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Turncoat
The sole survivor of a murderous ambush, a Belfast police detective is forced into a desperate search for a mysterious informer that takes him to a holy island on Lough Derg, a place shrouded in strange mists and hazy rain, where nothing is as it first appears to be.
A keeper of secrets and a purveyor of lies, the detective finds himself surrounded by enemies disguised as pilgrims, and is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the purgatorial island, where he is forced to confront a series of disturbing secrets and ghosts in his own life.
Haunting and unsettling, Turncoat is a story of guilt, survival, and the terrible price of self-knowledge, told through the voice of a detective with a double life. Descending into paranoia and self-doubt, he uncovers a sinister panorama of cover-ups and conspiracies. The closer he edges to the truth, the deeper he is drawn into the currents of power, violence and guilt engulfing his country . . .
A keeper of secrets and a purveyor of lies, the detective finds himself surrounded by enemies disguised as pilgrims, and is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the purgatorial island, where he is forced to confront a series of disturbing secrets and ghosts in his own life.
Haunting and unsettling, Turncoat is a story of guilt, survival, and the terrible price of self-knowledge, told through the voice of a detective with a double life. Descending into paranoia and self-doubt, he uncovers a sinister panorama of cover-ups and conspiracies. The closer he edges to the truth, the deeper he is drawn into the currents of power, violence and guilt engulfing his country . . .
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2020
10 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Quinn
10 books28 followersAnthony Quinn (b. 1971) is an Irish author and journalist. Born in Northern Ireland’s County Tyrone, Quinn majored in English at Queen’s University, Belfast. After college, he worked a number of jobs—social worker, organic gardener, yoga teacher—before finding work as a journalist.
His first novel DISAPPEARED was published by Otto Penzler's Mysterious Press in 2012, and was shortlisted for a Strand Literary Award, as judged by book critics from the LA Times, the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, CNN and the Guardian. It was also selected by Kirkus Reviews as one of the top ten thrillers of 2012.
BORDER ANGELS, the sequel, also features Inspector Celcius Daly and was published by Mysterious Press in 2013.
He has written short stories for years, winning critical acclaim and, twice, a place on the short list for the Hennessy Literary Awards for New Irish Writing. He also placed as runner-up in a Sunday Times food writing competition. He is represented by Paul Feldstein of the Feldstein Agency.
His first novel DISAPPEARED was published by Otto Penzler's Mysterious Press in 2012, and was shortlisted for a Strand Literary Award, as judged by book critics from the LA Times, the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, CNN and the Guardian. It was also selected by Kirkus Reviews as one of the top ten thrillers of 2012.
BORDER ANGELS, the sequel, also features Inspector Celcius Daly and was published by Mysterious Press in 2013.
He has written short stories for years, winning critical acclaim and, twice, a place on the short list for the Hennessy Literary Awards for New Irish Writing. He also placed as runner-up in a Sunday Times food writing competition. He is represented by Paul Feldstein of the Feldstein Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 29, 2020
Anthony J Quinn's literary historical mystery is set in Northern Ireland and Ireland of 1994, shot through with a creeping sense of dread and menace, a story of guilt, paranoia, survival, cover ups and conspiracies, where bombings and shootings are everyday life. There are religious divisions and compromised policing amidst the background of below the radar talks of ceasefire and peace between the British government and the IRA paramilitaries. Irish Detective Desmond Maguire is a Catholic in a Protestant force, an uneasy fit at best, an alcoholic rarely seen sober, with a rising reputation due to the excellent intel gathered from his handling of his IRA informer, Ruby.
Maguire's entire world collapses after a raid on an abandoned farmhouse in which 3 men in balaclavas with sub-machine guns shoot dead 3 members of his team, including a Special Branch officer, leaving him the sole survivor. Maguire knows he is in trouble, but he just cannot cope, unable to return to the police station, escaping the nightmare to a cafe where he finds himself front page headlines after being caught by McCabe, a journalist with whom he had a good relationship. However, McCabe turns on him, calling him a traitor, and the problem is that Maguire has little idea of what occurred and what is he is responsible for? Are his sins those of omission or commission?. After a brief meeting with his boss, Chief Inspector Pearson, he goes in search of Ruby, his informer, heading to the holy Station Island across the border, after receiving a torn up postcard. He finds himself on the prayer path on the island, reading espionage tales, trying to find a lost faith by following the example of the pilgrims, surrounded by enemies.
Quinn depicts the murky world of Irish espionage, the subterfuges, the betrayals, the secrets, the ambitions, the lies, the politics, and the unforgiving and shadowy world of the paramilitaries, make no mistake, there is a war on. Maguire seeks an informer that no-one else has seen, never recorded or questioned, he wants redemption, must face the truth of what he has done, confront his truths and secrets, truths others cannot afford to have told. This is atmospheric, compulsive and intelligent storytelling, disturbing and unsettling, of a period in Northern Irish history that I am grateful is over. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Oldcastle Books for an ARC.
Maguire's entire world collapses after a raid on an abandoned farmhouse in which 3 men in balaclavas with sub-machine guns shoot dead 3 members of his team, including a Special Branch officer, leaving him the sole survivor. Maguire knows he is in trouble, but he just cannot cope, unable to return to the police station, escaping the nightmare to a cafe where he finds himself front page headlines after being caught by McCabe, a journalist with whom he had a good relationship. However, McCabe turns on him, calling him a traitor, and the problem is that Maguire has little idea of what occurred and what is he is responsible for? Are his sins those of omission or commission?. After a brief meeting with his boss, Chief Inspector Pearson, he goes in search of Ruby, his informer, heading to the holy Station Island across the border, after receiving a torn up postcard. He finds himself on the prayer path on the island, reading espionage tales, trying to find a lost faith by following the example of the pilgrims, surrounded by enemies.
Quinn depicts the murky world of Irish espionage, the subterfuges, the betrayals, the secrets, the ambitions, the lies, the politics, and the unforgiving and shadowy world of the paramilitaries, make no mistake, there is a war on. Maguire seeks an informer that no-one else has seen, never recorded or questioned, he wants redemption, must face the truth of what he has done, confront his truths and secrets, truths others cannot afford to have told. This is atmospheric, compulsive and intelligent storytelling, disturbing and unsettling, of a period in Northern Irish history that I am grateful is over. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Oldcastle Books for an ARC.
November 27, 2020
Turncoat is a literary historical crime novel bathed in an intense mystery, swathed in the rich atmosphere and steeped in the convoluted chaos of early 90s Ireland. It's set in 1994 against the backdrop of the enduring ethno-nationalist conflict known as The Troubles, which continues to rage. This is a thriller that'll likely hit too close to home for some, and although I read many espionage and conflict-related stories e.g. WWII espionage, they usually feel far enough in the past to not be particularly uncomfortable. However, Turncoat, whilst it is historical, explores the real-world climate of Ireland less than 30 years ago and does so in such a terrifyingly authentic and realistic manner that I was blown away, yet it feels like yesterday. Quinn, being an Irishman, knows and understands this subject extensively in what is most aptly described as a fact meets fiction mystery with the backdrop of the Irish Troubles being the factual part Quinn uses as a foundation on which to build the fictional mystery. A compulsive, moving and palpably tense read from start to finish.
May 8, 2021
Yet again, I seem to be almost alone in my reaction to this book. Most of the reviewers on here seem to love it and have gained a great deal from reading it. Well, not me!
I found the book tedious. After the first half, I kept waiting for something momentous to happen, so I kept on reading. At the two-thirds mark, it was the same. I felt as if I was also walking around and around the same features, just as the main character was. Towards the end, a few things did happen, so at least I can add a star for that. Perhaps, as a non-religious English woman, I am missing some deeper meaning?
That must be it.
I found the book tedious. After the first half, I kept waiting for something momentous to happen, so I kept on reading. At the two-thirds mark, it was the same. I felt as if I was also walking around and around the same features, just as the main character was. Towards the end, a few things did happen, so at least I can add a star for that. Perhaps, as a non-religious English woman, I am missing some deeper meaning?
That must be it.
November 27, 2020
“Turncoat: A person who deserts one party or cause in order to join an opposing one”
The sole survivor of a murderous ambush, a Belfast police detective is forced into a desperate search for a mysterious informer that takes him to a holy island on Lough Derg, a place shrouded in strange mists and hazy rain, where nothing is as it first appears to be.
A keeper of secrets and a purveyor of lies, the detective finds himself surrounded by enemies disguised as pilgrims, and is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the purgatorial island, where he is forced to confront a series of disturbing secrets and ghosts in his own life.
I thought this story was mysterious, compelling and graphically violent…..I thought it was tremendous.
I grew up in a time when the trouble in Ireland were always on the news. It struck me how realistic this story actually was. The paranoia, suspicion and self doubt about you, even as a Police Officer, left you with not a leg to stand on especially once you read the opening scene.
The use of language to describe the landscape and thoughts the character was having were a joy to behold. It allowed me to be inside the head of the protagonist. Also it allowed me to visualise, hear and smell where the story was set. Now that is saying something! It really does explore the complexities of the human condition.
It was moving and difficult to read at tines. Not because it was a poor story, but because actually it is rather close to home. The writer has done a fantastic piece of work. I can absolutely see why he wins so much acclaim.
Yes it thrills and yes it twists, but at the same time it gives you pause to reflect.
Fantastic work and I absolutely recommend this to you.
Cheers
Ben
ChopperCrimeBooks
The sole survivor of a murderous ambush, a Belfast police detective is forced into a desperate search for a mysterious informer that takes him to a holy island on Lough Derg, a place shrouded in strange mists and hazy rain, where nothing is as it first appears to be.
A keeper of secrets and a purveyor of lies, the detective finds himself surrounded by enemies disguised as pilgrims, and is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the purgatorial island, where he is forced to confront a series of disturbing secrets and ghosts in his own life.
I thought this story was mysterious, compelling and graphically violent…..I thought it was tremendous.
I grew up in a time when the trouble in Ireland were always on the news. It struck me how realistic this story actually was. The paranoia, suspicion and self doubt about you, even as a Police Officer, left you with not a leg to stand on especially once you read the opening scene.
The use of language to describe the landscape and thoughts the character was having were a joy to behold. It allowed me to be inside the head of the protagonist. Also it allowed me to visualise, hear and smell where the story was set. Now that is saying something! It really does explore the complexities of the human condition.
It was moving and difficult to read at tines. Not because it was a poor story, but because actually it is rather close to home. The writer has done a fantastic piece of work. I can absolutely see why he wins so much acclaim.
Yes it thrills and yes it twists, but at the same time it gives you pause to reflect.
Fantastic work and I absolutely recommend this to you.
Cheers
Ben
ChopperCrimeBooks
June 8, 2021
Not sure what I was expecting from this. I didn't find it very engaging, rather turgid in fact. No real plot apart from interminable Catholic introspection on an island. A disappointment.
November 15, 2020
Turncoat – A metaphysical thriller,
Anthony J Quinn returns with a new crime thriller Turncoat, which he has called a metaphysical detective tale set during the Troubles. Northern Ireland and the times of the Troubles have provided a rich seam of writing for Quinn, and for some many be some uncomfortable reading. Whilst this may be a novel, it bounds along the truth of that time very closely, and sometimes fact is stranger than fiction.
Desmond Maguire is unusual for an RUC officer in that he is a Catholic in a predominately Protestant police service. Distrusted by his Protestant colleagues and seen as a collaborator with an occupying force by the Catholics, he really is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Life will get harder for him.
Maguire is the sole survivor of a murderous ambush, a Belfast police detective is forced into a desperate search for a mysterious informer that takes him to a holy island on Lough Derg, a place shrouded in strange mists and hazy rain, where nothing is as it first appears to be. An Ireland where his life may be in danger, the pilgrims do not trust, the priests do not trust him, and the police spies do not trust him. He knows he needs to find the truth and some how this holy island has the answers, he just needs to find them.
People will find Turncoat, haunting and unsettling, especially as you read the mental descent of Maguire into to paranoia. This is also a story of guilt, survival and the terrible price of self-knowledge, all through the voice of a detective with a double life. You feel that descent into self-doubt and questioning previous actions. What he discovers is sinister and the closer he is drawn in to the violence that surrounds that period of time.
Anthony J Quinn returns with a new crime thriller Turncoat, which he has called a metaphysical detective tale set during the Troubles. Northern Ireland and the times of the Troubles have provided a rich seam of writing for Quinn, and for some many be some uncomfortable reading. Whilst this may be a novel, it bounds along the truth of that time very closely, and sometimes fact is stranger than fiction.
Desmond Maguire is unusual for an RUC officer in that he is a Catholic in a predominately Protestant police service. Distrusted by his Protestant colleagues and seen as a collaborator with an occupying force by the Catholics, he really is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Life will get harder for him.
Maguire is the sole survivor of a murderous ambush, a Belfast police detective is forced into a desperate search for a mysterious informer that takes him to a holy island on Lough Derg, a place shrouded in strange mists and hazy rain, where nothing is as it first appears to be. An Ireland where his life may be in danger, the pilgrims do not trust, the priests do not trust him, and the police spies do not trust him. He knows he needs to find the truth and some how this holy island has the answers, he just needs to find them.
People will find Turncoat, haunting and unsettling, especially as you read the mental descent of Maguire into to paranoia. This is also a story of guilt, survival and the terrible price of self-knowledge, all through the voice of a detective with a double life. You feel that descent into self-doubt and questioning previous actions. What he discovers is sinister and the closer he is drawn in to the violence that surrounds that period of time.
March 30, 2025
I read a lot of negative reviews and dismissed them. I’ve loved many Irish books about the troubles and have loved them.
This book is unrelentingly on full drama all the time. There is no light and shade, ups and downs, so yhe drama became monotonous.
I felt completely alienated from the main character, actually all the characters, and I couldn’t find any level of engagement with the book.
This book is unrelentingly on full drama all the time. There is no light and shade, ups and downs, so yhe drama became monotonous.
I felt completely alienated from the main character, actually all the characters, and I couldn’t find any level of engagement with the book.
December 22, 2020
Became a bit purgatorial at times - but, still a good read.
November 23, 2020
This is a complex and difficult read, full of shadows and reality, once you’ll start reading you’ll never be the same. Ready?
I live in Ireland, I am not Irish and I don’t know much about the IRA conflict, but I am Catalan and I know a lot about ETA, the Basque country terrorist group. So, even if this is not the same story or landscape, I think I could understand the political tension that the author tried to convey to the reader, it’s a pressure that you can feel in the atmosphere, nothing tangible but always there.
I really don’t want to talk much about the plot; it’s based in 1994 and we have a detective, Desmond Maguire, who has been involved in a gunfire in a remote farm, he is the sole survivor and the one that led all the detectives to that spot, because his informant Ruby told them. Now, everyone wants to talk and question him; did he plan everything to kill his co-workers or was it a trap from IRA and Ruby? Why did they leave him alive? The only way he thinks he can answer the questions is by visiting the pilgrimage island Lough Derg, where he will make the traditional Three Day Pilgrimage: 24 hour vigil, the three day fast, and the nine Station Prayers performed in bare feet. As you can imagine, the days there will be full of paranoia, tension and half truths.
The real doubt in this story is if Desmond is a double agent or was used, the reader doesn’t really trust him or the “supposed” confident that helps him, because at the same time, Desmond doesn’t really believe it. So, what is really the truth?
Don’t expect a big revelation in the end, the possibilities are always there, playing with the reader’s mind, not knowing who to trust or what to believe. This book will remind you that in a terrorist group there are two parts, the arms and the political section, the part that you never see but is more dangerous than guns.
I would like to see this book in a movie, to get all the facts I had in my mind with a real version of it, but I wouldn’t change the ending, it’s not a perfect ending, but the one that fits with this story, dark and hunting.
Turncoat is possibly one of the best books I’ve read this year, try it, it will not disappoint you.
I live in Ireland, I am not Irish and I don’t know much about the IRA conflict, but I am Catalan and I know a lot about ETA, the Basque country terrorist group. So, even if this is not the same story or landscape, I think I could understand the political tension that the author tried to convey to the reader, it’s a pressure that you can feel in the atmosphere, nothing tangible but always there.
I really don’t want to talk much about the plot; it’s based in 1994 and we have a detective, Desmond Maguire, who has been involved in a gunfire in a remote farm, he is the sole survivor and the one that led all the detectives to that spot, because his informant Ruby told them. Now, everyone wants to talk and question him; did he plan everything to kill his co-workers or was it a trap from IRA and Ruby? Why did they leave him alive? The only way he thinks he can answer the questions is by visiting the pilgrimage island Lough Derg, where he will make the traditional Three Day Pilgrimage: 24 hour vigil, the three day fast, and the nine Station Prayers performed in bare feet. As you can imagine, the days there will be full of paranoia, tension and half truths.
The real doubt in this story is if Desmond is a double agent or was used, the reader doesn’t really trust him or the “supposed” confident that helps him, because at the same time, Desmond doesn’t really believe it. So, what is really the truth?
Don’t expect a big revelation in the end, the possibilities are always there, playing with the reader’s mind, not knowing who to trust or what to believe. This book will remind you that in a terrorist group there are two parts, the arms and the political section, the part that you never see but is more dangerous than guns.
I would like to see this book in a movie, to get all the facts I had in my mind with a real version of it, but I wouldn’t change the ending, it’s not a perfect ending, but the one that fits with this story, dark and hunting.
Turncoat is possibly one of the best books I’ve read this year, try it, it will not disappoint you.
November 20, 2020
Thanks to Random T Tours & No Exit Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book, it took me a little while to get into, but once I did it was great. It definitely picks up! This story is about alcoholic Detective Maguire. The story is set in Belfast. Detective Maguire is the only survivor of an ambush, presumably by the IRA. Things don’t add up, why wouldn’t they kill the detective? Why would they leave one man? He travels to Station Island to find his mysterious informer. If he can shed the light as to why he wasn’t killed. Station Island is a holy island so the detective has to blend in. He goes on a hunting journey of self discovery. He doesn’t know whether to trust anyone. If he’s just being paranoid or if people are out to get him. The closer he gets to the truth, the more danger he seems to be in...
Synopsis:
The sole survivor of a murderous ambush, a Belfast police detective is forced into a desperate search for a mysterious informer that takes him to a holy island on Lough Derg, a place shrouded in strange mists and hazy rain, where nothing is as it first appears to be.
A keeper of secrets and a purveyor of lies, the detective finds himself surrounded by enemies disguised as pilgrims, and is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the purgatorial island, where he is forced to confront a series of disturbing secrets and ghosts in his own life.
Haunting and unsettling, Turncoat is a story of guilt, survival and the terrible price of self-knowledge, told through the voice of a detective with a double life. Descending into paranoia and self-doubt, he uncovers a sinister panorama of cover-ups and conspiracies. The closer he edges to the truth, the deeper he is drawn into the currents of power, violence and guilt engulfing his country...
I enjoyed this book, it took me a little while to get into, but once I did it was great. It definitely picks up! This story is about alcoholic Detective Maguire. The story is set in Belfast. Detective Maguire is the only survivor of an ambush, presumably by the IRA. Things don’t add up, why wouldn’t they kill the detective? Why would they leave one man? He travels to Station Island to find his mysterious informer. If he can shed the light as to why he wasn’t killed. Station Island is a holy island so the detective has to blend in. He goes on a hunting journey of self discovery. He doesn’t know whether to trust anyone. If he’s just being paranoid or if people are out to get him. The closer he gets to the truth, the more danger he seems to be in...
Synopsis:
The sole survivor of a murderous ambush, a Belfast police detective is forced into a desperate search for a mysterious informer that takes him to a holy island on Lough Derg, a place shrouded in strange mists and hazy rain, where nothing is as it first appears to be.
A keeper of secrets and a purveyor of lies, the detective finds himself surrounded by enemies disguised as pilgrims, and is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the purgatorial island, where he is forced to confront a series of disturbing secrets and ghosts in his own life.
Haunting and unsettling, Turncoat is a story of guilt, survival and the terrible price of self-knowledge, told through the voice of a detective with a double life. Descending into paranoia and self-doubt, he uncovers a sinister panorama of cover-ups and conspiracies. The closer he edges to the truth, the deeper he is drawn into the currents of power, violence and guilt engulfing his country...
November 20, 2020
Northern Ireland, 1994, and it’s the tail-end of the Troubles, the long conflict winding down. But that doesn’t mean the violence is over and Detective Desmond Maguire is the sole survivor of a squad of police ambushed after a botched sting. The sting was set up on the word of an informant, known as Ruby, but Ruby has now disappeared. Knowing he’s under suspicion, Maguire goes in search of the informant, a pursuit that leads him to the island of Lough Derg and the community of pilgrims who call it home.
I really enjoy books set in Ireland during the Troubles as it’s a historical conflict that interests me. My family come from Ireland and as a current affairs journalist I worked on many stories that covered aspects of the conflict. A number of writers have set stories in the period, not least Adrian McKinty’s Sean Duffy series, Stuart Neville’s various titles, Anna Burns’ Milkman, David Keenan’s For The Good Times and Michael Hughes’ Country.
Turncoat doesn’t disappoint and is set to join the canon of really good novels that explore this conflict and its legacy. Like Adrian McKinty’s character Sean Duffy, the protagonist in this tale, Detective Desmond Maguire, is a Catholic in a still predominantly Protestant police force. Sectarianism remains an ugly fact of life in Northern Ireland (though not nearly as bad as in the past) and this is a factor that complicates Maguire’s efforts to prove his innocence.
Much of the novel takes place on Lough Derg and in some ways this novel reminded me of stories like The Wicker Man. Though this novel doesn’t deal with pagan sacrifices and other such supernatural phenomena, Maguire is an outsider in an isolated setting and amongst a community of believers.
This is a really good novel, very atmospheric, and highly recommended.
I really enjoy books set in Ireland during the Troubles as it’s a historical conflict that interests me. My family come from Ireland and as a current affairs journalist I worked on many stories that covered aspects of the conflict. A number of writers have set stories in the period, not least Adrian McKinty’s Sean Duffy series, Stuart Neville’s various titles, Anna Burns’ Milkman, David Keenan’s For The Good Times and Michael Hughes’ Country.
Turncoat doesn’t disappoint and is set to join the canon of really good novels that explore this conflict and its legacy. Like Adrian McKinty’s character Sean Duffy, the protagonist in this tale, Detective Desmond Maguire, is a Catholic in a still predominantly Protestant police force. Sectarianism remains an ugly fact of life in Northern Ireland (though not nearly as bad as in the past) and this is a factor that complicates Maguire’s efforts to prove his innocence.
Much of the novel takes place on Lough Derg and in some ways this novel reminded me of stories like The Wicker Man. Though this novel doesn’t deal with pagan sacrifices and other such supernatural phenomena, Maguire is an outsider in an isolated setting and amongst a community of believers.
This is a really good novel, very atmospheric, and highly recommended.
December 21, 2020
An Ireland at the tail end of the Troubles. A detective, the lone survivor of an ambush that massacred his team. Its 1994 and this historically based thriller is coated with shadows, secrets and conspiracies. The book takes you back to a recovering Ireland, where bombing and shootings had revanged the streets and nothing but shadows and guilt remain. It did take a little time to get into the swing of the writing but boy, once you did, it was a hauntingly lyrical thrill you didn’t want to put down. One that you can never forget.
The story itself follows a Detective Desmond Maguire, a sole survivor to a police tradegy. But questions are circling. He led them to the spot. Is it survivors guilt our main character is experiencing or something more menacing? Trust me, the book will have you psychoanalysing him, questioning the whole way through. But something dark is stirring in the shadows, a killer who’s plans are deadly.
My thoughts?
*I enjoyed the atmosphere Anthony J Quinn managed to present with his writing. It was dark, questionable and real. You got the goosebumps of something menacing stalking the pages, watching you with every word you read.
*The characters were real, flawed and human. Our main character the perfect example, a mixing pot of guilt and haunting memories.
*I found the book enjoyable, dark and lyrical. The author takes you to a wounded Ireland, a country trying to rebuild when it’s days are full of paranoia, tension and white lies. Its atmospheric writing leaves you questioning everything you know. It has so much drama and suspense, that it will leave you gasping for more.
*The only thing that lowered the score for me was the pace at the beginning of the book, it took a little longer to get in to but remember everyone’s different. And this book is meant to be read.
The story itself follows a Detective Desmond Maguire, a sole survivor to a police tradegy. But questions are circling. He led them to the spot. Is it survivors guilt our main character is experiencing or something more menacing? Trust me, the book will have you psychoanalysing him, questioning the whole way through. But something dark is stirring in the shadows, a killer who’s plans are deadly.
My thoughts?
*I enjoyed the atmosphere Anthony J Quinn managed to present with his writing. It was dark, questionable and real. You got the goosebumps of something menacing stalking the pages, watching you with every word you read.
*The characters were real, flawed and human. Our main character the perfect example, a mixing pot of guilt and haunting memories.
*I found the book enjoyable, dark and lyrical. The author takes you to a wounded Ireland, a country trying to rebuild when it’s days are full of paranoia, tension and white lies. Its atmospheric writing leaves you questioning everything you know. It has so much drama and suspense, that it will leave you gasping for more.
*The only thing that lowered the score for me was the pace at the beginning of the book, it took a little longer to get in to but remember everyone’s different. And this book is meant to be read.
December 2, 2020
Turncoat by Anthony J Quinn is a literary thriller set in 1994 in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Troubles are slowly winding down, but that does not mean there is no violence now, far from it. Detective Desmond Maguire is the only survivor from a sting went wrong. The biggest issue is, Maguire set up the sting on the word of an informant 'Ruby', and she has disappeared. Maguire knows the onus lies with him and he is under suspicion so he goes in search of Ruby. This leads him to the island of Lough Derg ad the pilgrims there that call it home.
The story really takes an unsettling turn when Maguire arrives on Lough Derg. The author using his writing to deftly weave an account of the paranoia that Maguire experiences there, being the outsider and treated with distrust.
It is not an easy, light read, but how could that be expected when the Irish Troubles are involved. This country has suffered for so long this book is only like the tip of an iceberg. A period of darkness for Ireland as whole, North and South. The issues of religion, corruption, mistrust and betrayal brought to the fore in this emotive and compelling book. One that I will remember for all the right reasons.
Thanks to Random Things Tours and No Exit Press for my copy of this intense book for me to give you my thoughts today.
The story really takes an unsettling turn when Maguire arrives on Lough Derg. The author using his writing to deftly weave an account of the paranoia that Maguire experiences there, being the outsider and treated with distrust.
It is not an easy, light read, but how could that be expected when the Irish Troubles are involved. This country has suffered for so long this book is only like the tip of an iceberg. A period of darkness for Ireland as whole, North and South. The issues of religion, corruption, mistrust and betrayal brought to the fore in this emotive and compelling book. One that I will remember for all the right reasons.
Thanks to Random Things Tours and No Exit Press for my copy of this intense book for me to give you my thoughts today.
April 2, 2025
This book is set on the Irish border in 1994, just a few years before the Good Friday agreement that ended most of the violence of 'the Troubles'. It starts with an IRA ambush of 4 policemen, and only one of them survives. The survivor is Desmond Maguire, a Catholic detective in the almost entirely Protestant RUC. He feels guilt and also puzzlement at his own survival. How did he survive the hail of bullets? Was it a deliberate set up by the IRA to let him survive and thus possibly create the impression he led his fellow detectives into a pre-arranged trap? In order to find answers to these questions he goes in search of an informant codenamed Ruby. This takes him to Station Island in Lough Derg, an ancient pilgrimage site. According to legend the entrance to Purgatory is located on the island. He undertakes the pilgrimage himself, but is constantly suspicious of other people on the island. Are they really pilgrims or have some been sent to keep a close watch on Maguire. If so, have they been sent by the RUC, the Garda, Special Branch or the IRA? The sense of paranoia is vividly conveyed, not least through the dark and gloomy descriptions of the island itself.
May 16, 2023
I picked this book up at the library - they had a section highlighting Northern Irish authors and thought it looked intriguing.
Growing up and currently living in Northern Ireland, ‘The Troubles’ are stilled talked about almost daily and references of them are still around. I liked reading of the perspective of a Catholic police officer in a service which was at that time almost all protestant.
However, the story got very ‘dry’. After an ambush, the officer sought refuge at a mysterious island for catholic pilgrims. The same story went on and on, with strange ‘voices’ and sightings that were never really explained. Maybe that was the point, but it seemed very strange. Some of the catholic references were lost on me too - but that is not the fault of the author.
It ended so abruptly. It’s like it ran out of story and just finished.
Really wanted to want to enjoy this book and support a local author, but this one wasn’t for me.
Growing up and currently living in Northern Ireland, ‘The Troubles’ are stilled talked about almost daily and references of them are still around. I liked reading of the perspective of a Catholic police officer in a service which was at that time almost all protestant.
However, the story got very ‘dry’. After an ambush, the officer sought refuge at a mysterious island for catholic pilgrims. The same story went on and on, with strange ‘voices’ and sightings that were never really explained. Maybe that was the point, but it seemed very strange. Some of the catholic references were lost on me too - but that is not the fault of the author.
It ended so abruptly. It’s like it ran out of story and just finished.
Really wanted to want to enjoy this book and support a local author, but this one wasn’t for me.
November 29, 2020
Anthony J. Quinn is on top form. He paints with a rich palette a narrative that will linger long in one's mind. There is a radiant beauty about his treatment of times past.
It is 1994, and in Belfast, Desmond Maguire is the only detective to survive a suspected IRA ambush. How did he survive it? He's a Catholic. Is he also a traitor?
He attempts to escape justice - from either side - by going on a three day pilgrimage to Station Island on Lough Derg. Here he will face his demons and an interrogation of his soul.
The author addresses many important issues connected with the Troubles in Ireland with honesty and integrity.
It is 1994, and in Belfast, Desmond Maguire is the only detective to survive a suspected IRA ambush. How did he survive it? He's a Catholic. Is he also a traitor?
He attempts to escape justice - from either side - by going on a three day pilgrimage to Station Island on Lough Derg. Here he will face his demons and an interrogation of his soul.
The author addresses many important issues connected with the Troubles in Ireland with honesty and integrity.
January 26, 2021
Set in Northern Ireland in 1994 this is a haunting and atmospheric book.
Detective Desmond Maguire is a Catholic officer in the mainly Protestant RUC bringing challenges in itself, as he is deemed an outsider by many of his colleagues.
He is under suspicion of collusion with the IRA as he is sole survivor of an attack, which puts him under severe pressures and stress , driving him to the edge.
The book is a slow starter but once you get into the story you are immersed fully.
Another great story by Anthony J Quinn.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.
4 Stars
Detective Desmond Maguire is a Catholic officer in the mainly Protestant RUC bringing challenges in itself, as he is deemed an outsider by many of his colleagues.
He is under suspicion of collusion with the IRA as he is sole survivor of an attack, which puts him under severe pressures and stress , driving him to the edge.
The book is a slow starter but once you get into the story you are immersed fully.
Another great story by Anthony J Quinn.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.
4 Stars
January 4, 2021
In 1994 a Catholic detective in the RUC survives a covet operation where his colleagues are murdered. There are questions to be answered especially with regards his informer Ruby. To find answers Maguire heads to Lough Derg a Christian Pilgrimage place since the 5th century. The paranoia experienced by Maguire, exacerbated by alcohol, is shrouded in the atmospheric rituals and inclement weather conditions. The novel occurs when peace talks are close to a ceasefire and is evocative of that time. Who can be trusted and how will Maguire survive? A great read.
February 5, 2021
Turncoat - Anthony J Quinn - 5 02 21 - ok 19
Belfast detective is only survivor of ambushed operation he set up because of insider information. The press are on to him; his boss wants to know about the informer; he wants to know why he was set up. And he's an alcoholic. So he goes to do a weekend catholic suffering pilgrimage. Maybe that's a good place to hide -seemed a bit contrived to me. Dialogue is written well but not the book for me - I found the plot somewhat frustrating & rambling & its not a good sign when you find yourself checking to see how long it will take to finish.
Belfast detective is only survivor of ambushed operation he set up because of insider information. The press are on to him; his boss wants to know about the informer; he wants to know why he was set up. And he's an alcoholic. So he goes to do a weekend catholic suffering pilgrimage. Maybe that's a good place to hide -seemed a bit contrived to me. Dialogue is written well but not the book for me - I found the plot somewhat frustrating & rambling & its not a good sign when you find yourself checking to see how long it will take to finish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2020
Turncoat by Anthony J. Quinn is a literary thriller set in both Ireland and Northern Ireland in 1994, and focuses on Detective Desmond Maguire.
After a botched sting leaves Maguire the sole survivor of a team of 4, Eyes are cast on Maguire as his character is called into question. Maguire set up the sting on the word of an informant known as Ruby.
Knowing he faces dire consequences, Maguire sets about finding his informant which leads him to the island of Lough Derg. An island of pilgrims , an island of penance and purgatory.
This deeply powerful, unsettling and haunting novel really comes into its own when Maguire reaches the island as Anthony J. Quinn masterfully writes a tale of paranoia and delves deep into the troubled human psyche.
This novel is an immersive and often darkly upsetting read, as the time of the troubles, the IRA and the consequences on the people are laid bare.
Corruption, Religion, Politics, Betrayal and Mistrust, this is a strong and moving book.
Intensely Compelling, For the serious crime reader, this is a highly Recommended and quite absorbing piece of writing.
After a botched sting leaves Maguire the sole survivor of a team of 4, Eyes are cast on Maguire as his character is called into question. Maguire set up the sting on the word of an informant known as Ruby.
Knowing he faces dire consequences, Maguire sets about finding his informant which leads him to the island of Lough Derg. An island of pilgrims , an island of penance and purgatory.
This deeply powerful, unsettling and haunting novel really comes into its own when Maguire reaches the island as Anthony J. Quinn masterfully writes a tale of paranoia and delves deep into the troubled human psyche.
This novel is an immersive and often darkly upsetting read, as the time of the troubles, the IRA and the consequences on the people are laid bare.
Corruption, Religion, Politics, Betrayal and Mistrust, this is a strong and moving book.
Intensely Compelling, For the serious crime reader, this is a highly Recommended and quite absorbing piece of writing.
August 16, 2021
A terrific slice of 'Northern Noir'. A Catholic police detective, Maguire is forced to seek out his informer on the remote pilgrimage island Lough Derg having survived a stakeout where several of his colleagues were murdered. He needs to discover what went wrong in order to save his reputation and career.
Lough Derg and Belfast during the Troubles are wonderful locations for this dark psychological thriller. Quinn keeps you guessing throughout this tense, nervy novel. It is hard to know who to trust as paranoia seeps off every page. It also asks deeper questions about the legacy of the Troubles. It by no means paints a rosy picture of the Police forces north and south of the border. There are wonderful set pieces that reminded me of Nick Roeg's 'Don't Look Now'.
An excellent dark, psychological thriller. 3.5*
Lough Derg and Belfast during the Troubles are wonderful locations for this dark psychological thriller. Quinn keeps you guessing throughout this tense, nervy novel. It is hard to know who to trust as paranoia seeps off every page. It also asks deeper questions about the legacy of the Troubles. It by no means paints a rosy picture of the Police forces north and south of the border. There are wonderful set pieces that reminded me of Nick Roeg's 'Don't Look Now'.
An excellent dark, psychological thriller. 3.5*
January 6, 2022
Painfully dull.
May 6, 2023
Bad ending!
April 2, 2024
My author beginning with Q and an interesting story about the police in Northern Ireland as the IRA are looking for a political solution. Who is the informer Ruby?
October 2, 2024
Self-indulgent, boys own tripe. What is the point of this?
June 16, 2025
good story bit long winded at the end
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2020
Have thoroughly enjoyed Anthony J. Quinn’s previous books so was keen as mustard to read Turncoat, his latest thriller. With an overarching sense of unease and threat permeating the book from the very outset, this was undoubtedly one of the darkest books I have read as well as providing much food for thought…
With the majority of the book taking place on Station Island in Lough Derg, a site where pilgrims enter a state of “internal wilderness, determined to save their souls and find salvation,” traversing the island endlessly barefoot, praying and fasting, which had earned the island the dubious accolade of being “one of the most lonely and frightful places in the known world.” Grim does not even begin to cover it, and Quinn doesn’t hold back in totally immersing us in this dark, sinister and frankly utterly creepy locale. His sense of atmosphere and place is absolutely superb as he cleverly entrenches us in this hostile landscape with his razor sharp descriptions of not only the terrain, but how this begins to stealthily impact on the mental and physical being of the central character Detective Desmond Maguire. Quinn skilfully draws on psychogeography as the hostile environment and climate seeps under the skin of Maguire, who let’s face it, is already undergoing a fair amount of mental torment due to events leading up to this unforced exile, and stealthily begins to permeate both his conscience and consciousness of his actions. It’s brilliantly done, and the sense of tension and threat resonates throughout, as Maguire begins to wrestle with his inner demons.
Maguire is a mercurial and tormented man, pivoting between state of anger, anguish, denial and despair, on the trail of a mysterious informer, who will hopefully exonerate Maguire from claims against him of coercion and betrayal. Firmly rooted within Ireland pre-peace process, Maguire is a Catholic officer within the RUC which brings its own dangers and suspicion, and the perceived wisdom that he is somehow colluding with the IRA adds to stress and tension that plays out in his character throughout the book. He is full of self-pity and feelings of guilt and anger, and it would be easy to have him labelled as a lost cause, but every so often we gain little insights into the man he could be, and wants to be, above the slightly murky perception we have of him, and he of himself. As he throws himself into his own wilderness, it is interesting to see these slight shifts and changes in his character, and Quinn integrates these incredibly well indeed right up until the heated and violent conclusion to the book.
Quinn undoubtedly keeps us firmly rooted in the politics and violence synonymous with this period in Ireland, and balances the book between the violence and suspicion of the Troubles, the hope of a lasting peace still a stone’s throw away, and interweaving the grip of religion on all sides for good or bad. I found the religious aspect of the book played out in the pilgrim’s actions on Station Island incredibly hard to comprehend, and was intrigued as to why these seemingly normal people would want to put themselves through this excruciating and metaphysical experience. I did find it utterly fascinating though, on a psychological level, that this strength of belief would compel them to enter this purgatorial state in the hope of some kind of redemption, much the same as we believe Maguire to be seeking. Adding this to Quinn’s astute rendition of atmosphere and place, and the unsettling and changeable character of Maguire himself, Turncoat was both compelling and gripping, full of subterfuge, blind alleys and, as it says in the synopsis, where nothing, and no-one, is as they first appear. Highly recommended.
With the majority of the book taking place on Station Island in Lough Derg, a site where pilgrims enter a state of “internal wilderness, determined to save their souls and find salvation,” traversing the island endlessly barefoot, praying and fasting, which had earned the island the dubious accolade of being “one of the most lonely and frightful places in the known world.” Grim does not even begin to cover it, and Quinn doesn’t hold back in totally immersing us in this dark, sinister and frankly utterly creepy locale. His sense of atmosphere and place is absolutely superb as he cleverly entrenches us in this hostile landscape with his razor sharp descriptions of not only the terrain, but how this begins to stealthily impact on the mental and physical being of the central character Detective Desmond Maguire. Quinn skilfully draws on psychogeography as the hostile environment and climate seeps under the skin of Maguire, who let’s face it, is already undergoing a fair amount of mental torment due to events leading up to this unforced exile, and stealthily begins to permeate both his conscience and consciousness of his actions. It’s brilliantly done, and the sense of tension and threat resonates throughout, as Maguire begins to wrestle with his inner demons.
Maguire is a mercurial and tormented man, pivoting between state of anger, anguish, denial and despair, on the trail of a mysterious informer, who will hopefully exonerate Maguire from claims against him of coercion and betrayal. Firmly rooted within Ireland pre-peace process, Maguire is a Catholic officer within the RUC which brings its own dangers and suspicion, and the perceived wisdom that he is somehow colluding with the IRA adds to stress and tension that plays out in his character throughout the book. He is full of self-pity and feelings of guilt and anger, and it would be easy to have him labelled as a lost cause, but every so often we gain little insights into the man he could be, and wants to be, above the slightly murky perception we have of him, and he of himself. As he throws himself into his own wilderness, it is interesting to see these slight shifts and changes in his character, and Quinn integrates these incredibly well indeed right up until the heated and violent conclusion to the book.
Quinn undoubtedly keeps us firmly rooted in the politics and violence synonymous with this period in Ireland, and balances the book between the violence and suspicion of the Troubles, the hope of a lasting peace still a stone’s throw away, and interweaving the grip of religion on all sides for good or bad. I found the religious aspect of the book played out in the pilgrim’s actions on Station Island incredibly hard to comprehend, and was intrigued as to why these seemingly normal people would want to put themselves through this excruciating and metaphysical experience. I did find it utterly fascinating though, on a psychological level, that this strength of belief would compel them to enter this purgatorial state in the hope of some kind of redemption, much the same as we believe Maguire to be seeking. Adding this to Quinn’s astute rendition of atmosphere and place, and the unsettling and changeable character of Maguire himself, Turncoat was both compelling and gripping, full of subterfuge, blind alleys and, as it says in the synopsis, where nothing, and no-one, is as they first appear. Highly recommended.
February 26, 2022
A strange tale of the sole survivor of a terroristic ambush. A high functioning alcoholic he follows a lead to an island on Lough Derg to pursue a pilgrimage of fasting, prayer, penitence and sleep deprivation (with 3 bottles of vodka and lashings of poteen). Police, clerics, etc all twist and turn, there were more hidden rowing boats than you could shake a stick at. In the end, I just couldn’t empathise.
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