The Dead Yard: A Novel [Hardcover]

Adrian McKinty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2006

In this breathtaking sequel to Dead I Well May Be, which The Philadelphia Inquirer called "the most captivating crime novel" of the year, mercenary bad boy Michael Forsythe is forced to infiltrate an Irish terrorist cell on behalf of the FBI, and thus confront murder, mayhem, and the prospect of his own execution.

With the same poetic lilt and heart-stopping suspense that made Dead I Well May Be a critical favorite, the saga continues with The Dead Yard -- a thriller in which Michael Forsythe must insinuate himself into the good graces of a band of calculating political terrorists.

As the novel opens, he's on vacation in Spain, but when a soccer riot between Irish and English fans escalates out of control, Michael is suddenly arrested and thrown into a Spanish prison. Enter Samantha, a British intelligence agent as cunning as she is voluptuous. She makes Michael an offer he cannot refuse: instead of being extradited to Mexico to serve time for a prison break, he can help her by infiltrating an IRA sleeper cell in the United States, and she'll see to it that the Spaniards and Mexicans forget all about him. Filled with apprehension about the dangers of the assignment, Michael reluctantly agrees. Within hours he is flown to New York City and thrust into the nightmare world of men known for their distinctive brands of torture and revenge. Michael crosses and double-crosses key players, escapes his own lies by a hairsbreadth, loses his only ally, and falls for the daughter of his enemy -- a most inadvisable development.

Boasting spot-on dialogue, crackling wit, and one of the most memorable heroes in all of crime fiction, Adrian McKinty's dazzling new novel confirms his reputation as a brilliant storyteller and writer on the rise.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. McKinty's literate, expertly crafted third crime novel, the sequel to Dead I Well May Be (2003), confirms his place as one of his generation's leading talents. Five years after taking down a powerful Irish mobster, Belfast-born mercenary Michael Forsythe has a new identity and the chance at a new life, courtesy of the FBI. Unfortunately, while vacationing in Spain, Forsythe's thrown into prison after a soccer match between the Irish and the Brits turns violent. Forsythe faces extradition to Mexico, where he's a wanted man, unless he cuts a deal with a gorgeous British intelligence agent, Samantha Caudwell, to infiltrate an Irish terrorist cell called the Sons of Cuchulainn. Based outside Boston and led by a pair of fanatic ex-IRA members, the SOC vows to ignore the IRA's current cease-fire and to attack British targets in the States. Once again, Forsythe goes undercover, entering a shadowy world of subterfuge and deception. McKinty possesses a talent for pace and plot structure that belies his years. Dennis Lehane fans will definitely be pleased. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The solid sequel to 2003's explosive, lyrical Dead I Well May Be catches up with young Michael Forsythe as he chafes at the restrictions of life in the federal witness-protection program, which is where he ended up after crippling the New York Irish Mob operation that sponsored his trip from the old country. Incautious about what he wishes for, Forsythe soon finds himself conscripted into a joint British-U.S. intelligence operation to infiltrate a Boston-based IRA splinter group that's out to sabotage the Irish peace process. He may have the skills of an assassin and the soul of a poet, but, as usual, Forsythe displays lousy women judgment, becoming simultaneously entangled with a British agent and the daughter of the splinter group's leader. Mc-Kinty hooks readers early with vivid action sequences and brutal bits of foreshadowing--"Could Kit kill me? Could I kill her? Before the week was out, I'd know the answer to both those questions"--and then delivers a shocking climax of survival and revenge that whets the appetite for what appears to be a promised third chapter in the Forsythe saga. Frank Sennett
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (February 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743266439
• ISBN-13: 978-0743266437
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,260,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for the faint of heart....whew., April 7, 2006

By 

Deborah "Lover of good cops and robbers books... (SHALLOTTE, NC, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dead Yard: A Novel (Hardcover)

I "read" this book as a download from Audible. Gerard Doyle is the narrator and seems to become Michael Forsythe. He's amazing. I hope everyone gets to "hear" this book and Doyle's reading of it.

This book is extremely lyrical and smart, drolly humorous at times, and viciously violent. I don't think I've been so tense since the basement scene in The Silence of the Lambs. The last 30 minutes or so, I literally was pacing back and forth, my heart beating as fast as it could, and my stomach was nauseated by dread.

I don't like to read reviews that tell the story of the book, so I won't go into that here. All I can say is that if you are a fan of great writing and good thrillers, and you have a strong heart (and stomach), then you will absolutely love this book.

McKinty is wonderful, and the McKinty/Doyle pairing was made in entertainment heaven. And if Michael was real, I'd be in love with him.

BUY THIS BOOK! Even better, listen to it!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars KcKinty Really Is a Fine Writer..., May 9, 2006

By 

Craig Larson (Maple Grove, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dead Yard: A Novel (Hardcover)

Man, is this book fast-moving. And, man, is it well-written. Ever since I stumbled on _Dead I Well May Be_ by accident, I've been in awe of Adrian McKinty's skills as a writer, which are again on display in this, his third novel (after the equally good _Hidden River_). My one area of concern, though, is the wisdom of bringing back character Michael Forsythe from the debut and giving him another go-around. That first book was so epic in its violence and existentialism that this one can't help but feel like a bit of a let-down by comparison. Still, it's great to have another McKinty book to get lost in, no matter what the topic or who the protagonist.

Michael is forced by circumstances (he was jailed in a bit of soccer hooliganism turned violence and wants to avoid extradition back to a certain Mexican jail) to infiltrate an IRA splinter cell operating in the Boston area. It is the eve of an historic cease fire (the book is set in the 90s) and the Sons of Cuchulainn, a small, largely ineffectual group headed by a pair of small-time exiles from Northern Ireland who turn out to still have a bit of spine as events spiral out of control. Michael falls in love with Kit, the daughter of the cell's leader, which may prove unadvisable, as they begin to check his cover story and to suspect that he isn't who he says he is. The story builds to a messy, violent climax in the wilds of Maine, with the suggestion that Michael will be back for another go-around (Bridget, his girlfriend from _Dead I Well May Be_, is a rising star in New York's Irish rackets).

Still, as much fun as it is to spend time with Forsythe, I'd almost rather that McKinty would present us with yet another small-time loser for a protagonist. His debut was so strong and so self-contained and so fittingly-structured and concluded that there really was no need to revisit old pastures. This book can't help but pale by comparison, even though it's ten times better than the bulk of what's passing for crime thrillers these days. McKinty just has a way with words and dialogue and a view of the world that can't be beat. Even though I'd count this novel as something of a disappointment, I'm still strongly recommending it and I'd recommend his other books as well.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars here comes trouble, March 25, 2006

By 

stirrednotshaken (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dead Yard: A Novel (Hardcover)

He's back. Lock up your daughters, stay indoors and get ready for the worst. Michael Forsythe is infiltrating a devious bunch of thugs in the swamps of New England. You know its not going to be pretty or end well for anyone. If you read Dead I Well May Be and wondered what this crook, ne'er do well and all round rascal was going to get up to next, this is your answer. Keep a valium next to the bed if you've a nervous disposition, or, better yet, a valium, a shot of old Bushmills and your trusty .45.