Gallows Hill

by Rory O'Brien

Murder in Salem? In this day and age? First day back on the job, introverted police detective Andrew Lennox and his partner discover the body of a hanged man on Gallows Hill who turns out to be the lost heir of the Musgraves, an old family with a twisted history and who deny all knowledge of the victim. Solving the case takes Lennox through the colorful byways of modern Salem, a city still haunted by its own dark history of Puritan hysteria and witch-hunting zealots. He must deal with Halloween tourists, self-styled witches, college students, tarot readers, local politicians, retired cops and recent immigrants. Lennox discovers that everyone in Salem keeps secrets, and some will kill to keep them. “Rory O'Brien is an astonishing conjurer with words. Out of his deep historical knowledge, his perceptiveness about everyday existence, and his vivid imagination, he has brought to life in all its unique glory the legend-haunted city of Salem, Massachusetts. Detective Andrew Lennox is an utterly believable hero whose clever exploits provide subtle frissons.” – Paul Di Filippo, co-author of Families Are Murder. “What could be more ideal than a murder mystery set in Salem, written by an expert on the dark secrets of New England? What could be better than a police procedural at the very epicenter of our Trick or Treat tradition? Anyone seeking a delightful whodunit will eat this book up like a bag of Halloween candy.” – Walter Greatshell, author of Terminal Island

226 pages, Paperback

First published February 5, 2014

Reviews

[Joseph Santiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book and the author, Rory O'Brien, has a great snarky humor that brings the story to life. Reading about the places in Salem and setting this story smack dab in the middle of Wiccan Witch conspiracy is genius. This is the kind of book I would enjoy giving a friend before going to Salem for Halloween festivities. The book taught me more about Hanging Hill and caused me to research the punishment of an unsanctified burial. It is a strange thought to think that Religion has used the placement of the dead to shame the living. The exact location of the real Gallows Hill, where the Salem Witch Trials victims were executed and buried, remains a mystery to this day. This story creates a rabbit hole of history and character driven conclusions that made learning about Salem fun. This book made me learn without realizing it!

This murder mystery was a fun, and hard to put down read. Some of the character names like Dworaczyk and Gagnon gave this book a Lovecraft feel for me. It was eerie enough that even as the action was happening I kept wondering if there was more than one force at work here. Doing my best not to give away spoilers. Smile. I loved this book and believe that anyone looking for a new book should pick this up. This book surprised me with its well-developed scenes, and characters that seem so quirky they could be real. This will be a book you will want to share with others. This is a great read!

Mr Joe

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

For fans of mystery / police genre stories with rich characters, well drawn descriptions and interesting scenes, I would recommend that you pick up a copy of Gallows Hill by Rory O'Brien. This would go double for those who live on or are familiar with Boston's North Shore. O'Brien has created two interesting characters in Salem Police Detectives Andrew Lennox and Sgt. Michelle Ouellette. O'Brien vests them with credibility, believable flaws and dogged determination as they attempt to solve a bizarre murder in Salem during the crazy Halloween tourist season. For someone who was not a cop, O'Brien writes honest "cop-talk," dialogue. His sense of place and locale is similar to the late George V. Higgins in his ability to bring a scene to life with just the right touch of detail and history. I hope that we see more of Lennox and Ouellette in the future.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS GOOD. I'm usually more of a classics or historical fiction kind of person (if it's fiction at all) than contemporary mysteries, but I am a fan of classic mysteries and good cop procedurals (like the original L&O). For example, I love Robert B. Parker's Spenser, and I've read everything of Agatha Christie's, plus a fair amount of PD James and Sayers, and...okay. I was wrong. I seem to be just a few steps from being a mystery junkie. SO HEED MY WORD: this book is quite good. It's well written, well researched, and the story is beautifully managed. The parts about the people and city of Salem during high tourist season were very entertaining to me, too. Even though I've lived in NYC for 20 years as a near neighbor to New England, the baggage of New England's history still enthralls me, and this story dives right in the deep end. If you know nothing about the history of Salem, this book will give you some good background; if you know a fair amount, I'd bet this book will not disappoint you. And to top it off, O'Brien gives us an enigmatic, sad, beat-down, lonely detective who's got a nose for the truth. A man with right on his side! A man who unwinds the whole mess and brings it all home. I can't think of any other cliches right now, so I'll just repeat my previous statement: THIS BOOK IS GOOD.

[Tony Eye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gallows Hill is a fun read and a real pager turner. I sat down with the book at about 7:30 at night and could not put it down until I finished it.

The characters are well developed and feel real, the story is well crafted, and you feel as if you too are in Salem near Halloween. Local history, current political issues, and the feel of the local area and some of the people are well presented (living in the area, I am well familiar with these).

Mr. O’Brian is a real story teller, and I hope this is just the first in a series of Andrew Lennox mysteries.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may be biased because I know Rory, which means I think he's a fabulous, cool, interesting person. I usually don't read a lot of mystery, but I found it well-written and very interesting. I certainly wanted to find out what happened and I was interested in the characters. I'm going to pass it on to my mother who loves to read mysteries.

[Cindy Panka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book. Witty and fun. Definitely a page turner. Good character development. Looking forward to more!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoping there will be more Det. Lennox books in the future; it was very good!

[Lclermont · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the Salem setting. Good for mystery readers but that's not me.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

For many, Salem is one of the spookiest places in the United States. I twould seem to be the perfect setting for a murder mystery. For Detective Andrew Lennox and his partner, that is exactly what happens when a murdered man is found hanging at Gallows Hill. To make matters even more ineteresting, he is a member of one of the wealthiest and long established families in town. Family secrets will have to be unwound if Lennox is going to sort it all out.

This was a really fun read and a gritty, noir-ish type mystery. I had hoped there were more books wih Lennox as the hero, but it does not seem that there are.

[Sue]

A thoroughly enjoyable read. And it was a needed distraction from the news this week and saved my sanity. For that, I am grateful.
I'm going to Salem next month (hopefully it won't be canceled) and it was nice to read about modern day Salem and locations.

[Debbie Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one a lot. The pace was great as were the descriptions of local places. Great Sunday afternoon murder mystery read. Going to pick up another book by this author soon.

[Tom Kristan Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!! I figured out quite early in book, what family committed the murder. Yet, what their motive is not revealed until much later in book. I enjoyed how the author tied in Salem Witch trials and yet allow the novel to stand alone. At first, I thought there was a couple of stories within the main story. However ; the couple of stories are all parts related to the murder motive. I enjoyed the book especially with the backdrop of Salem Witch trials and all different stories relating the murder motive. I would only recommend the book if you have visited Salem, Massachusetts because you can relate to the craziness which occurs here during the week prior to Halloween.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his debut novel, Gallows Hill, Rory O'Brien gives us a solid police procedural mystery that entertains and educates. Educates, because he gives us a love letter to Salem, MA, with both a snapshot of the modern life in that interesting town, and snippets of the fascinating history. Entertains, because we have the creepy old mansion, the old-money "name" family, dark secrets of the past, and a modern policeman who's got some secrets of his own. The author shows us colorful characters and the clash of cultures that Salem endures, and seems to thrive upon. Since Salem is a town so steeped in its history it cannot escape it, the sins of the past continue to haunt the people who live there, and this novel shows us how things that may be buried may not necessarily be dead. It's rather like walking through a graveyard and sensing and recognizing more than you should.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective fiction set in Salem at Halloween. Especially nice read if you like the genre and know the locale!

[Ernie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fast read. Well written book set in one of my favorite locations. I love Salem.