BOOK REVIEW - Claire McGowan - "THE SILENT DEAD"
Continuing with the theme of Northern Irish crime fiction following review in 'footnotes' (our very own in-house magazine) of McGilloways The Rising. we have acquired copy of Claire McGowans' The Silent Dead' for the FMI.
A female author with strong female lead characters the book is set in a fictitious northern Irish border town, where paramilitary activity has led to a Omagh type bombing disaster. The story revolves around the survivor victims of the blast, and the disappearance of the accused perpetrators who had been found not guilty in a court of law. A story of revenge with romantic interpersonal stories, not to mention a heroine pregnant by either a colleague or long-term friend. She is not sure at all which of the two it is.
The bombing of Omagh occurred in August 1998 and killed 29 people and injured 220 more. One of the worst atrocities of the violence in Northern Ireland between 1968 and the present. Victims came from all parts of the community.
The book is structured to tell the story of events from different persons in different voices. Vernacular is used in the dialogue of some characters such as galloot for an idiot type person and McGowan provides a short glossary to help the reader at the end of the book. The sectarian divide is a backdrop to the novel and is treated in even handed and sympathetic manner.
A good read for crime fiction fans.
Thanks to Neil FMI Committee for review
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