Synopses & Reviews
This gripping Irish thriller is an intriguing new departure for comic noir writer Declan Burke."A dying man, if he is any kind of man, will live beyond the law." The elderly German, Karl Uxkull, was senile or desperate for attention. Why else would he concoct a tale of Nazi atrocity on the remote island of Delphi, off the coast of Donegal? And why now, 60 years after the event, just when Irish-American billionaire Shay Govern has tendered for a prospecting licence for gold in Lough Swilly?
Journalist Tom Noone doesn't want to know. With his young daughter Emily to provide for, and a ghost-writing commission on Shay Govern's autobiography to deliver, the timing is all wrong. Besides, can it be mere coincidence that Karl Uxkull's tale bears a strong resemblance to the first thriller published by legendary spy novelist Sebastian Devereaux, the reclusive English author who has spent the past 50 years holed up on Delphi?
But when a body is discovered drowned, Tom and Emily find themselves running for their lives, in pursuit of the truth that is their only hope of survival.
Review
"Burke, shows again that he's not just a comic genius, but also a fine dramatic writer and storyteller" Booklist
Review
"Readers will be rewarded with an unholy Chinese box of a thriller. Make that an Irish-German box. " Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Burke has a real knack for dialogue and phrasing" Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Why would elderly Gerhard Uxkull concoct a tale of Nazi atrocity on the remote island of Delphi, off the coast of Donegal? And why now, just when Irish-American billionaire Shay Govern has tendered for a prospecting licence for gold in the area? When a body is discovered drowned, journalist Tom Noone must find out the truth if he is to survive.
About the Author
Born in Sligo, Ireland, Declan Burke now lives in Co Wicklow. A freelance writer and journalist, his novels have been described as 'Irish screwball noir.' He is a regular contributor to The Sunday Times, Irish Times and the Sunday Independent, and hosts a website devoted to crime fiction called Crime Always Pays. In 2012, he won the Goldsboro Last Laugh Award with ABSOLUTE ZERO COOL.