Galway Confidential

The Jack Taylor Novels, Book 17

By: Ken Bruen

Narrated by: John Keating

In this new installment of Ken Bruen's beloved Jack Taylor series, the whiskey-swigging Irish detective investigates a series of violent attacks on the local convent's nuns.

Jack Taylor wakes up from a coma to discover that much of the world has changed since he last walked the streets of Galway. The pandemic had hit while he was under, devastating the lives of many in his beloved city and beyond. Now, as Jack tries to recover from the attack that put him in the hospital and absorb the incredible changes in the world around him, a woman approaches him with a distressing case: two local nuns have been bludgeoned by a mysterious man wielding a hammer, and more are sure to follow. As the police fail to act while the violence against the Sisters escalates, Jack seems like their only hope.

Initially wary of becoming involved in the investigation, Jack finds he cannot stay away from the mystery surrounding these vicious attacks. He also cannot shake a feeling of darkness that has haunted him since he awoke from his coma—a darkness that is far too close for comfort. Luckily, an old friend is there to help see him through and there is always Jack's dark wit and a drink to help shore up his mood.

©2023 Ken Bruen (P)2024 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Not my favorite Taylor story

I have read every Jack Taylor novel. I was happy to see that Bruen decided to resurrect the character, as I have enjoyed most of the novels. Galway, which I have visited once for only a short time, is a big character in most of the novels. Jack's love of reading is usually highlighted, though his lack of reading here was explained. I missed the normal discussion of books and authors. Bruen always says something about current events, and he really went to town in this one with the pandemic, the lockdown, Brexit, Johnson's resignation, the queen dying; funny he never mentioned Liz Truss' amazingly short tenure. This book seemed to have been rushed. I didn't think much of the plot, the development or the resolution really. It's not up to Bruen's standards IMHO. And I didn't like the narrator either. Prior narrators had been much better, I thought.

Average, disappointing

Nice to have Jack back. But, the writing seems to have no effort or enthusiasm. The Author (Ken B) is better than this; however, I guess we get what we get. The book seems to have all the elements but just uses lots of filler and a whole lot of old plot script from his other works. In short, this book was given no love.