Book Review: The Guards

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

The Guards     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon UK PB Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Ken Bruen
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: Jack Taylor # 1

Jack Taylor used to be a cop in Northern Ireland. Drunk on duty, he tangled with a highly placed politician during a routine traffic stop and in the blink of an eye, he was no longer a cop.

Jack does not try to resist the pull of his addiction to alcohol and drifts through the days and weeks that follow - with a partially formed plan to become a private investigator. When the mother of a young girl who committed suicide asks him to investigate the circumstances of her death, Jack agrees. However, his dedication to the investigation is lukewarm at best.

Although the reader does eventually understand what happened to the young woman "The Guards" is more a character study of Jack. We watch him with his friends, his landlady, his client, and above all with his whiskey.

Bruen uses a unique innovative style of narrative. I found "The Guards" very hard to put down, and recommend it highly!

Woodstock - RAM

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