Rating: 
Summary: Best debut mystery of the year
Review: There's certainly no shortage of "drunk P.I." novels, yet somehow Bruen has created a completely compelling work. As a former member of an elite Irish police force, Jack Galway now whiles away his time nursing drinks in a pub. Despite his fall from grace, Jack is still known as a man with a skill for finding things. Enter the beautiful older woman (one of many cliches this book gets away with) with the missing daughter, and Jack's back in action. Inevitably, he has encounters with all sorts of seedy types, leading to a resolution that may not satisfy some readers. The story may not be original, but Bruen's writing more than makes up for it. A great read for fans of the P.I. novel, especially those who appreciate strong writing. Unfortunately, this book will likely be overlooked in favor of others, but for anyone interested it's definitely worth the time.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a novel
Review: This is a short story (and a poor one at that) spread out to book length. I have never seen so much blank space in a book that wasn't poetry.
Don't waste your time when there are so many excellent mystery books out there.
Rating: 
Summary: Hmmmmm, not for me
Review: Well, I read the mixed reviews here and the jacket reviews.
I thought I was in for a good read regardless, because this book was a runner up for the Edgar, after all It just had to have potential! It just doesn't work for me. Here are a few reasons:
It is a page turner. Maybe because there are only 75 words on some pages, and quite a few chapters are only a page and a half long. Extensive use of white space. Second, because the story takes place in Ireland I thought I could learn a little more about this facinating culture. Not so, because the vernacular is so foriegn to me that I can't understand what they are talking about at times. Ever been to a foriegn move? See the subtitles down there? You don't get that in the book, and he's writing in English. Maybe if you're intimately familiar with European culture you'll understand the vague references to popular events and people. Goes over this good 'ol boy's head.
Lastly, I am a fan of the hard boiled detective story told in the first person. They're just fun, and I enjoy 'em. This one didn't work because the character just feels flat, without much dimension. Bruen could have fleshed him out more, and was often on the right track. But in keeping with the sparse language, we don't learn much--or care much--about him.
Not for me, didn't finish it.
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