Galway’s Edge

And yet again… another riveting Bruen gem featuring ex-Garda officer and present-day private eye Jack Taylor. This is the eighteenth glorious installment in this enduring and exceptional series.

While it can be enjoyed as a standalone, readers will undoubtedly want to explore the entire Jack Taylor series. Not only should they discover the pathos of Jack Taylor on the page, but I also recommend binge-watching the Netflix television adaptation. No one can read these stories without picturing the brilliant Scottish actor Iain Glen as Jack Taylor (this was before his stint as Ser Jorah Mormont on Game of Thrones).

Since his daughter was killed in his presence, Jack has teetered on the abyss, attempting to drown himself in Jameson and Xanax. He is an extremely flawed protagonist—a violent lush who cannot control his sarcastic, ballsy behavior and is a virtual pain in the ass to everyone who knows him.

A shadowy organization is operating in Galway. “The Edge” is a group of five members of local society who have taken it upon themselves to mete out justice to those who have escaped the arm of the law. Their brand of vigilante justice has, at times, gone too far. An envoy of the Vatican Archdiocese, Father Richard, arrives at Jack’s doorstep. The group has recently disposed of a pedophile named Cleon, and the Vatican is aware that one of its members is none other than Father Kevin Whelan. They enlist Jack to persuade him to stand down. The next day, Father Kevin is found dead, hanging by a rope in his backyard. One by one, members of the shadowy cabal are murdered. Who would have the audacity to eliminate these powerful figures?

As Jack investigates, hedge fund millionaire George Benson quickly arouses his suspicion. He soon learns that Benson was refused admission to the group—and he’s not a man who takes rejection lightly. Meanwhile, the local Mother Superior once again calls on Jack for help. A revered jeweled crucifix has been stolen from the church, and subtle clues point to Benson.

To complicate matters further, an abused wife of a Garda officer approaches Jack, desperate for his help in getting her husband to stand down. But when Jack confronts the officer, he is met with a punch to the face, leaving him with a broken nose and a concussion. The next day, the woman somehow falls under the wheels of a bus.

Jack’s entanglements continue to mount as chaos swirls in Galway.

Ken Bruen, with his unparalleled storytelling skills, unleashes a complex and twisted narrative that escalates into an unexpected and explosive denouement. Along the way, he stuns with his gritty, dark Irish humor and almost poetic prose. Violence abounds, but it is never gratuitous—it merely sets the stage for what is to come. As with any Bruen novel, quirky characters pop up with strange motivations and bizarre requests for Jack, propelling the narrative in unexpected directions.

This gripping tale will appeal to aficionados of detective noir crime novels, particularly fans of Adrian McKinty and James Ellroy. Personally, I alternated between my Kindle and the audiobook, narrated by John Keating. I quickly became enamored with his authentic Irish accent, which breathed life into this immersive crime fiction journey. Keating has received multiple accolades for his captivating renditions of a diverse array of literature.

Thanks to NetGalley, Mysterious Press, and HighBridge Audio for providing an Uncorrected Proof and an advance audio version in exchange for an honest review of this five-star gem.