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Jack Taylor #6
Cross
A boy has been crucified in Galway city. People are shocked; the broadsheets debate how the brutal death reflects the state of the nation; the Irish Church is scandalized. No further action is taken.Then the sister of the murdered boy is burned alive and PI Jack Taylor decides to take matters into his own hands.Taylor's investigations take him to old city haunts where he encounters ghosts - living and dead. But what he eventually finds surpasses even his darkest imaginings
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2007
45 people are currently reading
841 people want to read
About the author
Ken Bruen
132 books850 followersKen Bruen was an Irish writer of hardboiled and noir crime fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
April 27, 2020
Oh, how I’ve missed Jack Taylor. This book is just what the librarian ordered. I really enjoy Jack’s cynicism, his lamenting the changes in Galway, his irreverent relationship with religion, his strength resisting Jameson and a pint, and his ability to overcome. In this book, if something could go wrong, it does. Changes are afoot for Jack. Let’s hope his dreams work out.
April 1, 2019
Cross by Ken Bruen is the 6th book in The “Jack Taylor” series
Jack Taylor is a character with an abundance of flaws, whom is fighting ongoing additions. This again is a totally enthralling and engaging book, which to me is all about the dialogue
Such lines as "My father would have turned in his grave to know the day had come when we paid for water on an island surrounded by the bloody stuff and lashed by rain most days of the year”
You can easily get caught up with this series
Jack Taylor is a character with an abundance of flaws, whom is fighting ongoing additions. This again is a totally enthralling and engaging book, which to me is all about the dialogue
Such lines as "My father would have turned in his grave to know the day had come when we paid for water on an island surrounded by the bloody stuff and lashed by rain most days of the year”
You can easily get caught up with this series
February 14, 2014
Ken Bruen’s Cross—the sixth outing in a series featuring Jack Taylor, an ex-Garda who moonlights as a maladroit private eye—finds our hero in the usual Galway gutter, and by book’s end, as is the pattern with this mystery series, Taylor manages to nearly claw his way out before the certain cruelty of existence kicks his teeth down his throat and sends him tumbling back into the mud and the blood and the beer. (Yes, this is my idea of pitching a book.)
Never have I ever been to Ireland, but there are certain aspects of this series that ring true to me, and is the reason I stick around despite Bruen’s sometimes spotty writing style. I don’t want to make too much out of the horrors of my Roman Catholic upbringing because I lived a nice, pleasant suburban life with parents who were decent human beings that did any-and-everything they could for me, but at the same time I completely understand the deep sense of guilt that plagues Taylor. Not that I have killed people (the innocent and the guilty), betrayed friends, watched loved one after loved one die terribly right before my eyes, pushed away any sign of meaningful relationships, or wasted years of my life on drugs and booze—but I am still young so give me some time.
In any case, the Roman Catholic guilt is a weird animal (it sucks feeling like you should be apologizing for most of your actions, no matter what it is they are, or for the mistakes of others), and without talking too much out of my own ass, I propose that the Roman Catholic guilt became compounded into a shared national Irish guilt. Or at least, that’s the Ireland in Bruen’s novels: a land of self-loathing misanthropes who wallow in their own bitterness and prejudices…but then again isn’t that like most places?
If you are wondering what the actual plot of this book is about then know it involves a family of killers who crucify a young man and then burn another woman alive; along the way, Taylor finds a very thin excuse to pretend like he’s investigating the murders. Mostly, Taylor thinks about drinking, fights to stay sober, struggles with the abattoir of rage and resentment inside his skull, hates himself, tries not to hate everyone around him, and thinks about God and dying and drinking.
It’s that last sentence along with my “hmming” about guilt which keeps me coming back to this flawed, yet all-too-human series of tragedies masquerading as mystery novels.
Never have I ever been to Ireland, but there are certain aspects of this series that ring true to me, and is the reason I stick around despite Bruen’s sometimes spotty writing style. I don’t want to make too much out of the horrors of my Roman Catholic upbringing because I lived a nice, pleasant suburban life with parents who were decent human beings that did any-and-everything they could for me, but at the same time I completely understand the deep sense of guilt that plagues Taylor. Not that I have killed people (the innocent and the guilty), betrayed friends, watched loved one after loved one die terribly right before my eyes, pushed away any sign of meaningful relationships, or wasted years of my life on drugs and booze—but I am still young so give me some time.
In any case, the Roman Catholic guilt is a weird animal (it sucks feeling like you should be apologizing for most of your actions, no matter what it is they are, or for the mistakes of others), and without talking too much out of my own ass, I propose that the Roman Catholic guilt became compounded into a shared national Irish guilt. Or at least, that’s the Ireland in Bruen’s novels: a land of self-loathing misanthropes who wallow in their own bitterness and prejudices…but then again isn’t that like most places?
If you are wondering what the actual plot of this book is about then know it involves a family of killers who crucify a young man and then burn another woman alive; along the way, Taylor finds a very thin excuse to pretend like he’s investigating the murders. Mostly, Taylor thinks about drinking, fights to stay sober, struggles with the abattoir of rage and resentment inside his skull, hates himself, tries not to hate everyone around him, and thinks about God and dying and drinking.
It’s that last sentence along with my “hmming” about guilt which keeps me coming back to this flawed, yet all-too-human series of tragedies masquerading as mystery novels.
December 15, 2016
I'm becoming more and more torn about how to rate the Jack Taylor books. I just keep going for four stars for each one. I am enjoying them, some probably more than others but I'm not sure if I can say which ones are better than other ones.
Maybe this is going to be a bit of a spoiler, but there are certain things that keep happening in the books that are making them slightly predictable in ways that should be unpredictable. I'll give this one credit, it doesn't go for the same sort of ending that the last couple of books do.
I'm not exactly sure why these books have been up for any mystery type awards. As one of my goodreads friends says, they are masquerading as mystery novels. It's true. They are. There are 'mysteries' in them, but Jack Taylor doesn't really ever solve them. Usually they kind of solve themselves as Jack Taylor goes about his life wrecking intentional and unintentional havoc on himself and everyone he comes in contact with. The books sort of follow the pattern Jack Taylor has given up this whole business of trying to help people and solve anything and instead deal with the added guilt / and destruction his last case has left him with... but then something happens and agrees to look into something. His life gets worse and by some roundabout way (usually someone doing research for him) the case is solved. In between he struggles with being a Bukowski level alcoholic, tells a chain smoking priest to fuck off, possibly gets the shit kicked out of him, maybe gets all of his books destroyed, attends a funeral for his dwindling number of friends, listens to a lot of depressing music and muses about books to himself. In other words, it's kind of awesome to read but not if you are expecting a mystery novel.
In this chapter of the Jack Taylor chronicles he tries to solve a mystery of why the dogs in a neighborhood are going missing and who crucified some poor 18 year old kid. And since it's a Jack Taylor book you can expect that neither is going to go well.
Maybe this is going to be a bit of a spoiler, but there are certain things that keep happening in the books that are making them slightly predictable in ways that should be unpredictable. I'll give this one credit, it doesn't go for the same sort of ending that the last couple of books do.
I'm not exactly sure why these books have been up for any mystery type awards. As one of my goodreads friends says, they are masquerading as mystery novels. It's true. They are. There are 'mysteries' in them, but Jack Taylor doesn't really ever solve them. Usually they kind of solve themselves as Jack Taylor goes about his life wrecking intentional and unintentional havoc on himself and everyone he comes in contact with. The books sort of follow the pattern Jack Taylor has given up this whole business of trying to help people and solve anything and instead deal with the added guilt / and destruction his last case has left him with... but then something happens and agrees to look into something. His life gets worse and by some roundabout way (usually someone doing research for him) the case is solved. In between he struggles with being a Bukowski level alcoholic, tells a chain smoking priest to fuck off, possibly gets the shit kicked out of him, maybe gets all of his books destroyed, attends a funeral for his dwindling number of friends, listens to a lot of depressing music and muses about books to himself. In other words, it's kind of awesome to read but not if you are expecting a mystery novel.
In this chapter of the Jack Taylor chronicles he tries to solve a mystery of why the dogs in a neighborhood are going missing and who crucified some poor 18 year old kid. And since it's a Jack Taylor book you can expect that neither is going to go well.
March 18, 2017
Description: Jack Taylor brings death and pain to everyone he loves. His only hope of redemption - his surrogate son, Cody - is lying in hospital in a coma. At least he still has Ridge, his old friend from the Guards, though theirs is an unorthodox relationship. When she tells him that a boy has been crucified in Galway city, he agrees to help her search for the killer.
Jack's investigations take him to many of his old haunts where he encounters ghosts, dead and living. Everyone wants something from him, but Jack is not sure he has anything left to give. Maybe he should sell up, pocket his Euros and get the hell out of Galway like everyone else seems to be doing.
Then the sister of the murdered boy is burned to death, and Jack decides he must hunt down the killer, if only to administer his own brand of rough justice.
Jack's investigations take him to many of his old haunts where he encounters ghosts, dead and living. Everyone wants something from him, but Jack is not sure he has anything left to give. Maybe he should sell up, pocket his Euros and get the hell out of Galway like everyone else seems to be doing.
Then the sister of the murdered boy is burned to death, and Jack decides he must hunt down the killer, if only to administer his own brand of rough justice.
April 8, 2015
I normally love Ken Bruen's Jack Taylor novels. They are noir with an Irish brogue and feature a great protagonist in Jack Taylor. Alcoholic and self destructive, Taylor struggles to keep it together while doing the odd detective job for friends and acquaintances on the mean streets of Galway, Ireland. Be forewarned, these are not mysteries and, truth be told, there's not much detecting going on either. You read a Jack Taylor book for the one liners, cultural observations, and to savor the dialogue. They tend to be violent, morally ambiguous, and dark. This one is darker than most and Taylor's trials and tribulations reach such biblical proportions during the book that you wonder just what he's done to piss God off so much. A little too depressing to give it more than 3 stars and the solution to who the killers are is handled lazily by even Bruen's lax standards.
March 1, 2023
Ken Bruen holds nothing back when he puts pen to paper. This compelling series is brutal in its gritty, albeit honest, portrayal of Jack Taylor, former member of the Guarda (Irish police) and one of the most addictive personalites one could ever hope to meet.
Following the death of Cody, a young man whom Jack had informally adopted, Jack is devastated. Thankfully, he can hold on through the help of perhaps his only true friend, Ridge, a Guards copper and a woman with problems of her own. Yet, somehow, these two tormented souls promise to take care of one another, and in their odd way, that's exactly what they do.
So when Ridge tells Jack about a case in which the victim was murderd and literally crucified in Galway city, he agrees to help, even though he's no longer on the force. The story follows Jack as he struggles to remain sober-- quite a challenge when there seems to be a familiar pub on just about every street he walks as he searches for a lead; and as he contemplates selling his house and emigrating to America. The plot turns very dark when another victim is discovered, burned to death inside her car. Turns out she was the crucified victim's sister, and Jack senses true evil at work. His goal shifts from helping the police bring in the killer, to meting out true (street) justice-- the kind no courtroom can ever seem to produce.
I've read some of this author's other works and had forgotten how effectively he can grab one's interest and haul you along for the often dark, depressing ride that his characters inhabit. You'll not find any of the stereotypical "jolly drinking Irish lads" here. No, within these pages you'll discover a sense of place that is damp, dreary, and frankly, depressing. But it's that gritty feeling that imbues Bruen's characters with realism and causes you to root for the downtrodden, addicted and long suffering poor sods that make reading this series such a pleasure.
Following the death of Cody, a young man whom Jack had informally adopted, Jack is devastated. Thankfully, he can hold on through the help of perhaps his only true friend, Ridge, a Guards copper and a woman with problems of her own. Yet, somehow, these two tormented souls promise to take care of one another, and in their odd way, that's exactly what they do.
So when Ridge tells Jack about a case in which the victim was murderd and literally crucified in Galway city, he agrees to help, even though he's no longer on the force. The story follows Jack as he struggles to remain sober-- quite a challenge when there seems to be a familiar pub on just about every street he walks as he searches for a lead; and as he contemplates selling his house and emigrating to America. The plot turns very dark when another victim is discovered, burned to death inside her car. Turns out she was the crucified victim's sister, and Jack senses true evil at work. His goal shifts from helping the police bring in the killer, to meting out true (street) justice-- the kind no courtroom can ever seem to produce.
I've read some of this author's other works and had forgotten how effectively he can grab one's interest and haul you along for the often dark, depressing ride that his characters inhabit. You'll not find any of the stereotypical "jolly drinking Irish lads" here. No, within these pages you'll discover a sense of place that is damp, dreary, and frankly, depressing. But it's that gritty feeling that imbues Bruen's characters with realism and causes you to root for the downtrodden, addicted and long suffering poor sods that make reading this series such a pleasure.
March 10, 2017
Season 3 opens with a young man found crucified, and Kate asks Jack to meet with the victim's mother, who is not satisfied with the direction of the police inquiry. Jack reluctantly allows Kate's cousin Darragh to assist him in the investigation, getting them all involved too deep.
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August 2, 2019Σημείωση: Αυτή είναι η τελευταία κριτική βιβλίου που διάβασα μέσα στο 2015 γραμμένη εξολοκλήρου ένα χρόνο μετά (2016). Αν υπάρξουν άλλες θα είναι περισσότερο updated κριτικές, πιο reader friendly από αυτές που έκανα πέρσι. Βιβλία που διάβασα πριν το 2015 θα έχουν κριτική όταν τα ξαναδιαβάσω.
Αυτό το βιβλίο έχει ιστορία.
Καλοκαίρι 2008, ολοκλήρωσα το πρώτο τετράμηνο ως πρωτοετής αγγλικής λογοτεχνίας στο πανεπιστήμιο, με άσχετα μαθήματα, (εισαγωγή στην στατιστική, εισαγωγή στους Η/Υ, εισαγωγή στην κοινωνιολογία και άλλες τέτοιες εισαγωγικές μπούρδες), έτσι είχα μια παρόρμηση να διαβάσω κάτι χωρίς αριθμούς, κάτι λογοτεχνικό, και άρπαξα αυτό το βιβλίο. Με τράβηξε το ματωμένο εξώφυλλο, το λογοπαίγνιο (let us prey), και η πρώτη φράση του blurb:
A boy has been crucified in Galway city. 3εις προτάσεις παρακάτω κι άλλη:
His sister is burned alive in her car.
Λέω αυτό είναι: αίμα, τρόμος, και κυνηγητό για τους δράστες. Αλλά κάτι ξέχασα,
Το 2008 οι αναγνωστικές μου ικανότητες στα αγγλικά ήταν σχεδόν μηδαμινές, χωρίς λεξικό δεν έβγαζα νόημα, και δεν είχα ούτε τέσσερα χέρια, 2 για να κρατώ το λεξικό, και 2 να κρατώ το βιβλίο. Έτσι το παράτησα στις 50 σελίδες.
Το ξαναπήρα πέρσι, 7 χρόνια μετά, όταν είχα πλέον στην φαρέτρα μου ένα BA Αγγλικών, και ένα MA δημιουργικής συγγραφής, και συνειδητοποίησα ότι αυτό δεν ήταν βιβλίο τρόμου αλλά ένα ιρλανδικό αστυνομικό θρίλερ, και εφόσον είναι ιρλανδικό, μέσα έχει πολύ ουίσκι, μεθύσι, hangover, και fuck με τα παράγωγά του (fuck, fucking, fucked, fucker, fuckery, etc).
Ο επιθεωρητής Τέιλορ, σε αντίθεση με τονΈρλενδουρ, δεν μπορεί να συγκεντρωθεί να κάνει τη δουλεία που πρέπει (να βρει τους δράστες), και σε πάν�� από το μισό βιβλίο τον βλέπουμε είτε να παλεύει με το παρελθόν του (δε με νοιάζει), είτε να παλεύει με το μεθύσι του (ούτε), είτε να μιλάει περί ανέμων και υδάτων με τα πρεζόνια φίλους του.
Βασικά αν τ' αφαιρέσεις όλα αυτά, η υπόθεση που ασχολείται με την ιστορία του άτυχου αγοριού και της αδερφής του είναι μόλις 50 σελίδες. Κάπως ξενέρωσα με την εκτέλεση μιας κατά τα άλλα ενδιαφέρουσας ιστορίας, και ειδικά με το τέλος, το άφησε έτσι φλου, και γιατί; διότι (την ατυχία μου μέσα) αυτό είναι το 6ο βιβλίο στη σειρά με τον Τζακ Τέιλορ, η ιρλανδική εκδοχή του Ορέστη Μακρή.
Καλό για νουάρ ταινία, ή για τους λάτρεις του αστυνομικού βιβλίου, για μένα, δεν. Έτσι του βάζω 3 αστέρια ον δε ροκς.
Αυτό το βιβλίο έχει ιστορία.
Καλοκαίρι 2008, ολοκλήρωσα το πρώτο τετράμηνο ως πρωτοετής αγγλικής λογοτεχνίας στο πανεπιστήμιο, με άσχετα μαθήματα, (εισαγωγή στην στατιστική, εισαγωγή στους Η/Υ, εισαγωγή στην κοινωνιολογία και άλλες τέτοιες εισαγωγικές μπούρδες), έτσι είχα μια παρόρμηση να διαβάσω κάτι χωρίς αριθμούς, κάτι λογοτεχνικό, και άρπαξα αυτό το βιβλίο. Με τράβηξε το ματωμένο εξώφυλλο, το λογοπαίγνιο (let us prey), και η πρώτη φράση του blurb:
A boy has been crucified in Galway city. 3εις προτάσεις παρακάτω κι άλλη:
His sister is burned alive in her car.
Λέω αυτό είναι: αίμα, τρόμος, και κυνηγητό για τους δράστες. Αλλά κάτι ξέχασα,
Το 2008 οι αναγνωστικές μου ικανότητες στα αγγλικά ήταν σχεδόν μηδαμινές, χωρίς λεξικό δεν έβγαζα νόημα, και δεν είχα ούτε τέσσερα χέρια, 2 για να κρατώ το λεξικό, και 2 να κρατώ το βιβλίο. Έτσι το παράτησα στις 50 σελίδες.
Το ξαναπήρα πέρσι, 7 χρόνια μετά, όταν είχα πλέον στην φαρέτρα μου ένα BA Αγγλικών, και ένα MA δημιουργικής συγγραφής, και συνειδητοποίησα ότι αυτό δεν ήταν βιβλίο τρόμου αλλά ένα ιρλανδικό αστυνομικό θρίλερ, και εφόσον είναι ιρλανδικό, μέσα έχει πολύ ουίσκι, μεθύσι, hangover, και fuck με τα παράγωγά του (fuck, fucking, fucked, fucker, fuckery, etc).
Ο επιθεωρητής Τέιλορ, σε αντίθεση με τονΈρλενδουρ, δεν μπορεί να συγκεντρωθεί να κάνει τη δουλεία που πρέπει (να βρει τους δράστες), και σε πάν�� από το μισό βιβλίο τον βλέπουμε είτε να παλεύει με το παρελθόν του (δε με νοιάζει), είτε να παλεύει με το μεθύσι του (ούτε), είτε να μιλάει περί ανέμων και υδάτων με τα πρεζόνια φίλους του.
Βασικά αν τ' αφαιρέσεις όλα αυτά, η υπόθεση που ασχολείται με την ιστορία του άτυχου αγοριού και της αδερφής του είναι μόλις 50 σελίδες. Κάπως ξενέρωσα με την εκτέλεση μιας κατά τα άλλα ενδιαφέρουσας ιστορίας, και ειδικά με το τέλος, το άφησε έτσι φλου, και γιατί; διότι (την ατυχία μου μέσα) αυτό είναι το 6ο βιβλίο στη σειρά με τον Τζακ Τέιλορ, η ιρλανδική εκδοχή του Ορέστη Μακρή.
Καλό για νουάρ ταινία, ή για τους λάτρεις του αστυνομικού βιβλίου, για μένα, δεν. Έτσι του βάζω 3 αστέρια ον δε ροκς.
December 14, 2014
I could only do so much anguish before I went searching for a rope
Damn, I love this series.
No review here, just a bunch of spots I highlighted.
I've seen many men, women too, wrecked by booze, their faces a testament to all that hell has to offer, but this guy, he was like those photos of Bukowski in his last days. Not good. Beneath the ruin, I'd hazard he was only thirty or so, but the red eyes had seen things that a century of hurt might accomplish.
Paddy is one of the strongest whiskeys and the scent was overpowering. I held the cup to his lips and he managed to get half of it down, then did the dead man's dance of choke, gulp, gargle, grimace. He finally managed to utter, "I think....think it might stay down."
It did, barely.
Then the sea change, within minutes.
Like a demonic miracle, all darkness, it did not come from any place of light. His eyes stopped watering, a rosy colour spread across his face and his hands ceased their jig. He changed physically, his posture became erect and a note of defiance hit his mouth. But I knew-Jesus, did I ever-how short-lived it would be.
'I got to join the most exclusive club in the world-the family of victims. No one wants to belong, we share the pain that never goes away and we can recognize each other, even without words. To outlive your child, this is the greatest torment the world can send.'
Proving for me that you throw enough grief at a person, wreak enough physical damage on a basic decent human being, you can create a monster.
It was raining. Graveyards, I think they have a statute that rain is mandatory. As I walked among the crosses of the dead, I tried real hard not to read the inscriptions. I was carrying enough of the departed to keep a convent in perpetual prayer. Marvelled again that we're still the only burial ground with a Protestant and a Catholic side.
Up North, they wondered why the Peace Process was in shreds yet again and here, even the dead were divided.
Just can't get enough. I keep dragging my feet with these books to stretch out the series as long as I can.
Damn, I love this series.
No review here, just a bunch of spots I highlighted.
I've seen many men, women too, wrecked by booze, their faces a testament to all that hell has to offer, but this guy, he was like those photos of Bukowski in his last days. Not good. Beneath the ruin, I'd hazard he was only thirty or so, but the red eyes had seen things that a century of hurt might accomplish.
Paddy is one of the strongest whiskeys and the scent was overpowering. I held the cup to his lips and he managed to get half of it down, then did the dead man's dance of choke, gulp, gargle, grimace. He finally managed to utter, "I think....think it might stay down."
It did, barely.
Then the sea change, within minutes.
Like a demonic miracle, all darkness, it did not come from any place of light. His eyes stopped watering, a rosy colour spread across his face and his hands ceased their jig. He changed physically, his posture became erect and a note of defiance hit his mouth. But I knew-Jesus, did I ever-how short-lived it would be.
'I got to join the most exclusive club in the world-the family of victims. No one wants to belong, we share the pain that never goes away and we can recognize each other, even without words. To outlive your child, this is the greatest torment the world can send.'
Proving for me that you throw enough grief at a person, wreak enough physical damage on a basic decent human being, you can create a monster.
It was raining. Graveyards, I think they have a statute that rain is mandatory. As I walked among the crosses of the dead, I tried real hard not to read the inscriptions. I was carrying enough of the departed to keep a convent in perpetual prayer. Marvelled again that we're still the only burial ground with a Protestant and a Catholic side.
Up North, they wondered why the Peace Process was in shreds yet again and here, even the dead were divided.
Just can't get enough. I keep dragging my feet with these books to stretch out the series as long as I can.
September 19, 2021
I missed Jack Taylor
Galway
The rain
The bars
The death
Redemption
The books and the music
And his daily struggle
Galway
The rain
The bars
The death
Redemption
The books and the music
And his daily struggle
August 6, 2016
Jack Taylor is changing. Shattered by the shooting of Cody, the young man who came to him for a chance, Jack feels for Cody like a man would for his natural son. Cody is comatose in hospital and even though he didn't pull the trigger, Jack feels responsible for Cody's fate. This has given him a real reason and he's given up drinking, smoking and drugs. Jack's not pretending - it's hard, and he's not found an exactly “normal” way of resisting a drink, but he's serious and he's really trying.
As usual with Jack he's pulled into strange events and strange places. A young boy was crucified in Galway City and despite everyone's shock and horror, despite the Church being scandalised and vocal, no action is ever taken by the Guards. His old friend Ridge comes to him to ask him to investigate – she can't live with the idea that nothing is being done about this boy, and when his sister is burned alive, Jack's not able to leave well enough alone as well.
There's something about Jack that makes stuff happen around him, and the main theme, the murder of this young brother and sister, is only part of what is going on in Jack's life. As he roams Galway on the case, he finds himself in his old haunts, rubbing up against old combatants and associates, glimpses of his old life and the starkness of a sober future in less than sober circumstances. The ghosts of Jack's past are never adverse to giving a good scaring or an even bigger beating.
Finding the answer to who kills so horribly isn't so hard. Deciding what to do about it isn't so easy. Choosing his own future is even harder.
CROSS continues many of the storylines that started out in PRIEST. Reading PRIEST first will give you a little context to what is happening with Jack Taylor, but if you haven't read it, then don't use that as a reason not to pick up CROSS.
Ken Bruen's books are not the easiest reading in the world – they are confrontational, Jack has a self-destructive streak which can be frustrating and the world that he comes from is bleak and violent, inhabited by some damaged and brutal people. But there is also kindness, friendship, care and concern for others. There's brutal reality.
Ken Bruen's books are, however, fantastic reading and CROSS raises that tradition just that little bit higher. I cannot recommend this series highly enough – if you like stark reality, if you can handle one man making his own decisions about his own life, contrary to what everybody else thinks he should do (including the reader), then do yourself a favour and read CROSS.
As usual with Jack he's pulled into strange events and strange places. A young boy was crucified in Galway City and despite everyone's shock and horror, despite the Church being scandalised and vocal, no action is ever taken by the Guards. His old friend Ridge comes to him to ask him to investigate – she can't live with the idea that nothing is being done about this boy, and when his sister is burned alive, Jack's not able to leave well enough alone as well.
There's something about Jack that makes stuff happen around him, and the main theme, the murder of this young brother and sister, is only part of what is going on in Jack's life. As he roams Galway on the case, he finds himself in his old haunts, rubbing up against old combatants and associates, glimpses of his old life and the starkness of a sober future in less than sober circumstances. The ghosts of Jack's past are never adverse to giving a good scaring or an even bigger beating.
Finding the answer to who kills so horribly isn't so hard. Deciding what to do about it isn't so easy. Choosing his own future is even harder.
CROSS continues many of the storylines that started out in PRIEST. Reading PRIEST first will give you a little context to what is happening with Jack Taylor, but if you haven't read it, then don't use that as a reason not to pick up CROSS.
Ken Bruen's books are not the easiest reading in the world – they are confrontational, Jack has a self-destructive streak which can be frustrating and the world that he comes from is bleak and violent, inhabited by some damaged and brutal people. But there is also kindness, friendship, care and concern for others. There's brutal reality.
Ken Bruen's books are, however, fantastic reading and CROSS raises that tradition just that little bit higher. I cannot recommend this series highly enough – if you like stark reality, if you can handle one man making his own decisions about his own life, contrary to what everybody else thinks he should do (including the reader), then do yourself a favour and read CROSS.
April 29, 2017
I cannot get enough of Jack Taylor. This series by Ken Bruen is so darned good. Jack is vulnerable, a reforming alcoholic, a haunted man. So many events in his life since being kicked out of the Guards have left him in a bad place. Cannot say too much - so many threads run through this series and I don't want to spoil it for any reader who is thinking about embarking on it.
In Cross a boy has been crucified in Galway City. People are shocked; the Irish Church is scandalised - and no further action is taken. Then the sister of the murdered boy is burned alive and Jack decides to take matters into his own hands...
This is a dark, compelling portrait of a man who continues to seek redemption, who has few friends - if any. The dialogue crackles with authenticity, dark, powerful, often humorous. We see Jack deciding on a move to America, selling up in Galway and moving on. And then Bruen gives the reader another kick in the gonads, right there on the last page, that leaves Jack devastated. And you just know - you have to move onto book #7....
In Cross a boy has been crucified in Galway City. People are shocked; the Irish Church is scandalised - and no further action is taken. Then the sister of the murdered boy is burned alive and Jack decides to take matters into his own hands...
This is a dark, compelling portrait of a man who continues to seek redemption, who has few friends - if any. The dialogue crackles with authenticity, dark, powerful, often humorous. We see Jack deciding on a move to America, selling up in Galway and moving on. And then Bruen gives the reader another kick in the gonads, right there on the last page, that leaves Jack devastated. And you just know - you have to move onto book #7....
August 18, 2019
A slightly more creepy or almost paranormal element to this one. And, for the first time, Jack metes out justice and doesn't feel guilty about it. But there's a chance someone will hold it over him; only time (and the next 6 books) will tell.
August 25, 2008
Like Galway's cold driving rain blowing horizontal from the North Atlantic, Ken Bruen's prose assaults - relentless, penetrating, no immunity. But just when you're sure he's taken the reader to the limits of despair, Bruen pulls you back in like a Jameson's and a pint of the black. Not that there's any redemption, of course - not in Bruen's vernacular - as you know that your reprieve is fleeting, and that by the time the next chapter turns, this master of contemporary noir will have you convinced that Dante never really got to the bottom of Hell.
But back to help plumb those depths is the inimitable Jack Taylor, the ex-guard, sharp-tongued curmudgeon and the perfect surrogate for Bruen's fierce Celtic rants. Coming off "Priest", I thought black was as dark as it gets, but opening "Cross" with the crucifixion of a Galway youth sets the pace for another Bruen pleasure cruise along the Styx. Remarkably, Taylor is sober - but only as penance and self punishment in denying alcohol's comfort in easing the guilt as substitute-son Cody lies dying, thanks to a bullet meant for Taylor. Not that the storyline is all that critical to Bruen's writing, but "Ban Gardai" Ridge - a female cop and as close to a friend as Taylor can claim - asks Taylor to help get to the bottom of the crucifixion. What follows is another tale of patented Taylor mayhem, unpredictable only in the limits of depravity it crosses.
What is remarkable, given Bruen's sparse and jarring prose, is the extent of the emotions it manages to convey. On nearly every page, a literary gem is hidden - one of those brilliant and pithy lines that could show up in quotes in another's work. There were passages so jolting that I literally set the book aside to reset my bearings and establish a more civilized sense of reality - an experience I can't recall with any other author. Sure, this is brutal, undeniably black, and certainly not for everyone - especially those looking for larger-than-life heroes and happy/sappy endings. But "Cross" and the Taylor novels that precede it do not use violence and darkness gratuitously, but rather as simply a slice of reality and poignancy, as Bruen breaks and twists and reassembles the English language in ways never before done.
Well done, Mr. Bruen. Keep the torch burning!
But back to help plumb those depths is the inimitable Jack Taylor, the ex-guard, sharp-tongued curmudgeon and the perfect surrogate for Bruen's fierce Celtic rants. Coming off "Priest", I thought black was as dark as it gets, but opening "Cross" with the crucifixion of a Galway youth sets the pace for another Bruen pleasure cruise along the Styx. Remarkably, Taylor is sober - but only as penance and self punishment in denying alcohol's comfort in easing the guilt as substitute-son Cody lies dying, thanks to a bullet meant for Taylor. Not that the storyline is all that critical to Bruen's writing, but "Ban Gardai" Ridge - a female cop and as close to a friend as Taylor can claim - asks Taylor to help get to the bottom of the crucifixion. What follows is another tale of patented Taylor mayhem, unpredictable only in the limits of depravity it crosses.
What is remarkable, given Bruen's sparse and jarring prose, is the extent of the emotions it manages to convey. On nearly every page, a literary gem is hidden - one of those brilliant and pithy lines that could show up in quotes in another's work. There were passages so jolting that I literally set the book aside to reset my bearings and establish a more civilized sense of reality - an experience I can't recall with any other author. Sure, this is brutal, undeniably black, and certainly not for everyone - especially those looking for larger-than-life heroes and happy/sappy endings. But "Cross" and the Taylor novels that precede it do not use violence and darkness gratuitously, but rather as simply a slice of reality and poignancy, as Bruen breaks and twists and reassembles the English language in ways never before done.
Well done, Mr. Bruen. Keep the torch burning!
January 19, 2023
Русская рулетка, ирландский вариант. Приходишь в бар, заказываешь пива с виски, ставишь перед собой на стол и ждёшь. Если ты - детектив из Голуэя Джек Тейлор, то вариантов у тебя всего два. Либо сорвешься и уйдешь в запой, что после пары лет трезвяка может стать фатальным. Либо останешься трезвым, но при этом хромым, депрессивным со сбитыми костяшками, слуховым аппаратом в ухе и бесконечным чувством вины.
По телевизору, где-то в Беслане, боевики осаждают школу, в Кладдахе - неизвестные подонки сжигают живьем собак, у Ридж - подозрение на рак, а на койке в госпитале умирает в коме суррогатный сын Джека. Сыщик не способен повлиять на эти события, но история с распятым посреди поля подростком становится для него чересчур личной.
Джек знает убийцу, убийца знает Джека (она даже ради шутки сжигает его домашнюю библиотеку), но улик нет и полиции на это совершенно наплевать. Единственный, кто может вернуть долг и протянуть руку помощи - бывший драгдилер Стюарт, который уже вышел из тюрьмы и теперь пытается учить Джека дзену.
Все пытаются учить Джека. Кто-то - дзену, гарды - умению не лезть в чужие дела, медсестра Джина - пяти стадиям неизбежного. Ну, вы знаете - отрицание, гнев, торговля, депрессия, принятие. А что Джек? Он сухой, спокойный и злой.
Вы, кстати, знаете, чем ирландский крест отличается от обычного? В нём гвоздей больше.
По телевизору, где-то в Беслане, боевики осаждают школу, в Кладдахе - неизвестные подонки сжигают живьем собак, у Ридж - подозрение на рак, а на койке в госпитале умирает в коме суррогатный сын Джека. Сыщик не способен повлиять на эти события, но история с распятым посреди поля подростком становится для него чересчур личной.
Джек знает убийцу, убийца знает Джека (она даже ради шутки сжигает его домашнюю библиотеку), но улик нет и полиции на это совершенно наплевать. Единственный, кто может вернуть долг и протянуть руку помощи - бывший драгдилер Стюарт, который уже вышел из тюрьмы и теперь пытается учить Джека дзену.
Все пытаются учить Джека. Кто-то - дзену, гарды - умению не лезть в чужие дела, медсестра Джина - пяти стадиям неизбежного. Ну, вы знаете - отрицание, гнев, торговля, депрессия, принятие. А что Джек? Он сухой, спокойный и злой.
Вы, кстати, знаете, чем ирландский крест отличается от обычного? В нём гвоздей больше.
September 4, 2016
When a young man is brutally murdered by crucifixion, Guard and quasi-friend Ridge, comes to Jack for help. Off the booze and limiting his drug habit, Jack answers Ridge's plea; not only could cracking the case give Ridge an unlikely career bump in the Guards but also provide Jack with some purpose following the murder of his 'son' Cody.
The famed love/hate relationship between the two continues but softens around the sharpened edges somewhat further adding to their already complex chemistry as the investigation deepens.
While Jack doesn't do a lot to solve either crime he's asked to solve (he's also seeking the person(s) responsible for a spate of dog killings), his involvement is crucial in unearthing the evil that men (and women) do.
I thought CROSS was OK the first time I read it (in 2011) but enjoyed it much more the second time round (2016). The suicide theme is rife and the continued decent into nothingness of Jack envelopes the innocent victims of vengeance fueled murder. CROSS is definitely not one of the Jack Taylor books you want to miss.
The famed love/hate relationship between the two continues but softens around the sharpened edges somewhat further adding to their already complex chemistry as the investigation deepens.
While Jack doesn't do a lot to solve either crime he's asked to solve (he's also seeking the person(s) responsible for a spate of dog killings), his involvement is crucial in unearthing the evil that men (and women) do.
I thought CROSS was OK the first time I read it (in 2011) but enjoyed it much more the second time round (2016). The suicide theme is rife and the continued decent into nothingness of Jack envelopes the innocent victims of vengeance fueled murder. CROSS is definitely not one of the Jack Taylor books you want to miss.
October 18, 2016
Irish noir. Jack, a washed up alcoholic detective, is asked to help solve a case of a boy murdered and crucified. As he begins digging around, a second case appears...rich people asking him to find out who is kidnapping dogs in their neighborhood. Jack pawns off the dog case on an even more alcoholic friend in attempt to give him a reason to live, and proceeds to bumble around determined to get to the bottom of his crucifixion case.
Jack is an extraordinarily well written character, which makes the book. The identity of the killer is revealed fairly early, and Jack ultimately "solves" the case, but not before spreading more tragedy around. Very noir, very Irish, and well worth the read.
Jack is an extraordinarily well written character, which makes the book. The identity of the killer is revealed fairly early, and Jack ultimately "solves" the case, but not before spreading more tragedy around. Very noir, very Irish, and well worth the read.
June 30, 2025
CROSS, the sixth in Ken Bruen’s Jack Taylor series, finds Jack still sober, though it’s a daily struggle for him to remain that way. Tragedies continue to plague Jack. As the closest thing he has to family (a surrogate son) is clinging to life in a coma, Jack searches for a sadistic killer who has crucified one poor soul and burned alive another. Violent, dark, irreverent, and ever-scornful of the Catholic Church and what is becoming of Galway, CROSS is another good read in the ongoing series. Just don’t expect a happy ending.
“There are many crimes in the Irish lexicon, odd actions that in the UK wouldn’t even rate a mention, but here were nigh on unforgivable. Topping the list are:
Silence or reticence. You’ve got to be able to chat, preferably incessantly. Make sense isn’t even part of the equation.
Not buying a round. You might think no one notices, but they do.
Having notions, ideas above your imagined station.
Neglecting the grave of your family.
There are others, such as having a posh accent, disliking hurling, watching BBC, but they are the second division. There’s a way back from them, but the first division, you are fucked.”
“There are many crimes in the Irish lexicon, odd actions that in the UK wouldn’t even rate a mention, but here were nigh on unforgivable. Topping the list are:
Silence or reticence. You’ve got to be able to chat, preferably incessantly. Make sense isn’t even part of the equation.
Not buying a round. You might think no one notices, but they do.
Having notions, ideas above your imagined station.
Neglecting the grave of your family.
There are others, such as having a posh accent, disliking hurling, watching BBC, but they are the second division. There’s a way back from them, but the first division, you are fucked.”
November 20, 2024
Продовжую серію нуарних ірландських кримінальних історій.
April 3, 2021
I had to fasten my seatbelt a couple of times this intense page turning read. The trinity of Jack Taylor's colloquial Gaelic precious words from his childhood, his superb sarcastic witticisms and his struggle to carry his increasingly heavy load of guilt and not drink while investigating noir crime intense.
February 23, 2019
Cross is book 6 in the Jack Taylor series and Jack is in a particularly dark place dealing still with repercussions of the earlier books and the effects of trying to remain sober. The crimes are particularly brutal and somewhat senseless which make them seem even worse. The book is just steeped in hopelessness even right to the ending where it seems like things should be looking up for Jack with a new start. There is also a side plot here that involves animal cruelty, which I had to sort of skim through as I have a difficult time reading anything like that. This was not my favorite book in the series but certainly in keeping with with the darkness that surrounds Jack Taylor.
June 12, 2021
Cross is sixth in the Jack Taylor series by Ken Bruen. As I've said before, read the series in order and do not expect the TV series episode to be an exact duplicate of the book. Best to treat the book and the TV episode as separate entities to prevent disappointment. In Cross, Jack Taylor has become more political than usual and has to process yet another loss in his life. On top of this, he is asked to investigate a crucifixion that occurred in Galway. He doesn't take it as seriously as he perhaps should.
Remember before starting the series that Jack Taylor has little regard for the police, the Catholic Church and hypocrites. Also, the books are gritty and cringe-worthy. This isn't a criticism. Just trying to warn/prepare readers. Proceed with caution.
Remember before starting the series that Jack Taylor has little regard for the police, the Catholic Church and hypocrites. Also, the books are gritty and cringe-worthy. This isn't a criticism. Just trying to warn/prepare readers. Proceed with caution.
January 11, 2013
Jack Taylor can't catch a break; everything keeps turning south in his life. After finally embracing a new protege in the previous novel, and opening up his heart to him, he had to face reality again when his new friend was shot down an put in a coma. Now Jack has to deal with the pain of losing another close person in his life and with the brutal fear of finding out the reason behind the shooting and whether it was caused by his previous actions or not. Of course, while this is going on, he is still battling with remaining sober and walking a tight rope knowing a false step will send him to the abyss.
In this installment, Bruen takes huge strides forward in terms of character development and in expanding the plot lines that involve some of the main characters in the series, such as Ridge, the guard, Stewart, a drug dealer, and Jeff and Cathy, the parents of the girl that died under Jack's care. This was good enough for me to find this book fascinating, but add on top of that a mesmerizing case, involving a couple of brutal murders and you end up with one of the best novels in the series so far.
I have been under a spell lately, finding myself unable to stop reading this books, jumping from one to the next. Now I am just dreading the time when I will run out of Jack Taylor books. If you have not read this series, go back to the beginning, with The Guards and I hope you get as much enjoyment out of it as I have.
In this installment, Bruen takes huge strides forward in terms of character development and in expanding the plot lines that involve some of the main characters in the series, such as Ridge, the guard, Stewart, a drug dealer, and Jeff and Cathy, the parents of the girl that died under Jack's care. This was good enough for me to find this book fascinating, but add on top of that a mesmerizing case, involving a couple of brutal murders and you end up with one of the best novels in the series so far.
I have been under a spell lately, finding myself unable to stop reading this books, jumping from one to the next. Now I am just dreading the time when I will run out of Jack Taylor books. If you have not read this series, go back to the beginning, with The Guards and I hope you get as much enjoyment out of it as I have.
August 10, 2007
CROSS (Private Investigator-Jack Taylor-Ireland-Cont) – Ex
Bruen, Ken – 6th in series
Bantam Press, 2007, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780593057278
First Sentence: It took them a time to crucify the kid.
*** There is a lot going on in Jack Taylor’s life. He is off the drink; thinking of selling his apartment and moving to the US.
The young man, who became his protégée, and who Jack came to love as a son, is in a coma having taken a gunshot meant for Jack. Now another ex-Guarda, fired for drunkenness, comes asking for work so Jack sets him off on a case of dog-napping. And current Guarda friend, Ridge, asks Jack’s help on a case where a young man has been crucified.
*** Bruen’s writing is incomparable. Jack reminds me of a car stuck on the rail tracks with the train coming; you don’t want to watch but can’t turn away in desperate hope he get off before the train hits. You feel his desperate attempts to improve his situation but life constantly challenges his resolve. No matter what, Jack is one of the most compelling characters I read. Bruen also gives the reader a real sense of being Irish, including the religious, cultural and historic influences on their lives. On the flyleaf of Cross it says “Do not expect to put it down unscathed.” As opposed to be usual marketing hype, I’d say that’s a true statement for reading any of the Jack Taylor books. They may not be for everyone because of the profanity and violence, but I find them exceptional.
Bruen, Ken – 6th in series
Bantam Press, 2007, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780593057278
First Sentence: It took them a time to crucify the kid.
*** There is a lot going on in Jack Taylor’s life. He is off the drink; thinking of selling his apartment and moving to the US.
The young man, who became his protégée, and who Jack came to love as a son, is in a coma having taken a gunshot meant for Jack. Now another ex-Guarda, fired for drunkenness, comes asking for work so Jack sets him off on a case of dog-napping. And current Guarda friend, Ridge, asks Jack’s help on a case where a young man has been crucified.
*** Bruen’s writing is incomparable. Jack reminds me of a car stuck on the rail tracks with the train coming; you don’t want to watch but can’t turn away in desperate hope he get off before the train hits. You feel his desperate attempts to improve his situation but life constantly challenges his resolve. No matter what, Jack is one of the most compelling characters I read. Bruen also gives the reader a real sense of being Irish, including the religious, cultural and historic influences on their lives. On the flyleaf of Cross it says “Do not expect to put it down unscathed.” As opposed to be usual marketing hype, I’d say that’s a true statement for reading any of the Jack Taylor books. They may not be for everyone because of the profanity and violence, but I find them exceptional.
June 10, 2014
I realize that when you choose to make your hero a broken down, washed up alcoholic that you have to devote some of your narrative to that condition. But do I have to read about it on every single page? I've had enough of Jack Taylor's fight to resist the next drink. When Bruen actually spends time on plot development and character interactions, I find his story quite entertaining, but there is far too much time spent talking about all the kinds of alcohol Jack will not drink today.
August 11, 2015
Ken Bruen is a great writer, but writes such depressing books. His protagonist, Jack Taylor, is still depressed and bad things keep happening to him and he has no cheer in his life at all. This time around a young man has been crucified and Jack tries to find out why. A side plot about some stolen dogs also ends in tragedy. The city of Galway is a scary place with Jack Taylor in town.
July 28, 2010
Weaker than the last two books in the series that was masterworks so this book did seem like a slight disapointment. There wasnt as powerful story,great dialouge this time.
Still cant compare this series to 99% of crime fiction its too good for them.
Still cant compare this series to 99% of crime fiction its too good for them.
January 16, 2019
A solid 4 stars.
November 5, 2017
I am a big fan of Ken Bruen's Jack Taylor series. Either you love them or not.
The protagonist, Jack Taylor, is truly an antihero, a loser in most ways. He is an alcoholic, a pill-popper and a misanthrope. Everyone near him suffers; he suffers. Through all the stuff, he goes on living, wondering why, hating himself most of all.
Yet, Mr. Bruen is such a great novelist. He writes sharp dialog and creates brilliant word pictures even in the raining gloom of Ireland. At the bitterest moments he has the cutting wit that can make you laugh aloud in rueful appreciation. Example: Jack is walking down the street, passing a group of fervent prostlytizers sing Christian Rock music. One cheerful girl hands him a tract, saying, " Through music we are making Christianity better." Jack's terse reply: " You people aren't making Christianity better, you're making rock and roll worse."
You just have to love that line as perfectly right on, especially if you've listened to any of that genre.
The plot is Jack fighting to stay off the booze as he is drawn into the investigation of a horrifying crime. A reader of those novels knows that trouble will find Jack and that the end will be another scar on his soul. Strong stuff, great writing and a bleak hope for human goodness, somewhere.
The protagonist, Jack Taylor, is truly an antihero, a loser in most ways. He is an alcoholic, a pill-popper and a misanthrope. Everyone near him suffers; he suffers. Through all the stuff, he goes on living, wondering why, hating himself most of all.
Yet, Mr. Bruen is such a great novelist. He writes sharp dialog and creates brilliant word pictures even in the raining gloom of Ireland. At the bitterest moments he has the cutting wit that can make you laugh aloud in rueful appreciation. Example: Jack is walking down the street, passing a group of fervent prostlytizers sing Christian Rock music. One cheerful girl hands him a tract, saying, " Through music we are making Christianity better." Jack's terse reply: " You people aren't making Christianity better, you're making rock and roll worse."
You just have to love that line as perfectly right on, especially if you've listened to any of that genre.
The plot is Jack fighting to stay off the booze as he is drawn into the investigation of a horrifying crime. A reader of those novels knows that trouble will find Jack and that the end will be another scar on his soul. Strong stuff, great writing and a bleak hope for human goodness, somewhere.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews