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The Cold, Cold Ground

Detective Sean Duffy, Book 1

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The Cold, Cold Ground

By: Adrian McKinty
Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
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About this listen

Fast-paced, evocative, and brutal, The Cold Cold Ground is a brilliant depiction of Belfast at the height of the Troubles — and of a cop treading a thin, thin line —from The New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author Adrian McKinty.

“McKinty is one of the most striking and most memorable crime voices to emerge on the scene in years.” —Tana French

Northern Ireland, spring 1981. Hunger strikes, riots, power cuts, a homophobic serial killer with a penchant for opera, and a young woman’s suicide that may yet turn out to be murder: on the surface, the events are unconnected, but then things—and people—aren’t always what they seem. Detective Sergeant Duffy is the man tasked with trying to get to the bottom of it all. It’s no easy job—especially when it turns out that one of the victims was involved in the IRA but was last seen discussing business with someone from the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force. Add to this the fact that, as a Catholic policeman, it doesn’t matter which side he’s on, because nobody trusts him, and Sergeant Duffy really is in a no-win situation.

©2012 Adrian McKinty (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Crime Fiction Historical Mystery Fiction Ireland Exciting Scary

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Critic reviews

“McKinty is a streetwise, energetic gunslinger of a writer, firing off volleys of sassy dialogue and explosive action that always delivers what it has promised.” ( Irish Times)
“What makes McKinty a cut above the rest is the quality of his prose. His driven, spat-out sentences are more accessible than James Ellroy's edge-of-reason staccato, and he can be lyric.” ( The Guardian)
“If Raymond Chandler had grown up in Northern Ireland, The Cold Cold Ground is what he would have written.” ( The Times, London)
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I loved the voice of the reader. I liked the way that the story tied in with the Irish troubles. I knew something about these times, as an outsider.

I was held by the story, gradually drawn in.

I would def listen to another!

I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book!

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The only problem with it is the short but graphic sex scenes so it couldn't be listened to in the garden unless you don't mind what the neighbours think or want to take the chance on starting a rumour about yourself. There must be a rule the author observes to explain the scenes inclusion. Still, I'll not be put off by them and intend to listen to all of his books in due course. The cultural and historical references, the plot with its proper resolution, really work for me.

Brilliant but not for garden listening

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The author manages to portray a time before mobile phones where very often it was necessary to ask a perpetrator/victim if you might use their phone and manages with humour to portray the abject bleakness of Belfast/Ulster a book That deserves to be read.

Bleak humour but excellent

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The storyline kept you guessing. It felt like you were there in Ireland during the bombings and protests and the cold non stop rain.

For once the killer wasn't apparent from the get go

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I’m only on chapter 8 but so far this is the best book I’ve ever listened to. The narrator is great, and the book is so well written. Can’t wait to listen to the next one in the series.

Fantastic book

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Enjoyable story, well narrated. Gives a great snapshot of a time and a place. Who'd have been in the RUC? Grim business and an unusual perspective

Lord knows the Troubles I've seen

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Second time round and just as good. Great story, fascinating characters, interesting setting (time/place) and I could listen to Doyle recite the phone book. Love it.

Brilliant

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certainly brought back memories of my tour back at the end of the 70s and early 80s...

Great read and a great Audible

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very enjoyable. I read it in three sittings. it portrayed the troubles as ot was

original

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My sister recommended this series of books to me; she also recommended listening to Audiobooks which I'd not really considered before. I love reading books and I found the extra dimension of listening really added to my enjoyment of this - at times - gritty whodunit. It's set in early 1980s, a time I was living in southern Ireland and a very tense time for residents north and south of the border. Coincidentally, on BBC, there was a documentary about the hunger strikers. Listening to the audiobook inspired me to watch this programme and research more around the subject. I found the narrator to be excellent and I liked the main protagonist. I'll definitely be reading / listening to some more of these.

Loved this!

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