McGarr and the Politician's Wife

Peter McGarr #1

by Bartholomew Gill

Called in to investigate the brutal death of Robert Ovens, an eccentric and enigmatic American, Dublin sleuth Peter McGarr discovers he may be blamed for the theft of a bombing report implicating the I.R.A

Genres: Mystery, Ireland, Procedural, Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Irish Literature

185 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Bartholomew Gill is the pen name of Mark McGarrity.

Mr. McGarrity was born in Holyoke, Mass., and graduated from Brown University in 1966. He studied for his master's degree at Trinity College, Dublin, and never tired of mining the country for material.

''One of the things they gave me,'' he once said of his books, ''is a chance to go back to Ireland time and time again to do research.''

He was also an avid outdoorsman, and since 1996 worked at The Star-Ledger of Newark as a features writer and columnist under the McGarrity name, specializing in nature and outdoor recreation. While continuing to produce McGarr novels, sometimes at the rate of one a year, Mr. McGarrity produced several articles a week for the newspaper. He wrote about a variety of topics ranging from environmental issues to the odd characters he encountered in his travels, like an Eastern European immigrant who grew up watching cowboy movies and found his dream job playing Wyatt Earp in an amusement park in rural New Jersey.

Mr. McGarrity also published five novels under his own name.

Series:
* Peter McGarr Mystery

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this author from reading a comment by another reader on this site discussing an early book by Adrian McKinty. He had said that the early books by some of his favorite authors were not always the best, including Mark McGarrity, aka Bartholomew Gill. At this time there are a few of Gill's books that make up the series featuring Inspector Peter McGarr that ring up at 1.99 on Amazon for kindle format. Good reading for the price. This author died in 2002 unfortunately not making it to age 60, but he did leave us 16 books (I think) to enjoy. This first book came out in 1977, as did the second in the series.
We are introduced to rather a large number of characters, baptized in the political climate of Ireland and challenged with a somewhat complex plot. There are many pubs to visit and drinks shared during interrogations at the Castle (Dublin). There is also wife Noreen who enjoys participating in investigations and sometimes feeding McGarr's dedicated staff. There is also a healthy amount of artfully described scenes, something I always look for and enjoy. I won't describe the action/plot because it cannot be done without giving the whole thing away.
I plan to tackle more of these books in the near future.

[Johnny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although Death of an Irish Politician is supposed to be the first case featuring Peter McGarr in Bartholomew Gill’s series of mysteries (Death of an Irish Sea Wolf, Death of an Irish Lover, and Death of a Joyce Scholar--guess “Irish” would have been redundant in that last one). This is one of those series where I’ve discovered the books piecemeal and had the joy of discovering the characters from cross-cuts at various points in their lives. In Death of an Irish Politician, we see McGarr and his lovely wife, Noreen, and he experiences the transition from international police work (Interpol) and tries to establish a reputation and home in Dublin. His past is a double-edged sword. On the positive side of the spectrum, he is considered a famous detective. On the negative side of the spectrum, he isn’t part of the “old boy” network. On the negative side of the spectrum, he is tainted with his sympathy for the Irish Republican Army; on the positive side, he has lots of contacts in the IRA that provide timely information at various times. In short, Gill presents McGarr as something of a microcosm of Ireland itself—resentful of Cromwell’s ancient oppression, longing for authentic freedom, and living under suspicion no matter what is done.

The ambivalent position of McGarr plays a pivotal role in Death of an Irish Politician because a portion of the plot turns on the IRA connection and, through much of the book, suspicion rests on McGarr. It’s the classic example of the detective having to clear himself in order to solve the mystery, yet, it has a more interesting feel as one senses that McGarr is functioning within webs contrived from more than one direction. Indeed, the conspiracy against McGarr enables Gill to sprinkle “red herrings” from several directions with regard to the central murder investigation because one doesn’t know whether the evidence which pops up is germane to the murder investigation, the conspiracy against McGarr, or both.

Although most of the story takes place in a suburb of Dublin proper, one does get a guided tour of the “Castle” (I only saw this remnant of oppression from the outside when I was there and, even then, I mentally asked the question that Gill implies in the book, why would the police assume this symbol of foreign oppression as their headquarters for keeping the peace? At the time, I hoped that the “Castle” had become a symbol of transition and the power of the Irish people to adapt with changing times. Yet, I get no such optimism from Gill’s perspective. We also get a glimpse of Trinity College during the “investigation,” a penthouse view of St. Stephen’s Green, and can practically smell the sea as Gill takes us to Dun Laoghaire harbor. Perhaps, the sights of Dublin are not as prolific as in the funeral procession in Ulysses, but they are certainly more recognizable (alas, Davy Byrnes Pub doesn’t make an appearance in this story).

Death of an Irish Politician contains both literal and figurative deaths. It offers a conflicted view of modern Ireland (written before the current relative peace) and a complex view of “the troubles.” This is one of several books I’ve read this year that, at least, have “the troubles” as a back-drop. Some people might think the use of “the troubles” to be a conceit or macguffin as opposed to a challenging and thoughtful consideration. I believe Gill presents a balanced view of sympathy for a united Ireland and horror over the atrocities committed in the name of that grand goal. Of course, it’s hard for someone outside the conflict to judge, but I thought Gill did a wonderful job of using that fact of life well.

Death of an Irish Politician has some intriguing puzzles and enough procedural narrative to give one a sense of solving the case, but I’m not certain the mystery itself is strong enough to hold the reader’s interest without some understanding of the “Irish situation” or a desire to care about the cast of characters Gill started to assemble in this volume. It isn’t too weak for my taste, but if one doesn’t care about the setting, it might be too timid for the average mystery aficionado.

[Eric_W · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoy anything Irish, you will very much like this nice little mystery. Chief Inspector McGarr, know for his innate ability to think like a criminal and thus anticipate their moves, a trait the French considered uniquely Irish (you’ll have to read the book to understand why that little section brought a smile.)

Some very nice, evocative images: “The beach of pulverized oyster shells made one color with the seafoam, driving mist, ashen skies, and cottages in Kilronan: a grey as glossy as from a tube of oil paint. Upon this background, the beach boat, the tanned faces and wet woolen clothes of the crew, oars over their shoulders, seemed to be imposed starkly in too sharp a focus.”

Lots of references to the Troubles and the relationship of the British police to the native Irish. When we visited there two years ago, a friend noted the community we intended to visit had been a hotbed of Protestant/Catholic tension and the shuttered police fortress was a reminder of the ill-feeling toward the British that existed in Northern Ireland.

I liked the Irish feel, the images, and the characters but found the plot to be a bit convoluted and excessively devious. Good read, nevertheless. Probably 3.5 stars.First in a series. I will read more.

Originally published in 1977, I suspect this new Kindle version has been expurgated and changed to update it to a more recent time.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writing is good in terms of humor, but the women are described in terms of looks, and your new f__ buddy and the commander's wife just help out and no one blinks?

[Anna Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

If you enjoy murder mystery books, you should check this one out. Its good and its a quick read. I can't wait to read the next in the series.

[Rich Saskal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, the debut of a long-running Peter McGarr detective series, confounded my expectations in a couple of ways.

I went into this pretty cold, seeking not much more than a bit of Irish ambiance. It was a bit more cerebral than I had expected.
The protagonist avoids some of the detective cliches -- he doesn't seem to be haunted, his mental health seems fine, he's happily married. That was kind of refreshing; and the book was more cerebral than I expected, for lack of a better word. There was a case to solve, but the book was really about McGarr fighting the good fight to keep himself from being undermined by Irish internal government politics, amid corruption and jockeying for position.
The book was published in 1977, so it was an interesting journey to a different time as well as a different place.
I'm not dying to find out what happens next, but I'll be happy to pick up the next installment at some point.

[Hillary Moldovan · Rating 1 out of 5]

really disappointing ... but gave up after 4 pages: if one adjective would be fine, this author uses four or five! Over-done descriptions of little things (a person's coat and EVERYTHING they were wearing) ... things that are best left for us to discover about a character as we read. Really getting tired of over-written details of unimportant stuff ...

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not too impressed with this first book in the Peter McGarr series but wanted to read the first one before starting on another. I guess it was just getting used to the atmosphere and character development. But the book was short so I persevered. Now that I've started another, I'm enjoying the later story much more.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read of this author. Interesting and delightful book. Reader certainly steeped in Irish atmosphere and a bit of recent Irish history. Believable plot. CID McGarr is a character I would like to indulge in again.

[Dave Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Detective Story

I enjoyed every page of the novel The Death of an Irish Politician. In this case death takes on several meanings and interpretations. Peter McGarr is definitely my mind of detective!

[Vic Lauterbach · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't a murder mystery or much of a mystery at all. It's sort of a personal, policital mystery. Whether you like it depends on how much the take to the detective McGarr. I didn't mind him or his wife Noreen. She helps him unofficially, another very odd element. At the incident scene, CID Garr does a decent Columbo imitation then heads off to collect his wife Noreen and interview people. This is a 'pure' police procedural, which I prefer, but McGarr isn't a compelling protagonist and the case isn't very interesting. I didn't mind McGarr, but Mr. Gill is sloppy with details, like Irish police credentials. (McGarr has a rank used only in the inspectorate that evaluates policing in Ireland.) CID does sound better than plain Bleachtaire Cigire, I suppose. Gill also writes as if the story was more interesting than I found it to be. Statements like "some IRA elements were committed to urban terrorism" (pg. 45) left me wondering what Gill was trying to say about the conflict. (In 1977, none of the Republican or Unionist factions had renounced violence, and all murdered civilians they considered traitors.) Even though contemporary with events, this book didn't convey a sense of Ireland during the Troubles as well as Adrian McGinty's Sean Duffy series which was written after the fact. Maybe Garr's depiction is more accurate, but it's dull. Recommended only to those who really like novels set in Ireland. Note: My dissatisfaction with this novel was exacerbated by the eBook having very narrow columns (one or two) that no setting changed.

[Susan Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book in this series and the first book I have read by this author.
In this case, my 3 star rating means it was OK enough for me to want to try the second book in the series, sometime down the road.

This is a police procedural that avoided some of the standard components of a police/detective novel. In the first place, there is no murder (in spite of what the title says), and the main detective here is "normal" meaning he is happily married, has no addictions, no angst in his personal life. I found that rather refreshing.

However, as the author portrayed and spoke about women, I actually thought it might have been written in the 1960s - and was surprised that it was as late as published as late as 1976. Some comments and observations seemed quite antiquated.

Some other commenters mentioned they found the "detail" about the IRA and Ireland to be confusing or not well explained. I had no trouble with that, although some rudimentary knowledge of what went on in Ireland would be useful.

As I say, I'll try him again.

[Kurt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Years ago, when my interest in UK/Tartan Noir was taking off, a co-worker originally from Ireland named AY-lish (somehow using six extra vowels in its Gaelic spelling) was sharing some worthy titles and authors with me. I recall her saying that her absolute favorite was Bartholomew Gill. Why? Because he really gets the details about Ireland spot-on. Expressions, attitudes, descriptions of body language, dry intelligent humor, weather, and on and on. I began with a few of the "Death of a ..." novels, but only recently reconnected with "The Death of an Ardent Bibliophile." It was pretty zany, and McGarr and his wife somehow endeared themselves to me. It was unlike the other books I had read, so I figured I'd start at the beginning. "...Politician's Wife" is short and sweet (180 pages), and the scenes with McGarr and the actual politician are wonderfully written. There's an excitement that some authors can create in these big scenes that easily rival anything brought to the big screen. (Reading is so much more freeing, letting the mind's eye build the life of the story.)

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many characters to keep straight. I realize it was written in 1977, but would a detective's wife be allowed to go to a crime scene and also sit in on interrogations? I'm very skeptical of that. Also, it was obviously written for an audience who had more than a superficial knowledge of Irish political structure and the separation between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

[Sharron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This police procedural, the first in its series, gets full marks for place and period detail (Ireland in the 1970s) but the plot was not well paced. Good enough though to warrant reading more Peter McGarr. 3.5 stars

[Dawn Kravagna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept my interest about a new detective who used to work for Interpol and wanted to return to his home country and settle down in one location. But at times I was a bit confused, particularly the ending. Could’ve used one more summary paragraph at the end to remove any ambiguity.

[Dan Hiner · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not finish the book....did not hold my attention.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

GOOD STORY

This book had a good storyline that was not easy to follow. The characters were very interesting and mostly predictable.

[Jim Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Cindy Grossi · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were too many Irish and IRA specific references for me to fully comprehend the references. I liked the characters, but got lost in the politics.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. There seemed to be some jumps that didn't make sense, almost like I missed something in the reading.

[Rob Griffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Irish murder mystery was good company. I liked the characters and the plot was interesting. I was surprised how much drinking the police would do while interrogating witnesses.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

my review can be found at: https://scifisstrs.blogspot.com/2021/...

[Liam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The late Mark McGarrity (a.k.a. Bartholomew Gill) was a truly gifted writer and a magnificent story-teller. Perhaps it is merely perversity on my part, but I have always had a particular appreciation of talented writers who choose to apply their talent to genre fiction.

As a mixed-race diaspora Irishman who has spent his life primarily within the ethnically diverse but majority African-American inner city, I have often felt like a tourist in the Irish (or for that matter Irish-American) culture. The only time I was ever in what you might call an Irish environment was when, as a young man, I occasionally would meet someone or other for a drink at the Gaelic League here in Detroit. In addition to that, my Irish roots are mostly in the Six Counties (what the British call "Northern Ireland"), which to some extent marks one as a bit of a misfit or outsider within Irish circles in any case.

Mark McGarrity, like myself and countless other diaspora Irish during the last several centuries, was born in Massachusetts (Springfield for him, Boston for me). I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it, but either way, his work allows me to have a pleasant visit to a culture which, on paper anyway, appears to be mine as much as his.

Also, of course, his books are exceptionally well-written examples of the mystery/police procedural genre, and can stand alongside the other great works of that genre with no caveats whatsoever...

[Jan C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been enjoying this series for years. Good to finally find the first in the series.

Didn't really know that the North and the South of Ireland had different whiskeys.

"A tax attorney could get the case thrown out of court." To me, this is a reference to my former life. There are tax attorneys and there are tax attorneys.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peter McGarr (and his wife) open a window into the lives of the Irish who tried to stay apart from the "troubles" but remain loyal Irishmen. Working for the police but having a more worldly view due to his Interpol work
experience, McGarr appears to bring something special to his role and make me want to read of his further adventures.

[Charlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read two, much later, books in this series so interesting to read a reprint of the original 1970s beginning of the series. An interesting look at Ireland at a particular moment in its history; the time (the Troubles still going on, the Irish boom still in the future) plays a large role in the plot. Peter McGarr is a chief who does his own sleuthing and leaves the administering to others.

[Lbd · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like british mysteries this is an author you might enjoy. Good twists and turns, well described settings. You can almost smell the peat smoke and hear the brogue of the land. Peter McGarr is our protagonist and he doesn't fail in getting his culprit!

[Babette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally found this book at Foul Play, my favorite mystery book shop in Columbus, Ohio. I enjoyed it most for the view into the workings of the IRA and the political views of some citizens. McGarr and his team are intelligent, and McGarr's wife enhances the team in a most enjoyable way.

[Dawn (& Ron)]

Read by Ron/b> Enjoyed The Death of an Irish Sea Wolf and had to go back and start the series from the beginning.