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Critical MickReviews Free of Rules.Reviews by the Clown that All Other Critics Want to Strangle with a Black Turtleneck |
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Dark Times in the City |
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I know that Gene Genie withdrew himself from the recent Sexiest Irish Crime Writer contest, allowing John Connolly to scoop the prize. A similar deliberate refusal to participate is the only reason for the neglect of Dark Times in the City. Kerrigan's third novel shines. Set in the darkest season of the year, these 304 pages soon put readers at the next table during a shockingly realistic gangland hit in a suburban Dublin pub. "The motorcycle helmet indoors, the armed minder watching the killer's back and the quick stride toward the intended victim- in recent years, a routine as recognisable as a Riverdance twirl." Novak, owner of the Glencara pub, starts throwing gin bottles at the gunmen- to no more effect than his curses or the look of dread on the paling face of small, middle-aged nobody Walter Bennet. On impulse, Danny Callaghan hefts a bar stool and intervenes. Bennet is saved- for the moment- but what has ex-con Danny involved himself in? |
Kerrigan's The Midnight Choir is a mighty tower of a novel. It well earned its place among Critical Mick's Best Books Read in 2006. Click to read Mick's review. |
Kerrigan brings readers archipallium-deep into the heads of his characters. He explores each star in this deadly nocturnal Riverdance. Apologies for not describing who they are or what these characters are after. Other reviewers summarize the whole shebang, but I don't want to spoil a single moment. Just take it from grumpy ol' Mick that on every single page, very hard men want things very, very badly. There's a hope that it may all end well, but- come on ta fuck- who are we kidding? This is Gene Kerrigan. This is Dublin when all the shiny Celtic Tiger lights have gone out. This is doom and gloom in flawless style.
Kerrigan's new novel is incredibly well built and balanced. It is hard to begin it- or to open at random- and analyze its writing with a critical eye. Within a page there develops a compulsion to get caught up in the plot, in the tempo, tone, and timbre. So much is going on that is notable, exciting and involving. I found Dark Times in the City entirely plausible as well- this book legitimately made me think about subsequent news headlines.
One unusual point: The Midnight Choir's Detective Harry Synnott does not make an encore. Dark Times in the City is yet another stand-alone. I'm not aware of any other Irish crime writer who has not created a series within their first three novels. Kerrigan is doing his own thing. I trust that he won't disappoint with his fourth.
Dark times in the city may be dark but they are...
Critical Mick says: all the most exciting stuff happens at night. For truth, gravity, emotion, action and mood, mood, and mood, Gene Kerrigan's Dark Times in the City is nominated for the 2009 
award for Best Book Mick Read in 2009.
better than Sex in the City!
On 2 April 2009 Declan Burke gave Gene Kerrigan a rapid-fire Q&A over at Crime Always Pays. Highly recommended!
Yo! This review and all content on the DFA Guide site are copyright 2009 Mick Halpin. All links to other sites and documents are copyright to whatever source wrote something cool enough for Mick to give it a referral. Try to claim them as your own work and bad karma will catch up with you, baby. Believe it.
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This Page Was Last Updated On 13 April, 2009.
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