Purgatory (Jack Taylor) - Softcover

Ken Bruen received a doctorate in metaphysics; taught English in Africa, Japan, Southeast Asia, and South America; and then became a crime novelist. His novels, including nine previous Jack Taylor books, have been nominated for many awards, including two Edgar Awards.

Praise for Purgatory

The things Jack witnesses these days . . . would cause a saint to go blind. And Jack, whose heroism is fueled by plain old-fashioned rage, bile and bitterness,’ is no saint. Never was, never will be. Amen.” New York Times Book Review

Excellent. . . . Bruen maintains his trademark hip references and highly poetic style, but fans expecting the usual are in for some shock therapy, as he busts out one series-changing surprise after another.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Bruen’s storytelling style, a stream-of-consciousness mix of prose and verse, strips away Galway’s tourist-board façade and offers a darkly comic social commentary. . . . Noir fans will find what they love here.” Booklist (starred review)

Bruen is an Irish treasure, holding his own in a line of literary giants including Joyce, Yeats, Wilde and Beckett. . . . Purgatory may be the best of the Jack Taylor series.” Shelf Awareness

Another fine installment in the series that defines Irish noir.” BookPage

There’s an explosion of talent coming out of Ireland in the detective genre right now, and Bruen is a major player in that scene . . . Full of mayhem, Galway lore, and deft literary allusions, as befits an author with a PhD in metaphysics. Bruen’s staccato, telegraphic style sometimes looks like poetry on the page, but don’t be fooled; his rhetorical moves are closer to the sweet science of the boxing ring than they are to the song forms of verse.”—Santa Barbara Independent

Strangely poetic. Bruen uses the automatic weapon’s staccato burst writing style, lacing it with current event allusions.” Huntington News

One of the most sublime pleasures in crime fiction is reading a new book by Ken Bruen. For almost twenty years now, he’s been delighting mystery and noir audiences with his stunning, poetic books of the shadowy side of life. . . . Purgatory is one of the darkest books yet. . . . This is real writing, the likes of which we are blessed to behold.” Strand Magazine

Gleefully profane and joyfully blasphemous, the prose in Ken Bruen’s Jack Taylor books is so unapologetically lyrical and right that it fooking hurts. . . . No matter how black Bruen paints it, there is also an unabashed celebration of life here. To read these books is to fly.” Mystery Scene

Bruen is as quietly unflinching and honest an author as you are likely to encounter. . . . Everybody should read Purgatory and every other word he has ever written.” Bookreporter.com

The Taylor books are the pinnacle of Bruen’s offhand but bleakly poetic style. . . . Bruen and Taylor are very much of this moment, in terms of popular culture, crime fiction, Irish history, and global politics.” International Noir Fiction

[Purgatory] well-captures the flavor of the time.” Criminal Element

"Entertaining." Avid Mystery Reader

Bruen has some important things to say about contemporary Ireland, if not the world in general. . . . [Purgatory] is also very funny, with more than its share of serious observations and, as one would expect, dark moments.” Woody Haut

Praise for Ken Bruen

"Ken Bruen is an exceptional writer. . . . [He] writes some of the darkest, leanest prose you'll ever encounter." Hilary Davidson, Dark Voyage

"Ken Bruen might be the best-kept literary secret in Ireland." The Independent (Ireland)

"[Bruen's] fast-paced and hard-boiled action novels will appeal to those looking for gripping crime fiction." News-Press