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Jack Taylor #13
The Ghosts of Galway
Jack Taylor is recovering from a mistaken medical diagnosis and a failed suicide attempt. In need of money, and with former cop on his resume, Jack has been hired as a night-shift security guard. But his Ukrainian boss has Jack in mind for some off-the-books work. He wants Jack to find what some claim to be the first true book of heresy, The Red Book, currently in the possession of a rogue priest who is hiding out in Galway after fleeing a position at the Vatican. Despite Jack's distaste for priests of any stripe, the money is too good to turn down. Em, the many-faced woman who has had a vise on Jack's heart and mind for the past two years, reappears and turns out to be entangled with the story of The Red Book, too, leading Jack down ever more mysterious and lethal pathways.
It seems all sides are angling for a piece of Jack Taylor, but as The Ghosts of Galway twists toward a violent end, he is increasingly plagued by ghosts--by the disposable and disposed of in a city filled with as much darkness as the deepest corners of Jack's own mind.
It seems all sides are angling for a piece of Jack Taylor, but as The Ghosts of Galway twists toward a violent end, he is increasingly plagued by ghosts--by the disposable and disposed of in a city filled with as much darkness as the deepest corners of Jack's own mind.
330 pages, Hardcover
First published November 7, 2017
171 people are currently reading
511 people want to read
About the author
Ken Bruen
132 books850 followersKen Bruen was an Irish writer of hardboiled and noir crime fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
November 7, 2017
You can look it up.
According to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture 41,700,000 cows and calves were killed for food in the year 2000, as well as 115,200,000 pigs and 4,300,000 sheep, for a total of 161,200,000. These statistics are also expected to continue to rise. We have no idea how many cows, pigs and sheep committed suicide. These numbers do not include the rest of the world’s slaughter rate.
There are some animal casualties in Ken Bruen’s book “The Ghosts of Galway”. They do not succumb to death due to their desire to become someone’s food or due to suicide. Be warned. A number of humans also forfeit their lives.
Jack Taylor, in this the thirteenth installment slogs on. He has cut back on
His drinking.
Human involvement.
Wearing his Guarda coat.
Fighting.
After recovering from events in the previous book, Jack becomes a security guard, mainly so he can have time to read books, and continue his recovery. His employer though has loftier plans for Jack.
And Jack needs the money.
There are some great moments in this book including
Humor
Pathos
Love
Death
And the return of characters from previous books in the series. The book reads rather quickly due to Mr. Bruen’s unique writing style,
It is best to read this series in sequence.
According to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture 41,700,000 cows and calves were killed for food in the year 2000, as well as 115,200,000 pigs and 4,300,000 sheep, for a total of 161,200,000. These statistics are also expected to continue to rise. We have no idea how many cows, pigs and sheep committed suicide. These numbers do not include the rest of the world’s slaughter rate.
There are some animal casualties in Ken Bruen’s book “The Ghosts of Galway”. They do not succumb to death due to their desire to become someone’s food or due to suicide. Be warned. A number of humans also forfeit their lives.
Jack Taylor, in this the thirteenth installment slogs on. He has cut back on
His drinking.
Human involvement.
Wearing his Guarda coat.
Fighting.
After recovering from events in the previous book, Jack becomes a security guard, mainly so he can have time to read books, and continue his recovery. His employer though has loftier plans for Jack.
And Jack needs the money.
There are some great moments in this book including
Humor
Pathos
Love
Death
And the return of characters from previous books in the series. The book reads rather quickly due to Mr. Bruen’s unique writing style,
It is best to read this series in sequence.
September 15, 2017
Jack Taylor was once a garda, was great friends with a fellow Garda, Ridge, and once had a great deal of pride. No more! Now he is broken down in body and spirit, uses profanity prodigiously, and freely imbibes his beloved Jameson's and pints despite doctors warning his health was greatly as risk. Yet, he is one of the most interesting characters in fiction. He is an enigma, a man that violence seems to attract, a lover of books, all kinds. He has a very conflicted view of the church,even though one of his best friends, those he has left, is a nun.
Never, never expect a straightforward plot. Instead expect quotes, from books, poetry and movies, expect fragments, snippets of Jack's thinking, Jack's actions. Expect current affairs, such as Trump, and Brexit thrown into the mix to give one a basis for time placement. I find these highly entertaining, puzzling and most inventive. I would really like a glimpse into Ken Bruen's mind and imagination.
Not a good start to the series, one really needs to read this from the beginning. They can be challenging, but are always unique. Yes, there is violence, but there is also unexpected kindnesses. Jack does have a great sense of loyalty, cannot forget his mistakes of the past, is often dismissive, unkind, a conflicted contradiction of all the things that make us human. Some parts will make you smile, some cringe, but I love these books, love this character. Wonder what that says about me?
ARC from Netgalley.
Never, never expect a straightforward plot. Instead expect quotes, from books, poetry and movies, expect fragments, snippets of Jack's thinking, Jack's actions. Expect current affairs, such as Trump, and Brexit thrown into the mix to give one a basis for time placement. I find these highly entertaining, puzzling and most inventive. I would really like a glimpse into Ken Bruen's mind and imagination.
Not a good start to the series, one really needs to read this from the beginning. They can be challenging, but are always unique. Yes, there is violence, but there is also unexpected kindnesses. Jack does have a great sense of loyalty, cannot forget his mistakes of the past, is often dismissive, unkind, a conflicted contradiction of all the things that make us human. Some parts will make you smile, some cringe, but I love these books, love this character. Wonder what that says about me?
ARC from Netgalley.
August 20, 2017
After the last book in this series, readers were left wondering if ex-Gardaí Jack Taylor had finally met his match. Jack’s always been his own worst enemy & it looked like years of hard living had finally caught up with him. But very little in Jack’s life ever turns out as planned which is good news for us. He’s back, with dog Storm supervising his recovery.
In the wake of his reprieve, Jack decides to take a stab at “normal” & gets a job as a security guard. But it’s not long before he’s approached by a man offering a whack of cash for a simple job. He’s looking for “The Red Book”, a controversial 9th century text that blasts “The Book of Kells”. Until recently it was hidden at the Vatican. Then a young priest snatched it & ran & rumour has it he’s holed up in Galway. Jack has zero interest in dealing with any clergy but could really use a good payday. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go as planned…again.
Then things get weird(er). Someone is leaving animal carcasses in Eyre Square along with cryptic messages. But this is Galway. If you’re aiming for public shock and/or outrage, you’ll have to get in line behind politicians & those responsible for the water tax.
Jack’s life is further complicated by the return of Emerald, the young woman who first got his attention in Green Hell. Em’s always been unstable to say the least. But her tenuous grip on sanity has finally snapped & all her personalities are coming out to play. And some of them seem remarkably well informed about the book Jack is looking for.
As usual, the story is a combination of Jack’s activities & his thoughts on everything from the state of Irish politics to seeing Trump hug Sarah Palin on TV (“to see them embrace in Iowa was to see ignorance & prejudice entwined”.) Social commentary is delivered with his trademark black humour & profanity. But his recent brush with mortality has revealed a more reflective side & we catch glimpses of a lonely man taking a hard look at his life. Quotes from individuals & literature are randomly inserted throughout the book, adding to the author’s stream of consciousness style of prose.
The first half almost lulls you as several plot lines unfold & more characters take the field. Maybe that’s why a sudden act of violence at that point comes as such a shock. The story takes a much darker & deadly serious turn. You realize there’s a showdown coming & some of these characters will not survive. It’s a tough read at times but thinking back over the last couple of books, it feels inevitable & I should have seen it coming.
This is a book for true fans of the series & not one I would recommend as a starting point for a couple of reasons. First, Bruen has a distinctive style of prose that becomes looser & less linear as the series progresses. Second, there is a tremendous amount of back story that informs each book & makes for a richer reading experience if read in order.
The ending is poignant yet oddly cathartic & once again I’m wondering where Jack will turn up next. Just as an aside, two thumbs up to those responsible for the striking cover art.
In the wake of his reprieve, Jack decides to take a stab at “normal” & gets a job as a security guard. But it’s not long before he’s approached by a man offering a whack of cash for a simple job. He’s looking for “The Red Book”, a controversial 9th century text that blasts “The Book of Kells”. Until recently it was hidden at the Vatican. Then a young priest snatched it & ran & rumour has it he’s holed up in Galway. Jack has zero interest in dealing with any clergy but could really use a good payday. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go as planned…again.
Then things get weird(er). Someone is leaving animal carcasses in Eyre Square along with cryptic messages. But this is Galway. If you’re aiming for public shock and/or outrage, you’ll have to get in line behind politicians & those responsible for the water tax.
Jack’s life is further complicated by the return of Emerald, the young woman who first got his attention in Green Hell. Em’s always been unstable to say the least. But her tenuous grip on sanity has finally snapped & all her personalities are coming out to play. And some of them seem remarkably well informed about the book Jack is looking for.
As usual, the story is a combination of Jack’s activities & his thoughts on everything from the state of Irish politics to seeing Trump hug Sarah Palin on TV (“to see them embrace in Iowa was to see ignorance & prejudice entwined”.) Social commentary is delivered with his trademark black humour & profanity. But his recent brush with mortality has revealed a more reflective side & we catch glimpses of a lonely man taking a hard look at his life. Quotes from individuals & literature are randomly inserted throughout the book, adding to the author’s stream of consciousness style of prose.
The first half almost lulls you as several plot lines unfold & more characters take the field. Maybe that’s why a sudden act of violence at that point comes as such a shock. The story takes a much darker & deadly serious turn. You realize there’s a showdown coming & some of these characters will not survive. It’s a tough read at times but thinking back over the last couple of books, it feels inevitable & I should have seen it coming.
This is a book for true fans of the series & not one I would recommend as a starting point for a couple of reasons. First, Bruen has a distinctive style of prose that becomes looser & less linear as the series progresses. Second, there is a tremendous amount of back story that informs each book & makes for a richer reading experience if read in order.
The ending is poignant yet oddly cathartic & once again I’m wondering where Jack will turn up next. Just as an aside, two thumbs up to those responsible for the striking cover art.
January 15, 2018
Thirteenth in the Jack Taylor noir mystery series and revolving around one messed-up ex-Garda.
My Take
Jesus, this is grim. It doesn’t help that I’ve missed (how did I do that??) the last two Jack Taylors. Don’t read this one without reading Green Hell (11) and The Emerald Lie (12). It was too big a leap from Purgatory , 10, to The Ghosts of Galway.
The Ghosts of Galway also drove me nuts with the single word lines and the ones that staggered across the page and the “one-liners” that may be in quotes or may not. That may be spoken words. Or may not. I expended a lot of brain power trying to figure these out, and it took me out of the story!
Maybe it's just how angry Bruen is, letting us know how he feels about politics, taxes, the establishment, doctors, and so much more. Those water taxes certainly raise a lot of ire! It sure is a great way to get your frustrations off your chest, lol. Hmmm, maybe this would be a great assignment in a prison, to write a character who snarks off on everything. Let 'em get their anger out in a more acceptable manner.
I do know that whatever Lorna was up to, I wish that Bruen had come across with the whys. Nor did I understand the Fenians and Storm. Where did that come from? What was that with Clancy? I enjoyed Jack’s bit of retaliation, but I don’t agree with how he ended it or how short a time Clancy had to suffer.
What’s with all the buskers being pissy about only getting 10 or 20 pounds?? And where does Doc get off, being pissy with Jack at the end?? Suggesting blackmail??
That Father Miller is a piece of work. He’s a thief, and he’s looking down at Jack? As for Mulcahy. Jaysus, why would Jack a) want to help him, and b) believe he’d ever give Jack any credit?? As for Em, the girl has no clue, and it’s too stunningly evident when Hayden shows up with that book and says Jack doesn’t even have to grovel for it. WTF???
Ooie, that Cooper really “knows” how to get on your good side.
Oh, crack me up. One of Bruen’s characters wants to know “if the U.S. doesn’t want Trump, could we have him?”
As for explaining the "4" rating, I have to guess that I missed too much what with missing the last two stories. I don't know if there would have been events that would have explained the frustrations I experienced with The Ghosts of Galway.
The Story
Even as Jack is trying to come back from that mistaken medical diagnosis and his failed suicide attempt, the rest of life is not letting him be.
Malachy has the nerve to ask Jack for help! An old flame wants help for an old “friend”. His boss wants him to retrieve a possibly heretical book. The manipulative Em who keeps everything revolving every which way. And Ridge keeps tearing him down.
The Characters
Former Garda Jack Taylor is addicted to alcohol, drugs, and books. He’s currently working as a security guard. Storm is his watchful dog. Doc is his neighbor planning a trip up Mt. Everest.
Emily/Emerald/Em is definitely a psychopath with a love for roleplaying and a master at manipulation, who blew into Jack’s life two years ago in Green Hell . And continues to blast in and out. Satan is her one-hundred-pound Rottweiler. Hayden is a friend of Em’s.
The Garda are…
…Irish police. Bean NI Iomaire, a.k.a., Sergeant Ridge, had once been Jack’s friend. Now she’s outright hostile. The only Garda who still talks to Jack is Owen Daglish. Superintendent Clancy (he's up for police commissioner) had been a friend of Jack’s long ago and now hates him with a passion. Murphy is an officer.
Sheridan is with Special Branch.
Sister Maeve, one of Jack’s few friends, is the communicator between her convent and the public. Anne Henderson had been the love of Jack’s life.
The young Lorna Dunphy claims her brother, Eamon, is missing. Tom Dunphy is her very depressed father. His wife, Ann, committed suicide. Why? Who knows.
Alexander Knox-Keaton, a Ukrainian, is the owner of the security company for which Jack works.
The Fenians are...
...a rebel group who want to launch a second Reformation with Frank Cass and Joe Tyrone at the top.
Ghosts is…
…an Irish ISIS led by ex-priest, Jeremy Cooper, who is in love with the idea of the old Celtic Ireland…and power for himself. Terry “Woody” Wood is a thug and Cooper’s second-in-command. Julia Finch is a mean old bird Cooper has been “seducing”.
Father Malachy had been Jack’s mother’s “pet” at St. Patrick’s Church and has always denigrated Jack. Father Frank Miller had been the assistant curator of sacred manuscripts, etc., at the Vatican. Now he’s gone rogue. The Red Book is said to be the first book of heresy.
Corley made a mistake when he beat Em. Vinny works at Charlie Byrne’s bookshop. I don’t think it was right to blame Jack for Serena Day in The Killing of the Tinkers , 2. Frank Casserly has been the chef at the GBC café for twenty years. Joan Burton is the very detested leader of the Irish Labour Party. Robert Preston is a Protestant lawyer. Dr. Singh is in charge after the hit-and-run. Oats is a fellow patient and had been the clerk for the commissioner of oaths.
The Cover and Title
The cover is grim in its mistiness and its charcoal background (with a touch of green) and the fedora and overcoat worn by a man whom I assume is Jack. With his head looking down at the red book he has clasped in his hands, and the fedora covering his face, it’s hard to tell. The fonts are embossed with the author’s name in a gradated white-to-gray, looking as if smoke is rising up into a white sky while the left-justified title is at the bottom in a gradated red-to-pink with a very small series information tag in white below it.
The title is what crowds Jack’s mind, what the tinker woman warned him of, The Ghosts of Galway from Stewart to Serena Day to a treacherous friend to…oh, so many…and then there’s the terrorists…oh, my…
My Take
Jesus, this is grim. It doesn’t help that I’ve missed (how did I do that??) the last two Jack Taylors. Don’t read this one without reading Green Hell (11) and The Emerald Lie (12). It was too big a leap from Purgatory , 10, to The Ghosts of Galway.
The Ghosts of Galway also drove me nuts with the single word lines and the ones that staggered across the page and the “one-liners” that may be in quotes or may not. That may be spoken words. Or may not. I expended a lot of brain power trying to figure these out, and it took me out of the story!
Maybe it's just how angry Bruen is, letting us know how he feels about politics, taxes, the establishment, doctors, and so much more. Those water taxes certainly raise a lot of ire! It sure is a great way to get your frustrations off your chest, lol. Hmmm, maybe this would be a great assignment in a prison, to write a character who snarks off on everything. Let 'em get their anger out in a more acceptable manner.
I do know that whatever Lorna was up to, I wish that Bruen had come across with the whys. Nor did I understand the Fenians and Storm. Where did that come from? What was that with Clancy? I enjoyed Jack’s bit of retaliation, but I don’t agree with how he ended it or how short a time Clancy had to suffer.
What’s with all the buskers being pissy about only getting 10 or 20 pounds?? And where does Doc get off, being pissy with Jack at the end?? Suggesting blackmail??
That Father Miller is a piece of work. He’s a thief, and he’s looking down at Jack? As for Mulcahy. Jaysus, why would Jack a) want to help him, and b) believe he’d ever give Jack any credit?? As for Em, the girl has no clue, and it’s too stunningly evident when Hayden shows up with that book and says Jack doesn’t even have to grovel for it. WTF???
Ooie, that Cooper really “knows” how to get on your good side.
Oh, crack me up. One of Bruen’s characters wants to know “if the U.S. doesn’t want Trump, could we have him?”
”A coffin makes it difficult to think outside the box.”When you get down to it, Jack Taylor is the character (using a first person protagonist point-of-view), an honorable one who has faced death and continues to face it. The physical and the metaphysical. His own health, the death or lack of friends, the death of a future.
As for explaining the "4" rating, I have to guess that I missed too much what with missing the last two stories. I don't know if there would have been events that would have explained the frustrations I experienced with The Ghosts of Galway.
The Story
Even as Jack is trying to come back from that mistaken medical diagnosis and his failed suicide attempt, the rest of life is not letting him be.
Malachy has the nerve to ask Jack for help! An old flame wants help for an old “friend”. His boss wants him to retrieve a possibly heretical book. The manipulative Em who keeps everything revolving every which way. And Ridge keeps tearing him down.
The Characters
Former Garda Jack Taylor is addicted to alcohol, drugs, and books. He’s currently working as a security guard. Storm is his watchful dog. Doc is his neighbor planning a trip up Mt. Everest.
Emily/Emerald/Em is definitely a psychopath with a love for roleplaying and a master at manipulation, who blew into Jack’s life two years ago in Green Hell . And continues to blast in and out. Satan is her one-hundred-pound Rottweiler. Hayden is a friend of Em’s.
The Garda are…
…Irish police. Bean NI Iomaire, a.k.a., Sergeant Ridge, had once been Jack’s friend. Now she’s outright hostile. The only Garda who still talks to Jack is Owen Daglish. Superintendent Clancy (he's up for police commissioner) had been a friend of Jack’s long ago and now hates him with a passion. Murphy is an officer.
Sheridan is with Special Branch.
Sister Maeve, one of Jack’s few friends, is the communicator between her convent and the public. Anne Henderson had been the love of Jack’s life.
The young Lorna Dunphy claims her brother, Eamon, is missing. Tom Dunphy is her very depressed father. His wife, Ann, committed suicide. Why? Who knows.
Alexander Knox-Keaton, a Ukrainian, is the owner of the security company for which Jack works.
The Fenians are...
...a rebel group who want to launch a second Reformation with Frank Cass and Joe Tyrone at the top.
Ghosts is…
…an Irish ISIS led by ex-priest, Jeremy Cooper, who is in love with the idea of the old Celtic Ireland…and power for himself. Terry “Woody” Wood is a thug and Cooper’s second-in-command. Julia Finch is a mean old bird Cooper has been “seducing”.
Father Malachy had been Jack’s mother’s “pet” at St. Patrick’s Church and has always denigrated Jack. Father Frank Miller had been the assistant curator of sacred manuscripts, etc., at the Vatican. Now he’s gone rogue. The Red Book is said to be the first book of heresy.
Corley made a mistake when he beat Em. Vinny works at Charlie Byrne’s bookshop. I don’t think it was right to blame Jack for Serena Day in The Killing of the Tinkers , 2. Frank Casserly has been the chef at the GBC café for twenty years. Joan Burton is the very detested leader of the Irish Labour Party. Robert Preston is a Protestant lawyer. Dr. Singh is in charge after the hit-and-run. Oats is a fellow patient and had been the clerk for the commissioner of oaths.
The Cover and Title
The cover is grim in its mistiness and its charcoal background (with a touch of green) and the fedora and overcoat worn by a man whom I assume is Jack. With his head looking down at the red book he has clasped in his hands, and the fedora covering his face, it’s hard to tell. The fonts are embossed with the author’s name in a gradated white-to-gray, looking as if smoke is rising up into a white sky while the left-justified title is at the bottom in a gradated red-to-pink with a very small series information tag in white below it.
The title is what crowds Jack’s mind, what the tinker woman warned him of, The Ghosts of Galway from Stewart to Serena Day to a treacherous friend to…oh, so many…and then there’s the terrorists…oh, my…
July 1, 2020
The No. 13 book in the series brings much bad luck to Jack Taylor. Many people want something from him, many want nothing to do with him, many want to hurt him. It seems his only friend now is Maeve, the nun. There are many deaths in this book, and one person in particular I was not sorry to see go. I’d had enough of her wacky shite. I was very sorry about Storm.
This is a dark, depressing book.
This is a dark, depressing book.
September 12, 2019
The number thirteen is synonymous with bad luck, so naturally the thirteenth novel in the Jack Taylor series kicks the carnage up a notch, near drowning the perennial downtrodden yet dogged quasi private eye in the proverbial.
The minimalist methodology maximizes impact to deliver another fast paced read with no filler content. Not mincing words allows Ken Bruen to focus on delivering cruel and unusual punishment on his private eye which he does with aplomb. Without giving too much away, The Ghosts of Galway leaves an impression not unlike how I felt after reading The Dramatist.
From a series continuity perspective, a number of characters return with Emily, Jack's friend/enemy being the most prominent. Personally, since her appearance in Green Hell (book 11), the series has felt more exciting and unpredictable which is saying something considering how highly rate all these books. Past events are also referenced throughout exemplifying the singular narrative of the broad-sweeping story arc.
My rating: 5/5 stars. A must read for fans of the series.
To the prospective reader: read the series in order, these slices of noir don't go down well as standalone books or read out of sequence.
The minimalist methodology maximizes impact to deliver another fast paced read with no filler content. Not mincing words allows Ken Bruen to focus on delivering cruel and unusual punishment on his private eye which he does with aplomb. Without giving too much away, The Ghosts of Galway leaves an impression not unlike how I felt after reading The Dramatist.
From a series continuity perspective, a number of characters return with Emily, Jack's friend/enemy being the most prominent. Personally, since her appearance in Green Hell (book 11), the series has felt more exciting and unpredictable which is saying something considering how highly rate all these books. Past events are also referenced throughout exemplifying the singular narrative of the broad-sweeping story arc.
My rating: 5/5 stars. A must read for fans of the series.
To the prospective reader: read the series in order, these slices of noir don't go down well as standalone books or read out of sequence.
April 6, 2024
The Ghosts of Galway
By Ken Bruen
This is the first book I've read in the series, and unfortunately, it is the 13th in the series. I found it odd yet entertaining. I can't say the book made me like the main character. I will give the author another go for sure. He does have an interesting way of phasing things at times.
Oh, one con in the book you should know, at least I wish I had known- The dog is killed! The only spoiler but a need to know point!
By Ken Bruen
This is the first book I've read in the series, and unfortunately, it is the 13th in the series. I found it odd yet entertaining. I can't say the book made me like the main character. I will give the author another go for sure. He does have an interesting way of phasing things at times.
Oh, one con in the book you should know, at least I wish I had known- The dog is killed! The only spoiler but a need to know point!
March 6, 2019
Just what I needed.
Little Jack Taylor, just back from the big weep & attempted/contemplated suicide, signs up for a case or two and encounters total viciousness and evil writ large in both.
Lots of character study and rumination on the evils of Brexit, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage, and the imminent life in these United States under the lawless rule of Trump.
Cheers!
Drink up your Jameson.
Time is almost up.
Depressing as hell and as shot full of life as the devil.
Highest Recommendation.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
March 5th 2019 11:55pm
Third Round of Same.
Apparently according to GR notes.
Was it as good as I originally thought?
There were moments when I almost carefully returned it to its dustjacket and filed this hardback novel back in my library downstairs.
On the third floor along with the other Bruen's and other authors I revere.
But I didn't.
I knocked it out tonight.
The most depressing entry in the series.
At this point it appears that Ken Bruen is just tearing the wings off of angels and demi-angels.
Still - the writing is filled with such enormous beauty it could smother a lesser reader.
Can I recommend this?
Hell, he said: why not.
Recommended -but start at the first novel in the series.
Little Jack Taylor, just back from the big weep & attempted/contemplated suicide, signs up for a case or two and encounters total viciousness and evil writ large in both.
Lots of character study and rumination on the evils of Brexit, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage, and the imminent life in these United States under the lawless rule of Trump.
Cheers!
Drink up your Jameson.
Time is almost up.
Depressing as hell and as shot full of life as the devil.
Highest Recommendation.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
March 5th 2019 11:55pm
Third Round of Same.
Apparently according to GR notes.
Was it as good as I originally thought?
There were moments when I almost carefully returned it to its dustjacket and filed this hardback novel back in my library downstairs.
On the third floor along with the other Bruen's and other authors I revere.
But I didn't.
I knocked it out tonight.
The most depressing entry in the series.
At this point it appears that Ken Bruen is just tearing the wings off of angels and demi-angels.
Still - the writing is filled with such enormous beauty it could smother a lesser reader.
Can I recommend this?
Hell, he said: why not.
Recommended -but start at the first novel in the series.
October 22, 2017
3.5 stars
This is not my favorite book but it moves at a rapid rate and keeps your attention throughout. The staccato writing was difficult for me to adjust to but I did love all the literary allusions. “It’s not that the Irish are cynical. It’s simply that they have a wonderful lack of respect for everything and everybody.” – Brendan Behan. This certainly sums up Taylor.
A disgraced former garda with an alcohol problem gets a security job. He is hired to find a book that could be the basis for an Irish Church of Scientology. I don't know why the Irish need their own. I would happily give them the American version. On the search, he runs into some truly despicable people including an old lover, Emerald, who is a really a piece of work. I never once understood his attraction for her.
Taylor is not a likable character and I have no expectation that he will change one iota or become someone to root for. I certainly did not. He has so few people who care about him and I can understand why. I really don't want to spend time with him and I probably won't again. If you like fast paced action, this could be the book for you.
Thank you Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
This is not my favorite book but it moves at a rapid rate and keeps your attention throughout. The staccato writing was difficult for me to adjust to but I did love all the literary allusions. “It’s not that the Irish are cynical. It’s simply that they have a wonderful lack of respect for everything and everybody.” – Brendan Behan. This certainly sums up Taylor.
A disgraced former garda with an alcohol problem gets a security job. He is hired to find a book that could be the basis for an Irish Church of Scientology. I don't know why the Irish need their own. I would happily give them the American version. On the search, he runs into some truly despicable people including an old lover, Emerald, who is a really a piece of work. I never once understood his attraction for her.
Taylor is not a likable character and I have no expectation that he will change one iota or become someone to root for. I certainly did not. He has so few people who care about him and I can understand why. I really don't want to spend time with him and I probably won't again. If you like fast paced action, this could be the book for you.
Thank you Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
June 11, 2017
This book was far too short! I'm just going to have to read the previous two and any other works to enjoy more of this author. So another new author to me and another back catalogue to be added to the TBR pile.
It just flows so well. The writing is different to many books I've read so far with it's lyrical style and breaking sentences
Down
Like
This
Jack, is an ex-Garda turned PI. At least I think he is, it's never worded that way. More that Jack is known for getting things done, finding lost items and generally getting beaten up (and kicking the bad guys too). There's such a mix of characters in here: Ukrainian gangsters that ended up having a smaller part that at first thought, various priests and a femme fatale that plays every side but especially her own
The whole thing is a wild ride, really enjoyable and I look forward to more.
Free arc from netgalley
September 29, 2017
Ghosts of Galway is the thirteenth book in Bruen's series. It is a gritty, misty tale that often slips into stream-of-consciousness and reminisces. I was not particularly taken with this novel, but that may be the problem with starting a series after the first dozen books and not knowing the background of the characters. I would also note that it is surprisingly different than the Max & Angela series written with Jason Starr and one should not read this expecting anything like that series.
September 19, 2017
Many thanks to NetGalley, Grove Atlantic and Mysterious Press for the opportunity to read a digital galley of this novel.
I did what most followers of a certain author will tell you not to do. I began reading Ken Bruen with book thirteen in this series featuring Jack Taylor. And I survived. Actually, not just survived but thrived. Yes, the writing is dark. Everything about this book is dark and at times difficult to read. Jack has gone through some very bad times with some of it his own fault but certainly not all of it. At the beginning of this story he has just learned that he is part of a huge scandal in the Irish medical system because of dire diagnosis errors. He's not in the best of health, but he's not about to die from any of his health issues. So it's back to the cigarettes and the booze but he has learned that moderation won't kill him so Jack Taylor tries to live like most people do. He gets a job as a security guard by fudging a little on his resume and spends time reading everything that catches his interest, taking care of his dog, going to his many favorite pubs and working his job. He's not on the job long before his employer asks to see him and takes him off the clock to do a private job for him. It all starts going pretty horribly wrong from there.
Since this was my first book by this author it took me just a little while before I became comfortable with his writing style; after that the pages of the book seemed to fly by. If you've not read a Jack Taylor book before it is completely true to the environment Jack lives in so there is profanity all over the place. Irish politics play a huge part in the atmosphere, but the political references aren't confined to Ireland. The characters who return from previous novels have deep development, but even a newbie such as I could catch on to the feelings and atmosphere very quickly. Many of the things that take place in this story surprised me because the author has the courage to let them happen. Where the story goes from here, I don't know, and I'm still absorbing what I read so it will take a little time to decide if I want to check out the next book. I have to admit, though, I am intrigued.
I did what most followers of a certain author will tell you not to do. I began reading Ken Bruen with book thirteen in this series featuring Jack Taylor. And I survived. Actually, not just survived but thrived. Yes, the writing is dark. Everything about this book is dark and at times difficult to read. Jack has gone through some very bad times with some of it his own fault but certainly not all of it. At the beginning of this story he has just learned that he is part of a huge scandal in the Irish medical system because of dire diagnosis errors. He's not in the best of health, but he's not about to die from any of his health issues. So it's back to the cigarettes and the booze but he has learned that moderation won't kill him so Jack Taylor tries to live like most people do. He gets a job as a security guard by fudging a little on his resume and spends time reading everything that catches his interest, taking care of his dog, going to his many favorite pubs and working his job. He's not on the job long before his employer asks to see him and takes him off the clock to do a private job for him. It all starts going pretty horribly wrong from there.
Since this was my first book by this author it took me just a little while before I became comfortable with his writing style; after that the pages of the book seemed to fly by. If you've not read a Jack Taylor book before it is completely true to the environment Jack lives in so there is profanity all over the place. Irish politics play a huge part in the atmosphere, but the political references aren't confined to Ireland. The characters who return from previous novels have deep development, but even a newbie such as I could catch on to the feelings and atmosphere very quickly. Many of the things that take place in this story surprised me because the author has the courage to let them happen. Where the story goes from here, I don't know, and I'm still absorbing what I read so it will take a little time to decide if I want to check out the next book. I have to admit, though, I am intrigued.
May 13, 2017
I received a copy of this from the publisher through NetGalley to review.
THE GHOSTS OF GALWAY by Ken Bruen is the 13th book in the Jack Taylor series, and finds Jack working as a security guard, and bored to tears until he gets a call from the big boss to look into the disappearance of a valuable book belonging to the church and allegedly stolen by a priest named Frank Miller, who is also missing.
Jack has an acquaintance named Emily, a Goth girl who’s associated with the color emerald green and is quite disturbing, seemingly having multiple personalities.
Emily is an interesting character, and seems to have an unusual fixation on Jack (in a way most unhealthy for Jack), and becomes involved in Jack’s attempts to recover the book and locate the priest.
Apparently an old secret group known as “ The Ghosts of Galway” could be involved, and soon things become dangerous for all involved in the case, including Jack’s friend/nemesis Ridge from the guards.
Several hilarious quotes and thoughts by Jack make this book very entertaining, and Ken Bruen has done a wonderful job of making an older Jack still relevant, part of the success of this is Jack’s ability to make fun of himself as well as others with no holds barred, even or especially when it involves the church.
4 stars.
THE GHOSTS OF GALWAY by Ken Bruen is the 13th book in the Jack Taylor series, and finds Jack working as a security guard, and bored to tears until he gets a call from the big boss to look into the disappearance of a valuable book belonging to the church and allegedly stolen by a priest named Frank Miller, who is also missing.
Jack has an acquaintance named Emily, a Goth girl who’s associated with the color emerald green and is quite disturbing, seemingly having multiple personalities.
Emily is an interesting character, and seems to have an unusual fixation on Jack (in a way most unhealthy for Jack), and becomes involved in Jack’s attempts to recover the book and locate the priest.
Apparently an old secret group known as “ The Ghosts of Galway” could be involved, and soon things become dangerous for all involved in the case, including Jack’s friend/nemesis Ridge from the guards.
Several hilarious quotes and thoughts by Jack make this book very entertaining, and Ken Bruen has done a wonderful job of making an older Jack still relevant, part of the success of this is Jack’s ability to make fun of himself as well as others with no holds barred, even or especially when it involves the church.
4 stars.
April 23, 2017
“It’s not that the Irish are cynical. It’s simply that they have a wonderful lack of respect for everything and everybody.” – Brendan Behan
Jack Taylor returns in “The Ghosts of Galway” with the “lack of respect” to which author Ken Bruen alludes in his Behan quote, but also with a healthy dose of cynicism. The all-weather Garda coat and the hurley return too along with “newish 501s, and the scuffed Doc Martins. You never knew when you might need to kick someone in the face.” And, as always, kicking is only the beginning of the violence meted out, and suffered, by Jack as the story proceeds and he deals with a strangely named Ukrainian; a Ron Hubbard wannabe and his enforcers; dead animals being dumped in Eyre Square; a girl with an imaginary brother; his former best friend, and now sworn enemy, Garda Ridge; and, most troubling, the return of “Emily and her diffuse weirdness” who made Taylor’s life such a “Green Hell” in his last outing. As Jack muses,
“…a thriller writer would throw out all these strands and then, presto, wrap them all up with a rugged hero, battered but unbowed, heading into an award-winning future.”
Of course, Jack Taylor, often battered, is not the traditional ‘rugged hero’ but then Ken Bruen is anything but a typical ‘thriller writer’…. There really is nothing like a Ken Bruen novel – the lyrical, poetic prose; the wry commentaries on current affairs (this time the 2016 deaths of musical heroes, the rise of Trump and Brexit; water charges…); the humour in the darkest of dark noir; the unique way he uses language, not only in the words he chooses to use but also
The
Way
Bruen
Puts
Words
On
The
Page
No other novels read like Ken Bruen’s. Brutal realism collides with stream of consciousness surrealism, commentary on the Kardasians with extreme bloody violence. The dialogue is rhythmic and musical… And profane.
For avenging angel Jack Taylor there is little redemption but, for the reader, there are few experiences to rival these books. I couldn’t put this down. Said,
“I can’t put this down.”
Unfortunately, it was over far too quickly.
“The Ghosts of Galway” is not published until November and I thank Mysterious Press and NetGalley for the early review copy and look forward to doing it all again on publication date.
Jack Taylor returns in “The Ghosts of Galway” with the “lack of respect” to which author Ken Bruen alludes in his Behan quote, but also with a healthy dose of cynicism. The all-weather Garda coat and the hurley return too along with “newish 501s, and the scuffed Doc Martins. You never knew when you might need to kick someone in the face.” And, as always, kicking is only the beginning of the violence meted out, and suffered, by Jack as the story proceeds and he deals with a strangely named Ukrainian; a Ron Hubbard wannabe and his enforcers; dead animals being dumped in Eyre Square; a girl with an imaginary brother; his former best friend, and now sworn enemy, Garda Ridge; and, most troubling, the return of “Emily and her diffuse weirdness” who made Taylor’s life such a “Green Hell” in his last outing. As Jack muses,
“…a thriller writer would throw out all these strands and then, presto, wrap them all up with a rugged hero, battered but unbowed, heading into an award-winning future.”
Of course, Jack Taylor, often battered, is not the traditional ‘rugged hero’ but then Ken Bruen is anything but a typical ‘thriller writer’…. There really is nothing like a Ken Bruen novel – the lyrical, poetic prose; the wry commentaries on current affairs (this time the 2016 deaths of musical heroes, the rise of Trump and Brexit; water charges…); the humour in the darkest of dark noir; the unique way he uses language, not only in the words he chooses to use but also
The
Way
Bruen
Puts
Words
On
The
Page
No other novels read like Ken Bruen’s. Brutal realism collides with stream of consciousness surrealism, commentary on the Kardasians with extreme bloody violence. The dialogue is rhythmic and musical… And profane.
For avenging angel Jack Taylor there is little redemption but, for the reader, there are few experiences to rival these books. I couldn’t put this down. Said,
“I can’t put this down.”
Unfortunately, it was over far too quickly.
“The Ghosts of Galway” is not published until November and I thank Mysterious Press and NetGalley for the early review copy and look forward to doing it all again on publication date.
August 10, 2017
The book The Ghosts of Galway is a sequel to Jack Taylor's series. If, like me, you have not read the previous twelve books, you will need some time to get used to some of it's special features. For example, Ken Bruen writes in a pretty bare style, often using elliptical sentences, which deprive them of all redundancy. And yet, he left himself plenty of room to cover various actual issues (Brexit, ISIS, Trump, Kardashian Family, Prince and Bowie's Death, Terrorist Attacks in Bataclan Hall etc.), as well as for mentioning various literary and television titles, clarifying the Irish mentality and much more. Although it looks like a very interesting style, it is much more interesting in theory than in practice. But I leave the possibility that it may just take a little longer to fit with this kind of writing so that you can freely immerse yourself in the action. Still, I admit, I did not quite succeed to do that this time.
In the book, of course, we find the main character of the series, Jack Taylor, in a rather unmanageable situation. Jack is recovering from the wrong medical diagnosis, as well as the unsuccessful attempt of suicide. As a former cop he gets a job of a night guard without much effort. He believes the job is indefatigably boring, but necessary. His boss's offering to find The Red Book, a heretic book kept by the Vatican as a great secret, until Frank Miller, the ex-priest stole it. Jack, of course, accepts the offered job and thus enters a rather complex case involving The Galway Ghosts, some kind of suspicious sect, a multitude of bad guys, but also some old Jack's „friends“, like the odd girl Em.
Jack Taylor is a typical anti-hero, so it's not surprising that it's pretty difficult to identify with him. Jack has a weird but amusing sense of humor, and a bit of that famous Irish charm, which I have to admit, I hoped to see to a greater extent in this book. Although we come across stories of different relationships from the past, it seems that Jack has no real friends, and love, same as any other emotion similar to that, are almost non-existent. The most emotional relationships are those with the puppy that follows him and sister Maeve who he occasionally visits.
If Jack Taylor is an anti-hero (and he is), I really do not know what to say about Em. Emily. Emerald. First of all, her relationship with Jack is pretty unclear and all the time it's somewhere between love and hate. Em is some kind of Marvel's female villains or at least that's what I imagine her to be like. She is familiar with everything and leaves her mark everywhere, she is also completely dehumanized and does not follow any rules of common sense and logic. To the very end, she remains a complete enigma.
In short, The Ghosts of Galway is a thriller like none you read before. You will not find too many redundant descriptions in it, and you will need to invest a lot of effort to understand the action or link the roles of particular characters. And it seems that's what Ken Bruen wants and what his fans like. Before the ending there was a big pile of dead bodies, which is not strange for such literature, and Bruen resolved them with such simplicity that I was astonished.
Although I can understand why Bruen's series of novels about Jack Taylor has a large number of fans, I was not completely delighted to read this one. I leave the possibility that it's difficult to understand the author's style when you start from the thirteenth book from the series, but it will take a long time for me to decide to prove that theorem and read the other books. Still, I have to admit, as I look at everything I have noticed and wrote about Bruen's style, I reveal a new dimension of the book I've just read. I'm still far from giving a good grade, but maybe a bit closer to understanding what's so appealing in Jack Taylor's series.
In the book, of course, we find the main character of the series, Jack Taylor, in a rather unmanageable situation. Jack is recovering from the wrong medical diagnosis, as well as the unsuccessful attempt of suicide. As a former cop he gets a job of a night guard without much effort. He believes the job is indefatigably boring, but necessary. His boss's offering to find The Red Book, a heretic book kept by the Vatican as a great secret, until Frank Miller, the ex-priest stole it. Jack, of course, accepts the offered job and thus enters a rather complex case involving The Galway Ghosts, some kind of suspicious sect, a multitude of bad guys, but also some old Jack's „friends“, like the odd girl Em.
Jack Taylor is a typical anti-hero, so it's not surprising that it's pretty difficult to identify with him. Jack has a weird but amusing sense of humor, and a bit of that famous Irish charm, which I have to admit, I hoped to see to a greater extent in this book. Although we come across stories of different relationships from the past, it seems that Jack has no real friends, and love, same as any other emotion similar to that, are almost non-existent. The most emotional relationships are those with the puppy that follows him and sister Maeve who he occasionally visits.
If Jack Taylor is an anti-hero (and he is), I really do not know what to say about Em. Emily. Emerald. First of all, her relationship with Jack is pretty unclear and all the time it's somewhere between love and hate. Em is some kind of Marvel's female villains or at least that's what I imagine her to be like. She is familiar with everything and leaves her mark everywhere, she is also completely dehumanized and does not follow any rules of common sense and logic. To the very end, she remains a complete enigma.
In short, The Ghosts of Galway is a thriller like none you read before. You will not find too many redundant descriptions in it, and you will need to invest a lot of effort to understand the action or link the roles of particular characters. And it seems that's what Ken Bruen wants and what his fans like. Before the ending there was a big pile of dead bodies, which is not strange for such literature, and Bruen resolved them with such simplicity that I was astonished.
Although I can understand why Bruen's series of novels about Jack Taylor has a large number of fans, I was not completely delighted to read this one. I leave the possibility that it's difficult to understand the author's style when you start from the thirteenth book from the series, but it will take a long time for me to decide to prove that theorem and read the other books. Still, I have to admit, as I look at everything I have noticed and wrote about Bruen's style, I reveal a new dimension of the book I've just read. I'm still far from giving a good grade, but maybe a bit closer to understanding what's so appealing in Jack Taylor's series.
November 11, 2017
This book is like a bad acid trip: bursts of bright colors, streams of wild words, eruptions of passions, and occasionally threads of a story. It seemed like an extended advertisement for Jameson whiskey. Yet, I stayed with it to the end, and had a certain amount of appreciation for the conclusion. Read this book for the adventure of reading, not for the story.
April 21, 2017
Absolutely loved it. If your a Jack Taylor fan, you will not be disappointed in this one! Bruen brings back all the dark humor and angst of the great Jack Taylor. Wont spoil anything! But this one finds Jack having to fight through a number of painful experiences, and he does so with that quick dark wit. loved it, easy five stars....just love reading this guys books. Keep the coming please Ken Bruen.
Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book early.
Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book early.
May 4, 2018
Bleak-as usual! He writes like no one else.
November 19, 2017
I really like this author and this character (Jack Taylor) and even though this was a lousy book I am already looking forward to the next one because Jack is a very interesting, compelling, and complicated person and I am always ready to see more of him.
This book though - and I think every author writes a stinker once in awhile - has no plot what so ever. There are snippets of this and that and it feels like the author was going to write this story and thought 'no, let's write this one - oh wait - let's write this, etc.'
This series is pretty violent but it usually fits - this time it was violence for violence -maybe to be shocking? It was just tiny and boring. At least some of the characters that bugged me in the last book will no longer be bugging me in the next one.
This book though - and I think every author writes a stinker once in awhile - has no plot what so ever. There are snippets of this and that and it feels like the author was going to write this story and thought 'no, let's write this one - oh wait - let's write this, etc.'
This series is pretty violent but it usually fits - this time it was violence for violence -maybe to be shocking? It was just tiny and boring. At least some of the characters that bugged me in the last book will no longer be bugging me in the next one.
November 17, 2017
"A failed suicide is a sad, sad *****"
So begins "The Ghosts of Galway," dropping the reader right into the action, as Jack Taylor, former Garda member and failed suicide, ends up, not kinder or wiser, but as a security guard, which he calls "Suicide by boredom." Only things don't stay boring long. Soon Jack has been yanked from his relaxing tedium as a security guard and sent off to find the Red Book, a possibly real, possibly fake relation to the Book of Kells. And while he's haring off after the book, dead animals keep turning up in the town square, and there're rumors that it's the work of ghosts.
I haven't read any of the previous books in the series, so I wasn't completely up to speed with what was going on with the characters beforehand, but essentially Jack Taylor's life has been on a downward spiral for some time, which makes him just the kind of bitter, life-hardened cynic you need as a PI-ish sort of character in a detective novel. The fact that the action takes place in small-town Galway, rather than the mean streets of Boston or Chicago, only enhances the effect. People can be just as miserable and desperate in the green and beautiful Irish countryside as they can anywhere else.
Potential readers should be aware that the writing style is unorthodox and the language is salty, to say the least. In his ruminations Jack's thoughts come out as Mayakovsky-esque ladder and column free verse, e.g.:
Emily
Em
Emerald
A goth-like crazed girl who had blasted into my life two years ago and left me
Bewildered
Burned
Bewitched.
So if that's the kind of fancy dancing you disapprove of, you might just want to move on. However, while it could be an affectation, it works here, graphically representing Jack's fragmented thought processes, liberally sprinkled, in the best Irish tradition, with the f-word and other strong phrases. Readers will probably either like it or hate it, but it certainly stands out.
As for the plot itself, it's full of so much crazy action I won't even attempt to describe any more than I already have, other than to say that the body count is high. While not super-gory, this is not a novel for fans of cozy mysteries where everyone gets off with nothing more than a little scare. By the end of the book, the character list is significantly depleted, and Galway is filled with even more ghosts than before. All in all, an unusual but highly compelling hardboiled detective novel that is likely to polarize readers into "love it" or "hate it" camps.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
So begins "The Ghosts of Galway," dropping the reader right into the action, as Jack Taylor, former Garda member and failed suicide, ends up, not kinder or wiser, but as a security guard, which he calls "Suicide by boredom." Only things don't stay boring long. Soon Jack has been yanked from his relaxing tedium as a security guard and sent off to find the Red Book, a possibly real, possibly fake relation to the Book of Kells. And while he's haring off after the book, dead animals keep turning up in the town square, and there're rumors that it's the work of ghosts.
I haven't read any of the previous books in the series, so I wasn't completely up to speed with what was going on with the characters beforehand, but essentially Jack Taylor's life has been on a downward spiral for some time, which makes him just the kind of bitter, life-hardened cynic you need as a PI-ish sort of character in a detective novel. The fact that the action takes place in small-town Galway, rather than the mean streets of Boston or Chicago, only enhances the effect. People can be just as miserable and desperate in the green and beautiful Irish countryside as they can anywhere else.
Potential readers should be aware that the writing style is unorthodox and the language is salty, to say the least. In his ruminations Jack's thoughts come out as Mayakovsky-esque ladder and column free verse, e.g.:
Emily
Em
Emerald
A goth-like crazed girl who had blasted into my life two years ago and left me
Bewildered
Burned
Bewitched.
So if that's the kind of fancy dancing you disapprove of, you might just want to move on. However, while it could be an affectation, it works here, graphically representing Jack's fragmented thought processes, liberally sprinkled, in the best Irish tradition, with the f-word and other strong phrases. Readers will probably either like it or hate it, but it certainly stands out.
As for the plot itself, it's full of so much crazy action I won't even attempt to describe any more than I already have, other than to say that the body count is high. While not super-gory, this is not a novel for fans of cozy mysteries where everyone gets off with nothing more than a little scare. By the end of the book, the character list is significantly depleted, and Galway is filled with even more ghosts than before. All in all, an unusual but highly compelling hardboiled detective novel that is likely to polarize readers into "love it" or "hate it" camps.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
October 1, 2017
The Ghosts of Galway marks Jack Taylor's return from the dead. The last book ended with a suicide attempt, which apparently was not successful. With each book Jack is a little worse for the wear, but with this new entry it seems he has been transported into a different decade. Instead of lists of books Jack has read, The Ghosts of Galway has a list of mountaineering movies he has watched. (Apparently Jack now likes to binge watch box sets). Trump is mentioned a few times but not Thatcher. Jack limits his cigarettes to five a day, and doesn't get in near as many fights.
As usual with the Jack Taylor books, it takes a while for the main plot to get going. This one involves a small group of wanna be anarchists terrorizing the town by leaving animal carcasses around.
Long time fans of the series will be rewarded with appearances by a few of the regular characters, but sadly they all seem to be dying off and Emerald is taking a place in the regular cast.
Ken Bruen is one of my favorite authors and I have read all the Jack Taylor books. I must admit that this book was not my favorite - Jack drags the reader kicking and screaming into modern times. However, Bruen's writing is poetry as always, and I would buy a box of cereal to read the back if he wrote it.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
As usual with the Jack Taylor books, it takes a while for the main plot to get going. This one involves a small group of wanna be anarchists terrorizing the town by leaving animal carcasses around.
Long time fans of the series will be rewarded with appearances by a few of the regular characters, but sadly they all seem to be dying off and Emerald is taking a place in the regular cast.
Ken Bruen is one of my favorite authors and I have read all the Jack Taylor books. I must admit that this book was not my favorite - Jack drags the reader kicking and screaming into modern times. However, Bruen's writing is poetry as always, and I would buy a box of cereal to read the back if he wrote it.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2018
It has been a seventeen year journey. Jack Taylor first appeared in The Guards, published in 2001. Needless to say, Jack has aged. Very much alone now. No real friends. Some acquaintances and a solid fan base. The best in Irish noir. But how much longer will we shadow Taylor's stumble through life? An unsuccessful suicide attempt after a mistaken medical diagnosis. At an all-time low Jack has been hired as a night-shift security guard by a Ukrainian boss who has another agenda - he wants Jack to find the first true book of heresy, The Red Book, currently in the hands of a rogue priest hiding out in Galway after fleeing from the Vatican. Jack cannot turn down the money on offer.
Then Em reappears - she seems to be entangled with the story of The Red Book. Needless to say her presence leads Jack down lethal pathways with resulting carnage that goes beyond any other Jack Taylor book. Some of it gratuitous, much of it full of gallows humour.
Given the last two pages I wonder if we will encounter JT once more. Only Ken Bruen can answer that.
Me? I hope that The Ghosts of Galway (#13) is not the last....
Then Em reappears - she seems to be entangled with the story of The Red Book. Needless to say her presence leads Jack down lethal pathways with resulting carnage that goes beyond any other Jack Taylor book. Some of it gratuitous, much of it full of gallows humour.
Given the last two pages I wonder if we will encounter JT once more. Only Ken Bruen can answer that.
Me? I hope that The Ghosts of Galway (#13) is not the last....
December 2, 2017
I found this to be the worst book in the Jack Taylor series. If you haven't read the entire series you would have no idea who was who as there was no character development. The plot was very weak and not really interesting. I always look forward to Ken Bruen books but this was truly a disappointment. Maybe the series has run its course and should just fade away.
May 11, 2018
Killed dog for effect. I’m done with Bruen.
March 12, 2018
This was the first novel I’ve read of Jack Taylor and despite the dark atmosphere and writing, I found myself enjoying it.
After being misdiagnosed and being involved in a scandal due to it, former cop Jack Taylor has almost everything he needs: his whiskey, his books and his faithful watchdog Storm. Everything, but money. In an attempt to restart his life, Jack gets a job as a night security guard. It doesn’t take long before things are given a turn. When a man offering a considerable sum of money to find “The Red Book”, the first book of heresy, approaches him he knows its way over his head. When a woman from his past reappears in his life and seemly connected to the book, Jack is pulled to a probable deadly path. Haunted by the dark, unfortunate events of his life, Jack soon discovers that the city’s corner hide secrets and some more fatal than others. Unfortunately, for Jack, nothing in his life went as he expected, and this won’t either. Can he make it out alive and with the rest of his sanity?
One thing that I learned with this book is: never take a plot for granted. This is a story that starts at a steady pace and suddenly it takes a much darker and shocking turn, one where the reader realises that characters are going to meet their ends. The first part of the novel the reader faces several plot lines and different characters. In the end, everything comes together perfectly and the revelation is unexpected.
The depth of the characters was something that impressed me. Even though I haven’t read the previous books, I got glimpses of the past of each character and ended being fascinated with a few. None of them is simple, they are all complex Emerald was one of the best for me. She’s a complex character not only due to her multiple personalities but also her determination to hold on to her consciousness. She’s both the source and the weakness of poor Jack. There are moments that I felt my heart squeeze a little for him and his torments. Jack is a complex character that has been both virtues and flaws. He’s a lost character that suffers most of his misadventures due to bad decisions mostly. As the reader is taken through a combination of what he’s doing and his thoughts and feelings, one way or the other, they grow attached to him. He takes time to look back on his life, to confront some of his ghosts and to reflect on his mistakes and his decisions. For me as a reader, it taught me a few lessons.
The style of writing is great. It’s smooth, flows perfectly with the events of the story adapting to the general mood of the plot and of the characters. The author’s vivid imagination and rich vocabulary are seductive and pull the reader to such depth that even when it gets gruesome, it’s very hard to let go of the book. It’s a distinctive style, worth remembering.
I think that I should read the previous ones to truly see how much the characters and the author’s style developed through the series. It can be read as a stand-alone but it still felt like I was missing something.
I recommend this novel to all the fans of a complex, thrilling story that stands out for all the right reasons.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Mysterious Press and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.
After being misdiagnosed and being involved in a scandal due to it, former cop Jack Taylor has almost everything he needs: his whiskey, his books and his faithful watchdog Storm. Everything, but money. In an attempt to restart his life, Jack gets a job as a night security guard. It doesn’t take long before things are given a turn. When a man offering a considerable sum of money to find “The Red Book”, the first book of heresy, approaches him he knows its way over his head. When a woman from his past reappears in his life and seemly connected to the book, Jack is pulled to a probable deadly path. Haunted by the dark, unfortunate events of his life, Jack soon discovers that the city’s corner hide secrets and some more fatal than others. Unfortunately, for Jack, nothing in his life went as he expected, and this won’t either. Can he make it out alive and with the rest of his sanity?
One thing that I learned with this book is: never take a plot for granted. This is a story that starts at a steady pace and suddenly it takes a much darker and shocking turn, one where the reader realises that characters are going to meet their ends. The first part of the novel the reader faces several plot lines and different characters. In the end, everything comes together perfectly and the revelation is unexpected.
The depth of the characters was something that impressed me. Even though I haven’t read the previous books, I got glimpses of the past of each character and ended being fascinated with a few. None of them is simple, they are all complex Emerald was one of the best for me. She’s a complex character not only due to her multiple personalities but also her determination to hold on to her consciousness. She’s both the source and the weakness of poor Jack. There are moments that I felt my heart squeeze a little for him and his torments. Jack is a complex character that has been both virtues and flaws. He’s a lost character that suffers most of his misadventures due to bad decisions mostly. As the reader is taken through a combination of what he’s doing and his thoughts and feelings, one way or the other, they grow attached to him. He takes time to look back on his life, to confront some of his ghosts and to reflect on his mistakes and his decisions. For me as a reader, it taught me a few lessons.
The style of writing is great. It’s smooth, flows perfectly with the events of the story adapting to the general mood of the plot and of the characters. The author’s vivid imagination and rich vocabulary are seductive and pull the reader to such depth that even when it gets gruesome, it’s very hard to let go of the book. It’s a distinctive style, worth remembering.
I think that I should read the previous ones to truly see how much the characters and the author’s style developed through the series. It can be read as a stand-alone but it still felt like I was missing something.
I recommend this novel to all the fans of a complex, thrilling story that stands out for all the right reasons.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Mysterious Press and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.
July 14, 2017
My thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for granting me the opportunity to read this e- book as an advance reading copy.
It was, admittedly, the cover that first piqued my interest. The description sounded like something I might enjoy and I wasn't wrong with that notion. It did take me a few pages to get into the unique writing style and adjust to the (ahem) colourful language. I don't have a problem with swear words as per se (on the contrary) but there were loads of those.
It was my first encounter with Jack Taylor and his "verse" but the author managed the balancing act of briefly explaining to new readers who is who and what the dealings with the respective character and Jack had been in the preceding 12 books without boring readers who already knew about it.
Just like the writing itself the storytelling is unique. Where other authors of the genre dwell on building suspense, strew in details and try to lay false trails, Ken Bruen is refreshingly "no sh*t and f*cks given". That too needs a little getting used to since it is something else. Despite a lack of "building up" the characters get their unique personas even in the brief descriptions and encounters the reader is granted. For more depth I suspect I would have (will have, more likely) to read the entire series - beginning with book #1 called 'The Guards'.
Jack Taylor probably belongs to the category "love or hate" with nothing in between.
The unique writing, the characters, the swearing and the many deaths (no spoilers hence keeping this rather vague) and the entire lack of keeping somewhat the protocol of police work up or at least the pretence thereof might be major put offs for many but despite my love for protocol and storybuilding, I enjoyed this book immensely.
The things that I didn't like was the fast pace towards the end. It felt rushed through to get to a quick end before running out of pages (or time?) and at times I would have liked a tad more of what is going on in Jack and the other persons. A few times Ken Bruen seemed to have lost the golden thread and picked up loose ends here and there along the way which made it confusing and took me a moment or two longer to swing back into the narration and keep track of what is going on.
I didn't expect the hint of X Files vibe at the very end but loved it all the same.
Same goes for the - in my eyes - smart use of news headlines (such as the deaths of David Bowie or Prince or President Cheetos' run for his current job) to establish a time line and show the reader how much time has passed between events. It helped that those events are still relatively fresh in my memory - a different story for someone who might read the book in a couple of years from now.
Anyway a surprisingly great read I hadn't expected to be so "on point" with its own narration when I started reading it.
It was, admittedly, the cover that first piqued my interest. The description sounded like something I might enjoy and I wasn't wrong with that notion. It did take me a few pages to get into the unique writing style and adjust to the (ahem) colourful language. I don't have a problem with swear words as per se (on the contrary) but there were loads of those.
It was my first encounter with Jack Taylor and his "verse" but the author managed the balancing act of briefly explaining to new readers who is who and what the dealings with the respective character and Jack had been in the preceding 12 books without boring readers who already knew about it.
Just like the writing itself the storytelling is unique. Where other authors of the genre dwell on building suspense, strew in details and try to lay false trails, Ken Bruen is refreshingly "no sh*t and f*cks given". That too needs a little getting used to since it is something else. Despite a lack of "building up" the characters get their unique personas even in the brief descriptions and encounters the reader is granted. For more depth I suspect I would have (will have, more likely) to read the entire series - beginning with book #1 called 'The Guards'.
Jack Taylor probably belongs to the category "love or hate" with nothing in between.
The unique writing, the characters, the swearing and the many deaths (no spoilers hence keeping this rather vague) and the entire lack of keeping somewhat the protocol of police work up or at least the pretence thereof might be major put offs for many but despite my love for protocol and storybuilding, I enjoyed this book immensely.
The things that I didn't like was the fast pace towards the end. It felt rushed through to get to a quick end before running out of pages (or time?) and at times I would have liked a tad more of what is going on in Jack and the other persons. A few times Ken Bruen seemed to have lost the golden thread and picked up loose ends here and there along the way which made it confusing and took me a moment or two longer to swing back into the narration and keep track of what is going on.
I didn't expect the hint of X Files vibe at the very end but loved it all the same.
Same goes for the - in my eyes - smart use of news headlines (such as the deaths of David Bowie or Prince or President Cheetos' run for his current job) to establish a time line and show the reader how much time has passed between events. It helped that those events are still relatively fresh in my memory - a different story for someone who might read the book in a couple of years from now.
Anyway a surprisingly great read I hadn't expected to be so "on point" with its own narration when I started reading it.
June 26, 2017
As in previous Ken Bruen novels, Jack Taylor has the bitter edginess of an alcoholic. There were, however, far too many f-bombs. I get it … he’s supposed to be rough-talking. To repeat, excessive on the f-bombs as well as too many killings for the sake of killing.
I enjoyed the comments throughout and all their Irish-ness as well as the subtle humor shown in both comments and thoughts.
The most minor part of the book is the plot. It’s there, but the real stuff is the side happenings with a little bit of character development thrown in.
The writing is erratic and choppy, but it works. It gives a feeling of the anything-but-smooth life of Jack Taylor.
I did not like and found annoying all the ramblings and the sporadic and erratic references to other literature. It was as though the author has severe ADD and can’t keep his mind on the tale.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review The Ghosts of Galway.
I enjoyed the comments throughout and all their Irish-ness as well as the subtle humor shown in both comments and thoughts.
The most minor part of the book is the plot. It’s there, but the real stuff is the side happenings with a little bit of character development thrown in.
The writing is erratic and choppy, but it works. It gives a feeling of the anything-but-smooth life of Jack Taylor.
I did not like and found annoying all the ramblings and the sporadic and erratic references to other literature. It was as though the author has severe ADD and can’t keep his mind on the tale.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review The Ghosts of Galway.
March 19, 2019
Little point in reviewing - as the books are uniform.
If you like them, its similar to spending time with an old friend as he tells you what books / boxsets he has been enjoying, what's happening in the news and so on. Always good recommendations. The locations stand out if you have been to Galway.
If you don't like them, you will still struggle with the style - short sentences, rapid plot progression, a story that doesn't really hold water when you think about it. In fact, the story is largely secondary to the gossip.
Personally, I love my annual dip into the what Ken has been spending his leisure time on.
If you like them, its similar to spending time with an old friend as he tells you what books / boxsets he has been enjoying, what's happening in the news and so on. Always good recommendations. The locations stand out if you have been to Galway.
If you don't like them, you will still struggle with the style - short sentences, rapid plot progression, a story that doesn't really hold water when you think about it. In fact, the story is largely secondary to the gossip.
Personally, I love my annual dip into the what Ken has been spending his leisure time on.
January 3, 2019
Not for the uninitiated or weak of heart. I strongly recommend the Jack Taylor books, but start with the first one, The Guards. This is more heartbreak, violence, alcoholism and all the rest we associate with the series. I would never have thought I could give a book like this 4 stars, but the characters and writing creep up on you over the course of the books and at some point along the way Jack became a friend who I love to visit from time to time. Just wish something good would come his way and stay.
June 12, 2017
Jack's back with Bruen, as usual, something like an Irish cross between James Lee Burke and Charles Bukowski, or your favorite, albeit embarrassing alcoholic uncle.
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