END OF THE LINE
Review in –‘iloveamysterynewsletter. 17th February 2004
END OF THE LINE, set in contemporary Dublin, is a fast paced, engaging read by Irish writer KT McCaffrey. The story follows award winning investigative reporter Emma Boylan as she collects information on an accident that has claimed the life of a parish priest and critically injured his driver. It is soon clear to MS. Boylan and the police that this was a homicide, not an accident. From this point in the story Boylan’s attention turns to Lonsdale, a working class suburb and the home of Father O’Gorman’s parish. Day by day she develops the story for her paper, often under pressure from her editor for a sensational, front-page story.
The Ireland that McCaffrey describes is not one of Catholic guilt and sexual repression. Indeed, in Lonsdale many of the citizens, including the clergy and the police, are involved in dalliances, affairs, and various imbroglios, providing Boylan with lots of material to consider as she looks for a motive in O’Gorman’s death. The discovery of a second body, found in O’Gorman’s confessional, further complicates the investigation.
The story is presented in an almost filmic manner. The narrative cuts from scene to scene and character to character, shifting from one point of view to the next. There are also cuts to the past in the form of a diary written by Nelly Joyce, the mother of Father O’Gorman’s housekeeper, Caroline Blackman. These Diary entries provide important background material that plays into the final revelations in the story.
The plot twists and turns through 300 plus pages, moving back and forth from present events to things that happened decades before. Scene by scene, chapter by chapter, the story is told in a vivid, gripping manner, with more than enough to keep you occupied and entertained until you reach the final page
Aaron Stander

KILLING TIME
‘A compelling and imaginative novel, one which I found difficult to put down’ - Pauline Ferrie – Irish Abroad website

‘A very plausible and interesting read that has plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat - Heather Higgins – The Irish World

EVENING HERALD
The Body Rock by KT McCaffrey
REVIEWED By
KEN BRUEN
KT McCaffrey has written two best-selling thrillers, - Revenge and Killing Time. It looks like he may have a third one here. It began quietly enough. Jamie Wilson, son of Maeve and Todd, is celebrating his 18th birthday. Reads some cards, one from his girlfriend at university. He is busy finding the knot in the length of cord.
His estranged nanny has gone to great trouble to find exactly the right present. Unsure of her welcome, she knocks on his door.
‘She eases the door inwards. It was a full second before her scream began. In that awful moment of horror, she saw the spectacle of Jamie hanging by a rope from the ceiling.
Emma Boylan, an investigative reporter on honeymoon, discovers that the Wilson’s world is falling apart and it’s not random fate. Her last article had been on Todd Wilson. She’d questioned his integrity and business ventures. The wife, Maeve, is seemingly a public paragon.
A sinister plot to destroy them is gradually, teasingly revealed. As Emma gets closer to the truth, she realises her life may be at stake.
I’d highly recommend this book. It’s a long novel and once you begin, you’ll want to stay with it. There are guilty secrets buried all over the Wilson’s past and revenge is the way they’ll be brought to light. During the lengthy teasing out of the plot, KT maintains the tension superbly. As the narrative twists and turns and no one is quite who they seem, the readers interest is heightened.
KEN BRUEN.