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Paul Forté #2

Full Irish

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A Dublin reporter is on a mission to find the murderer of an honest politician and close friend. A Boston lawyer is hired to dig up dirt on a conniving Irish competitor.

When the two collide at a famous County Kerry castle and discover their mutual interests, the ensuing game plan is more Pink Panther than Hercule Poirot. Full Irish marks the return of Paul Forté and his wife, Shannon, and the introduction of Finola McGee. In a sometimes madcap, sometimes dark adventure, Shannon lands a blow against lecherous politicians, McGee shows off her pole dancing prowess, an Anglo-Irish butler turns double-agent, and the zygomatic bone takes disproportionate abuse. But can the trio unravel the web of conspiracy stretching from the back corridors of Leinster House to the polished inner sanctum of the Massachusetts Senate?

Against the backdrop of the windswept west coast of Ireland and the watering holes of Dublin and Boston, Full Irish exposes a rivalry that goes to the very heart of politics.

247 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2014

65 people are currently reading
52 people want to read

About the author

Pete Morin

10 books135 followers
Pete Morin has been a trial attorney, a politician, a bureaucrat, a lobbyist, and now, a novelist.

When he is not writing crime fiction or legal mumbo jumbo, Pete plays blues guitar in Boston bars, and on increasingly rare occasion, plays a round of golf. He lives in a money pit on the seacoast south of Boston, in an area once known as the Irish Riviera.

Pete is represented by Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary Agency.

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5 stars
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38 (25%)
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26 (17%)
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for Lynx.
198 reviews114 followers
September 8, 2016
When an Irish politician and good friend of reporter Finola McGee is found murdered, she vows to make it her mission to find the culprit. Teaming up with Paul Forte, a lawyer from Boston and his beautiful wife Shannon the gang go on a wild ride filled with twists and turns, political intrigue and action around every corner.

While written by two authors in completely different Countries they do a wonderful job seamlessly weaving together the plot lines and capture both Irish and Boston's politics perfectly. Filled with fun witty banter reminiscent of The Thin Man’s Nick & Nora Charles, well developed characters and strong, feisty females that kick ass every chance they get this fun and fast paced read will leave you wanting more.

*Thank to Netgalley for this review copy.
Profile Image for Join the Penguin Resistance!  .
5,685 reviews334 followers
December 16, 2015
Review: FULL IRISH by Susanne O'Leary and Pete Morin

I had never read anything by either of these authors, but I found FULL IRISH Immediately captivating. With a taut and compelling reader's hook, the story line flings us right into the fray. If you've ever pondered the possibility of government corruption [fill in name of government here_], then you'll find a home in FULL IRISH, which entertains the concept of corruption in both the Massachusetts State Legislature, and the national government of Ireland. Then there's those devious corporate greedy grinches.

Make no mistake, this is a page turner deluxe--mystery, political thriller, financial chicanery thriller, and fascinating reading. If you've ever hoped to visit Ireland (or Boston) but haven't, your desires will be satisfied here, as you armchair travel to both.
Profile Image for Helen Smith.
Author 22 books275 followers
December 1, 2014
Full Irish is a collaboration between two authors – one based in Ireland, one in Boston – that follows a murder investigation that goes back and forth between the two locations. This exciting political thriller is well-written, compelling and fun. I loved the authentic-sounding dialogue, as well as the sparky relationship between the main characters. I had read Susanne O’Leary before and Full Irish has the humour, the feisty, flawed heroines and intriguing storylines I have come to expect from her books. Pete Morin was a new author to me but I will be looking for more of his books. I hope these two authors will be working together again on future stories.
1,383 reviews22 followers
February 15, 2015
This book is written by two authors, but definitely does not read that way, as the chemistry between the two is outstanding. The story involves an American on a mission to find out what exactly is going on with an Irish tech firm, who is trying to get a contract with Boston, MA. Never mind the other American competitors—there may be some irregular scheming and actions going on! The main characters, Paul Forte and his wife Shannon go to Ireland to investigate what is going on (on the sly, of course). There they meet up with a feisty Irish reporter, Finola McGee, who is investigating the death of an Irish politician. How do these two seemingly irrelevant cases come together? What do the main characters manage to find and how is it all tied together? Interesting read. My biggest problem was understanding the basics of Irish politics, the slang, the wisecracks, the personal insights and comments (vocalized or not) and the routine use of the Irish language--all of which detracted me and confused me. One reviewer recommended the reader not to get caught up with the subtleties of Irish politics because it all comes together in the end, but I disagree. Irish politics and its system, side anecdotes, sometimes golf stories, about what happens or happened, as well as all the business about how hot Paul’s wife Shannon is hot all intrude into the story to confuse it and make it much more difficult to enjoy and understand. In fact, I agree with another reviewer that the story line somehow gets lost in all this.

The two authors definitely write well together. Paul and his wife Shannon are also well-developed characters and suited well for this story. Finola is one heck of a great reporter, just what you need in a story such as this one. The setting is also fine. The plot is well thought out and developed. The other things I mentioned just sort of get in the way to detract from the tale.


Still, the story is interesting. This is a good political thriller/mystery, filled with all sort of intrigue and twists and turns, so the reader who enjoys this will find the book an interesting read. I personally wish the author had not devoted so much time and space to all the Irish stuff (anecdotes, slang, language, etc.), because it only got me bogged down and even confused me during the reading. Nevertheless, perhaps others will not get bogged down as I did. I received this from NetGalley to read and provide an honest review.
181 reviews6 followers
February 9, 2015
This book has it all...action, intrigue, international locales, colorful characters, sexy and smart dialog, and an engaging plot. So, what's not to like? That's there's isn't a second book to pick up and read!

This is a great romp starting in Boston when lawyer Paul Forte and his wife Shannon head off to Irish castle for a little R&R coupled with some off-the-record sleuthing for a potential client. What is the relationship between the State of Massachusetts and an Irish technology firm? Mingling with the Irish and Boston Irish politicos in a five-star castle hotels they meet reporter FInola McGee who's there investigating the murder of her good friend, a governmental whistle blower. Game on!

These authors (he's based in the US and she's in Ireland) capture Irish and Boston Irish politics perfectly. The pacing of this novel, it's topical relevance and witty writing all contribute to making this a thoroughly enjoyable read. It's got some twists and turns that keep the action moving and the reader guessing until the end. Aside from highly recommending this book, the only remaining question is. When will see Paul, Shannon and Finola again?
Profile Image for Al.
1,364 reviews53 followers
December 8, 2014
If you like political thrillers, as I do, Full Irish fills the bill well. Nicely plotted, with action happening on both sides of the pond in Boston and Ireland, and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing at who can be trusted.

I especially liked the main characters with Paul Forté as the honest man, trying to operate in the shark-infested waters of Boston politics, and Finola McGee, the Irish reporter. Plenty of tension, but with occasional doses of humor to lighten things up, Full Irish was a fun read.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
Profile Image for Matt Sinclair.
Author 7 books20 followers
March 9, 2015
I'm impressed with how well a book written by two writers in very different places can be told cohesively. I'd read Morin's previous Forte novel, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The voice carried over well to this work, despite having a second writer who deftly wove a complete character and setting into the mix. While there were scenes in Little Fish that I might have changed, that was an enjoyable tale. In this work, however, I found everything very accessible to a broad readership. I have not yet read anything else by O'Leary, but I'll look into her work. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to more from this writing duo!
Profile Image for Ruth Francisco.
Author 20 books27 followers
February 5, 2015
Terrific fun

Not since Nick and Nora Charles tripped through the pages of Dashiell Hammet's The Thin Man has there been such a delightful team of whiskey sipping sleuths. Brisk pacing, delightful dialog, tightly plotted, and, more surprising, a duo I can't wait to see more of.

Authors Morin and O'Leary do an excellent job of weaving multiple story lines, their dialog fresh, witty, and full of gentle affection. So refreshing. All they need is a dog named Asta (in this case a Jack Russell with a collar of emerald shamrocks).

Well done.
11 reviews
February 27, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this complex novel of Boston and Irish politics and murder. Strong characters, and a plot line that kept me guessing. Going back to read Morin's previous works.
Profile Image for Bill.
472 reviews9 followers
February 17, 2020
Full Irish, a sequel to Diary of a Small Fish, was a terrific read! It's part murder mystery, political thriller, and travelogue for Boston and Ireland. It paints a rather grim picture of the political establishments in Massachusetts and the Irish Republic. Being familiar with the former from a career in government, sadly I suspect that it's equally accurate with regard to Ireland. The protagonist and his spouse have a Nick and Nora vibe, without Asta, that makes for a fun ride. I will forgive some of the aspersions cast upon my Irish tribe and my beloved hometown of Dorchester, Mass, in the name of poetic license, of course. Lehane got away with plenty too, but then..... he's from Dorchester, so the rules are different. Reading the novel did make me want to head back to the Old Sod again, but my wife has other plans for our future journeys before we get back there. Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Margaret Millmore.
Author 10 books61 followers
January 20, 2016
Boston attorney Paul Forte has an insatiable appetite for fighting back, especially when corruption is involved. In Full Irish (book 2 of the series), Paul and his wife Shannon travel to Ireland in an attempt to understand a shady business deal unfolding in Boston. Their paths cross with Irish reporter, Finola McGee who is investigating the murder of politician, who was also her close friend. Together they discover that their individual investigations are tied together in a conspiracy that spans from Ireland to Boston.

As with the other two novels in this series, this was well written and faced paced. I was given book 3 in the series for free in exchange for an honest review (via Book Explosions review site on GoodReads) and enjoyed it so much I purchased this book and book 1. If you enjoy a good mystery/thriller series, these are the books for you.
Profile Image for Dale.
Author 60 books50 followers
February 10, 2016
What do you get when you mix politicians, lawyers, journalists, gobs of money, Boston, Ireland, and a nasty conspiracy?

Well in this case you get an entertaining novel, second in the Paul Forte trilogy. Paul is back a few years after his close call, and he gets involved with a greedy bunch trying to swindle a pile of cash. He picks his way through the tricky swamps of legality while trying to do the right thing- not an easy task.

The book contrasts the dirty backdoor deals of the power elite with the sumptious lifestyles, the elegant meals and drinks, the lush scenery of the Irish countryside. We see a world that corrupts many; and those that succumb to it are taken to task by Paul Forte and his circle.

Strong voice, thoroughly readable, and full of love for both Boston and the Ould Sod. A different kind of book, enjoyable for the story and the telling.
Profile Image for Rebecca Forster.
Author 50 books521 followers
Read
August 22, 2017
Didn't finish. Just wasn't my cup of tea so I won't give it a rating.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews