The Last Crossing

by Brian McGilloway

* LONGLISTED FOR THE THEAKSTON OLD PECULER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2021*'Poetic, human and gripping... reminded me of Bernard MacLaverty's early work. Yes, it's that good' Ian Rankin'Moving and powerful, this is an important book, which everyone should read' Ann Cleeves'T he Last Crossing is not only a riveting story about loss and guilt in a fractured society, it is also animportant work. Beautifully written and lingers long in the memory' Steve CavanaghTony, Hugh and Karen thought they'd seen the last of each other thirty years ago.Half a lifetime has passed and memories have been buried. But when they are asked to reunite - to lay ghosts to rest for the good of the future - they all have their own reasons to agree.As they take the ferry from Northern Ireland to Scotland the past is brought into terrible focus - some things are impossible to leave behind.In The Last Crossing memory is unreliable, truth shifts and slips and the lingering legacy of the Troubles threatens the present once again.Praise for Brian '... McGilloway brings a forensic and compassionate eye to bear on the post-Troubles settlement in this thoughtful, moving, morally complex book' Irish Times'McGilloway's grasp of characterisation is of the first rank, and more than compensates for the familiarity of the scenario here. The author continues to be one of Ireland's most accomplished crime writers' CrimeTime'[A] superb book... thoughtful and insightful, wrenching and utterly compelling. It says something truly profound and universal about love, loyalty and revenge... If you want to understand Northern Ireland, or any society that has experienced conflict, put it on your list. And the writing is exquisite' Jane Casey'Unearths individuals truths, unreliable memories and personal mythologies with a complex character-driven story that will leave you breathless until the final page' Gerard Brennan'As heart-stopping and thrilling as it is exquisitely written and prescient' Claire Allan'Another extraordinary novel from one of Ireland's crime fiction masters' Adrian McKinty'A remarkably timely thriller' Irish World

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

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 2, 2020

About the author

Brian McGilloway is an author hailing from Derry, Northern Ireland. He studied English at Queens University Belfast, where he was very active in student theatre, winning a prestigious national Irish Student Drama Association award for theatrical lighting design in 1996. He is currently Head of English at St. Columb's College, Derry. McGilloway's debut novel was a crime thriller called Borderlands. Borderlands was shortlisted for a Crime Writers' Association Dagger award for a debut novel.

Reviews

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful, dark and silenty threatening story this is about people who's actions during the Troubles influence them 30 years later.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very dark and disturbing whilst being set firmly in reality, with a quietly emotional sense to it and a group dynamic of unforgettable characters.

Full review to follow for the tour.

[Simon Maltman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is stunning. If you’ve enjoyed Brian McGilloway’s other books, then you’re in for a treat. You have the usual fine writing with a particularly gripping premise that plays out with a huge amount of suspense. I loved everything about it. It is a post-Troubles story that is thoughtful, tense, conflicted and incredibly entertaining.

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, what a beauty that book is. The writing, the story, the characters, just perfection.
There's this feeling of nostalgia, of life lived and lives lost, and the what ifs and the what might have beens. The undercurrent of emotions, of trauma, of loss, of missing home. There's so much feeling and emotion here. The Troubles and what happened then, the choices made, the choices forced upon people, still haunting, still felt.
The Last Crossing is a grand grand book. I loved it.

[Forest Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning. I’d give this six stars if I could. Beautifully written, surprising, three dimensional characters. Brian takes the Troubles of Northern Ireland and ties it to the post Good Friday Agreement time flawlessly. I can’t recommend this book more— also for you romance people, you’ll love it. I’ve read many of his books, this is by far his best. Highly recommended.

[Minna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Duggan had told him that this man’s death was a response to Danny’s in some way, to justify his involvement. But it wasn’t, and he knew that now. Danny had died. That was separate from this.”

This is a really well done novel by one of Ireland’s most underrated crime writers. Something about the mournful tone, the focus on confession, and a determination to reveal the futility of violence makes moments like the above border on profound. 4.5*

[clarachen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not usually one to read crime, but this one was so worth it. It sheds light on the Troubles and how they still affect people today - Northern Irish people in particular.

Loved how this guy wrote the transitions between chapters: I literally could not stop reading because everything was so well woven together. It’s also perceptible that he tried to play with the first-person perspective thing, but it didn’t really work - which isn’t a problem in the slightest! Just something I noticed. The plot twists were very good and some parts were even poetic! (didn’t expect it).

There were quite a few typos in my opinion (I’d say 6 or 7 in the whole novel) which were annoying, but I got through it.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

*LONGLISTED FOR THE THEAKSTON OLD PECULER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2021*

McGilloway has written a number of previous novels, all crime novels. This one is a departure. It is the story of a murder and disappearance that happened 30 years earlier during The Troubles. It is now the era of resolution, helping families of the disappeared by identifying their burial places. The original three people involved in a disappearance are the center of the story.

The murder was carried out by Tony, a school teacher from Derry, Karen, a young woman on the outskirts of paramilitary circles, and Hugh, an older paramilitary. The novel opens with the burial of a supposed informer in Scotland. Tony was pulled into this murder after his younger brother was killed when he was hit by a British Army vehicle in Derry. Tony wasn't looking for revenge, but was pulled into acting by pressure from militants.

It is the story of remorse, and guilt. Tony and Karen are strong armed into returning to Scotland with Hugh to find the grave of the man they executed. The chapters alternate between the past and the present in a fashion that moves the story ahead. The three protagonists are involved in ferry crossings to Scotland which are reminiscent of stories of the River Styx and the novel has many of the elements of a Greek tragedy.

My book group that meets at the historic Linen Hall Library in Belfast (I join via Zoom) was fortunate to have the author join us today for a discussion of the novel. This meeting was followed by an hour long public talk. I walked away very impressed with McGilloway - his intelligence, and his dedication to his craft. He is a native of Derry teaches full time at Holy Cross College, Strabane, a Catholic secondary school. He also has a family which requires a great deal of juggling to keep everything going.

This is McGilloway's tenth novel, and it almost didn't get published. Then a small indie press, Dome, in the UK took a chance and published it. It was then picked up by Constable and issued in paperback. McGilloway said that writers from Northern Ireland still have a lot of difficulty getting published. Crime novels were not written during The Troubles with one of two exceptions (Colin Bateman because people were living with enough terror and uncertainty, and did not need fiction to provide it. McGilloway has a new stand alone novel being published in March 2022 The Empty Room. I already have it on pre-order.

[booksofallkinds · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the Publisher.

A compelling story that moves seamlessly from past to present, THE LAST CROSSING by Brian McGilloway is the kind of story that gets under your skin without you being aware that it is happening.

Thirty years ago, Hugh, Tony, and Karen stood side by side while a murder of retribution and revenge was carried out. Now they are being summoned to reunite after all this time to understand the past and lay their haunting ghosts to rest one last time. But can you ever truly forget about what has happened before? The actions that have shaped who you have become?

The past element of this story is set during the Troubles where we witness how easy it was for battle lines to be drawn and sides to be taken when death and revenge were parcelled together. Sadness, grief, and fear are all combined and manipulated at many moments throughout this book and a sense of unease follows Tony through all areas of his life which left me feeling the tension of what was happening at all times too. And when some shocking truths come to light, I was equally as surprised as the characters themselves.
I am a fan of dual timelines in stories when they are well-written and this one is superb in its fluency and there is an almost lyrical feel to this author's writing which adds something extra to the narrative.

THE LAST CROSSING by Brian McGilloway is an emotional story with plenty of depth and that spark of something special that makes you feel connected to it all.
A must-read for fiction fans.

[Wendy Greenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the start of all the McGilloway books I have read, I think I am not going to enjoy this novel. However the author has a writing knack of hauling you in very quickly despite his murky characters and the alternating backdrop of The Troubles and its contemporary legacy of burying the bodies.

The two timelines, thirty years apart segue beautifully into each other, enabling the reader to absorb the right information at the right time to fill out their picture of what had motivated the actions of each of the members of a paramilitary cell. The author carried the words at the end of one episode into the first sentence of the back and forth time change as an overlap of life and unreliable memories. It is almost like catching a cliffhanger. I thought this was a clever device but once I started looking for it, for me it felt, overplayed.

These were terrible times. This novel captures how easily people were drawn into situations from which they could not extract themselves and defined lives and communities. The people who chose or were dragged into the violence and how they have moved on, tried to move on or not tried to move on, scatter the story, giving texture to the book and an understanding of both sides of the divide.

A masterpiece of guilt!

[Zoë DePreta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m usually not a crime reader, so I wouldn’t have picked this up on my own but by the end I found aspects quite interesting. At first I found the story itself to be somewhat slow and predictable, and the time jumps to be tedious, but the story sped up about 200 pages in and I read the last 130 or so pages in one sitting.
I did find the violence disturbing and at times that made it a very difficult book to read, but overall I see the appeal and I’m glad I read it.

[Leslie Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Allison Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, can’t wait to read more by this author.

[Damien Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to preface my thoughts on Brian McGilloway’s latest novel, The Last Crossing, by saying that I knew Brian in his twenties, during that part of Northern Irish history that half this book is set in. We were in university together during the early nineties, in Belfast, during the Troubles. Both Catholic, but from different sides of the border, we were both living—I felt—adjacent to the conflict and terror; surrounded by it, subject to it, but still some ways apart from it. We had just enough privilege—though we wouldn’t have recognised the term or idea at the time—to shield us. We acknowledged it, accommodated it, discussed it, hated it, grieved it, owned it in our way…but we were a step from it. A lucky beat out of step with it, maybe. So, it’s an uncanny experience, all these years later, to read a story that feels so much like our shared past, with a central character who possesses so many of my own friend’s characteristics, told from within those terrors, rather than from the step beyond that I remember us occupying. It’s a sobering insight into who we could have been. And it shows me, personally, just how much more in step with the world we were living in my friend was than I.

Tony, a middle-aged widower and former English teacher from Northern Ireland, is literally travelling back to the darkest moment of his youth, as he and two others—his former lover and the man who recruited him into the IRA in his twenties—return to the site where they executed and buried a man in Scotland. Products of the Troubles, theirs is a familiar story of disenfranchisement and revenge. Fleeing grief and social strife at home, they found the ‘war’ they’d been fighting going on on the UK mainland just as it was in Ulster, and the demons they were running from waiting for them to arrive.

The story moves between the excruciating return trip itself in the present, first by ferry and then by car, to the woods where the crime was committed, and thirty years into the past, to the months that lead up to the killing. It’s a claustrophobic and uncomfortable journey in both timeframes. Hurt is piled on hurt, and more and more wounds are delivered as the story progresses, big and small. It sounds like it would be a very tough read, but this is a story about how horror runs parallel to the familiar, the everyday, and the beautiful, and you are easily carried along, sure that the good you can otherwise see in Tony—and Karen, his girlfriend and compatriot—must eventually lead to some kind of justice, some restitution, some ultimate righteousness in the face of what the Troubles wrought. But this isn’t a story about justice. This is a story, ultimately, about how we all share our pains, how we pass them on and pay them forward, and how little is left of us when we’re all complicit in each other’s deaths. It is a bleak story, but it reflects the particular pains of a generation, many generations, in fact, and the fears we still hold onto that there are more generations of the same to come. It is told, however, with so much sensitivity and humanity, and is so compelling, that it doesn’t leave you cold at the end, battered and bruised though you may be. Having lived in these times and in these places, it was a deeply personal book for me; made more so by my memories from that time of the author himself. If you too have any kind of relationship with this part of history, this book is a must. But if you don’t, there’s a clear thread to this story that suggests you might need it even more.

An absolutely stunning novel, I cannot recommend it enough. And I am so proud of my friend for writing it.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many years ago, when Tony, Hugh and Karen walked away from each other after taking part in a killing, undertaken in the name of revenge, they did not think they would see each other again.

But 30 years later, they have been gathered together to help rest the ghosts of the past and apparently lay the foundations for a more peaceful future for their homeland.

They have spent the intervening years trying to forget what happened that night in a forest near Glasgow, but they have little choice but to agree to the reunion.

As they take the ferry journey from Northern Ireland to Scotland, the past is brought into clear focus and secrets that should have stayed buried are brought to the surface, stirring up uncomfortable truths.

Why have they really been brought back together and what do they each hope to achieve with this journey into the past?

**************************************************************

The blurb for The Last Crossing does not really give much away in terms of where this story goes, so it was a bit of a voyage into the unknown - much like Tony, Hugh and Karen's ferry journey back to the scene of their crime.

The book runs in dual timelines, with chapters alternating between 30 years ago and the here and now - ever so slowly revealing what our characters have done and why they are now being called on to make amends.

In this case, the 30 year old part of the story revolves around the Troubles in Northern Ireland and attempts to get revenge for the killing of Tony's brother, which embroils our characters in a murder plot in Scotland - under the orders of (we assume) the IRA.

The present concerns itself with the reason why our players have been brought back together, and as they speculate about why they are really there and what they have been asked to do, all their little secrets come spilling out.

Brian McGilloway seamlessly works the threads of this story, from the past and present, into the most compelling of storylines, dropping little clues along the way to the shocking truths that will be revealed. But knowing the truths are coming does very little to soften the blows when they eventually hit you full on in the face.

The writing is quite simply superb and the author uses some delicious devices to keep you engrossed from start to finish. I particularly enjoyed the way he creates such a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere around the interactions between Tony, Hugh and Karen, especially when aboard the ferry, and the way the characters have such unreliable and conflicting accounts of what happened all those years ago.

In addition, Brian McGilloway skillfully describes how Tony and Karen were manipulated into becoming unwitting co-conspirators through the grief and anger they felt over the loss of their family members - until they found themselves in way too deep to back out - and uses the two timelines to examine the differences between the politics of Northern Ireland pre/ post the peace talks.

One of my favourite little tricks was the use of similar words and phrases at the beginning and ends of consecutive chapters to link them together - this was so subtly done that I was not even aware of it to start with, but then began to look out for them as I went on.

This book completely bowled me over. This is addictive writing that draws you into a complex and character driven cracker of a novel that leaves you with plenty to think about when you are done.

Mr McGilloway, you are a class act and I will be searching out more of your books in the future!

[Queen Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for book club and there was some disagreement about the ending -- fair warning. The book is actually a bit of a miracle that it works because it could have gone south at so many points. There are three principal characters in the book who are connected by a traumatic event from their youths. ("I Know What You Did Last Summer" anyone?) The traumatic event involves the Troubles in Northern Ireland -- the author has been very frank about the difficulty he had getting the book published because no one wants to publish a book by a Northern Irish writer about the Troubles, even though the author is a best selling crime fiction author. His own publisher wouldn't publish the book. However, it seems as if there is an abundance of literature about the Troubles and one can be quite tired of it. But this book is not about the Troubles per se. This book is about three people and the effect of trauma on their lives, the shared trauma of the event they shared, as well as subsequent trauma in the case of our main character. Trauma from which some do not recover.
The three are in Scotland and directed, by the Provisional IRA leadership, to dispatch an informant. It should be noted, that there is a disclaimer that the Provisional IRA did not actually do this sort of thing in Scotland at the time. Nevertheless, the deed is done and they pretty much go their separate ways afterwards. The act does not bond them to one another, but rather the horror of what they have done creates an impenetrable veil that separates them. Along comes the peace movement 25 years later and the self same IRA leader who directed the dispatch is now rising in the political ranks and directs the recovery of the body to give peace to the family that has never known what happened to their loved one. It is this crossing from Northern Ireland to Scotland for the recovery that is the current story. But the story is told one chapter at a time. Present time, past time, present time, past time; the last sentence of one chapter becoming the first sentence of the next chapter, emphasizing the rawness of the trauma, the pain. This is something oppressors seem never to understand -- out takes generations for that oppression to purged from a people and when you keep salting the wound, or oppressing again and again, the wound festers, it does not get better.
But there are surprises in the story of the past and the actual events, was the informant actually an informant or did they kill the wrong person, if so, who was the informant? How did they get it so wrong? Who knew what when and how did they live with what they did? In the hands of a lesser writer, many parts of the story could have devolved into cliche or trope, but in McGilloway's hands, the story has twists that the reader sees from a distance through a fog as if crossing the Irish Sea to another shore. One can never be quite sure what one is seeing, the shapes are not clear until one is right upon them. There are surprises, but they are plausible when the arrive.
The book started a bit slowly for me because, truth be told, I was not enthusiastic about a story about the Troubles. But as I kept reading and realized the Troubles were merely the time frame in which the story happened, the historical back drop, the setting for the action, that the real story was the human suffering of making choices and living with them, the book because hard to put down.

[Lainy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days

Pages - 380

Publisher - The Dome Press

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

“The Last Crossing is a brilliant excavation of the recent past.” Adrian McKinty

Tony, Hugh and Karen thought they’d seen the last of each other thirty years ago. Half a lifetime has passed and memories have been buried. But when they are asked to reunite - to lay ghosts to rest for the good of the future - they all have their own reasons to agree. As they take the ferry from Northern Ireland to Scotland the past is brought in to terrible focus - some things are impossible to leave behind.

In The Last Crossing memory is unreliable, truth shifts and slips and the lingering legacy of the Troubles threatens the present once again.


My Review

This is my first dance with this author, we open to the scene of an execution. Tony is headed back to Scotland to face their past and the actions that cost a young man his life and impacted on theirs. Tony, Hugh and Karen haven't seen each other for years, their fate cast by an act they committed and the choices they each made.

The book splits in two, pre assassination (the past) and post assassination (present time) flipping between the two with alternating chapters. It took me a wee bit to notice, just coming off shifts, that each chapter ends and begins with a linking word or sentence, pretty nifty and well done!

The book looks mostly at Tony, main character, and how things centered around him, his feelings, job, attitude and what drew him into such a dark group, activists who met out "justice" as they see fit. His brothers death, him wanting someone to pay, a group who see him ripe for joining, all of this is set in Ireland. Then Tony flees to Scotland and the book is across the two locations although primarily Ireland I would say.

It is a dark read, how easy it is for people to get involved in a movement, killing and how small choices and actions can have huge consequences, impact and far reach even many years later. This was my first book by this author, it won't be my last 4/5 for me this time.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

How good is your memory from 30 years ago? I’ll admit, mine’s quite hazy. But then again, I didn’t have an event burnt in my memory like Hugh, Tony and Karen did…

The Last Crossing has a horrifying bone chilling opening, one that underpins the whole book. But this lead me to ask one question throughout – why did Martin Kelly have to die?

The story exudes a lot of political undertones from the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the aftermath of the Good Friday agreement.

The war’s not over

It showed me how from generation to generation, there can still be the dislike for the opposition and authority despite the peace treaty. It had a stark insight as to how in reality the war in Northern Ireland (and beyond) was fought. Hugh’s testimony of his experience, no matter how unreliable all these characters became with their memories, felt a true to life account of recruitment to the cause and the obligation to follow orders from above no matter what.

The story jumps unexpectedly by chapter between past and present which for me took a little getting used to. But once I did, I was immersed into the time travel between the now and the trio’s young adulthood. I loved the way the last sentence of certain chapters is mirrored almost identically in the first line of the next chapter in the opposite time thread.

My introduction to McGilloway’s work was brilliant. This standalone tale is packed with intrigue, heightened with the split timelines and the quest for something whether it be closure or justice for the dead. Tony’s voice was ringing in my ear as I read, the Irish accent that I’m familiar with. This author is definitely one I’ll be hunting out more of!

[Karen Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Crossing is the first book by Brian McGilloway I've had the pleasure of reading but it definitely won't be the last. I have a particular fondness for novels with a dual timeline but I don't remember one done better than this, with the clever, seamless links between past and present creating a moving and engrossing study of a small group of people brought together during the Troubles in the late 80s and then reunited thirty years later, still haunted by their memories of what they did.
The book opens with a murder, execution style but this isn't a crime novel as such; any desire for justice of a sort comes later and is personal rather than seeking retribution in a court of law. Three people are present when Martin Kelly dies but only one, Hugh appears to have killed before. He is brutally efficient and exacting in his instructions for the other two, Tony and Karen who follow his directions obediently. It soon becomes apparent that whatever occurred between them to lead to this point resulted in them not seeing each another for decades. The older Tony is clearly still tormented by his previous actions yet unable to confess his sins to his priest, admitting only that he has done things he's not proud of. Recently widowed, his apprehension at being forced to relive the history he shares with Hugh and Karen is tempered by his curiosity as to how it will feel to see them both again, especially Karen with whom he had a short-lived but intense love affair.
As with many historical conflicts, when peace is agreed there eventually comes a desire for answers and a willingness to provide them, whether from a genuine wish to atone for past sins or for less altruistic, often political motives. The storyline follows Tony in the past and present and it's through him that we gradually discover both how he came to be involved in murder and why the three have separately agreed to return to Martin Kelly's resting place in Scotland. They each have their own reasons and while it's easier to sympathise with Tony and Karen - whose story in many ways mirrors his, reinforcing the ease at which ordinary people can be recruited into terror groups - Hugh's presence is ominously riveting, his fury almost palpable at times.
The lingering legacy of the Troubles ensures there is always a sense of foreboding to The Last Crossing but it also means that this is a nuanced character study which recognises that there were multiple reasons behind the violent acts perpetrated by both sides and few were left entirely untouched. A family tragedy leaves Tony vulnerable to persuasion and coercion; he is actually a likeable young man but his confused emotions and naivety means there is a sad inevitability to the lonely path he finds himself on. Perhaps the most poignant aspect to this compelling story is that the shadow of death which looms over all the characters is as divisive as it is uniting. That a needless death will mean people will seek revenge isn't surprising and it's painfully evident here that retribution and anger leads to a depressing cycle of violence and murder. The psychological scars are explored too; the personal and those which become legacies, both of families and the wider communities.
The ever-present sense of fear is captured with an authenticity which means The Last Crossing is almost unbearably tense to read at times and is a stark reminder that Scotland, separated from Ireland by just a short crossing shared the religious and political divides and experienced the violence and bereavements of the Troubles too. There's a scene where Tony is asked whether he supports Rangers or Celtic and with it there is the grim acknowledgement that allegiance to one or other of these clubs may signal more than just loyalty to a football team. As events begin to spiral out of what little control he may have thought he still held, there comes a moment where it all becomes almost too painful to read. The ferocity of belief in a cause is difficult to witness, particularly because the violence that occurs here represents the many atrocities inflicted during those long, dark years of terror and bloodshed.
The Last Crossing is a powerful exploration of a recent past which remains a part of society's collective memories, perceptively understanding that those recollections will be flawed, formed as they are through a person's individual experiences and beliefs. Despite the sombre subject matter, the writing is absolutely beautiful, vividly capturing the emotions and the sense of time and place. With recent political developments potentially threatening the Good Friday Agreement and the rise in populism and nationalism, there has perhaps never been a greater need for this thoughtful, complex, important novel. An outstanding read which will remain with me, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

[Janice Staines · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s difficult to say I ‘enjoyed’ this novel as it is full of murder, violence, betrayal and lies, but nevertheless, I did. The action shifts between Northern Ireland and Scotland and the ferry crossing in between.

It centres around one of the ‘disappeared’ from the troubles in the 1970s and the narrative slips easily between then and the present day as the author uses the finishing line of one chapter as the starting line of the next.

Each chapter is short and fast-paced and the story therefore moves along at a fair old trot, which is perfect for this reader. And, as the story progresses, you’re given a deeper insight into the motivations of each of the characters central to the story. Love, greed, hate, a lust for power and self preservation all play their part. In the end, no one comes out of it well.

Brian McGilloway is a talented wordsmith and an excellent storyteller. His characters are three-dimensional, flawed people, capable of showing extremes of violence and yet odd glimpses of humanity.

The subject matter is never going to make this book an easy read, but ultimately it is an important and satisfying one. You will learn a lot about what drives people to commit violence and murder against others and it will leave you questioning how you would respond in similar circumstances.

[Pam Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What strikes me most about this crime novel is the relentless pace of the story. It is quietly spoken and intense but ongoing. You just know that there are going to be revelations as you get towards the end- that the past will be explained. The story is told through alternating chapters set in the past and present. As each chapter ends, the line is picked up in the next, which gives continuity to the story and links past and present. This is a very clever device.

Martin's execution style murder opens the story and sets the underlying cruelty which lay below the surface of life in Ireland during the Troubles. Tony, Karen and Hugh have their own reasons for agreeing to return to Scotland to the scene of Martin's final resting place and of course, there are some twists and turns in their tale. Hiding secrets and keeping silent has become a way of life for the three and you come to realise that memories of the past may not be accurate and misunderstandings may have clouded opinions as to what actually happened. This is a grim and harsh narrative but one with a sense of moving on possible.

In short: A powerful and well written crime novel.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

[Donne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book very dark and depressing with a few sprinklings of joy/happiness/kindness.

I did not experience any part of the "troubles" and so found the topic very sad, bleak and depressing. I totally understand the characters motivations for their actions, and given the same circumstances, i would have behaved just like most of them, however, the story seemed to lack joy. I dont think i could live a life like Tony's.

On the other hand, the story is well written and i loved the link between the chapters. This was the first time that i had seen that done and think its very clever. However, i am not sure that i really enjoy a book that changes time periods every single chapter.

If you want to read a well written, bleak, realistic (i think) book about people getting themselves into a situation that leads down a very sad path - this is the book for you. There are some bits of joy, so don't despair.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ooof. I did not enjoy reading this at all. It’s dark and violent and somber. That said, I think it’s an important book, so I’m giving it 3 stars instead of less. I feel like only Brian McGilloway could pull this book off—it’s all about the violence of The Troubles, the circular pattern of violence, and the psychology of getting involved in sectarian violence/politics in Ireland. It’s kinda deep, and I have to admit he wrote it well. I just wasn’t expecting something so serious, and it’s really violent and depressing.

He does this one interesting thing that I haven’t seen before. Each chapter begins with almost the same line that the prior chapter ended with. *And* the last sentence of the book is the same as the first sentence of the book. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before, and I think he’s getting at the circular, repetitive nature of this violence. I do feel like this is an “important” book, despite not being enjoyable at all.

[Mrs S Monteith · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were so many “typos” throughout that it disturbed my reading and was very irritating. Do proof readers not exist anymore and does everyone just rely on a spell checker?

The storyline: I disliked the way the story was written, jumping back and forth in each chapter. I grew up during The Troubles and this story had more than a hint of truth ringing through it. I actually found the story uncomfortable and unsettling, both from the past and the present perspectives. Teenagers did indeed grow up with paramilitaries all around and like Tony relied on good parents to keep you steady and warn you of the dangers. It is also a reminder that the NI Executive is occupied with people with questionable pasts. Maybe this story will suit folks from elsewhere in the world.

On a better note every other book this author has written are A*.

[Nicola Parkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Crossing is the first (but won’t be the last) book by Brain McGilloway that I have read, can i just point out that the blurb does NOT do this book justice!
The story is set in both past and present,  I really enjoyed getting a feel for the past times, there was so much detail, both character and location. I felt like this book played to me, I didn’t feel like i was reading. I was lost within the story as it captivated me so easily and time passed without me realising. Brian has a beautiful way of writing, the story flowed seamlessly and I couldn’t wait to find a spare few minutes within my day so I could pick my book up once again.
This is definitely a book I will be passing into friends.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

[This the paperback edition]

I've enjoyed half a dozen other novels written by Brian McGilloway, but this really is something different and, in my opinion, special.

Told in alternating now and then chapters - the deed and the thirty years later aftermath of the deed, how it impacted on those responsible and the different degrees of responsibility each had for its execution, and the reasons for its current impact - create a very specific but real tension. What it also gives is a different insight in how it was to live in those times; a different slant to any other books I've read which touches on the topic.

Shame about the half dozen typos, but nevertheless, a very impressive development of McGilloway's writing journey..

[Steve Munoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian McGilloway’s The Last Crossing is a beautifully written tale about the haunting effect of the Troubles on a small group of characters. The story is told through dual timelines separated by 30 years in a seamless narrative by main character Tony Canning, who recounts how in the moment, emotional decisions take profound turns, changing the course of lives. The events themselves act a background character asking who determines which actions are crimes and is there ever forgiveness. I loved almost everything about this book from the beautifully crafted characters to the feel of the time and setting, all of which operated on a cinematic level for me, bringing up a stream of evocative images as the story unfolded. I gave this book a 5

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply the best crime fiction I've read in a long time. I'd forgotten how emotionally powerful really good crime writing could be.

Tony, Hugh and Karen are forced together for the first time in 30 years to revisit their past. They had been involved in dealing out some retribution during the Troubles, events that have haunted their lives ever since.

Hugh was the most committed to violence, Tony and Karen – young lovers at the time – were pulled into helping him. None of them were entirely honest with each other, with Tony and Karen parting painfully.

Their various deceptions are revealed as they must reunite, and it is a heartrending experience. Wonderful characters, vivid writing – I thought this was absolutely superb.

[Vivian Valvano · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good and disturbing Irish Troubles novel. Action shifts between Glasgow and Derry in NI. A trio, two men and one woman, participated in an IRA retribution murder of a suspected “tout” 30 years ago. In the present post-Good Friday Agreement time, they are called upon to go to NI and reveal the location where the body is buried. As a reader familiar with such subjects would expect, secrets, guilt, anger, betrayal, upheaval of lives … all of these smolder. Excellent rendering of settings. Shave half a star for sloppy editing and repetitiveness, but it makes its points. This is a stand alone Niven ogpf McGilloway’s, He us known for series of crime and detection novels.

[Ed Mckeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to thank Adrian McKinty for tweeting about McGilloway. His books are still not readily available on this side of the Atlantic, and they should be. This one's about an old crime revisited, and coincidentally features IRA members banished to Scotland (just like in Denise Mina's Slip of the Knife which I finished just prior to this. McGilloway is skilled, and aside for the trick where the last sentence of one chapter becomes the first of another, as chapters move backwards and forwards over decades, this story of murder and regret is beautifully told. Search it out.