The Angel of the Streetlamps

by Sean Moncrieff

When Manda Ferguson falls out of an apartment window to her death, the story is on all the front pages. But then her death starts to have an effect on the living.
the man accused of killing her has to decide whether or not to turn himself in.
the taxi driver who inadvertently helped Baz escape wrestles with whether he should mete out his own form of justice.
the failing election candidate who has to choose between giving up or speaking her mind.
the priest who administered the last rites to Manda and who is finally forced to confront his true (dis)beliefs.
Manda’s cousin. A tabloid reporter on the verge of losing her job who begins to discover some curious gaps in her memory…
But the effect travels even further than these five intersecting stories when claims are made that Manda’s ‘spirit’ is appearing beneath lampposts. In an economically devastated Ireland, where people have lost faith in politics, in business or religion, each character strives to answer the when there’s nothing left to believe in, what can we believe?


Praise for "The Angel of the Streetlamps"



“There is mystery, death and love in The Angel of the Streetlamps; there are wolves and there are sheep. Seán Moncrieff presents us with a cacophony of genuine voices strutting their views on politics, religion and class wars. Moncrieff is a master of the vicious aside, the canny comment and the funny twist, and he brings insight and intelligence to this novel of a damaged, confused and all too recognisable 21st century Ireland.” -- Nuala Ní Chonchúir, author of “Mother America”


“…The writing is snappy and stylish, and his dialogue is spot-on.” --The Irish Examiner


“It's thoughtful and dark, even cynical, in its dissection of how a single crime reverberates throughout Irish society.” --The Irish Independent


“A riveting read.” Tatler

Genres: Fiction

435 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 22, 2012

Reviews

[Derbhile Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. Moncrieff handled the multi-voiced narrative well and created a cast of compelling, flawed characters. There were plenty of the wry, witty observations that listeners to his radio show will recognise. However, the story lacked momentum and a few loose ends weren't tied up at the end, though the ending was good overall. Also, the edition I read was riddled with typos and layout errors and it was a pity Moncrieff was let down in this way by his publisher.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each of the chapters is written from the perspective of one of the central characters. Initially this really got on my nerves because it was so disjointed, but as the story took off, I got over myself! Each character serves a vignette of modern Ireland, which I recognised but I felt it was just a little contrived. That said, I did enjoy reading it, as Eamon Dunphy might say 'it's a good book, but not a great book.'

[Phil James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this book I had never read anything by Moncrieff before but know him from the radio where I think he's very witty and enjoyable. Unfortunately the story felt a little bit boring and never really went anywhere. It follows a number of characters who's lives intersect after someone dies. It is okay but I had higher hopes.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a huge fan of Sean Moncrieff's radio show, I've been meaning to read this book for quite a while. I'm glad I finally did. Moncrieff writes like a seasoned pro, and while the book does take a bit of a bizarre turn towards the end, it never sullies the overarching message. Highly recommend!