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  • The Cold, Cold Ground

  • Detective Sean Duffy, Book 1
  • By: Adrian McKinty
  • Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
  • Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (177 ratings)

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The Cold, Cold Ground

By: Adrian McKinty
Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
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Publisher's Summary

Fast-paced, evocative, and brutal, The Cold Cold Ground is a brilliant depiction of Belfast at the height of the Troubles — and of a cop treading a thin, thin line —from The New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author Adrian McKinty.

“McKinty is one of the most striking and most memorable crime voices to emerge on the scene in years.” —Tana French

Northern Ireland, spring 1981. Hunger strikes, riots, power cuts, a homophobic serial killer with a penchant for opera, and a young woman’s suicide that may yet turn out to be murder: on the surface, the events are unconnected, but then things—and people—aren’t always what they seem. Detective Sergeant Duffy is the man tasked with trying to get to the bottom of it all. It’s no easy job—especially when it turns out that one of the victims was involved in the IRA but was last seen discussing business with someone from the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force. Add to this the fact that, as a Catholic policeman, it doesn’t matter which side he’s on, because nobody trusts him, and Sergeant Duffy really is in a no-win situation.

©2012 Adrian McKinty (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic Reviews

“McKinty is a streetwise, energetic gunslinger of a writer, firing off volleys of sassy dialogue and explosive action that always delivers what it has promised.” ( Irish Times)
“What makes McKinty a cut above the rest is the quality of his prose. His driven, spat-out sentences are more accessible than James Ellroy's edge-of-reason staccato, and he can be lyric.” ( The Guardian)
“If Raymond Chandler had grown up in Northern Ireland, The Cold Cold Ground is what he would have written.” ( The Times, London)

What listeners say about The Cold, Cold Ground

Average Customer Ratings
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Really enjoyed this!!

Loved this book... Kept me guessing, the anticipation, the intrigue... Loved it!! Pure escapism, highly recommend :) Now onto book 2 I can't wait!!

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2 people found this helpful

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The beginning of Sean Duffy

A great read. I read this novel after some of the more recent Adrian McKinty books . He is a master of characterisation, and the plot moves fast keeping the reader engaged. This is one of his earlier novels where we meet Sean Duffy of the RUC . I particularly enjoyed that the story is set during ‘the troubles’ , a part of history that I observed through the long distance lens of TV news reports and at a young age. I’ve been able to improve my understanding of ‘the troubles ‘ and the sectarian issues through the Sean Duffy novels. I have read almost all of the Sean Duffy novels and I’ve loved each and every one !
Gerard Doyle’s narration is excellent and well paced and goes a long way to creating a complex and likable rogue such as Duffy .

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1 person found this helpful

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first in a good series

the mix of recent history intertwined with a detective story, plus a great narrator, makes it a very entertaining listen.

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deadly

great writer..love see the whole series in film or an eight episode series on netflix or the movies

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Oh wow but that was good

Cannot wait to get into book 2. So evocative of that awful time in Northern Ireland. Fun to get back into the clothes and music of the early 90s. Surprisingly funny for such a dark topic. Brilliant.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Perfect narrator

This narrator really reads well.
The story is compelling. Read 8n one day. Will read more from this author.

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Glad I found this author!

Great insight into the troubles in Ireland and an entertaining way to learn the history. I listened to more recent books in the Sean Duffy series before this one but it didn’t really matter. Colorful characters and excellent authentic narration.

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Brilliant!!

I’ve been craving a book like this: cracking story, meaty characters and glorious narration. Can’t recommend highly enough!

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The start of a wonderful series

So pleased to have discovered this series. The characters are compelling, the setting hugely interesting, and the 70s nostalgia a bonus. The narrator is the best. I could and listen to him for hours

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Gerard Doyle

loved Gerard Doyle's telling of Mckinty books. have listened to them 3 Times now.

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