The Bloomsday Dead
Laying low in South America, Michael has been running security for the Miraflores Hilton in Lima, Peru, juggling temperamental tourists, irksome dignitaries, and the occasional lady of the night. But Michael's colorful life in Lima comes to a violent halt with the arrival of two Colombian hit men who trap him in one of the hotel's rooms and force him at gunpoint to take a call from Bridget Callaghan in Ireland.
Michael and Bridget have a lot of history. For one, they used to be lovers. For another, Michael killed Bridget's husband. Bridget offers Michael a terrible choice: come find my daughter, or my men will kill you—now.
Michael arrives in Dublin on Bloomsday, June 16th, the date that James Joyce's Ulysses takes place—but whether this coincidence augurs well for him or foretells his end can't yet be known. In the span of this single day, he penetrates the heart of an IRA network, is kidnapped, escapes, then worms his way into the criminal underground in search of the missing girl. Never certain who to trust, Michael keeps his revolver close at hand—and doesn't hesitate to use it—outsmarting at every turn any number of determined would-be assassins.
Before the day is out, on a windswept ocean cliff, Michael finds himself face-to-face with the kidnappers as well as the lovely and murderous Bridget. It is there that he must finally confront a series of shocking truths—not just about others but, above all, about himself as well.
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Adrian McKinty
Adrian McKinty writes crime fiction where the ordinary collides with the unforgiving, and the tension never lets go. Born in Belfast in 1968, he grew up amid the Troubles, a backdrop of political unrest and divided loyalties that quietly shaped his sense of morality and justice. Those early experiences of a society on edge became the heartbeat of his fiction, giving his novels a texture that’s both authentic and unsettling.
He first gained attention with the Sean Duffy series, beginning with The Cold Cold Ground, which follows a Catholic detective navigating the perilous landscape of 1980s Northern Ireland. McKinty’s work is defined by its moral complexity, unflinching realism, and darkly intelligent humor. He doesn’t just tell crime stories; he immerses readers in the pressures of a world where every choice carries weight and consequences are inevitable.
Michael Forsythe
Michael Forsythe consists of three books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
