This is the 15th Ken Bruen book that has been reviewed in the blog, so you know we, especially me, like Bruen a lot. As usual, the protagonist is Jack Taylor, an alcoholic, former cop, now a private detective. In prior books, Taylor is either struggling to stay sober or agonizing in relapse as he fights to regain his sobriety. In this book, he starts off drunk, does not draw a truly sober breath throughout the book, and is still drunk as the book ends. But, he’s much worse for the effort having been mugged and permanently mutilated, while also inflicting death on the bad guys. Bruen’s book are about character development and are not just driven by unexpected plot shifts, and he frequently makes references to literature and music that his characters are involved with at the moment. Taylor has to be the most literate and cultured of the depraved people I’ve ever read about. This is a good story, but it is also very, very dark. If you are in the mood for an uplifting escape, this is not for you. On the other hand, if you’re in the mood for Irish angst and melancholy, this is your ticket.
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