Adrian McKinty has once again harnessed the power of poetry, violence, lust and revenge to forge a sequel to his acclaimed Dead I Well May Be. * The Irish Post *
McKinty proves himself a crime writer of note in this sequel to Dead I Well May Be. Violence, lust and revenge - it's all here * The Sunday Express *
McKinty's literate, expertly crafted third crime novel, the sequel to Dead I Well May Be, confirms his place as one of his generation's leading talents... McKinty possesses a talent for pace and plot structure that belies his years. Dennis Lehane fans will definitely be pleased * Publishers Weekly *
US based Northern Ireland writer Adrian McKinty had an international bestseller with his debut, Dead I Well May Be. His third book, The Dead Yard (Scribner) is earning equally strong reviews. It follows the same anti-hero, Michael Forsythe, who has become something of a cult figure among thriller fans... Based loosely on the experiences of David Rupert, who infiltrated the Real IRA in the U.S., The Dead Yard promises to be another bestseller for a rising star on the international fiction scene. * Irish Voice *
If I were a student at the Denver high school where Adrian McKinty teaches English and civics, I'd try hard to get into both of his classes. Not many people can combine obvious mastery of the two subjects - plus a pungently jaundiced dash of political history - into one ironic paragraph as he does in his latest thriller, The Dead Yard...There are enough bullets to stock an armory but with McKinty it's the words that leave the strongest impression. * Chicago Tribune *
There's nothing like an Irish tough guy. And we're not talking about Gentleman Gerry Cooney here. No, we mean the new breed of bare-knuckle Irish writers like Adrian McKinty, Ken Bruen and John Connolly who are bringing fresh life to the crime fiction genre...What sets these Irish writers apart is the way they can blend cynicism and lyricism. The Dead Yard may be the only book you ever read that has a stone-cold killer evoking the mythical character Tantalus. But that's also what pulls you through to the brutal climax - the captivating voice of the narrator * Philadelphia Inquirer *
Adrian McKinty made a dazzling debut with his first novel, Dead I Well May Be. His third book, The Dead Yard (Scribner; 292 pages; $25), is a much-anticipated sequel to that crime yarn and every bit as good. You don't have to have read Dead I Well May Be to enjoy The Dead Yard, but you'll get more out of the new work if you do. Its scrappy protagonist, Michael Forsythe, takes on more depth if you know his background in detail. It also makes it easier to understand how he can get in such trouble this time around...As an author, McKinty crackles with raw talent. His dialogue is superb, his characters rich and his plotting tight and seamless. He also writes with a wonderful (and wonderfully humorous) flair for language, raising his work above most crime-genre offerings and bumping right up against literature. Michael might sound like a James Bond type, but he's anything but. Despite his beguiling self-confidence, almost everything he touches goes to hell, and it's clear at all times that despite his self-styled morals he's little better than riffraff. But, boy, is he a hoot to be around. Michael is smarter, funnier and deadlier than almost everyone he's with, and this makes him a terrific guide to the underworld he can't seem to escape. Not that we don't want to see him try. * San Francisco Chronicle *
The Dead Yard is compelling crime fiction at its finest! Adrian McKinty is an exciting new talent, and Michael Forsythe is a hero that other writers can only aspire to create * Ed McBain *
