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Call Him Mine #1
Der erste Tote: Thriller
Mexiko, heute. Die beiden Journalisten Andrew und Carlos sollen eigentlich nur ein Routinestück über die Ölindustrie in Poza Rica, Veracruz, machen, wo ein amerikanischer Konzern groß einsteigt. Zufällig finden sie die furchtbar verstümmelte Leiche eines jungen Umweltaktivisten, Julían Gallardo. Während Carlos noch fotografiert, trifft die Guardia Civil ein und scheucht beide aus der Stadt. Trotz massiver Drohungen stellen die beiden weitere Nachforschungen an, bevor sie nach Mexico City zurückkehren. Als Carlos dort umgebracht wird, flieht Andrew außer Landes. Aber der Tod von Carlos, der nicht nur sein Kollege und Freund war, sondern auch sein Lover, lässt ihn nicht los. Er kehrt nach Poza Rica zurück und recherchiert die Geschichte von Julían Gallardo und bringt damit nicht nur Polizei, Militär und Kartelle gegen sich auf ...
274 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
November 20, 2025
In Spanish, the verb esperar, it means ‘to hope’, ‘to wait’, and ‘to expect’. Which one you meant, I didn’t know, but I guessed it was maybe all three.
On my blog.
CWs: graphic descriptions of violence, death, mentions of drug addiction, drug abuse
Galley provided by publisher
How many reviews do I start with I don’t know what to say? Well, here’s another one for you! I really enjoyed this book, but do I know why? Nope, no such luck!
Call Him Mine is a kind of thriller, but about journalism, and what happens when a journalist and his photographer boyfriend stumble into a big conspiracy. After Carlos is murdered as a result of his investigations, Andrew vows to bring down those behind his death.
This book is one of those ones that grows on you, but you don’t realise quite how much until you’re almost crying over a scene two thirds of the way through (this is not an exaggeration). Because in a way, it’s about grief, and coming to terms with that grief (even if the actual coming to terms bit in this is less generalisable). But that grief is a kind of quiet underlying motif. Which is kind of what I loved about this book. It’s a story with action but with those quiet threads of something more throughout as well.
But while it is a grower as a book, it also does hook you from early on. It opens with a bang and doesn’t let up the whole time. You find yourself constantly on edge about what’s going to happen next, and hoping the whole time that nothing bad happens to Andrew.
And then, when you’re done, what you’re left with is that kind of hollowness that comes from having had your feelings wrecked by a good book.
February 5, 2023
welcome to 202-Queer 🌈✨
50 in February. 7/50
finally some good fucking food.
after several mediocre reads back to back this book finally delivered.
part thriller, part investigative journalism, part devastating love story - it grips you from the first page and doesn't let you go. the fantastic audio narration also certainly does its part.
sole criticism: the exploration of the relationship between Andrew and Carlos could have been a bit deeper
50 in February. 7/50
finally some good fucking food.
after several mediocre reads back to back this book finally delivered.
part thriller, part investigative journalism, part devastating love story - it grips you from the first page and doesn't let you go. the fantastic audio narration also certainly does its part.
sole criticism: the exploration of the relationship between Andrew and Carlos could have been a bit deeper
March 15, 2020
I received this book from the publishers/author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Andrew is an Irish journalist living and working in Mexico City when he and his photographer boyfriend stumble across the body of a person brutally murdered by a cartel. When Andrew's boyfriend Carlos asks too many questions about the body, he is also killed. Now Andrew is faced with a dilemma - turn the other way or begin to probe into the killings which lead back to oil fields, big corporate boardrooms, and a lot of people who have been silenced in terrible ways.
This is a fantastically told story, and something unlike anything I have read before, and I cannot recommend this book enough!
The atmosphere and setting of this book is superb, and I really feel like Mexico City became alive for me while I was reading it, as well as other parts of South America Andrew visits in the novel. The danger towards Andrew and others in his field is clearly stated several times throughout the story, and we see it physically affect Andrew at times, but also shown is the vibrancy of the city and culture and the adrenaline rush that comes with a great story told that is why Andrew lives and breathes Mexico City instead of his Dublin hometown.
You can definitely tell while reading this book, that Tim MacGabhann knows what he was writing about, and has an amazing knowledge of the types of goings-on he is reporting about in the book - the corrupt police force, drug cartels and all those affected by it. His author note at the end of the story is a really good addition, and I would definitely urge people to read it once finished as you learn about where he got inspiration for this story which isn't 100% fictional.
I loved this book, and can't wait to see what Tim MacGabhann writes next. I think the character of Andrew was beautifully portrayed and I was just so sucked into this story - even when it was a little bit scary, and fairly brutal and gruesome at others times.
Andrew is an Irish journalist living and working in Mexico City when he and his photographer boyfriend stumble across the body of a person brutally murdered by a cartel. When Andrew's boyfriend Carlos asks too many questions about the body, he is also killed. Now Andrew is faced with a dilemma - turn the other way or begin to probe into the killings which lead back to oil fields, big corporate boardrooms, and a lot of people who have been silenced in terrible ways.
This is a fantastically told story, and something unlike anything I have read before, and I cannot recommend this book enough!
The atmosphere and setting of this book is superb, and I really feel like Mexico City became alive for me while I was reading it, as well as other parts of South America Andrew visits in the novel. The danger towards Andrew and others in his field is clearly stated several times throughout the story, and we see it physically affect Andrew at times, but also shown is the vibrancy of the city and culture and the adrenaline rush that comes with a great story told that is why Andrew lives and breathes Mexico City instead of his Dublin hometown.
You can definitely tell while reading this book, that Tim MacGabhann knows what he was writing about, and has an amazing knowledge of the types of goings-on he is reporting about in the book - the corrupt police force, drug cartels and all those affected by it. His author note at the end of the story is a really good addition, and I would definitely urge people to read it once finished as you learn about where he got inspiration for this story which isn't 100% fictional.
I loved this book, and can't wait to see what Tim MacGabhann writes next. I think the character of Andrew was beautifully portrayed and I was just so sucked into this story - even when it was a little bit scary, and fairly brutal and gruesome at others times.
August 6, 2019
Well this was rather fab. It begins with Andrew, an Irish journalist living in Mexico, and his photojournalist boyfriend Carlos finding a mutilated corpse in an alleyway on their way home from Poza Rica, one time oil capital of Mexico to their home in Mexico City. From this gruesome discovery the story soon escalates to more violence and death and the gradual uncovering of a plot involving connections between US and Mexican businesses, corrupt police and death squads. The writing is at times tense and thrilling, the situations Andrew finds himself in are nerve-jarringly worrying, accompanied by moments of romance and light relief. And there's a grumpy cat too.
Needless to say I didn't notice the glossary of phrases until they had all appeared, and there is a revealing section after the novel ends telling the truth behind the fiction. A great first novel by an author who I will be looking out for again, and recommended if you like your crime or thriller to reveal an aspect of the underworld that is not run-of-the-mill.
Needless to say I didn't notice the glossary of phrases until they had all appeared, and there is a revealing section after the novel ends telling the truth behind the fiction. A great first novel by an author who I will be looking out for again, and recommended if you like your crime or thriller to reveal an aspect of the underworld that is not run-of-the-mill.
June 11, 2020
This was excellent. A thoroughly enjoyable literary crime novel.
An Irish journalist in Mexico City gets drawn into the brutal world of drugs, oil and corruption after his boyfriend is murdered for turning over one stone too many.
There are echos of many great novelists in this very fine debut. Just a few who came to mind while reading were Don Winslow, Lawrence Osborne, Charles Portis and even, at times, Roberto Bolano.
MacGabhann writes with clear insight both into the workings of Mexican power structures and the complicated role of foreign journalists - he is himself a journalist working in the area. The prose snaps, the story goes along at a fair clip and there's a trippy, contemporary feel about the whole thing.
Really high quality novel. I'll definitely be looking out for more of his work in the future.
An Irish journalist in Mexico City gets drawn into the brutal world of drugs, oil and corruption after his boyfriend is murdered for turning over one stone too many.
There are echos of many great novelists in this very fine debut. Just a few who came to mind while reading were Don Winslow, Lawrence Osborne, Charles Portis and even, at times, Roberto Bolano.
MacGabhann writes with clear insight both into the workings of Mexican power structures and the complicated role of foreign journalists - he is himself a journalist working in the area. The prose snaps, the story goes along at a fair clip and there's a trippy, contemporary feel about the whole thing.
Really high quality novel. I'll definitely be looking out for more of his work in the future.
July 10, 2019
Like Tim MacGabham, I too am a UEA alumnus, which meant I was curious to see what this author had created. And I was not disappointed.
This heartfelt, intelligent and fast-paced thriller left me breathless with every page. I adored the fact that at the centre of this book filled with violence, crime, death and destruction there was a queer love story. Where do you ever see that in mainstream crime literature?
I was very impressed with this novel. it not only told an epic entertaining story which is only half fiction but with a lyrical flow to the writing that left me unable to put this book down. I really feel here we have another book that is going to be sticking around on the shelves for a while and I cannot wait to see what PR Hachette have got lined up for this excellent novel.
This heartfelt, intelligent and fast-paced thriller left me breathless with every page. I adored the fact that at the centre of this book filled with violence, crime, death and destruction there was a queer love story. Where do you ever see that in mainstream crime literature?
I was very impressed with this novel. it not only told an epic entertaining story which is only half fiction but with a lyrical flow to the writing that left me unable to put this book down. I really feel here we have another book that is going to be sticking around on the shelves for a while and I cannot wait to see what PR Hachette have got lined up for this excellent novel.
September 16, 2019
A real page-turner, drug war thriller. Worth reading if you're a fan of sicario or narcos
September 4, 2020
"Call me a romantic, but I happen to believe that the presence of Pierce news cameras was what stopped certain East German border guards from opening fire in 1989. We helped take down that wall."
Cartels and corporate crime in Latin America.
This was p. good. Another one from the Stinging Fly crew. Set mostly in Mexico it follows a journalist who falls deeper into the violence surrounding American oil extracting companies following the murder of his partner. Doesn't shy away from the violence or the corporate cover ups.
Leans a little too far into a narrative of journalism as an honourable profession for my taste, but this carries a little more weight perhaps in an environment where they are regular murdered.
Cartels and corporate crime in Latin America.
This was p. good. Another one from the Stinging Fly crew. Set mostly in Mexico it follows a journalist who falls deeper into the violence surrounding American oil extracting companies following the murder of his partner. Doesn't shy away from the violence or the corporate cover ups.
Leans a little too far into a narrative of journalism as an honourable profession for my taste, but this carries a little more weight perhaps in an environment where they are regular murdered.
July 22, 2019
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book is a LGBT thriller set against the backdrop of Mexico's drug and oil trades. I didn't particularly enjoy this book but I don't know why, it was just a bit meh. For me, it was a slow burner and didn't really hook me in at any particular point.
The book is a LGBT thriller set against the backdrop of Mexico's drug and oil trades. I didn't particularly enjoy this book but I don't know why, it was just a bit meh. For me, it was a slow burner and didn't really hook me in at any particular point.
March 6, 2021
Hard to know what to say about this one – an intriguing and well-paced setup, but I felt let down by the second half. Overall a vibrant, visceral and chilling love story, laced with revenge.
July 6, 2022
3.5 stars. Call Him Mine is a gritty, visceral thriller about corruption, grief, and revenge. I really liked the lyrical prose and the immediacy so you feel like you're right in the middle of the action. The story is told from a journalistic perspective so Andrew is chasing a story, meeting with sources, and trying to avoid being targeted by crime groups that may or may not be working with the police. It has a bleak illustration of people's lives and the brutal violence that's inflicted on them. There are scenes that actually had my heart pounding!
This book would’ve been depressing if not for Andrew's affable demeanour and sense of humour. His friendship with his colleague Maya is a bright spot. The story takes a baffling turn in the last third though when Andrew gets involved with a new man. I found it awkward and hard to believe because it’s only been two weeks since Carlos died. I also think the ending is abrupt with questions left remaining. But I would still recommend this because I enjoyed it for the most part!
CW: graphic violence
book blog | twitter | instagram
This book would’ve been depressing if not for Andrew's affable demeanour and sense of humour. His friendship with his colleague Maya is a bright spot. The story takes a baffling turn in the last third though when Andrew gets involved with a new man. I found it awkward and hard to believe because it’s only been two weeks since Carlos died. I also think the ending is abrupt with questions left remaining. But I would still recommend this because I enjoyed it for the most part!
CW: graphic violence
book blog | twitter | instagram
June 22, 2019
Wow, what an amazing debut from Tim MacGabhann. Set against the backdrop of Mexico’s drugs cartels, corrupt politics and police, and the powerful oil industry this novel grabs you from the first page. It is gritty, violent, sometimes funny and often tragic.
Journalist, Andrew and his lover Carlos, a photographer, come across the body of a young man, who, they later discover, is a student activist involved in protests against the corruption rife in the country which is bringing misery and death to the Mexican population. As they observe and photograph the body the police arrive to take it away. Whilst Andrew wants to walk away, Carlos wants answers and is murdered. Grief stricken, Andrew begins to delve deeper into the web of immorality and dishonesty which leads from local politics to the manipulation of the economy by businesses in the USA. He has to decide how far he will go to uncover Carlos’ killers.
This is powerful and poetic writing which evokes a tangible sense of Mexico and its environment. The characters are really well developed and the sense of injustice leaps from the page. Whilst this is fiction it is clearly based on the true nature of power and authority, money and control which affects the everyday life of many Mexicans. It is an unflinching indictment of aspects of Mexican society.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Journalist, Andrew and his lover Carlos, a photographer, come across the body of a young man, who, they later discover, is a student activist involved in protests against the corruption rife in the country which is bringing misery and death to the Mexican population. As they observe and photograph the body the police arrive to take it away. Whilst Andrew wants to walk away, Carlos wants answers and is murdered. Grief stricken, Andrew begins to delve deeper into the web of immorality and dishonesty which leads from local politics to the manipulation of the economy by businesses in the USA. He has to decide how far he will go to uncover Carlos’ killers.
This is powerful and poetic writing which evokes a tangible sense of Mexico and its environment. The characters are really well developed and the sense of injustice leaps from the page. Whilst this is fiction it is clearly based on the true nature of power and authority, money and control which affects the everyday life of many Mexicans. It is an unflinching indictment of aspects of Mexican society.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2023
As I realised this white Irish author had had interest in current Mexican culture to write a whole novel about narcos, gay love, the state of Veracruz (where my hometown is), and Mexico City (where I live), the whole thing aroused my curiousity enough to buy the book and take a look at his seemingly "intercultural" pastiche. And I couldn‘t have rued it more.
What I was in front of was a stylistic mess full of racism, classism, prejudice, and, I would even dare to say, homophobia. I lost count of how many times the narrator (a white European journalist covering the subject of drug cartels in Mexico) mentions the poor quality of clothes Mexican wear, although it never had anything to do with the plot, not to mention the multiple times he tries to explain how Mexicans understand life and death. I think this is the very first gay novel I read in which not one single sexual approach occurs during the whole story. The ending is one of the worst decisions I've read maybe in my whole life. I got into this book because I thought I would find some interesting stuff about interculture and I wound up confirming the lot of blind white privilege in pseudo-literature.
What I was in front of was a stylistic mess full of racism, classism, prejudice, and, I would even dare to say, homophobia. I lost count of how many times the narrator (a white European journalist covering the subject of drug cartels in Mexico) mentions the poor quality of clothes Mexican wear, although it never had anything to do with the plot, not to mention the multiple times he tries to explain how Mexicans understand life and death. I think this is the very first gay novel I read in which not one single sexual approach occurs during the whole story. The ending is one of the worst decisions I've read maybe in my whole life. I got into this book because I thought I would find some interesting stuff about interculture and I wound up confirming the lot of blind white privilege in pseudo-literature.
July 16, 2020
Read this last year and it has really stuck with me. Vividly written, engrossing thriller that really dunks you into the tense, ominous story line while painting a picture of a country that goes beyond the stereotypes that typically dominate when these subjects are fictionalised.
January 26, 2023
After a string of books with mellow pacing, set in an everyday world, I was looking for something a little different. I feel rarely drawn to thrillers and pretty much never to hard-boiled content, but a gay lead can sway me. Plus, I was curious to learn a thing or two about Mexico.
Judging by the cover alone this novel would be on the gritty side, and yet I was not prepared for the gruesome, gory images put in my head right at the very beginning. Given the context, however, this kind of content made sense, in fact, it was pretty much unavoidable to get certain points across. The daunting nature of the subject matter took me a little getting used to as well as the writing style. Clearly MacGabhann put a lot of thought and effort into the writing - at the same time it somehow lacked a rhythm that smoothly pulls you in. In an interview the author said that his use of language has been influenced by his 8+ years of living in Mexico which might explain a subtly uncommon cadence. He also stated that he was trying to avoid sentences that started with 'I' - certainly unusual given this is a first person narrative. I found myself simultaneously drawn in and put off and even considered abandoning the book around the 60 page mark. Ultimately though my curiosity how all of this would unfold got the better of me. So I persisted.
As far as setting is concerned Mexico made for a welcome change of scenery. The subject matter is interesting, albeit harrowing and based on true events. It illustrates the effect of pervasive violence on people and sheds light on the destructive collaboration of crime, big business (in this case oil) and politics. As a quasi-journalistic piece this worked well and shedding light on these things is important and commendable. I did gain knowledge and was inspired to do further research oncerning Central and South America. I found myself particularly curious about the history and how the current political situation did come about.
The novel is primarily plot driven and medium-paced. It did fall short in the department of character development. Andrew remains rather two-dimensional. We learn that he smokes pretty much all the time, survives on coffee and donuts and has issues dealing with grief. Only bit by bit we gain some sparse insight on his background and former struggles with alcoholism and as to why he turned his back on Ireland to become a journalist in Mexico. Some of the gaps are filled in by an interesting afterword by the author - proving that there would have been enough meat to provide Andrew with more profile. His sort of kind of sidekick, Maya, gets considerable screen-time and I did like the mere fact that Andrew had a female buddy - yet she remains pretty pale. I don't have to necessarly like the protagonists, but I prefer them to be more intriguing. Andrew proved to be most palpable as a human being when he was scared for his life. Those were perhaps my favorite scenes.
Lastly, as this features a gay main character, it should be said that this is not a book that offers insight as to what it's like to be gay in Mexico. The homosexual nature of the relationship between Andrew and Carlos is rather a sidenote and any challenges this may have imposed on their lives aren't thematized.
One might think the sequel offered more insight in this regard, especially as Andrew meets a prospective new partner towards the end. However, according to the author the sequel is rife with massive amounts of gore. Hence for me this series ends after this first instalment.
Judging by the cover alone this novel would be on the gritty side, and yet I was not prepared for the gruesome, gory images put in my head right at the very beginning. Given the context, however, this kind of content made sense, in fact, it was pretty much unavoidable to get certain points across. The daunting nature of the subject matter took me a little getting used to as well as the writing style. Clearly MacGabhann put a lot of thought and effort into the writing - at the same time it somehow lacked a rhythm that smoothly pulls you in. In an interview the author said that his use of language has been influenced by his 8+ years of living in Mexico which might explain a subtly uncommon cadence. He also stated that he was trying to avoid sentences that started with 'I' - certainly unusual given this is a first person narrative. I found myself simultaneously drawn in and put off and even considered abandoning the book around the 60 page mark. Ultimately though my curiosity how all of this would unfold got the better of me. So I persisted.
As far as setting is concerned Mexico made for a welcome change of scenery. The subject matter is interesting, albeit harrowing and based on true events. It illustrates the effect of pervasive violence on people and sheds light on the destructive collaboration of crime, big business (in this case oil) and politics. As a quasi-journalistic piece this worked well and shedding light on these things is important and commendable. I did gain knowledge and was inspired to do further research oncerning Central and South America. I found myself particularly curious about the history and how the current political situation did come about.
The novel is primarily plot driven and medium-paced. It did fall short in the department of character development. Andrew remains rather two-dimensional. We learn that he smokes pretty much all the time, survives on coffee and donuts and has issues dealing with grief. Only bit by bit we gain some sparse insight on his background and former struggles with alcoholism and as to why he turned his back on Ireland to become a journalist in Mexico. Some of the gaps are filled in by an interesting afterword by the author - proving that there would have been enough meat to provide Andrew with more profile. His sort of kind of sidekick, Maya, gets considerable screen-time and I did like the mere fact that Andrew had a female buddy - yet she remains pretty pale. I don't have to necessarly like the protagonists, but I prefer them to be more intriguing. Andrew proved to be most palpable as a human being when he was scared for his life. Those were perhaps my favorite scenes.
Lastly, as this features a gay main character, it should be said that this is not a book that offers insight as to what it's like to be gay in Mexico. The homosexual nature of the relationship between Andrew and Carlos is rather a sidenote and any challenges this may have imposed on their lives aren't thematized.
One might think the sequel offered more insight in this regard, especially as Andrew meets a prospective new partner towards the end. However, according to the author the sequel is rife with massive amounts of gore. Hence for me this series ends after this first instalment.
August 13, 2023
In Spanish, the verb esperar means 'to hope', 'to wait', and 'to expect'. Which of these three you meant, I didn't know, but I prayed it was all three.
As a reader, something I've developed rather a soft spot for is these kinds of slower burning mystery stories, the ones that really allow you to delve deep into a character, those stories that have a quiet, charming sense of beauty to them. Call Him Mine is one such novel, acting only partly as a thriller, this fantastic little novel leans much more into the role of being a character study, and an exploration of grief. This is a novel that ever so slowly grows on you, a story that starts off gritty and yet, kind of standard, and transforms itself into a page turning thrill ride, all while the pace sits at a comfortable simmer.
Call Him Mine is a brilliantly atmospheric novel, one that so fantastically captures the vibrancy of Mexico and balances it against the gruesomeness of the stories atrocities. This really is an absolutely amazing way to debut, Tim MacGabhann clearly knows his craft, he knows how to expertly create a delicate and touching mystery. Some real peaceful moments exist within this story, despite the numerous stomach churning descriptions of death and decapitation. This book is an intense and visceral read, and while it's not as fast-paced as the thriller genre usually offers, it's a wonderful and enjoyable literary crime novel nonetheless.
Like I said, death has dozens of smells, and I only know some. This one was sallow and warmish: the carbon dioxide fug given off by bacteria feeding in a closed space.
As a reader, something I've developed rather a soft spot for is these kinds of slower burning mystery stories, the ones that really allow you to delve deep into a character, those stories that have a quiet, charming sense of beauty to them. Call Him Mine is one such novel, acting only partly as a thriller, this fantastic little novel leans much more into the role of being a character study, and an exploration of grief. This is a novel that ever so slowly grows on you, a story that starts off gritty and yet, kind of standard, and transforms itself into a page turning thrill ride, all while the pace sits at a comfortable simmer.
Call Him Mine is a brilliantly atmospheric novel, one that so fantastically captures the vibrancy of Mexico and balances it against the gruesomeness of the stories atrocities. This really is an absolutely amazing way to debut, Tim MacGabhann clearly knows his craft, he knows how to expertly create a delicate and touching mystery. Some real peaceful moments exist within this story, despite the numerous stomach churning descriptions of death and decapitation. This book is an intense and visceral read, and while it's not as fast-paced as the thriller genre usually offers, it's a wonderful and enjoyable literary crime novel nonetheless.
Like I said, death has dozens of smells, and I only know some. This one was sallow and warmish: the carbon dioxide fug given off by bacteria feeding in a closed space.
September 16, 2019
Really like how he's used his own experiences to create this exciting novel, license to drag.
January 27, 2024
Call Him .. Maybe?
December 30, 2020
Eloquent. Enthralling. Alarming.
September 23, 2021
Gripping and intense, if a little uneven on the back end.
So I got this book in Ireland as an example of contemporary Irish fiction, but MacGabhann sets it in Latin America, where he apparently spent a number of years. This can occasionally be a bit disorienting, with a juxtaposition of Spanish and UK/Irish English. I think as Americans, we tend to think of the rest of the world in relation to America, so it was an interesting box to break out of.
So I got this book in Ireland as an example of contemporary Irish fiction, but MacGabhann sets it in Latin America, where he apparently spent a number of years. This can occasionally be a bit disorienting, with a juxtaposition of Spanish and UK/Irish English. I think as Americans, we tend to think of the rest of the world in relation to America, so it was an interesting box to break out of.
February 24, 2021
Gruesome Mexican crime thriller with a heart of gold.
July 9, 2019
My thanks to Orion Publishing Group/Weidenfeld & Nicolson for an eARC via NetGalley of Tim MacGabhann’s ‘Call Him Mine’ in exchange for an honest review.
I found this a stunning debut with a moving love story at its heart. Tim MacGabhann’s writing reflects his journalistic background in its discipline though also is passionate and lyrical. I could imagine ‘Call Him Mine’ being considered for literary prizes.
Its narrator Andrew is an Irishman living and working in Mexico as a journalist. Years of covering the crime and corruption in the country has left him jaded. Returning from an assignment with his boyfriend, photojournalist Carlos, they come across the dead body of a young man. Carlos takes a series of photographs while Andrew keeps watch. They are disturbed by the police, who remove the body. However, this encounter sets in motion a series of tragic events.
This was a powerful novel that gripped me from its opening. Alongside the story of horrific violence inflicted by the cartels and others it deals sensitively with grief and loss.
It is a dark tale though has its moments where light shows through such as the acceptance shown by Carlos’ mother towards Andrew, his friendship with Maya, a staff writer at another paper, and his delightful cross-eyed cat, Motita.
In his dedication to ‘the real Carlos’, MacGabhann relates his own story as a reporter in Mexico and how he came to write this novel. He explains that ‘Call Him Mine’ isn’t quite a nonfiction novel though draws on the Mexican tradition of “the crónica, a hybrid form that owes its subject matter to reportage, its questioning of objectivity to autobiography, and just about everything else to fiction.”
As is clear from the text of the novel telling the truth in Mexico can be dangerous and this has allowed the crónica to become a powerful form of storytelling. He also includes the historical background to the events of the novel including notes and sources, plus a short glossary.
I found it intelligent, inspiring, and thought-provoking.
I found this a stunning debut with a moving love story at its heart. Tim MacGabhann’s writing reflects his journalistic background in its discipline though also is passionate and lyrical. I could imagine ‘Call Him Mine’ being considered for literary prizes.
Its narrator Andrew is an Irishman living and working in Mexico as a journalist. Years of covering the crime and corruption in the country has left him jaded. Returning from an assignment with his boyfriend, photojournalist Carlos, they come across the dead body of a young man. Carlos takes a series of photographs while Andrew keeps watch. They are disturbed by the police, who remove the body. However, this encounter sets in motion a series of tragic events.
This was a powerful novel that gripped me from its opening. Alongside the story of horrific violence inflicted by the cartels and others it deals sensitively with grief and loss.
It is a dark tale though has its moments where light shows through such as the acceptance shown by Carlos’ mother towards Andrew, his friendship with Maya, a staff writer at another paper, and his delightful cross-eyed cat, Motita.
In his dedication to ‘the real Carlos’, MacGabhann relates his own story as a reporter in Mexico and how he came to write this novel. He explains that ‘Call Him Mine’ isn’t quite a nonfiction novel though draws on the Mexican tradition of “the crónica, a hybrid form that owes its subject matter to reportage, its questioning of objectivity to autobiography, and just about everything else to fiction.”
As is clear from the text of the novel telling the truth in Mexico can be dangerous and this has allowed the crónica to become a powerful form of storytelling. He also includes the historical background to the events of the novel including notes and sources, plus a short glossary.
I found it intelligent, inspiring, and thought-provoking.
June 11, 2019
Exciting, heartfelt and often quite profound thriller set against the backdrop of Mexico's drug and oil trades, in a country gripped by imperialism and political corruption. A searing debut!
December 1, 2019
I've been trying to get into this book for months! I pick it up, read a bit and just cannot get into it.
Unfortunately it's a DNF 43% in.
Personally for me the writing feels messy and all over the place, and it fails to keep my interest.
I rarely DNF books, but this may drag me into a slump I don't want and its better we part ways as friends.
Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately it's a DNF 43% in.
Personally for me the writing feels messy and all over the place, and it fails to keep my interest.
I rarely DNF books, but this may drag me into a slump I don't want and its better we part ways as friends.
Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 15, 2019
A massive toke of top quality sativa dominant literature, hook it to my veins
April 5, 2021
Struggling to think of a worse reading experience than I had with this book :(
December 17, 2020
Ich habe „Der erste Tote“ von Tim MacGabhann gelesen und musste das Buch erst mal setzen lassen, um meine Eindrücke zu verfassen, denn das Buch hat mich doch zwiegespalten zurückgelassen.
Da ist das Genre: Ich erwarte von einem Thriller durchaus eine durchgehende Spannung. Die gab es auch anfangs, das erste Drittel war wirklich spannend, doch diese Spannung ist dann deutlich abgeflacht. Liest man dann das Nachwort, so ist die Story, so wie sie geschrieben wurde durchaus verständlich.
Der Schreibstil des Autors hingegen ist einzigartig und für einen Thriller eher ungewöhnlich, aber er hat unheimlich gut zu Andrew und Carlos gepasst und der Autor hat sich dabei des vollen Spektrums bedient, das ihm zur Verfügung steht. Er schildert so manche brutale Vorgänge absolut schonungslos, sodass man beim Lesen eine Gänsehaut bekommt. Durch viele spanische Wörter verleiht der Autor dem Buch Authentizität, man spürt quasi einen Hauch Mexiko. Dabei hätte ich mir durchaus ein Glossar gewünscht, wo man all die spanischen Begriffe nachschlagen kann. Der Autor kann unheimlich gut die Emotionen wiedergeben und es gab einige Passagen, die so schön geschrieben waren, dass es einem ein Lächeln auf das Gesicht zauberte. Sie waren schon fast poetisch, was mir sehr gut gefallen hat, auch wenn es für einen Thriller eher unüblich ist.
Die beiden Journalisten Andrew und Carlos haben ihre Reportage eigentlich schon in der Tasche, als sie auf dem Heimweg zufällig die grausam verstümmelte Leiche eines Umweltaktivisten finden. Sie werden beim Fotografieren der Leiche von der Guardia Civil überrascht und sollen schnellstmöglich die Stadt verlassen. Carlos lässt der Fall keine Ruhe, doch die folgenden Ermittlungen enden für ihn tödlich. Damit Carlos Tod nicht umsonst war, recherchiert Andrew weiter.
Carlos lernt man nur kurz kennen, aber Andrew wurde authentisch gezeichnet. Anfangs macht er einen schüchternen und eher ängstlichen Eindruck auf mich, aber er wird nach dem Tod seines Partners immer mutiger und selbstsicherer. Seine Entwicklung konnte ich gut nachvollziehen. Und da Andrew einige Recherchen betreibt, kommt man als Leser nicht umhin, eine Vielzahl an Charakteren kennenzulernen. Man muss jetzt nicht aufpassen, dass man den Überblick verliert, aber alle Namen konnte ich mir dann doch nicht merken.
Das Buch zeigt dem Leser eine andere Seite von Mexiko. Nicht die schönen Strände, sondern den Kartellsumpf, den Kampf um Macht und Geld, Korruption, Ausbeutung und die ständige Angst der Menschen, die zwischen die Mühlen des Staates und den Kartellen geraten. Wem soll man trauen? Wer ist als nächstes dran? Tim MacGabhann schildert die Zustände sehr realitätsnah und er berichtet schonungslos über den Alltag, der sich so ganz anders darstellt, als den, den man von sich selber kennt.
Wer einen klassischen Thriller erwartet hat, der wird eher enttäuscht sein, denn der Autor hat eine in Mexiko beheimatete „conica“ geschrieben. Das ist eine Mischform aus einem Tatsachenbericht und einer fiktivien Geschichte – die Wahrheit ist irgendwo dazwischen.
Fazit:
Das Buch war ungewöhnlich, aber doch spannend und packend und unheimlich gut erzählt, auch wenn es zwischendurch so manche Länge gab. Zum Beispiel, als man die journalistische Recherche Andrews begleiteten durfte. Doch man bekommt einen authentischen Eindruck in das Leben in Mexiko.
Da ist das Genre: Ich erwarte von einem Thriller durchaus eine durchgehende Spannung. Die gab es auch anfangs, das erste Drittel war wirklich spannend, doch diese Spannung ist dann deutlich abgeflacht. Liest man dann das Nachwort, so ist die Story, so wie sie geschrieben wurde durchaus verständlich.
Der Schreibstil des Autors hingegen ist einzigartig und für einen Thriller eher ungewöhnlich, aber er hat unheimlich gut zu Andrew und Carlos gepasst und der Autor hat sich dabei des vollen Spektrums bedient, das ihm zur Verfügung steht. Er schildert so manche brutale Vorgänge absolut schonungslos, sodass man beim Lesen eine Gänsehaut bekommt. Durch viele spanische Wörter verleiht der Autor dem Buch Authentizität, man spürt quasi einen Hauch Mexiko. Dabei hätte ich mir durchaus ein Glossar gewünscht, wo man all die spanischen Begriffe nachschlagen kann. Der Autor kann unheimlich gut die Emotionen wiedergeben und es gab einige Passagen, die so schön geschrieben waren, dass es einem ein Lächeln auf das Gesicht zauberte. Sie waren schon fast poetisch, was mir sehr gut gefallen hat, auch wenn es für einen Thriller eher unüblich ist.
Die beiden Journalisten Andrew und Carlos haben ihre Reportage eigentlich schon in der Tasche, als sie auf dem Heimweg zufällig die grausam verstümmelte Leiche eines Umweltaktivisten finden. Sie werden beim Fotografieren der Leiche von der Guardia Civil überrascht und sollen schnellstmöglich die Stadt verlassen. Carlos lässt der Fall keine Ruhe, doch die folgenden Ermittlungen enden für ihn tödlich. Damit Carlos Tod nicht umsonst war, recherchiert Andrew weiter.
Carlos lernt man nur kurz kennen, aber Andrew wurde authentisch gezeichnet. Anfangs macht er einen schüchternen und eher ängstlichen Eindruck auf mich, aber er wird nach dem Tod seines Partners immer mutiger und selbstsicherer. Seine Entwicklung konnte ich gut nachvollziehen. Und da Andrew einige Recherchen betreibt, kommt man als Leser nicht umhin, eine Vielzahl an Charakteren kennenzulernen. Man muss jetzt nicht aufpassen, dass man den Überblick verliert, aber alle Namen konnte ich mir dann doch nicht merken.
Das Buch zeigt dem Leser eine andere Seite von Mexiko. Nicht die schönen Strände, sondern den Kartellsumpf, den Kampf um Macht und Geld, Korruption, Ausbeutung und die ständige Angst der Menschen, die zwischen die Mühlen des Staates und den Kartellen geraten. Wem soll man trauen? Wer ist als nächstes dran? Tim MacGabhann schildert die Zustände sehr realitätsnah und er berichtet schonungslos über den Alltag, der sich so ganz anders darstellt, als den, den man von sich selber kennt.
Wer einen klassischen Thriller erwartet hat, der wird eher enttäuscht sein, denn der Autor hat eine in Mexiko beheimatete „conica“ geschrieben. Das ist eine Mischform aus einem Tatsachenbericht und einer fiktivien Geschichte – die Wahrheit ist irgendwo dazwischen.
Fazit:
Das Buch war ungewöhnlich, aber doch spannend und packend und unheimlich gut erzählt, auch wenn es zwischendurch so manche Länge gab. Zum Beispiel, als man die journalistische Recherche Andrews begleiteten durfte. Doch man bekommt einen authentischen Eindruck in das Leben in Mexiko.
December 7, 2020
Andrew und Carlos sind ein Paar, beides Journalisten. Der eine schreibt, der andere schießt die Bilder dazu. Für eine Reportage über die Fracking-Industrie sammeln sie Material in Poza Rica, der heruntergekommenen Erdölmetropole in Veracruz. Auf dem Heimweg nach Mexico City finden sie in einer Nebenstraße die grässlich zugerichtete Leiche eines jungen Mannes, laut Ausweis ein Student namens Julián Gallardo, der, wie sich später herausstellen wird, der führende Kopf einer Gruppe von Umweltaktivisten ist. Carlos will letzte Fotos machen, als auch schon ein Wagen der Guardia Civil mit drei Cops eintrifft, die dies mit roher Gewalt verhindern. Nachdem sie Carlos’ Personalien festgestellt haben, packen sie den Toten und transportieren ihn ab. Carlos hat Blut geleckt, will vor Ort bleiben, weiter recherchieren. In Andrews Augen keine gute Idee, und so fährt er alleine zurück. Es kommt, wie es kommen muss, Carlos bezahlt für seine Neugier mit dem Leben. Und Andrew? Fühlt sich schuldig und setzt nun alles daran, die Hintergründe um Carlos‘ und Juliáns Ermordung aufzuklären. Die Vermutung, dass er damit in ein Wespennest sticht und auch sein eigenes Leben aufs Spiel setzt, liegt nah, denn um das große Geld zu kommen, geht die unheilvolle Allianz zwischen Industrie, Politik, Polizei und organisiertem Verbrechen über Leichen.
In Tim MacGabhanns Debütroman „Der erste Tote“ zeigt sich Mexiko von seiner dreckigen, brutalen Seite. Der Autor ist Ire, Journalist, lebt und arbeitet dort seit vielen Jahren und hat nun seine persönlichen Erfahrungen, Beobachtungen und Recherchen in diesem Roman verarbeitet, der Auftaktband einer Trilogie ist.
Hierfür wählt er, wie er im Nachwort ausführlich erläutert, die Form der mexikanischen "Crónica", einer Mischform aus objektiver Reportage und Fiktionalität. Einerseits die Stärke, andererseits aber auch die Schwäche des Romans. Der langwierige Prozess von Andrews Recherche und dessen Beschreibung zieht sich, unzählige Gespräche und Informationen, die in Zusammenhang gebracht werden müssen. Allerdings punktet er durch detaillierte atmosphärische Beschreibungen, die eine Ahnung des Alltags vermitteln, die permanente Bedrohung schildern, denen diejenigen Journalisten ausgesetzt sind, die sich mit Kartellen und der mexikanischen Korruption beschäftigen.
Aber all das habe ich schon in wesentlich eindrücklicherer Aufbereitung gelesen. Nichts Neues über die kriminellen Machenschaften der Fracking-Industrie, über deren Verflechtung mit korrupten Politikern, Staatsorganen und gekauften Polizisten, über die Verfolgung und Ermordung kritischer Journalisten, eher eine unbefriedigende Gemengelage aus Reportage und Roman/Thriller, die mich leider nicht vollständig überzeugen konnte.
In Tim MacGabhanns Debütroman „Der erste Tote“ zeigt sich Mexiko von seiner dreckigen, brutalen Seite. Der Autor ist Ire, Journalist, lebt und arbeitet dort seit vielen Jahren und hat nun seine persönlichen Erfahrungen, Beobachtungen und Recherchen in diesem Roman verarbeitet, der Auftaktband einer Trilogie ist.
Hierfür wählt er, wie er im Nachwort ausführlich erläutert, die Form der mexikanischen "Crónica", einer Mischform aus objektiver Reportage und Fiktionalität. Einerseits die Stärke, andererseits aber auch die Schwäche des Romans. Der langwierige Prozess von Andrews Recherche und dessen Beschreibung zieht sich, unzählige Gespräche und Informationen, die in Zusammenhang gebracht werden müssen. Allerdings punktet er durch detaillierte atmosphärische Beschreibungen, die eine Ahnung des Alltags vermitteln, die permanente Bedrohung schildern, denen diejenigen Journalisten ausgesetzt sind, die sich mit Kartellen und der mexikanischen Korruption beschäftigen.
Aber all das habe ich schon in wesentlich eindrücklicherer Aufbereitung gelesen. Nichts Neues über die kriminellen Machenschaften der Fracking-Industrie, über deren Verflechtung mit korrupten Politikern, Staatsorganen und gekauften Polizisten, über die Verfolgung und Ermordung kritischer Journalisten, eher eine unbefriedigende Gemengelage aus Reportage und Roman/Thriller, die mich leider nicht vollständig überzeugen konnte.
December 6, 2020
Schockierende Jagd nach Gerechtigkeit
"Der erste Tote" ist ein gelungenes Erstlingswerk und zieht einen schon mit seinem Cover in seinen Bann. Die Farben und Motive sind ein wahrer Hingucker und lassen einen wirklich neugierig nach dem Buch greifen. Der Schreibstil ist fast genauso hypnotisierend. Die bildhafte und bildgewaltige Sprache, die direkt, offen und so kaltschnäuzig ehrlich ist, wie man es selten liest, nehmen den Leser mit in die düsteren und dreckigen Straßen der Vororte Mexikos und mit hinein in das üble Treiben der Narcos, Großkonzerne und Korruption innerhalb der Behörden, die eigentlich für Sicherheit und Ordnung sorgen sollen.
Die Protagonisten, Andrew und Carlos sind einem gleich sympathisch. Ihre eigentliche Story, die sie als Journalist und Photograph recherchieren sollen, erhält einen kleinen Dämpfer, als die beiden mit ansehen, wie die Polizei die Leiche eines ermordeten Studenten verschwinden lassen. Bei der Aktion Blut geleckt, geht Carlos der Sache alleine weiter nach, was verhängnisvolle Folgen hat. Nun steht Andrew allein da, seines Freundes auf brutale Weise beraubt und versucht die Wahrheit ans Licht zu bringen. Für Carlos und alle anderen unschuldigen Opfer. Ein übles Katz und Maus Spiel beginnt, dass auch Andrew's Leben in Gefahr bringt. Wird er es schaffen, die dunklen Geschäfte und Machenschaften, die sich hinter den Konzernen und in den Reihen der Behörden verbergen, aufzudecken?
Ihr solltet das wirklich herausfinden. Das Buch ist mit seiner düsteren und gehetzt wirkenden Atmosphäre ein wirklich genialer Thriller mit Gänsehautgarantie. Selbst als Leser bekam ich öfter das Gefühl, über die Schulter blicken zu müssen, ob mir nicht jemand nachstellt. Das Buch, Andrew, die Story, sie gehen einem wirklich unter die Haut. Noch dazu gibt es einem Einblicke in eine Welt, bei der man hofft, dass sie wirklich nur Fiktion und erdacht ist, aber dennoch in ähnlicher Form ständig in den Nachrichten zu sehen ist. Was das traurige, makabere, aber auch faszinierende an diesem Werk ist.
Alles in allem fand ich das Buch wirklich gelungen und spannend gemacht. Die Anmerkungen am Ende und somit die Bestätigung dafür, dass die Inhalte auch autobiographische sind, ließ mir einen Schauer über den Rücken laufen, machte das Gelesene aber auch gleich authentischer und noch düsterer. Auch wenn viel Fiktion ist, steckt auch ein Körnchen Wahrheit darin. Daher bin ich gespannt, ob es wirklich zu einer Trilogie kommen wird!
Ich kann das Buch wirklich empfehlen!
"Der erste Tote" ist ein gelungenes Erstlingswerk und zieht einen schon mit seinem Cover in seinen Bann. Die Farben und Motive sind ein wahrer Hingucker und lassen einen wirklich neugierig nach dem Buch greifen. Der Schreibstil ist fast genauso hypnotisierend. Die bildhafte und bildgewaltige Sprache, die direkt, offen und so kaltschnäuzig ehrlich ist, wie man es selten liest, nehmen den Leser mit in die düsteren und dreckigen Straßen der Vororte Mexikos und mit hinein in das üble Treiben der Narcos, Großkonzerne und Korruption innerhalb der Behörden, die eigentlich für Sicherheit und Ordnung sorgen sollen.
Die Protagonisten, Andrew und Carlos sind einem gleich sympathisch. Ihre eigentliche Story, die sie als Journalist und Photograph recherchieren sollen, erhält einen kleinen Dämpfer, als die beiden mit ansehen, wie die Polizei die Leiche eines ermordeten Studenten verschwinden lassen. Bei der Aktion Blut geleckt, geht Carlos der Sache alleine weiter nach, was verhängnisvolle Folgen hat. Nun steht Andrew allein da, seines Freundes auf brutale Weise beraubt und versucht die Wahrheit ans Licht zu bringen. Für Carlos und alle anderen unschuldigen Opfer. Ein übles Katz und Maus Spiel beginnt, dass auch Andrew's Leben in Gefahr bringt. Wird er es schaffen, die dunklen Geschäfte und Machenschaften, die sich hinter den Konzernen und in den Reihen der Behörden verbergen, aufzudecken?
Ihr solltet das wirklich herausfinden. Das Buch ist mit seiner düsteren und gehetzt wirkenden Atmosphäre ein wirklich genialer Thriller mit Gänsehautgarantie. Selbst als Leser bekam ich öfter das Gefühl, über die Schulter blicken zu müssen, ob mir nicht jemand nachstellt. Das Buch, Andrew, die Story, sie gehen einem wirklich unter die Haut. Noch dazu gibt es einem Einblicke in eine Welt, bei der man hofft, dass sie wirklich nur Fiktion und erdacht ist, aber dennoch in ähnlicher Form ständig in den Nachrichten zu sehen ist. Was das traurige, makabere, aber auch faszinierende an diesem Werk ist.
Alles in allem fand ich das Buch wirklich gelungen und spannend gemacht. Die Anmerkungen am Ende und somit die Bestätigung dafür, dass die Inhalte auch autobiographische sind, ließ mir einen Schauer über den Rücken laufen, machte das Gelesene aber auch gleich authentischer und noch düsterer. Auch wenn viel Fiktion ist, steckt auch ein Körnchen Wahrheit darin. Daher bin ich gespannt, ob es wirklich zu einer Trilogie kommen wird!
Ich kann das Buch wirklich empfehlen!
December 7, 2020
In Tim MacGabhanns Debütroman finden die beiden Journalisten Andrew und Carlos die Leiche eines jungen Studenten in Mexiko. Schnell wird diese von der Polizei weggebracht. Carlos geht der Sache nach und bezahlt dies mit seinem eigenen Leben.
MacGabhann nimmt die Leser.innen mit auf eine Reise in ein Mexiko, das sich so normalerweise nicht der Öffentlichkeit zeigt. Er zeigt die dunkle Seite, von der die meisten vermutlich bescheid wissen, dies aber bewusst verdrängen. Er zeigt auf, wie wenig ein Menschenleben in Mexiko wert ist, vor allem wenn dieses Leben einem neugierigen Journalisten gehört. Der Autor berichtet von den noch immer anhaltenten Kriegen rund um die Ölvorkommen in einem der umstrittensten Länder der Welt. Hierbei hilft seine jahrelange Erfahrung als Journalist, bei der er selbst aus Mexiko berichtet hat.
Sein Roman ist somit auch eine Mischform, die am Anfang etwas fremd auf die Leser.innen wirkt, jedoch perfekt zu dem Thema und den Protagonisten passt. Sein Buch präsentiert sich als Thriller, der jedoch nicht von einem unzerstörbaren Polizisten oder Detektiv vorangetrieben wird, sondern von einem Journalisten, der selbst unsicher ist und Angst hat vor dem Wespennest, in das er sticht. Durch den journalistischen Protagonisten ist der Roman geprägt von Gesprächen, Recherchen und Interviews. Actionszenen muss man suchen, doch sie fehlen auch nicht. MacGabhann selbst bezeichnet seinen Roman als Mischung aus Thriller und Cronica, einer literarischen Form aus Mexiko, bei der Reportage und Roman vermischt werden, um über die Realität berichten zu können, ohne die Kartelle und den Tod fürchten zu müssen. Dies ist MacGabhann meisterhaft gelungen.
Sein Schreibstil erinnert an Hunter S. Thompson und passt somit perfekt in die Unterwelt von Mexiko. "Der erste Tote" liest sich als Hard-Boiled-Crime-Novel mit einen sensiblen Protagonisten und ganz viel Poesie. Diese Poesie mag dreckig und verkommen sein, doch dies macht sie nur noch viel schöner, denn sie bricht durch den ganzen Dreck und die verpestete Luft und bringt etwas Sonne und einen schönen Atemzug, zwischen dem ganzen Tod und der Gewalt.
Dazu kommt Andrew, der als Protagonist erst total fehl am Platz scheint. Andrew ist unsicher, möchte lieber nicht eingreifen um sich selbst zu schützen. Doch nach dem brutalen Mord an seinem Partner kann er nicht mehr wegschauen. Trotzdem bleibt Andrew sensibel, die Bilder an den Mord verfolgen ihn und oft versinkt er in seiner Trauer und seinen Gefühlen. Als Mann der Schwäche, Liebe und Unsicherheit zeigt, ist er etwas ganz besonderes in der Literatur, das es leider viel zu selten gibt, obwohl es doch so wichtig ist!
MacGabhann nimmt die Leser.innen mit auf eine Reise in ein Mexiko, das sich so normalerweise nicht der Öffentlichkeit zeigt. Er zeigt die dunkle Seite, von der die meisten vermutlich bescheid wissen, dies aber bewusst verdrängen. Er zeigt auf, wie wenig ein Menschenleben in Mexiko wert ist, vor allem wenn dieses Leben einem neugierigen Journalisten gehört. Der Autor berichtet von den noch immer anhaltenten Kriegen rund um die Ölvorkommen in einem der umstrittensten Länder der Welt. Hierbei hilft seine jahrelange Erfahrung als Journalist, bei der er selbst aus Mexiko berichtet hat.
Sein Roman ist somit auch eine Mischform, die am Anfang etwas fremd auf die Leser.innen wirkt, jedoch perfekt zu dem Thema und den Protagonisten passt. Sein Buch präsentiert sich als Thriller, der jedoch nicht von einem unzerstörbaren Polizisten oder Detektiv vorangetrieben wird, sondern von einem Journalisten, der selbst unsicher ist und Angst hat vor dem Wespennest, in das er sticht. Durch den journalistischen Protagonisten ist der Roman geprägt von Gesprächen, Recherchen und Interviews. Actionszenen muss man suchen, doch sie fehlen auch nicht. MacGabhann selbst bezeichnet seinen Roman als Mischung aus Thriller und Cronica, einer literarischen Form aus Mexiko, bei der Reportage und Roman vermischt werden, um über die Realität berichten zu können, ohne die Kartelle und den Tod fürchten zu müssen. Dies ist MacGabhann meisterhaft gelungen.
Sein Schreibstil erinnert an Hunter S. Thompson und passt somit perfekt in die Unterwelt von Mexiko. "Der erste Tote" liest sich als Hard-Boiled-Crime-Novel mit einen sensiblen Protagonisten und ganz viel Poesie. Diese Poesie mag dreckig und verkommen sein, doch dies macht sie nur noch viel schöner, denn sie bricht durch den ganzen Dreck und die verpestete Luft und bringt etwas Sonne und einen schönen Atemzug, zwischen dem ganzen Tod und der Gewalt.
Dazu kommt Andrew, der als Protagonist erst total fehl am Platz scheint. Andrew ist unsicher, möchte lieber nicht eingreifen um sich selbst zu schützen. Doch nach dem brutalen Mord an seinem Partner kann er nicht mehr wegschauen. Trotzdem bleibt Andrew sensibel, die Bilder an den Mord verfolgen ihn und oft versinkt er in seiner Trauer und seinen Gefühlen. Als Mann der Schwäche, Liebe und Unsicherheit zeigt, ist er etwas ganz besonderes in der Literatur, das es leider viel zu selten gibt, obwohl es doch so wichtig ist!
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