A Man With One of Those Faces (The Dublin Trilogy Book 1) by Caimh McDonnell.
The Blurb:
The first time somebody tried to kill him was an accident.
The second time was deliberate.
Now Paul Mulchrone finds himself on the run with nobody to turn to except a nurse who has read one-too-many crime novels and a renegade copper with a penchant for violence. Together they must solve one of the most notorious crimes in Irish history . . .
. . . or else they’ll be history.
A Man With One of Those Faces is the first book in Caimh McDonnell's Dublin Trilogy, which melds fast-paced action with a distinctly Irish acerbic wit.
Praise for A Man With One of Those Faces:
"One of the funniest crime books you could read." The Express
"A brilliant comedic thriller." The Irish Post
"It's just crying out to be made into a movie. The writing is whip-smart and funny." Books Ireland Magazine
"I was hooked by the end of the first page. Clever writing. Funny plot. Good characters." The Sun-Gazette
"Humorous crime at its finest. Droll, witty and highly entertaining. The writing is skilled and captivating." ***** Audiothing
"A masterclass... The prose and narrative is spot on. The characters inhabiting this hilarious, yet gripping story are just wonderful." ***** Strange Alliances
"A riotous read. Flipping easily between humour and terror so that I spent most of the book sat on the edge of my seat while chuckling." **** Cleopatra Loves Books
"Original, innovative, intelligent and laugh out loud funny." Maureen Carter, author of the Bev Morriss books
"If you like stories by Colin Bateman, Carl Hiaasen, Tim Dorsey and Janet Evanovich then you'll enjoy A Man With One of Those Faces." **** The View from the Blue House
About Caimh McDonnell:
Caimh McDonnell is an award-winning stand-up comedian, author and writer of televisual treats. His writing credits include The Sarah Millican Television Programme, A League of Their Own, Mock the Week and Have I Got News for You. He also works as a children's TV writer and was BAFTA nominated for the animated series 'Pet Squad' which he created. He was a winner in the BBC's Northern Laffs sitcom writing competition. During his time on the British stand-up circuit, he has firmly established himself as the white-haired Irishman whose name nobody can pronounce. He regularly supports Sarah Millican and Gary Delaney on tour and has also brought the funny worldwide, doing stand-up tours of the Far East, the Middle East and Near East (Norwich). His debut novel 'A Man With One of Those Faces' has been nominated for best Novel at the 2017 CAP awards.
My Review:
This book far exceeded my expectations. A dark crime novel wrapped up in exquisite Irish humour was just my cup of tea. It worked for me in so many ways. Paul Mulchrone, a young man in extraordinary circumstances, who has been bequeathed a paltry allowance on condition that he engages in six hours charity work a week, finds an easy job as a volunteer visitor on a dementia ward. As the title says, he has one of those faces that could be anyone, so it's no surprise that patients who cannot even remember their own name are going to falsely recognise him as their nearest and dearest. All seems well until he meets one old man who stabs him, which sets the whole story off, on a string of near-death experiences, when others are set on killing him. The nurse, Brigit Conroy, who feels a tad guilty after inadvertently setting him up with this patient, is a great sidekick, who constantly annoys Paul along the way. So glad this is a trilogy, and I'm bound to read the rest.
