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Irish Cream: A Nuala Anne McGrail Novel (Nuala Anne McGrail Novels)
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Product Description
Damian "Day" O'Sullivan is a troubled young man who blames himself for a tragic vehicular homicide he may not have committed. Trouble is, Day's entire family seems to be conspiring to pin the crime on the poor lad, which only leads Nuala and Dermot to wonder who really ran over (three times!) Rodney Keefe in the parking lot of a ritzy Chicago country club.
The O'Sullivans are a ruthlessly ambitious clan of South Side Irish, who consider themselves the cream of the Irish-American community. The sensitive Day has always been something of a black sheep in the family---and perhaps a scapegoat as well.
But the twisted saga of the O'Sullivans isn't the only mystery to be unraveled. Having stumbled onto the diary of Father Richard Lonigan, a nineteenth-century parish priest assigned to a remote village in old Donegal, Dermot and Nuala find themselves caught up in the closely guarded secrets and scandals of that desolate time and place, where simmering resentment against the ruling English sometimes erupted into violence and murder....
Irish Cream is another rich and satisfying concoction by one of America's most popular storytellers.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #430966 in Books
- Published on: 2006-02-07
- Released on: 2006-02-07
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Mass Market Paperback
- 320 pages
Features
- ISBN13: 9780765342362
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
- Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
In the eighth installment in Greeley's immensely entertaining Irish series (after 2002's Irish Stew!), Nuala Anne and her husband, Dermot Coyne, once again look into mysteries past and present: the first chronicled in the diaries of Father Richard Lonigan, a 19th-century parish priest in Donegal, Ireland, the second involving poor Damian "Day" O'Sullivan, whom the couple hire to take care of their two Irish wolfhounds. Amid the troubled political and religious environment in Donegal, where mostly poor Catholic villagers are overseen by Protestant Lord Skeffington, Father Lonigan investigates two shootings while striving to prevent further violence. In present-day Chicago, Nuala and Dermot face opposition to hiring Day O'Sullivan from the lad's father, since Day is not only a profound disappointment to the O'Sullivan family but also a convicted felon. The "fey" or psychic Nuala Anne believes the young man has been framed by his family and is determined to find out why Day inspires such loathing and disgust in his own kin. As with previous titles in the series, the sexual antics of Nuala and Dermot lend spice.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Greeley continues to churn out his own brand of irresistibly predictable mysteries at an amazingly rapid pace. Although the plot and the characters are somewhat cliched, they provide a cozy level of comfort for fans eager to delve into another caper involving devoted spouses and dueling detectives Nuala Anne McGrail and Dermot Michael Coyne. As usual, it is a simple case of good Irish-American Catholics versus evil Irish-American Catholics. Gentle, artistic Damian "Day" O'Sullivan has been made the scapegoat for all his family's shortcomings. When a friend of his father is run over and killed, an inebriated Day is eagerly offered to the police as a sacrificial lamb by his parents and siblings. After Day becomes an honorary member of the Coyne clan, Nuala and Dermot are determined to prove his innocence by using their stock-in-trade: an unbeatable combination of Dermot's cold, hard logic and Nuala's mystical second sight. Interwoven into the contemporary story is an intriguing historical whodunit that adds a little more substance. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
“Irresistible.”---Booklist on Irish Cream
“No contemporary writer is better than Greeley at depicting the genius, humor, logic, personal skills, and cultural idiosyncrasies of the Irish, whether in American cities like Chicago or across the big pond in Ireland. This author is the master of modern Irish ethnic genius! . . . A delight to read. . . . This book is bound to give you a few hours of great reading pleasure!”---Shelby-Utica News, Utica MI on Irish Cream
"The prolific cleric plops his psychic singer heroine and her family into a delicious stew of trouble in his latest crowd pleaser. . . . The double plot is rich with detail, while the couple's earnestness and good intentions are never in question."--Publishers Weekly on Irish Stew!
"The parallels found between the Coynes and the 1880s Fitzpatricks add a unique dimension and the comical banter between Dermot and Nuala Anne cleverly gives the reader insight into their Irish heritage as well as their Catholic faith. . . . [A] pleasing read."--Romantic Times on Irish Stew!
"Greeley fans will be pleased."--Arizona Daily Star on Irish Stew!
"Once again, Father Greeley, with his enormous storytelling skill, his knowledge of Chicago, and his mastery of the mystery genre, combines two separate tales in two different eras to give us readers one tantalizing and endearing experience."--Sullivan County Democrat on Irish Stew!
"Father Greeley's deep and obvious love for the history and culture of Ireland shines through in his latest contemporary mystery. . . . Greeley skillfully depicts an Ireland flushed with economic success but still carrying the scars of historic poverty."--Publishers Weekly on Irish Love
"Greeley has a remarkable way of tying all the loose ends together to create a memorable story. Along the way, he throws in a commentary on racism, intolerance, and a short lesson on the Bill of Rights. Irish Eyes is an appealing installment in the ongoing story of Nuala Anne. . . . Once you get to know these two engaging people, you'll find yourself wanting more. Call it the charm of the Irish."--Bookpage on Irish Eyes
"Solid, modest Dermot and fiery, unpredictable Nuala Anne enjoy an ideal marriage: sexy and humorous and unabashedly loving."--Los Angeles Times on Irish Mist
" 'Tis a charmin' tale that Andrew Greeley tells in his latest mystery novel. . . . It's a lively novel filled with Irish wit, interesting situations and likable people."--The Chattanooga Times on Irish Whiskey
"Like the delicate handwork its title evokes, Greeley's Irish Lace is finely crafted, laced with compelling characters and criss-crossed with strong story lines."--Savannah Morning News
"A tale of young love and faith with a cast of characters, Irish and American, that very well may open Greeley's work to a generation of new readers. Yet those who have followed his works in the past will find the same story-telling mastery and the same understanding of the heart."--Chicago Tribune on Irish Gold
"May be Andrew M. Greeley's best effort yet. It has more of everything-more plot, denser character development, fresh dialogue and a more solid now story line than his previous novels. . . . Gives a different dimension and personal look at Irish history and its heroes and villains. . . . A first-rate adventure story with the love interest intertwined in the mystery."--Baltimore Sun on Irish Gold
Customer Reviews
Supreme SouthSide of Chicago Senaearche
Father Andrew Greeley, Supreme Seanchai of Chicago's SouthSide Irish and beyond, delights the reader with another brilliant episode of the fair fey Nuala Anne McGrail Coyne & friends & family. Sure, but shouldn't you best begin at the beginning? It begins with *Irish Gold.*
In *Irish Cream,* Fr Greeley has again interwoven a compelling historical tale with the modern day trials and tribulations of the Coynes. But this time the historical tie-in is clumsy and the flips and flops back and forth are disconcerting - one would think especially for the reader unfamiliar with Fr. Greeley's conventions. And by now in the Greeley oeuvre, what with everyone making cameos in everyone else's serials, you best be reading Bishop Blackwood ("Blackie") Ryan in the *Happy are ...* books and "the crazy O'Malleys" of *A Midwinter's Tale* etc.
So, what are ya doin' still sittin' there staring at your computer screen? Get reading!
P.S.: Yo! Old White Men in Rome! Elect Father Greeley for Pope! You'd be amazed at the return of the abused, disenchanted & disenfranchised back to the pews and our tithes back to the collection basket!
/TundraVision
Renewing Love
Irish Cream, the continuing story of Nuala Anne McGrail and her family, is set in Chicago and Grand Beach, Michigan. As is common in this series, Nuala Anne must investigate two situations: one current and one historical.
The current situation concerns a young man Damian O-Sullivan, nicknamed Day, who has become the black sheep of his family. Nuala senses that his image is wrong and is determined to rectify it.
The historical situation is told through the diary of Father Richard Lonigan, parish priest in Donegal Ireland. Father Richard, a cultured man with a doctorate, struggles to understand and minister to the poor rural Irish of his parish. His efforts pit him against the "ribbon men", the Protestant Vicar, the English lord, and many of his parishioners. His attitude is "if they don't like me it is their problem."
There are two features that I especially like about this novel: the caring affinity among the characters, and the bits of wisdom Andrew Greeley puts into the dialogue.
The Coynes, Nuala Anne, Dermot, Nelliecoyne, Matthew, and Socra Marie are a delightful family. Nuala and Dermot are still in love after three children and several years of marriage. Nelliecoyne is a very bright young girl who is "fey" like her mother. Matt is all boy and quietly ignores his sisters. Socra Marie is a fun two year old who loves the doggies and most people. The loving relationship of this family makes the book.
Andrew Greeley provides some nice wisdom in this story. Bishop Blackie on Memorial Day asks whether "the tombstones or flowers are more ultimate"? Later Blackie is quoted as saying that "One does not waste one's time trying to figure out the plans of the Lord God". Father Lonigan says to one of his Irish parishioners that, I just follow the Instructions of the sainted Cure de Ars, Jean Vianney, and "never trouble the consciences of the laity." Nelliecoyne questions her teacher "You mean you can't live happily ever after unless you forgive?"
I recommend Irish Cream to those of you who like to celebrate successful happy marriages. I propose this story to those who might like to pick up some great Irish Catholic wisdom.
Worth a READ - My Review is a different slant from the other reviews
I agree with most of the other reviews, good, bad or otherwise. You have to take this book for what it is, light hearted fare and entertainment without a lot of heavy lifting. SEXUAL ANTICS! Yes, lots of that, surprising that a priest can write all of this stuff. Must hear it in the confessional???????? Anyway, NOT BEING IRISH MYSELF gives me a different slant. Maybe if YOU ARE genuinely IRISH, this will be too much a caricature of Irish folk for you. However, for me, it was delightful, bringing to life the IRISH of the South Side of Chicago. Also, there is a portion of the novel that takes place in IRELAND too so there is a connection between the characters of their home in Chicago and their other former home in IRELAND. This thematic connective device is actually quite creative from a writing perspective I believe and quite ingenius as it helps flesh out the characters. There is one character though that is not well developed and that is the "Mick", the son of Nuala and Dermot. There are off handed references to the boy but you wont get the sense that you know him as a character as you do with the much better developed daughter characters. That is a minor complaint though.
