'It is 20 years since Jack Taylor - the ex-Garda turned private eye - made his debut in The Guards. Like his creator, he has made a career out of being unlike anyone else ... The welter of violence is punctuated with typographical tricks and quips'
- The Times Crime Club
'This is Irish noir to the core and Ken Bruen, with his unique poetic style, is at its dark beating heart'
- Shots Mag
'The plot Bruen spins out is serviceable and offers the right complement of thrills and adventure, but many of us don't read him for rollercoaster storylines, but for the quirky, telegraphic style, the insights into bruised psyches and the often poetic insights and digressions into books, music and religion that make Bruen's bruised universe somewhat unique'
- Crime Time
'Gritty, violent at times and generously garnished with expletives that reflect the brutal world in which the detective lives and works. Taylor is a thought-provoking, sometimes infuriating and always entertaining maverick. The novel is a page-turner that can be read perfectly well as a stand-alone and recommended for all those who like a twist of Byron with their Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe. I loved it'
- Promoting Crime Fiction
'It sounds bizarre to say that the book is a pleasure to read, given how dark it is. But it really is!'
- Crime Review