The Death of an Irish Lass (Peter McGarr Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Bartholomew Gill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2003

The dead woman is an enigma -- a local lass who emigrated to America some years back, now perched atop a seven-hundred-foot cliff high above the pounding Irish surf . . . with two passports, a pistol, and $27,000 U.S. dollars in her coat pocket. The brutality of May Quirk's murder -- along with the accompanying death of her unborn child -- haunts Chief Superintendent Peter McGarr of the Special Crimes Unit. What was it that brought her home to County Clare to die? McGarr is determined to find out, as his investigation carries him into the twisted core of a deadly conspiracy centered around money, madness, and lethal politics . . . and leads him far from his own home to a dark place where a dedicated Irish policeman is easy prey.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bartholomew Gill authored 15 Peter McGarr mysteries, among them The Death of an Irish Lover, The Death of an Irish Tinker, and the Edgar Award nominee The Death of a Joyce Scholar. A graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, Gill wrote as Mark McGarrity for the Star-Ledger. He died in 2002.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Avon (March 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060522607
• ISBN-13: 978-0060522605
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #589,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars To Irish Cops. Two shoes, two fists, hard head, big heart.", May 18, 2003

By 

Mary Whipple (New England) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Death of an Irish Lass (Peter McGarr Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

With this toast Chief Superintendent Peter McGarr of the Garda Soichana salutes his New York counterparts for helping him investigate IRA fund-raising in the U.S. to finance terrorism abroad. A seemingly straightforward investigation of the murder of a young Irish woman, stabbed to death with a wooden pitchfork on the Cliffs of Moher, has quickly turned into an international conspiracy involving secret cells of the IRA, money-laundering, and plans for a major terror attack in the Emerald Isle. McGarr's investigation of the murder of May Quirk, a reporter for a New York newspaper, reveals the wide variety of people affected by her death and their interactions--educated young Irish emigres now living in New York, sad and frustrated old folks tending small farms in County Clare, owners of local dance halls and pubs in Lahinch, misguided supporters of the IRA, crooks threatened by May's investigations, and even her German boyfriend with his Irish roots.

McGarr, his wife Noreen, and his officers--Hugh Ward, Bernie McKeon, and O'Shaughnessy--whom we know from previous novels, continue to develop their personal relationships in parallel with the ongoing IRA investigation. McGarr, who is not averse to having a jar with the lads, even the bad lads, is an honest investigator who shows his emotions and is willing to get "down and dirty," if necessary. He himself admits to interpreting the law on terms that are "somehow fairer than the cold print on the pages of the law books," in order to effect a just outcome. The action is fast, the plot is exciting, and the characters, with all their quirks and idiosyncrasies, are unforgettable.

Author Gill's eye for revealing detail, his colorful dialogue with all its colloquialisms, his perceptive recreation of unique settings and atmosphere, and the loving humor of his observations make this novel a lively and memorable evocation of characters and places we have come to know as part of this fifteen-book series. Originally published in 1978 as McGarr and the Cliffs of Moher, this is a new reprint following the untimely death of the author in the summer of 2002. Mary Whipple

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Irish Detective, July 28, 2008

By 

Bobby Underwood "starlighthotel" (Manly NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Death of an Irish Lass (Peter McGarr Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

This was my first Peter McGarr mystery and it won't be my last. Bartholomew Gill created this most Irish detective and imbued both he and his setting with the charm of an Irish Bed and Breakfast.

McGarr is the Chief Inspector of Detectives, a position created to lure him away from Interpol. Before that McGarr had been with Criminal Justice in Paris and is somewhat revered in his home of Ireland. When a particularly young and beautiful Irish lass named May Quirk is found murdered with a pitchfork along the roadside McGarr tackles a case that will involve the I.R.A. and lead him all the way to New York and back to catch a killer.

Gill writes a complex mystery full of atmosphere for a beautiful country where some tawdry things take place. He shows the sympathetic nature of most in Ireland for the I.R.A. even though their methods are frowned upon. It appears May Quirk may only have returned to her homeland to expose the financial pipeline of the I.R.A. for her paper in New York.

McGarr is a fleshed out character with a wife, Noreen, 21 years younger than he, and a love for fine food and Ireland. As he tries to get to the bottom of May Quirk's death an explosive attempt to take out McGarr and a high ranking I.R.A. member will give him a steely resolve to find out whether love or politics was at the bottom of her death.

Gill subtly makes us feel as though we really are in Ireland throughout this entire mystery. Whether describing the lovely Irish countryside or coast, Gill perfectly captures the charm of a country where a friendly Irish pub is a social club while at the same time showing political division.

This is a good series with finely drawn characters, great atmosphere and just enough fun mixed in to make this a great read. Open up this McGarr mystery and enjoy some great food in scenic Ireland.