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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
(4.5) "He was that dangerous animal, a man of principle.", February 2, 2010
This review is from: Winterland (Hardcover)
Two shocking deaths are the catalyst for Glynn's riveting thriller. A small-time drug dealer with a big ego, Noel Rafferty, is gunned down in a local beer garden; hours later, his uncle, also Noel Rafferty, is killed in a car accident. The Rafferty family is reeling from the double tragedy, but none is more distressed than Gina Rafferty, aunt of one, sister to the other. Gina cannot accept the supposed coincidence of the deaths, especially after the last words her brother spoke to her the night before. Riddled with questions, she investigates on her own, a David in search of Goliath, a young woman with no power or resources, but plenty of courage. Although she has no proof, Gina's instincts lead her to the halls of power and men she has revered, all of whom have feet of clay.
They say politics makes strange bedfellows and a recent deal brokered in London is no exception. A new skyscraper complex, Richmond Plaza, has attracted funding from an American equity firm, thanks to the careful shepherding of property developer Paddy Norton and endorsed by soon-to-be Prime Minister Larry Bolger. Norton and Bolger have a long working history, as well as ties to Gina's brother, the now-deceased Noel Rafferty. Unfortunately, Gina's questions pose a threat to the Richmond project, to Paddy's grand plans and possibly to Bolger's future as Taoisech (prime minister). When Gina contacts Mark Griffin, a young man deeply affected by a family tragedy in his childhood, the dark secrets of the past are unleashed to the detriment of the power brokers, politicians and investors in Richmond Plaza.
Glynn's plot never lets up, from the two deaths at the beginning of the story to a shocking example of gangland violence in a confrontation in a warehouse, from the accident that took the lives of Griffin's family to a stand-off in the glass-walled Richmond Plaza, where Gina holds a gun as the SWAT team gathers. Dreams of power and fortune are run aground in a drug-fueled haze of one greedy man, while another faces the consequences of his family's activities on his behalf. Dublin is on the cusp of greatness with its new complex until Gina takes aim and brings the pretenders to their knees. Prescient in his choice of topic, Glynn has written a stunning modern thriller that addresses the moral ambiguities of the times and the acquisitive ambitions of the wealthy. Luan Gaines/2010.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Intelligent mystery and political tale in modern day Dublin, March 14, 2010
This review is from: Winterland (Hardcover)
Winterland is one amazing book and may slip by readers since most have never heard of the author. But don't miss this one because it is a thrill ride.
Combining murder, politics, technology and economic back dealing, Glynn sets up an premise that begins with a murder, proceeds to a death in a auto accident and then builds to a captivating plot that is bound to capture your attention.
The leads in this story are not detectives, secret agents, lawyers, private investigators or some sort of Six Million Dollar man who can solve anything with gun play or martial art moves.
Gina Rafferty and Mark Griffin are two ordinary people who get caught up in a labyrinth conspiracy by powerful people involved in the complex politics and back room dirty tricks of modern day Ireland and specifically Dublin. Both have had tragedy occur to them involving members of their family and both feel there is much more to the story than meets the eye. And the villains in this book are equally fascinating, evil and yet very vulnerable.
Glynn sets up the cast of his thrilling crime novel and their various motivations clearly yet not completely until the end of the novel. He has some set pieces, one on the top of a building under construction, one in a warehouse and one in a hospital which would on their own make for phenomenal episodes of "24". During these moments, you will be turning the pages with excitement to find out how they turn out and believe me surprises await! The last pages are as intense as the previous 300.
What is going on with the brand new high rise being built near the docklands of Dublin? What is in store for the Irish minister who craves power and is willing to do anything to reach the top of Irish government? What happened years earlier in a tragic auto accident and how does that tie into another mysterious crash that occurred years later? Why did two people with the same name in the same family die within hours of each other?
I had a hard time putting down this book because Glynn never lets up on the mystery or the tension. Pick it up and you like I will be on the waiting list for the next Glynn novel.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
terrific Irish Noir, February 5, 2010
This review is from: Winterland (Hardcover)
In a pub in Dublin, someone guns down minor league drug dealer Noel Rafferty. Later that same night his uncle with the identical name dies in a strange car accident. The police proclaim the first death as a gangland homicide and the second as a coincidental accident.
Gina Rafferty rejects the police summation while the cops and most of the family reject her belief that someone sinister is getting away with a double murder. She is ignored because she grieves for her nephew and her brother. Mourning but outraged, Gina investigates the connections between her two dead relatives besides DNA and death. She knew her brother worked on the Richmond Plaza project with avaricious developer Paddy Norton, who has connections with avaricious politician Larry Bolger. Gina is convinced these two powerful greedy partners are behind the deaths in her family and sets out to find the proof.
The key to this terrific Irish Noir is the cast including the city is super solid as the key players come across genuine at a time the Irish economy is in the toilet and about to be flushed to sea. Gina is obstinate and courageous yet treated like a grieving dolt so even as the cops, family, the villains and others warn her to stop her inquiry they treat her as a harmless idiot until the realization she is closing in on the truth. Winterland is a super amateur sleuth as the truth may free you but not in this case.
Harriet Klausner
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