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Ruined Abbey
(A Collins-Burke Mystery #8)
by
It’s 1989. The Troubles are raging in Ireland, bombs exploding in England. In this prequel to the Collins-Burke series, Father Brennan Burke is home in New York when news of his sister’s arrest in London sends him flying across the ocean. The family troubles deepen when Brennan’s cousin Conn is charged with the murder of a Special Branch detective, and suspected in a terro
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Hardcover, 396 pages
Published
September 13th 2016
by ECW Press
(first published May 1st 2015)
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Showing 1-30
Start your review of Ruined Abbey (A Collins-Burke Mystery, #8)
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley.
Note: This is a prequel to a series that I haven’t read. I plan on reading it now.
When Jimmy McNulty is going undercover as a John in the second series of the Wire, he takes the name Cromwell because the bastard, as he puts it, stole his family’s land in Ireland. Okay, his wording is a bit more colorful, but there it is. I always wondered how many Americans knew exactly what he was referring to. Most Americans knowledge of Irish Troubles seems facile at best, confu ...more
Note: This is a prequel to a series that I haven’t read. I plan on reading it now.
When Jimmy McNulty is going undercover as a John in the second series of the Wire, he takes the name Cromwell because the bastard, as he puts it, stole his family’s land in Ireland. Okay, his wording is a bit more colorful, but there it is. I always wondered how many Americans knew exactly what he was referring to. Most Americans knowledge of Irish Troubles seems facile at best, confu ...more
I really enjoyed this book. It takes place in 1979, during the Irish "Troubles", and several members of Father Brennan Burke end up in jail for various reasons. He and his siblings try to get to the main source of their problems, and also try to figure out where everyone fits into the bigger picture.
This book was very interesting, partially because I don't know anything about the time period in Ireland or Britain.
Highly recommended! ...more
This book was very interesting, partially because I don't know anything about the time period in Ireland or Britain.
Highly recommended! ...more
Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating. Anne Emery's Ruined Abbey is totally over my head, but it's a fascinating mystery. Because I haven't read any of the mysteries about the Irish Troubles, or any of Emery's previous Collins-Burke mysteries, I wasn't prepared for the depth of Irish history in Ruined Abbey. But, from what I've seen, interested readers should start with this prequel to the series. It's not only excellent background for the series itself, but also a sound history lesson.
In 1989, F ...more
In 1989, F ...more
2.5 stars
There was no doubt that this was thoroughly researched and well written. It is Anne Emery's latest book. It takes place in time prior to Father Burke moving from New York to Halifax, Nova Scotia and meeting lawyer Monty Collins.
There are 7 Collins/Burke mystery books set mainly in Nova Scotia, and I have enjoyed the plots and characters immensely.
In this book Father Burke travels from New York to England in the 1980's on hearing that his sister has been arrested. The stated crime wa ...more
There was no doubt that this was thoroughly researched and well written. It is Anne Emery's latest book. It takes place in time prior to Father Burke moving from New York to Halifax, Nova Scotia and meeting lawyer Monty Collins.
There are 7 Collins/Burke mystery books set mainly in Nova Scotia, and I have enjoyed the plots and characters immensely.
In this book Father Burke travels from New York to England in the 1980's on hearing that his sister has been arrested. The stated crime wa ...more
This is a prequel to Emery's Collins-Burke series that is all Burke and no Collins. If I had my druthers, every book in this series would be more Burke than Collins. This story takes place in London, Dublin and Belfast during the Troubles and like Obit, the second book in the series, this one focuses not just on Father Brennan Burke but also on several members of his brilliant, but slightly manic family. One of his cousins, an IRA operative in London winds up in jail for a murder he didn't commi
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The mix of murder mystery and historical lessons about the English oppression of the Irish, the IRA, and how this shapes the lives of the families involved worked pretty well for me. Where the story is problematic for me is the odd narrative device of dropping flashbacks into the story without making them part of a character's story. They just pop up, disrupt the narrative and then disappear again, which I found rather clumsy.
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Don't listen or read this if you want to stay off the Guiness. Gerard Doyle an excellent narrator.
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Modern day tale of Ireland v England, IRA , lots of history that I'd not known re: Oliver Cromwell.
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This is not the best of this series. The book was too long and the plot becomes lost in the Irish history.
Oh my goodness how this book dragged.
Ruined Abbey by Anne Emery
4 out of 5 stars
A relentless thriller that is rooted in recent Irish history
Father Brennan Burke is preparing to take Mass at St Kieran’s Church in New York City when he receives some news that stops him in his tracks and has him high-tailing it to London. His sister Molly, a university lecturer, is in police custody having been arrested on charges of allegedly belonging to a proscribed organisation, i.e. the IRA.
We are in 1989 when The Troubles were in full flow and w ...more
4 out of 5 stars
A relentless thriller that is rooted in recent Irish history
Father Brennan Burke is preparing to take Mass at St Kieran’s Church in New York City when he receives some news that stops him in his tracks and has him high-tailing it to London. His sister Molly, a university lecturer, is in police custody having been arrested on charges of allegedly belonging to a proscribed organisation, i.e. the IRA.
We are in 1989 when The Troubles were in full flow and w ...more
I won Ruined Abbey by Anne Emery from Goodreads.
Anne Emery's writing draws the reader into her novel, Ruined Abbey, and her complex characters keep the reader fully engaged. Readers are immediately caught up into the lives of the main characters at the beginning of the novel which establishes motives for the crimes, including the murder of Detective Sergeant Heath. The mystery is so entertained with rebellion and politics that it is, for this reader, difficult reading. Yet, this fact speaks well ...more
Anne Emery's writing draws the reader into her novel, Ruined Abbey, and her complex characters keep the reader fully engaged. Readers are immediately caught up into the lives of the main characters at the beginning of the novel which establishes motives for the crimes, including the murder of Detective Sergeant Heath. The mystery is so entertained with rebellion and politics that it is, for this reader, difficult reading. Yet, this fact speaks well ...more
This is the first book in the Collins-Burke series that I have read. Considering that it was a prequel, it might be a good place to start. Father Brennan Burke receives a phone call from his sister in England. She is in jail for her alleged ties to a the Irish Republican Army. Brennan takes a leave from his parish duties in New York to go to England to support his sister. He is joined by his brother, Terry. Although, Molly gets out of custody soon after they arrive, it isn't long before their co
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*I received a free copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads.*
"Ruined Abbey" by Anne Emery is one of those books that you hate to see end. The characters quickly pulled you into their lives and the plot was thrilling. This was thoroughly enjoyable and I would give it 4.5 stars. It would be worth reading the other books in this series if they are as good as this one. ...more
"Ruined Abbey" by Anne Emery is one of those books that you hate to see end. The characters quickly pulled you into their lives and the plot was thrilling. This was thoroughly enjoyable and I would give it 4.5 stars. It would be worth reading the other books in this series if they are as good as this one. ...more
I learned a lot about the struggles of the Irish & the English in this one. The plot was good & I really enjoyed these characters. The first book was so good that this one didn't quite live up to those standards. Still, very enjoyable. I'll definitely read more from this author.
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To properly enjoy this book you need more than a few pints of Guinness and shots of Jameson(though I prefer Bushmills myself). It is rambling gem of a read. I want to read more of the series just to see what happened to various member of the cast.
I've not read any of the Collins-Burke mysteries and since this one is prequel, I may see if I can find more. Lots of history about the "Troubles" in Ireland with which I wasn't very familiar but now know a lot more.
Read as an ARC, to be published in May, 2015. ...more
Read as an ARC, to be published in May, 2015. ...more
I am not as fond of the prequil stories as the ones based in Halifax.
Dec 09, 2016
Eric Wright
added it
Dumped. Got tired of it.
I didn't finish. The back story at the front of this book was just too long. I need a bit of action, at least, to grab me sooner.
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Read for a mystery group discussion
Can't wait to receive it! Looking forward to reading it. Will update and post a honest review when I receive and am able to read it.
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after two poorly written books, I am happy to report this is a well written book but I just can't get into the IRA stuff today, I may pick this one up another day in the future.
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Although at times the story moved a little slow, it was a good read. The ending was incredible. The book was a prequel to the series and I want to read the rest of the books.
Couldn't finish.
...more
Not bad. Rather rushed twist at the end.
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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Anne Emery is the author of SIGN OF THE CROSS (2006), OBIT (2007), BARRINGTON STREET BLUES (2008), CECILIAN VESPERS (2009) and CHILDREN IN THE MORNING (2010). Anne was born in Halifax and grew up in Moncton. She is a graduate of St. F.X. University and Dalhousie Law School ...more
Anne Emery is the author of SIGN OF THE CROSS (2006), OBIT (2007), BARRINGTON STREET BLUES (2008), CECILIAN VESPERS (2009) and CHILDREN IN THE MORNING (2010). Anne was born in Halifax and grew up in Moncton. She is a graduate of St. F.X. University and Dalhousie Law School ...more
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A Collins-Burke Mystery
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