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Dublin Trilogy (Publication order) #1
A Man With One of Those Faces
The First time somebody tried to kill him was an accident.
The second time was deliberate.
Now Paul Muchrone finds himself on the run with nobody to turn to except a nurse who has read one-too-many crime novels and a renegade copper with a penchant for violence. Together they must solve one of the most notorious crimes in Irish history…
…or else they’ll be history.
The second time was deliberate.
Now Paul Muchrone finds himself on the run with nobody to turn to except a nurse who has read one-too-many crime novels and a renegade copper with a penchant for violence. Together they must solve one of the most notorious crimes in Irish history…
…or else they’ll be history.
399 pages, ebook
First published August 30, 2016
About the author
Caimh McDonnell
43 books1,790 followersIrishman Caimh McDonnell is a former professional stand-up comedian and TV writer who now concentrates all of his energies on his books. Born in Limerick and raised in Dublin, he has taken the hop across the water and calls Manchester his home.
His TV writing work has seen him work on some of the biggest topical comedy shows on British TV and has earned him a BAFTA nomination. These days he can be found happily writing his next book in the office in the back garden, with only his dog and his imagination for company.
His book 'I Have Sinned' was shortlisted for the Kindle Storyteller Award 2019. Previously, his debut novel 'A Man With One of Those Faces' was nominated for best novel at the 2017 CAP awards.
His TV writing work has seen him work on some of the biggest topical comedy shows on British TV and has earned him a BAFTA nomination. These days he can be found happily writing his next book in the office in the back garden, with only his dog and his imagination for company.
His book 'I Have Sinned' was shortlisted for the Kindle Storyteller Award 2019. Previously, his debut novel 'A Man With One of Those Faces' was nominated for best novel at the 2017 CAP awards.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 1,638 reviews
March 28, 2021
I'm going to go out on a limb here--my tree of knowledge is somewhat limited by that fickle sap, memory) and say this is the most fun I've had reading a book since Murderbot.
You heard me. Dublin, Ireland and The Corporation Rim are literally light-years apart, but they both couple a wry sense of the absurd with a fast-moving mystery.
Paul Mulchrone was finishing up his weekly visit to the hospice, doing his granny-whispering routine to the forgetful, when Nurse Brigit wonders if he could see one more patient–a man dying of lung cancer who hasn’t had a single visitor in the three weeks he’s been there. Brigit’s still a little confused as to how everyone seems to think they know Paul.
“‘Oh no, Sherlock, you’re dead right. I was going to say exactly that. You can’t just have ‘one of those faces’—everybody’s got a face. Yours is nothing special. No offence.”
“You do realize that just saying ‘no offence’ does not magically make whatever you say inoffensive?'”
But Paul obliges, in exchange for a ride home (thus saving him 3.30). Unsurprisingly, Mr. Brown seems to recognize Paul (this time, it’s “Gerry’s son”), but surprisingly, Mr. Brown seems to have a grudge. From there, events steadily go farther off the rails until the end, when it’s almost, but not quite, bananas.
“Paul said nothing, in a way that left nothing unsaid.”
It’s well told, using a third-person narrative that is primarily in Paul’s voice but occasionally switches to that of lead Detective Inspector Jimmy Stewart (he’s heard the jokes: “they’d killed a bit of time and given people something to do around the station… He’d not really minded.”), with a rare appearance by Brigit.
Side characters were really well done. Although Paul and Brigit are the main characters, there are a number of side ones that pop in and out of the plot. Dr. Sinha rapidly became my favorite guest appearance:
“Sinha’s cheery demeanour changed and Paul instantly felt guilty–like he just dropkicked an excited puppy.
‘Sorry,’ Dr. Sinha said. ‘I have a tendency to become overexcited about medical issues, leading to an inappropriate bedside manner.’
‘I wouldn’t say that.’
‘Well, somebody did,’ said Dr. Sinha. ‘I was quoting from the report I got at the end of my probationary period.'”
Much more would give it away. I’ll just say that like early Lisa Lutz and Janet Evanovitch, I was frequently chuckling as I read. Yet, McDonnell still manages to maintain tension, creating a story I had a hard time putting down. I’m excited to start the next.
“Aren’t corpses supposed to be freezing? When they were kids Barry Dodds had told him that when he knocked his granda’s body over at the wake, it was like being buried under a dozen frozen turkeys. Mind you, he had also told Paul that groping a woman’s breast felt like squeezing a roast chicken. Come to think of it, that kid had a weird obsession with poultry.”
You heard me. Dublin, Ireland and The Corporation Rim are literally light-years apart, but they both couple a wry sense of the absurd with a fast-moving mystery.
Paul Mulchrone was finishing up his weekly visit to the hospice, doing his granny-whispering routine to the forgetful, when Nurse Brigit wonders if he could see one more patient–a man dying of lung cancer who hasn’t had a single visitor in the three weeks he’s been there. Brigit’s still a little confused as to how everyone seems to think they know Paul.
“‘Oh no, Sherlock, you’re dead right. I was going to say exactly that. You can’t just have ‘one of those faces’—everybody’s got a face. Yours is nothing special. No offence.”
“You do realize that just saying ‘no offence’ does not magically make whatever you say inoffensive?'”
But Paul obliges, in exchange for a ride home (thus saving him 3.30). Unsurprisingly, Mr. Brown seems to recognize Paul (this time, it’s “Gerry’s son”), but surprisingly, Mr. Brown seems to have a grudge. From there, events steadily go farther off the rails until the end, when it’s almost, but not quite, bananas.
“Paul said nothing, in a way that left nothing unsaid.”
It’s well told, using a third-person narrative that is primarily in Paul’s voice but occasionally switches to that of lead Detective Inspector Jimmy Stewart (he’s heard the jokes: “they’d killed a bit of time and given people something to do around the station… He’d not really minded.”), with a rare appearance by Brigit.
Side characters were really well done. Although Paul and Brigit are the main characters, there are a number of side ones that pop in and out of the plot. Dr. Sinha rapidly became my favorite guest appearance:
“Sinha’s cheery demeanour changed and Paul instantly felt guilty–like he just dropkicked an excited puppy.
‘Sorry,’ Dr. Sinha said. ‘I have a tendency to become overexcited about medical issues, leading to an inappropriate bedside manner.’
‘I wouldn’t say that.’
‘Well, somebody did,’ said Dr. Sinha. ‘I was quoting from the report I got at the end of my probationary period.'”
Much more would give it away. I’ll just say that like early Lisa Lutz and Janet Evanovitch, I was frequently chuckling as I read. Yet, McDonnell still manages to maintain tension, creating a story I had a hard time putting down. I’m excited to start the next.
“Aren’t corpses supposed to be freezing? When they were kids Barry Dodds had told him that when he knocked his granda’s body over at the wake, it was like being buried under a dozen frozen turkeys. Mind you, he had also told Paul that groping a woman’s breast felt like squeezing a roast chicken. Come to think of it, that kid had a weird obsession with poultry.”
August 24, 2020
I am so way behind reviews and unfortunately I will not have a computer available for a few more days so I am writing this one from my phone. As a result, it will be a short one.
A man with one of those faces is the perfect book to read when you need some cheering up. It is a thriller and a murder mystery but most of all it is very funny. An example of the type of humor is below so beware it is not for the squeamish.
"In what was probably for the best, Bunny had passed out on the back seat almost as soon as they’d started driving, once he’d delivered a brief but impassioned monologue on the injustice of Brigit taking his bottle of whiskey away. The first time he’d farted, it had been novel. It had broken the tension between herself and Paul. The entertainment value had however lasted nowhere near as long as the smell. The man’s arse reeked like something had crawled up there and died a slow and painful death by cabbage. "
Paul has a special job. Due to his generic facial characteristics, he manages to pretend to be whatever the feeble minded residents of an old people home think he is. On some occasions he is a long lost son, other times a estranged sibling, whatever might help an old tired soul to find inner peace. Brigit is the nurse who finds Paul all these hopeless cases. One day she wants him to see one more “client” a dying man who never had any visitor. Unfortunately, the old man confuses Paul with someone not so dear and tries to kill him. He ends up stabbed in hospital and the old man dead. From here everything goes nuts, people are trying to kill him, he is running but doesn’t know why and from who and the comedy is on. Brigit is the expert help as she read all the detective stories ever. One of the other interesting characters is Bunny, the owner of the above mentioned farts, an excellent policeman but with brutal methods and a foul mouth.
I really enjoyed this novel and I will continue with this series for sure.
A man with one of those faces is the perfect book to read when you need some cheering up. It is a thriller and a murder mystery but most of all it is very funny. An example of the type of humor is below so beware it is not for the squeamish.
"In what was probably for the best, Bunny had passed out on the back seat almost as soon as they’d started driving, once he’d delivered a brief but impassioned monologue on the injustice of Brigit taking his bottle of whiskey away. The first time he’d farted, it had been novel. It had broken the tension between herself and Paul. The entertainment value had however lasted nowhere near as long as the smell. The man’s arse reeked like something had crawled up there and died a slow and painful death by cabbage. "
Paul has a special job. Due to his generic facial characteristics, he manages to pretend to be whatever the feeble minded residents of an old people home think he is. On some occasions he is a long lost son, other times a estranged sibling, whatever might help an old tired soul to find inner peace. Brigit is the nurse who finds Paul all these hopeless cases. One day she wants him to see one more “client” a dying man who never had any visitor. Unfortunately, the old man confuses Paul with someone not so dear and tries to kill him. He ends up stabbed in hospital and the old man dead. From here everything goes nuts, people are trying to kill him, he is running but doesn’t know why and from who and the comedy is on. Brigit is the expert help as she read all the detective stories ever. One of the other interesting characters is Bunny, the owner of the above mentioned farts, an excellent policeman but with brutal methods and a foul mouth.
I really enjoyed this novel and I will continue with this series for sure.
April 24, 2021
I like the concept of a thriller that’s also funny but It’s a hard trick to pull off. Either the action is too tense to allow for many laughs, or the comedy is so obvious that the story descends into slapstick, making it hard to care for characters or get too excited about the plot.
Caimh McDonnell, whose day job is a stand up comedian, manages pretty successfully to do both in this Dublin based thriller A Man With One of Those Faces (Dublin Trilogy #1)
Paul Mulchrone lives a meagre, lonely existence, working part time in a hospice as a companion to elderly residents (a ‘granny whisperer’) - he’s not very brave, faints at the sight of blood and is a bit of a whinger. In his favour, he’s a pleasant, mild mannered young bloke with a good sense of humour.
One day when visiting a fierce old man, there is a bizarre, violent incident and some dangerous information is let loose. Paul is left injured and bemused, and caught up in a series of events involving local gangsters, a kidnapped heiress, murder and police corruption.
Luckily, Brigid, Paul’s nurse friend from the hospice is on hand to guide him through this unwelcome adventure. She’s a strong, very funny character who knows she can help ….….. as she’s read a lot of crime novels!
We are also introduced to Bunny McGarry a larger than life, renegade detective whose unpleasant habits, heavy drinking and ultra violent ways, married to his righteous sense of right and wrong, make him a shambolic and down at heel Jack Reacher type figure.
The writing is full of witty one-liners, humorous observations and colourful characters. The action is well paced, clearly plotted and exciting.
If you click with the brand of humour (always a personal thing, but it worked for me) you will enjoy this first part of the Dublin Trilogy.
I’m looking forward to finding out where Ciamh McDonnell will take his rag bag assortment of wisecracking characters next :)
Caimh McDonnell, whose day job is a stand up comedian, manages pretty successfully to do both in this Dublin based thriller A Man With One of Those Faces (Dublin Trilogy #1)
Paul Mulchrone lives a meagre, lonely existence, working part time in a hospice as a companion to elderly residents (a ‘granny whisperer’) - he’s not very brave, faints at the sight of blood and is a bit of a whinger. In his favour, he’s a pleasant, mild mannered young bloke with a good sense of humour.
One day when visiting a fierce old man, there is a bizarre, violent incident and some dangerous information is let loose. Paul is left injured and bemused, and caught up in a series of events involving local gangsters, a kidnapped heiress, murder and police corruption.
Luckily, Brigid, Paul’s nurse friend from the hospice is on hand to guide him through this unwelcome adventure. She’s a strong, very funny character who knows she can help ….….. as she’s read a lot of crime novels!
We are also introduced to Bunny McGarry a larger than life, renegade detective whose unpleasant habits, heavy drinking and ultra violent ways, married to his righteous sense of right and wrong, make him a shambolic and down at heel Jack Reacher type figure.
The writing is full of witty one-liners, humorous observations and colourful characters. The action is well paced, clearly plotted and exciting.
If you click with the brand of humour (always a personal thing, but it worked for me) you will enjoy this first part of the Dublin Trilogy.
I’m looking forward to finding out where Ciamh McDonnell will take his rag bag assortment of wisecracking characters next :)
February 8, 2019
LOVED IT!!!
Do you know which famous person you look like?
I've been told that I have an uncanny resemblance to Brad Pitt...in the sense that we both have a body with two legs, two feet, two arms, two hands, and a head with two eyes, two ears, a nose, a mouth and hair. It's only the shape of everything that differs. In fact, if you take away his fame, money, charisma, success and Hollywood starlets as wives, we are the same man!
The point I'm trying to make - in a very, very roundabout way - is that, given the right circumstances, just about anybody can be anybody else. A MAN WITH ONE OF THOSE FACES is about Paul Mulchrone, a man with an average face, built and, well, everything. He could be anybody - somebody you feel you recognize but can't quite place at that moment. And it is important, because he needs it to do his charity work of scamming people.
You read that last sentence correctly. Go ahead, read it again.
Yeah? Makes no sense whatsoever?
Oh, but it actually does make sense. Allow me to explain:
When people reach a certain age, or gets a bad illness like Dementia or Alzheimer's, they usually end up in a care facility, and the visits from friends and family becomes fewer and fewer, these people hold on to the hope that somebody special will come to visit them at least one more time. And Paul does that for them, becomes a family member they so desperately want to see and talk to. It sounds so noble, even though his motivations may not be.
But, when one of these old people attack and tries to kill him, his world will come undone in a very short period of time. The geriatric turns out to be a gangster, and now more people are trying to kill him, even though he has no idea why.
With the loyal nurse Brigit at his side, he tries to survive, seeking the truth behind one of the biggest unsolved crimes in Irish history...the Rapunzel case.
And then there are the others:
The cop, close to retirement and in a foul mood about it.
The rookie and, well, the rookie stuff...
The rich, swearing granny with the gun...muck me!
and,
Detective Sergeant Bunny McGarry...not crooked but very bent, with his own set of rules and unusual tactics...believe me, you've never come across a character like him before.
This book is absolutely hilarious, but still very tense. I feel comfortable calling Caimh McDonnell the Irish Carl Hiaasen. I was seriously, seriously impressed, even though they mostly say 'feck' instead of 'fuck'.
I ended up highlighting nearly forty passages - a new record for me - and I can recommend this for anybody who loves a little dark humor in their thrillers.
Easy 5 stars!!
Do you know which famous person you look like?
I've been told that I have an uncanny resemblance to Brad Pitt...in the sense that we both have a body with two legs, two feet, two arms, two hands, and a head with two eyes, two ears, a nose, a mouth and hair. It's only the shape of everything that differs. In fact, if you take away his fame, money, charisma, success and Hollywood starlets as wives, we are the same man!
The point I'm trying to make - in a very, very roundabout way - is that, given the right circumstances, just about anybody can be anybody else. A MAN WITH ONE OF THOSE FACES is about Paul Mulchrone, a man with an average face, built and, well, everything. He could be anybody - somebody you feel you recognize but can't quite place at that moment. And it is important, because he needs it to do his charity work of scamming people.
You read that last sentence correctly. Go ahead, read it again.
Yeah? Makes no sense whatsoever?
Oh, but it actually does make sense. Allow me to explain:
When people reach a certain age, or gets a bad illness like Dementia or Alzheimer's, they usually end up in a care facility, and the visits from friends and family becomes fewer and fewer, these people hold on to the hope that somebody special will come to visit them at least one more time. And Paul does that for them, becomes a family member they so desperately want to see and talk to. It sounds so noble, even though his motivations may not be.
But, when one of these old people attack and tries to kill him, his world will come undone in a very short period of time. The geriatric turns out to be a gangster, and now more people are trying to kill him, even though he has no idea why.
With the loyal nurse Brigit at his side, he tries to survive, seeking the truth behind one of the biggest unsolved crimes in Irish history...the Rapunzel case.
And then there are the others:
The cop, close to retirement and in a foul mood about it.
The rookie and, well, the rookie stuff...
The rich, swearing granny with the gun...muck me!
and,
Detective Sergeant Bunny McGarry...not crooked but very bent, with his own set of rules and unusual tactics...believe me, you've never come across a character like him before.
This book is absolutely hilarious, but still very tense. I feel comfortable calling Caimh McDonnell the Irish Carl Hiaasen. I was seriously, seriously impressed, even though they mostly say 'feck' instead of 'fuck'.
I ended up highlighting nearly forty passages - a new record for me - and I can recommend this for anybody who loves a little dark humor in their thrillers.
Easy 5 stars!!
July 4, 2022
No good deed ever goes unpunished. That’s the dogma and reality of life that hit Paul Mulchrone like a ton of bricks after a favor for an acquaintance led not only to an attempted stabby murder by a dying ex-gangster but also put Paul in the crosshairs of a local crime boss and brought to light an old unsolved crime. And Paul really really really does not want to die.
Up until now my experience with Irish crime novels was limited to Tana French’s brand of soul-crushing devastation. Now, this book is diametrally opposite in every way imaginable, told through lighthearted snark and a bit of lowbrow humor, full of the quite on-the-nose observations and overall simply and inconsequentially fun:
It won’t be a book I remember years or even months down the road, but it’s definitely a lovely way to spend a few hours as long as you don’t mind a bit of crass juvenile humor and sitcom-like situations and a slight level of absurdity throughout the whole story. It’s a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s where its charm lies.
I would have never thought that a murder mystery comedic thriller would cheer me up, but here we go.
Plus, I managed to learn what the feck a hurley is. It seems to be handy when cracking skulls is necessary. As well as in a sport I knew nothing about — hurling. I feel very enlightened now.
3.5 - 4 stars rounding up for the much-needed happiness it brought me when I was needing a bit of escape from reality.
——————
Recommended by: carol.
“In the meantime, he was dotting the ‘I’s and crossing the ‘T’s, waiting for the S and the H to show up.”
Up until now my experience with Irish crime novels was limited to Tana French’s brand of soul-crushing devastation. Now, this book is diametrally opposite in every way imaginable, told through lighthearted snark and a bit of lowbrow humor, full of the quite on-the-nose observations and overall simply and inconsequentially fun:
“You do realise that just saying ‘no offence’ does not magically make whatever you say inoffensive?”
———
“If you want the honest-to-God truth, most people have a lot they want to say and not that much they want to hear.”
It won’t be a book I remember years or even months down the road, but it’s definitely a lovely way to spend a few hours as long as you don’t mind a bit of crass juvenile humor and sitcom-like situations and a slight level of absurdity throughout the whole story. It’s a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s where its charm lies.
“Good tip,” said Paul. “Just so I know, where is a good place to get shot?” He’d not yet realised that Dr Sinha was not at home to sarcasm.
“Gluteus maximus – most definitely. Gunshot, stab wound – if you get the option, go ass every time.”
Clearly, the doctor had been around some very polite gunfights.”
I would have never thought that a murder mystery comedic thriller would cheer me up, but here we go.
Plus, I managed to learn what the feck a hurley is. It seems to be handy when cracking skulls is necessary. As well as in a sport I knew nothing about — hurling. I feel very enlightened now.
3.5 - 4 stars rounding up for the much-needed happiness it brought me when I was needing a bit of escape from reality.
“Paul said nothing, in a way that left nothing unsaid.”
——————
Recommended by: carol.
February 9, 2017
Equally suspenseful as it is humorous!
My 2nd favourite book of 2016!
Wow, what a book! I absolutely adored Caimh McDonnell's debut novel 'A man with one of those faces'. An original story that beautifully combines crime, mystery and comedy. I think this would make a wonderful movie and I would be first in line to buy tickets to see it. As far as the writing goes McDonnell does not miss a beat as his prose goes from suspense to humour like a seasoned writer.
The main protagonist Paul Muchrone volunteers at a hospice and is known as a 'Granny Whisperer' because he has a face that is not particularly memorable in fact it's plain ordinary hence the title of the novel. This makes him perfect for the elderly patients such as ones with dementia who often believe he is a family member or friend.
Everything seems to be going along swimmingly until Nurse Brigit suggests Paul visit a gentleman who hasn't had any visitors and has little time left on the planet. This is the beginning of a colossal misunderstanding which will put himself and Nurse Brigit's lives in danger. Not knowing who they can trust, forces them on the run. Desperately, Paul and Brigit receive help from police officer Bunny McGarry to investigate who and why people want them dead.
The character development is top notch, each character bringing something original and fresh. Here is an example of just a few of the weird and wonderful characters that you will encounter.
PAUL MUCHRONE... Paul is 28 and lives in a small, dingy flat in Dublin. He receives a tiny amount money from a Aunty that he despises, but if he is to get a job he will be cut off. Paul believes he is getting revenge by taking her money a bit at a time even though the Aunt is dead. The most exciting thing that has ever happened to him is being on the run even if it does get him killed!
NURSE BRIGIT…Nurse Brigit meets Paul through the hospice that he volunteers at. Paul describes her looks as… 'she wouldn’t be launching a thousand ships any time soon but she’d undoubtedly create a fair bit of interest in a chip shop queue' . Brigit has a fascination with anything to do with Crime such as TV, movies, and books, which she believes makes her an expert in the underbelly of criminal activities from murder to espionage.
BUNNY MCGARRY…Bunny is everything you imagine a cop NOT to look or sound like, with a loud foul mouth albeit a very funny one at that. He is an old school Police Officer who keeps an eye on his neighbourhood, making his own rules and punishments as he wonders the streets. He has one main goal and that is to always look out for the locals especially 'his boys'. Bunny is not known for doing things by the book.
With these three protagonists and many more crazy characters, you can be assured there is complete mayhem, hysterical scenarios and snappy dialogue, which makes for many laugh out loud moments. I was laughing so loud both of my sons complained about not being able to sleep!
McDonnell better known as a comedian, brings his humour and wit to life on the page. On top of that, McDonnell has written a book that goes up against the best when it comes to suspense and mystery, there are many twists and I wasn't even close to working out how it would end. I am still in shock that this is his debut! This book will keep you on the edge of the seat either from suspense or from laughter!
By far in my top 5 books of the year and I am so pleased that there is another book to come. The most disappointing thing about this book is that it had to end!
If you are feeling down or even if your not feeling down GET THIS BOOK! I have no hesitation in recommending this book to pretty much anyone that has a pulse.
A big thank you to Netgalley, Caimh McDonnell and the publisher McFori Ink for the privilege of reading such a enjoyable and well crafted book.
An easy 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
NOW AVAILABLE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED……grab yourself a copy, I guarantee that you won't be disappointed.
Check out Caimh McDonnell's website www.WhiteHairedirishman.com
My 2nd favourite book of 2016!
Wow, what a book! I absolutely adored Caimh McDonnell's debut novel 'A man with one of those faces'. An original story that beautifully combines crime, mystery and comedy. I think this would make a wonderful movie and I would be first in line to buy tickets to see it. As far as the writing goes McDonnell does not miss a beat as his prose goes from suspense to humour like a seasoned writer.
The main protagonist Paul Muchrone volunteers at a hospice and is known as a 'Granny Whisperer' because he has a face that is not particularly memorable in fact it's plain ordinary hence the title of the novel. This makes him perfect for the elderly patients such as ones with dementia who often believe he is a family member or friend.
Everything seems to be going along swimmingly until Nurse Brigit suggests Paul visit a gentleman who hasn't had any visitors and has little time left on the planet. This is the beginning of a colossal misunderstanding which will put himself and Nurse Brigit's lives in danger. Not knowing who they can trust, forces them on the run. Desperately, Paul and Brigit receive help from police officer Bunny McGarry to investigate who and why people want them dead.
The character development is top notch, each character bringing something original and fresh. Here is an example of just a few of the weird and wonderful characters that you will encounter.
PAUL MUCHRONE... Paul is 28 and lives in a small, dingy flat in Dublin. He receives a tiny amount money from a Aunty that he despises, but if he is to get a job he will be cut off. Paul believes he is getting revenge by taking her money a bit at a time even though the Aunt is dead. The most exciting thing that has ever happened to him is being on the run even if it does get him killed!
NURSE BRIGIT…Nurse Brigit meets Paul through the hospice that he volunteers at. Paul describes her looks as… 'she wouldn’t be launching a thousand ships any time soon but she’d undoubtedly create a fair bit of interest in a chip shop queue' . Brigit has a fascination with anything to do with Crime such as TV, movies, and books, which she believes makes her an expert in the underbelly of criminal activities from murder to espionage.
BUNNY MCGARRY…Bunny is everything you imagine a cop NOT to look or sound like, with a loud foul mouth albeit a very funny one at that. He is an old school Police Officer who keeps an eye on his neighbourhood, making his own rules and punishments as he wonders the streets. He has one main goal and that is to always look out for the locals especially 'his boys'. Bunny is not known for doing things by the book.
With these three protagonists and many more crazy characters, you can be assured there is complete mayhem, hysterical scenarios and snappy dialogue, which makes for many laugh out loud moments. I was laughing so loud both of my sons complained about not being able to sleep!
McDonnell better known as a comedian, brings his humour and wit to life on the page. On top of that, McDonnell has written a book that goes up against the best when it comes to suspense and mystery, there are many twists and I wasn't even close to working out how it would end. I am still in shock that this is his debut! This book will keep you on the edge of the seat either from suspense or from laughter!
By far in my top 5 books of the year and I am so pleased that there is another book to come. The most disappointing thing about this book is that it had to end!
If you are feeling down or even if your not feeling down GET THIS BOOK! I have no hesitation in recommending this book to pretty much anyone that has a pulse.
A big thank you to Netgalley, Caimh McDonnell and the publisher McFori Ink for the privilege of reading such a enjoyable and well crafted book.
An easy 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
NOW AVAILABLE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED……grab yourself a copy, I guarantee that you won't be disappointed.
Check out Caimh McDonnell's website www.WhiteHairedirishman.com
April 20, 2020
Image from Author interview at Too Full to Write
Paul Mulchrone is a man with one of those faces.
His sheer ordinariness was the whole point... his every facial attribute was a masterpiece of bloody-minded originality, an aesthetic tribute to the forgettably average. Collectively they formed am orchestra designed to produce the facial muzak of the gods.
He is also a man shit down on his luck. While doing his rounds of visiting ailing and aging patients at a hospice, Nurse Brigit approaches him and asks him if he could visit an old man who could be breathing his last.
After some hesitation, he agrees over a cigarette with Brigit outside. The frail old man is absolutely emaciated, knocking on death's door, could be wiped away by a strong breeze.
Paul does his thing and then the old man wakes up and started mumbling incoherently. Paul is suddenly attacked and stabbed through the shoulder by the stage 4 cancer patient who ends up dying of a heart attack. He is incensed with Nurse Brigit but she offers to take him home. It's the least she could do, you know? Until an old 'friend' shows up and asks Paul what he's been up to. Unfortunately, Paul is completely unaware of the shit-storm that started the moment he decided to help Nurse Brigit out.
He ends up on the run, unaware of who his enemies are. Unseen forces being helped by people he may or may not know. But one thing is clear, they want him dead because of his conversation with the stabbing corpse and they are always two steps ahead of him. Brigit offers to help him because she's an expert. She has watched all American crime shows and has read all the Hardy Boys and true crime novels. But he refuses until he gets a phone call telling him to run then promptly gets into a life or death situation with a cat. Paul also comes to the realisation that he isn't smart enough to deal with the situation.
At times like this, it was hard for him to run from the suspicion that he might be an idiot.
Brigit was a breath of fresh air. An eager-to-help unapologetic nerd and she wields it as her arsenal in ensnaring you into her wiles. She is magnetic. And you're pulled in- albeit reluctantly. I did not like Brigit at first. But Paul changed his mind about her too. Kissing her in a tender moment that left me with mixed feelings. But I get why Paul would see her differently after such an episode of chaos.
This book was charming. Delightful. And makes me wanna visit Dublin. Also look out for a man named Bunny- the cop in the blurb with a propensity for violence. If not for anything but for what whiskey can do to his bowels.
The first time he farted, it had been novel. It had broken the tension between herself and Paul. The entertainment value had however lasted nowhere near as long as the smell. The man's arse reeked like something had crawled up there and died a slow painful death by cabbage.
July 13, 2020
Hilarious, which is a word I don't use lightly when it comes to books.
May 4, 2022
A detective? Not bad. Irish? Even better, we love about Ireland. The beginning foreshadowed that it would be interesting: the guy volunteers in a nursing home and hospice, pays visits to the elderly, carefully recording the time of stay in the log.
He has such a facial feature — a completely expressionless appearance, behind which old people see who is their grandson, who is their son, who is the niece's boyfriend. He is obviously not rich and it is not entirely clear why he spends his young life on an occupation that does not bring income. That is, it is clear. when at the call of the heart, but in this case they do not record the time of arrival and departure.
When the nurse asks him to visit another lonely dying old man, the young man is going to refuse, but she offers to give him a lift home in her car after, giving him the opportunity to save forty euros on the bus. Paul, you see, lives on five hundred euros a month, which is a pittance even in poor Ireland. There are reasons for this and we will find out soon enough, but for now the old man, taking the visitor for the son of his friend (did you forget about the feature?) accepted... strangle him.
This scene will mark the beginning of a series of dizzying, dangerous, partly absurdist adventures, about which it will be impossible to read without laughing. Not because the author puts his characters in a ridiculous position, but because of how it is written. In fact, at first you don't understand why it's funny, like it's not supposed to be a detective, then you just give yourself into the power of stupid, seemingly inappropriate fun.
The literary debut of Quiv McDonnell turned out to be very successful, "A Man with One of many Faces" was nominated for a CAP Award, although it should be clarified that with this book the author made his debut only as a novelist, previously worked a lot and successfully as a screenwriter on Irish and British television, now lives in Manchester.
A great novel, a non-trivial plot, an interesting intrigue. there is a wildly charming Irish Dirty Harry. And the opportunity to laugh heartily with a book is worth appreciating in our dark times.
Благими намерениями
— Спокойно! Старики обожают слегка пощекотать себе нервы.
— Тебе не приходится их успокаивать, когда они вдруг решают, что китаянка, выносящая медотходы, приторговывает наркотиками.
— А ты уверена, что она этого не делает?
— Поверь мне, я у нее спрашивала.
Эту книгу от издательства "Манн, Иванов и Фербер" я выиграла в книжной раздаче LiveLib. Начиная читать, представления не имела о том, что это будет. Детектив? Недурно. Ирландский? Еще лучше, про Ирландию мы любим. Начало предвещало, что будет интересно: парень волонтерит в доме престарелых и хосписе, наносит визиты старикам, тщательно фиксируя в журнале время пребывания.
У него такая лицевая особенность — совершенно невыразительная внешность, за которой старики видят кто своего внука, кто сына, кто бойфренда племянницы. Он явно небогат и не вполне понятно, зачем тратит молодую жизнь на занятие, не приносящее дохода. То есть, понятно. когда по зову сердца, но в таком случае не фиксируют время прихода и ухода.
Когда медсестра просит его навестить еще одного одинокого умирающего старика, молодой человек собирается отказаться, но она предлагает после подбросить его на своей машине домой, дав возможность сэкономить евро сорок центов на автобусе. Пол, видите ли, живет на пятьсот евро в месяц, что гроши даже в небогатой Ирландии. На то есть причины и мы узнаем их достаточно скоро, но пока старикан, приняв посетителя за сына своего друга (не забыли про особенность?) принимается... душить его.
Эта сцена положит начало серии головокружительных, опасных, отчасти абсурдистских приключений, о которых невозможно будет читать без смеха. Не потому, что автор ставит своих героев в смешное положение, а оттого как это написано. На самом деле, вначале не понимаешь, почему смешно, вроде детектив и не положено, после просто отдаешься во власть дурацкому неуместному, казалось бы, веселью.
Литературный дебют Куива Макдоннела оказался очень удачным, "Человека с одним из многих лиц" был номинирован на CAP Award, хотя следует уточнить, что с этой книгой автор дебютировал только как прозаик, прежде много и успешно работал сценаристом на ирландском и британском телевидении, теперь живет в Манчестере.
Отличный роман, нетривиальный сюжет, интересная интрига. есть дико обаятельный ирландский Грязный Гарри. А возможность от души посмеяться с книгой стоит ценить в наши темные времена.
He has such a facial feature — a completely expressionless appearance, behind which old people see who is their grandson, who is their son, who is the niece's boyfriend. He is obviously not rich and it is not entirely clear why he spends his young life on an occupation that does not bring income. That is, it is clear. when at the call of the heart, but in this case they do not record the time of arrival and departure.
When the nurse asks him to visit another lonely dying old man, the young man is going to refuse, but she offers to give him a lift home in her car after, giving him the opportunity to save forty euros on the bus. Paul, you see, lives on five hundred euros a month, which is a pittance even in poor Ireland. There are reasons for this and we will find out soon enough, but for now the old man, taking the visitor for the son of his friend (did you forget about the feature?) accepted... strangle him.
This scene will mark the beginning of a series of dizzying, dangerous, partly absurdist adventures, about which it will be impossible to read without laughing. Not because the author puts his characters in a ridiculous position, but because of how it is written. In fact, at first you don't understand why it's funny, like it's not supposed to be a detective, then you just give yourself into the power of stupid, seemingly inappropriate fun.
The literary debut of Quiv McDonnell turned out to be very successful, "A Man with One of many Faces" was nominated for a CAP Award, although it should be clarified that with this book the author made his debut only as a novelist, previously worked a lot and successfully as a screenwriter on Irish and British television, now lives in Manchester.
A great novel, a non-trivial plot, an interesting intrigue. there is a wildly charming Irish Dirty Harry. And the opportunity to laugh heartily with a book is worth appreciating in our dark times.
Благими намерениями
— Спокойно! Старики обожают слегка пощекотать себе нервы.
— Тебе не приходится их успокаивать, когда они вдруг решают, что китаянка, выносящая медотходы, приторговывает наркотиками.
— А ты уверена, что она этого не делает?
— Поверь мне, я у нее спрашивала.
Эту книгу от издательства "Манн, Иванов и Фербер" я выиграла в книжной раздаче LiveLib. Начиная читать, представления не имела о том, что это будет. Детектив? Недурно. Ирландский? Еще лучше, про Ирландию мы любим. Начало предвещало, что будет интересно: парень волонтерит в доме престарелых и хосписе, наносит визиты старикам, тщательно фиксируя в журнале время пребывания.
У него такая лицевая особенность — совершенно невыразительная внешность, за которой старики видят кто своего внука, кто сына, кто бойфренда племянницы. Он явно небогат и не вполне понятно, зачем тратит молодую жизнь на занятие, не приносящее дохода. То есть, понятно. когда по зову сердца, но в таком случае не фиксируют время прихода и ухода.
Когда медсестра просит его навестить еще одного одинокого умирающего старика, молодой человек собирается отказаться, но она предлагает после подбросить его на своей машине домой, дав возможность сэкономить евро сорок центов на автобусе. Пол, видите ли, живет на пятьсот евро в месяц, что гроши даже в небогатой Ирландии. На то есть причины и мы узнаем их достаточно скоро, но пока старикан, приняв посетителя за сына своего друга (не забыли про особенность?) принимается... душить его.
Эта сцена положит начало серии головокружительных, опасных, отчасти абсурдистских приключений, о которых невозможно будет читать без смеха. Не потому, что автор ставит своих героев в смешное положение, а оттого как это написано. На самом деле, вначале не понимаешь, почему смешно, вроде детектив и не положено, после просто отдаешься во власть дурацкому неуместному, казалось бы, веселью.
Литературный дебют Куива Макдоннела оказался очень удачным, "Человека с одним из многих лиц" был номинирован на CAP Award, хотя следует уточнить, что с этой книгой автор дебютировал только как прозаик, прежде много и успешно работал сценаристом на ирландском и британском телевидении, теперь живет в Манчестере.
Отличный роман, нетривиальный сюжет, интересная интрига. есть дико обаятельный ирландский Грязный Гарри. А возможность от души посмеяться с книгой стоит ценить в наши темные времена.
July 17, 2018
This was a fun book to read! A debut written by an Irish comedian, it has a murderous plot surrounded by humorous and distinctive Irish dialogue, some slapstick comedy, and wonderful Irish characters.
It starts out with 28-year-old Paul Mulchrone visiting an elderly woman in a hospital. She thinks Paul is her son, and Paul plays along to fulfill a requirement of his great-aunt Fidelma's will. As a favor to Nurse Brigit, he also sits with Martin Brown, who mistakes Paul for someone else, makes some mysterious comments, and stabs Paul in the shoulder. And off we go!
In addition to Paul and Brigit, three other characters are outstanding. DI Jimmy Stewart is leading the investigation. He’s near retirement, which he doesn’t want, and is saddled with Detective Wilson, “an idiot of the worst kind: a highly educated one.” Stewart is a likable guy, married to “the long-suffering Mrs. Stewart.” His relationship with Wilson is a wonder to watch through the course of the book. The third character is Bunny McGarry. McGarry is a Detective Sergeant technically uninvolved in the case, but for years he has run a local hurling team. He gets involved because “Paulie Mulchrone is one of my boys.”
This book is an immersion in Irish culture, language, sports, crime families. The story is simple, maybe clichéd, but presented here in a unique way. I loved this book and already have the rest of the series on tap.
It starts out with 28-year-old Paul Mulchrone visiting an elderly woman in a hospital. She thinks Paul is her son, and Paul plays along to fulfill a requirement of his great-aunt Fidelma's will. As a favor to Nurse Brigit, he also sits with Martin Brown, who mistakes Paul for someone else, makes some mysterious comments, and stabs Paul in the shoulder. And off we go!
In addition to Paul and Brigit, three other characters are outstanding. DI Jimmy Stewart is leading the investigation. He’s near retirement, which he doesn’t want, and is saddled with Detective Wilson, “an idiot of the worst kind: a highly educated one.” Stewart is a likable guy, married to “the long-suffering Mrs. Stewart.” His relationship with Wilson is a wonder to watch through the course of the book. The third character is Bunny McGarry. McGarry is a Detective Sergeant technically uninvolved in the case, but for years he has run a local hurling team. He gets involved because “Paulie Mulchrone is one of my boys.”
This book is an immersion in Irish culture, language, sports, crime families. The story is simple, maybe clichéd, but presented here in a unique way. I loved this book and already have the rest of the series on tap.
March 22, 2021
"My bunny just cares for me”
(hummed to the tune of Nina Simone’s ”My baby just cares for me”)
"Bunny McGarry...is a legend. He’s a tad...let’s call it rough around the edges, but he’s a good copper."
Apparently each of us has a twin somewhere in the world. Whether that be biologically, or for the fact of just having “one of those faces''. Where people seem to know you, even though you’ve never met before. They’ll stop and chat, looking intently into your eyes. Searching. You just seem so familiar. Paul Mulchrone is your man. He’s ordinary. He has the chameleon like ability to blend into the background. He’s ”a man with one of those faces.” And yet people feel comfortable with him. Like they’ve met before. That perhaps they’re long lost friends or even relatives. "Five foot nine, blue eyes, brown hair. His sheer ordinariness was the whole point. He was a medium everything."
Which happens to be a really good trait in his profession. Which isn’t one, per se. His job, really, is to blend in. And hold on like blazes to Aunt Fidelma’s stipend, which he lives on with a zealous passion. I guess you could call Paul a bit of a con artist. Though not really. He does it for the love. Well, to hold onto his stipend which he sees as his due. And for the fact he was once a naughty boy, and this is part of his community service, stay-out-of-jail card.
Paul visits the sick and elderly in hospital and hospices. Those that families and time have forgot. To give them some company and comfort. As Paul looks like everyone and no-one, those he visits seem to think he’s a relative finally come to say hallo.
A chance visit to one old timer in hospital found Paul in all sorts of trouble. One fierce old timer who’d prefer his identity remain a secret. A veritable can of worms which Paul didn’t know existed has been opened. And he finds himself on the run. Literally. For his life. Fleeing from unknown assassins. With Brigit Conroy, trusty nurse and sidekick as his companion.
Luckily for Paul, as a kidlet he was on St. Jude’s infamous “under 12s” hurling team. Coached by the one, the only, Bunny McGarry. And Bunny never forgets one of his own.
Yes, Bunny’s back! Bunny who I met back in Angels In The Moonlight. I have a serious book crush on this character. How to describe sweet Bunny? ”Six foot two, he carried weight, but in a powerful way. You could never be sure what the fat to muscle ration was, but you’d be a fool to find out.” Ah, Bunny, with ”...that mocking Cork lilt.” Sigh.
This is a story within a story. Paul and Brigit are on the run, but they don’t know who from. Bunny is running after Paul. The aptly named DI Jimmy Stewart wants to end his career on a high. There’s a “leak” in CID. And a 30 year old mystery with the unlikely moniker of “Rapunzel” waiting to be solved.
This is serious farce. A veritable romp. Crime with a twist.
To say I had fun reading this is an understatement. Book 1 of the Dublin Trilogy tick. See you in book two big man.
*** Buddy read with Bill (waves).
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
We had fun reacquainting ourselves with Bunny. We agreed that the humour was subtle enough to be very funny, and the story had enough twisty bits to be intriguing. With a wee bit of romance thrown in. What could go wrong??? Really enjoyed this buddy read, and we’ll be sure (to be sure, to be sure), to continue with the adventures of Bunny soon ***
November 9, 2016
When you have ‘one of those faces’ you can get away with murder. You know, one of those faces that blends seamlessly into a sea of people. Distinctly average and not quite the face you’d expect from a novel’s leading man. Yet, this face – ‘a masterpiece of bloody-minded unoriginality, an aesthetic tribute to the forgettably average’ – is just the face that McDonnell lends to his main character, Paul Mulchrone. Our leading lady, Nurse Brigit, doesn’t fare much better either; her’s is a face that wouldn’t sink a thousand ships, but could raise the pulses of the guys waiting for chips at the local fish bar.
Anyway, back to the murder. As a man possessing ‘one of those faces’, Paul succeeds in doing his bit at the local hospice, visiting elderly patients and pretending to be their son, grandson, family friend, or whomever they mistake him for. An odd hobby that is made a lot more bizarre when a particularly tricky patient, in a visit arranged by Nurse Brigit, mistakes Paul for an old foe’s son and embarks on a fight with him. In this ill-fitting scuffle, Paul is stabbed in the shoulder. (The doctor later tells him that the best place to be injured is in the gluteus maximus – remember that, Paul!) The patient, however, suffers a fatal heart attack. Being the last person to see this patient alive, Paul is on suspicion of committing his murder. Worse, he’s also accused of having some very dangerous knowledge about the criminal underworld of Dublin, and this is where his troubles just begin…
Not so much wanted for murder anymore, Paul has instead become a target himself. Feeling guilty for how this all started in the first place, Brigit – armed with some crucial detective knowledge gleamed from her love of TV crime shows – decides to help Paul get out of trouble. The police are also trying to help Paul out, with almost-retired DI Jimmy Stewart and Wilson, an idiot of a police officer that Stewart had been forced to babysit, assigned to the case. There’s also Bunny – an absolute hoot of a Detective Sergeant who reminds me of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes’ Gene Hunt: drinking, swearing, lets his fists (or hurley – a hockey stick of sorts) do the talking, yet wise and extremely loyal to the few he cares about.
As the story progresses, we get to learn more about Paul’s backstory, and perhaps why he began visiting all these old folk in the hospice in the first place. Paul craves love and acceptance – and this still shows through an increasingly farcical and humorous murder plot. Growing closer to Brigit could always help him feel more wanted too, and the fairy tale romance of the book they are getting clues from on how to solve the case they are slap-bang in the middle of isn’t lost on them either… But there’s no real time for romance, there’s a crime to be solved! And by hook, or by crook, or hurley, Paul, Brigit and Bunny are capable of solving it, with little real assistance from the police force, who are frightfully scared of a PR disaster amongst the bloodshed.
What I particularly loved about this book was how incredibly fast-paced it was, especially once we were on the run with Paul and Brigit. I’m not usually a huge fan of crime thrillers because the plots can spiral wildly out of the author’s control, but McDonnell creates a captivating plot with enough juicy twists to prevent it becoming predictable. It’s also bursting with humour; for a face that screams ‘nothing special’, Paul is an extremely witty character. Although it’s written in third person, it still feels like you’re following Paul’s thoughts – and his commentary on the severity of his situation is very funny. All the characters are given rich stories and are well-developed, even down to Brigit’s ex-fiance who sports an alarmingly odd head of hair thanks to a recent hair transplant.
If you’re after a crime novel that doesn’t take itself too seriously and makes you laugh out loud then I’d recommend to give A Man with One of Those Faces a go. Personally, I’m looking forward to reading the sequel, which is currently being written by McDonnell.
Reviewed by Abby at www.whisperingstories.com
Anyway, back to the murder. As a man possessing ‘one of those faces’, Paul succeeds in doing his bit at the local hospice, visiting elderly patients and pretending to be their son, grandson, family friend, or whomever they mistake him for. An odd hobby that is made a lot more bizarre when a particularly tricky patient, in a visit arranged by Nurse Brigit, mistakes Paul for an old foe’s son and embarks on a fight with him. In this ill-fitting scuffle, Paul is stabbed in the shoulder. (The doctor later tells him that the best place to be injured is in the gluteus maximus – remember that, Paul!) The patient, however, suffers a fatal heart attack. Being the last person to see this patient alive, Paul is on suspicion of committing his murder. Worse, he’s also accused of having some very dangerous knowledge about the criminal underworld of Dublin, and this is where his troubles just begin…
Not so much wanted for murder anymore, Paul has instead become a target himself. Feeling guilty for how this all started in the first place, Brigit – armed with some crucial detective knowledge gleamed from her love of TV crime shows – decides to help Paul get out of trouble. The police are also trying to help Paul out, with almost-retired DI Jimmy Stewart and Wilson, an idiot of a police officer that Stewart had been forced to babysit, assigned to the case. There’s also Bunny – an absolute hoot of a Detective Sergeant who reminds me of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes’ Gene Hunt: drinking, swearing, lets his fists (or hurley – a hockey stick of sorts) do the talking, yet wise and extremely loyal to the few he cares about.
As the story progresses, we get to learn more about Paul’s backstory, and perhaps why he began visiting all these old folk in the hospice in the first place. Paul craves love and acceptance – and this still shows through an increasingly farcical and humorous murder plot. Growing closer to Brigit could always help him feel more wanted too, and the fairy tale romance of the book they are getting clues from on how to solve the case they are slap-bang in the middle of isn’t lost on them either… But there’s no real time for romance, there’s a crime to be solved! And by hook, or by crook, or hurley, Paul, Brigit and Bunny are capable of solving it, with little real assistance from the police force, who are frightfully scared of a PR disaster amongst the bloodshed.
What I particularly loved about this book was how incredibly fast-paced it was, especially once we were on the run with Paul and Brigit. I’m not usually a huge fan of crime thrillers because the plots can spiral wildly out of the author’s control, but McDonnell creates a captivating plot with enough juicy twists to prevent it becoming predictable. It’s also bursting with humour; for a face that screams ‘nothing special’, Paul is an extremely witty character. Although it’s written in third person, it still feels like you’re following Paul’s thoughts – and his commentary on the severity of his situation is very funny. All the characters are given rich stories and are well-developed, even down to Brigit’s ex-fiance who sports an alarmingly odd head of hair thanks to a recent hair transplant.
If you’re after a crime novel that doesn’t take itself too seriously and makes you laugh out loud then I’d recommend to give A Man with One of Those Faces a go. Personally, I’m looking forward to reading the sequel, which is currently being written by McDonnell.
Reviewed by Abby at www.whisperingstories.com
February 24, 2025
4★
“She was not a bad looking woman, truth be told; a couple of years older than himself, short brown bobbed hair, decent figure – she wouldn’t be launching a thousand ships any time soon but she’d undoubtedly create a fair bit of interest in a chip shop queue.”
She is Nurse Brigit, who takes Paul to visit elderly patients who have no visitors and are in various stages of dementia. He seems able to pass himself off as a long-lost grandson or nephew well enough that the patients enjoy long conversations with him. He needs to do a certain number of hours in this charity work to fulfil the requirements of an inheritance.
Brigit asks Paul to see one more old fellow as a favour to her, and when he agrees, he lets himself in for more drama than either of them could have imagined.
“The only attempt at decoration was a picture of the Virgin Mary hanging on the wall facing the door – her lips pursed, head tilted – like she was listening with the most sincere concern. Jesus may’ve died for your sins, but his ma was the one who was willing to listen to your excuses.”
He sits near the old fellow, who is gasping in an oxygen mask, and Paul lets Mr. Brown figure out who he is. Too late, Paul realises that feeble, frail old Mr. Brown believes him to be the relative of a deadly enemy and stabs him. The rivalries in Ireland are deep and long.
Thus begins a most entertaining chase of near misses with Paul and Brigit escaping from one frying pan into the fire and into another frying pan. The characters from the Gardai vary from raw recruits to old hands who know how to bend the rules when needed.
When a bomb found under Paul’s car is being deactivated, a crowd has gathered. An enterprising street vendor has parked nearby and doing a great business. A young detective approaches a big, older man leaning on the unmarked car inside the closed area, eating an ice cream cone.
“ ‘This is a restricted area. Who are you?’
The man turned his head slowly and gave Wilson a quizzical look, the kind you’d get off a woman in a bar who was trying to decide if she’d let you buy her a drink or not. Then he turned back to continue watching the show. He took an uncomfortably long lick of his ice cream, before responding in a strong Cork accent, ‘Who the feck are you?’
Wilson took his wallet from inside his coat and flipped it open in one practised motion, which he had in fact practised.
‘Detective Wilson, National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.’
The man’s eyes stayed fixed on the entrance to Richmond Gardens.
‘Well, I’ll be the one-eyed son of a cock-eyed Suzie.’
Wilson snapped his wallet closed again. He’d no idea what that meant but this man was starting to really irritate him.
‘And you are?’ asked Wilson.
‘Detective Sergeant Bunny McGarry, Summerhill. I’d shake your hand but ...’
He indicated his ice cream, leaving Wilson in no doubt as to his relative importance in relation to it.
The man who was claiming to be Bunny McGarry turned his ice-cream cone through ninety degrees with careful precision, and continued his systematic licking.
‘I need to see some ID.’
‘You could whip yours out and look at it again if you’d like?’
. . .
He moved to stand in front of the man that was calling himself Bunny McGarry, blocking his view of proceedings. ‘Do I have your undivided attention now?’
The man carefully rotated his cone again. He spoke without taking his eyes off it.
‘Sonny, trust me when I say – you don’t want my undivided attention.’ ”
Wilson is being mentored, more or less, by experienced, older Detective Inspector Jimmy Stewart, whose conversational references to John Dillinger, Starsky and Hutch, and the like go right over his head.
The action is real, the danger is real, and the banter is spread perfectly throughout, always apt and unforced. The long quotation should give you some idea. It was a lot of fun and I think I’ll read the next one. I see there are audio versions, too, which could be good to listen to.
I admittedly have a weakness for Irish authors and I am glad to have met McDonnell.
“She was not a bad looking woman, truth be told; a couple of years older than himself, short brown bobbed hair, decent figure – she wouldn’t be launching a thousand ships any time soon but she’d undoubtedly create a fair bit of interest in a chip shop queue.”
She is Nurse Brigit, who takes Paul to visit elderly patients who have no visitors and are in various stages of dementia. He seems able to pass himself off as a long-lost grandson or nephew well enough that the patients enjoy long conversations with him. He needs to do a certain number of hours in this charity work to fulfil the requirements of an inheritance.
Brigit asks Paul to see one more old fellow as a favour to her, and when he agrees, he lets himself in for more drama than either of them could have imagined.
“The only attempt at decoration was a picture of the Virgin Mary hanging on the wall facing the door – her lips pursed, head tilted – like she was listening with the most sincere concern. Jesus may’ve died for your sins, but his ma was the one who was willing to listen to your excuses.”
He sits near the old fellow, who is gasping in an oxygen mask, and Paul lets Mr. Brown figure out who he is. Too late, Paul realises that feeble, frail old Mr. Brown believes him to be the relative of a deadly enemy and stabs him. The rivalries in Ireland are deep and long.
Thus begins a most entertaining chase of near misses with Paul and Brigit escaping from one frying pan into the fire and into another frying pan. The characters from the Gardai vary from raw recruits to old hands who know how to bend the rules when needed.
When a bomb found under Paul’s car is being deactivated, a crowd has gathered. An enterprising street vendor has parked nearby and doing a great business. A young detective approaches a big, older man leaning on the unmarked car inside the closed area, eating an ice cream cone.
“ ‘This is a restricted area. Who are you?’
The man turned his head slowly and gave Wilson a quizzical look, the kind you’d get off a woman in a bar who was trying to decide if she’d let you buy her a drink or not. Then he turned back to continue watching the show. He took an uncomfortably long lick of his ice cream, before responding in a strong Cork accent, ‘Who the feck are you?’
Wilson took his wallet from inside his coat and flipped it open in one practised motion, which he had in fact practised.
‘Detective Wilson, National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.’
The man’s eyes stayed fixed on the entrance to Richmond Gardens.
‘Well, I’ll be the one-eyed son of a cock-eyed Suzie.’
Wilson snapped his wallet closed again. He’d no idea what that meant but this man was starting to really irritate him.
‘And you are?’ asked Wilson.
‘Detective Sergeant Bunny McGarry, Summerhill. I’d shake your hand but ...’
He indicated his ice cream, leaving Wilson in no doubt as to his relative importance in relation to it.
The man who was claiming to be Bunny McGarry turned his ice-cream cone through ninety degrees with careful precision, and continued his systematic licking.
‘I need to see some ID.’
‘You could whip yours out and look at it again if you’d like?’
. . .
He moved to stand in front of the man that was calling himself Bunny McGarry, blocking his view of proceedings. ‘Do I have your undivided attention now?’
The man carefully rotated his cone again. He spoke without taking his eyes off it.
‘Sonny, trust me when I say – you don’t want my undivided attention.’ ”
Wilson is being mentored, more or less, by experienced, older Detective Inspector Jimmy Stewart, whose conversational references to John Dillinger, Starsky and Hutch, and the like go right over his head.
The action is real, the danger is real, and the banter is spread perfectly throughout, always apt and unforced. The long quotation should give you some idea. It was a lot of fun and I think I’ll read the next one. I see there are audio versions, too, which could be good to listen to.
I admittedly have a weakness for Irish authors and I am glad to have met McDonnell.
October 27, 2016
4.5 stars
Oh ye Gods, where to start…….genre? Um, suspense/police procedural/hilarious barely controlled Irish mayhem. Box ticked.
Meet Paul Mulchrone. He’s a 28 year old Dubliner dedicated to being a permanent thorn in the side of his dead great aunt’s lawyer (the aunt is dead, the lawyer is just irritated). After ignoring him all her life, she left a provision in her will for him to receive 500 GBP a month until he found a job. Oh, and he has to do 6 hours/week charity work & stay out of trouble. It was all going so well.
Paul has one of those faces. Everyone thinks they know him from somewhere. So he spends 6 hours each week visiting an old folks home where residents mistake him for their long lost brother, neighbour or grandchild. RN Brigit Conroy signs off his hours which he gleefully presents to Auntie Fidelma’s lawyer in exchange for another month’s keep.
He has his regulars but one night Brigit asks him to visit Martin Brown, a cantankerous old man who is dying. Hopefully he’ll mistake Paul for a family member & anyhoo, what could go wrong?
Well….a lot actually. By the time the dust settles Paul is in the local A&E, a hitman has been hired to kill him and the Gardai have a few questions about the body he left behind.
What follows is a mad tale of mistaken identity, gangsters, bent cops, murder & a decades old kidnapping. There’s even a kitchen sink. It’s an entertaining combination of hair raising encounters & hilarious observations sure to appeal to fans of the Coen brothers. Think “Fargo” but with Irish accents.
Chapters alternate between several characters’ POV so we’re kept up on side stories that tie in to the overall plot. The dialogue is sharp & full of vernacular that is frequently laugh out loud funny if not downright inappropriate in some scenes. Only a people who spent years enduring the Troubles could face impending death with a shrug. The peripheral cast is large & there’s not a dud in the bunch. Standouts include the deadpan DI Jimmy Stewart, uber pregnant lawyer Nora Stokes & the unintentionally funny Dr. Sinha.
It’s a fast paced story that keeps you giggling on the edge of your seat while you cheer on Paul & Brigit in their quest to keep breathing. Recommended for fans of Carl Hiaasen, Stuart MacBride, Jay Stringer & Tim Dorsey.
Oh ye Gods, where to start…….genre? Um, suspense/police procedural/hilarious barely controlled Irish mayhem. Box ticked.
Meet Paul Mulchrone. He’s a 28 year old Dubliner dedicated to being a permanent thorn in the side of his dead great aunt’s lawyer (the aunt is dead, the lawyer is just irritated). After ignoring him all her life, she left a provision in her will for him to receive 500 GBP a month until he found a job. Oh, and he has to do 6 hours/week charity work & stay out of trouble. It was all going so well.
Paul has one of those faces. Everyone thinks they know him from somewhere. So he spends 6 hours each week visiting an old folks home where residents mistake him for their long lost brother, neighbour or grandchild. RN Brigit Conroy signs off his hours which he gleefully presents to Auntie Fidelma’s lawyer in exchange for another month’s keep.
He has his regulars but one night Brigit asks him to visit Martin Brown, a cantankerous old man who is dying. Hopefully he’ll mistake Paul for a family member & anyhoo, what could go wrong?
Well….a lot actually. By the time the dust settles Paul is in the local A&E, a hitman has been hired to kill him and the Gardai have a few questions about the body he left behind.
What follows is a mad tale of mistaken identity, gangsters, bent cops, murder & a decades old kidnapping. There’s even a kitchen sink. It’s an entertaining combination of hair raising encounters & hilarious observations sure to appeal to fans of the Coen brothers. Think “Fargo” but with Irish accents.
Chapters alternate between several characters’ POV so we’re kept up on side stories that tie in to the overall plot. The dialogue is sharp & full of vernacular that is frequently laugh out loud funny if not downright inappropriate in some scenes. Only a people who spent years enduring the Troubles could face impending death with a shrug. The peripheral cast is large & there’s not a dud in the bunch. Standouts include the deadpan DI Jimmy Stewart, uber pregnant lawyer Nora Stokes & the unintentionally funny Dr. Sinha.
It’s a fast paced story that keeps you giggling on the edge of your seat while you cheer on Paul & Brigit in their quest to keep breathing. Recommended for fans of Carl Hiaasen, Stuart MacBride, Jay Stringer & Tim Dorsey.
May 22, 2021
As advertised, this book is hugely entertaining. It carries no edifying message and the prose is not to-die-for, but I connected with the characters and spent a lot of reading time with a grin on my face. The pace is excellent.
While the male characters were well presented, for me it was the women who stood out. Nurse Brigit, who gets caught up with protagonist Paul at the beginning of the story and stays with him through the end. Solicitor Norah, called into action despite her heavily pregnant condition. And Dorothy, Paul's pseudo-grandmother, whose actions belie her age. They each hold their own in matters both of wit and self-defense, and help see to it that the plot is never boring.
The narrator, Morgan Jones, is nothing short of brilliant. Highly recommended for those ready for a light touch on their crime fiction reading.
While the male characters were well presented, for me it was the women who stood out. Nurse Brigit, who gets caught up with protagonist Paul at the beginning of the story and stays with him through the end. Solicitor Norah, called into action despite her heavily pregnant condition. And Dorothy, Paul's pseudo-grandmother, whose actions belie her age. They each hold their own in matters both of wit and self-defense, and help see to it that the plot is never boring.
The narrator, Morgan Jones, is nothing short of brilliant. Highly recommended for those ready for a light touch on their crime fiction reading.
May 21, 2017
A funny romp, compelling characters of varying degrees of quirkiness. Well worth a read.
April 28, 2023
There was nothing special about his face – just the opposite in fact – it was entirely ordinary, as was the rest of him. His sheer ordinariness was the whole point.
Paul Mulchrone can easily blend in a crowd due to his forgettable, ordinary appearance. Spurred by a malicious inheritance from an aunt, Paul is trying to turn his nondescript features into an asset. Forced by the terms of the will to do a number of hours of community work if he wants to receive his weekly pay from lawyers, Paul goes around to hospitals in the Dublin area, impersonating long lost relatives to old people with cognitive issues.
It all works like a charm until one night when one of his terminally ill patients decides to try to murder Paul. This first attempt ends with the assailant’s demise from a heart attack, but the night is still young and several more grievous attempts on his life are soon to follow.
“As far as I’m concerned, there is a need for panic. In fact, it was for situations exactly like this, that panic was invented.”
A nearly hysterical race against the clock follows, with Paul and his improvised sidekick, nurse Brigit Conroy, being chased by the police, by contract killers and by the most powerful mob boss in the city.
It’s a tried and tested device in crime novels, to have an innocent bystander turned into a runaway criminal through mysterious conspiracies. That, and having a beautiful, funny girl as his partner in crime and/or assistant detective.
Caimh McDonnell is a new voice for me, but he infuses the old recipe with fresh blood [metaphorically, and literally] and witty repartee. This works very well for me because, like his fellow writers Christopher Brookmyre or Colin Bateman, McDonnell has a solid feel for black comedy and for classic screwball situations.
Brigit, for her part, was fighting off a rather heavy dose of the anti-climaxes. All those Scottish crime novels, containing more dead bodies than Scotland actually had living people, had left her with high expectations of the criminal justice system.
Paul, as the straight man, and Brigit, as the dizzy dame, form an entertaining duo, although I often felt guilty for laughing at their near death experiences. Still, for a couple of amateurs, the two fugitives display amazing resourcefulness and pluck.
A little less enchanted by the antics of his main suspects in the crime spree in Dublin is Deputy Inspector Jimmy Stewart [no relation to the actor] of the Crime Squad, an old hand at the cops and robbers game who would like smooth sailing towards his approaching retirement.
This case is anything but ...
DI Jimmy Stewart disliked unusual. Before you knew it, unusual became awkward, and then it was just a hop, skip and a dodgy chain of evidence to awkward becoming complicated. More than anything, Jimmy Stewart hated complicated.
The complications are better left for the readers to discover on their own. I will only mention that the first attack on Paul, the one in the hospital from the dying patient, is somehow tied to a cold case from decades ago, something that is right up Brigit’s alley:
Brigit was an obsessive fan of true crime. Most of her friends, if they read at all, generally went for tedious romance novels. The Rapunzel case was one of those rarities that combined the two. Usually, if the books she read featured any romance, it was over long before the dead bodies started showing up. Jackie ‘Grinner’ McNair reappearing was dramatic for several reasons, not least of which was that he supposedly died 30 years ago.
For all the comedy, I would not rate this new series so high if it wasn’t for the serious notes that somehow make their way into the text. It’s not all fun and games when innocent people are losing their lives, and the one who knows this best is the same grumpy DI Jimmy Stewart.
He’d never told this to anyone, what would be the point? He knew what they’d say and he knew he couldn’t change it if he tried. Deep down, he didn’t want to. Somebody should care, somebody should always care.
>>><<<>>><<<
My own problem with crime fiction is that I am easily tempted: I am always on the look out for fresh material, and I often manage to find something to please me, which often leads me to ignore other interesting series I’ve already started.
Part of my problem is compounded by the publisher’s policies. They push authors to go for the long engagement, usually upward of 12-20 episodes per series.
It’s a constant struggle for me: go back to a familiar setting or try something new?
Right now, I’m tempted to continue with this Dublin trilogy that already has about four or five book length episodes issued, plus several tie-in novellas.
December 23, 2021
Although, in the end, this was just another crime drama with people being shot, stabbed, beaten up and strangled, the author's tone made it more fun getting there than in most books of this type. If you prefer your noir more hard-boiled, you may find this twee and unworthy of your time. The author was working for humor and sympathy rather than menace and dread.
Part of the charm was the liberal use of Irish slang, though I often felt ignorant when the author spoke of different accents, or cultural references to Leitrim etc. I think the average age of the characters in the book hovered in the late 50's, as many of the main characters were quite aged, and no less interesting for that.
I'll have completely forgotten this book by the middle of next week, but I had fun while I was reading it. 3.5 stars rounded up.
Part of the charm was the liberal use of Irish slang, though I often felt ignorant when the author spoke of different accents, or cultural references to Leitrim etc. I think the average age of the characters in the book hovered in the late 50's, as many of the main characters were quite aged, and no less interesting for that.
I'll have completely forgotten this book by the middle of next week, but I had fun while I was reading it. 3.5 stars rounded up.
January 22, 2022
Honestly, I'm too busy binge reading the rest of the series to write a review. That along with the rating speaks by itself - ofc I loved it! :D
It's funny with great flawed but still likeable characters and unusual mystery and.. did I mention it's hilarious?! I'm still laughing at some of the scenes there days after.
It's funny with great flawed but still likeable characters and unusual mystery and.. did I mention it's hilarious?! I'm still laughing at some of the scenes there days after.
August 31, 2016
Looks like I'm the first one to review it and I'm pleased to say nothing but good things here. This was a random find in read now section of Netgalley. I was in the mood for something light and funny and this fit the bill perfectly. The author is a funny man by trade, Irish comedian trying his hand at a novel in a most auspicious manner. While foremost this is a comedy, there is also a fair amount of action and suspense as the unlikely hero (the eponymous man with one of those faces) of the story along with his mismatched cohorts set out to solve Ireland's great 30 year mystery all while eluding numerous obstacles, not the least of which being professional assassins on their tail. There's even a twist in the end for the mystery lovers. Really fun, laugh out loud sort of read, immensely enjoyable. This was a great find. One I would recommend without reservations. One apparently set for an unnecessary sequel, but with characters that entertaining and the writing that good, why not. Thanks Netgalley.
September 18, 2023
This was one of the nominations for the Mystery Crime Thrillers September group reads. It wasn’t the one that was selected but it is the one I voted for and chose to read. Sooo glad I did! After reading the reviews from a couple of other GR members (thx Sarah Ellen & Liz) I follow, I decided that a really funny crime thriller was a perfect break for all the murder and mayhem I typically read.
The book summary is really vague, but the primary storyline is that the MC, Paul, who spends six hours a week visiting Alzheimer patients and pretending he’s a relative all so that he can qualify to get 500lbs (a condition of the will that a despised dead aunt awarded him), one day, ends up visiting the wrong person, a famed mobster (Griner). This sends Paul, as well as the nurse, Brigit, who introduced him to Griner (who ended up having a heart attack trying to kill Paul), running for their lives from the mob boss, Fallon, who was after Griner.
The DI, Jimmy Stewart, who was initially assigned to the case, soon realizes that Fallon is after Paul and Brigit and is sending assassins to track them down. From the moment that the assassins were hired, I suspected that there would probably be a secondary storyline between the assassins and Fallon because of the way that Fallon forced the assassins to take the assignment. I was right.
There is also a secondary storyline with another DI, Bunny McGarry, who has a long-standing relationship with Paul. Bunny is pretty legendary in the Gardia and he certainly has his own set of rules on how he runs his district. From pretty early in the story, Bunny kind of takes on a “protective” (in Bunny’s idea of “protective”) and concerned role for Paul’s safety. It’s obvious that there is more going on between Bunny and Paul and that their relationship is “complicated”, and I don’t mean that in any kind of romantic way. Bunny’s interest seems more fatherly than anything else, but there is definitely something there.
Most of the story focuses on Paul and Brigit hiding out and trying to figure out why Fallon is after them. It’s into the second half that they get a little more info on what happened 30yrs ago that is still being fiercely guarded today by more than just Fallon and his “henchmen” who I strongly suspect could include Gardia. It’s well into the second half when Bunny catches up with Paul and Brigit and the end comes pretty fast after that in a mess of activity with Fallon.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Morgan C Jones, was a master with all the Irish voices, accents, and brogue. This was a hilarious story that had me cracking up pretty frequently, and getting strange looks from people around me as I was working out. Sometimes, it reminded me of a Guy Ritchie film or a Monty Python show. I have already added the series prequel, as well as a holiday novella, to my to-read list and look forward to learning more about Bunny.
The book summary is really vague, but the primary storyline is that the MC, Paul, who spends six hours a week visiting Alzheimer patients and pretending he’s a relative all so that he can qualify to get 500lbs (a condition of the will that a despised dead aunt awarded him), one day, ends up visiting the wrong person, a famed mobster (Griner). This sends Paul, as well as the nurse, Brigit, who introduced him to Griner (who ended up having a heart attack trying to kill Paul), running for their lives from the mob boss, Fallon, who was after Griner.
The DI, Jimmy Stewart, who was initially assigned to the case, soon realizes that Fallon is after Paul and Brigit and is sending assassins to track them down. From the moment that the assassins were hired, I suspected that there would probably be a secondary storyline between the assassins and Fallon because of the way that Fallon forced the assassins to take the assignment. I was right.
There is also a secondary storyline with another DI, Bunny McGarry, who has a long-standing relationship with Paul. Bunny is pretty legendary in the Gardia and he certainly has his own set of rules on how he runs his district. From pretty early in the story, Bunny kind of takes on a “protective” (in Bunny’s idea of “protective”) and concerned role for Paul’s safety. It’s obvious that there is more going on between Bunny and Paul and that their relationship is “complicated”, and I don’t mean that in any kind of romantic way. Bunny’s interest seems more fatherly than anything else, but there is definitely something there.
Most of the story focuses on Paul and Brigit hiding out and trying to figure out why Fallon is after them. It’s into the second half that they get a little more info on what happened 30yrs ago that is still being fiercely guarded today by more than just Fallon and his “henchmen” who I strongly suspect could include Gardia. It’s well into the second half when Bunny catches up with Paul and Brigit and the end comes pretty fast after that in a mess of activity with Fallon.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Morgan C Jones, was a master with all the Irish voices, accents, and brogue. This was a hilarious story that had me cracking up pretty frequently, and getting strange looks from people around me as I was working out. Sometimes, it reminded me of a Guy Ritchie film or a Monty Python show. I have already added the series prequel, as well as a holiday novella, to my to-read list and look forward to learning more about Bunny.
September 11, 2016
Paul Muchrone is a ‘granny whisperer’ – a what? I hear you say? What he does is visit the elderly in hospital and sits with them as if he is a relative. This all came about when he was visiting an old lady on the ward and he discovered his talent.
“While I was there, another lady on the ward – late stages of Alzheimer’s amongst other things – mistook me for her brother. They knew he wasn’t coming back from America and she had some things she needed to say, so – ”
“You did your trick,” she finished.
Paul goes onto explain that he helps out where needed, aided by just having one of those faces:
He had nothing that came close to qualifying as a distinguishing anything. His every facial attribute was a masterpiece of bloody-minded unoriginality, an aesthetic tribute to the forgettably average. Collectively they formed an orchestra designed to produce the facial muzak of the gods.
which is what brings him to St Kilda’s hospice where nurse Brigit Conroy asking him to visit one last patient – this time for some grandpa whispering for a change, but things don’t turn out quite as expected and Paul ends up in hospital. From here on in, things just get worse as the pair realise that they have somehow blundered into something neither had bargained for, and it soon looks like Paul’s life might be at stake.
I get that this all sounds rather farcical but the crime element of the story soon develops complete with a true-crime writer, the police and some terrifying gangsters making up the fantastic assortment of characters.
Much of the humour originates from Paul with his observational humour adding a cutting edge rather than detracting from the crime spree spreading across the pages of this surprisingly action packed thriller. Not only that we are treated to Paul’s backstory from a life in care to his stint on the hurling squad under the watchful eye of Detective Sergeant Bunny McGarry to his Great-Aunt Fidelma who was now controlling his life from beyond the grave. All of that sounds quite sedate compared to the situation he finds himself in where the only person he can trust is Brigit, and she’s a bit of a character too!
Her mam had often said that Brigit’s problem was she thought she was too good for an ordinary life, but she didn’t think that was fair. Brigit just felt that an ordinary life wasn’t good enough for anybody. It felt like she had been born in the safest and most boring time in human history. Everywhere the world had been discovered. Even outer space, it seemed, was full of, well just boring old space. There had to be more. There had to be some adventure, some magic, left in the world.
And then we have Detective Inspector Jimmy Stewart is just about to retire and he’s showing the ropes to and simultaneously trying to increase Detective Wilson’s film knowledge, to no avail. While on duty charged with Paul’s protection they come across something dodgy…
It surely wasn’t some kind of coincidence What were the odds that he and Wilson had stumbled upon an unrelated ambush? This was Dublin: assassination wasn’t that common a pastime.
With such a bunch of enterprising and entertaining characters this book was an exceptionally good read. The plot was well-thought out with the links to a past crime woven seamlessly into the present while the novel moves at a real pace, flipping easily between humour and terror so that I spent most of the book sat on the edge of my seat while chuckling. All the while there was an authentic (in my head anyway) Irish accent narrating the book to me. I really appreciated this lighter style of crime fiction which made a refreshing change. For those of you who read Caimh’s entertaining post on my blog yesterday, only you can decide if this is too Irish and too funny – I say when is the next book going to be published?
I’d like to thank McFori Ink who gave me the opportunity to read this book. This unbiased review is my thanks to them for a riotous read.
“While I was there, another lady on the ward – late stages of Alzheimer’s amongst other things – mistook me for her brother. They knew he wasn’t coming back from America and she had some things she needed to say, so – ”
“You did your trick,” she finished.
Paul goes onto explain that he helps out where needed, aided by just having one of those faces:
He had nothing that came close to qualifying as a distinguishing anything. His every facial attribute was a masterpiece of bloody-minded unoriginality, an aesthetic tribute to the forgettably average. Collectively they formed an orchestra designed to produce the facial muzak of the gods.
which is what brings him to St Kilda’s hospice where nurse Brigit Conroy asking him to visit one last patient – this time for some grandpa whispering for a change, but things don’t turn out quite as expected and Paul ends up in hospital. From here on in, things just get worse as the pair realise that they have somehow blundered into something neither had bargained for, and it soon looks like Paul’s life might be at stake.
I get that this all sounds rather farcical but the crime element of the story soon develops complete with a true-crime writer, the police and some terrifying gangsters making up the fantastic assortment of characters.
Much of the humour originates from Paul with his observational humour adding a cutting edge rather than detracting from the crime spree spreading across the pages of this surprisingly action packed thriller. Not only that we are treated to Paul’s backstory from a life in care to his stint on the hurling squad under the watchful eye of Detective Sergeant Bunny McGarry to his Great-Aunt Fidelma who was now controlling his life from beyond the grave. All of that sounds quite sedate compared to the situation he finds himself in where the only person he can trust is Brigit, and she’s a bit of a character too!
Her mam had often said that Brigit’s problem was she thought she was too good for an ordinary life, but she didn’t think that was fair. Brigit just felt that an ordinary life wasn’t good enough for anybody. It felt like she had been born in the safest and most boring time in human history. Everywhere the world had been discovered. Even outer space, it seemed, was full of, well just boring old space. There had to be more. There had to be some adventure, some magic, left in the world.
And then we have Detective Inspector Jimmy Stewart is just about to retire and he’s showing the ropes to and simultaneously trying to increase Detective Wilson’s film knowledge, to no avail. While on duty charged with Paul’s protection they come across something dodgy…
It surely wasn’t some kind of coincidence What were the odds that he and Wilson had stumbled upon an unrelated ambush? This was Dublin: assassination wasn’t that common a pastime.
With such a bunch of enterprising and entertaining characters this book was an exceptionally good read. The plot was well-thought out with the links to a past crime woven seamlessly into the present while the novel moves at a real pace, flipping easily between humour and terror so that I spent most of the book sat on the edge of my seat while chuckling. All the while there was an authentic (in my head anyway) Irish accent narrating the book to me. I really appreciated this lighter style of crime fiction which made a refreshing change. For those of you who read Caimh’s entertaining post on my blog yesterday, only you can decide if this is too Irish and too funny – I say when is the next book going to be published?
I’d like to thank McFori Ink who gave me the opportunity to read this book. This unbiased review is my thanks to them for a riotous read.
August 28, 2023
4 Stars for A Man With One of Those Faces: The Dublin Trilogy, Book 1 (audiobook) by Caimb McDonnell read by Morgan C. Jones.
This is a murder mystery that never takes itself too seriously. The humor is kind of dark and the characters are kind of crazy. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
This is a murder mystery that never takes itself too seriously. The humor is kind of dark and the characters are kind of crazy. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
February 12, 2017
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
It is not often that I immediately decide to buy a book based on a single review, but after (I believe it was) Magdalena's review for the second book of the series, I couldn't resist. It just sounded like the thing I would most definitely like, and I did.
Paul is a man with one of those faces, they blend in very easily and are often mistaken for those of others. As such, he's doing a volunteer job at a hospice as the 'granny whisperer', talking to dying patients and pretending to be their relative so they feel less lonely. That is, until one of them tries to kill him.
What follows is a very funny pursuit in which Paul, together with Nurse Brigit try to stay out of the hands of the Dublin underworld. I liked it a lot. I expected to like it, but still, there needs to be some kind of connection and luckily it was there. The characters are very witty and the there's enough making fun of the clichés that it actually doesn't matter not everything is super original. I truly felt sorry for both Paul and Brigit as their lives haven't always been easy and they made some difficult decisions.
To be honest, for me was it not the laugh-out-loud experience that other people said it was, but I did smirk from time to time, and I truly enjoyed reading it.
It is not often that I immediately decide to buy a book based on a single review, but after (I believe it was) Magdalena's review for the second book of the series, I couldn't resist. It just sounded like the thing I would most definitely like, and I did.
Paul is a man with one of those faces, they blend in very easily and are often mistaken for those of others. As such, he's doing a volunteer job at a hospice as the 'granny whisperer', talking to dying patients and pretending to be their relative so they feel less lonely. That is, until one of them tries to kill him.
What follows is a very funny pursuit in which Paul, together with Nurse Brigit try to stay out of the hands of the Dublin underworld. I liked it a lot. I expected to like it, but still, there needs to be some kind of connection and luckily it was there. The characters are very witty and the there's enough making fun of the clichés that it actually doesn't matter not everything is super original. I truly felt sorry for both Paul and Brigit as their lives haven't always been easy and they made some difficult decisions.
To be honest, for me was it not the laugh-out-loud experience that other people said it was, but I did smirk from time to time, and I truly enjoyed reading it.
June 18, 2022
I thought this was very good, especially considering it was the first in a series. There was a lot of humor, but dry and not over the top forced. An interesting story with interesting people. I liked most of the actual characters - even Paul, the main character, who starts out seeming like a total loser. And perhaps he is in most ways, but he improves.
Paul started life as the son of a single mother - the father had abandoned them, I believe. When he was 6 years old, he first met his great-aunt Fidelma, who refused to help them. He met her a second time at 12, after his mother died, and his aunt wanted nothing to do with him. But perhaps she had some tiny shred of decency left because when she died, she remembered him in her will. She left most of her estate and money to Donegal Donkey Sanctuary, but left him the use of one of her houses and a very small stipend to last until he got a job. In return, he had to perform 6 hours a week of charity work. He was not too happy, and dedicated the rest of his life to hating her, making do on the small stipend, and not getting a job. He would even visit her grave regularly to curse her.
But the charity work was the main subject of the book. He visited old people in a home, and played along with whoever they thought he was. He didn't do it for any personal gain, and it made them happy, so all in all it was OK - until it wasn't. One old patient tried to kill him, and then died in the process. Unfortunately, there was a lot of history associated with this guy, and some people who wanted to keep that history hidden. He had no idea what it was, but they didn't know that.
There were a lot of interesting people throughout the story. One (seemingly, so far) minor character was an 80 year old patient named Dorothy, who actually was a lot more alert than it seemed, and was lots of fun. There's an old police inspector named Jimmy Stewart, and one guy named Bunny who is totally unpredictable in almost every way. But I don't want to give anything away, so read the book to find out more. You may just enjoy it as much as I did.
Oh, and I thought the narrator, Morgan C. Jones, did a splendid job.
Paul started life as the son of a single mother - the father had abandoned them, I believe. When he was 6 years old, he first met his great-aunt Fidelma, who refused to help them. He met her a second time at 12, after his mother died, and his aunt wanted nothing to do with him. But perhaps she had some tiny shred of decency left because when she died, she remembered him in her will. She left most of her estate and money to Donegal Donkey Sanctuary, but left him the use of one of her houses and a very small stipend to last until he got a job. In return, he had to perform 6 hours a week of charity work. He was not too happy, and dedicated the rest of his life to hating her, making do on the small stipend, and not getting a job. He would even visit her grave regularly to curse her.
But the charity work was the main subject of the book. He visited old people in a home, and played along with whoever they thought he was. He didn't do it for any personal gain, and it made them happy, so all in all it was OK - until it wasn't. One old patient tried to kill him, and then died in the process. Unfortunately, there was a lot of history associated with this guy, and some people who wanted to keep that history hidden. He had no idea what it was, but they didn't know that.
There were a lot of interesting people throughout the story. One (seemingly, so far) minor character was an 80 year old patient named Dorothy, who actually was a lot more alert than it seemed, and was lots of fun. There's an old police inspector named Jimmy Stewart, and one guy named Bunny who is totally unpredictable in almost every way. But I don't want to give anything away, so read the book to find out more. You may just enjoy it as much as I did.
Oh, and I thought the narrator, Morgan C. Jones, did a splendid job.
March 12, 2024
I actually started this book many years ago buy never finished it. Second time round I listened to the audio and was hooked very early on. Hats off to Morgan C Jones whose Cork accent took me right back to holidays in West Cork.
So this book was published first but fits third into the chronological order of the Dublin (un)trilogy. Paul Mulchrone finds himself stuck right in the middle of a decades old mystery that involved a missing heiress, a movie-star-handsome boy and one of the hardest families in Ireland, the Fallons.
Paul (along with Bridget - a nursing care worker who got him into the mess) spends the entire book getting beaten up, threatened and trying desperately to find out who is trying to kill him before his last bit of luck runs out. Thankfully his nemesis, Bunny McGarry, is never far away and he has an old betrayal to make up for. It's lucky he's got his trusty hurley to do the hard work.
I love The Stranger Times books but have ignored these ridiculously funny books for no reason I can fathom. Hence I'm going back for my next audio and starting at the chronological start.
So this book was published first but fits third into the chronological order of the Dublin (un)trilogy. Paul Mulchrone finds himself stuck right in the middle of a decades old mystery that involved a missing heiress, a movie-star-handsome boy and one of the hardest families in Ireland, the Fallons.
Paul (along with Bridget - a nursing care worker who got him into the mess) spends the entire book getting beaten up, threatened and trying desperately to find out who is trying to kill him before his last bit of luck runs out. Thankfully his nemesis, Bunny McGarry, is never far away and he has an old betrayal to make up for. It's lucky he's got his trusty hurley to do the hard work.
I love The Stranger Times books but have ignored these ridiculously funny books for no reason I can fathom. Hence I'm going back for my next audio and starting at the chronological start.
June 25, 2023
Смішний детектив на 3.5) насправді тут не стільки про загадку, скільки про поточні пригоди пов’язані з одним, хм, непорозумінням 😅 тобто, це не класичний детектив, аж ніяк) великий плюс - ірландська родзинка👌
Другу частину читатиму 🙏
Другу частину читатиму 🙏
June 2, 2019
Loved it! Funny, full of suspense, and superbly entertaining!
January 25, 2026
4.5 stars. Fast-paced, somewhat over the top, and laugh-out-loud funny, this crime story was genuinely a laugh a minute, balancing sharp humour with a breakneck plot that never lets up. The audiobook narration by Morgan C. Jones is outstanding. His vast experience really shows, with flawless accents and character voices that bring the entire cast vividly to life and elevate the story even further.
Utterly entertaining from start to finish — and I will most definitely be continuing with this super fun, addictive series.
The story: Paul Mulchrone is just a regular Dublin bloke who suddenly finds himself in serious trouble — all because he has one of those faces everyone thinks they recognise. Before he knows it, he’s being blamed for a murder he most definitely didn’t commit and dragged into a gloriously chaotic mess of criminals, Gardaí, and some truly questionable decisions.
Utterly entertaining from start to finish — and I will most definitely be continuing with this super fun, addictive series.
The story: Paul Mulchrone is just a regular Dublin bloke who suddenly finds himself in serious trouble — all because he has one of those faces everyone thinks they recognise. Before he knows it, he’s being blamed for a murder he most definitely didn’t commit and dragged into a gloriously chaotic mess of criminals, Gardaí, and some truly questionable decisions.
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