Guardians of the Peace is a political history of the Irish police force, An Garda Síochana, from its foundation at the birth of the Irish State, through the Irish Civil War, the threat of the fascist 'Blueshirts', the continuing campaign of the IRA, de Valera's entry into the Dáil in 1932 and the creation, effectively of his own police force – 'The Broy Harriers' – through World War 2.As the author outlines in his insightful introduction, the story told in this book is par...

The first book in a pacey and evocative detective series set in Victorian Dublin. In the 1880s the DMP classified crime in two distinct classes. Political crimes were 'special', whereas theft, robbery and even murder, no matter how terrible, were 'ordinary'. Dublin, June 1887: the mutilated bodies of a man and a child are discovered in Phoenix Park and Detective Sergeant Joe Swallow steps up to investigate. Cynical and tired, Swallow is a man living on past successes in need of a win. In t...

Joe Swallow, newly promoted to detective inspector, is back, and life looks to be taking a turn for the better. But his new-found peace will soon be chaotically upturned, with far-reaching consequences.In Dublin, a series of violent attacks against women leads to an outbreak of panic and fear, and things on the home front are about to change in an unexpected way.In London, Charles Stewart Parnell tirelessly pursues the Irish cause for Home Rule. While the British are eager t...

Swallow and the legendary Chief Superintendent John Mallon must also work tirelessly to counter espionage and subterfuge by the British secret services, who are hell-bent on destroying Charles Stewart Parnell and the Irish struggle for Home Rule. If Parnell falls, the G-men of Dublin's Metropolitan Police fear the chaos that will rise in his wake. As Swallow struggles to hold his marriage together, he must choose between the life he wants and the career he has built. The pressure mounts on...

When a Dublin Pawnbroker is found murdered and the lead suspect goes missing, Sergeant Joe Swallow is handed the poisoned chalice of the investigation. With authorities pressing for a quick resolution, the public living in fear of attack and the newspapers happy to point to the police's every mistake, Swallow must use every trick in his arsenal to crack the case. On the way he uncovers deep-rooted corruption, discovers the power of new, scientific detection techniques and encounters a ruth...

A thrilling, beautifully written mystery debut that brings Victorian Dublin vividly, passionately to life, drawing readers on a gripping journey of murder and intrigue.In the 1880s the Dublin Metropolitan Police classified crime in two distinct categories. Political crimes were classed as "special," whereas theft, robbery and even murder, no matter how terrible, were known as "ordinary."Dublin, June 1887: The city swelters in a long summer heat wave, the crim...

A very timely analysis of the Garda Síochána, the Irish police force, as it navigates one of the most difficult years since its foundation. It is a story marked by success and failure, by attempted reform and resistance to change, by outstanding individual performance and deplorable lapses in discipline. More than an account of policing and politics, this is the story of the Republic's troubled coming of age. In this excellent history of the Garda Síochána, the Irish police force, Conor Br...

"Bodies can tell you a lot. There can be an eloquence about the dead. But you have to be able to interpret what they are telling you... "This captivating, expertly crafted mystery captures the life and essence of Victorian Dublin and draws the reader on a gripping journey of murder and intrigue.When a Dublin Pawnbroker is found murdered and the lead suspect goes missing, Sergeant Joe Swallow is handed the poisoned chalice of the investigation. On the...

In Dublin, newly promoted detective inspector Joe Swallow’s life looks to be taking a turn for the better. In addition to his promotion, he’s settled into a comfortable arrangement with his landlady and paramour, Maria Walsh. That is, until his newfound peace is chaotically uprooted when a series of violent attacks against women lead to an outbreak of panic and fear. Things on the homefront are about to change in an unexpected way.In London, Charles Stewart Parnell tirelessly pursu...

“Readers rejoice and scoundrels take heed—the streets of Victorian London just got a little safer. Newcomers are sure to be absorbed into these warm, witty, and richly atmospheric historicals, and devotees will not be disappointed.” —Library JournalPrivate Enquiry Agent Cyrus Barker takes on his biggest case ever in Will Thomas's Anatomy of Evil—the attempt to find and stop the killer terrorizing Whitechapel: Jack the RipperCyrus Barker is...

The sensational climax to David Morrell's acclaimed Victorian mystery trilogy.In 1855, the first murder on an English train causes a wave of fear and panic. There is no escape from a killer in a closed train carriage... and yet the killer can vanish into any station and be lost in the crowd.Notorious Opium-Eater Thomas De Quincy and his irrepressible daughter, Emily, are travelling on the train where the murder takes place. As they follow the clues through ...

'A hugely entertaining Victorian mystery' New York Times'I enjoyed this - properly creepy and Gothic' Ian RankinA spellbinding concoction of crime, history and horror - perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Jonathan Creek_______Edinburgh, 1888. A violinist is murdered in his home.The dead virtuoso's maid swears she heard three musicians playing in the night. But with only on...