Smorgasbord Book Reviews – #Ireland #Hurling #Thriller – The Hurler by Jack Talbot


Delighted to share my review for the thriller The Hurler by Jack Talbot

About the book

Hurling, revenge, atonement, murder….

A missing man, a tenacious female sergeant, a murky world of criminal activity and murder, all set in motion when local family man and hurler Jim Rourke goes missing….

When family man and local hurler Jim Rourke goes missing in Oldcastle, a troubled call from his wife sends Sergeant Britney Kent delving into his disappearance. Initially, the incident is dismissed as trivial by her colleagues. However, when another man is found murdered at a local hurling field, Britney is convinced there is a connection. This murder is closely followed by that of a high-profile sports correspondent and the connection is only enforced.

With victims piling up, Britney finds herself on the trail of the sadistic killer known only as ‘The Courier.’

However, as Britney digs deeper, it is made clear her interference in the investigation is unwelcome. Deep suspicion of corruption and criminal connections come to light. Britney finds herself wondering who she can trust. Is the killer really one of her own?

Only by unravelling the connection between the hurler, the criminal underworld and corruption at the highest levels, will the killer be revealed. But all is not what it seems.

With time running out, can Britney save this latest victim and in doing so, save her career?

In Jack Talbot’s thriller ‘The Hurler’ we learn how the ancient surrogate for war is more than just a game. And that all may not be as it seems.

My review for the book January 15th 2022

I enjoyed this thriller very much. Hurling is at the heart of Irish sport at both amateur and professional level, and there are not many families whose children have not played the game during school and beyond. Like any sport there are opportunities for manipulation and corruption, and when combined with a thirst for revenge, the door is opened to violent retribution.

As a young police sergeant discovers, solving the mystery of a missing local man and connecting the links in a nationwide serial murder case, is going to be difficult and dangerous when hampered by obstructive senior detectives and those with links to criminal enterprises.

When you don’t know who to believe, trust or respect and the investigation is blocked at every turn, all you have is your own commitment and drive to succeed at whatever the cost. Including the impact on a new and exciting relationship that offers an unexpected chance of a promising future.

The author has created characters that are richly drawn and in some cases downright despicable. As the various threads of institutional corruption within the police, sports officials and the escalating violence of the serial killer knit together, cleverly inserted red herrings have the reader eagerly turning the pages to find the answers.

The momentum was maintained throughout the book and the reader is kept guessing right to the last chapter. There are surprises in store and revelations that will shock and satisfy.

I recommend this to lovers of fast paced thrillers and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Head over to buy the book: Amazon UKAnd: Amazon US

About Jack Talbot

Jack Talbot was born and raised in Kilkenny, Ireland. He lived for a short while in Australia, America and Europe before returning home to his native country. A carpenter by trade he also worked in drapery, bars and as a fitness instructor before turning to writing. Being an avid reader all his life his main interest is fiction, especially crime thrillers. This passion allied to his life experience and his youthful fling with the game of hurling provided plenty of inspiration for his first novel, ‘The Hurler.’

Connect to Jack Talbot: Amazon UKAnd: Amazon US – Website: Jack TalbotFacebook: Jack Talbot – Facebook Author Page: The Hurler – Follow Jack: Goodreads – LinkedIn: Jack Talbot

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will head over to buy Jack’s book… Sally