The Cold, Cold Ground cover art

The Cold, Cold Ground

Detective Sean Duffy, Book 1

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The Cold, Cold Ground

By: Adrian McKinty
Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
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About this listen

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. Crime Fiction Historical Thriller & Suspense Fiction Mystery Ireland

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

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Must listen

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel- the writing, the action, the characters and most importantly the narrator. I am about to download the next in this wonderful series.

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Great all round

Wonderful performance with Irish accent and fabulous witty and engaging detective story with historical setting

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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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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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Found a new favourite author!

This book was a cracker, lots of detail, real characters and kept me enthralled. Lovely Irish accents.

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an interesting Irish story in a time of conflict.

For is in us other countries it is interesting to understand what life was like for families during Margaret Thatcher and the IRA

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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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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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Gerard Doyle

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

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