The Killing Of The Tinkers (2004) - Plot & Excerpts
Manchmal treffen Zeit, Ort und der Mensch, der man gerade ist, mit genau dem richtigen Buch zusammen und es hinterlässt etwas Besonderes, Einzigartiges.Vor einigen Jahren in Irland, entdeckte ich am Bloomsday in einer größeren Buchhandlung "The Killing of the Tinkers". Der Autor Ken Bruen war mir schon ein Begriff, doch die Reihe mit dem Privatdetektiv war noch nicht ins Deutsche übersetzt. Am nächsten Tag zockelte ich in einem Bus von Dublin nach Galway und begann es zu lesen. Perfekte Synchronität, denn genau dasselbe tat der Ich-Erzähler des Buches.Jack Taylor kehrt nach einem einjährigen Aufenthalt in London in seine Heimatstadt Galway zurück. Neben seiner alten Beziehung zum Alkohol bringt er einen neuen Ledermantel mit, in dessen einer Tasche ein geliebtes Buch steckt, in der anderen seine neue Sucht: Kokain. In Galway führt ihn sein erster Weg in die Stammkneipe, in der er sein Büro hat. Hier wird er von einem Tinker für einen Fall engagiert. Tinker werden ermordet. Ein anderer aufzuklärender Fall dreht sich um die gemeuchelten Schwäne vom Claddagh.Jack Taylor ist wenig motiviert, an den Fällen zu arbeiten. Er trinkt und kokst. Ein beschädigter Mensch - Selbstzweifel, Einsamkeit, Melancholie treiben ihn um. Und sie treiben ihn nicht nur in die Arme des Alkohols und der Drogen. Seine Droge sind vor allem die Bücher. Jack Taylor ist ein Getriebener mit einer literarischen Seele. "There'll be times when the only refuge is books. Then you'll read as if you meant it, as if your life depended on it."Das ist nicht bloß ein Satz, das ist eine Lebensphilosophie. Eine Philosophie, die auch einem Gestrauchelten so manches Mal das Leben zu retten, seine Seele aus dem inneren Fegefeuer zu befreien vermag. Ken Bruen schreibt so lässig, elegant und virtuos, das es eine wahre Freude ist. Das Nennen der verschiedensten Autoren und Bücher tut er mit der gleichen Eloquenz wie Reginald Hill. Er flechtet es in die Handlung ein, er spielt mit der Literatur und pflegt dabei einen ganz eigenen, unnachahmlichen und punktgenauen Stil.Mit der Reihe um den Privatdetektiv Jack Taylor aus Galway hat Ken Bruen etwas ganz Eigenes geschaffen. Eine Reihe, in der sich die dunklen Augenblicke der Seele und gleichzeitig dem Teufel ins Gesicht zu lachen die Waage halten.
Goodreads reviewers tend to give this five stars or one star. They love it or hate it. I think the book is okay; it's fun, a bit of healthy escapism, a solid three stars. Jack Taylor, a fired cop (garda) in Gallway, Ireland is a hopeless drunk and cocaine addict. He works as an impaired private detective. Crimes are solved with no help from alky Jack Taylor. Along the way the reader is subjected to Jack's relentless blackouts and fuck-ups. But it's entertaining. Ken Bruen uses his pulpit to parade his knowledge of music and literature (especially of the crime variety). It's extremely annoying at times. But I admit to jotting down some pretty good leads. Another problem is the way the book is padded with empty pages. The first novel of the Jack Taylor series, The Guards, is particularly suspect. A typical chapter is two pages with half a blank page on each end of the chapter. Often there is a blank page between chapters. Dialogue is designed to eat up unnecessary space. Example:He said,"What. No biscuit?"She said,"Sorry love. No bickies."Well, in novels that are largely dalogue-driven you can see the intent. The Guards, 291 pages, one inch thick, could easily be reduced to a thin 100 page novella. My library paperback sells for $13.95. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that Mr. Bruen is in financial trouble, cranking out books to meet obligations.Jack Taylor is a great character. The Irish-isms are very funny. I will continue to read this series as long as the books are free. Don't pay money for any of these! You can read a book in a day.After reading the first two of nine, I can only hope that the series improves. As to the first two, they were fun. But they could have been so much better.More's the Irish pity.
What do You think about The Killing Of The Tinkers (2004)?
Jack Taylor is back. Back from London with a leather jacket. A new man on coke. one line after another. The burden of the past in The Guards the 1st book gives the background to this sequel. A new case. tinkers are being killed. Tinkers or gypsies. Clans that move between grounds. Someone is targeting them. The narrative mixes flashbacks from London with the present of Galway. Bruen uses the same techniques as he did in the Guards. A lot of references to books and authors. I do enjoy a fictional character that reads. Jack Taylor is far from a perfect detective. He lives in Dante's Hell. The past chases him. His only refuge are in books , booze and boobs. intellectual alcoholic. An Irish noir. one does sympathize with him no matter what. his humanity does shine in some instants.Off to book 3 of the series.
—Ammar
Continuing on from THE GUARDS, my rereading of Ken Bruen's penultimate series continues to bare fruit with THE KILLING OF THE TINKERS being another top read. Jack progresses from mere alcoholic with a good natured if somewhat destructive personality to a full blown drug addict - coke the poison which pumps it's devilishly smooth disguised death in his very veins. It adds another affliction to the already well afflicted - and that's part of the charm isn't it? Jack's not meant to be a nice man, he's not meant to be the copper you run to. No. He's the bloke at the bar you go to when the bottom of the barrel has turned you down. Yet, he gets results - and in THE KILLING OF THE TINKERS he does just that. Of course, this wouldn't be a Bruen novel if some claret didn't get spilled along the way. Enter a serial killer hell bent on murdering tinkers (oh there's a nice wee twist to this one) and a deranged maniac taking heads off swans and Jack's got a bit on his plate - plus the drinking and drugging, as well as the odd relationship with a lass and befriending a cop from London. Despite Jack being pulled in so many directions, Ken Bruen keeps it all on point, allowing each thread to overlap and merge with no another to form a greater narrative. THE KILLING OF THE TINKERS is a fantastic sophomore outing for Jack Taylor.Review first appeared on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
—Josh
For those of you with little experience of good hard-boiled mystery fiction, this is the book for you! Jack Taylor is recovering from being a recovering alcoholic, drug user, woman-chasing former member of the Irish Guarda - the cops. He is also in perpetual mourning for his best friend, for the librarian who tried to teach him about life and words and for the life of peace and domesticity he can't bring himself to lead. In Killing of the Tinkers, Jack tries and tries to solve the murders of young male tinkers (gypsies) but his blind arrogance, drinking and drug use prevent him from making the right call. In the end, he knows who the murderer is but will solving the crimes save his soul? Excellent read!Kudos to Tim Niland for suggesting this book!
—Ellen
