Customer Reviews

Murphy's Law

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This is my first experience with literature from Northern Ireland. I found the culture portrayed quite harsh and brutal in comparison to most American detective stories. As a former journalist, Bateman's writes clearly and succinctly in ordinary working class language. The character he creates, detective Martin Murphy, is extremely complex. Murphy, a former British undercover operative assigned to infiltrate the IRA, is a deeply scarred man. He's resourceful, afraid of nothing based on his undercover experience and relentlessly honest. He's also heavy drinking, foul mouthed, incredibly funny and deeply haunted by the murder of his son (presumably in an IRA vendetta), as well as a subsequent separation from his wife.

In a way it's a classic murder mystery, with the suspense greatly heightened by continual uncertainty whether, owing to his personal failings, Murphy will finally cop a bullet from the criminal gang he's pursuing. However by the end the reader is reasonably confident that the main character's inate brilliance and relentless perserverence will enable him to prevail.

Brilliant plot construction and characterization.