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In this explosive thriller set in "post-terrorist" Belfast, the old hatreds continue to fester and the politics remain deeply personal. Anyone, at any moment, may decide the war's not yet over. Belfast journalist Dan Starkey is caught by his wife wrapped in the arms of a woman he hardly knows. Within hours his virtually anonymous girlfriend has been murdered, and before anyone can sort out whether she was killed by the IRA, Protestant extremists, or a jealous beau, Starkey has become the killer's next target. He had always kept himself above Belfast's violent fray with the cynical, beer-drenched wit that fueled his notorious column in a Protestant newspaper. But when the Belfast police figure Starkey as their prime suspect, his wits are suddenly all he has left to keep himself ahead of both sides of the law - and to win back his wife. As he seeks to solve the crime himself, his frantic pursuit of the only clues to the killer's identity leads him deep into the most guarded reaches of Northern Irish political power.
A cynical journalist finds his life unraveling when his mistress is murdered, thrusting him into the center of a lethal political conspiracy in post-conflict Belfast. Dan Starkey, a man defined by his sharp wit and penchant for self-destruction, must navigate a landscape where the lines between personal betrayal and sectarian violence blur. Framed for a crime he did not commit, he faces pressure from both the police and paramilitary factions while attempting to reconcile with his estranged wife. The narrative unfolds through a fast-paced, first-person perspective that emphasizes the absurdity and danger of his predicament.
This novel is characterized by its blend of gritty crime fiction and biting, irreverent humor that reflects the specific tensions of its setting. The narrative structure relies heavily on the protagonist's cynical worldview to navigate the complex and often dangerous political landscape of Northern Ireland. Readers likely find the pacing to be relentless, mirroring the protagonist's frantic attempts to clear his name while avoiding various lethal threats. The work suggests a focus on the absurdity of violence, using the protagonist's personal failings as a catalyst for a broader investigation into power and corruption.
Page Count:
282
Publication Date:
1998-01-01
Publisher:
HarperCollins
ISBN-10:
0006510639
ISBN-13:
9780006510635
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