The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty

Author: Adrian McKinty

Publisher: Serpent's Tail

Date of Publication: January 2012

The Cold Cold Ground is the start of a major new series from Adrian McKinty, author of the acclaimed Falling Glass, Fifty Grand and the DEAD trilogy.

Featuring Catholic cop Sean Duffy whose outsider status in the mostly Protestant RUC makes it as hard to do his job as the criminals he’s fighting, this is the start of a new series set in Troubles-era Belfast. A body is found in a burnt out car. Another is discovered hanging from a tree. Could this be Northern Ireland’s first serial killer, or another paramilitary feud? 

 Adrian McKinty is a new to me author.  When The Cold, Cold Ground became available for download at my library, it looked really interesting.  I almost didn't finish listening to it as the accent took some time to get used to.  I was having a hard time understanding the narrator at first.  But after a while, I got used to the rhythm of the accent and I was hooked.


I don't remember much about the fighting that occurred in Northern Ireland in the early 80s. This book takes place during the hunger strikes.  After reading this book, I looked up the conflict to help me to understand some of the things in the book.  I don't think it is necessary to do this for a reader to enjoy the story, I just did it because I am a curious person.

Overall, I enjoyed the story.  Sean Duffy is a great character.  He's not the nicest guy but he is a good solid cop who will stop at nothing to find the killer. The mystery was very intriguing and there are a few twists that I didn't see coming. While there seemed to be several paths that the police would take to solve the murders, they all come together to make sense in  the end.  I loved the ending, talk about justice! Mr. McKinty has created a good start to a great new series and I look forward to reading his next adventure.