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Down Among the Dead
Some lies we live. Some truths we allow to die.
London, 2008. An old man, Michael, sees out his final days sustained by Guinness and talk of the old country. But some memories won’t go quietly to the grave. Some mistakes are not erased by time. And no matter how hard he tries to forget, there’s always someone trying to dig up the skeletons of the past.
Belfast, 1988. The height of the Troubles. Michael is a bagman, a messenger, a go-between, called on to perform one last little job for the IRA. After that, perhaps he can start to patch his life back together. After that, perhaps he can build a future for himself and his family.
Just one last job...
Down Among the Dead is a story of trouble and the Troubles, and a violent collision of past and present in the life of one man.
"An examination of regret and self-destruction. Down Among the Dead is a murky read with flashes of hard-hitting clarity. This is no Micksploitation shoot-em-up. It aims for better and hits its mark. Touché, Mr Finbow." -Gerard Brennan (author of Wee Rockets, Undercover)
"Steve Finbow has done a brilliant job with this story. This is sharp and bold writing that is populated punchy dialogue and crisply drawn characters. It’s a wonderful voice that is at once sympathetic and pathetic and it’s one that’s very easy to spend time with.Very highly recommended." -Nigel Bird (author of Smoke, Southsiders)
"The brilliantly breathless, brutal and lyrical story of a retired IRA gunman facing up to his past." -Paul D Brazill (author of Guns of Brixton, A Case of Noir)
Number Thirteen Press is publishing 13 quality crime novellas and short novels, consecutively on the 13th of each month, from November 2014 to November 2015.
London, 2008. An old man, Michael, sees out his final days sustained by Guinness and talk of the old country. But some memories won’t go quietly to the grave. Some mistakes are not erased by time. And no matter how hard he tries to forget, there’s always someone trying to dig up the skeletons of the past.
Belfast, 1988. The height of the Troubles. Michael is a bagman, a messenger, a go-between, called on to perform one last little job for the IRA. After that, perhaps he can start to patch his life back together. After that, perhaps he can build a future for himself and his family.
Just one last job...
Down Among the Dead is a story of trouble and the Troubles, and a violent collision of past and present in the life of one man.
"An examination of regret and self-destruction. Down Among the Dead is a murky read with flashes of hard-hitting clarity. This is no Micksploitation shoot-em-up. It aims for better and hits its mark. Touché, Mr Finbow." -Gerard Brennan (author of Wee Rockets, Undercover)
"Steve Finbow has done a brilliant job with this story. This is sharp and bold writing that is populated punchy dialogue and crisply drawn characters. It’s a wonderful voice that is at once sympathetic and pathetic and it’s one that’s very easy to spend time with.Very highly recommended." -Nigel Bird (author of Smoke, Southsiders)
"The brilliantly breathless, brutal and lyrical story of a retired IRA gunman facing up to his past." -Paul D Brazill (author of Guns of Brixton, A Case of Noir)
Number Thirteen Press is publishing 13 quality crime novellas and short novels, consecutively on the 13th of each month, from November 2014 to November 2015.
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First published December 13, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 21, 2019
3.5 stars
December 15, 2014
Down Among The Dead by Steve Finbow is the brilliantly breathless, brutal and lyrical story of a retired IRA gunman facing up to his past. Published by the splendid Number Thirteen Press.
January 25, 2015
In my opinion, the smaller publishing companies have been taking noir stories, novellas, and novels to new heights for the past 5 years. Smaller companies such as New Pulp Press, Blasted Heath, Gutter Books, All Due Respect Books (okay, you get the idea and sorry for the tons of smaller presses I love and have forgotten) have been churning out pieces of writing that are going beyond just good noir and are truly great works of literature. The two books I have read from Number Thirteen Press are putting them into the aforementioned category of great publishers as well.
Number Thirteen Press’ second novella, Down Among the Dead by Steve Finbow is a strong offering that reminds me of a song lyric “scars are souvenirs you never lose; the past is never far” (sorry to quote the Goo Goo Dolls, but it fits this book). Michael O’Connor views the past as well, the past. His years working with the IRA are well behind him and he spends his time with bets and booze. Too bad for him there are people in his past who want to make him pay for his past…with his future.
It took me a bit to get into the book, but once I sank me teeth into this tale, it was hard to put it down. As an American reader, I can have trouble with British references and that can impede the reading for me at times, but overall, I thought this book was dark and gritty…just how I like my books. The book has two storylines; Michael as he is involved with the IRA and Michael as an older gentleman just looking to pass his years away at his local pub. Both storylines were intriguing and well-written.
I have sampled two offerings from Number Thirteen Press and they are batting 1.00 with two monster homerooms. Books like these just reinforce my belief that the best books are not the books that get the most press. If you love strong noir, you need to be following the smaller presses and buying their offerings on your E-devices and getting their print books when you can. If you are simply buying books at Costco or other big chains, you are missing the boat and certainly missing the present and future of great noir. I am not a highly knowledgeable man on old pulp novels and older noir, but I am starting to believe I am living in a golden age of noir fiction writing. The more I read of these smaller presses, the more impressed I am and the bigger my TBR pile gets. Bravo to Number Thirteen Press on joining the party!
This review was originally published at: https://dman4227.wordpress.com/
Number Thirteen Press’ second novella, Down Among the Dead by Steve Finbow is a strong offering that reminds me of a song lyric “scars are souvenirs you never lose; the past is never far” (sorry to quote the Goo Goo Dolls, but it fits this book). Michael O’Connor views the past as well, the past. His years working with the IRA are well behind him and he spends his time with bets and booze. Too bad for him there are people in his past who want to make him pay for his past…with his future.
It took me a bit to get into the book, but once I sank me teeth into this tale, it was hard to put it down. As an American reader, I can have trouble with British references and that can impede the reading for me at times, but overall, I thought this book was dark and gritty…just how I like my books. The book has two storylines; Michael as he is involved with the IRA and Michael as an older gentleman just looking to pass his years away at his local pub. Both storylines were intriguing and well-written.
I have sampled two offerings from Number Thirteen Press and they are batting 1.00 with two monster homerooms. Books like these just reinforce my belief that the best books are not the books that get the most press. If you love strong noir, you need to be following the smaller presses and buying their offerings on your E-devices and getting their print books when you can. If you are simply buying books at Costco or other big chains, you are missing the boat and certainly missing the present and future of great noir. I am not a highly knowledgeable man on old pulp novels and older noir, but I am starting to believe I am living in a golden age of noir fiction writing. The more I read of these smaller presses, the more impressed I am and the bigger my TBR pile gets. Bravo to Number Thirteen Press on joining the party!
This review was originally published at: https://dman4227.wordpress.com/
November 17, 2018
One of my recently purchased box of goodies from Fahrenheit Press.
Down Among The Dead is a short novella which delivers a solid punch in just 40 pages. It's brutally noir and the characterisation of Michael, the protagonist, is tightly and expertly drawn. The story revolves around the ever-tantalizing theme of our past coming back to haunt us, and that our present and future are always linked somehow to our history.
Finbow's prose is spartan, yet poignant.
I read the story in one sitting, which made it all the more enjoyable.
I highly recommend this for lovers of noir, and I'll certainly be looking out for more of Finbow's work.
Cheers,
ABP
Down Among The Dead is a short novella which delivers a solid punch in just 40 pages. It's brutally noir and the characterisation of Michael, the protagonist, is tightly and expertly drawn. The story revolves around the ever-tantalizing theme of our past coming back to haunt us, and that our present and future are always linked somehow to our history.
Finbow's prose is spartan, yet poignant.
I read the story in one sitting, which made it all the more enjoyable.
I highly recommend this for lovers of noir, and I'll certainly be looking out for more of Finbow's work.
Cheers,
ABP
December 18, 2014
“It was never the politics with me. Never. It was the being part.” – Michael O’Connor
In Down Among The Dead Michael O’Connor is an old man living on the Kilburn High Road. There are too many steps to his flat and he drinks too many pints to keep himself healthy. His life is now as empty as his fridge and he fills his days with visits to the pub, the bookies and to Mrs Quinn who lives across the way.
The thing is Michael O’Connor has a past. He’s been a soldier for the IRA and has been involved in events that are bound to catch up with him. His problem is that the events that have destroyed his life also happen to be the only things that define his existence. It’s no wonder, then, that he goes shooting his mouth off after a few drinks every once in a while.
Steve Finbow has done a brilliant job with this story. He flicks back and forth between 2008 in Kilburn and 1988 in Gibraltar where he’s on one final job for his boss. The settings in each case are extremely vivid. There’s plenty of detail and each has a constant feeling of menace as the separate story-lines converge to sharply pointed endings.
O’Connor himself tells the story. While he’s clearly kissed the Blarney Stone, he also knows how to tell a tale without wasting a word. This is sharp and bold writing that is populated punchy dialogue and crisply drawn characters. It’s a wonderful voice that is at once sympathetic and pathetic and it’s one that’s very easy to spend time with.
For those of you who are around my age and above, the story of the murder of three unarmed IRA suspects will be brought to mind. The past has a way of haunting us in real life as if it was all just a fiction. This particular fiction is a treat to be part and entirely avoids any of the potential pitfalls of dealing with such material.
In the post script, it mentions that Finbow is currently writing something new. I’m delighted to hear it and I’ll definitely be there to check it out when it’s published. I'm reminded that I have an earlier book of his on my kindle called Nothing Matters (Snubnose Press) which has just joined my must-read pile.
Very highly recommended.
In Down Among The Dead Michael O’Connor is an old man living on the Kilburn High Road. There are too many steps to his flat and he drinks too many pints to keep himself healthy. His life is now as empty as his fridge and he fills his days with visits to the pub, the bookies and to Mrs Quinn who lives across the way.
The thing is Michael O’Connor has a past. He’s been a soldier for the IRA and has been involved in events that are bound to catch up with him. His problem is that the events that have destroyed his life also happen to be the only things that define his existence. It’s no wonder, then, that he goes shooting his mouth off after a few drinks every once in a while.
Steve Finbow has done a brilliant job with this story. He flicks back and forth between 2008 in Kilburn and 1988 in Gibraltar where he’s on one final job for his boss. The settings in each case are extremely vivid. There’s plenty of detail and each has a constant feeling of menace as the separate story-lines converge to sharply pointed endings.
O’Connor himself tells the story. While he’s clearly kissed the Blarney Stone, he also knows how to tell a tale without wasting a word. This is sharp and bold writing that is populated punchy dialogue and crisply drawn characters. It’s a wonderful voice that is at once sympathetic and pathetic and it’s one that’s very easy to spend time with.
For those of you who are around my age and above, the story of the murder of three unarmed IRA suspects will be brought to mind. The past has a way of haunting us in real life as if it was all just a fiction. This particular fiction is a treat to be part and entirely avoids any of the potential pitfalls of dealing with such material.
In the post script, it mentions that Finbow is currently writing something new. I’m delighted to hear it and I’ll definitely be there to check it out when it’s published. I'm reminded that I have an earlier book of his on my kindle called Nothing Matters (Snubnose Press) which has just joined my must-read pile.
Very highly recommended.
May 4, 2017
Successful rendering of one Irish man reliving but not questioning his obeisance to IRA principles that robbed him of his family and his peace of mind, forcing him to move from one location to another but never escaping the uncomfortable memories of conflict during the Troubles...memories he shares with the wrong people after too many lifts of the cup. I particularly appreciated the authentic and lyrical voice of the aged soldier.
October 18, 2015
Michael O'Connor was never one of the bosses in the IRS. Just one of the soldiers. Not a True Believer—but he stood alongside the True Believers as they did what they thought they needed to do to be taken seriously. He persuaded himself that he was one of the “good ones”—a smile, a delivery, a message, a favor—but now, twenty years after events that changed everything—he’s starting to wonder what all of that life was for.
In fact, he’s not wondering, He understands that it was all a waste. And he’s coming to understand that the people who got hurt have long memories.
This is a short novella, told in the first person, creating a true atmosphere of confusion and regret. However, it is not rated higher because the stream-of-consciousness technique: without paragraph breaks or quotation marks makes this a longer and more difficult read than it should be. You’ll have to decide for yourself if the message is worth the style.
[Please note: a copy of this book was received free of charge in exchange for a fair and honest review - Nate Briggs, The Kindle Book Review]
In fact, he’s not wondering, He understands that it was all a waste. And he’s coming to understand that the people who got hurt have long memories.
This is a short novella, told in the first person, creating a true atmosphere of confusion and regret. However, it is not rated higher because the stream-of-consciousness technique: without paragraph breaks or quotation marks makes this a longer and more difficult read than it should be. You’ll have to decide for yourself if the message is worth the style.
[Please note: a copy of this book was received free of charge in exchange for a fair and honest review - Nate Briggs, The Kindle Book Review]
April 9, 2016
Kilburn, London 2008 – old man Michael O’Connor shuffles from bedsit to boozer to bookies and back again. Living with his sad memories of a violent past back in his homeland of Ireland. With a gripping and authentic narrative that travels between 2008 and 1988 we slowly learn more of O’Connor’s shady history and his longing for his estranged wife and daughter. Ultimately we get to see how the past catches up with him when he least expects it, in another classic novella from Number Thirteen Press written by the talented author Steve Finbow. This story also leaves me curious to seek out other titles from the publisher in the near future. Enjoy.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews