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Jack Taylor #12
The Emerald Lie
Ken Bruen, the “Godfather of the modern Irish crime novel” (Irish Independent), is beloved for his black humor, verse-like prose, and irascible protagonist Jack Taylor, an ex-cop who is as addicted to trouble as he is to Jameson, pills, and pop culture.
In The Emerald Lie, the latest terror to be visited upon the dark Galway streets arrives in a most unusual form: a Cambridge graduate who becomes murderous over split infinitives, dangling modifiers, and any other sign of bad grammar. Meanwhile, Jack is approached by a grieving father with a pocketful of cash on offer if Jack will help exact revenge on those responsible for his daughter’s brutal rape and murder. Though hesitant to get involved, Jack agrees to get a read on the likely perpetrators. But Jack is soon derailed by the reappearance of Emily (previous alias: Emerald), the chameleon-like young woman who joined forces with Jack to take down her pedophile father in Green Hell and who remains passionate, clever, and utterly homicidal. She will use any sort of coercion to get Jack to conspire with her against the serial killer the Garda have nicknamed “the Grammarian,” but her most destructive obsession just might be Jack himself.
In The Emerald Lie, the latest terror to be visited upon the dark Galway streets arrives in a most unusual form: a Cambridge graduate who becomes murderous over split infinitives, dangling modifiers, and any other sign of bad grammar. Meanwhile, Jack is approached by a grieving father with a pocketful of cash on offer if Jack will help exact revenge on those responsible for his daughter’s brutal rape and murder. Though hesitant to get involved, Jack agrees to get a read on the likely perpetrators. But Jack is soon derailed by the reappearance of Emily (previous alias: Emerald), the chameleon-like young woman who joined forces with Jack to take down her pedophile father in Green Hell and who remains passionate, clever, and utterly homicidal. She will use any sort of coercion to get Jack to conspire with her against the serial killer the Garda have nicknamed “the Grammarian,” but her most destructive obsession just might be Jack himself.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2016
121 people are currently reading
663 people want to read
About the author
Ken Bruen
122 books853 followersKen Bruen was an Irish writer of hardboiled and noir crime fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
February 25, 2026
I first encountered the work of Ken Bruen when I read Tower, a book he co-wrote with Reed Farrel Coleman. It comprised two complimentary tales blending Coleman’s somewhat gentle style of noir crime fiction with Bruen’s more brutal approach. I was immediately attracted to the Irishman’s style, but it's taken me a few years to get around to dipping into his work again. This time , I picked up the latest story featuring his Galway based policeman (they call them Guards in Ireland) Jack Taylor. In fact, I should say ex-policeman as in this episode he’s clearly no longer in the employ of An Garda Síochána (the Guadiana of the Peace).
My first impression of Taylor is of a man who has been through the mangle: he wears a hearing aid, walks with a limp, and has a set of disfigured fingers. Oh, and in time honoured style, he drinks too much! Quite how he became so physically beaten up I’m unable to say - I’ll have to read the rest of the series to establish that - but it does paint a very clear picture of a man who enjoys confrontation and who is no stranger to violence.
You wouldn't call this a mystery. The facts are laid out from the start, and it's no surprise whodunnit. In fact, the crimes – the murders – are dealt with quickly, almost in passing. The interest here is not in the events themselves but in the people who populate this story: the man who commits the acts, Taylor himself, and his bedraggled group of acquaintances. The murderer is driven to acts of violence by hearing his unfortunate victims commit the unforgivable act of failing to communicate using perfect grammar - as a consequence, they are summarily dispatched. Once apprehended, Taylor is hired by the aunt of ‘The Gramarian’ to find evidence to prove him innocent. But he really doesn't have his heart in it and instead he disappears off on a voyage of discovery to London, where all he seems to discover is a bunch of seedy pubs and some even seedier people.
Bruen’s style is interesting. He’s clearly from the hardboiled crime school of writing and the language is often coarse and hard on the eye, but he also peppers the text with literary references, as well as including lines from songs and dropping in details from television series and films that spring to Taylor’s mind as the story works through. It’s a fascinating mix, and I quickly warmed to it. I was also most pleased to see that James Lee Burke clearly rates as one of the author’s favourites!
The tone of the prose varies from wryly amusing to melancholy, with the latter taking centre stage as the story progresses. I found Jack Taylor to be a man I'd like to get to know better, and I do plan to go back to the start of this series. I’d recommend this book to fans of crime fiction who fancy something a bit edgy, a bit different. In fact, it would probably work equally well for anyone who likes contemporary literary fiction. Mr Bruen is a very fine wordsmith indeed.
My thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My first impression of Taylor is of a man who has been through the mangle: he wears a hearing aid, walks with a limp, and has a set of disfigured fingers. Oh, and in time honoured style, he drinks too much! Quite how he became so physically beaten up I’m unable to say - I’ll have to read the rest of the series to establish that - but it does paint a very clear picture of a man who enjoys confrontation and who is no stranger to violence.
You wouldn't call this a mystery. The facts are laid out from the start, and it's no surprise whodunnit. In fact, the crimes – the murders – are dealt with quickly, almost in passing. The interest here is not in the events themselves but in the people who populate this story: the man who commits the acts, Taylor himself, and his bedraggled group of acquaintances. The murderer is driven to acts of violence by hearing his unfortunate victims commit the unforgivable act of failing to communicate using perfect grammar - as a consequence, they are summarily dispatched. Once apprehended, Taylor is hired by the aunt of ‘The Gramarian’ to find evidence to prove him innocent. But he really doesn't have his heart in it and instead he disappears off on a voyage of discovery to London, where all he seems to discover is a bunch of seedy pubs and some even seedier people.
Bruen’s style is interesting. He’s clearly from the hardboiled crime school of writing and the language is often coarse and hard on the eye, but he also peppers the text with literary references, as well as including lines from songs and dropping in details from television series and films that spring to Taylor’s mind as the story works through. It’s a fascinating mix, and I quickly warmed to it. I was also most pleased to see that James Lee Burke clearly rates as one of the author’s favourites!
The tone of the prose varies from wryly amusing to melancholy, with the latter taking centre stage as the story progresses. I found Jack Taylor to be a man I'd like to get to know better, and I do plan to go back to the start of this series. I’d recommend this book to fans of crime fiction who fancy something a bit edgy, a bit different. In fact, it would probably work equally well for anyone who likes contemporary literary fiction. Mr Bruen is a very fine wordsmith indeed.
My thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2016
The Jack Taylor series, which I have read from the beginning, is one of the most original and creative series being written today. The language is coarse, raw, sarcastic and cynical. Jack Taylor, ex garda has lost everyone close to him, either through death or their disillusionment of the broken down man he has become. Yet, he has a strong streak of loyalty, of justice and once he sees something wrong he is unable to let it go. Yet, he is big reader and his stories feature quotes from authors, movies and music. He loves his Jameson, and a shot and chaser sets him right and his best friend in the world is his dog.
This one is less of a mystery, we know who did it, but it does feature a killer who kills those who use bad grammar, so there are grammatical reference as well. More of a character study, not only of Jack but of a new character that appeared in his last few stories. Emily, a young woman who changes her identity from one moment to the next. These are shorter reads, but interesting reads. Sometimes I wonder how Jack makes it out alive. If there is such a thing as Irish noir, then that is where this one fits. Just love this series.
ARC from publisher.
This one is less of a mystery, we know who did it, but it does feature a killer who kills those who use bad grammar, so there are grammatical reference as well. More of a character study, not only of Jack but of a new character that appeared in his last few stories. Emily, a young woman who changes her identity from one moment to the next. These are shorter reads, but interesting reads. Sometimes I wonder how Jack makes it out alive. If there is such a thing as Irish noir, then that is where this one fits. Just love this series.
ARC from publisher.
May 23, 2016
The Emerald Lie feels like an artistic and literary representation of Cubism with a dash of Surrealism. This is typical of the Jack Taylor series and the Irish author Ken Bruen. I adore this book, which is less about crime, more philosophical and literary ruminations, with a damning indictment on the state of Ireland, There is bone deep anger with the political hogwash and sell out of the people peddled by the Irish government. The hypocrisy and abuse perpetrated by the Church is underlined mercilessly. The author is in sparkling and witty form, and Jack Taylor has lost none of his edginess. I think of Jack as a bright light burning many who come close to him and indeed himself. His heart, however, remains intact as we can see with his love of Storm, the dog and the nun he takes out to dinner.
We have a Cambridge educated Grammatical killer who is so offended by those who disregard grammatical conventions that he feels impelled to murder. He also has a penchant for self administering electric shocks to himself. A grieving father asks Jack to avenge the torture and murder of his daughter. Then we have the reappearance of Emily, who to all intents and purposes is a younger, female kindred soul of Jack's. Where Emily is can be deduced by the level of mayhem that surrounds her. Here she wants to fight injustice and makes little secret of the fact that she feels inexorably drawn to Jack. Only Jack is having none of it.
Jack is contemplating whether life is worth living, it appears not. I hope he lives, a world without Jack Taylor would be bleak. His erudite picture of the state of the nation is one that Ireland should treasure. A brilliant read. Thanks to Morgan Entrekin at Grove Atlantic for an ARC.
We have a Cambridge educated Grammatical killer who is so offended by those who disregard grammatical conventions that he feels impelled to murder. He also has a penchant for self administering electric shocks to himself. A grieving father asks Jack to avenge the torture and murder of his daughter. Then we have the reappearance of Emily, who to all intents and purposes is a younger, female kindred soul of Jack's. Where Emily is can be deduced by the level of mayhem that surrounds her. Here she wants to fight injustice and makes little secret of the fact that she feels inexorably drawn to Jack. Only Jack is having none of it.
Jack is contemplating whether life is worth living, it appears not. I hope he lives, a world without Jack Taylor would be bleak. His erudite picture of the state of the nation is one that Ireland should treasure. A brilliant read. Thanks to Morgan Entrekin at Grove Atlantic for an ARC.
January 5, 2017
To get the full oeuvre of this book I suggest you do yourself a favour and read the full Jack Taylor series, but if you're feeling lazy as least check out Green Hell first.
Life has never been easy for Jack Taylor and in this 12th instalment we find him both physically and mentally beaten up. With his body breaking down, his close friends in the grave and his utter disgust with the hypocrisy of the church and the Irish government, Taylor seems to be at an impasse, trying to decide whether to keep pushing forward or throw in the towel for good.
While this does feature an interesting killer this novel puts it's emphasis on the characters first and the mystery second. As usual Bruen packs this book full of cultural, social and political editorializing, as well as makes frequent use of literary, musical, film & television references throughout. Bruens unique writing style shines through in his direct, witty and edgy prose.
*Thank you Mysterious Press and Netgalley for this review copy.
Life has never been easy for Jack Taylor and in this 12th instalment we find him both physically and mentally beaten up. With his body breaking down, his close friends in the grave and his utter disgust with the hypocrisy of the church and the Irish government, Taylor seems to be at an impasse, trying to decide whether to keep pushing forward or throw in the towel for good.
While this does feature an interesting killer this novel puts it's emphasis on the characters first and the mystery second. As usual Bruen packs this book full of cultural, social and political editorializing, as well as makes frequent use of literary, musical, film & television references throughout. Bruens unique writing style shines through in his direct, witty and edgy prose.
*Thank you Mysterious Press and Netgalley for this review copy.
August 22, 2016
The Ken Bruen series about the life of Jack Taylor (Irish p.i.), now reaches #12 in the series with the publication of "The Emerald Lie". This book at first appears to be a direct sequel to the previous book titled "Green Hell". It kind of is yet it mostly isn't.
Jack Taylor has been beaten up so badly so many times in previous installments of the series that he now has two smashed unusable fingers, walks with a limp and has a hearing aid. He still loves his books, his music and his Irish politics.
Most of Jack's close friends are dead, or live as ghosts as he reminisces about his past and his upbringing and he comes to the realization that his plot in life isn't as simple as it used to be. Yet, Jack has a new dog, Storm, and Emily the motivating character from "Green Hell" has reentered his life, this time to request his help in killing her mother.
I really enjoy this fine series, but I would not suggest beginning the series with this book. Mr. Bruen's writing style is quite unique and engaging. We delve deeper into Jack's mind as his thoughts and actions are revealed. There is copious amounts of drinking, pondering and adversaries of Jack to engage the reader, some more vile than others.
Jack Taylor has been beaten up so badly so many times in previous installments of the series that he now has two smashed unusable fingers, walks with a limp and has a hearing aid. He still loves his books, his music and his Irish politics.
Most of Jack's close friends are dead, or live as ghosts as he reminisces about his past and his upbringing and he comes to the realization that his plot in life isn't as simple as it used to be. Yet, Jack has a new dog, Storm, and Emily the motivating character from "Green Hell" has reentered his life, this time to request his help in killing her mother.
I really enjoy this fine series, but I would not suggest beginning the series with this book. Mr. Bruen's writing style is quite unique and engaging. We delve deeper into Jack's mind as his thoughts and actions are revealed. There is copious amounts of drinking, pondering and adversaries of Jack to engage the reader, some more vile than others.
July 24, 2016
This is my first Jack Taylor and it was a real eye opener. It is about a hard boiled old time former Garda (police) man told in sparse language. It reminded me of Robert Parker's Spenser series. It takes one well written sentence to convey what it takes other authors 2 paragraphs to describe.
This is not really a mystery but more of a soliloquy of what goes on in Jack Taylor's mind. He quotes widely from literature and great songs. He comments on current news like the despised water tax. What other character could quote both from Agatha Christie and Stoner? He even cites one of my favorite TV series, Justified.
Life has not been kind to Taylor. He has mangled fingers, a limp and a hearing aid. His only companions are a dangerous kind of girlfriend, a kind but stand-offish neighbor, his dog and various bartenders throughout the city of Galway. He is involved in finding a killer who murders people who use bad grammar. Apparently the killer just can't stand it. He also encounters a pedophile and deals with him in an unique way.
This is an interesting romp through Galway and, if you love literature, full of fascinating allusions. It's a fast read. I read it over night.
Thanks to Net Galley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is not really a mystery but more of a soliloquy of what goes on in Jack Taylor's mind. He quotes widely from literature and great songs. He comments on current news like the despised water tax. What other character could quote both from Agatha Christie and Stoner? He even cites one of my favorite TV series, Justified.
Life has not been kind to Taylor. He has mangled fingers, a limp and a hearing aid. His only companions are a dangerous kind of girlfriend, a kind but stand-offish neighbor, his dog and various bartenders throughout the city of Galway. He is involved in finding a killer who murders people who use bad grammar. Apparently the killer just can't stand it. He also encounters a pedophile and deals with him in an unique way.
This is an interesting romp through Galway and, if you love literature, full of fascinating allusions. It's a fast read. I read it over night.
Thanks to Net Galley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2019
Astounding.
Best entry in the Jack Taylor series in ... call it a couple of months.
If you've read any of the Taylor novels by Ken Bruen, you gotta read this.
Mandatory reading.
Brilliant plus he name checks Boston Teran and James Lee Burke.
12 stars because of your basic long form poetry.
2nd time around:
Well, then. We were a bit overtaken in our previous review, weren't we?
Knocked it down a star.
There are at least 3 cases in this one: 1) The Grammarian (vicious bastard who's murdering anyone who abuses our language in his presence); 2) Emily (the shit-house crazy girlfriend and all of the messy tracks she leaves behind wherever she roams); 3) A pedophile who stomps Jack close to nil.
Then there's Jack's medical condition which goes from worse to worst.
Nicely written return of "Maeve", the remarkable nun who loves too easily and is too kind for this world or the next.
I really love these novels and the recurring characters who populate them.
Especially while I'm reading them.
When I finish them I have an urge to beat these novels like red-headed step children who have turned me out of my own house in my elder years out of greed and spite once they've reached a litigious age.
As I've said before- if you're into this series, you have to read this one.
And the next one. And the one after that.
They're better than anything else out there climbing up the charts.
Better than Harlan Coben.
Better than that maniac Koontz.
If you're following this series, highest recommendation.
If you aren't following this series, for God's shakes -don't start with this one.
Best entry in the Jack Taylor series in ... call it a couple of months.
If you've read any of the Taylor novels by Ken Bruen, you gotta read this.
Mandatory reading.
Brilliant plus he name checks Boston Teran and James Lee Burke.
12 stars because of your basic long form poetry.
2nd time around:
Well, then. We were a bit overtaken in our previous review, weren't we?
Knocked it down a star.
There are at least 3 cases in this one: 1) The Grammarian (vicious bastard who's murdering anyone who abuses our language in his presence); 2) Emily (the shit-house crazy girlfriend and all of the messy tracks she leaves behind wherever she roams); 3) A pedophile who stomps Jack close to nil.
Then there's Jack's medical condition which goes from worse to worst.
Nicely written return of "Maeve", the remarkable nun who loves too easily and is too kind for this world or the next.
I really love these novels and the recurring characters who populate them.
Especially while I'm reading them.
When I finish them I have an urge to beat these novels like red-headed step children who have turned me out of my own house in my elder years out of greed and spite once they've reached a litigious age.
As I've said before- if you're into this series, you have to read this one.
And the next one. And the one after that.
They're better than anything else out there climbing up the charts.
Better than Harlan Coben.
Better than that maniac Koontz.
If you're following this series, highest recommendation.
If you aren't following this series, for God's shakes -don't start with this one.
July 7, 2019
As with the previous books in this series, The Emerald Lie reads more as a character study than crime novel, with Jack, the glue that binds Bruen's noir enriched world of fiction together.
Well known for being a drunkard and not one to shy away from drugs and violence, Jack once again dons the tried and true persona to great effect. His nonchalance customary to the crimes he takes as cases, yet he yields results inadvertently by virtue of proximity, luck, and sheer will.
The Grammatical killer, the antagonist with a not so obscure link to Jack, is the latest niche serial killer to wade into the cross-hairs.
A character I particularly like is Em, the dangerous femme fatale from The Green Hell who provides some crazy to complicate Jack's life and compliment the story. Along with her, Bruen writes well to maintain and strengthen the series continuity including references to some of the very first cases Jack worked on - longtime readers of the series will appreciate the strong nod towards continuity.
Bruen has written some great books, many of them featuring Jack Taylor, the PI who isn't, and The Emerald Lie is another enjoyable read, though not as good as some of the previous entries into the series. I actually found myself dropping a star on the reread down to 4 (which is still pretty damn good). If you've stuck with the series through to this point, you won't be disappointed with this offering.
Well known for being a drunkard and not one to shy away from drugs and violence, Jack once again dons the tried and true persona to great effect. His nonchalance customary to the crimes he takes as cases, yet he yields results inadvertently by virtue of proximity, luck, and sheer will.
The Grammatical killer, the antagonist with a not so obscure link to Jack, is the latest niche serial killer to wade into the cross-hairs.
A character I particularly like is Em, the dangerous femme fatale from The Green Hell who provides some crazy to complicate Jack's life and compliment the story. Along with her, Bruen writes well to maintain and strengthen the series continuity including references to some of the very first cases Jack worked on - longtime readers of the series will appreciate the strong nod towards continuity.
Bruen has written some great books, many of them featuring Jack Taylor, the PI who isn't, and The Emerald Lie is another enjoyable read, though not as good as some of the previous entries into the series. I actually found myself dropping a star on the reread down to 4 (which is still pretty damn good). If you've stuck with the series through to this point, you won't be disappointed with this offering.
August 1, 2017
ARC Received courtesy of Goodreads.com First Reads Giveaway
I hadn't read anything by Ken Bruen until I read "The Emerald Lie". I will definitely be going back to read some of the other "Jack Taylor" novels that he has written. I loved the premise of this novel, a serial killer is on the loose killing people because they have poor grammar. His nickname is "The Grammarian". The search for the serial killer took a backseat to Jack's life in this novel. The reader can almost feel his weariness at the world of crime. I don't know if there will be another "Jack Taylor" novel in the works. Either way, I'm glad I discovered them now.
I hadn't read anything by Ken Bruen until I read "The Emerald Lie". I will definitely be going back to read some of the other "Jack Taylor" novels that he has written. I loved the premise of this novel, a serial killer is on the loose killing people because they have poor grammar. His nickname is "The Grammarian". The search for the serial killer took a backseat to Jack's life in this novel. The reader can almost feel his weariness at the world of crime. I don't know if there will be another "Jack Taylor" novel in the works. Either way, I'm glad I discovered them now.
June 29, 2020
Another great entry in the Jack Taylor series. Bruen’s style has been short, choppy, sometimes one word statements, whether actual dialogue or just Jack’s thoughts. In this book, that style is evident, but there is much more standard prose, making this a much longer book. However, it still felt like a quick read.
Three more books to go in the series. I’m lookIng forward to reading them, but not looking forward to having no further Jack Taylor books to read. Fingers crossed that Ken Bruen hasn’t reached the end. 🤞
Three more books to go in the series. I’m lookIng forward to reading them, but not looking forward to having no further Jack Taylor books to read. Fingers crossed that Ken Bruen hasn’t reached the end. 🤞
September 19, 2016
I hadn't read anything by Ken Bruen in some time. One summer in Paris, I found an English language book store on the Left Bank that is , alas, no longer open. I picked up about three of his books and devoured them while hanging out in cafes. I liked them very much, and so was delighted when my brother brought over " The Emerald Lie" to read. My point is a number of years have elapsed since I first read and thoroughly enjoyed them.
Bruen embraces Irish noir crime themes which is hard to resist. And this
book is a very quick read, the latest in his string of Jack Taylor crime stories. Its premise is also quite winning, a disturbed man so obsessed with grammar that he murders people inflicting their bad grammar on listeners forms the core of the mystery.
The page count runs to 300, but is in reality only a bit over 100 pages. And that begins my frustration with the book. It feels to me like an unfinished draft. And it's laid out in such a way that I found myself wondering how many trees were needlessly chopped down to accommodate all the blank pages and a formatting style which seems to eat up way too much space. To be fair, the author is doing this to emphasize the theme of wordplay. Further, I surely would have enjoyed the book better without the pithy epigrams which did not add to or illuminate the story for me. Finally, Bruen has adopted and taken to an extreme the practice of making chapters short. He has done this to a ludicrous extent, with most chapters being only two or three pages.
So although the crime story hangs together, I do not think this volume featuring Jack Taylor is worth more than two stars. I hope his publisher makes sure he fully completes his next book before publishing it. In this volume, readers have been denied many elements that create the pleasure we feel at encountering a new well-told story.
Bruen embraces Irish noir crime themes which is hard to resist. And this
book is a very quick read, the latest in his string of Jack Taylor crime stories. Its premise is also quite winning, a disturbed man so obsessed with grammar that he murders people inflicting their bad grammar on listeners forms the core of the mystery.
The page count runs to 300, but is in reality only a bit over 100 pages. And that begins my frustration with the book. It feels to me like an unfinished draft. And it's laid out in such a way that I found myself wondering how many trees were needlessly chopped down to accommodate all the blank pages and a formatting style which seems to eat up way too much space. To be fair, the author is doing this to emphasize the theme of wordplay. Further, I surely would have enjoyed the book better without the pithy epigrams which did not add to or illuminate the story for me. Finally, Bruen has adopted and taken to an extreme the practice of making chapters short. He has done this to a ludicrous extent, with most chapters being only two or three pages.
So although the crime story hangs together, I do not think this volume featuring Jack Taylor is worth more than two stars. I hope his publisher makes sure he fully completes his next book before publishing it. In this volume, readers have been denied many elements that create the pleasure we feel at encountering a new well-told story.
September 8, 2016
Is there a more depressing character in crime fiction than Bruen's Jack Taylor? Reading a Ken Bruen book is like running a marathon to the sound of a machine gun. Quick chapters, fluid plot lines, social commentary and lots of heart are all elements of a Ken Bruen/Jack Taylor story and this one fits in well with the others.
April 25, 2016
3.5 stars
"I looked back & he was gone. I thought, not for the first time, that he was mostly fiction, a rumor pretending to be relevant."
Just to put it out there, I'm a big fan of this author. I read about 120 books a year & "Green Hell" made my Top Ten list for 2015. So when I heard Emily was returning in book #12 of the Jack Taylor series I couldn't wait to get my grubby mitts on a copy.
This is a very different read. Yes, there are bad guys who run the gamut from smarmy to sociopathic but they figure briefly in Jack's daily pursuit of the perfect pint. Unlike other instalments, the plot is not driven by his involvement in any one case. It doesn't follow the pattern of Jack being hired, investigating a person/event & trying to survive its conclusion.
Instead, this is more of a character study with Jack as leading man. He's at a point in his life where all the events, choices & injuries of the past are catching up with him. He's deeply reflective & spends much of his time lost in mental meanderings about his upbringing, past loves, Irish politics & favourite books. He has plenty of time to ruminate as he recovers from several good thumpings & dutifully walks Storm, his dog.
Along the way he interacts with bartenders, old acquaintances, homeless philosophers & an enigmatic neighbour. But it's the reappearance of Emily that really shakes things up. She's a force of nature he can't resist, despite her tendency to drag him into dicey situations. Her character is darker & more manic in this outing as she looks for trouble & delivers her own style of justice. She can swing from compassion to cruelty in a heartbeat with no regard for the human carnage she leaves in her wake. There's a scary psycho killer in the story but I found myself thinking I'd rather take my chances with him than face her in a dark alley. Or anywhere.
There's a boatload of musical & literary references sprinkled through the story. Some are extensions of Jack's thoughts & it makes for a surreal read, at times. He's facing a personal crisis & drifting away from the few friends he has. The only thing that tethers him in the now is Storm, a fluffy reminder that things such as happiness, love & hope can exist.
It's an introspective & sometimes bleak look at Jack's life that is periodically relieved by jabs of black humour. The end makes it clear we've arrived at a fork in the road, not just for Jack but possibly for Mr. Bruen as well. Not for the uninitiated.
"I looked back & he was gone. I thought, not for the first time, that he was mostly fiction, a rumor pretending to be relevant."
Just to put it out there, I'm a big fan of this author. I read about 120 books a year & "Green Hell" made my Top Ten list for 2015. So when I heard Emily was returning in book #12 of the Jack Taylor series I couldn't wait to get my grubby mitts on a copy.
This is a very different read. Yes, there are bad guys who run the gamut from smarmy to sociopathic but they figure briefly in Jack's daily pursuit of the perfect pint. Unlike other instalments, the plot is not driven by his involvement in any one case. It doesn't follow the pattern of Jack being hired, investigating a person/event & trying to survive its conclusion.
Instead, this is more of a character study with Jack as leading man. He's at a point in his life where all the events, choices & injuries of the past are catching up with him. He's deeply reflective & spends much of his time lost in mental meanderings about his upbringing, past loves, Irish politics & favourite books. He has plenty of time to ruminate as he recovers from several good thumpings & dutifully walks Storm, his dog.
Along the way he interacts with bartenders, old acquaintances, homeless philosophers & an enigmatic neighbour. But it's the reappearance of Emily that really shakes things up. She's a force of nature he can't resist, despite her tendency to drag him into dicey situations. Her character is darker & more manic in this outing as she looks for trouble & delivers her own style of justice. She can swing from compassion to cruelty in a heartbeat with no regard for the human carnage she leaves in her wake. There's a scary psycho killer in the story but I found myself thinking I'd rather take my chances with him than face her in a dark alley. Or anywhere.
There's a boatload of musical & literary references sprinkled through the story. Some are extensions of Jack's thoughts & it makes for a surreal read, at times. He's facing a personal crisis & drifting away from the few friends he has. The only thing that tethers him in the now is Storm, a fluffy reminder that things such as happiness, love & hope can exist.
It's an introspective & sometimes bleak look at Jack's life that is periodically relieved by jabs of black humour. The end makes it clear we've arrived at a fork in the road, not just for Jack but possibly for Mr. Bruen as well. Not for the uninitiated.
July 28, 2017
Jack Taylor is to Galway what Harry Bosch is to Los Angeles if Bosch was an alcoholic ex cop who sub references popular culture more than actively working to solve cases. I don't mean to disparage Jack but a steady diet of Jameson's Irish Whiskey chased by slow poured Guinness might tend to diminish one's skills as a private investigator of sorts. No matter though, since Jack is all about taking care of a puppy, reading crime fiction and aging until he's interrupted by the return of the essentially evil Emily from "Green Hell". He's also hired to investigate the identity of a man that kills people who use bad grammar. Between the search for the "Grammarian", keeping one step ahead of Emily and taking a bad beating on a ferry boat, Jack's life takes a hard turn onto a veritable highway of depression. This is a brilliantly written character study with humor and insight about a physiologically wounded middle aged man trying to make sense of the 21st century one pub at a time.
March 19, 2018
Jack Taylor. Somewhat akin to Marmite. You either love him or hate him. I am definitely in the former camp. The Emerald Lie is #12 in the series and there is just one more: The Ghosts of Galway (awaiting delivery). I have followed Jack's story since the very first - The Guards. Ken Bruen is the master of contemporary Irish noir with his gallows humour, weird typography (which so many reviewers dislike) and unorthodox wordplay.
Jack often appears to have hit the self-destruct button. He is not getting any younger. His battle with the booze is legendary. Jack is on a downward spiral. He receives another savage beating, not one but two. He is approached by a grieving father who wants Jack to help exact revenge on those responsible for his daughters brutal murder. Jack agrees to get a lead on the likely perpetrators and then Emily appears once again (AKA Em, Emerald) - a chameleon, passionate, clever and utterly homicidal. She coerces Jack to conspire with her against the serial killer the Garda have nicknamed The Grammarian, a Cambridge graduate who becomes murderous over split infinitives, improper punctuation and any other sign of bad grammar.
I wonder how much longer Jack will survive, particularly given the cliff-hanging ending in The Emerald Lie. Jack is at his lowest ebb. Will it all be over soon? I hope not but feel a certain inevitability.....
Jack often appears to have hit the self-destruct button. He is not getting any younger. His battle with the booze is legendary. Jack is on a downward spiral. He receives another savage beating, not one but two. He is approached by a grieving father who wants Jack to help exact revenge on those responsible for his daughters brutal murder. Jack agrees to get a lead on the likely perpetrators and then Emily appears once again (AKA Em, Emerald) - a chameleon, passionate, clever and utterly homicidal. She coerces Jack to conspire with her against the serial killer the Garda have nicknamed The Grammarian, a Cambridge graduate who becomes murderous over split infinitives, improper punctuation and any other sign of bad grammar.
I wonder how much longer Jack will survive, particularly given the cliff-hanging ending in The Emerald Lie. Jack is at his lowest ebb. Will it all be over soon? I hope not but feel a certain inevitability.....
October 1, 2016
The narrative of The Emerald Lie is a web spun by a spider on LSD. Threads of intermittently coherent ramblings, reminiscent of the mutterings of a late aunt who had a touch of dementia and lots of opinions ... at least we supposed there were opinions in there somewhere. Hard to tell, really.
This is one hard-to-follow book. Being generous, One might suppose it's written this way to give us a feel for the incoherent ramblings of a drug-addled drunk, i.e., protagonist, Jack Taylor. Points for verisimilitude and authenticity, but deduct heavily for the absence of anything that might resemble lucidity. Ridge and Emily are memorable characters and their occasional visits make the book almost readable. But then along comes crazy Jack who resembles a Roomba working an over-furnished room. Jack keeps bumping into people with whom he has a past. Mostly these meetings seem random and at best tangential to the narrative. These chance meetings and much of the rest of the book feels like filler, stuffed into the book to hit a contracted word count that just surpasses a quota that qualifies this booklet as a novel. Bruen should just stop now. Tear up that publishing contract, or, whatever is compelling him to crank out these embarrassments, and let Jack Taylor rest in peace.
This is one hard-to-follow book. Being generous, One might suppose it's written this way to give us a feel for the incoherent ramblings of a drug-addled drunk, i.e., protagonist, Jack Taylor. Points for verisimilitude and authenticity, but deduct heavily for the absence of anything that might resemble lucidity. Ridge and Emily are memorable characters and their occasional visits make the book almost readable. But then along comes crazy Jack who resembles a Roomba working an over-furnished room. Jack keeps bumping into people with whom he has a past. Mostly these meetings seem random and at best tangential to the narrative. These chance meetings and much of the rest of the book feels like filler, stuffed into the book to hit a contracted word count that just surpasses a quota that qualifies this booklet as a novel. Bruen should just stop now. Tear up that publishing contract, or, whatever is compelling him to crank out these embarrassments, and let Jack Taylor rest in peace.
June 29, 2016
Bruen never fails. Here again, with his usual blend of verse prose, horror, humor, great characterization and cultural references from TV, music, books and movies. And shot through with appropriate quotes from literature, drunken nights and beatings.
There are two murder plots, one dismissed rather quickly, the other being The Grammarian, who casually murders abusers of the language.
But overshadowing all is the return of Emilie/Emerald in her various guises, who is the true horror of The Emerald Lie.
Fans will feast on this Jack Taylor outing.
There are two murder plots, one dismissed rather quickly, the other being The Grammarian, who casually murders abusers of the language.
But overshadowing all is the return of Emilie/Emerald in her various guises, who is the true horror of The Emerald Lie.
Fans will feast on this Jack Taylor outing.
June 22, 2017
Goodreads Giveaway
I have seen a few of the TV versions of the Jack Taylor stories but this is the first book I've read. Dark and edgy with flashes of wry humor make for a terrific read. Since I have not read the previous books there were a few holes in my understanding of Emily/Emerald but Bruen manages to bring us new readers along just fine.
I have seen a few of the TV versions of the Jack Taylor stories but this is the first book I've read. Dark and edgy with flashes of wry humor make for a terrific read. Since I have not read the previous books there were a few holes in my understanding of Emily/Emerald but Bruen manages to bring us new readers along just fine.
September 10, 2016
The best, the darkest Jack Taylor yet.
March 10, 2019
This installment finds the ex-garda, regularly drunk, often battered, private detective, Jack Taylor, living his life the way he always does--making few friends and more enemies. The book starts with Jack enjoying the new puppy he was given by a woman who is a vigilante sociopath. There's a sort of mystery--a serial killer who chooses his victims if their bad grammar offends him when he's in a mood--but Jack isn't working particularly hard to solve the mystery. There's a bender. Another unrelated crime, which Jack does slightly more but not that much to put to rights. Fights with ex-friends and neighbors as well as the clergy abound, as usual. Other than the puppy, it's as bleak as ever a Jack Taylor mystery is, and this is not Ken Bruen's best one. There's not a lot of narrative drive. You hardly notice when you come to the end.
But I don't read these books--and I've read all 12, heaven help me--because the mystery is intriguing. I read it because I love spending 345 pages in Jack Taylor's Galway. (Note: it's really a short book, but for reasons known only to Bruen, between his short chapters there is a page with quotes about grammar, from pop culture, literary greats, movies, etc. that adds heft to the page count). It is dark and it is dangerous and it is both familiar to anyone who has spent time there but also something meaner and more brutal. I also read because Bruen can turn a phrase that makes you want to laugh and a phrase that makes you want to cry, and some that do both. Even though I'd put this book somewhere towards the lower middle in my ranking of his titles, it was still a good way to spend a couple of days.
This book will appeal to those who have liked other books in Bruen's series, lovers of Ireland (not the touristy bits so much, but the history and the politics and the day-to-day living there), lovers of Irish literature and the well-turned phrase.
But I don't read these books--and I've read all 12, heaven help me--because the mystery is intriguing. I read it because I love spending 345 pages in Jack Taylor's Galway. (Note: it's really a short book, but for reasons known only to Bruen, between his short chapters there is a page with quotes about grammar, from pop culture, literary greats, movies, etc. that adds heft to the page count). It is dark and it is dangerous and it is both familiar to anyone who has spent time there but also something meaner and more brutal. I also read because Bruen can turn a phrase that makes you want to laugh and a phrase that makes you want to cry, and some that do both. Even though I'd put this book somewhere towards the lower middle in my ranking of his titles, it was still a good way to spend a couple of days.
This book will appeal to those who have liked other books in Bruen's series, lovers of Ireland (not the touristy bits so much, but the history and the politics and the day-to-day living there), lovers of Irish literature and the well-turned phrase.
August 13, 2024
Jack is haunted by the death of his friend when Emerald/Emily enters his life. She is pretty much a female Jack and joins him to look for his friend’s
killer. His life is always in turmoil he really should get therapy. Beginning to think i may need it.
killer. His life is always in turmoil he really should get therapy. Beginning to think i may need it.
September 28, 2016
WOW!
Ken Bruen has once again taken us by the throat on an exhilarating journey into the dark life of Jack Taylor. We are given a slightly closer look at the ghosts that define Jacks existence and I thoroughly enjoyed the view
Ken Bruen has once again taken us by the throat on an exhilarating journey into the dark life of Jack Taylor. We are given a slightly closer look at the ghosts that define Jacks existence and I thoroughly enjoyed the view
May 8, 2016
A novel by Ken Bruen
Jack Taylor, the drunken, foul-mouthed, iconoclastic former police officer, and “hero“ of “The Emerald Lie,“ is a finder in Galway, Ireland. And he is at war with everyone and everything there. First hired to extract revenge for the murder of a young woman, he gets beaten to a pulp by the suspects henchmen. Miraculously the villain winds up dead, and the grieving father credits Jack with the hit. Next, he undertakes a case that, if successful, will exonerate a man who accused of being a serial killer. This killer, known as the “Grammarian,” has been taking lethal action against those who mangle the Queen’s English. Well, that job is hardly begun when jealousy sends Taylor out of Galway on the binge of all alcoholic binges. Fortunately, even a corkscrew has to come to a point, and a chance encounter on the ferry back to the “Auld Sod” sends Jack spinning off in a different direction.
Bruen’s style is uniquely chaotic, as he makes it impossible to predict the direction or reaction of his characters. As usual, this book is rife with the things that flavor life; literary excerpts, references to books, authors, musicians, songs, real news stories and complaints about the state of all things Irish. “The Emerald Lie” is a wild and obscenity-laden run through a gauntlet of strange characters, and Jack Taylor, the author’s serial “hero,” is leading the charge. I liken it to a train collision with a bus load of school children. You can’t take your eyes off of the carnage, or fully comprehend the arc of the event until it is over because of all the flashing lights and vehicles roaring off in different directions.
All in all, “The Emerald Lie” is well worth your time, if only to sample Bruen’s singular writing style. Of course, if you are a fan of the “Jack Taylor” series, this being the 12th book of that line, you hardly need my recommendation.
Let me add this warning: For heaven’s sake don’t try to read this book on Kindle because the publishers made a complete mess of transposing it to electronic format.
Jack Taylor, the drunken, foul-mouthed, iconoclastic former police officer, and “hero“ of “The Emerald Lie,“ is a finder in Galway, Ireland. And he is at war with everyone and everything there. First hired to extract revenge for the murder of a young woman, he gets beaten to a pulp by the suspects henchmen. Miraculously the villain winds up dead, and the grieving father credits Jack with the hit. Next, he undertakes a case that, if successful, will exonerate a man who accused of being a serial killer. This killer, known as the “Grammarian,” has been taking lethal action against those who mangle the Queen’s English. Well, that job is hardly begun when jealousy sends Taylor out of Galway on the binge of all alcoholic binges. Fortunately, even a corkscrew has to come to a point, and a chance encounter on the ferry back to the “Auld Sod” sends Jack spinning off in a different direction.
Bruen’s style is uniquely chaotic, as he makes it impossible to predict the direction or reaction of his characters. As usual, this book is rife with the things that flavor life; literary excerpts, references to books, authors, musicians, songs, real news stories and complaints about the state of all things Irish. “The Emerald Lie” is a wild and obscenity-laden run through a gauntlet of strange characters, and Jack Taylor, the author’s serial “hero,” is leading the charge. I liken it to a train collision with a bus load of school children. You can’t take your eyes off of the carnage, or fully comprehend the arc of the event until it is over because of all the flashing lights and vehicles roaring off in different directions.
All in all, “The Emerald Lie” is well worth your time, if only to sample Bruen’s singular writing style. Of course, if you are a fan of the “Jack Taylor” series, this being the 12th book of that line, you hardly need my recommendation.
Let me add this warning: For heaven’s sake don’t try to read this book on Kindle because the publishers made a complete mess of transposing it to electronic format.
February 16, 2017
World class cynic Jack Taylor goes on a memorable and raging booze fueled rant throughout book 12 of this series. Always brimming with sarcasm, he skewers government, religion, popular culture, political correctness and more while engaging in his fearless and violent brand of vigilantism. When a character is literally driven to murder by rampant public misuse of language, it sets up either a horrific or horrifically funny storyline depending on your tolerance for the really dark stuff. Not recommended for the squeamish or those who lack a seriously bent sense of humor.
September 12, 2016
Jack Taylor is no Reacher. The first three titles in this series had me bouncing in my seat cheering the hero on. Not only were they tough guy steel, but they didn't give a f---. I am sure they offended a whole city of weak sisters, but they were gold to me. Only the first three Charlie Huston novels have gripped me that hard. Probably as interesting to me as the stories were the countless references to strong fiction. I have followed those references and been enriched. This title is not as good as the first three, but better than many of the uneven remainder of the series.
October 28, 2016
I love this series. It isn't for everyone - Jack is a sad sorrowful character. What I do like about Jack is his honesty about his life/choices, and the situations he finds himself in. But he lives a brutal life and for some - it can be hard to read. As Jack battle's his demons (he almost always loses) he will take an occasional PI job -
In this case he has two - he's hired by the father of a girl who was brutalized and murdered to help the father and his friends get their own justice - he's also hired by a suspect's aunt to help prove her nephew isn't the serial murderer killing people over bad grammar. Both cases resolve themselves without Jack -which isn't really unusual with these books.
In my opinion - aside from his health - Jack's biggest problem is Emily - she's a loon and very dangerous. If there is another book - (and this ended on a cliff hanger) something will need to be done about her.
So, Jack has a dog and I like that. He was nice to a nun - I liked that. I don't know what he did to the guy who buys kids but I hope it was something terrible. And finally, I wish we could get rid of Ridge - I am sick of her anger and her 'holier than thou' attitude - she's an asshole.
In this case he has two - he's hired by the father of a girl who was brutalized and murdered to help the father and his friends get their own justice - he's also hired by a suspect's aunt to help prove her nephew isn't the serial murderer killing people over bad grammar. Both cases resolve themselves without Jack -which isn't really unusual with these books.
In my opinion - aside from his health - Jack's biggest problem is Emily - she's a loon and very dangerous. If there is another book - (and this ended on a cliff hanger) something will need to be done about her.
So, Jack has a dog and I like that. He was nice to a nun - I liked that. I don't know what he did to the guy who buys kids but I hope it was something terrible. And finally, I wish we could get rid of Ridge - I am sick of her anger and her 'holier than thou' attitude - she's an asshole.
November 11, 2016
If you haven't read a Ken Bruen-Jack Taylor mystery --you must. If you have, any review is superfluous. The only thing left is "How does he do that"? Being Irish helps--especially with the black humor and Jack's beaten down position. Still, he can write a whole chapter in three pages and crack you up with his selections of quotes while spinning a perfectly logical mystery. Oh-and since this is a very recent book, I take his selection of cultural references as evidence of my superior taste in tv series (suitable for binging) and inability to avoid everyday life-- Bruce Jenner on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the woman he has become. See, I can't even remember her name and feel guilty. I do attempt to avoid anything to do with that family. I applaud her courage in announcing that he/she is transgendered. I'm proud that even though Bruen is Irish, I did know most of his references. I'm not sure what that says about him or me. So read him for the mystery or as a test on how cool you are. You can even do both.
December 27, 2016
Another funny and unpleasant Jack Taylor novel from Ken Bruen, whose habit of playing around with the spacing of the text
is
getting
pretty
tedious
And if he keeps larding the things up with references to contemporary detective fiction and television shows, they will not have much staying power.
Bruen reminds of me James Ellroy (the earlier Ellroy, not the later ones where he's trying to be Dom DeLillo). Vivid language, compelling characters, uncompromising nastiness.
The ending is a little, er, ambiguous.
If you're a fan, step right up. If you're a newbie, start at the beginning.
is
getting
pretty
tedious
And if he keeps larding the things up with references to contemporary detective fiction and television shows, they will not have much staying power.
Bruen reminds of me James Ellroy (the earlier Ellroy, not the later ones where he's trying to be Dom DeLillo). Vivid language, compelling characters, uncompromising nastiness.
The ending is a little, er, ambiguous.
If you're a fan, step right up. If you're a newbie, start at the beginning.
February 5, 2017
Perhaps it's the shotgun style or the very short chapters that begin with perplexing quotes, but this was not an easy book to read. Or perhaps one tires of alcoholic former policemen who self-destruct as they hurt those who could care for them. This is the literary equivalent of taking a downer. Yet is has a lyric Irish self-depreciating atmosphere that is genuine and original and is, at least in some ways, endearing.
August 26, 2016
I received this arc from Netgalley.
As I've read other books by this author, I was excited to get this arc. This book was a major disappointment. This should be titled either 'The book of quotes' or 'Jack is an incompetent drunk'. A jumbled mess that goes nowhere. There is zero excitement here, just a mind-numbing mess.I would go more in depth but I don't want to spoil it for others. I definitely recommend you give this one a pass.
As I've read other books by this author, I was excited to get this arc. This book was a major disappointment. This should be titled either 'The book of quotes' or 'Jack is an incompetent drunk'. A jumbled mess that goes nowhere. There is zero excitement here, just a mind-numbing mess.I would go more in depth but I don't want to spoil it for others. I definitely recommend you give this one a pass.
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