JACK TAYLOR WOKE UP.
HE WISHED HE HADN’T.

In the private-detective business, you get on the wrong side of some dangerous people. For Galway investigator Jack Taylor, that meant a violent assault that left him comatose.

Waking up during the Covid pandemic, Jack struggles to cope with the radical changes the world has seen during his absence. Work – and the bottle – helps.

One thing that never changes is the venality of human nature. Local nuns are being attacked, the perpetrator wielding a hammer, and Jack is called in to investigate. With no help from official channels, he finds himself hunting a particularly vicious criminal – alone – once again.

And as he delves deeper into these senseless attacks, Jack soon discovers a darkness that makes him wish he had never woken up.

A gripping slice of Irish neo-noir from the critically acclaimed author of the Jack Taylor series.

'Nobody writes like Ken Bruen' New York Times
'Bruen is the godfather of the modern Irish crime novel' Irish Independent
‘One of Ireland’s most original voices in crime fiction’ Crime Review

Satisfyingly complex . . . All the usual elements of a Jack Taylor novel - terse prose, muscular action, and plenty of Jameson - are on offer in spades. . . . This will more than satisfy series fans. * Publishers Weekly *
The raffish hero's world feels like an unusually sordid theme park attraction. Just be sure to wipe your hands when you exit * Kirkus *
'Hard-hitting' * Shelf Awareness *
Unique and viciously funny... you won’t ever forget the way this Irish pulp philosopher skewers society’s ills and does up the bad guys like a kipper * CrimeTime FM *

Ken Bruen is one of the most prominent Irish crime writers of the last two decades. He received a doctorate in metaphysics, taught English in South Africa, and then became a crime novelist. He is the recipient of two Barry Awards, two Shamus Awards and has twice been a finalist for the Edgar Award. He lives in Galway, Ireland.