The Irish Goodbye

by Don Winslow, Titus Welliver (Narrator)

Terry and Eddie are criminals. They are not especially successful criminals. Only now, Eddie has a plan that’s going to make them both rich. The plan is simple. The plan is brilliant. The plan is fool proof.

Except there are no bigger fools than Terry and Eddie.

Big-time mobsters, double-crosses, plans gone awry, payback and retribution—The Irish Goodbye is classic Don Winslow, a living legend of crime fiction.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Crime, Short Stories, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery

Audible Audio

Published September 3, 2026

About the author

Don Winslow is the author of twenty-one acclaimed, award-winning international bestsellers, including the New York Times bestsellers The Force and The Border, the #1 international bestseller The Cartel, The Power of the Dog, Savages, and The Winter of Frankie Machine. Savages was made into a feature film by three-time Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone. The Power of the Dog, The Cartel and The Border sold to FX in a major multimillion-dollar deal to air as a weekly television series beginning in 2020.

A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.


Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

I’m a huge Don Winslow fan, so when I spotted this freebie on Audible, The Irish Goodbye, narrated by one of my favorite voice actors, Titus Welliver, I immediately grabbed it.
Winslow is the king of writing down-on-their-luck wiseguys, and he gives them some of the best banter. This little gem is just over an hour long and worth every chuckle-worthy second.
And Titus Welliver? Perfect casting. His gritty, tough-guy voice is made for Winslow’s characters, and he elevates this shortie into an especially entertaining listen.
If you’re an Audible subscriber, grab this one. It’s short, funny, free, and an hour very well spent. What’s not to like?

[Alan (The Lone Librarian) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hapless Kidnappers vs The Mob
A review of the Audible Original audiobook (September 3, 2026), with no print equivalent.

"Can I ask you a question?" Terry says.
"Shoot!" Eddie says.
"What are you?" Terry asks, "Some kinda idiot?"
"What kinda question is that?"
"Just answer it."
"No," Eddie says. "I'm not some kinda idiot. Why?"
"Because, what I thought I just heard you say," Terry says. "Is that it would be a good money-making proposition to kidnap wise guys and hold them for ransom. Which would make you some kinda idiot."

It is New York City in 1980 during the era of the Five Families. Two down-on-their-luck petty thieves hit on a get-rich-quick scheme to raise some cash. Unfortunately, it involves the kidnapping of family members of local mafiosos.

After the fumbling success of a first outing, the duo decide to push their luck with one further attempt. But someone else may be looking to profit from the proceedings with a copy-cat duplication.

This is very stereotypical fare, but the audiobook was especially enhanced by the narration of actor Titus Welliver, so a probable 3-star on the page gets a 4-star audio rating.

This is a short measure (1 hour and 9 minutes on audio, so perhaps 30 or so pages if it ever becomes available in print) audiobook from crime writer Don Winslow that is narrated by actor Titus Welliver. It was at first incongruous to hear the voice of LAPD Detective Harry Bosch (from both the various TV-series and several of the Michael Connelly audiobooks) narrating from the dark side of the law, but Welliver was excellent in all voices, especially those of the New York Mafiosos.

I listened to The Irish Goodbye during a recent power and internet outage in Toronto from a severe thunderstorm. Fortunately I could still access Audible via my mobile phone.

Trivia and Links
An "Irish Goodbye" is a term to describe leaving a social gathering without announcing your departure, as a way to avoid prolonged farewells and conversations. Read more about the origin of the term at Gaelic Generations.

Don Winslow has several short stories and novellas available only as Audible Original audiobooks with no print edition as of mid-2026. Probably he is saving them up until he has enough for a book length anthology collection. Most of the previous ones were narrated by actor Ed Harris. The ones I've listened to are Free Billy (March 22, 2022), Deep Hole (May 26, 2022), Dietrich (March 28, 2024), Oregon (May 23, 2024) and Downward Facing Doug (July 11, 2024). Several of the stories deal with surfing culture. Free Billy and Downward Facing Doug could be considered books 2.1 and 2.2 in the Boone Daniels and The Dawn Patrol series, which is available in print.

Audible Originals are exclusive audio productions for Audible. The exclusivity may be time-limited. An author may agree to a (e.g.) six-month audio exclusive after which they are free to publish the story in eBook or paper formats. As the Don Winslow short stories currently have no print equivalent, they have a zero page count and do not add to your Goodreads page count for the year if you listen to them. Based on The Irish Goodbye's 1 hour and 9 minute narration time, it would likely be 30 pages or so in print format.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when you don’t have the discipline to take the win and walk away, to never call, never write, just disappear - to give the Irish Goodbye?

Don Winslow, one of the masters of crime fiction, is as sharp as ever in this short story. Terry and Eddie devise a foolproof plan to capture wise guy’s loved ones and hold them for ransom. Despite their incompetence, this works the first time.

They up the ante for round two and nab a Capo, but the win column in their life is non-existent. They mistakenly decide to stick around afterwards, go to the same home, and keep the same MO – yellow Riviera, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck masks.

The Mob takes issue when something happens to family. You don’t let anyone work you that way. You don’t let anyone make you a victim or make you look soft. It’s unspoken, but if you let someone get away with it then it could happen to you. Tension escalates as the five families work together to dispense justice.

Highly recommended. This novella, read by Titus Welliver (a.k.a. Harry Bosch for fans of Michael Connelly) is free on Audible.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Titus Welliver narrating

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting 70-minute Winslow, perfect Welliver
Titus Welliver's narration is what makes Don Winslow’s “The Irish Goodbye” – that low, world-weary gravel that makes every dumb decision sound even dumber. Terry and Eddie are the best kind of mafia wannabes, two not-especially-successful criminals with a "brilliant, fool-proof" plan who prove there are no bigger fools than them. It's all loyalty, stupidity and betrayal, double-crosses and payback, but done fast and funny. At 1 hr 10 mins, a short title like “The Irish Goodbye” is a welcome listen – classic Winslow, no filler, just a twist and an exit.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good solid short story. Better than the last book I read with the same title.

[Megan Pisula · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow that was the dumbest shit I’ve ever listened to

[L.G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars
(run time - 1 hr. 10 min. approx.)

Titus Welliver (narrator) and Don Winslow...two of my favorites! I own or have read several of Don Winslow's books.

SUMMARY: Terry and Eddie are criminals. They are not especially successful criminals. Only now, Eddie has a plan that’s going to make them both rich. The plan is simple. The plan is brilliant. The plan is fool proof. Except there are no bigger fools than Terry and Eddie.

Big-time mobsters, double-crosses, plans gone awry, payback and retribution—The Irish Goodbye is classic Don Winslow, a living legend of crime fiction.

[Kelly Donohue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice quick easy read or listen. Perfect audio for a longer car ride or commute to work. Definitely heavy on the language, but I thought the northeast mob accents were pretty good. I wouldn’t say there was anything spectacular that happens but there was a good twist at the end. Boondock saints meets the Sapranos.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent short, narrated brilliantly by Titus Welliver. The primary characters, and thus their brilliant scheme, are as sharp as a sphere, which could be a frustration for some. But there are a couple solid twists, a few grim laughs, and, again, dynamite narration. Easily worth an hour or so of your time, but not worth an Audible subscription on its own.

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

@DonWinslow: Even if the character is a ‘bad guy’, that doesn’t mean you can make fun of how much they weigh. Fatphobia is gross. Do better. Also, your stereotypical Italian mafia members were quite stereotypical.

2 stars, not recommended.

[Liisi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is actually pretty comical. However, I wasn't a fan of all the "f&*^%" language. The author I felt just used it for lack of better more intelligent forms of exclaimations. I just really didn't feel like that was very good.

[Jennifer Hagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun quick read

[Neil Doherty · Rating 1 out of 5]

Most characters in this stereotype Italian Mafia audible production don’t even know what an Irish Goodbye is.

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Irish Goodbye is a new short story by Don Winslow, available on Audible. It follows two Irish-American criminals who hatch a scheme to get rich by kidnapping relatives of mafia members. At just over an hour long, it's an entertaining and fast-paced listen, which is no surprise coming from Winslow. One of his strengths is creating characters who feel fully realized, even in a short format, and this story is no exception. You also can’t go wrong when you have Titus Welliver, of Bosch fame, is narrating. The plot moves quickly, keeps you engaged throughout, and is easy to finish in a single sitting.

[Joe Kucharski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Irish ex-cons, Terry and Eddie, hatch a brilliant get-rich-quick scheme: kidnap an Italian made man and collect the ransom. Problem is, these two knuckleheads have learned everything they know about kidnapping from movies... which ain't a lot. Luckily, the Italians have their own plans, and the backstabbing is where the real fun begins.

Short. Intriguing. Pure Don Winslow. Long on crime, short on runtime, and masterfully read by Titus Welliver, who gives every bad decision the proper gravel. Welcome back from retirement, Don. You clearly haven't lost your touch.

[Dave Volpe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Winslow. His style’s so smooth and conversational—a true legend of the craft. As expected: Great dialogue, narrations a breeze like you’re listening to a guy tell you this story down at the bar in their neighborhood.

The story overall was okay. Great? Nah. It’s just two idiots trying to kidnap mob guys’ relatives for ransom money—goes wrong—simple as that. It’s short, entertaining enough. I liked it because I like Don. I like that he’s been writing these short stories, so I keep listening as he keeps releasing them.

[Reader]

Terry and Eddie are criminals. They are not especially successful criminals. Only now, Eddie has a plan that’s going to make them both rich. The plan is simple. The plan is brilliant. The plan is fool proof.

Except there are no bigger fools than Terry and Eddie.

Big-time mobsters, double-crosses, plans gone awry, payback and retribution—The Irish Goodbye is classic Don Winslow, a living legend of crime fiction.

[Estela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short story. I really enjoyed the narrative and the ending was not what I expected. Great introduction to this author for me. I'll be looking for other books by him. This is a story about a kidnapping planned by truly inept small time criminals. They kidnap a family member of a known mobster, figuring the mobster would pay before involving police. The idea is to get the money and leave town. The plan goes off without a hitch, but not without consequences and a plot twist.

[VP]

Hamburger Helper is not inexpensive, at 2.50 a boxat theleast expensive store in town. They'd have been better off buying noodles to get several times as much for the cost. Ground beef is pricey too.
Tuna Helper is a little better because tinned tuna is still a reasonable price.
The story was well read but I have nothing more to recommend it.

[Karin]

I've come to enjoy these short audio "books". Don Winslow has a few on Audible and they're so far good ones
About an hour each so great while commuting, cooking, cleaning or just having a sit down and a break.
This one is narrated by Titus Welliver !!!

A listen like this is also great in-between those +20h audiobooks that I usually dive into

[D Bear · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it a little hard to write a review for a book that is only 1 hour long. For the length and it being free on audible I would recommend it - you can't go too wrong and if you don't like it, it's only 1 hour of your life. Obviously can't get too deep in a story of this length but if you like this genre I would say you can't go too wrong.

[Tognabalogna · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This was such a great audiobook. The Bosch actor (Titus Welliver) was perfect for Don Winslow’s novella about a could dumb mobsters. We start the story laughing at how dumb they are but end up rooting for them in the end. A great palate cleanser if you recently finished a tough read or a big book and need a quick reprieve!

[Joel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is certainly one of the stories of all time. Brief, and accomplishes a decent amount in a very short timeframe, however it's also just kind of *there*. If you were one of those guys who fetishized this kind of mob crime stuff, you might enjoy this more, but for me it was *fine*.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the short story about mafia, criminals and family. They look out for each other in the mafia but you don't mess with them as they will go after you with everything they have. Good short story!

[Jacky · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

The narrator did a fantastic job keeping the energy up, but the actual storyline just didn't deliver. The plot felt flat, chaotic, and pretty hard to get invested in. It’s a super quick listen, but unfortunately, the writing style and weak plot made it a total miss for me.

[Cristian Marrero · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Hilarious audiobook. 1-hour long. If you are a mafia story fan, this is a quick listen for you. A bunch of Irish guys trying to make some money. Quick money. Silly why would you even think this for money. The banter is hilarious. The stereotypes had me laughing. Enjoy.

[Texas · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE IRISH GOODBYE, Audiobook - An average story with interesting story lines and okay characters, but predictable all the time. The narrator Titus Welliver gives a good performance. Source: Audible included.

[Michael Entrikin · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Short stories sometimes leave me feeling unfulfilled even when I enjoy them. I either want more or feel like the story wasn’t finished. That’s not the case with Don Winslow’s. This was a great quick ride and felt like a complete story.

[Hunter Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

For as short as it is, I found it held my attention. Interesting to go back to the days when it was the Italians and Irish who were mobsters. Somewhat predictable but still for free was interesting enough.