Crocodile Tears

DI Leo Woods #1

by Mark O'Sullivan

Murder is an ugly business....In the freezing winter of 2010, with the Irish recession in full flow, property tycoon Dermot Brennan is found dead at his Dublin home. Leading the murder investigation is fifty-six-year-old Detective Inspector Leo Woods, an embittered former UN peacekeeper with a drug habit, a penchant for collecting masks and a face disfigured by Bell's Palsy. DI Woods meets his match in Detective Sergeant Helen Troy, a bright and ambitious but impetuous young policewoman with a troubled family.A host of suspects quickly emerge - Brennan's estranged son; two of the dead man's former business associates with grudges against him; a young man whose life was ruined after his house, built by Brennan, was flooded; an arrogant sculptor who may or may not have been having an affair with Anna Brennan (and with their neighbour); and an ex-pat American gardener. Together, Woods and Troy weave their way through this tangled web to get to the shocking truth.Mark O'Sullivan is an exciting new voice in literary crime fiction. Already an acclaimed children's fiction writer, he has produced in Crocodile Tears an excellent murder mystery, which has the depth of character of Kate Atkinson combined with the plotting and ambiguous moral codes of Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Crime

362 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2013

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superb literary crime novel set in a troubled Ireland after the economic crash. It has a gothic feel and is very dark. Mark O’Sullivan has created an inimitable cop, DI Leo Woods, who has a disfigured face and suffers from Bell’s Palsy. Needless to say, many recoil in horror at his face. Leo has an interesting hobby, he collects masks from around the world. It begins with the murder of Dermot Brennan, a property developer. Located in an Ireland which suffered a catastrophic economic failure, the book captures the fallout with regard to real people such as Sean Doran and his wife. A haunting picture is painted of their decline whilst those responsible for their fate get off scot free.

The investigation follows a twisted trail with a myriad of suspects that include the widow and the son. The corpses pile up and the weather deteriorates in a spectacular fashion. Family secrets and blackmail emerge along with shady business practices and deception. There is a sculptor who has no compunction in beating up women and a American gardener. A couple, whose son had ties to the Brennans, and committed suicide, are portrayed with their lives frayed and disintegrating. Political interference and obstacles plague the investigation although Leo Wood is more than a match for them. The recurrence of malaria is depicted in detail in how it affects Leo.

Mark O’Sullivan is poetic and lyrical. He paints extraordinary pictures of the characters and the state of the nation. He is a talented writer, with the ability to get into the emotional and psychological territory with skill and ease. I loved the way that Leo has bouts of tears which he is unable to control which could be taken as a metaphor of the nation and the people, although it could equally apply to the crocodile tears of those responsible for the horror that is Ireland. I did not want the book to end and it is so much more than crime fiction, this is a literary masterpiece. I am going to read anything he has written.

[Rob Kitchin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crocodile Tears is a very nicely written police procedural that has a strong blend of unpicking the mystery surrounding the death of Dermot Brennan, capturing the aftermath of the property crash in Ireland, and charting the interactions and tension between the cops and with the suspects. O’Sullivan creates vivid characterisation, particularly with respect to the guards, and rather than concentrating on a single cop traces a handful from junior to senior rank, each well penned with a decent back story. The dialogue and interactions are first rate. In particular, I thought the first interrogation with Sean Doran, a resident on one of Brennan’s ghost estates, was excellent: all lies, threats, feints, and violence waiting to explode. For the most part the plot worked well, though I felt it became a little derailed towards the end as it veered towards a more fanciful ending. Overall, a very promising start to what I assume (and hope) is going to be a series and highly recommended.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished: 05.08.2019
Genre: CF
Rating: A+++++
#TBR list 2019
Conclusion:
I could NOT put this book down!
Did not have a clue who killed Dermot Brennan
....and finally after 97% of the book...the reader
gasps!
Excellent 'Who dunnit?'

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was incredibly impressed with this inaugural crime offering from Mark O’ Sullivan (perhaps better known as a children’s fiction writer and author of Enright- a fiction novel) and aside from a couple of breaks for coffee, this was pretty much one of those read in one sitting books. Veering more towards literary crime fiction, O’Sullivan’s creation , DI Leo Woods is an absolute gem of a character. Afflicted by a condition known as Bell’s Palsy, Woods is both self-deprecating and a shrewd judge of human nature, accrued through his study of people’s reactions to this perplexing condition. I know crime authors always strive to imbue their detectives with an original quirk to their character, and yes, I did raise an eyebrow at this one, but it works magnificently well in the make-up of Woods’ moral and physical character. Woods is also imbued with a positively Ken Bruen-esque wit, that had me chortling out loud throughout the book, helping to relieve the perfectly wrought tension of the central murder investigation- a murder investigation that is well played out and convincing within the narrative. Woods is a truly multi-layered character, not only shaped by his physical condition but also by previous events from his service in the Balkans and what he witnessed there and a real strength of the book is watching the interplay with him and his colleagues, along with those he investigates. An exceptionally good crime novel all round and I am very much looking forward to encountering DI Woods again.

[Brian Springett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Seana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crocodile Tears is a crime novel set in Dublin. It shares some characteristics with the work of another Dublin writer, Declan Hughes, in its portrayal of the decline and ruin of a privileged Irish family, complete with great house and troubled past. It also bears some similarity to the fiction of Alan Glynn and Declan Burke, who have both written crime novels set in Ireland of the contemporary era, which is to say, post boom.


At heart, though, this is a police procedural, with the typical police team dealing with various crimes that emerge out of the first death. Its main protagonist is Detective Inspector Leo Woods (and one small gripe I had about the book was that this ponderous title was used in so many instances where "Leo", or "Woods", or "DI Woods" would have done just fine), and he is a sad and complicated man. Suffering from Bell's Palsy, which paralyzes and distorts one side of his face, Leo is portrayed as in some ways beyond help for his personal afflictions, which are spiritual and psychological as well as physical. As readers, or at least as this reader, we are never quite persuaded that he is as far beyond the pale as he thinks he is, which perhaps opens up material for future books. All of the police are in fact captured midstory--Detective Sergeant Helen Troy, who has just recently been promoted to this new position but is carrying a lot of familial baggage with her; Superintendent Aoenghus Heaphy, who has undergone a painful and cosmetic enhancement under the impression that it will help him rise; the super capable but preoccupied Detective Garda Ben Murphy, and so on. These are the kinds of characters that will only get better if the series continues.


Full blog post is HERE

[Novel Destination · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book that I happened to choose by its cover. I rarely do that but I really uncovered a gem this time. I struggled to put it down to work, sleep or eat.
Mr. O'Sullivan spins a great police procedural novel set in Ireland. This novel has many twists and turns that kept me guessing. The author did tie things together in believable but creative ways. I appreciated that his characters were flawed but not in the usual callous, drinking, over-worked/unpaid or sexually preoccupied police procedural novelists often depend on. DI Leo Woods is still coming to terms with his face disfigurement from a bout of Bell's palsy. DS Helen Troy has just been promoted and is the "young girl" in charge after she transferred into a new dept. DI Ben Murphy is raising a very sick daughter. Their boss is struggling to earn "brownie points" and move up the chain but is dealing with poorly fitting new dentures, age and staff smarter at solving mysteries but often in ways that do not strictly follow policy. And then there are the richly developed supporting cast who could be suspects, victims or a combination thereof. Great read!

[Calzean · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot going on in this dark police tale of a murder, corruption, blackmail, sex slaves, nepotism and the Irish economy. Maybe there was too much. There was also some hidden racism and overt sexism where the puns were predictable and unnecessary.
The three main police characters all have major issues. DI Woods with his Bell's Palsy, demons from his days in UN peace forces and a father who was ex-SS and had escaped to Ireland after WWII. Helen Troy (please) with a drunken brother who seems to be now living with her ex and want her to sell the family home. Murphy the young brash up-and-comer who is caring for a young daughter with cystic fibrosis. Then the victim, his wife, son, business associates, unhappy customers all have equally unhappy stories. And they say the Irish are lucky.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I like many others have had a detective book addiction that is becoming jaded. A lot of it is basically chewing gum for the brain (Thanks Ted :) ) but I still like to chew on some good gum which is getting harder to find. Crocodile Tears surprised me by being one of the better pieces of gum. If you like detective, murder mysteries you'll be happy enough with this. Nice also to see a new Irish writer.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rivetingly original character in DI Leo Woods, fully supported by his fellow detectives. A convoluted plot, solved by much discussion and many cul-de-sacs, many marvellous metaphors and lovely, individual writing.
O'Sullivan's next book in the series already on my wish list.

A second read - longer-delayed than expected - and just as enjoyable and absorbing, the richness of the characters especially notable.

[Alex Clare · Rating 2 out of 5]

A standard set-up: a new rookie cop goes into an established team, with a disturbed superior. Unfortunately, she then falls into a plot where someone dies in every other chapter in a way that wasn't really credible. The urgency feels forced on occasions and it is hard to feel sympathy for any of the characters.

[Mary Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delighted to have come across this first in DI Leo Woods series. Quirky, clever, funny, well plotted and well written. Everything you need from a crime novel in fact. I have already send away for the second, which was published earlier this year

[Sharon Mccann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read.

[deni Tomgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start hopefully there's more to come I want to know more about these characters, there's too much been set up for a series not to carry on.