Jack Taylor is just out of ’the mad house’ where he has been for the last six months drying out, and trying to come to some sort of terms with the death of the child of his best friends Gerry and Kathy for which he blames himself, and for which they certainly blame him.
Barely able to face each day Jack has no interest in finding the person who beheaded Father Joyce, particularly as the person asking him to do so is his old enemy Father Malachy, a great friend of his mothers. Only someone brought up a Catholic can know the unholy alliance between a Catholic priest and your mother. Added to this Father Joyce has a long history of abusing young altar boys, and despite his heinous crimes the church are asking for discretion and ‘to keep the matter in house’
However, to help out his ex-partner Ridge of the Guards who is being stalked, he reluctantly teams up with a young man called Cody who is eager to learn how to be a PI. Jack’s jaundiced view on the world takes on a slightly improved attitude in the face of Cody’s boundless enthusiasm. But his investigation into the killing of Father Joyce leads him into murky waters, and he gains new enemies to add to the ones he already has.
Set in Galway, with brief flashbacks to the 1950’s this is for the most part a bleak book, but the flashes of humour and insight make this, a not to be missed book.
Gerry O’Brien does justice to the wonderful writing, the world weary Jack Taylor, and greatly enhanced my appreciation of this marvellous book.
-----
Lizzie Hayes