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Dublin Trilogy (Publication order) #2
День, який ніколи не настане
У Дубліні аномальна спека, і градус напруженості також зростає. Економіка занепадає, активісти захопили штаб-квартиру збанкрутілого банку, судовий процес над трьома недобросовісними забудовниками балансує на межі зриву, і посеред усього цього з’являється загадкова організація, одержима жагою помсти в ім’я маленької людини. Але Полу Малкрону на все це начхати, йому не бракує власних проблем. Його щойно створена детективна агенція ось-ось прогорить. Один із партнерів не хоче з ним розмовляти з дуже поважних причин, а інший зник з лиця землі без жодного логічного пояснення. Тож перед Полом постає непросте завдання: повернути довіру Бріджит і з’ясувати, яке відношення має бурхливе минуле Банні МакГаррі до його раптового зникнення. А ще є зобов’язання перед загадковою замовницею... Коли закон і справедливість більше не означають одне й те саме, на чиєму боці ви опинитеся?
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
2492 people are currently reading
2038 people want to read
About the author
Caimh McDonnell
41 books1,733 followersIrishman Caimh McDonnell is a former professional stand-up comedian and TV writer who now concentrates all of his energies on his books. Born in Limerick and raised in Dublin, he has taken the hop across the water and calls Manchester his home.
His TV writing work has seen him work on some of the biggest topical comedy shows on British TV and has earned him a BAFTA nomination. These days he can be found happily writing his next book in the office in the back garden, with only his dog and his imagination for company.
His book 'I Have Sinned' was shortlisted for the Kindle Storyteller Award 2019. Previously, his debut novel 'A Man With One of Those Faces' was nominated for best novel at the 2017 CAP awards.
His TV writing work has seen him work on some of the biggest topical comedy shows on British TV and has earned him a BAFTA nomination. These days he can be found happily writing his next book in the office in the back garden, with only his dog and his imagination for company.
His book 'I Have Sinned' was shortlisted for the Kindle Storyteller Award 2019. Previously, his debut novel 'A Man With One of Those Faces' was nominated for best novel at the 2017 CAP awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 454 reviews
February 27, 2023
I enjoyed the 2nd volume in Dubling Trilogy just as much as I enjoyed the 1st one. Part thriller, part murder investigation and part comedy, The Day That Never Comes delivers the perfect blend when you need something to brighten the dull winter days. The fun is enhanced by Morgan C. Jones well accented narration.
If you hadn’t read the 1st volume but you think you would like to try a witty thriller and murder investigation performed by two amateurs with the help of a foul-mouthed police officer please read my review for A Man with One of Those Faces.
In the The Day That Never Comes, Paul is trying to register the new private Detective company, which might prove difficult since one of his partners, Bridgit, does not speak with him and the other, Bunny, has gone missing. Three property developers are standing trial for sinking a real estate project which cost people life savings. When the verdict is a mistrial, someone starts to take justice in his or her own hands. Paul gets a surveillance job from a mysterious blonde and soon realises he is in over his head (since he has no detection skills). Are those events connected? Where is Bunny? What happened between Bridgit and Paul? Read and find out.
It was a fast and entertaining ride and can’t wait to read more. The author does not seem to lose too much time between releases so I’d better try to catch up.
If you hadn’t read the 1st volume but you think you would like to try a witty thriller and murder investigation performed by two amateurs with the help of a foul-mouthed police officer please read my review for A Man with One of Those Faces.
In the The Day That Never Comes, Paul is trying to register the new private Detective company, which might prove difficult since one of his partners, Bridgit, does not speak with him and the other, Bunny, has gone missing. Three property developers are standing trial for sinking a real estate project which cost people life savings. When the verdict is a mistrial, someone starts to take justice in his or her own hands. Paul gets a surveillance job from a mysterious blonde and soon realises he is in over his head (since he has no detection skills). Are those events connected? Where is Bunny? What happened between Bridgit and Paul? Read and find out.
It was a fast and entertaining ride and can’t wait to read more. The author does not seem to lose too much time between releases so I’d better try to catch up.
May 6, 2021
While I was a fan of McDonnell’s first book, A Man With One of Those Faces, the follow-up did not work as well. My First Big Clue was an extremely gruesome crime scene with a descriptively tortured victim, so bad that it had poor Detective Wilson upchucking. Clue Number Two was in the next chapter, a rapid “catch the reader up to speed” coupled with adolescent-type dog-poop humor. Making it worse was actual storytelling, which consisted of both narrator and time shifts. I hate to be such a downer, particularly when so many of my friends enjoyed it, but I was never able to overcome the choppiness in narration or tone to really enjoy the story.
I don’t often do gross-jokes at the best of times, but trying to shift gears from someone who has their eyelids cut off to laughing at flinging poop just doesn’t work for me. Once we’re able to leave the sadistic killer behind and focus on Paul’s investigation, it improves somewhat, but periodic peeking into the police investigation has us continually jumping back into that atmosphere. I welcomed Paul’s dialogue with his friends to bring back the sense of fun and cluelessness. Memories of Bunny were particularly amusing:
“What did I always tell you, back in your hurling days?”
“If the ref doesn’t see it, it didn’t happen?”
“No.”
“Whack it and hope for the best?”
“No!”
But then McDonnell had to try and get extra humorous and bring some more feces into it: “The woman behind the counter pulled a face like Paul had just shat in her hand and asked her to clap.” I ended up looking up McDonnell’s history, and when I saw he had extensive work as a stand-up comic, it all started to make an unfortunate sort of sense.
A particularly problematic scene is when Bunny uses a particularly vulnerable position (literally) to convince a local politician to listen to his counter-proposal. This scene was very uncomfortable, and not in a good way, as it’s so clearly rooted in fear of sexual assault. Don’t believe me? Try swapping out a character and you’ll see. It was basically another instance of lowest common denominator humor, and it doesn’t play well against a character we’ve known for about five minutes.
So tonal shifts and humor aside, does it work? Only if you like your story broken up into mini-bites. There are fifty-nine chapters, and each chapter is a different point of view. Paul, Brigit, Detective Wilson, a third person with Mavis and Bunny, Councillor Kennedy, Councillor Smyth, Detective Burns, Paddy–and this is only by Chapter 17. Add in that some of these are a few years earlier and some are in the ‘now,’ and I found it to be a challenge to sink into. Add an easily derailed police investigation, an attempt to tie it to Dublin politics and perhaps Irish counter-culture, and it feels like a hot mess.
I did like the shout-outs to nursing (“he’d moved over here a couple of years ago and the nurses considered him good, nurses being the only people who can really tell”) and almost every scene involving either Phil or Dr. Sinha, our chatty E.R. doctor from the first book. They provided that same sweet humor I loved in the first book, and are basically the reason I was able to keep going.
“Oh super,” said Paul, “well, I’ll be docking that from your pay. Seeing as you drove the getaway car for the bloke you were supposed to be following.” “Ye know,” said Phil. “I know you don’t mean it, but your tone can be very hurtful at times.”
I loved the daffy humor of the first, but this did not work at all, either on story or on humor. I’ll be taking a break before taking a peek at the third. My sincerest apologies to buddy readers Nan and William, who enjoyed it far more than I did.
Two-and-a-half dog piles, rounding down.
For those who are interested, here's the passage that I feel is full of sexual assault implications:
I don’t often do gross-jokes at the best of times, but trying to shift gears from someone who has their eyelids cut off to laughing at flinging poop just doesn’t work for me. Once we’re able to leave the sadistic killer behind and focus on Paul’s investigation, it improves somewhat, but periodic peeking into the police investigation has us continually jumping back into that atmosphere. I welcomed Paul’s dialogue with his friends to bring back the sense of fun and cluelessness. Memories of Bunny were particularly amusing:
“What did I always tell you, back in your hurling days?”
“If the ref doesn’t see it, it didn’t happen?”
“No.”
“Whack it and hope for the best?”
“No!”
But then McDonnell had to try and get extra humorous and bring some more feces into it: “The woman behind the counter pulled a face like Paul had just shat in her hand and asked her to clap.” I ended up looking up McDonnell’s history, and when I saw he had extensive work as a stand-up comic, it all started to make an unfortunate sort of sense.
A particularly problematic scene is when Bunny uses a particularly vulnerable position (literally) to convince a local politician to listen to his counter-proposal. This scene was very uncomfortable, and not in a good way, as it’s so clearly rooted in fear of sexual assault. Don’t believe me? Try swapping out a character and you’ll see. It was basically another instance of lowest common denominator humor, and it doesn’t play well against a character we’ve known for about five minutes.
So tonal shifts and humor aside, does it work? Only if you like your story broken up into mini-bites. There are fifty-nine chapters, and each chapter is a different point of view. Paul, Brigit, Detective Wilson, a third person with Mavis and Bunny, Councillor Kennedy, Councillor Smyth, Detective Burns, Paddy–and this is only by Chapter 17. Add in that some of these are a few years earlier and some are in the ‘now,’ and I found it to be a challenge to sink into. Add an easily derailed police investigation, an attempt to tie it to Dublin politics and perhaps Irish counter-culture, and it feels like a hot mess.
I did like the shout-outs to nursing (“he’d moved over here a couple of years ago and the nurses considered him good, nurses being the only people who can really tell”) and almost every scene involving either Phil or Dr. Sinha, our chatty E.R. doctor from the first book. They provided that same sweet humor I loved in the first book, and are basically the reason I was able to keep going.
“Oh super,” said Paul, “well, I’ll be docking that from your pay. Seeing as you drove the getaway car for the bloke you were supposed to be following.” “Ye know,” said Phil. “I know you don’t mean it, but your tone can be very hurtful at times.”
I loved the daffy humor of the first, but this did not work at all, either on story or on humor. I’ll be taking a break before taking a peek at the third. My sincerest apologies to buddy readers Nan and William, who enjoyed it far more than I did.
Two-and-a-half dog piles, rounding down.
For those who are interested, here's the passage that I feel is full of sexual assault implications:
September 28, 2019
Reading this book was very much like watching Larry, that asshole at work who hates your guts as much as you hate his, falling down the stairs:
There is this mixture of feelings – some excitement, I mean, it is Larry, so it couldn’t have happened to a better person; some tension - because if Larry has to go to hospital you will probably have to cover his shift; some giggles – but not out loud, or people will think you are weird; some guilt – for enjoying the misfortune of others, even if it is a douchebag; some regret – if you’d captured that on your phone, EVERYBODY could have enjoyed the moment with you (I will be recommending this one); and, finally, some hope – maybe you can bribe someone for the security footage.
Bunny, Bunny, Bunny,
Very cunning
Will he end your world?
So, after the first book in this series, Paul, Brigit and Bunny, recently retired from the Gardai, decided to start a detective agency.
Only problem is…
Well, after Paul cheated on Briget, she kicked him out and refuses to speak to him.
And, after dumping a dog named Maggie on Paul (for unknown reasons), Bunny disappeared and nobody can find him.
Also, there is the unfortunate disadvantage that Paul doesn’t have the money for the license, and it seems unlikely that he will be able to come up with it by himself, sooooooo…
Plus, a mysterious woman walks in and hires Paul to follow her...um, married sugar daddy to see if he is cheating on her with his wife.
But this is not really what this story is about, yet totally is…
The Skylark Three – Jerome Hartigan, Paschal Maloney and Craig Blake – just got a mistrial. They are three developers who was going to get away with a real-estate scam (because money talks almost as much as influence), and the citizens of Dublin is sick of it.
Meanwhile, Father Franks has gone off the reservation and occupied a building called The Ark with the homeless and helpless, barricading themselves inside. And the public is on their side.
So, when Blake is found dead, someone calling themselves the Puca* claims responsibility. The corrupt must fall, even if it takes vigilante justice.
Is this the work of Bunny?
* For the Spanish speakers out there, please note that I used a C and not a T in that name. You should be ashamed of yourself, so stop giggling. And thanks to Mr. C.A. Jones for pointing it out…
If you don’t know Bunny, there are some good descriptions in this book.
“He’s not a bad man. He’s worse than that. He’s a good man who’ll do bad things for what he thinks is right.”
“Bunny McGarry is a rare thing. A man truly capable of anything. The only compass he follows is his own.”
I can recommend this book to fans of Carl Hiaasen or Tim Dorsey, or anybody who loves a good laugh with a mystery.
Loved It!
There is this mixture of feelings – some excitement, I mean, it is Larry, so it couldn’t have happened to a better person; some tension - because if Larry has to go to hospital you will probably have to cover his shift; some giggles – but not out loud, or people will think you are weird; some guilt – for enjoying the misfortune of others, even if it is a douchebag; some regret – if you’d captured that on your phone, EVERYBODY could have enjoyed the moment with you (I will be recommending this one); and, finally, some hope – maybe you can bribe someone for the security footage.
Bunny, Bunny, Bunny,
Very cunning
Will he end your world?
So, after the first book in this series, Paul, Brigit and Bunny, recently retired from the Gardai, decided to start a detective agency.
Only problem is…
Well, after Paul cheated on Briget, she kicked him out and refuses to speak to him.
And, after dumping a dog named Maggie on Paul (for unknown reasons), Bunny disappeared and nobody can find him.
Also, there is the unfortunate disadvantage that Paul doesn’t have the money for the license, and it seems unlikely that he will be able to come up with it by himself, sooooooo…
Plus, a mysterious woman walks in and hires Paul to follow her...um, married sugar daddy to see if he is cheating on her with his wife.
But this is not really what this story is about, yet totally is…
The Skylark Three – Jerome Hartigan, Paschal Maloney and Craig Blake – just got a mistrial. They are three developers who was going to get away with a real-estate scam (because money talks almost as much as influence), and the citizens of Dublin is sick of it.
Meanwhile, Father Franks has gone off the reservation and occupied a building called The Ark with the homeless and helpless, barricading themselves inside. And the public is on their side.
So, when Blake is found dead, someone calling themselves the Puca* claims responsibility. The corrupt must fall, even if it takes vigilante justice.
Is this the work of Bunny?
* For the Spanish speakers out there, please note that I used a C and not a T in that name. You should be ashamed of yourself, so stop giggling. And thanks to Mr. C.A. Jones for pointing it out…
If you don’t know Bunny, there are some good descriptions in this book.
“He’s not a bad man. He’s worse than that. He’s a good man who’ll do bad things for what he thinks is right.”
“Bunny McGarry is a rare thing. A man truly capable of anything. The only compass he follows is his own.”
I can recommend this book to fans of Carl Hiaasen or Tim Dorsey, or anybody who loves a good laugh with a mystery.
Loved It!
February 5, 2017
If you read “The Man With One of Those Faces” (and if not, what’s the deal?!) you’ll have some idea what to expect from book #2 of the author’s Dublin trilogy. Murder, peril, hurling…and lots of inappropriate laughter. Add some street riots & a sociopathic German Shepherd & you’ll get a taste of what our intrepid “heroes” face in this outing.
Against all odds, Paul Mulchrone, Brigit Conroy & Bunny McGarry are back (Darwin must be rolling in his grave). Life changed after they inadvertently solved the infamous “Rapunzel” case & starting a private investigation firm seemed the logical next step. But there have been a few hitches.
Paul found some space for the MCM Agency & just in time as he’s suddenly homeless. He is now living at the office & with another woman. Her name is Maggie. She is of German extraction, has 4 legs, sharp teeth & major attitude. But the biggest problem is he can’t get the necessary operating license without his partners. The “M Agency” just won’t cut it.
Brigit has issues of her own. She & Paul are no longer an item following a late night text she received. And after that unfortunate incident at work involving a naked doctor & handcuffs, she was encouraged to take some time off so it looks like her nursing gig is over. What to do…
Det. Bunny McGarry finally got shoved into retirement & he’s not taking it well. Then he gets the really bad news. Some local developers have convinced city council to re-zone his beloved hurling field. He’s been coaching disadvantaged kids for years in attempts to keep them on the straight & narrow & it might be the only good thing he’s ever done. Bunny knows the politicians have been bought & sets out to change their minds with his own kind of currency…….police files that detail every secret & scandal that got swept under the rug. Then he disappears.
As the story opens, the three of them are tearing around the city in separate investigations. Dublin is not a happy place these days. The Celtic Tiger has died & it looks like a group of property developers responsible for hundreds losing their homes are going to walk on charges of fraud. A heat wave adds to the general crankiness of the population so when a disillusioned priest steps forward to demand change for the common man, fed up Dubliners answer the call.
Going to stop blabbing about the plot now. There are multiple side stories & you want to pay attention to the dates that precede each chapter as there’s a bit of to-ing & fro-ing with the time lines. You really need to just pick this up, sit back & enjoy how the author keeps all the plates spinning in this circus of crime. Along with the 3 MC’s we also get to follow corrupt businessmen, bent politicians & members of the Garda. It’s a full on sprint full of laugh out loud moments as story lines gradually converge. There is also a startling similarity to real life current events at Dublin’s Apollo House which the author addresses at the end.
Now don’t go into this thinking it’s all light hearted shenanigans, sunshine & one grumpy puppy. There are some gruesome & violent scenes as befits “really bad guy” behaviour. But there’s a laugh right around every corner & Bunny’s dialogue alone provides ample entertainment. Of the new characters, special mention goes to DSI Susan Burns. She’s a smart, gutsy detective with a dry sense of humour & a penchant for Louboutins…my kind of girl.
I’m a big fan of police procedurals & crime fiction. When I find one laced with original characters & black humour, I’m a happy camper. For my book $$$, you can’t beat smart & funny. So a big thank you to Mr. McDonnell for sending an ARC my way & hopefully, he’s slaving away on book #3.
Against all odds, Paul Mulchrone, Brigit Conroy & Bunny McGarry are back (Darwin must be rolling in his grave). Life changed after they inadvertently solved the infamous “Rapunzel” case & starting a private investigation firm seemed the logical next step. But there have been a few hitches.
Paul found some space for the MCM Agency & just in time as he’s suddenly homeless. He is now living at the office & with another woman. Her name is Maggie. She is of German extraction, has 4 legs, sharp teeth & major attitude. But the biggest problem is he can’t get the necessary operating license without his partners. The “M Agency” just won’t cut it.
Brigit has issues of her own. She & Paul are no longer an item following a late night text she received. And after that unfortunate incident at work involving a naked doctor & handcuffs, she was encouraged to take some time off so it looks like her nursing gig is over. What to do…
Det. Bunny McGarry finally got shoved into retirement & he’s not taking it well. Then he gets the really bad news. Some local developers have convinced city council to re-zone his beloved hurling field. He’s been coaching disadvantaged kids for years in attempts to keep them on the straight & narrow & it might be the only good thing he’s ever done. Bunny knows the politicians have been bought & sets out to change their minds with his own kind of currency…….police files that detail every secret & scandal that got swept under the rug. Then he disappears.
As the story opens, the three of them are tearing around the city in separate investigations. Dublin is not a happy place these days. The Celtic Tiger has died & it looks like a group of property developers responsible for hundreds losing their homes are going to walk on charges of fraud. A heat wave adds to the general crankiness of the population so when a disillusioned priest steps forward to demand change for the common man, fed up Dubliners answer the call.
Going to stop blabbing about the plot now. There are multiple side stories & you want to pay attention to the dates that precede each chapter as there’s a bit of to-ing & fro-ing with the time lines. You really need to just pick this up, sit back & enjoy how the author keeps all the plates spinning in this circus of crime. Along with the 3 MC’s we also get to follow corrupt businessmen, bent politicians & members of the Garda. It’s a full on sprint full of laugh out loud moments as story lines gradually converge. There is also a startling similarity to real life current events at Dublin’s Apollo House which the author addresses at the end.
Now don’t go into this thinking it’s all light hearted shenanigans, sunshine & one grumpy puppy. There are some gruesome & violent scenes as befits “really bad guy” behaviour. But there’s a laugh right around every corner & Bunny’s dialogue alone provides ample entertainment. Of the new characters, special mention goes to DSI Susan Burns. She’s a smart, gutsy detective with a dry sense of humour & a penchant for Louboutins…my kind of girl.
I’m a big fan of police procedurals & crime fiction. When I find one laced with original characters & black humour, I’m a happy camper. For my book $$$, you can’t beat smart & funny. So a big thank you to Mr. McDonnell for sending an ARC my way & hopefully, he’s slaving away on book #3.
February 7, 2017
Caimh McDonnell where have you been all my life? Seriously, this is the first book in forever that have made me laugh out loud. Now, this book is book two in the Dublin trilogy, but it's no problem whatsoever to read this as a stand-alone since that is what I've done. And, honestly, why haven't I read the first book yet? I mean I even have it. Had it for month's before I started to read this book for the blog tour. *sigh* I can only say that I have a lot of books, and I comfort myself that I have the joy of reading A Man With One of Those Faces when I get some time over for it.
Alright, back to The Day That Never Comes. Since I haven't read the previous book didn't I have any previous knowledge about the characters, but I quickly got the gist. Paul, not a very good private detective and a cheating son of a bitch. Brigit his partner and girlfriend and the one that was cheated on and who doesn't want to see and talk to Paul. And, then we have Bunny, the ex-cop with a reputation has gone missing.
Paul got a lucky break when he gets a case, but at the same time, he also gets the news that Bunny is missing and he needs to find him. However, that's a problem since Bridgit is not there. And, without Brigit, well, Paul is not a very good private detective, I mean he can't even stalk someone properly. In the meantime, there are a lot of things going on with the trial of three unscrupulous property developers and activists have taken over the headquarters of a failed bank. At first, I did not know where the story would go, but then everything started to make sense as the story progress. And, let me tell you, the story is crazy, the humor is on top. This is a perfect mix of crime and humor and I just totally adore the characters. My laughing out loud moments came at the end with a scene with Bunny. Man, I just love him.
The Day That Never Comes is one of the funniest books I have ever read. I loved every minute of the book. As a treat will I leave you all with a quote from the book:
"I need your help," he continued. "Look, can you open the door so we can talk about this?" "No!" said Brigit, stamping her foot for emphasis. "I'm never, ever opening this door or anything else to you ever again, ye… prick!" Seriously – she knew hundreds of swear words. She had three older brothers. "Me and my friends are having a party and then later, a man is going to deliver some Indian food and… and, I'm going to have sex with him!"
"OK," said Paul. "The delivery guy is actually here with your food. He's standing right beside me." "Right, good. Tell him I will be with him presently."
"Ehm… he's gone again."
"Not him," said Brigit. "A different guy. He plays rugby for Leinster."
"And he delivers Indian food?"
"Shut up!" said Brigit, "shut the hell up! You don't get to break my heart and then come around here and make me feel stupid. I feel stupid enough when you're not here ye… ye… oh for… what's another word like prick?"
"Arsehole?" said Paul.
"Thank you," said Brigit. "Arsehole!"
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
Alright, back to The Day That Never Comes. Since I haven't read the previous book didn't I have any previous knowledge about the characters, but I quickly got the gist. Paul, not a very good private detective and a cheating son of a bitch. Brigit his partner and girlfriend and the one that was cheated on and who doesn't want to see and talk to Paul. And, then we have Bunny, the ex-cop with a reputation has gone missing.
Paul got a lucky break when he gets a case, but at the same time, he also gets the news that Bunny is missing and he needs to find him. However, that's a problem since Bridgit is not there. And, without Brigit, well, Paul is not a very good private detective, I mean he can't even stalk someone properly. In the meantime, there are a lot of things going on with the trial of three unscrupulous property developers and activists have taken over the headquarters of a failed bank. At first, I did not know where the story would go, but then everything started to make sense as the story progress. And, let me tell you, the story is crazy, the humor is on top. This is a perfect mix of crime and humor and I just totally adore the characters. My laughing out loud moments came at the end with a scene with Bunny. Man, I just love him.
The Day That Never Comes is one of the funniest books I have ever read. I loved every minute of the book. As a treat will I leave you all with a quote from the book:
"I need your help," he continued. "Look, can you open the door so we can talk about this?" "No!" said Brigit, stamping her foot for emphasis. "I'm never, ever opening this door or anything else to you ever again, ye… prick!" Seriously – she knew hundreds of swear words. She had three older brothers. "Me and my friends are having a party and then later, a man is going to deliver some Indian food and… and, I'm going to have sex with him!"
"OK," said Paul. "The delivery guy is actually here with your food. He's standing right beside me." "Right, good. Tell him I will be with him presently."
"Ehm… he's gone again."
"Not him," said Brigit. "A different guy. He plays rugby for Leinster."
"And he delivers Indian food?"
"Shut up!" said Brigit, "shut the hell up! You don't get to break my heart and then come around here and make me feel stupid. I feel stupid enough when you're not here ye… ye… oh for… what's another word like prick?"
"Arsehole?" said Paul.
"Thank you," said Brigit. "Arsehole!"
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
May 5, 2021
O que você não sabe nem sequer pressente
É que os desafinados também têm um coração…
- Desafinado (João Gilberto)
I couldn’t help but have the song Desafinado in my head. The word itself is Portuguese for out of tune. It describes perfectly the way in which things have gone awry since we last saw Bunny, Paul & Brigit sail off into the sunset...
One missing Bunny, a fledgling private detective agency already in disarray, another corporate firm gone bust, an Ark, a Priest to rival Fr.Barry*, riots, looting, bribery, revenge, blackmail, compromising photos, underhanded property development dealings, macabre killings, a bombing, friendship, relationships, community. And one mad dog.
A designer mansion with the words ”this is the day that never comes” scrawled on the wall above an expensive Tuscan fireplace. Written in blood. The victim’s own.
Who are the mysterious Púca, and how are they involved?
Can Bunny save St.Jude's Hurling Club field? Will Brigit forgive Paul? What is Dr.Sinha's first name? Who is the mystery lady in the red dress? Why does Maggie have a drinking problem? Will Phil marry the woman of his dreams that he’s not met yet? Will Gerry the radio announcer have a conniption on air? More importantly where's Bunny???
These questions plus many more will be answered...Or will they? This book has it all. It pleased me no end. There is just so much going, and the book moves along at a rollicking pace.
Ciamh McDonnell excels again with his writing. This is dripping with cutting one liners. And two and three liners. They are quite brilliant. While the humour is still delightfully and cheekily on show, it's much darker. As is the entire tone of this book. Scratch beneath the surface, and this story shines a light on so much of what is wrong in our society. The corruption and the greed. The sense of entitlement. How little it takes to set people off. And how easy it is for a little match to set off an entire explosion.
There are some really riotous scenes in this book. Pardon the pun. I couldn't help myself.
The star of the show is definitely Maggie. Indeterminate age. Has a killer stare. Free spirit. Loves pub meals and a pint or two. A romp in the park. Enjoys long drives. Appalling table and toilet manners though. Questionable hygiene. The perfect woman? Maggie is Bunny's German shepherd. She has a penchant for swilling beer and severe behavioural issues. An ex-police dog. A match made in heaven. What's the saying about people looking like their pets?
I have to say this book made me love Bunny McGarry even more. Even though he wasn’t there "in person" for three quarters of the book, he’s always there, in the background, working his magic via flashbacks. When he does finally appear, he’s larger than life. A very kind heart beats in that rough and tumble exterior. A heart of gold. What a fella! Cork accent and all.
Book 2 of the Dublin Trilogy tick. See you in book three big man.
BTW, have a listen to George Michael and Astrud Gilberto sing Desafinado. I’m sure Bunny would approve, being the jazz aficionado he is. I'm sure Simone would sing it well. Sláinte.
*** Buddy read with Bill and Carol. The unofficial (official?) Bunny McGarry fan club. Make sure you read their reviews also, to be sure...as we have very different opinions on this book. Vive le difference!
Bill's review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Carol's review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ***
* “On The Waterfront” by Budd Schulberg
July 5, 2023
More harmless fun from the frighteningly prolific pen of Caimh McDonnell.
July 14, 2022
Entertaining/amusing and an easy read. I'm not sure this was quite as good as the first book (A Man With One of Those Faces) in the series though. Maybe it's simply because the first one was "fresh" and this is quite similar in many ways.
It has some great lines in that had me laughing aloud. However some bits felt a little more ordinary maybe. While you do get laughs there is also a fair bit of violence. The characters from last time are just fine. There are some new ones - Burns a DCI worked well for me. Equally not all the characters are 2 legged and Maggie was a great creation :). I guess these are somewhat niche reads, comedy crime is probably an awkward genre but this guy does them well enough! I'll be reading more in the series when time/opportunity presents itself.
It has some great lines in that had me laughing aloud. However some bits felt a little more ordinary maybe. While you do get laughs there is also a fair bit of violence. The characters from last time are just fine. There are some new ones - Burns a DCI worked well for me. Equally not all the characters are 2 legged and Maggie was a great creation :). I guess these are somewhat niche reads, comedy crime is probably an awkward genre but this guy does them well enough! I'll be reading more in the series when time/opportunity presents itself.
July 22, 2018
Paul Mulchrone and Brigit Conway are back in this second book of the trilogy. Bunny McGarry is missing. He's in the book, sure, but no one knows where he is. There’s also a, uh, lovely German Shepard named Maggie. Paul and Brigit have had a falling out, so each is on their own and their new private investigation firm seems a failure before it’s even started.
This book is a bit more serious than the first, but the writing style and humor are both still there. The characters are great. There are a few chapters from the past when Bunny was trying to atone. Bunny is a good man who does bad things to make things right, and I’m fascinated with him. A clash between politicians, businessmen, police, and the public have the people of Dublin rioting. This quote is relevant today:
"They tell us, ‘These are the days of austerity. These are the days when we all have to tighten our belts.’"
Boos from the crowd.
"But what of the corrupt corporations? The profiteers? The speculators? When will those who cut corners, who fiddled the deals – who defied the laws this country was built on, both legal and moral, to line their own pockets – when will they be made to justify what they have done?"
Cheers.
"When is the day that they will pay their fair share?"
Cheers.
"When is the day when those who brought this country to its knees will be made to stand and face the people's wrath for their wrongdoings?"
Cheers.
"When is that day? I tell you, my friends; that is the day that never comes."
I will definitely be reading the third book soon.
This book is a bit more serious than the first, but the writing style and humor are both still there. The characters are great. There are a few chapters from the past when Bunny was trying to atone. Bunny is a good man who does bad things to make things right, and I’m fascinated with him. A clash between politicians, businessmen, police, and the public have the people of Dublin rioting. This quote is relevant today:
"They tell us, ‘These are the days of austerity. These are the days when we all have to tighten our belts.’"
Boos from the crowd.
"But what of the corrupt corporations? The profiteers? The speculators? When will those who cut corners, who fiddled the deals – who defied the laws this country was built on, both legal and moral, to line their own pockets – when will they be made to justify what they have done?"
Cheers.
"When is the day that they will pay their fair share?"
Cheers.
"When is the day when those who brought this country to its knees will be made to stand and face the people's wrath for their wrongdoings?"
Cheers.
"When is that day? I tell you, my friends; that is the day that never comes."
I will definitely be reading the third book soon.
November 20, 2019
Y'all know I loved the first book in The Dublin Trilogy. This one wasn't as entertaining particularly because some threads came loose and motherfucking Brigit.
I didn't particularly like her in Book 1. I'd even go as far as saying I was ambivalent about her. She's brought trouble on Paul's doorstep simply by existing and the author tries to make it seem like Paul is hopeless without her. But there is something hinky about their romance. There's something fishy in the chemistry. The couple does not compute. It's like they were trying so hard to make her Hermione- who is queen of the deus ex machina and makes almost all other fiction geniuses pale in comparison. Hermione was so great in fact that almost all of us wish she had been the main character and hadn't ended up with that waste of meat, Ron.
But I digress. This story begins in a rather annoying fashion. Paul, Bunny and Brigit (ugh) had set up their detective agency but hadn't managed to get a licence to operate yet. Primarily because Paul's a bit of an airhead, Bunny's gone missing and Brigit, motherfucking Brigit, won't talk to Paul because he "cheated" on her. He even sent her photos. Of him unconscious with a beautiful hooker draped over him. And I'm sorry, but for someone who reads crime books and devours true crime TV in all her spare time, bitch couldn't smell a rat? I mean Paul was drop dead unconscious. Shouldn't she have at least heard him out before waving her one woman silent treatment parade?
On top of that, Bunny is the one who smelt a rat. Bunny comes off as a nut. With a body the size of a Mini Cooper, a wonky eye and a mind that works like Sherlock's- he is the one who figures out something is definitely wrong. And when he goes to investigate the happenings, that's when he goes missing.
When Paul accepts a case from a stranger who wouldn't even give him her name, he realizes he's in over his head and goes to grovel at Brigit who finally partially pulls her head out of her ass and gets on the case to track Bunny.
As all this is happening, Ireland is burning. Because three discount Bernie Madoffs have sunk a real estate project that's cost people their livelihoods and life savings. After their case goes to mistrial the country is baying for blood and the Garda have their hands full with protests risings and the madoff-wannabe stooges getting offed one by one.
Once again we are treated to Caimh's unique blend of ambience and humour. I felt like I was smack in the middle of Dublin and wasn't lost. DCI Burns was just the best. After Wilson, who has a weak stomach, throws up on her Louboutins and attends a briefing with his fly open, we get to see her in fantastic element. She is just quite literally the best (I'm sure I've added a bunch of highlights of how she is just one BAMF). I wish she was the one Paul was in love with. Seriously.
Even the damn dog, Maggie, was a better character than Brigit. Gah she was irritating. Infuriating.
UGH.
Read the book, you'll understand why.
I didn't enjoy this as much as I did the first one. But that's to be said of all sequels. Except The Godfather 2. T2. Winter Soldier. The Dark Knight... You get my point.
I didn't particularly like her in Book 1. I'd even go as far as saying I was ambivalent about her. She's brought trouble on Paul's doorstep simply by existing and the author tries to make it seem like Paul is hopeless without her. But there is something hinky about their romance. There's something fishy in the chemistry. The couple does not compute. It's like they were trying so hard to make her Hermione- who is queen of the deus ex machina and makes almost all other fiction geniuses pale in comparison. Hermione was so great in fact that almost all of us wish she had been the main character and hadn't ended up with that waste of meat, Ron.
But I digress. This story begins in a rather annoying fashion. Paul, Bunny and Brigit (ugh) had set up their detective agency but hadn't managed to get a licence to operate yet. Primarily because Paul's a bit of an airhead, Bunny's gone missing and Brigit, motherfucking Brigit, won't talk to Paul because he "cheated" on her. He even sent her photos. Of him unconscious with a beautiful hooker draped over him. And I'm sorry, but for someone who reads crime books and devours true crime TV in all her spare time, bitch couldn't smell a rat? I mean Paul was drop dead unconscious. Shouldn't she have at least heard him out before waving her one woman silent treatment parade?
On top of that, Bunny is the one who smelt a rat. Bunny comes off as a nut. With a body the size of a Mini Cooper, a wonky eye and a mind that works like Sherlock's- he is the one who figures out something is definitely wrong. And when he goes to investigate the happenings, that's when he goes missing.
When Paul accepts a case from a stranger who wouldn't even give him her name, he realizes he's in over his head and goes to grovel at Brigit who finally partially pulls her head out of her ass and gets on the case to track Bunny.
As all this is happening, Ireland is burning. Because three discount Bernie Madoffs have sunk a real estate project that's cost people their livelihoods and life savings. After their case goes to mistrial the country is baying for blood and the Garda have their hands full with protests risings and the madoff-wannabe stooges getting offed one by one.
Once again we are treated to Caimh's unique blend of ambience and humour. I felt like I was smack in the middle of Dublin and wasn't lost. DCI Burns was just the best. After Wilson, who has a weak stomach, throws up on her Louboutins and attends a briefing with his fly open, we get to see her in fantastic element. She is just quite literally the best (I'm sure I've added a bunch of highlights of how she is just one BAMF). I wish she was the one Paul was in love with. Seriously.
Even the damn dog, Maggie, was a better character than Brigit. Gah she was irritating. Infuriating.
UGH.
Read the book, you'll understand why.
I didn't enjoy this as much as I did the first one. But that's to be said of all sequels. Except The Godfather 2. T2. Winter Soldier. The Dark Knight... You get my point.
August 15, 2023
I feel bad about rating book number two as a three star read because I so loved the first book.
But here we are.
This one was really good at times and then really bad.
There were times in the book where you can tell the author also writes scripts, because he will do some cringe over the top stuff that belongs in bad tv. An example ~ the good guy and the bad guy get in a tussle and at the end the good guy crushes the bad guy’s sunglasses. You know ~ to make a point about how much he despises the bad guy, and to show his dominance.
But then the good guy’s dog (who is female but lifts her leg to pee “like a male”) stops and urinates on the prone body of the bad guy. Who then whimpers.
The bad guy. Not the dog.
And there is some speechifying. Some heavy handed showing not telling.
It can all get a bit forced and over the top.
There was some good writing in there, and if you liked the previous stories then give this a try.
I will read the next book because I liked the first one so much.
But here we are.
This one was really good at times and then really bad.
There were times in the book where you can tell the author also writes scripts, because he will do some cringe over the top stuff that belongs in bad tv. An example ~ the good guy and the bad guy get in a tussle and at the end the good guy crushes the bad guy’s sunglasses. You know ~ to make a point about how much he despises the bad guy, and to show his dominance.
But then the good guy’s dog (who is female but lifts her leg to pee “like a male”) stops and urinates on the prone body of the bad guy. Who then whimpers.
The bad guy. Not the dog.
And there is some speechifying. Some heavy handed showing not telling.
It can all get a bit forced and over the top.
There was some good writing in there, and if you liked the previous stories then give this a try.
I will read the next book because I liked the first one so much.
May 6, 2024
“Have you got any books on how to follow somebody?”
The second book in the series offers some of the same screwball comedy about a simple man who tries to survive in the criminal underworld of Dublin. Paul Mulchrome is no longer running for his life, but he still struggles to put his life in order, both professionally and emotionally. Plus, he needs to learn about the detective business fast, even if it means going to the bookshop for references.
Paul, spurred by the success of his first case, is opening a private detective agency with his partners in crime: ex-police officer Bunny McGarry and ex-nurse Brigit Conroy.
The main issue right now for Paul is that the experienced Bunny has gone missing and the resourceful Brigit is refusing to speak to him after receiving compromising pictures of her fiance with a hooker, just as the proverbial femme fatale comes knocking on his agency’s door. Paul is left on his own to hold the fort.
She spoke in a kind of purring, breathy voice that didn’t exist in nature. It felt more like a crack team of female scientists had developed it to take advantage of the fact that all men are idiots.
The leggy blonde in the skin-tight red dress is clearly inspired by the famous entrance of Cameron Diaz in “The Mask”. In another short story included in my edition, there is a clear reference to the Monty Python parrot sketch. Yet, the overall impression for me is that Caimh McDonnell is keeping his stand-up comedy routines under leash and tries to take the series into more serious territory.
The meek might well inherit the Earth, but what state would it be in when they finally did?
The case Paul is offered by the blonde bombshell involves surveillance of a trio of big time investors in real estate who have just been let go by the justice system on a technicality. There is no shortage of incensed apartment buyers who were tricked into buying unfinished, substandard properties while the three ‘job creators’ siphoned off tens of millions of euros from the books.
When one of the three is murdered, the Garda gets involved along with the amateur sleuth Paul, while Brigit has her own quest to find out the missing third partner in the agency.
“Do you know what a Puca is?”
“Some kind of fairy?”
“It is a spirit in Irish mythology. Considered to be bringers of both good and bad fortune. There are various versions of the myth, of course, it varies wildly.”
A group of self-appointed fighters for social justice claim responsibility for the crime, while another group of homeless people led by the charismatic Father Frank occupy an abandoned office building in the financial district of Dublin [ The whole place had the feel of a music festival, without the music, that was being held in an office block. ]. DCI Burns, the new High Commissioner has to deal with all these complications and with the resentment of the old guard over her being a woman (she’s also hampered by her young and earnest assistant who sports a very weak stomach). The way Caimh McDonnell pays attention to the minor characters in the novel is one of the best things in the book for me.
There’s a lot of balls to keep up in the air for the author, a task that is made even harder by Caimh McDonnell decision to blend together two novels into one: he offers here two timelines that don’t mesh very well together until the very last chapters. One in the present and one twenty years earlier when a younger Bunny McGarry was trying to put pressure on city councilmen in order to save a community hall from demolition.
The purpose of the exercise is to make it clear that the true lead of the series is not the bumbling Paul, mostly responsible for the comedy routines, but Bunny McGarry, the wildcard and self-appointed vigilante of his beat.
“If you don’t mind me saying, you are a very peculiar man.”
“Sane though. I’ve got a piece of paper.”
Bunny’s sanity is debatable to outsiders, but in his own head there is little place for doubts or for scruples. Bunny is a man of violent action who firmly believes the goal excuses the means. He has been retired early from the Garda, but he continues to walk the streets as the top dog ... until he disappears at the start of this second episode.
He’ll lie, cheat, blackmail – whatever it takes. He’s not a bad man. He’s worse than that. He’s a good man who’ll do bad things for what he thinks is right.”
[...]
Because sometimes, the only way to beat the dirty dogs is to get dirtier.
It’s clear that the author has a soft spot for Bunny, and most of the readers responded with enthusiasm to his larger than life persona. Myself, I’m still undecided and I prefer the chapters told from the point of view of Paul and Brigit. Offered to the reader as larger than life, big, bold, uncouth – yet touched with a kind of ferocious, wild-eyed charm. , Bunny’s abrasive style and scatological humour seem to me a little forced and artificial, but I might warm up to him if I decide to continue with the series.
My choice is helped by the two extras included in the omnibus edition. These shorter works were easier to consume than the ambitious full length novel. Both of them focus on Bunny McGarry, reinforcing the impression that he will become the anchor for the whole series.
Bloody Christmas
The Christmas tale is a feel-good novella with a dark, subversive streak running through it, touching on vulnerable people in need of help: Caroline, a young woman who seems unable to hold a job and a family of illegal immigrants caught in the crossfire of a gang war.
Self-sabotage, low self-esteem, fear of success – these terms had felt like gut punches. Turns out she wasn’t unique, she was falling into a lot of the same sorry traps as lots of other people. OK, her little audit had highlighted that maybe she was drinking too much and leaning on recreational drugs a little too heavily. Thing is, unless she was way off, she didn’t think that was a cause, but rather a symptom. She didn’t have a drink or drug problem; she had a life problem. She needed to get better at having one, or at least believing that she deserved to.
Caroline, who’s job as Santa’s little helper puts her in the crosshairs of Bunny McGarry, is a fine example of the mix between dark comedy and social commentary that attracted me to the series in the first place.
The presence of Bunny’s hurling team of street urchins learning to sing a Christmas carol is the highlight of the novella for me, along with Bunny’s unorthodox voice coaching:
“Any final tips?” asked Pete.
“Yeah. Don’t go all in on two queens, never trust a builder who says he’ll be back first thing, and if someone tells you that they want to see other people, they already are and they’re almost certainly shagging them, probably your builder.”
Dog Day Afternoon
A much shorter work whose main role is to introduce a new character to the series: Bunny’s drug addicted and boozy dog Maggie. This is actually the origin story for Bunny’s partner and canine alter-ego Maggie, who will play her own important role in the full length second novel:
“I have forty-seven minutes to find a dead dog to take the place of a decorated police officer in front of a firing squad.”
This was a three stars experience upgraded to four stars from working on my review. I guess I’ll read one more book in the series to confirm the good impression so far.
February 6, 2017
“He’ll lie, cheat, blackmail – whatever it takes. He’s not a bad man. He’s worse than that. He’s a good man who’ll do bad things for what he thinks is right”
Yes! Caimh McDonnell’s ‘Dublin trilogy’ is back for round 2, and, spoiler alert, it does NOT disappoint. So where do we find our favourite trio of wannabe detectives after A Man With One Of Those Faces? Average-faced Paul is in his new digs, the MCM headquarters. OK then, a dingy office that he’s sleeping in too because is no longer with Brigit. Brigit doesn’t fare much better either; she’s split from Paul after receiving some compromising photos of Paul on a night out that he can’t quite explain and she’s lost her nursing job thanks to desire to put an unliked doctor in an uncompromising position of his own…
And Bunny? The sharp-witted, foul-mouthed, violent copper who’s just been made to retire from the force? Well, your guess is as good as mine. So far, not so good for the Mulchrone-Conroy-McGarry private detective agency.
We may not have Bunny, but we do have his 1980s Porsche 928S. And an ex-police dog, Maggie. Maggie is a brilliant addition to the team; what she lacks in police dog skills she makes up for in her drinking prowess. She is a great source of frustration to Paul, who even looks to find a new home for her. They’re a real Turner and Hooch team. The most frustrating part for Paul? As a sidekick, Maggie isn’t very vocal. Whereas in former days, Brigit would plan their adventures, Maggie doesn’t say a word. She does, however, possess the ability to bite. Hard. I have a feeling this may come in handy for Paul…
Anyway, back to the plot. MCM have been tasked with finding out who Jerome Hartigan is having an affair with, after his nameless ‘wife’ in the red dress visits Paul. Hartigan just happens to be a member of a team of failed property developers, who have seemingly conned innocent citizens out of millions as their Skylark development bombs. All the while, Bunny is missing. Brigit is rightly worried; she missed his call on Friday evening and no one’s heard from him since.
The three property developers are on trial, amidst a backdrop of chaos and disillusionment as activists, led by Father Franks, have taken over an old bank headquarters. Then there’s the so-called Pùca, an Irish terrorist group that has emerged from nowhere. Things take a turn for the worse as these separate stories start to appear not so separate after the murder of Craig Blake, one of the property developers.
Deaths and riots follow, Bunny is still missing, Brigit and Paul still aren’t on talking terms, and the police force aren’t exactly getting to the bottom of all these cases either…
But one thing’s for sure, Bunny McGarry’s disappearance isn’t a coincidence. Bunny’s history is a colourful one too. As Brigit says, as a former detective who had set up his hurling team to help young men get out of difficulty, ‘he’s a good man’. It’s just unfortunate that he will ‘do bad things for what he thinks is right’. He must have history with the Skylark three; Brigit and Paul need to join forces to find this out in the hope of discovering his current whereabouts…
I really don’t want to spoil the plot for you. Paul and Brigit get to uncover some extremely juicy crimes, even juicier than the Rapunzel plot. It’s not just the clever crime plot that makes McDonnell’s latest novel a joy to read; it’s absolutely hilarious. From Gerry the radio DJ’s outbursts interjecting every chapter (he reaaallly doesn’t want to play that ‘new one from Adele’) to Paul and Maggie’s attempts at being inconspicuous (this is where he calls Maggie ‘Chardonnay’ as a way of covering up her true doggy identity – cue tears in my eyes), McDonnell is a bit of a comedy genius.
In the first novel, it was Bunny’s Gene Hunt-esque behaviour, extreme foul-mouth and haggard appearance that was truly funny, especially when you realised he was on the side of the law. With book two, we only get snippets of Bunny – usually in flashbacks – until the very last section of the book. These flashbacks also mean you need to pay attention to what you’re reading! I was craving Bunny’s reappearance, which made his return all the more shocking. The imagery that McDonnell uses surrounding Bunny’s return is poignant too. He personifies ‘darkness’, which works to make Bunny’s situation much more harrowing and isolating. I also love how he plays on the failure of Skylark and describes the situation as ‘highly flammable. All it would take was one spark and the sky would burn’. It really does feel like one wrong move and we could lose our favourite characters.
McDonnell also taps into the social media revolution well. I sometimes cringe when I read characters mentioning Twitter and its ilk, but with McDonnell it’s used well. I think I snorted when I read Paul’s attempts to locate a taxi when he boasts of his ‘seventy-eight followers on Twitter’. One tweet and he could irreparably damage an entire taxi firm! What’s his Twitter handle because I want to follow?! There’s also a shout out to the humble meme, which makes this outlandish plot relatable for moments at least!
Overall, I am thrilled that McDonnell doesn’t fail to conjure his unique blend of crime and comedy – crimedy? – for Paul, Brigit and Bunny’s second venture. Now, where is that third instalment?
Reviewed by Abby on www.whisperingstories.com
Yes! Caimh McDonnell’s ‘Dublin trilogy’ is back for round 2, and, spoiler alert, it does NOT disappoint. So where do we find our favourite trio of wannabe detectives after A Man With One Of Those Faces? Average-faced Paul is in his new digs, the MCM headquarters. OK then, a dingy office that he’s sleeping in too because is no longer with Brigit. Brigit doesn’t fare much better either; she’s split from Paul after receiving some compromising photos of Paul on a night out that he can’t quite explain and she’s lost her nursing job thanks to desire to put an unliked doctor in an uncompromising position of his own…
And Bunny? The sharp-witted, foul-mouthed, violent copper who’s just been made to retire from the force? Well, your guess is as good as mine. So far, not so good for the Mulchrone-Conroy-McGarry private detective agency.
We may not have Bunny, but we do have his 1980s Porsche 928S. And an ex-police dog, Maggie. Maggie is a brilliant addition to the team; what she lacks in police dog skills she makes up for in her drinking prowess. She is a great source of frustration to Paul, who even looks to find a new home for her. They’re a real Turner and Hooch team. The most frustrating part for Paul? As a sidekick, Maggie isn’t very vocal. Whereas in former days, Brigit would plan their adventures, Maggie doesn’t say a word. She does, however, possess the ability to bite. Hard. I have a feeling this may come in handy for Paul…
Anyway, back to the plot. MCM have been tasked with finding out who Jerome Hartigan is having an affair with, after his nameless ‘wife’ in the red dress visits Paul. Hartigan just happens to be a member of a team of failed property developers, who have seemingly conned innocent citizens out of millions as their Skylark development bombs. All the while, Bunny is missing. Brigit is rightly worried; she missed his call on Friday evening and no one’s heard from him since.
The three property developers are on trial, amidst a backdrop of chaos and disillusionment as activists, led by Father Franks, have taken over an old bank headquarters. Then there’s the so-called Pùca, an Irish terrorist group that has emerged from nowhere. Things take a turn for the worse as these separate stories start to appear not so separate after the murder of Craig Blake, one of the property developers.
Deaths and riots follow, Bunny is still missing, Brigit and Paul still aren’t on talking terms, and the police force aren’t exactly getting to the bottom of all these cases either…
But one thing’s for sure, Bunny McGarry’s disappearance isn’t a coincidence. Bunny’s history is a colourful one too. As Brigit says, as a former detective who had set up his hurling team to help young men get out of difficulty, ‘he’s a good man’. It’s just unfortunate that he will ‘do bad things for what he thinks is right’. He must have history with the Skylark three; Brigit and Paul need to join forces to find this out in the hope of discovering his current whereabouts…
I really don’t want to spoil the plot for you. Paul and Brigit get to uncover some extremely juicy crimes, even juicier than the Rapunzel plot. It’s not just the clever crime plot that makes McDonnell’s latest novel a joy to read; it’s absolutely hilarious. From Gerry the radio DJ’s outbursts interjecting every chapter (he reaaallly doesn’t want to play that ‘new one from Adele’) to Paul and Maggie’s attempts at being inconspicuous (this is where he calls Maggie ‘Chardonnay’ as a way of covering up her true doggy identity – cue tears in my eyes), McDonnell is a bit of a comedy genius.
In the first novel, it was Bunny’s Gene Hunt-esque behaviour, extreme foul-mouth and haggard appearance that was truly funny, especially when you realised he was on the side of the law. With book two, we only get snippets of Bunny – usually in flashbacks – until the very last section of the book. These flashbacks also mean you need to pay attention to what you’re reading! I was craving Bunny’s reappearance, which made his return all the more shocking. The imagery that McDonnell uses surrounding Bunny’s return is poignant too. He personifies ‘darkness’, which works to make Bunny’s situation much more harrowing and isolating. I also love how he plays on the failure of Skylark and describes the situation as ‘highly flammable. All it would take was one spark and the sky would burn’. It really does feel like one wrong move and we could lose our favourite characters.
McDonnell also taps into the social media revolution well. I sometimes cringe when I read characters mentioning Twitter and its ilk, but with McDonnell it’s used well. I think I snorted when I read Paul’s attempts to locate a taxi when he boasts of his ‘seventy-eight followers on Twitter’. One tweet and he could irreparably damage an entire taxi firm! What’s his Twitter handle because I want to follow?! There’s also a shout out to the humble meme, which makes this outlandish plot relatable for moments at least!
Overall, I am thrilled that McDonnell doesn’t fail to conjure his unique blend of crime and comedy – crimedy? – for Paul, Brigit and Bunny’s second venture. Now, where is that third instalment?
Reviewed by Abby on www.whisperingstories.com
July 24, 2019
Joy, oh joy, oh joy!
I have discovered another Irish author to bear comparison with the likes of Flann O'Brien - though to judge by his resume, he has been around in the comedy sphere, unbeknownst to me, for a long time.
What is it about Irish - or Scottish humour for that matter - which chimes so well with me , I wonder? I have a large percentage of Celtic genes according to my DNA tests, so perhaps that has something to do with it.
(On the other hand, I love Jewish humour too).
Anyway, here is a sample of what I'm talking about, to be going on with:-
"Woah, woah, woah," said the barman as soon as they entered. "No dogs allowed. There's a sign." Paul stopped and looked down at Maggie. "The sign says 'except for guide dogs'. She's a guide dog." "Oh yeah, and which one of you two is supposed to be blind?" "Neither of us," said Phil, "but the sign says guide dogs are welcome. It doesn't say they have to be with a blind person." "What?" A look of angry confusion spread across the barman's rotund face, "but… but a guide dog without a blind person is just a dog." "Oh really?" said Phil, "then why would you put a sign up saying that guide dogs are welcome if, by your definition, a guide dog isn't a guide dog unless it has someone with them who is physically unable to read the sign? The sign should just say 'No Dogs'.'" Paul looked at Phil, impressed despite himself. The barman wore the exasperated expression common to anyone who has just come into contact with the Nellis logic. "Two pints of Guinness and a pint of water please," said Paul, trying to press home their advantage before the barman could work out a counter-argument on the back of a beer mat.
I'm not sure why I have just dived into the second in this trilogy instead of starting with the first, but I am delighted to see there is plenty more of this author's output to keep me happy for quite sometime.
I have discovered another Irish author to bear comparison with the likes of Flann O'Brien - though to judge by his resume, he has been around in the comedy sphere, unbeknownst to me, for a long time.
What is it about Irish - or Scottish humour for that matter - which chimes so well with me , I wonder? I have a large percentage of Celtic genes according to my DNA tests, so perhaps that has something to do with it.
(On the other hand, I love Jewish humour too).
Anyway, here is a sample of what I'm talking about, to be going on with:-
"Woah, woah, woah," said the barman as soon as they entered. "No dogs allowed. There's a sign." Paul stopped and looked down at Maggie. "The sign says 'except for guide dogs'. She's a guide dog." "Oh yeah, and which one of you two is supposed to be blind?" "Neither of us," said Phil, "but the sign says guide dogs are welcome. It doesn't say they have to be with a blind person." "What?" A look of angry confusion spread across the barman's rotund face, "but… but a guide dog without a blind person is just a dog." "Oh really?" said Phil, "then why would you put a sign up saying that guide dogs are welcome if, by your definition, a guide dog isn't a guide dog unless it has someone with them who is physically unable to read the sign? The sign should just say 'No Dogs'.'" Paul looked at Phil, impressed despite himself. The barman wore the exasperated expression common to anyone who has just come into contact with the Nellis logic. "Two pints of Guinness and a pint of water please," said Paul, trying to press home their advantage before the barman could work out a counter-argument on the back of a beer mat.
I'm not sure why I have just dived into the second in this trilogy instead of starting with the first, but I am delighted to see there is plenty more of this author's output to keep me happy for quite sometime.
May 11, 2022
This is a cracking book. Funny. Suspenseful. Thought-provoking. The author adds flesh to the bones of characters he introduced in A Man With One of Those Faces, the first book of the five-book trilogy. Very Irish.
I read that book a while ago. It attracted me with its amazing cover art and I thought the opening was terrific. But, rightly or wrongly, I felt it sagged in the middle and became waffly. I thought it was let down by editing that just wasn't tight and disciplined enough.
Not so with book two. It was as tight as a fish's bum.
The dual timeline worked for me. I just sensed everything would converge, and it did – an essential cog in explaining the story.
To continue the fish analogy, I'm hooked. Book three awaits.
I read that book a while ago. It attracted me with its amazing cover art and I thought the opening was terrific. But, rightly or wrongly, I felt it sagged in the middle and became waffly. I thought it was let down by editing that just wasn't tight and disciplined enough.
Not so with book two. It was as tight as a fish's bum.
The dual timeline worked for me. I just sensed everything would converge, and it did – an essential cog in explaining the story.
To continue the fish analogy, I'm hooked. Book three awaits.
February 3, 2017
'Remember those people that destroyed the economy and then cruised off on their yachts?
Well guess what – someone is killing them.’
EEEEK!!!!! How excited am I!!!!!
Comedian and all-round funny man Caimh McDonnell publishes his second book today in ‘The Dublin Trilogy’, The Day That Never Comes.
Bunny McGarry, the best kick-ass cop IN THE WORLD is back!!
He’s from Cork!!!
He carries a hurley as his weapon of choice!!!
He has a very grumpy, angry, don’t-mess-with-me thing going on!!!
What’s not to love?
I read and thoroughly enjoyed A Man With One of Those Faces, Caimh’s first novel in The Dublin Trilogy. There is something about the pure Irish unadulterated wit that I found so very amusing. Caimh has the ability to transcend all boundaries with his use of the English language. As an Irish person I can hear every word spoken, every nuance, every intonation in the expressions used throughout both novels.
After their haphazard, though successful, foray into solving a major crime in Book One of The Trilogy, Paul Mulchrone, Brigit Conroy and Bunny McGarry are back. Times have moved on, with Bunny now retired from An Garda Siochána. The trio decide to team up and embark on a new venture, a Detective Agency.
But…and there is always a but with these three….the road has many many bumps. Brigit is now not talking to Paul and Bunny has disappeared….
Caimh takes the reader on a rip roaring tour around Dublin, with every character imaginable making an appearance. One of my personal favourites is Paul’s buddy Phil Nellis ~ ‘That was the unnerving thing about Phil; he could go from incomprehensible stupidity to moments of sheer genius, often in the same breath.’ Phil is the friend we all need in our lives, completely dependable yet as daft as a brush.
Add in a German Shepherd called Maggie and follow the adventures of the most unlikely crime busters imaginable.
Dublin is in the aftermath of the demise of the Celtic Tiger. Property developers are running for cover but it is the antics of Hartigan, Blake and Maloney that have raised the shackles of many a law abiding citizen.
When an onslaught of vicious and violent attacks takes place within the city, the public are up in arms. Detective Superintendent Susan Burns, in an attempt to control the situation, finds herself knee deep in politics and trouble. For some reason Bunny McGarry’s name keeps coming up, but where is Bunny???
Paul Mulchrone sets off on his first case, unwittingly, becoming embroiled in something much bigger, where Paul finds himself, yet again, fighting for his life and that of his friends.
The Day That Never Comes is a fast paced caper around the streets of the capital, with a liquorice all-sorts cast of individuals who will entertain you, as you turn each page to see where Paul and his friends will lead you too next.
I quite honestly can’t imagine why Colin Farrell has not been knocking on Caimh McDonnell’s door looking for the role of Paul Mulchrone in the sure-to-be up-coming movie, with Tommy Tiernan in toe as Bunny (Okay I know he’s a NAAAAAAVAN man but seriously he would be perfect!! )
As for Brigit…..Jennifer Zamperelli of RTE2FM’s Breakfast Republic of course!!
Well guess what – someone is killing them.’
EEEEK!!!!! How excited am I!!!!!
Comedian and all-round funny man Caimh McDonnell publishes his second book today in ‘The Dublin Trilogy’, The Day That Never Comes.
Bunny McGarry, the best kick-ass cop IN THE WORLD is back!!
He’s from Cork!!!
He carries a hurley as his weapon of choice!!!
He has a very grumpy, angry, don’t-mess-with-me thing going on!!!
What’s not to love?
I read and thoroughly enjoyed A Man With One of Those Faces, Caimh’s first novel in The Dublin Trilogy. There is something about the pure Irish unadulterated wit that I found so very amusing. Caimh has the ability to transcend all boundaries with his use of the English language. As an Irish person I can hear every word spoken, every nuance, every intonation in the expressions used throughout both novels.
After their haphazard, though successful, foray into solving a major crime in Book One of The Trilogy, Paul Mulchrone, Brigit Conroy and Bunny McGarry are back. Times have moved on, with Bunny now retired from An Garda Siochána. The trio decide to team up and embark on a new venture, a Detective Agency.
But…and there is always a but with these three….the road has many many bumps. Brigit is now not talking to Paul and Bunny has disappeared….
Caimh takes the reader on a rip roaring tour around Dublin, with every character imaginable making an appearance. One of my personal favourites is Paul’s buddy Phil Nellis ~ ‘That was the unnerving thing about Phil; he could go from incomprehensible stupidity to moments of sheer genius, often in the same breath.’ Phil is the friend we all need in our lives, completely dependable yet as daft as a brush.
Add in a German Shepherd called Maggie and follow the adventures of the most unlikely crime busters imaginable.
Dublin is in the aftermath of the demise of the Celtic Tiger. Property developers are running for cover but it is the antics of Hartigan, Blake and Maloney that have raised the shackles of many a law abiding citizen.
When an onslaught of vicious and violent attacks takes place within the city, the public are up in arms. Detective Superintendent Susan Burns, in an attempt to control the situation, finds herself knee deep in politics and trouble. For some reason Bunny McGarry’s name keeps coming up, but where is Bunny???
Paul Mulchrone sets off on his first case, unwittingly, becoming embroiled in something much bigger, where Paul finds himself, yet again, fighting for his life and that of his friends.
The Day That Never Comes is a fast paced caper around the streets of the capital, with a liquorice all-sorts cast of individuals who will entertain you, as you turn each page to see where Paul and his friends will lead you too next.
I quite honestly can’t imagine why Colin Farrell has not been knocking on Caimh McDonnell’s door looking for the role of Paul Mulchrone in the sure-to-be up-coming movie, with Tommy Tiernan in toe as Bunny (Okay I know he’s a NAAAAAAVAN man but seriously he would be perfect!! )
As for Brigit…..Jennifer Zamperelli of RTE2FM’s Breakfast Republic of course!!
April 5, 2023
The second of the Dublin trilogy…. its grand to be reunited with this series, where the only copy is highly sought after in the library system.
Well the gang are all back….. or are they? As they seem to have gone their separate ways at the beginning, now all being part owners of a private detective agency, Paul is the only one at said agency, now owning(?) a dog called Maggie who drinks Guinness, shits on his desk & growls if you try to pet her, an ex-police dog (German Shephard) with an attitude problem & anger issues!
Addendum, she actually becomes the comedic star of the book.
Bunny has gone missing & Brigit is estranged from Paul…. It’s a lively start, full of sardonic humour & comical situations/scenes, much as I fondly remember from the first entry in the series.
There’s a murder so goes our plot, where Paul sets about finding Bunny whilst the garda (try to) solve the murder. There’s of course more going on but that’s the gist of it.
Did miss the interactions between the gang as they had gone their separate ways, which did affect the number of laughs in the read too, still good, jus not quite the same dynamics as the opener, no-where near actually.
3 Stars for this one, rounded down from a solid 3.5
Well the gang are all back….. or are they? As they seem to have gone their separate ways at the beginning, now all being part owners of a private detective agency, Paul is the only one at said agency, now owning(?) a dog called Maggie who drinks Guinness, shits on his desk & growls if you try to pet her, an ex-police dog (German Shephard) with an attitude problem & anger issues!
Addendum, she actually becomes the comedic star of the book.
Bunny has gone missing & Brigit is estranged from Paul…. It’s a lively start, full of sardonic humour & comical situations/scenes, much as I fondly remember from the first entry in the series.
There’s a murder so goes our plot, where Paul sets about finding Bunny whilst the garda (try to) solve the murder. There’s of course more going on but that’s the gist of it.
Did miss the interactions between the gang as they had gone their separate ways, which did affect the number of laughs in the read too, still good, jus not quite the same dynamics as the opener, no-where near actually.
3 Stars for this one, rounded down from a solid 3.5
April 4, 2022
Not a huge fan of Paul & Brigit here, but the writing, crime plot and humor were yet again entertaining and did not disappoint.
August 24, 2024
Дуже подобається ця серія за гумор автора, але як же мене вже другу книгу поспіль дратує тотальне невміння ані перекладачки, ані редакторів-коректорів нормально передати ірландські імена! Ну не буде Siobhán — Сіобхан! Вона, трясця, Шивон!!! І для цього навіть не потрібно мати якісь унікальні знання чи захоплюватися Ірландією — це гуглиться за 2 секунди. Ба більше, навіть автор книги — не Кейм, а Квів (це теж гуглиться за ті самі 2 секунди)!
І ще я досі згадую "будинок в грузинському стилі" з першої книжки. В грузинському. В Дубліні. Ага. Що було в оригіналі — здогадатися неважко, і від цього такий переклад виглядає ще більш всрато.
І ще я досі згадую "будинок в грузинському стилі" з першої книжки. В грузинському. В Дубліні. Ага. Що було в оригіналі — здогадатися неважко, і від цього такий переклад виглядає ще більш всрато.
February 6, 2017
Everyone, as the old saying goes, has a book in them.
If you're lucky, it's the first one you write. That way people will think you're good, and all will be well with the world.
The tricky bit is doing it all again.
It's especially tricky if you're doing a sequel. People loved what you did with those characters, what if you feck it all up?
Thankfully, such issues are moot for Caimh McDonnell.
Having created a fast-paced, laughter-filled thrill ride last time around with The Man With One Of Those Faces, he brings Paul, Briget and Bunny back for another escapade.
And it's every bit as good as his first.
Picking up the action some time after Faces ended, our three heroes have decided to open a detective agency.
The only fly in the ointment is that two of them aren't talking to each other and the third has gone missing.
Oh, and Maggie is now on the team.
Bringing back some old friends (evening Wilson, mind the shoes) and new characters - including a particularly violent chap who likes his work - McDonnell has again woven a tale full of suspense and outright laughter.
Often in the same chapter.
To say I was looking forward to reading this was an understatement, so good was his previous book, but I was still not prepared for just how gripping his tales can be.
The first third of the book whizzed by, the second kept the pages turning - but the final third? I didn't move.
In fact, I changed an entire day's plans just to finish it - the ending is that gripping.
It's darker than The Man, but at the same time it's also a lot lighter as McDonnell uses humour to offset the violence and tragedy.
It's no mean feat to have you holding your breath and then laughing out loud within the space of a few paragraphs.
But he manages it. And more than once.
When you say to people it's a laugh-out-loud crime thriller, you often get a puzzled response - but that's exactly what this book is.
Events are so nail-biting and heartbreaking towards the end, I was almost in tears during the epilogue - and that's the mark of a bloody good writer.
To have you so invested in the characters that you share the emotional journeys they go on is a skill few writers seem to have in this day and age.
Oh, and read the prologue. It's there for a reason.
If you're lucky, it's the first one you write. That way people will think you're good, and all will be well with the world.
The tricky bit is doing it all again.
It's especially tricky if you're doing a sequel. People loved what you did with those characters, what if you feck it all up?
Thankfully, such issues are moot for Caimh McDonnell.
Having created a fast-paced, laughter-filled thrill ride last time around with The Man With One Of Those Faces, he brings Paul, Briget and Bunny back for another escapade.
And it's every bit as good as his first.
Picking up the action some time after Faces ended, our three heroes have decided to open a detective agency.
The only fly in the ointment is that two of them aren't talking to each other and the third has gone missing.
Oh, and Maggie is now on the team.
Bringing back some old friends (evening Wilson, mind the shoes) and new characters - including a particularly violent chap who likes his work - McDonnell has again woven a tale full of suspense and outright laughter.
Often in the same chapter.
To say I was looking forward to reading this was an understatement, so good was his previous book, but I was still not prepared for just how gripping his tales can be.
The first third of the book whizzed by, the second kept the pages turning - but the final third? I didn't move.
In fact, I changed an entire day's plans just to finish it - the ending is that gripping.
It's darker than The Man, but at the same time it's also a lot lighter as McDonnell uses humour to offset the violence and tragedy.
It's no mean feat to have you holding your breath and then laughing out loud within the space of a few paragraphs.
But he manages it. And more than once.
When you say to people it's a laugh-out-loud crime thriller, you often get a puzzled response - but that's exactly what this book is.
Events are so nail-biting and heartbreaking towards the end, I was almost in tears during the epilogue - and that's the mark of a bloody good writer.
To have you so invested in the characters that you share the emotional journeys they go on is a skill few writers seem to have in this day and age.
Oh, and read the prologue. It's there for a reason.
January 4, 2021
TL;DR: It's really funny. I love it. Happy there are more.
As a rule, when I find an author or series I like I deliberately try to space the books out. Not necessarily to make it last, more to avoid overindulging and getting sick of something and having something to look forward to. Sometimes that results in me forgetting why or even that I really liked something. This was one of those.
In the two years (feels so much longer) since I read A Man With One of Those Faces these had almost entirely dropped off my radar. Fortunately I'd bought the rest of the trilogy and several others as soon as I'd finished that one and came across them on my kindle when looking for something to read.
Like the first, this is a fantastic, funny mystery that manages to just keep getting better as you turn pages. In addition to Paul, Brigit, Bunny, and Phil, there's an ex police dog in the mix, and all the supporting characters are excellent as well. (POV shifts around from chapter to chapter, so supporting characters are more important than they otherwise might be.)
I don't plan to wait as long before coming back this time.
As a rule, when I find an author or series I like I deliberately try to space the books out. Not necessarily to make it last, more to avoid overindulging and getting sick of something and having something to look forward to. Sometimes that results in me forgetting why or even that I really liked something. This was one of those.
In the two years (feels so much longer) since I read A Man With One of Those Faces these had almost entirely dropped off my radar. Fortunately I'd bought the rest of the trilogy and several others as soon as I'd finished that one and came across them on my kindle when looking for something to read.
Like the first, this is a fantastic, funny mystery that manages to just keep getting better as you turn pages. In addition to Paul, Brigit, Bunny, and Phil, there's an ex police dog in the mix, and all the supporting characters are excellent as well. (POV shifts around from chapter to chapter, so supporting characters are more important than they otherwise might be.)
I don't plan to wait as long before coming back this time.
August 27, 2025
This was a reread for me and I'm shocked I didn't write a review for it the first time I read it because I loved it! I guess I just talked about it on my Booktube Channel and forgot. *shrugs*
I adore The Dublin Trilogy, as evidenced by the fact that I'm in the process of rereading the series. This time I'm going through and reading them in chronological order and having the absolute best time!
I had completely forgotten the ending to this one - so now I'm off to get started on the next one because I simply must know what happens next!
If you love crime thrillers with a healthy dose of comedy, I highly recommend this series!
I adore The Dublin Trilogy, as evidenced by the fact that I'm in the process of rereading the series. This time I'm going through and reading them in chronological order and having the absolute best time!
I had completely forgotten the ending to this one - so now I'm off to get started on the next one because I simply must know what happens next!
If you love crime thrillers with a healthy dose of comedy, I highly recommend this series!
February 3, 2017
The Day That Never Comes is the second instalment of Caimh McDonnell’s The Dublin Trilogy and sees the very welcome return of Paul Mulchrone, Brigit Conroy and Bunny McGarry and a fantastic new character in the form of Maggie the German Shepherd. While really looking forward to reading this second book, I also wondered if it could live up to its predecessor A Man With One Of Those Faces. It not only lives up to it, in my opinion it’s even better! If you haven’t read the first book, The Day That Never Comes does work as a standalone, however you’re missing out if you haven’t read the first.
A businessman is found dead and tortured in Dublin during a time in which the citizens have had enough of austerity measures and the corruption of MP’s and businesses. Amidst this Paul is trying to get the private investigation company he, Brigit and Bunny set up, there is, however, a problem…Brigit has fallen out with him, Bunny is missing and Paul is a hopeless private investigator! What follows is a rip-roaring read that combines gripping thriller with incredible wit.
McDonnell draws you in immediately with a prologue that sets the scene perfectly, leaving you intrigued and just having to read more. His writing is second to none and all of the chapters are perfectly paced with the right hooks at the end of each. There are a few threads and storylines running, however, it is easy to keep track and they all complement each other perfectly.
Full of fantastic characters that, while they have their flaws, are incredibly likeable, you find yourself really rooting for them and get totally involved in their antics. Maggie the dog is brilliant and her antics had me crying with laughter. I felt sad when I had finished the book and had to say goodbye to Paul and the rest of the gang!
There is an additional layer to The Day That Never Comes as it addresses some current and relevant political and societal issues, resulting in a novel that is also thought-provoking. McDonnell makes this subject accessible and interesting via the nature of his humour and writing.
I loved this book! It is both rip-roaringly funny and yet at the same time totally gripping. McDonnell’s talent is such that he pulls this combination off flawlessly. I really enjoyed A Man With One Of Those Faces but in my humble opinion The Day That Never Comes is even better. I really can’t wait for the third instalment of The Dublin Trilogy and McDonnell is a force to be reckoned with. Absolutely fantastic!
A huge thank you to Caimh McDonnell and Elaine Ofari for the advance copy in exchange for my review and for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.
A businessman is found dead and tortured in Dublin during a time in which the citizens have had enough of austerity measures and the corruption of MP’s and businesses. Amidst this Paul is trying to get the private investigation company he, Brigit and Bunny set up, there is, however, a problem…Brigit has fallen out with him, Bunny is missing and Paul is a hopeless private investigator! What follows is a rip-roaring read that combines gripping thriller with incredible wit.
McDonnell draws you in immediately with a prologue that sets the scene perfectly, leaving you intrigued and just having to read more. His writing is second to none and all of the chapters are perfectly paced with the right hooks at the end of each. There are a few threads and storylines running, however, it is easy to keep track and they all complement each other perfectly.
Full of fantastic characters that, while they have their flaws, are incredibly likeable, you find yourself really rooting for them and get totally involved in their antics. Maggie the dog is brilliant and her antics had me crying with laughter. I felt sad when I had finished the book and had to say goodbye to Paul and the rest of the gang!
There is an additional layer to The Day That Never Comes as it addresses some current and relevant political and societal issues, resulting in a novel that is also thought-provoking. McDonnell makes this subject accessible and interesting via the nature of his humour and writing.
I loved this book! It is both rip-roaringly funny and yet at the same time totally gripping. McDonnell’s talent is such that he pulls this combination off flawlessly. I really enjoyed A Man With One Of Those Faces but in my humble opinion The Day That Never Comes is even better. I really can’t wait for the third instalment of The Dublin Trilogy and McDonnell is a force to be reckoned with. Absolutely fantastic!
A huge thank you to Caimh McDonnell and Elaine Ofari for the advance copy in exchange for my review and for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.
January 16, 2017
After thoroughly enjoying 'A Man With One of Those Faces', I've been excited to read the sequel and see where Paul, Brigit and Bunny's stories would go next.
I certainly wasn't disappointed the second part of this Dublin trilogy being an altogether darker affair that takes the characters and places them into a series of difficult situations.
McDonnell use of flashback chapters rather than a prologue allows the reader to piece together the story alongside the characters and keeps the action rolling along and despite some tricky emotional issues for our protagonists to deal with the author manages to balance bleak and funny very well.
the fact that, during the last days of editing the book life began to imitate an element of the story here (Dublin's homeless descending en masse to an abandoned office building) just adds a cherry to an already delicious cake.
Now... how long do we have to wait for book 3???
I certainly wasn't disappointed the second part of this Dublin trilogy being an altogether darker affair that takes the characters and places them into a series of difficult situations.
McDonnell use of flashback chapters rather than a prologue allows the reader to piece together the story alongside the characters and keeps the action rolling along and despite some tricky emotional issues for our protagonists to deal with the author manages to balance bleak and funny very well.
the fact that, during the last days of editing the book life began to imitate an element of the story here (Dublin's homeless descending en masse to an abandoned office building) just adds a cherry to an already delicious cake.
Now... how long do we have to wait for book 3???
September 26, 2021
Another fun book! Now that I know the characters, this book has made me fall in love with them. They’re so endearingly flawed.
This second installment has the team ready to officially become private detectives—only there’s a problem: Bunny is missing.
The time-switch back-and-forth threw me a bit. I admit I lost track a couple of times. But, in spite of some toilet humor and gruesome crime scenes, the book kept me laughing again and the characters drew me in in spite of themselves.
Fast-moving and fun.
This second installment has the team ready to officially become private detectives—only there’s a problem: Bunny is missing.
The time-switch back-and-forth threw me a bit. I admit I lost track a couple of times. But, in spite of some toilet humor and gruesome crime scenes, the book kept me laughing again and the characters drew me in in spite of themselves.
Fast-moving and fun.
January 16, 2017
I read Caimh McDonnell's hilarious debut A Man with One of Those Faces last year and loved it. His follow-up, The Day That Never Comes, is just as brilliantly funny while still being a cracking crime novel.
The novel features three of the protagonists from the first novel: the rather hapless Paul Mulchrone, nurse Brigit Conroy and Bunny McGarry. Following their escapades solving the Rapunzel case, they have decided to set up in business as a private investigation agency. There is just one problem - well more than one actually. Brigit won't speak to Paul following a drunken incident, Bunny has disappeared off the face of the earth and they can't get a licence to run the agency without him. The trial of three businessmen has just collapsed, swiftly followed by some rather unpleasant murders and it looks like some underground organisation is trying to dispense justice for the underdog. As Paul tries to track down Bunny, it seems that he may have links to the murdered men but surely he hasn't turned into a serial killer? Flashback chapters reveal to the reader just what Bunny's connections are to these men. Could his colourful past be catching up with his colourful present?
This was a terrifically entertaining read with plenty of action keeping the story rolling along at a great pace. Don't let the humour fool you into thinking this is some lightweight cosy crime. There are serious 'baddies' you would not want to mess with and more than one scene which had me wincing. But the humour balances this beautifully and Caimh McDonnell has a great turn of phrase giving his characters sharply witty lines. Bunny's dry humour and one liners had me snorting with laughter on more than one occasion. I must make special mention of Paul's canine companion Maggie. Now I'm not a dog lover (sorry if you are!) but she is just a brilliant addition to the book. She's is completely unpredictable, doing her own thing but fiercely loyal to Paul - and just fierce to everyone else!
I really think that both books would make brilliant tv series and was thinking about who I would cast as the main characters. I think Colin Farrell is a definite to play Paul, Brendan Gleeson would make a fantastic Bunny, with Evanna Lynch as feisty Brigit. Whether they ever get optioned for the big or small screen or not, I know I'm going to want to see more of these three on the page. So roll on the final part of the trilogy!
The novel features three of the protagonists from the first novel: the rather hapless Paul Mulchrone, nurse Brigit Conroy and Bunny McGarry. Following their escapades solving the Rapunzel case, they have decided to set up in business as a private investigation agency. There is just one problem - well more than one actually. Brigit won't speak to Paul following a drunken incident, Bunny has disappeared off the face of the earth and they can't get a licence to run the agency without him. The trial of three businessmen has just collapsed, swiftly followed by some rather unpleasant murders and it looks like some underground organisation is trying to dispense justice for the underdog. As Paul tries to track down Bunny, it seems that he may have links to the murdered men but surely he hasn't turned into a serial killer? Flashback chapters reveal to the reader just what Bunny's connections are to these men. Could his colourful past be catching up with his colourful present?
This was a terrifically entertaining read with plenty of action keeping the story rolling along at a great pace. Don't let the humour fool you into thinking this is some lightweight cosy crime. There are serious 'baddies' you would not want to mess with and more than one scene which had me wincing. But the humour balances this beautifully and Caimh McDonnell has a great turn of phrase giving his characters sharply witty lines. Bunny's dry humour and one liners had me snorting with laughter on more than one occasion. I must make special mention of Paul's canine companion Maggie. Now I'm not a dog lover (sorry if you are!) but she is just a brilliant addition to the book. She's is completely unpredictable, doing her own thing but fiercely loyal to Paul - and just fierce to everyone else!
I really think that both books would make brilliant tv series and was thinking about who I would cast as the main characters. I think Colin Farrell is a definite to play Paul, Brendan Gleeson would make a fantastic Bunny, with Evanna Lynch as feisty Brigit. Whether they ever get optioned for the big or small screen or not, I know I'm going to want to see more of these three on the page. So roll on the final part of the trilogy!
January 11, 2022
What a ride. This is whip-smart writing from a seriously talented author.
The Day That Never Comes is a kind of comedy crime drama, telling the story of three PIs, who inadvertently find themselves investigating a string of gruesome murders in Dublin - all of them connected to the fallout from the credit crunch.
Here are the three things I most liked about this book.
First up, it provides a satirical takedown of the Celtic property tigers, whose greed and ineptitude landed the country in so much mess during and after the credit crunch. As far as I'm concerned there can never be enough books exposing the truth about what happened back then.
Secondly, in the absence of the main character / PI (more on that in a second), the bulk of the narrative is carried by a goofy pair of clowns, Paul and Phil. Paul is an ordinary guy being called on to do extraordinary things; Phil is an idiot savant, who drives everyone nuts while kind of being right about everything. They're caught in a dysfunctional and hilarious friendship triangle with a mad, alcoholic guard dog called Maggie. The comedy is sometimes slapstick, sometimes surprisingly subtle. It's a delight.
Thirdly, the novel has a Third-Man-esque quality to it, as the main character, Bunny McGarry, is absent from the main narrative for almost all of the book. It works very well. While he's not physically present in the storyline, you see him in flashbacks and you see him in the thoughts and words of the characters trying to find him. His presence looms all the larger for it. It's deftly handled.
There are lots and lots of other things to like about this book, from the snappy dialogue to the cracking pace. Worth clarifying that it contains (as you would expect in this genre) plenty of recreational swearing. And a number of the characters (including the dog) are working through their issues with alcohol and casual violence - with varying levels of success. It's all handled with humour, authenticity and, beneath all the bluster, a firm moral compass.
The author published this book himself, so far as I can tell. You're left wondering how on Earth he hasn't been picked up by a mainstream publisher, especially as he has a whole bundle of other titles out there. Self-publishing gold.
(And then I noticed that his very latest book has indeed been published by Bantam / Penguin, assuming I haven't mis-read the runes. Good on him.)
But I digress: highly recommended.
The Day That Never Comes is a kind of comedy crime drama, telling the story of three PIs, who inadvertently find themselves investigating a string of gruesome murders in Dublin - all of them connected to the fallout from the credit crunch.
Here are the three things I most liked about this book.
First up, it provides a satirical takedown of the Celtic property tigers, whose greed and ineptitude landed the country in so much mess during and after the credit crunch. As far as I'm concerned there can never be enough books exposing the truth about what happened back then.
Secondly, in the absence of the main character / PI (more on that in a second), the bulk of the narrative is carried by a goofy pair of clowns, Paul and Phil. Paul is an ordinary guy being called on to do extraordinary things; Phil is an idiot savant, who drives everyone nuts while kind of being right about everything. They're caught in a dysfunctional and hilarious friendship triangle with a mad, alcoholic guard dog called Maggie. The comedy is sometimes slapstick, sometimes surprisingly subtle. It's a delight.
Thirdly, the novel has a Third-Man-esque quality to it, as the main character, Bunny McGarry, is absent from the main narrative for almost all of the book. It works very well. While he's not physically present in the storyline, you see him in flashbacks and you see him in the thoughts and words of the characters trying to find him. His presence looms all the larger for it. It's deftly handled.
There are lots and lots of other things to like about this book, from the snappy dialogue to the cracking pace. Worth clarifying that it contains (as you would expect in this genre) plenty of recreational swearing. And a number of the characters (including the dog) are working through their issues with alcohol and casual violence - with varying levels of success. It's all handled with humour, authenticity and, beneath all the bluster, a firm moral compass.
The author published this book himself, so far as I can tell. You're left wondering how on Earth he hasn't been picked up by a mainstream publisher, especially as he has a whole bundle of other titles out there. Self-publishing gold.
(And then I noticed that his very latest book has indeed been published by Bantam / Penguin, assuming I haven't mis-read the runes. Good on him.)
But I digress: highly recommended.
February 6, 2019
The Day That Never Comes is Caimh McDonnell’s second installment in the Dublin Trilogy, and it’s a good book, just not as good as his first (A Man With One Of Those Faces).
Where the initial offering was outrageously funny while still managing to tell an interesting tale, this book was sporadic with its humor. Oh, there are still some very amusing passages, but they seem slightly more contrived (often involving Maggie, a “mad bitch” German Shepherd with a taste for beer who dislikes being touched. Maggie and Paul become reluctant partners as they try to locate the missing Bunny McGarry and patch things up with Brigit following a falling out between her and Paul. It’s complicated, don’t you know.
There are a number of well drawn characters here, just as in book #1, but the plot is a bit more confusing and McDonnell’s decision to tell the story across two time periods separated by more than a decade only adds to the problem. Things eventually become clear as the plot develops, but it feels unevenly done and a bit rushed toward the end as things are wrapped up.
It must be a daunting task to write a 2nd book in a series when your first shot was so immensely successful. How do you top it? It has to feel a little like there’s nowhere to go but down. Yet, it can be done and the author has made a good effort here. Sure, this book falls short of the first, but it nevertheless makes for a pleasant reading experience, especially if you’re already predisposed to like it by its predecessor.
So, here’s 3.5 stars rounded down and high hopes for book #3, Angels In The Moonlight, which the author states is actually a prequel that needs to be read prior to book #4 (making the collection a “quad-rilogy?”). I think I need a dram of Irish Whiskey!
Where the initial offering was outrageously funny while still managing to tell an interesting tale, this book was sporadic with its humor. Oh, there are still some very amusing passages, but they seem slightly more contrived (often involving Maggie, a “mad bitch” German Shepherd with a taste for beer who dislikes being touched. Maggie and Paul become reluctant partners as they try to locate the missing Bunny McGarry and patch things up with Brigit following a falling out between her and Paul. It’s complicated, don’t you know.
There are a number of well drawn characters here, just as in book #1, but the plot is a bit more confusing and McDonnell’s decision to tell the story across two time periods separated by more than a decade only adds to the problem. Things eventually become clear as the plot develops, but it feels unevenly done and a bit rushed toward the end as things are wrapped up.
It must be a daunting task to write a 2nd book in a series when your first shot was so immensely successful. How do you top it? It has to feel a little like there’s nowhere to go but down. Yet, it can be done and the author has made a good effort here. Sure, this book falls short of the first, but it nevertheless makes for a pleasant reading experience, especially if you’re already predisposed to like it by its predecessor.
So, here’s 3.5 stars rounded down and high hopes for book #3, Angels In The Moonlight, which the author states is actually a prequel that needs to be read prior to book #4 (making the collection a “quad-rilogy?”). I think I need a dram of Irish Whiskey!
January 13, 2017
Paul Mulchrone, fresh from his crime fighting exploits in book 1, has decided to set up a PI agency with his two cohorts. Problem is, ex-cop Bunny McGarry has gone missing, and his girlfriend is now an ex.
Short of funds to apply for a licence, he strikes lucky when a client comes with a case. The subject under surveillance is a developer embroiled in a property collapse scandal, and when the fraud case extends to murder, things get complicated.
Having read Mr McDonnell’s first novel, ‘A Man with One of those Faces’, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the follow-up, but could not have imagined it would be as excellent as this is.
The plot is intricate and well planned, with chapters moving between characters,and between present day and the year 2000. The characters are colourful and realistic, even the many, many minor ones, and the story telling is wonderful. But the one thing that is really first class, is the balance between dark and light, humour and not so funny. Oh and the other best thing is the attention to detail, also sensational.
Special mentions for Maggie the German Shepherd who is star of the show and Gerry’s radio links, the glue bringing it all together.
Look out for this crime novel, pure enjoyment.
Thanks to Caimh McDonnell for the ARC
Short of funds to apply for a licence, he strikes lucky when a client comes with a case. The subject under surveillance is a developer embroiled in a property collapse scandal, and when the fraud case extends to murder, things get complicated.
Having read Mr McDonnell’s first novel, ‘A Man with One of those Faces’, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the follow-up, but could not have imagined it would be as excellent as this is.
The plot is intricate and well planned, with chapters moving between characters,and between present day and the year 2000. The characters are colourful and realistic, even the many, many minor ones, and the story telling is wonderful. But the one thing that is really first class, is the balance between dark and light, humour and not so funny. Oh and the other best thing is the attention to detail, also sensational.
Special mentions for Maggie the German Shepherd who is star of the show and Gerry’s radio links, the glue bringing it all together.
Look out for this crime novel, pure enjoyment.
Thanks to Caimh McDonnell for the ARC
May 5, 2017
I liked this second book less than first...Anti-hero much? If you laugh at notable ex-cops and newbie private investigators getting beaten about the head and other essential body parts this series might be for you. This author believes in monsters, one for each book. The books did provide me with distinct departure from the norm with a measure of comedy relief.
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