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1980s : A death in a historic castle, locked up overnight. Rain dogs are on the run…
Rain Dogs (Sean Duffy 5)
What you need to know before your trail
It’s the locked room mystery for real when Sean Duffy finds himself with the case of a journalist who is found dead in the courtyard of Carrickfergus castle. At first, it looks like a suicide but there are just a few things that bother Duffy enough to keep the case file open. He becomes even more worried when he discovers that she was working on a devastating investigation of corruption and abuse at the highest levels of power in the UK and beyond.
Now Duffy is faced with two huge and impossible problems: who killed Lily Bigelow? And what were they trying to hide?
Travel Guide
Belfast
Sean’s background as a Catholic policeman in the Troubles when his colleagues are mainly Protestant has been a problem but now the team are more or less united
Now, set in the 1980s, the Belfast now is rather different although the police do still have to check for bombs under their cars. Religious issues abound but this is a time for new business in the city in the form of a mobile phone company and on a darker note, the dubious nature of a local boys home. Certain celebrities make an appearance and even rather eerily does Jimmy Saville.
CarrickFergus Castle
This imposing castle is the scene of the crime and of the locked room which makes for one very unusual and challenging crime. It’s a Norman castle in Northern Ireland on the northern shore of Belfast Lough and has played an important military role over the years and remains one of the best preserved medieval structures in Northern Ireland
The title Rain Dogs is apt. Taken from a Tom Waits song, it does describe well the solemn weather, the relentless rain and the moody and dark atmosphere this all creates.
“Sunshine in Belfast in the afternoon, snow in Carrick Fergus in the evening”
Sean Duffy however is not your usual policeman or usual anything really. He stands out, is a bit of a maverick and truly believes that Guinness has special healing powers. As does the music he collects and the way he fights for justice and if the rules are followed or not, so be it.
The Irish Troubles and the unique atmosphere in which these crimes play out make for a unique picture in a fascinating historical frame.
Finland – Oulu
The next major destination that the investigation takes him to is right in the north of Finland on an island Hailoutu seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Oulu is the city they also visit. Constable Hornberg gives them a brief introduction:
“The landscape is rising due to post-glacial rebound, the forests are spruce and fir with some birch, there are nine hundred lakes in this province alone, many of which are linked to the Baltic Sea”
Streetview Maps
A) Carrickfergus Castle
E) Oulu market place
Booktrailer Review
Clare: @thebooktrailer
My first Sean Duffy novel and not my last. Where have I been I ask myself to not have met this guy in my literary travels. Well Sean, I do apologise and I will now have a Guinness with you and try to put things right.
Belfast during the troubles is a great premise for a crime novel given the heightened sense of doubt and changing loyalties. We all know to some extent what went on but never enough so to revisit it from the inside and see how the police worked during this time really had me hooked.
Sean Duffy is also a guy you would want on your side. He’s funny despite the time and situation, loves his music and talks about it all the time and is an all round good guy. I want to meet the others in earlier books now – Duffy and Crabbie – even their names sound interesting.
I now need to read the other books in the series and hope that book six is not far behind. Really stands out from the crowd this one. Highly recommended!
Booktrail Boarding Pass Information:Rain Dogs
Destination: CarrickFergus and Oulu Departure Time: 1980s
Twitter:@adrianmckinty Web: Adrianmckinty.com/
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