What do you think?
Rate this book
Jack Taylor #14
In the Galway Silence
After much tragedy and violence, Jack Taylor has at long last landed at contentment. Of course, he still knocks back too much Jameson and dabbles in uppers, but he has a new woman in his life, a freshly bought apartment, and little sign of trouble on the horizon—until a wealthy Frenchman comes to him with a request to investigate the double murder of his twin sons.
Jack is meanwhile roped into looking after his girlfriend’s nine-year-old, and is in for a shock with the appearance of a character out of his past. The plot is one big chess game and all of the pieces seem to be moving at the behest of one dangerously mysterious player: a vigilante called “Silence,” because he’s the last thing his victims will ever hear.
Jack is meanwhile roped into looking after his girlfriend’s nine-year-old, and is in for a shock with the appearance of a character out of his past. The plot is one big chess game and all of the pieces seem to be moving at the behest of one dangerously mysterious player: a vigilante called “Silence,” because he’s the last thing his victims will ever hear.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published November 13, 2018
316 people are currently reading
1584 people want to read
About the author
Ken Bruen
132 books851 followersKen Bruen was an Irish writer of hardboiled and noir crime fiction.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
August 27, 2018
Jack is back! After his last outing this was much in doubt. This hard drinking, Xanax popping, ex-garda, attracts violence like no other. Here he actually saves a man from drowning, a man bent on killing himself. He actually did a good deed, but the old adage, no good deed goes unpunished, is so true here, as he finds out much to his dismay. He will take another personal hit, and this one is hard to get over. People who friend Jack, seem to have short lives, and so it will prove again.
With his trademark black humor, one liners, quotes from books and or music, and previews of current or near current events, Bruens writing is as unique as Jack's character. He doesn't mince words, nor does he hold back. Much like the structure of Ali Smith's writing, their is a plot running through, with many side trips, and opinions as a detour. Of course, structure is the only similarity, Smith's characters are no where as dark as Bruens. Yet, Jack's, tender but tough personality appeals, the writing never boring though I do wish Jack could at last catch a break.
How long can he keep rising from the the ashes of his life, like the proverbial Phoenix?
ARC from Edelweiss.
With his trademark black humor, one liners, quotes from books and or music, and previews of current or near current events, Bruens writing is as unique as Jack's character. He doesn't mince words, nor does he hold back. Much like the structure of Ali Smith's writing, their is a plot running through, with many side trips, and opinions as a detour. Of course, structure is the only similarity, Smith's characters are no where as dark as Bruens. Yet, Jack's, tender but tough personality appeals, the writing never boring though I do wish Jack could at last catch a break.
How long can he keep rising from the the ashes of his life, like the proverbial Phoenix?
ARC from Edelweiss.
December 8, 2018
For those not familiar with ‘The Jack Taylor Series’ by Ken Bruen a bit of back story is in order. Taylor is the creation of Ken Bruen, starting back from the year 2001. With 14 books now released in the series to date, the series is about the protagonist ‘Jack Taylor’ who is a cop turned private eye in Galway, Ireland.
The series begins with “The Guards” released in 2001, where Jack is initially a member of the ‘Gardaí’, which is the Irish equivalent of a police force. Sincere to his job in the force, he flags a speeding politician one day for a traffic violation. But soon the politician touches Taylor’s nerves, and this leads to an assault from Taylor which makes him loose his job in the ‘Gardaí’. With a drinking problem and no job to live for, Jack Taylor soon turns into a private eye, but at first, rather reluctantly.
Set in an Ireland where there are almost no private investigators, Ken Bruen’s character soon finds himself solving and attending cases that the ‘Gardaí’ disregard as they are of no significance to them. With old school detective skills and a maverick attitude and way of proceeding about matters, Jack soon finds himself a case more challenging than what he has ever attempted while in the force.
We follow Jacks life being
Alcoholic.
Coke fiend.
Pill popper.
Angry.
Bitter.
Scarred.
Broken.
Battered,
Tattered
Tortured.
Jack is a reader. His reading tastes are exceptional, I find myself making lists as I read not only of authors, but of books, music and Television shows. Mr Bruen’s writing style is unique and well worth getting acquainted with. His friends tend to die. Swans tend to die. Relatives of Jack tend to die. At times Jack’s despair is so viable he wants to die,
What a great and compulsive series.
The series begins with “The Guards” released in 2001, where Jack is initially a member of the ‘Gardaí’, which is the Irish equivalent of a police force. Sincere to his job in the force, he flags a speeding politician one day for a traffic violation. But soon the politician touches Taylor’s nerves, and this leads to an assault from Taylor which makes him loose his job in the ‘Gardaí’. With a drinking problem and no job to live for, Jack Taylor soon turns into a private eye, but at first, rather reluctantly.
Set in an Ireland where there are almost no private investigators, Ken Bruen’s character soon finds himself solving and attending cases that the ‘Gardaí’ disregard as they are of no significance to them. With old school detective skills and a maverick attitude and way of proceeding about matters, Jack soon finds himself a case more challenging than what he has ever attempted while in the force.
We follow Jacks life being
Alcoholic.
Coke fiend.
Pill popper.
Angry.
Bitter.
Scarred.
Broken.
Battered,
Tattered
Tortured.
Jack is a reader. His reading tastes are exceptional, I find myself making lists as I read not only of authors, but of books, music and Television shows. Mr Bruen’s writing style is unique and well worth getting acquainted with. His friends tend to die. Swans tend to die. Relatives of Jack tend to die. At times Jack’s despair is so viable he wants to die,
What a great and compulsive series.
December 10, 2018
No one does Irish Noir like Ken Bruen, brutal, violent, lyrical with a musical quality in the prose, often sharp and staccato set in beautiful Galway, although it's underbelly of crime and horror once again slams into the broken but well read PI Jack Taylor's life. A shock that Jack is still of this world and for once, happy, in a relationship with Marion, whose son Joffrey is not so taken with her beau. This is not going to last long, this is Jack after all, and Bruen is not going to let this state of affairs continue without once more splintering his life apart as tragedy strikes again, albeit this is done with style, violence and verve. The father of murdered twins asks Jack to investigate. The twins were over privileged, disgraceful and entitled brats wreaking untold damage and despair into the lives of those they came into contact with. Not such a great loss to humanity then but Jack has it in his DNA to continue poking about in their murder, not a great idea, neither is rescuing a man intent on drowning himself. A vigilante, Michael Ian Allen, aka The Silence brings murder, mayhem, malice and machinations as he begins to dismantle and destroy Jack's life.
Jack's past intrudes into his present, in the form of a wife with a daughter he never knew about, and a paedophile roams free but with badness in his heart. Jack continues to partake in the demon drink and popping the Xanax. A documentary maker wants to document the life of a hero and broken PI and dogs are being poisoned in the city. As usual, Bruen slips in quotes galore, the game of Chess, and documents events throughout the world, all indicating a world gone mad in a chorus that echoes what is happening in Galway and to Jack. Fans of this series know what to expect by now in this remarkable series, although it often feels like observing a deadly car crash in slow motion. My only complaint is that as usual the book feels far too short. Fantastic read.
Jack's past intrudes into his present, in the form of a wife with a daughter he never knew about, and a paedophile roams free but with badness in his heart. Jack continues to partake in the demon drink and popping the Xanax. A documentary maker wants to document the life of a hero and broken PI and dogs are being poisoned in the city. As usual, Bruen slips in quotes galore, the game of Chess, and documents events throughout the world, all indicating a world gone mad in a chorus that echoes what is happening in Galway and to Jack. Fans of this series know what to expect by now in this remarkable series, although it often feels like observing a deadly car crash in slow motion. My only complaint is that as usual the book feels far too short. Fantastic read.
October 27, 2018
3.5 stars rounded down to 3.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for sending me this eARC through NetGalley. This is my first book in this series, but I have watched several of the tv adaptations. I would have understood it better if I had read the previous books in the series, but it worked ok as a stand alone. Jack Taylor is an ex Garda(police) now working as a PI. He is approached by a man who wants him to find out who murdered his 2 sons. Jack is an alcoholic and bitter about his lot in life--a failed marriage and now a failed relationship.
Pros: Jack Taylor does solve a mystery, and the ending ties up all the threads. It is a bittersweet ending, with the deaths of various innocent people. Jack is driven even further into alcoholism by all the deaths.
Cons: I did not like the stream of conscious writing--switching back and forth between Jack's thoughts in the first person and dialogue. I realize that fans of this series are legion and that this is my reaction. I read it in 2 days, as it is a short book.
Two quotes:
"There is a man, served three tours in Iraq and had the distinction of surviving three bomb attacks. He understandably developed a phobia about noise. He now specializes in what the Americans call wet work. More prosaically, he kills people. They call him the Silence."
"In Irish folklore three kinds of silence are identified: Silence through fear, Silence through choice, Silence of compassion."
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for sending me this eARC through NetGalley. This is my first book in this series, but I have watched several of the tv adaptations. I would have understood it better if I had read the previous books in the series, but it worked ok as a stand alone. Jack Taylor is an ex Garda(police) now working as a PI. He is approached by a man who wants him to find out who murdered his 2 sons. Jack is an alcoholic and bitter about his lot in life--a failed marriage and now a failed relationship.
Pros: Jack Taylor does solve a mystery, and the ending ties up all the threads. It is a bittersweet ending, with the deaths of various innocent people. Jack is driven even further into alcoholism by all the deaths.
Cons: I did not like the stream of conscious writing--switching back and forth between Jack's thoughts in the first person and dialogue. I realize that fans of this series are legion and that this is my reaction. I read it in 2 days, as it is a short book.
Two quotes:
"There is a man, served three tours in Iraq and had the distinction of surviving three bomb attacks. He understandably developed a phobia about noise. He now specializes in what the Americans call wet work. More prosaically, he kills people. They call him the Silence."
"In Irish folklore three kinds of silence are identified: Silence through fear, Silence through choice, Silence of compassion."
December 1, 2018
EXCERPT: I turned very slightly, moved my face close to supercop, whispered, "I'm going to shoot him on Friday, at about three in the afternoon, so you can be there to make the big arrest."
He moved back a step.
"Are you serious?"
I pondered, then, "Maybe it's the drink talking."
Debated.
Added, "Could be Thursday. I'm lousy with dates."
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Ken Bruen has been called "hard to resist, with his aching Irish heart, silvery tongue, and bleak noir sensibility" (New York Times Book Review). His prose is as characteristically sharp as his outlook in the latest Jack Taylor novel, In the Galway Silence. After much tragedy and violence, Jack Taylor has at long last landed at contentment. Of course, he still knocks back too much Jameson and dabbles in uppers, but he has a new woman in his life, a freshly bought apartment, and little sign of trouble on the horizon. Once again, trouble comes to him, this time in the form of a wealthy Frenchman who wants Jack to investigate the double-murder of his twin sons. Jack is meanwhile roped into looking after his girlfriend's nine-year-old son, and is in for a shock with the appearance of a character out of his past. The plot is one big chess game and all of the pieces seem to be moving at the behest of one dangerously mysterious player: a vigilante called "Silence," because he's the last thing his victims will ever hear.
This is Ken Bruen at his most darkly humorous, his most lovably bleak, as he shows us the meaning behind a proverb of his own design--"the Irish can abide almost anything save silence."
MY THOUGHTS: Random.
Compelling.
Dark.
Funny.
This book is all these things, and more. I was concerned about joining this series at book #14. I needn't have been. After some initial confusion, I was entranced. I wondered if the author was on speed. I wondered if I should be. I had to shift my brain into random mode and just go with the flow.
'You always had a way about you, Jack. Not fully nuts, but circling.' - a quote that says it all.
A great experience.
I will be reading more from this author.
😂😲😆😨😉
THE AUTHOR: Ken Bruen, born in Galway in 1951, is the author of The Guards (2001), the highly acclaimed first Jack Taylor novel. He spent twenty-five years as an English teacher in Africa, Japan, S.E. Asia and South America. His novel Her Last Call to Louis Mac Niece (1997) is in production for Pilgrim Pictures, his "White Trilogy" has been bought by Channel 4, and The Guards is to be filmed in Ireland by De Facto Films.
He has won Two Shamus awards by Private Eye Writers of America for the best detective fiction genre novel of the year for The Guards(2004) and The Dramatist(2007).
He has also received The Best series Award in February 2007 for the Jack Taylor novels from The Crime Writers Association
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Grove Atlantic via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of In the Galway Silence by Ken Bruen for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
He moved back a step.
"Are you serious?"
I pondered, then, "Maybe it's the drink talking."
Debated.
Added, "Could be Thursday. I'm lousy with dates."
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Ken Bruen has been called "hard to resist, with his aching Irish heart, silvery tongue, and bleak noir sensibility" (New York Times Book Review). His prose is as characteristically sharp as his outlook in the latest Jack Taylor novel, In the Galway Silence. After much tragedy and violence, Jack Taylor has at long last landed at contentment. Of course, he still knocks back too much Jameson and dabbles in uppers, but he has a new woman in his life, a freshly bought apartment, and little sign of trouble on the horizon. Once again, trouble comes to him, this time in the form of a wealthy Frenchman who wants Jack to investigate the double-murder of his twin sons. Jack is meanwhile roped into looking after his girlfriend's nine-year-old son, and is in for a shock with the appearance of a character out of his past. The plot is one big chess game and all of the pieces seem to be moving at the behest of one dangerously mysterious player: a vigilante called "Silence," because he's the last thing his victims will ever hear.
This is Ken Bruen at his most darkly humorous, his most lovably bleak, as he shows us the meaning behind a proverb of his own design--"the Irish can abide almost anything save silence."
MY THOUGHTS: Random.
Compelling.
Dark.
Funny.
This book is all these things, and more. I was concerned about joining this series at book #14. I needn't have been. After some initial confusion, I was entranced. I wondered if the author was on speed. I wondered if I should be. I had to shift my brain into random mode and just go with the flow.
'You always had a way about you, Jack. Not fully nuts, but circling.' - a quote that says it all.
A great experience.
I will be reading more from this author.
😂😲😆😨😉
THE AUTHOR: Ken Bruen, born in Galway in 1951, is the author of The Guards (2001), the highly acclaimed first Jack Taylor novel. He spent twenty-five years as an English teacher in Africa, Japan, S.E. Asia and South America. His novel Her Last Call to Louis Mac Niece (1997) is in production for Pilgrim Pictures, his "White Trilogy" has been bought by Channel 4, and The Guards is to be filmed in Ireland by De Facto Films.
He has won Two Shamus awards by Private Eye Writers of America for the best detective fiction genre novel of the year for The Guards(2004) and The Dramatist(2007).
He has also received The Best series Award in February 2007 for the Jack Taylor novels from The Crime Writers Association
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Grove Atlantic via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of In the Galway Silence by Ken Bruen for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
June 30, 2018
After finishing The Emerald Lie, I wasn’t sure if Jack Taylor would be with us much longer. Yet here he is…bleary eyed & bushy tailed. But there’s something odd about him. It’s like he’s…*gasp*…happy. He’s cut down on drink & cigs, quit the PI biz & has a new woman in his life. Initially the only fly in the ointment is her pompous 9 year old son.
But who are we kidding? This is Ken Bruen & he seems to revel in putting Jack through the ringer. In the prologue, we watch as teenage twin brothers meet a horrible end. Their wealthy father approaches Jack with a job. Find the killer.
Jack has just about recovered from a recent brush with mortality & isn’t eager to descend back into the world of thugs & violence where his investigations inevitably lead. Still, it seems pretty straight forward. Oh Jack…that should have been your first clue. Turns out the twins were spoiled, psychopathic gits & the only real surprise is no one killed them sooner. Then he runs up against the man responsible & life as he knows it is over. A master manipulator, the killer proceeds to dismantle Jack’s new life from the inside. What else can he do but welcome back his dark side?
This is a quick read full of twists, violence & a kind of psychological warfare that leaves Jack reeling. He’s used to dealing with “disagreements” the Irish way. You either ignore it or get right up in its face. This time someone is getting to him by infiltrating the lives of those he loves. Jack’s not used to feeling helpless & has no choice but to return to his former life.
I suspect there’s not a lot of ambivalence when it comes to whether or not you’re a fan. You either like his stuff or you don’t. I love it. No one writes like Bruen. Bleak, gritty & darkly funny…all written with the soul of a poet who composes each book as a love letter to Galway. We see everything through Jack’s eyes & become well acquainted with the ghosts that haunt him still. The narrative is lean & light on dialogue. Instead, we listen in on Jack’s thoughts as he ponders everything from how to kill a guy to the simple pleasure of a perfectly poured pint. Galway’s streets come alive through the characters he meets & his wry observations. Liberally sprinkled around the prose are quotes & comments from politicians, authors & musicians that pertain to the central theme of silence. He’s also a prolific reader & I always enjoy his terse book reviews.
I’ve got a big soft spot for Jack & this is one of my favourites in the series. If you haven’t read Bruen before, I’d recommend starting at the beginning (The Guards). That way, if you fall under his spell you’ve got a whack of books to look forward to.
But who are we kidding? This is Ken Bruen & he seems to revel in putting Jack through the ringer. In the prologue, we watch as teenage twin brothers meet a horrible end. Their wealthy father approaches Jack with a job. Find the killer.
Jack has just about recovered from a recent brush with mortality & isn’t eager to descend back into the world of thugs & violence where his investigations inevitably lead. Still, it seems pretty straight forward. Oh Jack…that should have been your first clue. Turns out the twins were spoiled, psychopathic gits & the only real surprise is no one killed them sooner. Then he runs up against the man responsible & life as he knows it is over. A master manipulator, the killer proceeds to dismantle Jack’s new life from the inside. What else can he do but welcome back his dark side?
This is a quick read full of twists, violence & a kind of psychological warfare that leaves Jack reeling. He’s used to dealing with “disagreements” the Irish way. You either ignore it or get right up in its face. This time someone is getting to him by infiltrating the lives of those he loves. Jack’s not used to feeling helpless & has no choice but to return to his former life.
I suspect there’s not a lot of ambivalence when it comes to whether or not you’re a fan. You either like his stuff or you don’t. I love it. No one writes like Bruen. Bleak, gritty & darkly funny…all written with the soul of a poet who composes each book as a love letter to Galway. We see everything through Jack’s eyes & become well acquainted with the ghosts that haunt him still. The narrative is lean & light on dialogue. Instead, we listen in on Jack’s thoughts as he ponders everything from how to kill a guy to the simple pleasure of a perfectly poured pint. Galway’s streets come alive through the characters he meets & his wry observations. Liberally sprinkled around the prose are quotes & comments from politicians, authors & musicians that pertain to the central theme of silence. He’s also a prolific reader & I always enjoy his terse book reviews.
I’ve got a big soft spot for Jack & this is one of my favourites in the series. If you haven’t read Bruen before, I’d recommend starting at the beginning (The Guards). That way, if you fall under his spell you’ve got a whack of books to look forward to.
June 30, 2019
BLEAK NOIR
Marilyn Stasio of the New York Times Book Review calls author Ken Bruen “hard to resist, with his aching Irish heart, silvery tongue, and bleak noir sensibility.” How right she is.
LUCKY NUMBER
And 13 turns out to be Ken’s lucky number. Because his baker’s dozen in the Jack Taylor crime fiction series — known as Ireland’s most distinctive — is an absolute winner.
HARD-BITTEN
Riveting, hard-bitten and darkly funny, IN THE GALWAY SILENCE makes you feel anything but ... you want to shout its raves o'er the roiling waves of Galway Bay.
METAPHYSICS
Note: Bruen has a doctorate in metaphysics. Somehow that seems fitting. 5/5
Sláinte to Ken Bruen, NetGalley and Grove Atlantic/The Mysterious Press for the early copy. Opinions are truly mine.
#InTheGalwaySilence #NetGalley
Marilyn Stasio of the New York Times Book Review calls author Ken Bruen “hard to resist, with his aching Irish heart, silvery tongue, and bleak noir sensibility.” How right she is.
LUCKY NUMBER
And 13 turns out to be Ken’s lucky number. Because his baker’s dozen in the Jack Taylor crime fiction series — known as Ireland’s most distinctive — is an absolute winner.
HARD-BITTEN
Riveting, hard-bitten and darkly funny, IN THE GALWAY SILENCE makes you feel anything but ... you want to shout its raves o'er the roiling waves of Galway Bay.
METAPHYSICS
Note: Bruen has a doctorate in metaphysics. Somehow that seems fitting. 5/5
Sláinte to Ken Bruen, NetGalley and Grove Atlantic/The Mysterious Press for the early copy. Opinions are truly mine.
#InTheGalwaySilence #NetGalley
November 2, 2018
3 hard to rate this one stars
My reviews can be seen here: https://wordpress.com/post/yayareadsl...
Jack Taylor is not one of the characters I would like to know. Seriously, he is one messed up dude, drinker, drugs, and profanity seem to be his mantra. Of course dealing in the underworld he inhabits would definitely make more a bit abrasive right? This seems to be the fourteenth book in the series and I feel as if I am a bit behind understanding Jack as this is my first book about him and his escapades. However, Jack is trying to recover, to put his ducks in a row, to be a better person.
Twins have been murdered, and Jack is hired by the French twins' father to investigate. Meanwhile, Jack is enticed to watch the nine year old son of his current flame. As poor Jack has been trying to stay out of the fray, trying to get his life in order, he does not want to enter the underworld that he was formerly a part of. But, things happen and Jack is drawn back in hook line and sinker into a world where the hits just keep coming and he descends into the hell he was trying so hard to escape. Life often does run in a complete circle and Jack finds himself back at the very beginning of a life he tried so hard to escape.
I am somewhat ambivalent about how I feel about this book and the way in which Mr Bruen writes. It was a short book, but written in that kind of flow of consciousness way that had you flipping around trying to absorb the happenings. One might refer to this writing as controlled chaos. So, I am still thinking and still digesting whether this might be one of those love/hate relationships one can sometimes have with a book. Would I recommend this book? hmmm don't really know.
Thank you to Ken Bruen, Mysterious Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this book due out on November 13th.
My reviews can be seen here: https://wordpress.com/post/yayareadsl...
Jack Taylor is not one of the characters I would like to know. Seriously, he is one messed up dude, drinker, drugs, and profanity seem to be his mantra. Of course dealing in the underworld he inhabits would definitely make more a bit abrasive right? This seems to be the fourteenth book in the series and I feel as if I am a bit behind understanding Jack as this is my first book about him and his escapades. However, Jack is trying to recover, to put his ducks in a row, to be a better person.
Twins have been murdered, and Jack is hired by the French twins' father to investigate. Meanwhile, Jack is enticed to watch the nine year old son of his current flame. As poor Jack has been trying to stay out of the fray, trying to get his life in order, he does not want to enter the underworld that he was formerly a part of. But, things happen and Jack is drawn back in hook line and sinker into a world where the hits just keep coming and he descends into the hell he was trying so hard to escape. Life often does run in a complete circle and Jack finds himself back at the very beginning of a life he tried so hard to escape.
I am somewhat ambivalent about how I feel about this book and the way in which Mr Bruen writes. It was a short book, but written in that kind of flow of consciousness way that had you flipping around trying to absorb the happenings. One might refer to this writing as controlled chaos. So, I am still thinking and still digesting whether this might be one of those love/hate relationships one can sometimes have with a book. Would I recommend this book? hmmm don't really know.
Thank you to Ken Bruen, Mysterious Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this book due out on November 13th.
March 29, 2019
Jack Taylor/Ken Bruen fans, rejoice!
One of the best Jack Taylor entries in a while.
In this one, His Jackness rescues a suicide from an attempted drowning which sets him up for a truckload of regret.
Several violent incidents occur before the book's end... the reader learns that Jack was married to a fellow alkie years ago and that he had a child by her. A wee girl child.
There are also two wicked young brothers (twins) who are murdered in the first 4-5 pages of the novel. Jack is hired by the father of the twins to find their murderer.
A child is kidnapped by an obese pedophile/serial killer and sexually abused before Jack allegedly rescues the eight year old.
Jack learns to play chess and engages in a deadly game with another kind of serial killer near the novel's end.
This is a typical Jack Taylor adventure/murder mystery(ies) minus the hand-wringing over fallen comrades which Jack Taylor series fans have come to expect from the more recent entries in the series. Minus the blind-drunk, falling down pissing himself in his various and assorted mournings, this is the good old, pissed-off Jack Taylor.
Highest Recommendation!
One of the best Jack Taylor entries in a while.
In this one, His Jackness rescues a suicide from an attempted drowning which sets him up for a truckload of regret.
Several violent incidents occur before the book's end... the reader learns that Jack was married to a fellow alkie years ago and that he had a child by her. A wee girl child.
There are also two wicked young brothers (twins) who are murdered in the first 4-5 pages of the novel. Jack is hired by the father of the twins to find their murderer.
A child is kidnapped by an obese pedophile/serial killer and sexually abused before Jack allegedly rescues the eight year old.
Jack learns to play chess and engages in a deadly game with another kind of serial killer near the novel's end.
This is a typical Jack Taylor adventure/murder mystery(ies) minus the hand-wringing over fallen comrades which Jack Taylor series fans have come to expect from the more recent entries in the series. Minus the blind-drunk, falling down pissing himself in his various and assorted mournings, this is the good old, pissed-off Jack Taylor.
Highest Recommendation!
July 3, 2020
Jack sure attracts some weirdos, and they're always out to get him.
In this book, I believe Jack has the happiest day of his life. But every good thing that has ever come into Jack's life ends, either he drives them away or they are killed by someone.
The cultural references in this book are more modern and include some global events.
I have one more book to go to catch up to Ken Bruen. Will be reading it next.
In this book, I believe Jack has the happiest day of his life. But every good thing that has ever come into Jack's life ends, either he drives them away or they are killed by someone.
The cultural references in this book are more modern and include some global events.
I have one more book to go to catch up to Ken Bruen. Will be reading it next.
February 9, 2022
This is the fourteenth book in the Jack Taylor series. Jack is a former Garda turned private investigator who is well-read, tormented, self-destructive, and a man who cannot avoid danger, loss, or trouble. When he begins investigating the murder of a pair of spoiled, psychopathic twins who certainly had it coming, Jack’s path crosses with a vigilante murderer and master manipulator who will upend Jack’s carefully curated “happiness.” I love how darkly humorous and lyrical the prose is, even as the story itself is compelling, grim, and gritty. The distinct style in which the tale unfolds verges on stream of consciousness, which I have reservations about but it worked incredibly well here.
This is Irish noir with a postmodern flair, and the read pairs perfectly with Bushmills single malt Irish whiskey and a box of dark chocolate covered cherries.
This is Irish noir with a postmodern flair, and the read pairs perfectly with Bushmills single malt Irish whiskey and a box of dark chocolate covered cherries.
September 22, 2019
I'm a big fan of the Jack Taylor series but this one was by far one the weakest of the series to far.
Over the past 13 books prior to In the Galway Silence, I've grown accustomed to the downtrodden quasi private eye suffering immeasurable loss after loss only to drag himself out of the gutter and resume the role of accidental hero more often than not. Each slice of bad luck felt organic and fit the theme of the books; bad shit happens - and it happens to Jack Taylor; the scenarios were plausible and the outcomes preordained. That didn't happen here.
Without spoiling, Jack's life is turned upside yet again and while the scenes which bring this about are full of shock and awe, the lasting impact is left wanting due to the convenient characters involved. The cases are so-so and didn't connect with me like the others. I hope this isn't a sign of what we're to expect of the post-Emerald era books.
My rating: 3.5/5 stars. Still a solid read but when reading a Jack Taylor novel, I expect so much more. Perhaps better read the second time round.
Over the past 13 books prior to In the Galway Silence, I've grown accustomed to the downtrodden quasi private eye suffering immeasurable loss after loss only to drag himself out of the gutter and resume the role of accidental hero more often than not. Each slice of bad luck felt organic and fit the theme of the books; bad shit happens - and it happens to Jack Taylor; the scenarios were plausible and the outcomes preordained. That didn't happen here.
Without spoiling, Jack's life is turned upside yet again and while the scenes which bring this about are full of shock and awe, the lasting impact is left wanting due to the convenient characters involved. The cases are so-so and didn't connect with me like the others. I hope this isn't a sign of what we're to expect of the post-Emerald era books.
My rating: 3.5/5 stars. Still a solid read but when reading a Jack Taylor novel, I expect so much more. Perhaps better read the second time round.
November 14, 2018
“The Irish can abide almost anything save silence.”
A few paragraphs into a new Jack Taylor novel and you hear the musicality and fall into the familiar rhythms of Ken Bruen’s prose. It is distinctive, like listening for the first time to your favourite band’s new album, you instantly the instrumentation and look forward to new tunes. Nobody in crime fiction writes like Ken Bruen. It is not just the words he uses, it is the way
he
puts
them
on
the
page.
Ex-Garda, Jack Taylor is a violent and poetic man. He beats his problems in the most literal way possible, with a hurley. Jack cares about people, yet he is self-destructive. He appears to have a death wish, yet he consumes, and enjoys, popular culture (I have gained so much from exploring books or albums recommended by Jack Taylor, although he may have taken one too many to the head - considering “Perfect” by Ed Sheehan to be, well, perfect).
Bruen’s plots are like a fever-dream. Jack narrates the madness that surrounds him, in this case a deranged killer and a returning out of the blue ex-wife, while commenting on craziness in the wider world - Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, Brexit - which only serves to heighten the sense of unreality.
I love these books and, while jumping aboard here without reading any of the previous dozen books might not be the best recommendation, if you can find the rhythm, you will definitely enjoy the song.
A few paragraphs into a new Jack Taylor novel and you hear the musicality and fall into the familiar rhythms of Ken Bruen’s prose. It is distinctive, like listening for the first time to your favourite band’s new album, you instantly the instrumentation and look forward to new tunes. Nobody in crime fiction writes like Ken Bruen. It is not just the words he uses, it is the way
he
puts
them
on
the
page.
Ex-Garda, Jack Taylor is a violent and poetic man. He beats his problems in the most literal way possible, with a hurley. Jack cares about people, yet he is self-destructive. He appears to have a death wish, yet he consumes, and enjoys, popular culture (I have gained so much from exploring books or albums recommended by Jack Taylor, although he may have taken one too many to the head - considering “Perfect” by Ed Sheehan to be, well, perfect).
Bruen’s plots are like a fever-dream. Jack narrates the madness that surrounds him, in this case a deranged killer and a returning out of the blue ex-wife, while commenting on craziness in the wider world - Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, Brexit - which only serves to heighten the sense of unreality.
I love these books and, while jumping aboard here without reading any of the previous dozen books might not be the best recommendation, if you can find the rhythm, you will definitely enjoy the song.
December 11, 2020
Note to Self: Please do not buy another of these Jack Taylor drunken scribbles. Just read this one again and that should suffice.
June 21, 2018
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.
IN THE GALWAY SILENCE by Ken Bruen is the 14th book in the Jack Taylor series, and opens with Jack doing well and in a relationship with a woman named Marion that is giving him much to be thankful for; with the sole exception being her nasty young son who goes out of his way to antagonize Jack and sabotage his relationship with the mother at every turn.
Jack is happily unemployed, and doesn’t wish to take on any cases, but is approached by a businessman named Renaud, who wants to find the killer of his twin sons Jean and Claude; even though they were miserable characters undeserving vengeance, and eventually Jack takes on the case to seek out the vigilante who leaves a sign marked 2 4 J, which Jack later learns means “two for justice”.
Minding his own business, Jack reacts to an attempted suicide of a young man by saving him from death by drowning, and immediately regrets it as the intense young man named Tevis seems determined to attach himself to Jack, and reveals ties to the yet unknown vigilante responsible for the twins’ murder.
Several things take place making Jack become a part of the planning of the vigilante, who’s name is revealed to be Michael Allen, a psycho known to law enforcement suspected but never convicted due to lack of evidence in several cases, and he’s intrigued with Jack and tries to force his hand by threatening those close to him, which is a sure fire way to get Jack’s attention by provocation.
Jack is as cynical and pessimistic as usual once things turn for the worse, and his mile-wide mean streak serves him well in his pursuit with reckless abandon of the killer.
Some of what I like about Jack is his unwillingness to conform to any expectations others have of him, his irreverent attitude towards the current state of his country’s Americanization and direction of the younger generation, as well as the corruption within the Catholic church, but along with his willingness to embrace some things that seem completely out of character, which surprises those who think they know him well.
Dark humor and wit are Jack’s most used tactics employed in his dealings with others, and in making light of things that trouble him deeply, as it seems to be the only way he can deal with the horrible things he comes up against that cannot be resolved.
Ken Bruen has done what several of my favorite authors of this genre in long running series have done, and that is to successfully age an older character yet keeping him relevant and able to adapt to change; albeit unwillingly as is often the case.
I’ve only read a few books in the series, but so far liked this one best.
5 stars.
IN THE GALWAY SILENCE by Ken Bruen is the 14th book in the Jack Taylor series, and opens with Jack doing well and in a relationship with a woman named Marion that is giving him much to be thankful for; with the sole exception being her nasty young son who goes out of his way to antagonize Jack and sabotage his relationship with the mother at every turn.
Jack is happily unemployed, and doesn’t wish to take on any cases, but is approached by a businessman named Renaud, who wants to find the killer of his twin sons Jean and Claude; even though they were miserable characters undeserving vengeance, and eventually Jack takes on the case to seek out the vigilante who leaves a sign marked 2 4 J, which Jack later learns means “two for justice”.
Minding his own business, Jack reacts to an attempted suicide of a young man by saving him from death by drowning, and immediately regrets it as the intense young man named Tevis seems determined to attach himself to Jack, and reveals ties to the yet unknown vigilante responsible for the twins’ murder.
Several things take place making Jack become a part of the planning of the vigilante, who’s name is revealed to be Michael Allen, a psycho known to law enforcement suspected but never convicted due to lack of evidence in several cases, and he’s intrigued with Jack and tries to force his hand by threatening those close to him, which is a sure fire way to get Jack’s attention by provocation.
Jack is as cynical and pessimistic as usual once things turn for the worse, and his mile-wide mean streak serves him well in his pursuit with reckless abandon of the killer.
Some of what I like about Jack is his unwillingness to conform to any expectations others have of him, his irreverent attitude towards the current state of his country’s Americanization and direction of the younger generation, as well as the corruption within the Catholic church, but along with his willingness to embrace some things that seem completely out of character, which surprises those who think they know him well.
Dark humor and wit are Jack’s most used tactics employed in his dealings with others, and in making light of things that trouble him deeply, as it seems to be the only way he can deal with the horrible things he comes up against that cannot be resolved.
Ken Bruen has done what several of my favorite authors of this genre in long running series have done, and that is to successfully age an older character yet keeping him relevant and able to adapt to change; albeit unwillingly as is often the case.
I’ve only read a few books in the series, but so far liked this one best.
5 stars.
December 6, 2018
If you like mysteries that are dark, bleak and, at times, humorous, the Jack Taylor novels by Ken Bruen in general, and In the Galway Silence in particular, are just the ticket. Jack Taylor is his own worst enemy, as he attempts to solve a double-murder while managing his often chaotic personal life, with his usual Irish charm and blarney. Where Jack goes, confusion follows. Ken Bruen's prose quite often reads like poetry and the staggered style loosely imitates Jack's human condition as he goes from one problem to another. This is a quick and enjoyable read and transports the reader to Ireland, as sure as being there. Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the e-ARC of In the Galway Silence by Ken Bruen in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2020
Catholics believe that despair is the absence of faith which is non existent here in this literary black hole. Ex Guarda Jack Taylor is a middle aged alcoholic trying to eek out some degree of happiness in bleak, rainy Galway. Problem is, Jack attracts evil like a magnet from hell which leads to scenario's too tragic to contemplate. I've read all Ken Bruen's Galway books and for the most part found them to be well written, original and entertaining. Unfortunately, this book was a dark and depressing "bridge too far" for me. I will of course, continue reading the series because the author has created a unique character in Jack Taylor, his hard luck anti-hero drowning in Guinness, pills and despair.
September 26, 2018
Jack Taylor has to be one of the most fascinating characters ever written. I NEVER get tired of following Jack through the chaos that is his life. Ken Bruen has never failed to deliver anything less than stellar when it comes to the Jack Taylor series. THE GALWAY SILENCE is no exception.
December 24, 2018
Ken Bruen does it again - number 14 in my favourite series. Jack Taylor, ex guard, no saint, Irish noir that is at times hilarious, written in Bruen's inimitable style with paragraphs that more closely resemble verse than prose. It's original, unusual and continues to entertain as it appears that Jack might have at long last found contentment. Still loves the Jameson and still dabbles in uppers, but he has a new girlfriend, a new apartment with glorious views and little sign of trouble on the horizon...
...don't be daft. This is Jack Taylor, finds himself looking after his girlfriend's spoilt nine-year-old and trouble is heading his way. Wealthy Frenchman Pierre Renaud, a double murder, his ex-wife and an unfurling past.
In the Galway Silence - it's grim, dark, hilarious - it's unique. Love him or hate him - it's Jack Taylor.
I am definitely in the first camp...
...don't be daft. This is Jack Taylor, finds himself looking after his girlfriend's spoilt nine-year-old and trouble is heading his way. Wealthy Frenchman Pierre Renaud, a double murder, his ex-wife and an unfurling past.
In the Galway Silence - it's grim, dark, hilarious - it's unique. Love him or hate him - it's Jack Taylor.
I am definitely in the first camp...
November 4, 2018
Although I have seen the TV series, this is the first book of his I have read. It's like being on a roller coaster without having a chance to catch your breath. Perhaps if I had read others in the series, it would have been easier to follow but it jumped around so much that it was hard for me to keep up.
Jack Taylor has many problems, more than one person should have and his use of drugs and alcohol don't help matters. This involves a secret group of bad people killing others and Taylor trying to stop them. When the main baddie gets involved with Taylor's family, he takes serious action. There is also a dog poisoning ring going on which was disgusting and some pedophilia.
This really wasn't my couple of tea but I am sure long standing fans will enjoy it. Thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for a copy of this book to review.
Jack Taylor has many problems, more than one person should have and his use of drugs and alcohol don't help matters. This involves a secret group of bad people killing others and Taylor trying to stop them. When the main baddie gets involved with Taylor's family, he takes serious action. There is also a dog poisoning ring going on which was disgusting and some pedophilia.
This really wasn't my couple of tea but I am sure long standing fans will enjoy it. Thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for a copy of this book to review.
August 13, 2019
Like any author attempting to wrench more life out of a long running saga (this being #14 in the series) Bruen works some seemingly implausible twists into the story, a hook for the next novel already committed to publishers (?). Still, when you think about the unlikely origins of his characters (Bruen has a Ph.D. in Metaphysics from Trinity in Dublin, followed by a "career" teaching English around the world); hawking copies of his first book in the bars of Galway is an auspicious beginning for the guy who is credited with starting "Irish Noir" - Tana French, Val McDermid, Benjamin Black nee John Banville et al are enjoying wild success with the genre but Bruen is the one to read.
December 1, 2018
Irish noir!
Even when things are looking up it seems like Jack Taylor's only way is down. When he rescues a suicide from drowning his life moves in a different direction, including a competitive killer who plays one-up-manship with Jack. A bleak Irish detective novel complete with wonderful stereotypes that reek of Jameson Whiskey and Irish fatalism is served in large doses.
Staccato presentation leads from one scenario to another, with Jack giving the reader a sotto voice, often self deprecating commentary. Take his reflection on what to wear when meeting his previous wife's new person of interest.
"Right. How do you dress to meet your ex-wife’s new man? Carefully. I put on the obligatory black jacket, white shirt, tie, loosely (to suggest mellow or couldn’t [care]), black jeans, Docs. They had steel toe caps because who knows? Checked in the mirror, saw a battered undertaker’s assistant, the guy you keep in the background."
Wonderful tone, and fatalistic nuances surround Jack's self reflections.
I am just as fascinated as I always have been with this anti hero. Whimsy borders on tragedy. Great!
A NetGalley ARC
Even when things are looking up it seems like Jack Taylor's only way is down. When he rescues a suicide from drowning his life moves in a different direction, including a competitive killer who plays one-up-manship with Jack. A bleak Irish detective novel complete with wonderful stereotypes that reek of Jameson Whiskey and Irish fatalism is served in large doses.
Staccato presentation leads from one scenario to another, with Jack giving the reader a sotto voice, often self deprecating commentary. Take his reflection on what to wear when meeting his previous wife's new person of interest.
"Right. How do you dress to meet your ex-wife’s new man? Carefully. I put on the obligatory black jacket, white shirt, tie, loosely (to suggest mellow or couldn’t [care]), black jeans, Docs. They had steel toe caps because who knows? Checked in the mirror, saw a battered undertaker’s assistant, the guy you keep in the background."
Wonderful tone, and fatalistic nuances surround Jack's self reflections.
I am just as fascinated as I always have been with this anti hero. Whimsy borders on tragedy. Great!
A NetGalley ARC
October 2, 2018
Jack is back. He’s bought an apartment. He has a new lady in his life and seems to be happy. The only little fly in the ointment is her obnoxious nine year old son Joffrey who gives Jack no end of trouble. But happiness and Jack don’t go together and he is still his old pill popping, drinking, ill humoured self. The book is full of dark humour and twists and turns with many characters out to get Jack. I like that Bruen puts in references to today’s news and has no trouble telling us how he feels about Trump. I am a Ken Bruen fan from way back and this book does not disappoint. He still has the gift of the old Irish gab.
Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review
Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review
November 7, 2018
This is the 13th outing for Jack Taylor, disgraced ex-Garda, heavy drinker, all round misanthrope with a heart of gold - or maybe butter. Now a private detective who gets results, usually by default. Set in Galway on the West coast of Ireland, this city on the edge of the sea before it starts rolling away to America, has much to recommend it as a location for crime fiction. A small city, with an excellent university, myriad bars and restaurants, and tourism an important part of its economy, it offers a wide choice of locations and possible characters for the resourceful writer.
This is my first ever Jack Taylor novel and while I am aware of the awards and praise earned by previous books in this series, there seemed to me to be an awful lot of stuff crammed into a plot that seldom seemed important to Mr Taylor, leaving the reader to ask, ‘Why should I care?’
As the book opens with the murder of two utterly obnoxious twins by a not-so-disabled man in a wheelchair. We then get the quote which seems to be the moto of this book, “The Irish can abide almost anything save silence.”
We next learn that Jack Taylor was happy. A new apartment courtesy of a deceased homicidal goth punk, a new girlfriend and a friendship with a nun – this is Ireland after all. One morning-ish while having his first coffee and Jay*, (Jamison’s) he is approached by the father of the murdered twins who wants him to find the person who killed his sons. So, as Sherlock was fond of muttering, the game was on. We now get over 300 pages of murders, kidnappings, aborted suicides, more murders, interspersed with references to current and historical events, like Trump’s latest atrocity or nuns dropping children’s bodies down a septic tank. There is also a sub-plot involving chess, but I never quite figured that one out.
Each (short) chapter is introduced or ended by a quote, some recognisably real some invented. These are I imagined there to alert us about the salient point of the chater to come or just finishing. I was never sure which. Bruen is also a fan of lists and wonky punctuation and so provides us with many and much...
There is a certain type of wanna-be intellectual that likes to be snotty about the fiction genre known as ‘Chick-lit’. Well, I now want to stake my claim as the inventor of the sobriquet, ‘Guy-lit.’ These can be identified by their fast-paced, short sentences, high-level of erudite trivia and a pervasive anti-modern civilisation, anti-church, anti-authority posturing. Reading one of these is like eating an entire box of Christmas chocolates in one or two sittings. Tasty going down but you wouldn’t want to do it again in a hurry.
As I’d never hear of him before, I looked Ken Bruen up on Wikepedia where he is described as an Irish writer of hard-boiled and noir crime fiction. I’m a Finn living in a Nordic country and lemme tell ya – this is not noir. Only on the last 50 or so pages does this book acquire any sense of danger, horror or real trauma. I’m sorry Mr Bruen 3***
This is my first ever Jack Taylor novel and while I am aware of the awards and praise earned by previous books in this series, there seemed to me to be an awful lot of stuff crammed into a plot that seldom seemed important to Mr Taylor, leaving the reader to ask, ‘Why should I care?’
As the book opens with the murder of two utterly obnoxious twins by a not-so-disabled man in a wheelchair. We then get the quote which seems to be the moto of this book, “The Irish can abide almost anything save silence.”
We next learn that Jack Taylor was happy. A new apartment courtesy of a deceased homicidal goth punk, a new girlfriend and a friendship with a nun – this is Ireland after all. One morning-ish while having his first coffee and Jay*, (Jamison’s) he is approached by the father of the murdered twins who wants him to find the person who killed his sons. So, as Sherlock was fond of muttering, the game was on. We now get over 300 pages of murders, kidnappings, aborted suicides, more murders, interspersed with references to current and historical events, like Trump’s latest atrocity or nuns dropping children’s bodies down a septic tank. There is also a sub-plot involving chess, but I never quite figured that one out.
Each (short) chapter is introduced or ended by a quote, some recognisably real some invented. These are I imagined there to alert us about the salient point of the chater to come or just finishing. I was never sure which. Bruen is also a fan of lists and wonky punctuation and so provides us with many and much...
There is a certain type of wanna-be intellectual that likes to be snotty about the fiction genre known as ‘Chick-lit’. Well, I now want to stake my claim as the inventor of the sobriquet, ‘Guy-lit.’ These can be identified by their fast-paced, short sentences, high-level of erudite trivia and a pervasive anti-modern civilisation, anti-church, anti-authority posturing. Reading one of these is like eating an entire box of Christmas chocolates in one or two sittings. Tasty going down but you wouldn’t want to do it again in a hurry.
As I’d never hear of him before, I looked Ken Bruen up on Wikepedia where he is described as an Irish writer of hard-boiled and noir crime fiction. I’m a Finn living in a Nordic country and lemme tell ya – this is not noir. Only on the last 50 or so pages does this book acquire any sense of danger, horror or real trauma. I’m sorry Mr Bruen 3***
June 11, 2018
I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with a digital copy of this book
This is my first read of a Ken Bruen novel (Jack Taylor series #13) so I must admit I am a bit of a neophyte when it comes to following Bruen’s style of storytelling. How it compares to other books within the series is for others to say, but for me it is a difficult novel to read. The discourse is rapid and choppy and at times difficult to follow.
Jack Taylor says he is happy, although his drinking and drug consumption have you wondering. So when Monsieur Renaud enters the bar and asks Jack to find out who killed his twin sons he refuses to take the job. Of course, as with any good detective, saying no is not that easy. This change of heart as well as the return of a girlfriend and then his ex-wife spins things out of control for Jack and many of the people close to him.
The story itself is interesting but morbid. The black humor and quick-witted insults serve to speed the book along, but for me they are also a distraction. Frequent and non-relevant references to worldwide current events will quickly date the book (at least I hope Trump is history very soon).
Having said this, once you are into the rhythm of Ken Bruen’s style of writing, this story is a unique and engaging read. It can be funny and yet heartbreaking. I recommend one give it a try and for the reason I score it 3/5.
This is my first read of a Ken Bruen novel (Jack Taylor series #13) so I must admit I am a bit of a neophyte when it comes to following Bruen’s style of storytelling. How it compares to other books within the series is for others to say, but for me it is a difficult novel to read. The discourse is rapid and choppy and at times difficult to follow.
Jack Taylor says he is happy, although his drinking and drug consumption have you wondering. So when Monsieur Renaud enters the bar and asks Jack to find out who killed his twin sons he refuses to take the job. Of course, as with any good detective, saying no is not that easy. This change of heart as well as the return of a girlfriend and then his ex-wife spins things out of control for Jack and many of the people close to him.
The story itself is interesting but morbid. The black humor and quick-witted insults serve to speed the book along, but for me they are also a distraction. Frequent and non-relevant references to worldwide current events will quickly date the book (at least I hope Trump is history very soon).
Having said this, once you are into the rhythm of Ken Bruen’s style of writing, this story is a unique and engaging read. It can be funny and yet heartbreaking. I recommend one give it a try and for the reason I score it 3/5.
August 17, 2018
Ken Bruen deserves his own category. Rather, Jack Taylor, his angst ridden, retired P.I. who has seemingly found stasis in his beloved Galway, defies cliched norms. While let's hope the events of Bruen's life don't coincide with those of Jack, I can't help but surmise that he shares with his alter ego the disgust with which he perceives the world of 2017. Beginning with revulsion at the current occupant of the White House, he notes with horror the unfolding of news from, among others, mass shootings at the concert in Manchester and the massacre in Las Vegas. But this being Ken Bruen, there is plenty at home to occupy Taylor mostly at the hands of a psycho-vigilante who seems teflon coated in his ability to escape retribution. Also, being a work by Ken Bruen, there is much black humor as well as pop cultural reference throughout. Very short, very quick, satisfying addition to this series.
January 12, 2019
Ken Bruen's 'In the Galway Silence' is the 19th book in the Jack Taylor series. It is as fresh a read as I could have hoped for. Considered an action packed mystery, it is truthfully its own genre, one that only could have been conceived and executed by Bruen, who holds a doctorate in metaphysics. If he had studied epistemology, I don't think the book would have been this good.
In case you're wondering, Jack still drinks way too much, has trouble with women, and has naughty surprises coming out of the woodwork from every angle. Ostensibly, he is hired to find out who murdered a man's two adult twin sons, disgusting creatures who probably deserved what they got. Jack goes to the site of the murders, a pier in Galway, and ends up jumping in the water to save a man who is trying to drown himself. The man is too grateful and becomes something of an albatross for Jack.
If you're looking for a page turning literary read that will have you guessing all the time and sometimes laughing out loud, this book is a good choice. My only complaint is it was a little too ADD for me, going in too many directions at too frantic a pace.
In case you're wondering, Jack still drinks way too much, has trouble with women, and has naughty surprises coming out of the woodwork from every angle. Ostensibly, he is hired to find out who murdered a man's two adult twin sons, disgusting creatures who probably deserved what they got. Jack goes to the site of the murders, a pier in Galway, and ends up jumping in the water to save a man who is trying to drown himself. The man is too grateful and becomes something of an albatross for Jack.
If you're looking for a page turning literary read that will have you guessing all the time and sometimes laughing out loud, this book is a good choice. My only complaint is it was a little too ADD for me, going in too many directions at too frantic a pace.
November 13, 2018
No one writes like Bruen. This is a one sitting book and as usual the worse possible thing(s) that can happen to Jack do. Honestly, I don't know how he get's up each day... and he has horrible taste/luck with women. Maybe Jack should leave Ireland for good ....
December 1, 2020
Came for the noir, stayed for the Eddie Bunker jokes...
September 14, 2019
All the reviews I've read for this book are very favorable and I admit I am perplexed. While I do like the occasional smatterings of Gaelic in the text and references to a tinker woman...
The story largely consists of lists of current events that are unrelated to anything else. There are also many references to chess... as if to imply that there is a complex game afoot, although there doesn't seem to be a real purpose to any of the mayhem. And, while the writing style of frequently using one word per line uses up a lot of pages, it doesn't end up saying very much, nor does it lend an air of poetry to the script.
In this story the protagonist is an alcoholic in that mean and obnoxious kind of way. He literally hates everyone and treats everyone like shit.
He seemed to do absolutely no investigative work, even though it is implied that he is some kind of a private eye. Instead, people who seem to mysteriously know him drop information in his lap while he is either coming down from or heading into another drunken stupor.
He loves no one. No one loves him.
No one is saved...literally everyone is either raped and/or dies and in the end (after there is no one left but himself) he picks a day, sits out front the bad guys house and shoots him.
Given how easy a target the guy ended up being...I wonder why didn't he do it days earlier.
After committing murder is he even questioned?...No. Apparently murderers get a free pass in Galway and only a drunken man with a gun can bring justice.
The story largely consists of lists of current events that are unrelated to anything else. There are also many references to chess... as if to imply that there is a complex game afoot, although there doesn't seem to be a real purpose to any of the mayhem. And, while the writing style of frequently using one word per line uses up a lot of pages, it doesn't end up saying very much, nor does it lend an air of poetry to the script.
In this story the protagonist is an alcoholic in that mean and obnoxious kind of way. He literally hates everyone and treats everyone like shit.
He seemed to do absolutely no investigative work, even though it is implied that he is some kind of a private eye. Instead, people who seem to mysteriously know him drop information in his lap while he is either coming down from or heading into another drunken stupor.
He loves no one. No one loves him.
No one is saved...literally everyone is either raped and/or dies and in the end (after there is no one left but himself) he picks a day, sits out front the bad guys house and shoots him.
Given how easy a target the guy ended up being...I wonder why didn't he do it days earlier.
After committing murder is he even questioned?...No. Apparently murderers get a free pass in Galway and only a drunken man with a gun can bring justice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews