Irish Black

by David Lennon

As racial tension escalates in the wake of the court-ordered desegregation of the city’s public schools, the already-on-edge neighborhood of South Boston is rocked by a series of seemingly gang-related killings. But when three children are murdered, police detective Tommy Doyle begins to wonder if something more sinister is at play. Are the killings all connected, and how could the killing of the children so closely mirror a nightmare from his own childhood? As the investigations continue, Doyle forms an uneasy alliance, but soon finds himself being pulled into a dark journey through his own psyche.

Genres: Paranormal

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 19, 2016

About the author

Boston-area native David Lennon is the author of nine books, including the seven-book (and counting) series featuring New Orleans-based detectives Michel Doucette and Alexandra "Sassy" Jones. His books have been nominated for five Lambda Literary awards, and he was the recipient of the 2010 Lammy for Best Gay Mystery for his second book, ECHOES.

He now lives in Kennebunk, Maine, with his husband and their dog.

Reviews

[Nile Princess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a fan of murder mysteries, like AT ALL, and I will admit that the only reason I started reading this was because I thought it would be an interracial romance. I knew there were murders involved, but I was willing to put up with that because the rest of it sounded so interesting - Boston, racial tension, an Irish cop, and who I thought would be, a black love interest. Well, it didn't quite pan out like that but, man, it was good! Solid writing, interesting while written simply enough that I could follow the murder mystery, and there was a paranormal element. This is not an m/m romance per se, but there are m/m scenes, and the main character's struggle (coming to terms with his sexuality) is addressed. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the murder angle. That almost never happens.

Alas, there is no happy ending. That hurt a little, but I get it. Maybe. The ending left some open ended questions which I think was part of the charm. I would read this book again, and would definitely read more by this author.