Kidd, Jess
"Having been abandoned on the steps of an orphanage as an infant
lovable car thief and Dublin charmer Mahony assumed all his life that his mother had simply given him up. But when he receives an anonymous note suggesting that foul play may have led to his mother's disappearance
he sees only one option: to return to the rural Irish village where he was born and find out what really happened twenty-six years ago. From the moment he sets foot in Mulderrig
Mahony's presence turns the village upside down. His uncannily familiar face and outsider ways cause a stir amongst the locals
who receive him with a mixture of excitement (the women)
curiosity (the men) and suspicion (the pious). Determined to uncover the truth about what happened to his mother
Mahony solicits the help of brash anarchist and retired theater actress Mrs. Cauley. Together
this improbable duo concoct an ingenious plan to get the town talking
aided and abetted by a cast of eccentric characters
both living and dead. Because in Mulderrig
ghosts can be just as chatty and opinionated as the town's flesh and blood residents. Mahony's investigation incurs the wrath of sanctimonious Father Quinn and the Widow Farelly
provokes letter bombs and poisoned scones
and culminates in a riotous production of the most controversial play in Irish history. Himself is a simmering mixture - a blend of the natural everyday and the supernatural
folklore and mystery
and a healthy dose of quintessentially Irish humor. The result is a darkly comic crime story in the tradition of a classic Irish trickster tale
complete with a twisting and turning plot
a small-town rife with secrets and an infectious love of language and storytelling that is a hallmark of the finest Irish writers"--