Nailer

Yes, I am a longtime fan of this author & have read & enjoyed a number of his books. His topic is Ireland (& he knows his inspiration as well as any) but he changes genre & time frame with ease & style. This is a page-turning, historically set murder mystery, & you'll search the shelves forever to find a better read. It does get a bit gory but that is part of a tale with abundant characterization, narrative, & surprises, and Mr. Phelen's ever present sense of humor. It's been a while since I laughed (guffawed!) out loud so much while reading a novel but I did & most readers will too. For me, this book is why we read good novels.

In his latest novel, Nailer, Tom Phelan has managed to capture and detail horrific accounts of the terror imposed on the poor, innocent young boys housed in Ireland's Industrial Schools of the past. The writer has ingeniously crafted this story to include a sordid part of Ireland's history as well as provide the reader with the emotional facts giving voice to its victims. The author gives us the opportunity to "work" alongside the detectives assigned to this brutal crime spree, including meticulous details of their personal lives. Each of the writer's characters share a love of the intrigue for the roles they find themselves thrust into; for example, a seasoned newspaper reporter manages to appear at the scene of a brutal murder investigation. While the Garda work to maintain secrecy surrounding these violent killings, the reporter seems to stay two steps ahead of the intensely dedicated detectives assigned to these cases. This novel puts the reader smack in the middle of each perfectly crafted murder, and while we wonder who is accountable for these hate crimes and who is the monster behind these senseless series of killings, there comes the moment when you begin to feel empathy towards the one responsible for these crimes. There are no heroes here, nor are there any accolades given to the parties responsible for tying up all the loose ends. And the surprise ending is sure to have you reeling, for this is one of the best detective/mystery books I have ever read. My hat is off to Mr. Phelan for crafting an amazing story that will stay with you for years to come. If you love well-written Irish mysteries or any mysteries for that matter, you'll not be disappointed in Nailer. Guaranteed to make your Top 10 list of all-around best detective novels.it all changes, and you begin to understand the atrocities, the inhumanity, and the senseless acts of brutality hoisted on the backs of th

There is nothing subtle about this book. The background events (torture and murder of boys in Ireland's Industrial Schools) are painful and sickening, so the book is painful and sickening. Events are not glossed over; they are laid bare and shoved in the reader's face. This could have turned the book into a gore-fest, but does not. Instead, the book becomes a look inside the mind of a victim of one of those "schools." There's a lot of horrific events, but the author does a good job of keeping the worst of them (a dismemberment) at a once-remove by describing it from the point of view of the police who found the scene, rather than the killer while in the act. (The author later has the killer admit he blanked out during the killing.)The identity of the killer took me by surprise, but was done so well that it does not feel unrealistic. The scene before the killer's arrest was heartbreaking in its honesty.The only issue I had was keeping the two police officers straight. (I could never remember which one used to be a priest.)

A few pages into Nailer, I wondered if I should put it in a plain paper wrapper to carry around with me as I read. By the end of this mesmerizing work, I realized that the best place for Nailer is on the shelf with the other holy books, the Bible and the Koran.Telling a hard truth beautifully is what Phelan is about in this novel. The grimness of police work, grisly findings of punished corpses, is relieved by the intense camaraderie among the officers, and their black wit.The tragic truth at the heart of the story, maltreatment and abuse of vulnerable children, and worse, wilful ignoring of this by people in positions of authority who could have stopped it, is relieved by nothing -- except faith that the more the public becomes aware of such abuse of children at the hands of "religious educators" perhaps there is a chance for atonement.In all, a fascinating read. Phelan's elegant yet simple language, his keen eye for nature,and his knack for capturing personality, drive the narrative.I would love to see Liam Neeson take the role of Tom Breen, the investigating detective sergeant on the case.

Once I started reading Nailer, I could not put it down. The writer has a wonderful way with words and is so descriptive and graphic,(sometimes a little too graphic!). The subject of the industrial schools and the Catholic Church involvment is not a proud moment for the Irish, but it is a part of the history. You get to know each and every character and as the story evolves and you think you know what is going to happen, there is another twist. The subtle hints of who Nailer is evolve as the story progresses, and made me go back after I finished the book and reread some of the chapters.When the book ended I was disappointed. Disappointed that the story ended, disappointed that I did not find out what happend to some of the characters,etc. But not disappointed that I had read it.I am so happy that I added this to my Kindle book collection!

Nailer is a beautifully written book about a series of murders.The plot is intriguing and well constructed. Character portrayal is superb.The story is gruesome but satisfying. Not for the faint hearted.Margaret