Irish Love

Nuala Anne McGrail #6

by Andrew M. Greeley

Continuing the enchanting chronicles of the fabulous Nuala Anne McGrail and her spear-carrying husband Dermot, bestselling author Andrew M. Greeley takes them once again to Ireland for another thrill-packed adventure.

Back on the Emerald Isle, Nuala and Dermot soon get the feeling that someone is out to get them. They find themselves dodging multiple explosions, and someone starts shooting at Nuala while she is water-skiing in the cold Atlantic. Meanwhile, the handsome parish priest, Father Jack, has given Dermot the diary of a young Chicago newspaperman. Written in the year 1882, the diary tells in horrendous detail an intriguing story of a mass murder and a trumped-up trial in which one of Ireland's greatest heroes was accused of the murders without a shred of evidence. These two stories, ancient and modern, soon get mixed up, and they make for an utterly fascinating tale of murder, betrayal, and redemption with Nuala and her magical powers at the center of it all. Andrew Greeley not only tells us a riveting tale of adventure and derring-do, he gives us a picture of modern-day prosperous Ireland and the engaging and, of course, sometimes villainous people who live there.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Romance, Ireland, Irish Literature, Historical Fiction, Historical

335 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

Andrew Greeley was a Roman Catholic priest, sociologist, journalist, and author of 50 best-selling novels and more than 100 works of nonfiction. For decades, Greeley entertained readers with such popular characters as the mystery-solving priest Blackie Ryan and the fey, amateur sleuth Nuala Anne McGrail. His books typically center on Irish-American Roman Catholics living or working in Chicago.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/andrew...

Reviews

[Christy Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite my taking longer than usual to read this, it had more to do with my simultaneously reading several other books and paying attention to other activities than to the quality of the story. In fact, I'd say this is one of the more interesting Nuala Anne novels with a bit more complexity in the historical portion if not the narrator. The level of injustice in the historical description of the real Maamtrasna trial of Ireland and the corrupt English justice system gave me a much better appreciation for the level of discord that existed between the nations; as an American, this was not something I read much about growing up and will now clearly go rectify.

As with all Greeley's novels, his Catholic theology is woven into the story via his characters' lives. In this novel, I appreciated that some of the romantic scenes felt slightly less dopey and more plausible than in a few of the prior ones I've read. This was sweet, moved forward the development of the central character and was an enjoyable read.

[Boulder Boulderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine little story of Ireland and a couple in love. Bit twee but sweet.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not Catholic, but discovered Andrew Greeley's books about Irish family life and different topics over the years, and think he tells a great story! I am particularly fond of his Nuala Grail mysteries. Nuala was born in Ireland, and her BF, now husband, Michael Dermott is constantly mesmerized by her. Nuala is fey, as they call psychics in Ireland. Greeley usually has a dual plotline going, where something is going on in Nuala and Dermott's lives where they live now in Chicago, and then a parallel story about some historic happening in Ireland in the past. I am one quarter Irish, and have learned a lot about the country from reading Greeley's books. He also writes several other series things, about families, and about a Bishop who solves mysteries. He does bring the Catholic religion into his stories, but not in a way that is overbearing, and he also brings his Democratic leanings into his books. Anything he writes is a good read and I would not hesitate to recommend him to others!

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Nuala Anne McGrail series always contains two parallel story lines separated by ~ 100 years both involving Irish and/or Irish diaspora. The writing is somewhat formulaic and in this book the 19th century story the better one. The 20th century story felt more contrived than others in the series and too many undeveloped flat characters included. Probably only devoted Greeley fans would consider the time, even if read on a beach without anything else to read, reasonable spent.

[Storm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Past mystery more exciting than the current one. Overall enjoyable.

[Sylvia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book very difficult to read and follow, so I kept putting it down and reading other books before picking it up again.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've truly liked the books of this series. There are some mystical elements that are a bit strange, but the characters are interesting and have mostly good morals. All in all, these are good mysteries. They are written well also although I was surprised at the level of eroticism considering the series is by a priest.
In each book,the couple solves at least one older often ancient mystery and a current-time mystery that are slightly connected as well as work through a crisis in their relationship or,in the later novels,family life.

[Jo-Ann Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book hard to get into. I warmed to the mystery of the past a lot faster than I did the present mystery. I always enjoy the Noula and Dermot characters but because I just had trouble getting into the story by the time they solved the mystery I was feeling annoyed by them and just really didn't care. I have liked the rest of this series better than this particular book.

Greeley is a wonderful author and overall I like his writing. I appreciate that this was based on a true event. The history was the best part of the book.

[Holyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Nuala Anne novels they are part mystery with a little history and romance thrown in. Nuala is 'fey' and so her sense of the otherworld leads her and her husband into all kinds of interesting mysteries. In this one, they are visiting Connemara and run across a cottage with a history much darker than it's whitewashed walls make it seem....This was another easy and fun read from the "Irish" series.

[Sara Bartlett · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read several Andrew Greeley mysteries and while he's not a great writer the other books have been well developed plots and enjoyable to read. I have now picked this book up at least 3 times and just can't read it - and I don't think it's that I'm reading a series book out of order. The dialogue between husband and wife is impossible for me to read and silly! I'm sure there must a plot in here somewhere, but I quit, it's just not worth reading anymore to find it.

[Sam Sigelakis-Minski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so torn with this. On the one hand, I dislike the conversational prose and the way the author treats Irish superstition. I also wasn't really a fan of Nuala, but this may be because I haven't read the other books. On the other hand, I loved the history involved in the book, and how it treated Irish/English relations. I will probably read the others in the series, but just for the historical aspect.

[Echo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite of the Nuala Anne books, but well done all the same. I think the historical mystery was a little less interesting to me considering everyone new who had committed the crime, they just didn't want to talk about it. Still, the writing was on par with the other books I've read in the series.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mystery from the past and a mystery from the present must be solved by Nuala and Dermot McGrail. The mystery from the past, the brutal murders of a family in 1875 and the conviction and execution of an innocent man was riveting. The mystery from the present was so-so. I got confused with all the characters and subplots.

[Jennie · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be fair, I think this is part of a series, and perhaps I should have begun at the beginning. As a stand-alone novel, it was fairly boring, and I have to admit I only skimmed the second half to see what happened. Perhaps sometime I'll pick up the first book, but for now I can't say this one has piqued my interest.

[Abbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took a while to get into and was very slow until the end. There were too many minor characters too keep straight so the conclusion of the mystery didn't pack as much punch as it could have. However, Nuala and Dermot have an amusing relationship.

[Daelith]

72 pages read.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't make me care enough to ever read another one.

[Cws]

F Gre

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in Ireland, Nuala & Dermot solve the puzzle of the 1882 Joyce family murders as well as a modern situation at the same site.

[Danielle Huertas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the Irish towns, & slang, brings me home with this author!