Detective Sergeant Duffy is the man tasked with trying to get to the bottom of it all. It's no easy job - especially when it turns out that one of the victims was involved in the IRA, but last seen discussing business with someone from the UVF. Add to that the fact that as a Catholic policemen, it doesn't matter which side he's on, because nobody trusts him - and Sergeant Duffy really is in a no-win situation.Fast-paced, evocative and brutal, The Cold, Cold Ground is a brilliant depiction of Belfast at the height of the Troubles - and a cop treading a thin, thin line.
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'A razor-sharp thriller set against the backdrop of a country in chaos, told with style, courage and dark-as-night wit . . . Brilliant' --Stuart Neville
'Undoubtedly McKinty's finest novel, written with intelligence, insight and wit ... It does for NI what David Peace did for Yorkshire' --Brian McGilloway
'McKinty's prose is a master-class in vicious poise ... Be in no doubt that this novel is a masterpiece' --Declan Burke
'A fearless trip into 1980s NI - yet McKinty tells a very personal story of an ordinary cop trying to hunt down a serial killer' --John McFetridge
'This writer is a legend in the making and The Cold, Cold Ground is the latest proof of this' --Gerard Brennan
`The Cold Cold Ground is a crime novel, fast-paced, intricate and genre to the core.' --Guardian
'If Raymond Chandler had grown up in Northern Ireland, The Cold Cold Ground is what he would have written' --The Times
'Detective Sergeant Sean Duffy could well become a cult figure...' --Irish Independent
'Adrian McKinty is fast gaining a reputation as the finest of the new generation of Irish crime writers' --Glasgow Herald
'A masterpiece of Troubles crime fiction' --Irish Times
'Undoubtedly McKinty's finest novel, written with intelligence, insight and wit ... It does for NI what David Peace did for Yorkshire' --Brian McGilloway
'McKinty's prose is a master-class in vicious poise ... Be in no doubt that this novel is a masterpiece' --Declan Burke
'A fearless trip into 1980s NI - yet McKinty tells a very personal story of an ordinary cop trying to hunt down a serial killer' --John McFetridge
'This writer is a legend in the making and The Cold, Cold Ground is the latest proof of this' --Gerard Brennan
`The Cold Cold Ground is a crime novel, fast-paced, intricate and genre to the core.' --Guardian
'If Raymond Chandler had grown up in Northern Ireland, The Cold Cold Ground is what he would have written' --The Times
'Detective Sergeant Sean Duffy could well become a cult figure...' --Irish Independent
'Adrian McKinty is fast gaining a reputation as the finest of the new generation of Irish crime writers' --Glasgow Herald
'A masterpiece of Troubles crime fiction' --Irish Times
Book Description
Spring 1981. Northern Ireland. Hunger strikes. Riots. Power cuts. A serial killer with a penchant for opera. And a young woman's suicide that may yet turn out to be murder. On the surface, the events are unconnected, but then things - and people - aren't always what they seem.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Sam
Format:Paperback
Only having read one Adrian McKinty novel "Fifty Grand" I didn't know what to expect with this one. This book is set in McKinty's home territory of Northern Ireland during the early 1980's, an era I knew almost nothing about. This book is also a police procedural about a police officer on the trail of a homophobic serial killer. There are many unusual aspects to the case but what stands out the electrifying atmosphere of Belfast in middle of chaos, the witty banter between the police officers and the character of Sean Duffy who is a sympathetic and funny central protagonist. As an ordinary Detective Sergeant in the northern Irish police, Duffy is not a superman: he is intelligent and observant but he's believeable. He's not Sherlock Holmes. He makes mistakes, takes wrong turns and is sometimes hotheaded. I've read a lot of books in this genre and I think this is one of the very best ones. The Cold Cold Ground is a great novel and you will not be able to put it down.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Seana Graham
Format:Paperback
The events of this novel largely take place in Belfast and neighboring towns in the spring of 1981. McKinty was still a child during this historic, tragic moment of Northern Ireland's recent history--and lived through them as a child--but I was an American twenty-something, traveling through England and other parts of Europe for the first time. I didn't get to Northern Ireland, of course--probably wouldn't have even dared if I'd thought of it. But the Hunger Strikes which form a part of the background of this story were much on the mind of everyone in England that we met, that and the Royal Wedding, as well as the assassination attempt on the Pope and other things that mark this novel as accurate to its specific moment. So, for me, there is an odd nostalgia that goes along with this story, and it had an almost uncanny ability to restore the memories of a long forgotten time.
This is the book I've half-consciously wanted McKinty to write since I first began reading him a few years ago. In the earlier Dead I Well May Be, we get a tantalizing look at life in Northern Ireland as the story opens, where we meet Michael Forsythe signing up for some illegal work in Belfast. No sooner do we start to settle into that life, though, than Michael finds himself fleeing the country entirely. Dead I Well May Be is a wonderful book, and one I highly recommend if you haven't read it yet, but there was a part of me that felt a bit cheated when we rather abruptly rejoin Michael, living an illegal alien's life in Harlem, New York. The Northern Ireland that Michael Forsythe slips out of is not quite the Northern Ireland of 1981, but they are older brother and younger brother to each other. There is a bomb at the beginning of Dead I Well May Be, there are more than one in The Cold Cold Ground.... Read more ›
This is the book I've half-consciously wanted McKinty to write since I first began reading him a few years ago. In the earlier Dead I Well May Be, we get a tantalizing look at life in Northern Ireland as the story opens, where we meet Michael Forsythe signing up for some illegal work in Belfast. No sooner do we start to settle into that life, though, than Michael finds himself fleeing the country entirely. Dead I Well May Be is a wonderful book, and one I highly recommend if you haven't read it yet, but there was a part of me that felt a bit cheated when we rather abruptly rejoin Michael, living an illegal alien's life in Harlem, New York. The Northern Ireland that Michael Forsythe slips out of is not quite the Northern Ireland of 1981, but they are older brother and younger brother to each other. There is a bomb at the beginning of Dead I Well May Be, there are more than one in The Cold Cold Ground.... Read more ›
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I enjoyed The Cold Cold Ground. It was a thrilling read and I couldn't put it down. I stumbled across it on the Amazon Daily deal for £1 on the Kindle, so it was also great value for money! In hindsight I would have been prepared to pay normal retail value for it so, overall, it must have been a good read.
The Cold Cold ground is a police procedural novel set in the early 80's in Carrickfergus, a suburb of Belfast, against the backdrop of The Troubles. The novel is the first of a trilogy based around the career of Detective Sean Duffy.
Duffy is a young Catholic Detective living and working in a Protestant town and is a member of a predominantly Protestant workforce. Our somewhat unusual protagonist is tasked with solving a bizarre series of murders; a serial killer (a rare beast in Nothern Ireland) is on the loose and terrorising the gay community. Duffy and his colleagues need to find that murderer before he kills again. Meanwhile, what has become of Lucy Moore?
The author has taken great pains to make Sean Duffy seem normal, human, believable. He makes mistakes, he gets drunk, he chases women when he should be on the job, he listens to a lot of great music, he has a soft spot for his flashy BMW. Despite his flaws, he ventures into the abyss time and time again to search for the truth behind the bizarre murders.
McKinty has done a really great job of capturing the claustrophobia, paranoia, tension and fear which pervaded the streets of Belfast at the time. The hunger strikers frequently make an appearance in the novel as do full-scale riots, bombs, roadblocks, burning vehicles, moustachioed Protestant terrorists and rhetoric-spouting Republicans. Local expressions are sprinkled nicely through the novel, but not in an overpowering way.... Read more ›
The Cold Cold ground is a police procedural novel set in the early 80's in Carrickfergus, a suburb of Belfast, against the backdrop of The Troubles. The novel is the first of a trilogy based around the career of Detective Sean Duffy.
Duffy is a young Catholic Detective living and working in a Protestant town and is a member of a predominantly Protestant workforce. Our somewhat unusual protagonist is tasked with solving a bizarre series of murders; a serial killer (a rare beast in Nothern Ireland) is on the loose and terrorising the gay community. Duffy and his colleagues need to find that murderer before he kills again. Meanwhile, what has become of Lucy Moore?
The author has taken great pains to make Sean Duffy seem normal, human, believable. He makes mistakes, he gets drunk, he chases women when he should be on the job, he listens to a lot of great music, he has a soft spot for his flashy BMW. Despite his flaws, he ventures into the abyss time and time again to search for the truth behind the bizarre murders.
McKinty has done a really great job of capturing the claustrophobia, paranoia, tension and fear which pervaded the streets of Belfast at the time. The hunger strikers frequently make an appearance in the novel as do full-scale riots, bombs, roadblocks, burning vehicles, moustachioed Protestant terrorists and rhetoric-spouting Republicans. Local expressions are sprinkled nicely through the novel, but not in an overpowering way.... Read more ›
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Ripple
TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
"The Cold Cold Ground" is the first of a planned trilogy of police procedural novels featuring Sean Duffy. Set in 1980s Northern Ireland it's a little reminiscent of the TV show "Life on Mars", full of reminders of the music and events of the period that evokes nostalgia in those who lived through it. In all good police procedural novels, the hero has to have a "thing" that sets him apart. With Duffy it is that he is a Catholic in a predominantly Protestant police force. What this means is that no one trusts him on either side of the religious divide. And as this is set during the worst of the "troubles" with hunger strikes and rioting on the streets, not to mention car bombs and other acts of violence, this is a big issue for him.
Duffy has two cases to solve, which may or may not be related. The main one centres on what appears to be a homophobic serial killer at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in Northern Ireland while the second involves the disappearance of a young girl who is the ex-wife of one of the hunger strikers. Both appear to be unrelated both to each other and to the "troubles" but perhaps not. The serial killer story line involves a lot of homophobic language which was rife at the time which some may find offensive by today's more enlightened standards, but McKinty is very good at evoking the period and this is, to my mind, entirely justified.
McKinty is also good at what might be called "locker room banter" within the police force. In fact, dialogue is always one of his strengths. He has a good ear for it and it's often very amusing. Moreover, the author has previous form in writing trilogies with his excellent series featuring the anti-hero, the hitman Michael Forsythe.... Read more ›
Duffy has two cases to solve, which may or may not be related. The main one centres on what appears to be a homophobic serial killer at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in Northern Ireland while the second involves the disappearance of a young girl who is the ex-wife of one of the hunger strikers. Both appear to be unrelated both to each other and to the "troubles" but perhaps not. The serial killer story line involves a lot of homophobic language which was rife at the time which some may find offensive by today's more enlightened standards, but McKinty is very good at evoking the period and this is, to my mind, entirely justified.
McKinty is also good at what might be called "locker room banter" within the police force. In fact, dialogue is always one of his strengths. He has a good ear for it and it's often very amusing. Moreover, the author has previous form in writing trilogies with his excellent series featuring the anti-hero, the hitman Michael Forsythe.... Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
Unfortunately I am unable to review this book because the copy that was sent to me was in spanish. I do not speak spanish and I was not aware that the copy I was ordering was in... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sandra wallace
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Thriller
The Cold Cold Ground is set against "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland in the early 80s. As I'm coming up to 50 years old, I'm fully aware of the NI situation throughout my... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Ruju
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent on background regarding Norhtern Ireland - well observed
For me a new writer and well placed in intelligent and interesting cime fiction with good character development. Look forward to more
Published 3 months ago by william lynn
4.0 out of 5 stars
MacC
really enjoyed this book story was fast moving and easy to follow the main character as he coped with life and his job.
Published 3 months ago by fred mccartney
4.0 out of 5 stars
really good
This was really well worth the money and was perfect when it arrived no damage and in prompt time, recommend.
Published 3 months ago by J's
4.0 out of 5 stars
A thriller of its time
Adrian McKinty's book is full of authenticity, particularly for those of us that were around in Belfast and surrounding districts at the time of the hunger strikes in 1981. Read more
Published 4 months ago by The Dunmurry Kid
4.0 out of 5 stars
First Class
I won't give details of the plot, which have already been highlighted, but I found the writing was witty, coherent and concise. Read more
Published 4 months ago by P M S COOPER
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hopefully the first of many
I got this book on Kindle, drawn in by a mix of low price and interesting review. It's the first of his books that I've read and it's really great! Read more
Published 5 months ago by Romancrimeblogger
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great read
Sean Duffy, a Catholic policeman during the Troubles of the early 80's, investigates what appear to be some homophobic murders. Read more
Published 5 months ago by johnverp
3.0 out of 5 stars
terrible ending
Now that the Troubles are over and Northern Ireland is in a so called Peace Process, although only time will really tell. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Alan Leckey
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