into a drug/gang world. Leo is also pregnant in this book and doesn't know what to do as she is not sure who the father is.

The book is quite full of humour but this is actually deceptive as two people are murdered during the course of the novel and Leo loses her baby at the end.

Definitely worth a read, all of the characters seemed to be quite interesting.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amusing read, though at times it tries overly hard to be funny and falls flat. Lack of clarity of expression is what brings the author down; some incidents would be a lot funnier if I didn't have to re-read it several times in order to understand what McLynn was trying to say. A very light-hearted read, this is perfect for a quick flip through when you have an hour or two to spare. Leo is an endearing anti-heroine that will draw you in straight away, though I wouldn't expect much in the actual cases that she's investigating. Her relationship with Andy and other people around her is the main focus.

[David Proffitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back for her third adventure, Dublin's most unconventional private detective, Leo Street and her eccentric team. Taking on a simple missing person case, Leo soon finds herself staring at the dark underbelly of Dublin's less salubrious side.

Full of the usual wit and charm I have come to expect from Paulin McLynn, there is also a darker side of the story, embracing the seedy world of addiction and prostitution. Alongside this, Leo is facing some difficult decisions in her private life. But as with her previous outings, the lines between home and work become very blurred. There is a distinctly Irish charm about McLynn's writing, even when her hero finds herself face to face with some of the city's seedier characters. I witty aside or slapstick moment is never far away.

The reader is reminded ther9ught the book that every city has its dark side, hidden away from tourists and locals alike. Once again Pauline McLynn has produced a book that combines good plot, wonderful characters and a natural and subtle wit. I really do enjoy journeying into the worlds that she creates.

Right on Time in an uncomplicated read, but one that does challenge preconceptions about Dubin and its culture. A very enjoyable book.

[Tracie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't even finish the first chapter before I gave up on it. I picked it up from a street library and thought it might be a fun, light read but with each sentence trying to be descriptively witty it soon became annoying. I usually read the first 50 pages of a book and then decide if I want to continue reading it or not. This book was one of those rare ones I've come across where I give up on it before then.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gritty but amusing read.

[Bookguide · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'd been looking forward to reading this ever since I picked it up at the Dublin BookCrossing convention in April 2012. I love the cover, the blurb sounded funny and I have trouble myself being right on time. I've been reading Doris Lessing's The Golden Notebook, so wanted a little light relief while travelling this weekend and this seemed to fit the bill. Unfortunately I didn't get very far. There were altogether too many "funny" lines and comments, packed in relentlessly in long strings of wise-cracking. Maybe I would have read more if I hadn't happened to have had Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair in my bag, ready for a re-read before going on to the 2nd in the series, Lost in a Good Book. I'm afraid Jasper Fforde's series beats 'Right on Time' hands down; funny, smart, exciting, a little romance in the background and it makes you think too. Not to mention the dodo. I'm not sure if the timing for 'Right on Time' was wrong, but it certainly missed the spot this time round.

[Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got all impatient for the trashy romance bit, so I skipped forward a bit and a sentence caught my eye. What I read put me into a little sulk and I didn't want to read it any more. Bad squishies! ^^^^That will teach me, though I should have known better. *Sigh*^^^^So I didn't quite like this instalment as much as the others, though it was rather more dramatic than the other books.^^^^In a way, it seemed like an Irish version of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Hmm.

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 3rd outing for McLynn's Dublin PI sees Leo's life take an abrupt turn when looking for a missing girl. The seedy underbelly of the city shocks her; does she have the skills to survive?

[Bernie Mcquillan]

this was the final in the trilogy and by far my favourite. it had me in stiches and had me on the edge of the seat.

[Tania Easton]

Great book, but i read this one with out knowing it was the last in a series of 3, so make sure you read the other two first.

[Jacqui · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe it was my mood, maybe it was the writing... just couldn't get involved in the story. Skipped over heaps to see how it ended, still didn't really care what happened.

[Alex Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Leo Street trilogy is one of my favourite series of books. Brilliantly written and laugh out loud funny each one follows so brilliantly from the previous. I just wish she would write more!!

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for the female crime genre and good to read a book set in Dublin, well-written.