Why a Booktrail?
1985: Sean Duffy has gun runners, rogue American agents and a cliff jumper to deal with here
Gun Street Girl
What you need to know before your trail
It’s 1985 in Belfast and so at the heart of the Troubles. Sean Duffy is investigation a brutal double murder and suicide for the man, Michael Kelly accused of shooting his parents is thought to have then jumped off a nearby cliff However Duffy gets suspicious when it turns out that Kelly attended a decadent Oxford party where a cabinet minister’s daughter died of a heroin overdose. Could this have something to do with Kelly’s subsequent death.
New evidence leads to gun runners, arms dealers, the British government, and a rogue American agent with a fake identity. Then another apparentn suicide and things really start to get strange…not to mention dangerous.
Travel Guide
Carrickfergus
Sean Duffy novels always closely follow current and past political events in Ireland. In this one, it’s 1985 and the hight of the Troubles. Gerry Adams makes an appearance as an IRA leader in the novel so there is no hiding from what life was like and how political life was during that time.
“It certainly didn’t help that I was a Catholic. A Catholic in Carrickfergus was bad enough, but a Catholic policeman? My life expectancy could be measured in dog years.”
Duffy’s house is apparently McKinty’s childhood home in Carrickfergus which gives things an added authentic. As does the music that creeps into much of the story. Duffy has some eclectic but interesting taste and a playlist to take with you on a booktrail is highly recommended.
Oxford
The novel then sees him venture into Oxford and to the eccentric B & B of the couple who run it. Careful for squirrels when you next head there apparently:
“Keep the windows closed, mind. The squirrels will come in. We had a shocking incident two years ago with a gentleman from Norway.”
And this:
Fireworks behind. Darkeness ahead. And if tat’s not a metaphor for the Irish Question, I don’ t know what is.”
Booktrail Boarding Pass Information: Gun Street Girl
Destination: CarrickFergus and Oulu Departure Time: 1985
Twitter: @adrianmckinty Web: Adrianmckinty.com/
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